Page 228 - Resources and Support for the Online Educator

Part 2: UDL and You

Dominican Republic. The teacher made a deal: Anyone who could recite all
of the countries and their capitals would be allowed to leave a little early.
Luis made a plan:

“I knew I had a good memory, so I volunteered to go first. Sure
enough, I got them all right. I went home early!

“From that point on, I knew that my memory was an asset I could
rely on to overcome one of my weaknesses: a tendency to procrasti-
nate and wait until the last minute to prepare for tests. Through high
school, I was able to memorize the layout of my textbooks (a form of
photographic memory) and easily recall information during tests
based on its location on the page. This served me well until college. I
attended a small liberal arts school where assignments required
more critical thinking. As a result, it took me a while to adjust to the
new demands of college. What had helped me succeed earlier in life
had also kept me from developing the other skills I needed to be
successful in higher education.”

Pause and Reflect

Take a moment to consider the game of school:

∙ Did you play the game of school? Did you know you were
playing?
∙ What might have happened if you had struggled with one or
two of the “rules?”
∙ Is there a connection between how you played the game of
school, and your assumptions and beliefs about learners and
learning?
∙ Do you see the influence of the game of school in your school
or classroom?
∙ Are there parts of the game you don’t think will change? Why?

32 Dive into UDL

Dive into UDL: Immersive Practices to Develop Expert Learners 228