Assessed Samples of P-12 Student Work

           Pre-Assessment Reflection

            For this unit, the freshman class will be reading The Way to Rainy Mountain by N. Scott Momaday, a text that discusses the North American Kiowa tribe’s history and way of life, and watching the film Whale Rider, a contemporary story that is centered in the Maori culture in New Zealand.  After interpreting both of these stories, the students will be writing 3-page compare/contrast essays focusing on the ideas present in both stories. 

            We began by reading The Way to Rainy Mountain.  This story is structured with three different narratives that each tell a different aspect of the same story, which we classified as the Legendary Voice, Historical Voice, and Present Voice.  One of the first things I wanted to do when teaching this text was to make sure that the students were successfully making the connections between these three different voices.  Their first small assignment was to create a triangle chart in which they draw the connections between the different aspects of the story.  Some examples can be seen here:

            I could tell from these connections, and later discussions that the students were struggling to grasp some of the “deeper,” more meaningful connections (as opposed to tangible objects that connect the stories).  The Way to Rainy Mountain is relatively easy to read, however; the concepts and connects that students should be making are hidden and difficult to grasp.  Looking back, I could have scaffolded this lesson better so that students could make these connections earlier.  However, I think this was a good activity because it got students to realize they need to be making these connections early on, and it provided them with a visual format with which to do this.
          I realized from this activity that the students would not be able to grasp the concept of the story without some intervention.  I decided we would try our own hand at Momaday’s style.  One day in class, I asked students to write their own Present Voice story: a story of their own lives that was significant to them, an unforgettable moment.  I provided my own example and compared it to Momaday’s style.  The students really latched on to this project.  Later, we developed our Present Voice story into our Legendary Voice story: a myth.  I provided an example of how I turned my own story into a legend.  This was challenging for the students, but it gave them the opportunity to see what Momaday was doing in The Way to Rainy Mountain.  Finally, we wrote a Historical Voice version of our story as well.  
          Some of the stories can be seen here.  Please note that Mr. Ross (my cooperating teacher) has his students write all of his essays on Google Documents, and all comments are inserted digitally in the document.  Therefore, my assessments are all online and I am unable to share them without editing the original documents.  Please accept these .docx versions instead.  If you download the document instead of just previewing it, you should be able to see my comments in the margin.

       
          Narrative Voices Example 1
          Narrative Voices Example 2
          Narrative Voices Example 3

          From these two forms of pre-assessment, I saw my students make great strides in their thinking and connections between the different stories in The Way to Rainy Mountain.  Through this activity, I realized how important it is to give students work that connects to their own lives: no longer is it theoretical, but it has a real-life application.  Additionally, this gives students credibility and the ability to doing something hands-on, something that is real to them.  Students were very excited about their stories and willing to let others hear them.  For some students, it became an outlet to write about important events that had happened in their lives. 

            Now, after finishing the book and this assignment, we will watch Whale Rider.  After discussing the film, we will compare and contrast The Way to Rainy Mountain and Whale Rider in a three page essay.  This way, students will be making connections between different cultures and story lines.  The essay will give them a chance to communicate their higher-order thinking in a focused and organized manner.  Standards will include:

      ·         WHST.9-10.1a a. Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among the claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence

·         WHST.9-10.1c c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.

·         WHST.9-10.1d d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.

·         WHST.9-10.5 5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.

·         WHST.9-10.8 8. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative oral, print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

·         WHST.9-10.9 9. Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Include texts by and about American Indians.

Post-Assessment Reflection

            Samples of the students The Way to Rainy Mountain and Whale Rider compare/contrast essays may be found here:

       
          Compare/Contrast Essay Example 1
          Compare/Contrast Essay Example 2
          Compare/Contrast Essay Example 3

            Overall, I was very pleased with the freshmen’s essays.  It was very evident from the essays that they understood the ideas in Whale Rider more than they did in The Way to Rainy Mountain.  I think this is partly due to the fact that Whale Rider is a film and The Way to Rainy Mountain is a complex text.  In retrospect, I would spend more time helping the students make the connections in The Way to Rainy Mountain.  We spent about a day discussing the overall climactic connection, but many of the students were gone and missed that final discussion.  Many students, when writing their essays, expressed confusion at the ideas in The Way to Rainy Mountain, and it became clear, even after our work on the subject, they still missed some of the big ideas. 

            During my process of assessing the students, I realized that each assignment for students needs to have a direct purpose.  Sure, points are important so one assignment does not make or break their grade.  It is more important, however, to use assignments to assess how students are performing in class and that their limited time is being used wisely.  Overall, I think this was a successful unit because it required students to make connections within a text, connections between texts, and connections to their own lives.  It required them to read a complex text, as well. 
          Through this unit, I realized that I enjoyed the creative-writing (Personal 3 Voice) assignment more than the formal essay assignment.  I realize formal essays are important and I will definitely continue to teach them to my classes.  They are critical to success in college.  However, I think creative writing may be overlooked as a successful teaching tool.  Creative writing, when formatted correctly, can force students to stretch their ideas into new ones.  For example, in this activity, they had to take their own story and turn it into a myth.  This requires them to analyze their own ideas and view them in a new light.  In future classrooms, I want to integrate all forms of writing, not just formal essays, because each technique teaches students something new.

Volunteer Experience: Husky Club

           

          Student teaching in high school has been a great experience thus far.  I always thought that I would enjoy teaching high school students more than elementary students, even though I do love working with any age group of children.  However, I was extremely excited when I was given the opportunity to volunteer and help out occasionally with Belt School’s after school program: Husky Club.  Here, I was given the opportunity to work with elementary students and practice my teaching skills with a different age group.  This has been a great opportunity because I have discovered that I really enjoy working with elementary students and I have been able to put some of my college education, which focuses on all age groups, to a practical purpose.

            Husky Club is an hour-and-a-half after school program that runs Monday through Thursday every week of school for elementary students.  Additionally, there is a summer program that lasts a few weeks for elementary students as well.  The program has existed in Belt for many years, now, and has become a natural part of a student’s life.  In Husky Club, elementary students participate in a wide range of social and practical skill development activities.  Mondays are usually game nights.  Occasionally there is iPad night, where students can play educational games on iPads.  Usually, though, there is some sort of craft or hands-on project. 

            There are different age groups in Husky Club as well: K-1, 2-3, and 4-5.  When I volunteered at Husky Club, I worked with the Kindergarten and first graders.  Every day starts with a recess outside on the playground for the first half hour of school.  Then, students are given about fifteen minutes to work on homework.  Then, for the last forty-five minutes of homework, the activity takes place.  As seen in the photo, I am playing Crazy 8’s (and later, Slap Jack) with a student during game night.  The other instructors and I divide ourselves amongst the class and play different games and activities with the students.  I really enjoyed playing cards with the Husky Clubbers.  They were very enthusiastic about playing games with their friends and me.  They always had different suggestions about which game to play next.  At the end of the day, all the clubbers and I wound up playing Simon Says.

            Husky Club is funded through a grant that is available only to Title 1 schools.  Participants in Husky Club come from a variety of different socioeconomic and family backgrounds.  Some students come from ranches, other live in the apartment housing in town.  Two girls are living with their grandmother, who is helping raise them.  The children have no hesitations in sharing their backgrounds, and it becomes apparent quite quickly that the students come from a range of diverse lifestyles.

            This was a great experience because I was able to see children interacting and received some hands-on exposure to the earlier stages of childhood development that we discussed in my college classes.  I also realized (or remembered, perhaps) that I really enjoy working with elementary students.  They are very enthusiastic and excited about every project and their energy is infectious.  I really enjoyed working on hands-on activities with these students and it made me want to incorporate them more into my high school lessons.  Crafts and practical activities really engage students and get them thinking differently about the material.  Hands-on activities can still be applied to high school classrooms, it’s only objectives that may change.   Just because the students are younger in elementary doesn’t mean that approaches to education have to be different.  School should still be engaging.  

Final Reflective Essay on Teaching and Learning

          I was very apprehensive about student teaching before I started.  How really does the teaching profession work?  How much responsibility will I take on?  Will my students like me?  Will I be a fair and consistent grader?  How is the curriculum determined?  Basically, will I be a good teacher?  These and many, many more questions floated through my head before I began student teaching.  Now that I am only a week away from completing my student teaching, some of these apprehensions remain, but, for the most part, they have disappeared.  I have grown confident in my ability as a teacher.  Gradually, I have realized that I want to have a comfortable, student-centered classroom, which focuses on allowing students to develop their own ideas and opinions about the English Language Arts as well as the means with which to communicate and develop these ideas and opinions.

            My student teaching “immersive experience” began by observing Mr. Ross in his classrooms and getting to know all the students.  It became clear that Mr. Ross is trying to develop a technological classroom, providing a Google Chromebook for everyone.  He also had classroom procedures set up, such as no cell phones or food in the classroom.  It also became evident quickly that Mr. Ross has high expectations for his students.  His class discussions were very focused on higher-order thinking and in-depth conversations about various literary periods.  I was very impressed by Mr. Ross’ classroom and wish that I had been given the same opportunities in my high school English class as his students are now receiving.

            As I became more involved in his classroom, I began by teaching the freshman class.  For a new teacher, this was a great group of students with which to start my experience.  The freshmen are a very enthusiastic, high-energy group of students who are all enthusiastic about English class.  I worked with the freshman class for the longest period of time during student teaching and grew to know their class dynamics the best.  They are a group of students that are best focused when working on hands-on, interactive learning—something to harness their incredible energy.  I have done many group discussions, creative drama readings, drawing, and moving-around-the room activities with this class because it is through these activities that I am able to harness their energy and channel it into something productive.

            This was a concept that took me longer to understand with the sophomore class.  The sophomore class consists of twenty-four students.  They were the class that I struggled the most with in terms of behavior management.  After Mr. Ross and I wrapped up teaching them Fahrenheit 451, I began with Macbeth.  For the most part, the class had negative first impressions toward a Shakespearean play, so, for a few weeks, it was a discouraging class to prepare for.  After many discussions with Mr. Ross, however, I began to realize that I was focusing on the negative aspects of the class, and letting them bog me down.  We decided that the class would benefit from the most hands-on activities possible: anything to get them engaged.     In order to do this, I asked Mr. Ross if we could re-structure the end of the Macbeth unit, so the sophomores would not have to spend a week writing a cumulative paper.  Instead, we would be able to spend more time discussing the play rather than trying to speed through it for an essay.  By breaking down the play into acts, and creating in-depth discussion activities, I feel that the class has responded more strongly to the play. 

            Although I struggled with the sophomore class for the majority of my time in Belt, I know that I have learned the most from this class because they are the class that challenged me the most.  I have learned that a teacher cannot keep applying the same methods to every class.  If something isn’t working, then new strategies must be applied.  Also, a teacher cannot let a few students with behavior issues guide all decisions for the class.  Although some students may have no interest in the material discussed, other students do and are willing to put in the effort.  Therefore, a teacher has to approach each class and lesson with enthusiasm.  If the teacher is not enthusiastic for the lesson, how do they expect the students to be?

            I think that I had the most fun and greatest experience teaching the junior classes.  I helped teach them The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn with Mr. Ross and taught them The Great Gatsby by myself.  The junior classes and I developed a very comfortable relationship with each other that translated into a very relaxed and enjoyable environment for learning.  We laughed a lot, but they were always aware of when it was time to calm down and pay attention to the lesson.  This is the type of atmosphere that I want to maintain when teaching.  School should not be a bore or disengaging for students—it should be a highly engaging and enjoyable experience.  I know that I learn more when I am engaged in the lesson and enjoying myself.  High school should be no different.  In these classes with the juniors, we always had an enjoyable and productive time.  Time was not wasted, however, and I always made sure that the juniors were on task, their education being the top priority.

            I was very grateful to have the experience I had in the senior classes because I felt it was the class where the discussions were the most in-depth and thought-provoking.  I taught the seniors Frankenstein and a few of the Romantic poets.  The majority of these classes focused on discussions surrounding the themes of Frankenstein and how they relate to today.  I was very impressed with the quality of the discussions we had in the senior classes.  To me, these classes represent education at some of its highest.  It was very encouraging and exciting for me to see these seniors, who are about to embark on their lives outside of high school, more than prepared for their upcoming college discussions.  In class, we discussed how the ideas of “playing God” are relevant to our lives today.  The students thought of many ideas that I, myself, had not considered.  To me, these classes represented the caliber of discussion that I hope to achieve in my own classroom.  Classrooms shouldn’t be a place of spitting back information, but a place to explore ideas and discover independent thought.

            Overall, I was very pleased with my student teaching experience.  I was also very surprised at how I reacted to some behavior management situations that presented themselves, how I presented and conducted myself in the classroom, and how well I was able to prepare and create lessons based on students’ needs.  In my own classroom, I hope to continue where I left off.  I am still learning about English.  Even during student teaching, I was conducting research and working to try and stay ahead of my students.  However, I felt comfortable reminding students that I was learning too, and that it was a collaborative and on-going process.  

            Sometimes, I think, teachers and students forget that school is a place to learn.  And there are many different ways to learn.  For what my own opinion is worth, I enjoy hands-on, interactive, student-centered learning where students take responsibility in their own education.  Additionally, I enjoy a classroom that is comfortable and enjoyable, as opposed to oppressive, where students are scared to fail or make an attempt.  Finally, I what students to know that I am still learning too, that we, as people, are always learning.  There is no “final point” that we are working towards, but we need to continue learning.  Therefore, it is important to teach students how to ask questions and explore different points of view or ways of thought.  

Midterm Reflection on Student Teaching

            Student teaching has presented a multitude of challenges and opportunities to expand my skills and ideas about teaching.  Before student teaching, my goals and ideas about teaching were very broad and theoretical, focusing on the ideas of teaching.  Now, halfway done with student teaching, my goals have become much more narrow and specific to certain classes and ages.  Overall, I feel I have been very successful in meeting my student teaching goals, but I know that I have plenty of room for improvement. 

            One of the first new student teaching goals that I developed after a few weeks in the classroom is “to constantly reflect upon the class lessons and consider what went well and what could be improved next time in order to keep a flexible and progressive classroom.”  This is something that initially came naturally to me as I was teaching, but as I have become more involved in the classroom and am now teaching every class, I don’t have the luxury to sit and reflect on the lesson.  Now, it is something I work at and have to remind myself to do.  The sophomore class that I teach is a large class (twenty-six students) that is often disruptive and difficult to focus.  It has been especially beneficial to reflect on this class’ lessons to see what was a helpful and engaging lesson for them.  For instance, last week we played a game to help study our vocabulary words.  The competition and sense of teamwork really focused the class and they were more engaged than I have ever seen them in class.

            As I have been working into the classroom, I have been responsible for grading many assignments.  While grading these papers, I focus on providing effective, efficient, and timely feedback on assignments and classroom activities.  Not only does this help me stay organized in the classroom, but it ensures that students receive their work back while it is still relevant to them.  During the hustle and bustle of the class day, it is often easy to put off grading papers.  However, if I do this, then the students move on with their lessons and no longer remember or care for the original assignment.  When this is the case, going back to the assignment for revision is often a chore since much of the original content has been forgotten.  Providing efficient feedback has been challenging, but it is a necessary requirement for an effective classroom.

            In the classroom, I feel I am doing an exceptional job at creating lesson units unique and different from each other, while still reinforcing integral reading and writing skills.  I remember dreading doing the same routine every day in the classroom.  Lessons become monotonous and predictable.  Therefore, I have made it a goal to create unique lesson plans.  I have done this by reflecting on my own college classes and what lessons I found interesting as well as re-reading teaching text books to find unique activities.  I have employed many of these activities in the freshman class.  We have participated in Socratic circle and fishbowl discussions, dramatic interpretations of the text, and journal jumpstart activities.  I have noticed that when we use these techniques in class, the students become more interested in the lessons and pay closer attention.

            Through my exposure to teaching in Mr. Ross’ classroom, I have discovered that I struggle to research new and different information than I am familiar with, with which to supplement lesson plans, in an attempt to broaden my own ideas and those of my students.  I tend to stick with the information with which I am already comfortable.  Mr. Ross has been very encouraging and helpful in supplying supplemental information, for which I am very grateful.  Part of my hesitation and reluctance to turn towards additional information is I am still unsure about what other texts would be beneficial for the classroom.  More than anything, as I am teaching, I am realizing how much information I do not know.  Mr. Ross has been very beneficial, but it is up to me to begin to explore new and different texts in order to bring a wider breadth of knowledge to the classroom.

            Belt High School is a small class C town.  Most of the students are incredibly involved with sports and extra-curricular activities and miss a lot of school.  It is very difficult, sometimes, to plan highly-involved lesson plans when I know that the majority of the class will be gone for that day.  Additionally, the students that miss school are often continuously playing catch-up in order to stay caught up in class.  I was like this in high school and fully value the importance of extra-curricular opportunities for students.  Therefore, I want to facilitate a classroom that considers the limitations of students’ schedules: especially students who miss class for school-sponsored extra-curricular activities.  This is very difficult because I do not want to cater the class schedule to them, but it is far easier to plan a vocabulary test for a day when the majority of the class will be present.  This is a struggle that I deal with every week and am still searching to find the most practical result.  So far I have found that planning lessons that are based around a form or assignment rather than a discussion for those days are most productive since I can ensure that the students will all receive the necessary information.

            Finally, one of my biggest struggles has been to remain firm with students and myself in order to maintain an organized and productive classroom, free of preventable distractions, yet still maintain a comfortable and trustworthy environment.  So far, student teaching, I think my biggest challenge is classroom management.  Surprisingly, I have discovered that I like to keep a class comfortable and relaxed, that is, I don’t constantly harp on students to get back to work, like I thought I would before I began teaching.  Additionally, I enjoy talking to the students, but I often feel it becomes detrimental to class because I allow them to get off task.  This is especially difficult in the sophomore class because they are a larger group and tend to be rowdier than the other classes.  In order to keep classes focused, I work to structure discussions and activities as much as possible.  As I continue student teaching, I will focus on maintaining a comfortable, yet productive, classroom.

            Halfway through with student teaching, I am confident that I am on my way to achieving my student teaching goals.  Reflecting on these goals has been helpful because it has pointed out where I have succeeded and where I am coming up short.  I have also noticed that my goals are becoming much more specific to the challenges I have encountered rather than hypothetical and theoretical.  As I embark on the second half of my student teaching, I will be certain to address my shortcomings as a teacher and continue to refine my goals.

Video Tape Critique 2

The following link will take you to my first student teaching video:
Student Teaching Video 2

The following link will take you to a copy of the lesson plan that I taught in the video:
Video 2 Lesson Plan

Student Teaching Video 2 Reflection

1.  Demonstrates knowledge of the disciplines and subject matter related to curriculum.

            A.  Presents content in a way students can understand.  By reading and reviewing the stories in class and having the students re-tell the stories, I can make sure that the students understand the information.

            B.  Answers questions appropriately and correctly, and directs learners to suitable sources.  I answer the questions that the students pose as well as allow the students to answer the questions to answer each other’s questions.

2.  Designs interdisciplinary and discrete subject area instruction.

            A. Establishes clear and useful objectives. I informed the class of their instructions and our goal to re-create the story, but I could have also stated that the objective was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the story.

            B.  Seeks opportunities to integrate learning from various disciplines.  This was not exhibited in this lesson, but in our other discussions of The Odyssey, we have discussed the Trojan War and aspects of Greek mythology that may be taught in History.

3.  Uses appropriate technologies and resources to enhance instruction and subject performance.

            A.  Has knowledge of current technology and attempts to incorporate it in teaching.  In class, we use Google Chromebooks and Google Drive every day.  Additionally, we use the projector every day.

            B.  Matches appropriate technologies to lesson objectives.  We begin each class with a sentence composing activity, using the Chromebooks and Projector as a means of doing this lesson while simultaneously saving paper.

            C.  Instructs students in appropriate use of technology.  This was not necessary for this class, but have instructed them in the use of Google Calendar.

4.  Selects and designs appropriate, authentic means of assessing student learning and progress.

            A.  Uses preassessments to determine students’ background knowledge.  This was a during-reading activity, but before we began reading the Cyclops story, I could have determined if anyone knew the story already.

            B.  Encourages students to assess and monitor their own progress through self-reflection.  I did not consider this when creating the lesson, however, the next day in class, several students remarked that they wanted to do the activity again because it really helped them understand the story.

            C.  Gives a choice of assignments toward meeting objectives.  All students had to complete the same assignment, but they were given freedom in how to present their aspect of the story.

5.  Implements management strategies to promote a safe and positive learning environment.

     5a        Instructional Management

            A.  Prepares for each lesson.  Before this lesson, I had the reading assignments determined, but we drew the groups in class.

            B.  Provides for a safe physical environment for students.  I could improve this for next time.  Since there were so many groups working, I struggled to monitor all groups.

            C.  Establishes a classroom environment that fosters student achievements.  Students were very comfortable and excited to do this activity, and it became clear that this activity helped them understand this aspect of the story.

            D.  Uses class time effectively.  I can improve this for next time, since our presentations at the end of class were rushed.

            E.  Builds connections to students’ prior knowledge.  At the beginning of class, we reviewed where Odysseus had been so far.

            F.  Incorporates student responses or questions to help direct curricular decisions.  One of the girls expressed confusion earlier in the unit, so I decided we needed a more involved lesson.

            G.  Engages all students equitably in discussions and activities.  All students were given equal opportunity in the activity.

     5b        Behavior Management

            A.  Defines and adheres to clear classroom policies and procedures.  As is evident in the video, the students are comfortable with the sentence composing bell work activity.

            B.  Strives to develop attitudes and work habits that promote responsibility and respect for others.  I had to remind the class to be quiet and respectful for each presentation, but this was only semi-successful. 

            C.  Engages and keeps students on-task.  Watching the video, I realized that, though I thought students were on-task during class, it’s clear that some students were goofing around.  Next time, I need to be more vigilant when observing the classroom.

            D.  Provides appropriate feedback for student behavior.  Watching the video, I realize I spend more time telling students to be quiet or not to goof off, when it would be helpful to praise some students for being quiet or on task, etc.

            E.  Analyzes classroom problems and initiates appropriate solutions.  Next time, it would be valuable to provide more structured instruction to keep students on task.

6.  Engages students in learning activities that promote critical and creative thinking.

            A.  Uses varied question strategies.  For this activity, the majority of questions relied on comprehension-based questions, but I did use leading questions to help them see Odysseus’ relationship with Calypso.

            B.  Uses “think” time for student responses.  This is something I continue to struggle with.  I tend to continue to ask questions in an attempt to get them to happen on the answer more quickly.

            C.  Helps students assess validity and reliability of information.  This was not observed in the video.

            D.  Encourages students to use multiple strategies and techniques for problem-solving.  Re-creating and presenting the story allows the students to present their findings in unique ways.

            E.  Helps students summarize and develop generalizations.  Summarizing information was the focus of this activity.

7.  Designs and organizes learning environments to accommodate learners.

            A.  Helps students to accept responsibility for learning.  In this activity, and many of the activities I have led while student teaching, the students are responsible for comprehending the information and teaching it to the rest of the class.

            B.  Uses a variety of materials, strategies, and activities to accommodate learning styles.  Classroom dramas are a great way to engage the students and allow them to present their information in ways that they understand.

            C.  Establishes clear and useful objectives.  These objectives could be more clear in the future.

            D.  Creatively connects lessons with student experiences to make learning meaningful.  Although I did not connect the lesson to the students’ own life experiences, the lesson in itself was an interactive experience for the students.

            E.  Designs developmentally appropriate lessons.  I have used this reinacting activity with several different classes because it is one that all age groups can perform and get something out of.

8.  Communicates clearly, accurately, and professionally to diverse audiences.

            A.  Communicates enthusiasm for learning and teaching.  I think it is evident in the video that I was enthusiastic about this activity and the performances that the students presented.

            B.  Uses effective listening skills.  I think that I listened to my students’ questions well, but I could do a better job listening to what is going on in my classroom.

            C.  Speaks clearly and with appropriate voice inflection.  Watching the video, I can clearly understand myself, even over the loud classroom.

            D.  Uses Standard English.  For the most part, this is true.

            E.  Gives clear directions and explanations.  It is clear watching the video that the students were aware of what they were supposed to do.

9.  Reflects on professional responsibilities and demonstrates commitment to fairness and the ability of all to learn.

            A.  Maintains a professional appearance.  This was pretty dressed-down for how much I usually dress up for class, but I’m always sure to wear slacks and a button-up shirt.

            B.  Demonstrates fairness by meeting the educational needs of all students in a caring, non-discriminatory, and equitable manner.  I feel that the students and I have a comfortable and caring relationship for each other and that I treat them fairly in class.

            C.  Lesson plans and student interactions demonstrate the belief that all students can learn.  I know that this activity works especially well with these students because they are willing to dive into any lesson.

           

10.  Have you improved or achieved the goals established from your first taping?  If so, document by giving two examples.  If not, explain why.

            I know I have improved my teaching technique since my first observation.  Dividing the students into groups made the lesson more engaging for all students since they all had jobs to do.  This way, some students didn’t do all the work, leaving some students free to do nothing.  Additionally, I feel I moved around the classroom more successfully than my first video, although I think after watching the video that I still have some improvement to make.  Finally, I think my activity was more engaging than previous lessons because the students were actively creating their own lesson.

Video Tape Critique 1

The following link will take you to my first student teaching video:
Student Teaching Video 1

The following link will take you to a copy of the lesson plan that I taught in the video:
Video 1 Lesson Plan

Student Teaching Video 1 Reflection

1.  What are my strengths?

            Watching the video, the relationship that I have with the students was immediately noticeable.  As the class entered the classroom, we bantered about the cookies that I had promised to bake for one of the students.  This has become an ongoing joke in the classroom and is brought up before every class.  The atmosphere in the classroom was very casual and comfortable and I think the relationship between the students and myself contributed to this environment.

            Another one of my strengths is the implementation of technology into the classroom.  I consciously try to do this in my lesson plans, but its success in the lesson was obvious in the video.  Using the projector to display images and videos was helpful because it was engaging and fun.  After watching the video, I realized that I could have given a lecture or had the students complete worksheets about the American Dream.  The use of technology broke up the class into different segments, which kept the students on their toes and engaged.

            Finally, I thought that I scaffolded the lesson well.  In a previous lesson, we discussed the American Dream and it became apparent that their idea was a very rigid, fixed image.  For the purposes of The Great Gatsby, their idea of the American Dream needed to be  more abstract and fluid.  Therefore, by recalling their definition of the American Dream and then having them critique the use of the American Dream in media, they were able to create their own definitions independently.  And these ideas were much more suited toward our future discussion in The Great Gatsby.

2.  In what areas do I need to improve my instructional delivery?

            I realized after watching the video that the majority of class discussion focused on call and response discussion.  There was little structure to the discussion and so some students answered far more frequently than others, which did not provide a classroom of students that were entirely engaged.  Implementing more structured discussion would have ensured that all students were given an opportunity to speak and engage in the lesson, not just those that are more open to talking.

            During the bell activity, which centers around different parts of sentences, I remained at the front of the room.  I think this was successful in focusing the students and keeping them on task, but I think it would have been more successful if I had moved around the room and checked their work as they were working.  This would have focused them quicker and been more successful.  I would have also been more of a presence in the classroom instead of disappearing at the front.

            I also think that my use of class time was a bit stretched.  Granted, we did have to wrap up the lesson from the previous day which took some time, but it was still a rushed lesson.  The use of two songs also took up a great amount of time.  Next time, it would be helpful to block out lengths of time for the discussions so that we wouldn’t have to rush parts of class.

3.  How will I improve my teaching effectiveness?

            Next time, when planning my lesson, I want to be sure to block out amounts of time for the different parts of class.  For instance, managing the amount of time per slide would have been helpful.  This was more an oversight than anything, and in my future lesson plans, I will be sure to indicate how long each section of the class should take.

            Additionally, I will create more structured discussion.  I could provide them with a list of questions and then divide them into groups or pairs and have them come up with answers to the question.  Then, using a discussion format, such as Pair/Share or Save the Last Word for Me or Numbered Heads Together, I could have the students share their responses.

            Also, I will work on moving around the classroom to see how they are progressing with their student work.  This would also help monitor what students are struggling, such as the student at the back of the room who was unable to provide an example.  Moving around the class would also tell me when students were done with their work and to ensure that they were on task and not wasting time.  In my future classes, I will move around the room and check with the students to make sure they are getting the most out of the bell work lesson.

Technology in a Lesson Plan

The following is just one example of many lesson plans I taught that implements technology.

Whale Rider

Connections to Rainy Mountain

9^th Grade English

LEARNING TARGETS:

I can draw connections between film and text, relating the media to each other.

I can participate in a group discussion, collaborating with my group to share and build ideas.

·         SL.9-10.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

·         SL.9-10.1.d Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, with specific attention to culture, summarize points of agreement and disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views and understanding and make new connections in light   of the evidence and reasoning presented.

LENGTH OF LESSON:  One class period (approx. 50 minutes)

MATERIALS NEEDED:

·         Chrome book or desktop per student

·         Whiteboard and markers (that work!)

·         Projector and connecting DVD player with Whale Rider

SENTENCE COMPOSING: (5-10 minutes)

            Complete bell work: sentence composing focusing on absolute phrases.  This is completed on Google Drive in the Chrome Books.

JOURNAL JUMPSTART: (5 minutes)

            On a piece of paper, have students respond to the following prompt (written on the board):

Are the themes and ideas we have discussed in Whale Rider present in your own life? 

Or the lives you see around you?

Have students volunteer and share some of their responses.  Collect the responses.

           

ACTIVITIES:

Film analysis: (20 minutes)

            Explain to the class that we will be discussing some more aspects of Whale Rider and ultimately comparing them to Rainy Mountain.  This is a pre-emptive discussion for our essays that we will begin tomorrow (Wednesday).

            Divide the students into groups of three.  Using the projector, show the following clips from Whale Rider:

                        Pai leaving with her father and being called to the whales

                        Paka teaching the boys

                        Paka and Pai riding out in the boat and the end

            Write the following terms on the board.  Remind the students that these are the themes we discussed last week.

                        Culture, Change, Leadership

            After showing each clip, ask the students to discuss what is going on.  They can/should use the three words on the board as a spark for their discussion.  Then, groups will share their ideas with the class.

Rainy Mountain connection: (rest of class)

            Project the following questions.  Students, in their groups, will discuss.

How do these two cultures (Kiowa and Maori) changing?  Do they adapt to these changes?

What role do traditions and culture play in each story?

Myth plays an important role in both of these stories.  How so?

            With 5 or so minutes left in class, have the groups share their answers.       

CONNECTION TO FURTHER ACTIVITIES:

            The ideas discussed in class will be the focus of their essays that we will begin on Wednesday.

ASSESSMENT:

            Collect the Journal Jumpstarts.  

Classroom Management Plan

            In my classroom, I will maintain clear and consistent lines of communication between myself and the parents of my students.  I will accomplish this through several means of communication: mainly occasional emails detailing the activities of class, postcards or phone calls explaining how their student is succeeding, and a class blog or webpage.  I think it is important that parents know what is going on in the classroom.  Several of my college classes have emphasized the importance of giving the students a “real” audience—not just the teacher.  For instance, students could write blogs online instead of keeping a journal, write letters to the editor instead of the teacher, and publish their presentations on YouTube.  I could then forward all this information and the links to the parents, along with explanations of the projects. 

            Along with keeping the parents informed, I want the attitude of my class to be a productive and enjoyable.  I want my classroom to be a place where students feel free to be themselves and are comfortable with one another, yet still focused on doing school work.  Attitude is a bit more difficult to determine a plan for, but I will tackle it by using a series of ice-breaker and get-to-know you games, especially at the beginning of class.  Jigsaw-ing and other activities can get students up and moving around the classroom and get them comfortable interacting with one another.  Additionally, I will provide clear and simple rules and procedures at the beginning of class to ensure students know my classroom policies and expectations.  Most of all, however, I want to keep a positive and productive attitude myself.  I must lead by example, and like my students, leave my worries at troubles at the door.  Keeping a positive attitude and maintaining parental communication are just two ways to provide a productive psychosocial environment.

            Three procedures I will teach in my class are students (and the teacher) must raise their hand when participating in discussion or working on an assignment, only water is allowed in the classroom, and cell phones and iPods are not allowed in the classroom.  Of course, there are always exceptions to these procedures.  I realized this while I was student teaching, but these were procedures that were implemented in the classroom in which I student taught.  I felt they were important and only reinforced my initial ideas for the classroom.  I like these procedures because although I want to keep my students comfortable and provide a relaxed environment, I also want us to be professional and respect each other with our behaviors.

            As an English teacher, I would like my classroom to be malleable, that is, that desks could be arranged into any number of configurations throughout the lesson.  To do this, I like the idea of a horseshoe arrangement.  For review sessions or class discussions, this could easily become a circle, but for lectures, students are all able to see the board.  Additionally, students could pull their desks or chairs into pods for small group discussions when necessary.  During student teaching, Mr. Ross’ classroom was arranged in rows and pods, which made for a confusing arrangement in some situations.  However, he did this to work on behavior management of some students, so there are always pros and cons to any arrangement.

            I hope to use a great deal of technology in my classroom, namely laptops or desktop computers for students, a projector, and a document camera.  I feel these are some of the most useful tech tools that can exist in a modern classroom.  It is also important to keep students up-to-date on the different technologies, websites, and programs around them that can be helpful in their in-school and out-of-school lives.  Laptops would be ideal for every student because they are small and compact.  Mr. Ross’ students each have access to a Chromebook, which I think was extremely beneficial in the classroom because students had immediate and easy access to the internet and their writing.

            I had always assumed that the teacher would come up with the rules for the classroom, especially since they are in the classroom more than the students.  After discussions with professors and my cooperating teacher, however, I like the idea of students assisting in coming up with the classroom rules because they become directly accountable for their behavior in class.  To do this, I would have to explain to the students the difference between rules and procedures.  Then, we would work collaboratively to create the rules for our classroom.  I would break students up into groups and have them brainstorm the rules they think should exist.  Then, the groups will share their ideas and we will mesh them together into a few simple rules.  Examples may (and hopefully will) include “be respectful,” “be responsible,” “be invested” and “be safe.”

            In my classroom, if a student were to speak out of turn and keep interrupting a speaker with his or her thoughts or questions (breaking our hand raising procedure), I would use the extinction tactic to correct the behavior.  Instead of allowing them to continue talking, I would plow on through and not give them the chance to speak, instead calling on those students who had raised their hands.  If a student were to bring a cell phone to class and text during a lecture or discussion, I would take the phone away and return it at the end of class.  I would also use an I message to explain why cell phones are not tolerated.  I may say, “When you use your cell phone in class, it makes me feel disrespected and upset because you are not giving me or your peers your full attention and insight.”

            With the little experience I have now, my teaching philosophy is that student-centered learning, based around peer-based discussions and authentic, practical projects, is the best method to engage and enlighten students.  The teacher should be in control and act as a facilitator of knowledge and not a lecturing dictator.  The classroom is an environment that should foster creativity and knowledge and must be respected both by the students and the teacher. 

            In my classes (and in keeping with my personal philosophy), I will represent my information to students in numerous ways.  I will provide handouts of the information as well as project lectures or assignments on a document camera or through the computer, using PowerPoint, YouTube, Google Docs, or other such programs.  I will also present my information orally—not just visually.

            To engage in the information, I will provide students with the opportunity of working in different mediums.  Instead of only writing papers or taking tests, students will be able to engage in information differently each day and for each project.  For instance, I may have graphic organizers one day.  Another day, students may get on laptops and investigate YouTube videos and post their findings in their blogs.  My hope is that classes will not become repetitive and students will be able to come to class each day and engage in information in new and different ways.

            Students will be able to express information in multiple ways by working independently, in small groups, and as an entire group.  For example, students may begin the class by journaling, share their ideas with the entire class, break into groups for an assignment, come back to the class and discuss their findings, and reflect on the lesson in their journals.  Students will discuss information, create presentations using computer programs and software, write essays and papers, and build interactive projects such as short films.

            To manage paperwork and the different assignments that students will be handing in, I’m going to steal the procedure that my high school Life Skills teacher used.  I will have a folder for each period and that folder will be opened in the front of the class.  Students can hand their paperwork into that folder.  Once I have collected work, I will place the folder back in its shelf to be graded.  There will be an “in folder” and an “out folder” of the same color for each period.  I really liked this strategy because everything was clear and organized and she never lost our homework (unlike other teachers with less organized strategies).  I appreciate Mr. Ross’ attempt to have a paperless classroom, but some lessons just work better with paper.  However, I do like the idea of having essays written in Google Documents because it saves a great deal of time and paper.

            In order to facilitate an appropriate work environment with collaborating with colleagues, I will, of course, attend faculty meetings and be sure to check in with other teachers about specific students.  Since it is important for teachers to be aware of all of their students and how there are doing in other classes, I might create some sort of online forum or email chain where teachers can keep tabs on certain students.  This way, all information is documented and can be referenced throughout the year if something comes up.  Instead of just ducking my head into a classroom and hoping to find the teacher at a good time, teachers will be able to respond to each other on their own time, when they have time.  Through a forum or similar format, my colleagues and I will be better situated to share information of any and all natures.

            As I engage the various dimensions of classroom management in my classroom, I will also be sure to observe and manage the different behaviors that arise in the classroom.  I think one of the most important will be to use Functional Behavioral Assessments to determine the cause of a specific behavior.  For instance, if a student becomes irritated every time I ask them to read out loud in class, I should be able to examine the circumstances and develop a hypothesis for his behavior.  I should also be able to identify the correct behavior and work with the student to achieve that behavior.  In order for FBAs to work, I need to document and pay close attention to changes in behavior in students as well as their “normal” behavior. 

            Formative assessments (Curriculum Based Measurements), Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports, and the Response to Intervention procedure will also be used to manage troubled behaviors in my classroom.  I may be able to tailor student’s environment to their preference to help monitor a behavior.  Working in a classroom should involve some compromise.  A student shouldn’t have to change everything about him or herself just to make the teacher happy.  The teacher should have structure, but also be a bit flexible too.  Assessments will be taken through every unit to see how the student is doing in the classroom.  When comparing assessments, I should be able to see trends that may be occurring in a student’s behavior.  Hopefully, using the aforementioned techniques, I will be better equipped to handle different behaviors in my classroom.