Content Knowledge
Human Development and Learning
Diversity
Planning for Instruction
Learning Environment
Instructional Delivery
Communication
Assessment
Collaborative Relationships
Reflection and Professional Growth
Professional Conduct
The teacher understands the central concepts, methods of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) and creates learning experiences that make the content meaningful to students.
There have been times throughout my student teaching experience where a student has asked a question and I did not know the answer. However, modeling a good way to handle the situation-by saying that we will research the question as a class-is setting a good example of what students should do with their own learning. This situation does not happen daily because I try to come to class as prepared as possible, however, facilitating research like this is still helping the students gain the knowledge of the objective at hand. Units are especially important for learning lots of information about a topic. I did a unit this semester on ants where the information was able to carry across several subject areas. The students are able to learn more this way because the information reaches more interests and learning modalities. I think I bring a depth of knowledge on the information I am teaching to the classroom every day. It is important for me to remember that even though I might not know everything a student has questions about, there are always opportunities for me and my classroom stretch our knowledge.
[Back to top]
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.I believe a teacher has the ability to make an impact on student learning if they are able to reach each student and make them want to learn. One way I have tried to make an impact is through lesson plans incorporating accommodations for all types of learners. I created a spelling lesson where the students were able to choose the activity they wanted to do. The activities included games for visual, kinesthetic, technological, and artistic students. Students could work with partners or by themselves while playing the games that helped them practice their spelling. Also, students who passed the pre test in the beginning part of the week were able to create a challenge list for themselves to take instead of the regular list. The students were motivated to learn because they were able to choose what they wanted to do which I think impacted their learning of the spelling words. Students will let you know when you have impacted their learning. They will either tell you they like the activities you do with them or create cards and notes for you. Luckily, I have had several students give me notes and pictures which makes teaching so much worthwhile because I know I have impacted them in some way.
[Back to top]
DiversityThe teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.
Although it is difficult to reach every learner in every lesson, I try to create lessons that support the diversity of learners in my classroom. One aspect of learner diversity I always try to think about is the different learning modalities students use to take in information. I planned a lesson on Vietnam after reading a story in class about a girl from the country. The lesson included elements for kinesthetic, auditory, and visual learners. The students were able to gain much information on the country from being able to see pictures, touch objects, and listen to music, all of which were from Vietnam. Another aspect of learner diversity I try to plan for is interest. A lot of my boy students are interested in science, non-fiction, and hands-on learning. I planned a science experiment for the students where they learned how blubber works to keep whales warm. I think this lesson was really able to stick in students minds, because I still hear them talking about blubber and that experiment. They were able to participate in an engaging hands-on lesson that reached the interests of many of my students.
The teacher understands instructional planning and designs instruction based upon knowledge of the discipline, students, the community, and curriculum goals.
In order to plan lessons that are well designed with creative and innovative elements it is essential to use multiple resources to get fresh ideas. I am able to use resources not only from the internet and my mentor, but also from fellow interns and teachers. I believe the best ideas for creative lessons come from other teachers because they have actually taught the lessons and know that students will be engaged. Even simple lessons that have been done before can be changed and adapted to become more innovative and fun for the students. After doing several different spelling activities with the students, I came across a game that is similar to hangman. I changed some rules to fit my classroom, and once I taught the students how to play they loved it. The game was not only fun for students to play but it met my objectives of teaching the students the patterns in their spelling words. I find it the most rewarding when my students are completely engaged in the lessons that I am teaching. Math concepts like telling time are great starting points to use creativity. Incorporating books into other subjects gets students engaged from the start. Lessons that are innovative, creative, and capture student’s interests are not always easy to create, however, they are worth the time and effort when students are engaged and are learning the objectives that have been set.
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.
From day one in the classroom it is important for students to feel they are in a warm learning environment. To make the students feel a part of the classroom decisions, the students came up with ideas of rules they would like to have. We wrote a summary of the ideas they came up with and every student signed the “promise to each other”. I believe that by coming up with their own rules, the students will be more apt to follow them because they feel a sense of pride and ownership. Another way that I have implemented a classroom environment that is conducive to student learning is by following Harry Wong’s philosophy of procedures and routines. Every morning the students come in a have morning work waiting for them. They know they are to get to work on their math or language that is on the desk. By having a morning work routine, I think it is much easier to manage the students in the morning. Students can be especially wound up right in the morning and by having this routine, they are a little calmer because they know they have to complete something. They come in the room ready to work, which sets the tone for the rest of the day.
[Back to top]
Instructional DeliveryThe teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.
I have seen first-hand how contagious enthusiasm is by observing my mentor, Dawn teach lessons to our class. She has a personality that makes you want to feel what she is feeling. I try every day to mimic her enthusiasm in my own way to get students engaged in whatever lesson I am teaching. I can tell the difference on the student’s faces when they are and are not enthused about what they are learning. I know that every lesson is not the most entertaining for students because some material simply is not as fun as others. However, I can attempt to seem enthusiastic about every objective to make the students somewhat engaged in even the most boring of topics. After seeing how engaged my students were when they were able to buy items from “Bruner’s Beach Shop” with real coin money, I realized how important it is to be creative and enthusiastic when planning lessons. By being able to apply their knowledge of money to a real-world situation, the students were more enthusiastic about their learning, which made me more eager and enthusiastic to teach.
[Back to top]
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 a must-have skill for all teachers since, for the most part, we are talking all day long. We must be able to communicate with our students, fellow teachers, and student’s parents in an effective way. Communication between the teacher and the parent is a great way to find out more about the students. By having good and open communication between teacher and parent, you can find out student interests, and the teacher can just have a better insight on why the student acts the way he or she does in class. Also, teachers must be able to communicate with their colleagues. Not only will communication between staff benefit me, but it also benefits the whole school because it creates an environment where people are working together for a greater cause. I have experienced communication with students, which happens on a daily basis, communication with parents via a newsletter, and communication with colleagues every day at school and through the PDS list serve.
(Newsletter to parents)
[Back to top]
AssessmentThe teacher understands various formal and informal assessment strategies and uses them to support the continuous development of all students.
Using multiple assessment strategies is a huge challenge and an area in which I could use improvement. There are assessments that are routines in the classroom like reading comprehension tests, accelerated reader quizzes, and spelling pre and post tests. However, by using different assessments, I am able to see other students shine who might not get to in a “standardized” type of test. Both formal and informal assessments are needed in order to properly drive instruction in the classroom. The BAS tests, which assesses the reading and comprehension level for each student is a school-wide assessment that is extremely helpful in placing students when reading, especially in a reader’s workshop setting. The students were given this test at the beginning of the year and now recently to see how their scores have improved. I was able to use this information in order to re-assign guided reading groups for reader’s workshop. By using this information, the students will benefit much more by being in a group that includes students of the same level. Another assessment I have used has been ones that I have made myself. After realizing the students needed more work on sequencing stories, I created a sequencing activity where the students had to read their weekly reading story and put the story in order, along with their mental image of each event. I think the activity not only helped them work on their sequencing skills, but it also helped them to better comprehend the story by reading it again and thinking about the events.
(Pekin School District I Can Do It Rubric)
(My student's Benchmark Assessment Scores)
[Back to top]
Collaborative RelationshipsThe 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.
As I took on more and more subjects during student teaching, I began to understand the importance of collaboration. Talking through my lesson plans is a regular occurrence with both my mentor and my peers. My mentor has been teaching for over 20 years, so getting advice from her is very valuable to me. She is able to help me with my lesson plans, but I also help her several times during the day, especially when it comes to technology. Our collaboration just goes to show that everyone needs help and can benefit from other’s ideas. Working with the fellow PDS interns is also extremely helpful because they are in the same place as I am. Recently, we had a debriefing where we were able to generate ideas off each other for sub folders, letters home to parents, and future lessons we were going to use. By working with the other interns, I am able to get ideas from people who have different learning and teaching styles than me. This benefits everyone because we are “stealing” ideas, but we can change them to fit our own classrooms. By collaborating with my mentor and fellow interns I am able to increase my own effectiveness as a teacher.
[Back to top]
Reflection and Professional GrowthThe 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.
One of the most important aspects of being a professional is the ability to continue in your own education. The teaching field is continually growing and adding new ideas to improve student learning. Part of being a professional is to keep up with the growing research and knowledge that is being introduced to teachers.With all of the new information coming in, a professional should be able to reflect on their own processes and change as they see fit. With reflection and professional growth, I will be able to constantly modify my thinking of the education field, benefitting myself and my students.
(Presenting at the Illinois Reading Conference)
[Back to top]
Professional Conduct
The teacher understands education as a profession, maintains standards of professional conduct, and provides leadership to improve student learning and well-being.
As I ended my student teaching experience, I have a philosophy of education that I follow right now. This philosophy will probably change as I continue to develop as an effective educator and new information regarding best practices in teaching comes out. Right now my philosophy of education goes along with Charlotte Danielson’s framework of education. I try to incorporate the components of the Danielson’s framework into my philosophy, but also include other professional’s ideas, including Harry Wong. After learning how effective Harry Wong’s suggested routines and procedures work in a classroom setting I was able to implement and my own routines and procedures in my classroom. Harry Wong says that when students are held accountable in the classroom they are more willing to learn and follow directions. At the beginning of the year, we were able to create a class mission statement where students would be held accountable for their actions in the classroom. I think the mission statement set a tone for the year where all students know what is expected of them. I am able to apply my own philosophies of education and apply them to the classroom. I show the students respect and I get it in return, a large part of being a professional. My philosophy of education affects the way I teach and the way the students behave, learn, and interact in my classroom.
