Content Knowledge
Human Development and Learning
Diversity
Planning for Instruction
Learning Environment
Instructional Delivery
Communication
Assessment
Collaborative Relationships
Reflection and Professional Growth
Professional Conduct
Content Knowledge:
The teacher understands the central concepts, methods of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) and create learning experiences that make the content meaningful to all students.
Throughout my college experience I have learned many theories and content knowledge about the teaching profession. It is my job now as a preservice teacher to use the knowledge learned and apply it to teaching. I have used many techniques and strategies to see what works with my students. I am able to teach my students around the district goals and state standards to better their knowledge as a student. As a teacher, I must take it upon myself to learn and become proficient in the content knowledge needed to teach my students so that they can successfully do well and comprehend to the best of their knowledge.
Within the fourth grade curriculum, students are to become engaged in the different regions of the United States. This unit I designed integrated the different subject areas so that the students were able to grasp as many concepts about the West Region as they possibly can. Throughout this unit, the students were able to participate in different activities for each of the six states of the West Region.
This activity was one that really got their tummy’s growling! Through much planning and preparation, this activity turned out a success. Students were to discover the geography of their state with their group using different icing colors and candies. They also had to take bites out of graham crackers in order to form the shape of their state. Look how they turned out!
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Human Development and Learning:
The teacher understands how individuals grow, develop and learn and provides learning opportunities that support the intellectual, social, and personal development of all students.
While planning lessons, I make sure to always base my lessons upon two things: the District Learning Standards and the students abilities and learning styles. I provide numerous activities and opportunities for each student to learn according to their individual learning modality. I understand that students learn best when they are given experiences in learning and allowed to experience them in their individual ways. I have been able to do this while meeting the goals and standards set by our district.When students enter a classroom, some come in prepared and others unprepared to face the day's intellectual and social challenges. As an educator, my responsibility is to provide students with opportunities that allow for personal growth in both of these areas, regardless of the student's current ability level. One way I support social and intellectual growth in my classroom is by grouping students for assignments. By doing this, I hope to help my students learn the very valuable skill of communication, while also mastering their classroom material.
I involve my students in group work that allow them to help and encourage one another. This helps them to understand the content. In helping all my students learn, I review the previous day's lessons and any student assessments before teaching new content.
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Diversity:
The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.
Once a teacher has found their students strengths and weaknesses, it is important to assess individuals based on their accommodations to their personal needs. Being able to do this takes a lot of time and planning for your students. This is all part of teaching and I have realized this throughout my students teaching experience thus far. I have tested different teaching methods and modalities with my students to see what works best for them to learn at their highest potential possible. Assessment is an important aspect in teaching because it gives us as teachers and idea at where your students stand individually and as a class. The data collected tells a lot of information about how your class learns, what they understand, where they stand compared to other classes at their level, etc.
I have learned throughout my student teaching experience that assessment is very important but it only works well and the data could be used if the assessments are appropriate for the students based on their individualized needs. If there is a student in your classroom who has an IEP or is an ESL student, I would not give that student the same type of test I am giving the rest of the class because I know that that student needs to be accommodated to so that they can comprehend what is being asked of them to do. It may just be the fact that the teacher needs to read the test aloud to him or her because they cannot read it on their own. These are the types of things a teacher such as myself must realize when handing out an assessment on a topic. For my evidence I am using a picture of a Geometry Flip book that was used as an assessment for the math unit. During this entire unit while working with the class on completing it everyday, I had to accommodate to certain children’s needs by having an extra set of notes for them at their desk to copy into their flip book as well as assisting them in writing the information into their flip book with them.
These students were able to work at their highest potential on their Dream Castle Project. I was able to accommodate to their needs for this assignment.
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Planning for Instruction:
The teacher understands instructional planning and designs instruction based upon knowledge of the discipline, students, the community, and curriculum goals.
Having lesson plans that are well developed and are geared towards district goals and state standards are very important while meeting the needs of all students in the classroom. I have found that being prepared ahead of time prior to the lesson assists in a lesson running smoothly. This is something I strive for day in and day out while teaching. Being organized is part of having lesson plans that are creative, innovative, and are able to capture students’ interests. One needs to think outside the box and be related to the students’ interests so that the students can benefit from the lesson more than anything else.
Throughout my internship, I have learned to utilize various methods of instruction. On a regular basis, I incorporated technology into my lessons in order to enhance them and meet the needs of my students who learn best with technology. I have done many hands-on activities where students have an experience through their learning. Stations are a large part of my instruction. I like to use stations because I can instruct students on numerous lessons with smaller groups. Through this, students are able to receive more individualized instruction. Through the year, I have strived to adapt my lessons to meet the individual and diverse needs of my students while also encouraging them to reach their highest potential. Of all people, my supervisor as well as my mentor teachers has found this to be true and a great quality that I have in teaching.
Social Studies-Science Lesson Plan-West Region Unit
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Learning Environment:
The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
Picture of our class management plan which is the marble system.
I feel that my classroom is a safe environment where students can interact on a positive level as they are challenged and empowered to reach their highest potential. I have placed student work around the room in order to celebrate their accomplishments. I have both individual achievements as well as group achievements in order to stress the importance of teamwork. In order to create an enriching classroom climate, I have made the students aware of taking ownership to their actions. Students understand the consequences for misbehavior and have known this since the first days of school. My students are given experiences to interact with each other daily and in a positive atmosphere which has helped learning to be fun and engaging.
I have learned throughout my student teaching experience that positive attitudes and participation are two of the most important expectations I stress in my classroom. One of the most effective ways I can influence my students is by hanging motivational and informational posters on the walls! Reading the posters does not take extra class time but still sends important messages. I have also used posters to clarify my expectations, which can be an excellent confidence booster for the students. In order for my students to understand good behavior in the classroom, students need to work together to help motivate each other for rewards as a whole class. The evidence I have provided is a picture of our marble system which empowers the students to work together to earn marbles each day for good class behavior.
This is our individual management plan for our 4th graders.
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Instructional Delivery:
The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students' development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.
Picture of me doing a hands-on activity with the students on diversity using peanuts with hidden numbers written on them only to be seen under a black light.
It is very important as a teacher to give every student an equal opportunity to learn. In order to do this, me as a teacher needs to realize each child’s ability level for each subject area and group students accordingly for projects, papers, etc. I have become conscious of the fact that each student learns at different paces as well as within different strategies. It is part of my job to provide a variety of assessments for my students so that each child has an opportunity to succeed. It is also very important to adapt assessments according to the child’s needs. It is not necessary to have the same assessment for the entire class if a student has an IEP or is an ESL student.
I have learned throughout my student teaching experience that every student deserves an equal opportunity to learn in the classroom. This goes hand in hand with the “No Child Left Behind” act. I practice this in my classroom and truly believe that the students should know how they are being treated by the teacher. I have tested many strategies and resources to encourage all students to develop their potential. Although I had a few students leaving my classroom for help during reading, I believe that if we are reading something as a class throughout the sequence of the day, I need to accommodate to that child’s needs to ensure him that he has an equal opportunity to learn with his peers although it may be in a different way.
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Communication:
The teacher uses knowledge of effective written, verbal, nonverbal, and visual communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.
Communication is the key to success in the classroom. By communicating positively with the students, parents, and the community, students are supported in a variety of ways that allows them to develop and learn. By writing emails, notes and phone calls home to parents, the communication line is open and parents are aware of what is happening in the classroom. Notes were also sent home to particular parents to provide opportunity to address a situation that involved their child in the classroom that day. It is important to document what happened, what was done to address the situation, and what is expected behavior in the future. Keeping parents informed of situations in the present allows for no room for problems or excuses in the future.
One way I was able to get parents involved in their child’s education was to have them work on a project at home. This not only makes the child feel that their parents wants to get involved in their life but it also gets the parent involved in their child’s educational experiences. During our West Region Unit, I had the students create their own West Region State Fair where the students were place in groups based on their ability levels, to present information about their state. Not only did I send home a letter to the parents inviting them to come in and watch their child present to the class, but I also asked them to help their child in any way at home prepare for this presentation. This is a great reminder to the parents that they need to be involved in their child’s education. The turn out was not what I expected on the West Region State Fair Day. I had thirteen of the twenty-six parents come to their child’s presentation in the middle of the afternoon to show support for their child.
West Region State Fair parent letter
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Assessment:
The teacher understands various formal and informal assessment strategies and uses them to support the continuous development of all students.
Teacher-made rubric for the Dream Castle Project in which I composed for the students on what was expected of them.
Assessing student learning allows the teacher to keep track of the progress of students on an individual basis and as a whole class. I believe in state and district forms of assessment, such as the Illinois Standard Assessment Test (ISAT), and alternative forms of assessment, such as checklists and rubrics for students to follow. My lesson plans follow these district standards, and my students are aware of these standards and meeting them as well. These types of assessments are part of the most important way to check for understanding as well as informal assessments. Student’s facial expressions also tell a teacher whether or not they understand a concept or not. By taking a quick glance around the room, one can tell who truly understands what is being taught and who needs more instructional help. This is a quick way to assess your students to see if you can go on to the next topic.
I have had the opportunity within my student teaching to try all different types of assessments. I have done assessments at the end of reading stories which consist of search and find answers. I like these types of assessments because it shows me that the students understand the story enough to refer to the text to find answers. I am able to ask the questions which I find important as well as the ones we discuss in class. I have also used technology as a form of assessment. Students had to complete certain activities in the computer lab based on the concept of symmetry using a picture of their face on the paint program. This helped to show me that students were able to work independently as well as follow directions. I was able to get the same type of results from a low stress assessment. I have also tried group assessments. I made sure that everyone would be responsible for a certain part of the project and then allowed time for work. Other assessments have included a teacher made rubric and a student made rubric. I have used checklists and then allowed students to assess themselves. I have learned that my assessment type is heavily dependent on the information that I want to gain and the composition of my students.
West Region Unit K-W-L Chart
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Collaborative Relationships:
The teacher understands the role of the community in education and develops and maintains collaborative relationships with colleagues, parents/guardians, and the community to support student learning and well-being.
Picture of my mentor and me planning together as well as reflecting on my lesson plans.
Communication is very important in a classroom and a student’s learning. It is important to have a constant flow of communication and to keep all of the communication barriers under control with the students as well as with other teachers, educational support personnel, and my university supervisor. Having good rapport with others throughout the school will only benefit you. I made it a goal each and everyday to be as positive as I could with all staff members by going out of my way to greet each staff member with a warm smile. I was never afraid to ask questions and meet with the staff of whom my students meet with throughout the school day. I felt the need to discuss with them some behavior patterns I have noticed in the classroom to see if they had seen the same. This is just another way for us colleagues to come together and share information about our students to come up with solutions to better their learning in the classroom.
Throughout my student teaching experiences, I have learned the importance of collaborating ideas with my mentor teacher as well as our cooperating teacher next door. Together, we would plan lessons for the week and find what would work with our students as well as challenging our students so that they could learn at their highest potential possible. My mentor teacher and I would discuss my lesson plans ahead of time so that we could together reflect on the past lessons as well as how I planned for the future. I feel that reflecting upon my lessons has benefited me as a teacher and a life-long learner so that I can be the best teacher that I can. When my mentor teacher and I reflected together, she helped me realize different ways I could approach the students about certain topics as well as new ideas to bring forth for the future.
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Reflection and Professional Growth:
The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates how choices and actions affect students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community and actively seeks opportunities to grow professionally.
student reflections on castle project
A student’s response to the Dream Castle Project after completion.
A picture of a student's Dream Castle Project after completion.
As a teacher, reflecting on your lessons is a very important aspect of teaching. Being able to reflect on a lesson gives you the opportunity to ask yourself what went well and what could you have done to make your lesson better. These are the questions I ask myself day in and day out so that I could make my lessons more effective the second time around. More often than not, I find myself reflecting while I am teaching the lesson, making mental notes of ways I could improve the lesson. Some of ways I always try to improve my lessons is by trying to get the students as involved in the lesson as possible so that they are interacting with the concept being learned. I find myself trying to visually show the class something by holding the piece of paper up and pointing to it. Instead, all I have to do is make a simple overhead of the paper to enlarge it for all to see, even the students who sit farther away. Simple things like this are all part of reflecting which in essence make a better teacher.
I have learned throughout my student teaching how important reflecting is with your lessons. I often times always ask my mentor to get a second opinion ways to improve the lesson as well as things that went well with the lesson from another person’s perspective. I have even asked the principal of the school to come into my classroom to observe a lesson of mine and then later reflect on it from her perspective. Together, we shared our thoughts through discussion on how to make me the best teacher I could be. Something I have been doing throughout my student teaching experience and will continue to do in the future is to get the student’s opinion of the lesson. I have created a short questionnaire for the students to unanimously fill out discussing what they liked about the lesson, what they learned from the lesson, ways to improve the lesson, etc. This gives me an idea from the students’ perspective on how they felt the lesson impacted their learning. The evidence that I attached is just one of the many reflections from the students on how the Dream Castle Project helped them understand the concept of finding the surface area and volume of their castles.
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Professional Conduct:
The teacher understands education as a profession, maintains standards of professional conduct, and provides leadership to improve student learning and well-being.
A willingness to strive for the best is evident in the way I have presented myself throughout my student teaching experience. I always dressed professionally. I never arrived late but often stayed late, and I worked with other teachers in my building to meet my students' needs. The following links will take you to my supervisor's and mentor teachers' thoughts on my performance and professionalism.
Letter of Recommendation from Mary Lange; Supervisor
Letter of Recommendation from 4th Grade Mentor
Letter of Recommendation from Jr. High Mentor
