Going beyond accommodations involves designing for flexibility, choice, and empowerment.
This is a great point and one that is easily forgotten. It's a common saying and it's true, that when we plan for neuro-divergent learners, we are not just benefitting those students but all of the students in the classroom. I think giving students options for the kind of work they complete, and how they complete it, can result in increased engagement, learning, and satisfaction in students.
“What does UDL look like for English language learners/black and brown students/students with disabilities?” My answer is always the same, “The students in those groups are not the same and they don’t need one-size-fits-all solutions.”
This is a very important idea; when considering what will be the most culturally responsive pedagogy for a specific group of learners, we must remember that there is great diversity within each of these groups (ELL students, students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, etc.) We shouldn't think of these groups as being monoliths and should do what we can to adjust our curriculum and teaching methods as necessary.
did not name which ones were engaging in this intrusive practice
It would be very interesting to know which internet providers are engaging in this surveillance, and to what extent!
offers you access to the wisdom of a global collective of teachers with insights to what works and does not work inside the classroom.
I have found so far, in my studying to become an educator, that a lot of the most valuable information regarding teaching and working with children comes from lived experience. This absolutely includes hearing about the experiences of those who have already worked in the field. My dad is a teacher and has been for many years, and I frequently ask him for advice. Teachers are some of the few professionals who are unfairly hit with constant criticism, from parents, administration, etc. Of course, constructive feedback is necessary for every job, but many people seem to think that they know what a teacher should be doing differently - even if they have 0 experience. As a result, I think teachers are professionals who would especially benefit from working collaboratively with one another and supporting each other.
can even lead to miseducation when sources are of low quality, are inaccurate, or advance oppressive systems
This is always something to be aware of when using/analyzing any resources, but especially online ones. I think we often assume that only children, older adults, or those with limited Internet access would be susceptible to buying in to inaccurate or inflammatory information, but I think everyone is at risk of this. It's easy to assume that, if it was published in an article, or looks kind of "official", it's worth checking out- but of course, this is certainly not always the case. As we continue to rely heavily on online information, we should always keep a healthy level of skepticism and remember to look critically at what is out there.