UDL

These two questions were asked about Universal Design Learner or UDL.  UDL is a process to look at how we not only teach our students but how we reach each one of them.  I probably have a different view than most educators but from the position I have, I see it in a different way.  

1. At the core of UDL is the premise that often the curriculum is disabled (and disabling!). It is not flexible; it often poses barriers, and consequently prevents rather than supports optimal learning experiences. Do you agree or disagree with this view? Why or why not?

I do not agree with this statement.  The reason is that I think curriculum should be a foundation and not something that is followed step by step.  Curriculum should guide a teacher through the unit and the teacher should decide how they are going to cover the curriculum.  Just like we do not expect students to learn in the same way, teachers should not teach the same way.  I think curriculum is important because it makes teachers across a state cover the same material but with a teacher modifying it to fit their students. 

1. What are the benefits of analyzing the curriculum for strengths and weaknesses rather than focusing on the student’s strengths and weaknesses? What are the challenges of this approach?

By analyzing the curriculum for strengths and weaknesses, a teacher can spend lesson time modifying the good lessons and more time on the weak ones.  It also provides a teacher who is struggling a better opportunity to use the strong lessons and get help with weak ones.  Along with these, teachers who focus on the curriculum can talk with other teachers who are teaching the curriculum for advice.  One challenge with this is that each lesson should be created so all students can learn.  If a teacher focuses on the curriculum then they forget the reason they are there.  Another challenge is that because all students learn differently, a weak lesson in the curriculum may be just what a student needs and by modifying a weak lesson one student misses