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 disciplines and creates learning experiences that make the content meaningful to all students.
I created a unit on the rainforest and implemented it into my classroom using multiple subject areas; such as math, reading, writing, social studies, and science. Throughout the unit many of the students would look to me to answer many content related questions. If I had not researched and was knowledgeable about the rainforest the students would have had a difficult time accepting me as a person to learn from, or a teacher. In this picture, the students are acting like their favorite rainforest animal.
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.
Generally, I include accommodations for students with special needs into every lesson that I plan. These students receive outside help from resource teachers but while they are in the classroom I make sure they are given appropriate instruction that will suit their level of ability. Following instruction, the students usually have a worksheet they are to complete reviewing the fundamentals of the lesson just taught. While the students are working independently on their worksheets, I like to walk around and work one-on-one with those students with an IEP. Throughout the semester I have seen much growth in the students who receive outside help, and feel very strongly that those students have improved because of all of the help they are receiving from outside teachers as well as me.
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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.
Every time I plan a new lesson or activity, I make certain accommodations for a few students that still allow them to be included as much as possible in everyday lessons. For instance, one student in my classroom exhibits certain autistic tendencies. In order for this student to reach his full potential as a learner, I have to respect and provide necessary accommodations for him. Although, this student is not required to complete the same assignments and tasks as his classmates, I do have my own expectations for him that he and I have discussed throughout the year. Students have different learning styles and learn at different paces, that is why I feel it is important for many students to have individual goals and expectations in order to reach their full potential as learners.
Planning for Instruction
The teacher understands instructional planning and designs instruction based upon knowledge of the discipline, students, the community, and curriculum goals.Every week throughout my student teaching experience, I was to write extensive lesson plans on every subject area I taught. Following these plans while instructing allowed me to teach the students the essentials needed throughout each lesson. Creating plans that included the necessary standards were easy to follow and allowed for my instruction to run smoothly and effectively. I believe the attached lesson plan is a good example of one of the many lesson plans that I created during my student teaching.
Learning Environment
The teacher uses an understanding of the individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self motivation.
The students had the opportunity to make their own paper-mache globes while learning about the continents. In order to make this a successful and fun hands-on activity, other teachers and parent volunteers helped the students to create their own globe. Both second grade classes collaborated to make this a two-day afternoon activity. While a small group of students were creating their globes there were other stations where students played a continent game on the computer, colored the continents in the learning center, and played geography bingo in another classroom.
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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.
About once or twice a week I allow time for my students to visit the computer lab to research topics and use helpful internet sites to improve their learning. Throughout my student teaching I have found that students react well to presentations done on PowerPoint. I have presented a few lessons on PowerPoint to the students and every time the students appear to be very attentive. Some of the students I teach do not have access to computers at home and I feel that it is part of my job to allow those students the opportunity to have access to computers and other instructional resources in order to succeed as learners.
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.
A very positive form of communication from teacher to student is an ‘I-CARE Message.’ An I-CARE Message is an effective tool used to reward students for good behavior. A teacher will usually write positive actions the student demonstrated to receive the message, while praising him/her to keep up the good work. I want my students to view me as someone they learn from and look up to.
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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.
I taught a unit about the presidents in March. At the end of the unit students were to create their own President Packet by researching information about all of the different presidents using flashcards, timelines, books, and computers. Students were then assessed on the information used in their packets, neatness, and accuracy of the information. I learned that the students became more aware of the resources available to them and later through the semester the students remembered the resources they used to apply it to other research they did on another project.
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.
I have developed many positive relationships throughout the school by attending and participating in all of the different meetings and lesson planning. Working closely with my mentor teacher and fellow pre service teacher allowed me to discover and learn that teaching is much more easy and effective if I ask and collaborate with others. Everyday, the other pre service teacher in the building and I, would share ideas and lessons in order to help improve each other as growing educators. As a result, she and I became very cooperative and learned how to work well as a team.
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.
I feel as if I am well prepared to be an effective educator because of the professional development opportunities I have received throughout my student teaching. This year I attended the Illinois Reading Conference (IRC) in Springfield where many short educational sessions where presented that were intended to teach others different strategies and information in order to improve teacher education. While attending the IRC, I volunteered to present a literacy lesson that I taught to my second grade students. I feel as if I greatly benefited from this conference and look forward to furthering my professional development as an educator.
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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.
Throughout my student teaching experience I maintained a professional attitude with my students and colleagues. I have grown as a learner of education and have had the opportunity to reflect throughout my student teaching experience. I had the opportunity to influence and teach twenty-two amazing young people and I am exciting for them to continue on through their life-long learning experience. I would like to say that to be a teacher is one of the most rewarding careers and after my student teaching experience I now know that this is what I really want to do with my life.
