Artifact One: Internalization/Externalization of Experience
If I was asked to define learning, I would have to say that learning is the internalization of experience with the resulting externalization of change. I believe that learning is not something that occurs, it is not an action we can choose to take or a verb that we can choose to be described by, it is a cyclic process that we have no control over. We as people can not stop learning, and we can not stop this natural process of interpretation and change anymore than we could ever stop the motion of the tides, the rotation of the earth, or the thoughts of our own minds. As teachers, we have the unique opportunity to control where the flow of thought moves, we have the ability and the chance to impact our students in the ways that they change and the ways that they could change the world. We have the flitting chance to mold the way learning is internalized and the way the change within is externalized to the world. When judicious attention and artisanal care are taken, we as teachers can positively impact the way children develop their capacities for learning. In my classroom experience, every moment that I have with my students has been carefully crafted with attention to the needs of my students, the modification and individualization necessary to create a personalized and effective learning environment and more importantly learning experience for every one of my students has been made. (InTASC 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, 2n, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 3q, 3r)
The first major learning experience that I was involved in creating for my students was an aspect of my action research project. For my project, I designed and implemented a scaffolded technology intervention that successfully enhanced student technology literacy and writing proficiency through the areas of Hardware, Software and Publication, Research, and 21st Century Education Skills. It was through this intervention process, and the guidance of my mentor teacher, that I not only learned how to design and implement effective action research, but how to effectively design scaffolded learning experiences for my students. When I first began this intervention I learned quickly that in order to be successful and mediate student frustration, I had to break things down into pieces that are tangible especially for students at the middle school stage of personal and cognitive development. After a few test runs, and an assortment of trials, I came to create the manipulable template. Let me back up a moment. (InTASC: 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, 2n, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 3q, 3r)
The students in my classes fell at just about every level of technology literacy you could have. I had some students who could type using the full keyboard at an impressive rate, but others that could hardly find the key of desire with a single pecking finger. I had students who could make their own documents, churn out powerpoints, and manage updates, but others that only knew where the NWEA test taker was located. So, it was an endeavour to create activities and design materials that would be accessible to every student in a class while providing the appropriate challenge of experience. Now let me define manipulable template. A manipulable template is a formatted template, say in Microsoft Word or Microsoft Publisher, in which every element is editable while remaining complete and of quality if left in its original condition with the exception of text box content. Therefore, at a minimum students would be required to work on their typing and writing skills by inserting their written work into the template, and at a maximum they could manipulate and change every other aspect of the template from color, font aspects, photographs, illustrations, etc. thus allowing for teacher and student control, student choice, and clear expectations of high quality publications at a level accessible to every student. These manipulable templates were used with all three of our classes from the higher level students and the lower level students for many different products including student memoirs, newspaper articles, and figurative language analyzations. All of which were met with great success as assessed through student participation, achievement scores, and enthusiasm for projects. (Evidence: Newspaper Manipulable Template, Newspaper Student Sample, Memoirs Student Sample) (InTASC 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e,1f, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, 2n, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3k, 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 3q, 3r)
The most important lesson that I learned from creating these manipulable templates during this early portion of my internship was that creating materials specifically for my own students generally resulted in perfect design of assignments and materials that culminated in excellent lessons and student products which synthesize their experiences as a whole. As a general practice, I create all of my own materials specifically designed for my students. While I admit that I have reused formats for multiple lessons or novels, I design all materials specifically for the students I am working with. Over the past year I have created at least fifty different work pieces for my students. I have selected a few of my favorites to share so let me explain how they came to be. (InTASC 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, 2n, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 3q, 3r)
In the final month of my internship I was responsible for designing two unit plans, one for Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time for two seventh grade classes and the other for Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett’s dramatic adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank for one eighth grade class. The guiding goal for the seventh grade was that students would be able to discover what it is that they use to define themselves as individuals in their environment through the study of characterization and the influence of setting throughout the novel. Subsequently, the final project of the seventh grade unit was to create a graphic novel extension of an element of the story’s characters and their adventure through a student selected setting of the novel. In order to prepare these students who are not only resistant to creating artistic representations as well as still at a point where their cognitive extension and application of internalized material into externalized creations is developing, I created a series of Active Reading Guides which not only facilitated independent development of creative and critical thinking skills but also required artistic creation in a low pressure environment. Additionally, because of dramatic difference in the skill levels in the two seventh grade classes, I often had to differentiate my lessons per class in order to ensure engagement as well as to make material manageable yet thought-provoking for both groups of students. For example, in the novel there are many advanced scientific concepts that can be explored. With the higher level class, a group where seventy percent of the students are gifted, we investigated many of the astrophysics concepts of time travel that the novel alludes to through video, articles, and my own instruction on the topics. For the lower level class, a group where just under half of the class has IEPs or additional need, I modified this lesson to include more whole group instruction and more visual explanation so that they too were able to explore the advanced concepts in a way that was beneficial and accessible to them as well. I believe that it is essential for all groups and levels of students to access the same information but that it is my responsibility to alter my plans to meet their needs and ensure their success. (Evidence:Active Reading Guide Template, Active Reading Guide Student Sample, University Supervisor Internship Observation Record) (InTASC 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, 2n, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 3q, 3r)
As the final unit of the eighth grade year, I focused all lessons toward finding a sense of purpose and identity in the greater world through the avenues of historical explorations, publications, and activism. My major goal for these students was that I would spend their last unit preparing them for self-directed and cooperative learning experiences that are characteristic of high school expectations in order to best prepare them for the following year. In order to do this I designed a series of Centers to build historical background knowledge related to the Holocaust, Genocide in the modern world, and the history of Anne Frank herself. Each Center was designed around a different aspect, topics such as Hanukkah, Deportation of Jews, Concentration Camp Life, Genocide in the Sudan, Nazi Propaganda, and Hitler’s Rise to Power were included. Each Center included an article, an artifact such as a set of images or an online video clip, and student task sheets. Each task sheet included student directions, questions, and then had a corresponding task or skill building product that students had to create to synthesize the material they worked with and demonstrate their understanding of the Center before they could move on to the next. By using Center activities in small groups I was able to act as the facilitator of learning experience rather than the source of learning itself which created a much more enjoyable and authentic experience for my students that built not only literacy skills but self-efficacy and confident cooperation among the students. The final project for the eighth grade was to create a graphic novel about the story of a survivor of genocide in the modern world as a way to connect their research experiences and to show them that they can have an active voice in the world. These projects were sent to the National Holocaust Museum for use on their website. By holding my students responsible for material using time limits, clearly defined expectations, and enforcing a discipline of accountability and responsibility for material in and out of the classroom, my students were able to gain more knowledge and make significantly more meaningful connections to the text and to the world than if I had alone been their resource. (Evidence:Centers Activities Template, Graphic Novel Awareness Project Materials) (InTASC 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, 2n, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 3q, 3r)
Through the development of these materials and many others I came to develop a comprehensive understanding of the learning differences among all of my students in a strictly academic sense. But it was my dedication to the students as individuals and through their individual experiences which have made me become a great teacher. I understand that most of a child’s life is outside of the ninety minutes a day they are with me or even the mere 480 minutes a day they are in the school building. I understand that it is really the rest of their life that makes them who they are and that dictates what is important to them. In my classroom there were students with autism, English language learners, students with all matter of IEP accommodation needs, as well as students who just needed extra support and attention due to emotional instabilities, home life issues, or just the craziness that is middle school. In order to better understand my students I really took the time to find out who they were especially if they were a student that showed signs for concern. I always took the time to ask our school counsellor and other teachers about these students. I was even allowed to access the student databases to get a better understanding of when they began receiving services, what grades they had repeated, and anything else I could find so that I could ensure I was meeting all of their needs in our classroom. (InTASC: 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, 2n, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 3q, 3r)
In all honesty one of my favorite things to do was have lunch in the cafeteria with the students and then go out to recess with them. Not only was it a fun thing to go play ultimate frisbee or tag in the middle of the day, even when I looked quite silly running in dress pants and neon sneakers to catch a frisbee, but it gave me the opportunity to see the students as kids, in a human light. I believe that too often teachers focus so intently on the academic abilities of their students that they forget that their real job is to help kids become good people. Some kids become good people by learning everything about math or science or writing, and some kids become good people by having someone there to care about them and to have compassion when they are in a bad mood or just got in an argument with a close friend at recess. By putting myself in that situation where I could not only become part of the fun but an observer to my students social interactions I became a more compassionate and understanding teacher. I then used this information to enhance my students’ experience in the classroom. I believe that learning is impacted not only by my effectiveness as an instructor, but more by my effectiveness as a facilitator. Instructional facilitation in my classroom is organized by differentiated student small groups that were carefully selected to balance student need, skill level, and social interaction friendships to create a meaningful, positive, and enjoyable learning environment. Many teachers choose to separate friends in order to create silence. I choose to put friends together in order to engage the students and motivate them to work harder. (Evidence: Photograph of Student Group Setup) (InTASC 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, 2n, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 3q, 3r)
I have been fortunate enough to work at a school where the Special Education, ELL, and Title I program instructors are extremely dedicated to supporting the students in a Push-In environment. Every one of my classes has from three to five teachers in the room at a time including myself, my mentor teacher, an ELL teacher, one or two special educators, and a Title I teacher. Because of this, I have been able to create a class environment where students learn by participating in a task based instructional system. Any given day in our classroom operates through a series of whole group instruction then moving to small group activities where each group has a task sheet, materials, and a product to create or a work to complete. Expectations are clear and work is designed so that it can easily be transferred to independent work depending on student behaviors. I make a point to identify consequences as results of student choices, not as punishment, but as the choice of the students. Additionally, all lessons are designed as centralized theme based lessons that can be reorganized on the spot in response to student attentiveness and energy that each incorporate segments of movement, student discussion, whole, individual, and small group work, so that no matter what has happened or how the students are feeling, I can adapt to meet their needs and ensure their engagement with the material and their active learning experience. By having multiple teachers in the classroom at one time, students are able to work and be guided at their own developmental levels and at their own pace, in order to ensure that every student is receiving the individual support that they need. Through this system, I have been able to act as a resource and facilitator of student learning and most effectively integrate all levels of services and need into the student learning experience. (Evidence: Special Educator Teacher Evaluation) (InTASC 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 1k, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, 2n, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 3q, 3r)
As I suggested at the beginning of this piece, learning is the internalization of experience with the resulting externalization of change. While I fully believe that learning the content of the Language Arts is very important and becoming successful readers is essential for all students, I know that not every one of my students is going to become an English major. That is why I think that the best thing I can do for my students is make sure that they can believe in themselves and that they can convey that self worth. The most important thing that I do in class with students that impacts all the other learning they can and will do every day is that I give them the opportunity to journal and write about themselves and about their experiences. Every day I ask them prompting questions that cause them to reflect on their past, to define who they are, and to drive them to hope for their future. Students really enjoy this time and write avidly about their experiences. It is also an activity that we do together, I write in my journal and share with them, and then students volunteer to read their writing to the class or to each other in their small groups. I think that it is this fifteen minutes at the beginning of every class period that defines all the rest. They define themselves as students, as learners, and as people as they enhance their understanding of self and personal values, they have the freedom to share with their peers in a supportive environment where they learn to value themselves and each other, and it prepares them for the rest of class with open minds and a group feeling of care and support. By giving the students and myself time every day to internalize our experiences and to pay attention to the ways we externalize these experiences for our peers through writing, I have become a facilitator of change. I know my students are learning and that they feel safe to experience that learning. That is the very best I can do. (Evidence: Photograph of Student Journals) (InTASC 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, 2n, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 3q, 3r)
The first major learning experience that I was involved in creating for my students was an aspect of my action research project. For my project, I designed and implemented a scaffolded technology intervention that successfully enhanced student technology literacy and writing proficiency through the areas of Hardware, Software and Publication, Research, and 21st Century Education Skills. It was through this intervention process, and the guidance of my mentor teacher, that I not only learned how to design and implement effective action research, but how to effectively design scaffolded learning experiences for my students. When I first began this intervention I learned quickly that in order to be successful and mediate student frustration, I had to break things down into pieces that are tangible especially for students at the middle school stage of personal and cognitive development. After a few test runs, and an assortment of trials, I came to create the manipulable template. Let me back up a moment. (InTASC: 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, 2n, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 3q, 3r)
The students in my classes fell at just about every level of technology literacy you could have. I had some students who could type using the full keyboard at an impressive rate, but others that could hardly find the key of desire with a single pecking finger. I had students who could make their own documents, churn out powerpoints, and manage updates, but others that only knew where the NWEA test taker was located. So, it was an endeavour to create activities and design materials that would be accessible to every student in a class while providing the appropriate challenge of experience. Now let me define manipulable template. A manipulable template is a formatted template, say in Microsoft Word or Microsoft Publisher, in which every element is editable while remaining complete and of quality if left in its original condition with the exception of text box content. Therefore, at a minimum students would be required to work on their typing and writing skills by inserting their written work into the template, and at a maximum they could manipulate and change every other aspect of the template from color, font aspects, photographs, illustrations, etc. thus allowing for teacher and student control, student choice, and clear expectations of high quality publications at a level accessible to every student. These manipulable templates were used with all three of our classes from the higher level students and the lower level students for many different products including student memoirs, newspaper articles, and figurative language analyzations. All of which were met with great success as assessed through student participation, achievement scores, and enthusiasm for projects. (Evidence: Newspaper Manipulable Template, Newspaper Student Sample, Memoirs Student Sample) (InTASC 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e,1f, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, 2n, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3k, 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 3q, 3r)
The most important lesson that I learned from creating these manipulable templates during this early portion of my internship was that creating materials specifically for my own students generally resulted in perfect design of assignments and materials that culminated in excellent lessons and student products which synthesize their experiences as a whole. As a general practice, I create all of my own materials specifically designed for my students. While I admit that I have reused formats for multiple lessons or novels, I design all materials specifically for the students I am working with. Over the past year I have created at least fifty different work pieces for my students. I have selected a few of my favorites to share so let me explain how they came to be. (InTASC 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, 2n, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 3q, 3r)
In the final month of my internship I was responsible for designing two unit plans, one for Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time for two seventh grade classes and the other for Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett’s dramatic adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank for one eighth grade class. The guiding goal for the seventh grade was that students would be able to discover what it is that they use to define themselves as individuals in their environment through the study of characterization and the influence of setting throughout the novel. Subsequently, the final project of the seventh grade unit was to create a graphic novel extension of an element of the story’s characters and their adventure through a student selected setting of the novel. In order to prepare these students who are not only resistant to creating artistic representations as well as still at a point where their cognitive extension and application of internalized material into externalized creations is developing, I created a series of Active Reading Guides which not only facilitated independent development of creative and critical thinking skills but also required artistic creation in a low pressure environment. Additionally, because of dramatic difference in the skill levels in the two seventh grade classes, I often had to differentiate my lessons per class in order to ensure engagement as well as to make material manageable yet thought-provoking for both groups of students. For example, in the novel there are many advanced scientific concepts that can be explored. With the higher level class, a group where seventy percent of the students are gifted, we investigated many of the astrophysics concepts of time travel that the novel alludes to through video, articles, and my own instruction on the topics. For the lower level class, a group where just under half of the class has IEPs or additional need, I modified this lesson to include more whole group instruction and more visual explanation so that they too were able to explore the advanced concepts in a way that was beneficial and accessible to them as well. I believe that it is essential for all groups and levels of students to access the same information but that it is my responsibility to alter my plans to meet their needs and ensure their success. (Evidence:Active Reading Guide Template, Active Reading Guide Student Sample, University Supervisor Internship Observation Record) (InTASC 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, 2n, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 3q, 3r)
As the final unit of the eighth grade year, I focused all lessons toward finding a sense of purpose and identity in the greater world through the avenues of historical explorations, publications, and activism. My major goal for these students was that I would spend their last unit preparing them for self-directed and cooperative learning experiences that are characteristic of high school expectations in order to best prepare them for the following year. In order to do this I designed a series of Centers to build historical background knowledge related to the Holocaust, Genocide in the modern world, and the history of Anne Frank herself. Each Center was designed around a different aspect, topics such as Hanukkah, Deportation of Jews, Concentration Camp Life, Genocide in the Sudan, Nazi Propaganda, and Hitler’s Rise to Power were included. Each Center included an article, an artifact such as a set of images or an online video clip, and student task sheets. Each task sheet included student directions, questions, and then had a corresponding task or skill building product that students had to create to synthesize the material they worked with and demonstrate their understanding of the Center before they could move on to the next. By using Center activities in small groups I was able to act as the facilitator of learning experience rather than the source of learning itself which created a much more enjoyable and authentic experience for my students that built not only literacy skills but self-efficacy and confident cooperation among the students. The final project for the eighth grade was to create a graphic novel about the story of a survivor of genocide in the modern world as a way to connect their research experiences and to show them that they can have an active voice in the world. These projects were sent to the National Holocaust Museum for use on their website. By holding my students responsible for material using time limits, clearly defined expectations, and enforcing a discipline of accountability and responsibility for material in and out of the classroom, my students were able to gain more knowledge and make significantly more meaningful connections to the text and to the world than if I had alone been their resource. (Evidence:Centers Activities Template, Graphic Novel Awareness Project Materials) (InTASC 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, 2n, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 3q, 3r)
Through the development of these materials and many others I came to develop a comprehensive understanding of the learning differences among all of my students in a strictly academic sense. But it was my dedication to the students as individuals and through their individual experiences which have made me become a great teacher. I understand that most of a child’s life is outside of the ninety minutes a day they are with me or even the mere 480 minutes a day they are in the school building. I understand that it is really the rest of their life that makes them who they are and that dictates what is important to them. In my classroom there were students with autism, English language learners, students with all matter of IEP accommodation needs, as well as students who just needed extra support and attention due to emotional instabilities, home life issues, or just the craziness that is middle school. In order to better understand my students I really took the time to find out who they were especially if they were a student that showed signs for concern. I always took the time to ask our school counsellor and other teachers about these students. I was even allowed to access the student databases to get a better understanding of when they began receiving services, what grades they had repeated, and anything else I could find so that I could ensure I was meeting all of their needs in our classroom. (InTASC: 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, 2n, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 3q, 3r)
In all honesty one of my favorite things to do was have lunch in the cafeteria with the students and then go out to recess with them. Not only was it a fun thing to go play ultimate frisbee or tag in the middle of the day, even when I looked quite silly running in dress pants and neon sneakers to catch a frisbee, but it gave me the opportunity to see the students as kids, in a human light. I believe that too often teachers focus so intently on the academic abilities of their students that they forget that their real job is to help kids become good people. Some kids become good people by learning everything about math or science or writing, and some kids become good people by having someone there to care about them and to have compassion when they are in a bad mood or just got in an argument with a close friend at recess. By putting myself in that situation where I could not only become part of the fun but an observer to my students social interactions I became a more compassionate and understanding teacher. I then used this information to enhance my students’ experience in the classroom. I believe that learning is impacted not only by my effectiveness as an instructor, but more by my effectiveness as a facilitator. Instructional facilitation in my classroom is organized by differentiated student small groups that were carefully selected to balance student need, skill level, and social interaction friendships to create a meaningful, positive, and enjoyable learning environment. Many teachers choose to separate friends in order to create silence. I choose to put friends together in order to engage the students and motivate them to work harder. (Evidence: Photograph of Student Group Setup) (InTASC 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, 2n, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 3q, 3r)
I have been fortunate enough to work at a school where the Special Education, ELL, and Title I program instructors are extremely dedicated to supporting the students in a Push-In environment. Every one of my classes has from three to five teachers in the room at a time including myself, my mentor teacher, an ELL teacher, one or two special educators, and a Title I teacher. Because of this, I have been able to create a class environment where students learn by participating in a task based instructional system. Any given day in our classroom operates through a series of whole group instruction then moving to small group activities where each group has a task sheet, materials, and a product to create or a work to complete. Expectations are clear and work is designed so that it can easily be transferred to independent work depending on student behaviors. I make a point to identify consequences as results of student choices, not as punishment, but as the choice of the students. Additionally, all lessons are designed as centralized theme based lessons that can be reorganized on the spot in response to student attentiveness and energy that each incorporate segments of movement, student discussion, whole, individual, and small group work, so that no matter what has happened or how the students are feeling, I can adapt to meet their needs and ensure their engagement with the material and their active learning experience. By having multiple teachers in the classroom at one time, students are able to work and be guided at their own developmental levels and at their own pace, in order to ensure that every student is receiving the individual support that they need. Through this system, I have been able to act as a resource and facilitator of student learning and most effectively integrate all levels of services and need into the student learning experience. (Evidence: Special Educator Teacher Evaluation) (InTASC 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 1k, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, 2n, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 3q, 3r)
As I suggested at the beginning of this piece, learning is the internalization of experience with the resulting externalization of change. While I fully believe that learning the content of the Language Arts is very important and becoming successful readers is essential for all students, I know that not every one of my students is going to become an English major. That is why I think that the best thing I can do for my students is make sure that they can believe in themselves and that they can convey that self worth. The most important thing that I do in class with students that impacts all the other learning they can and will do every day is that I give them the opportunity to journal and write about themselves and about their experiences. Every day I ask them prompting questions that cause them to reflect on their past, to define who they are, and to drive them to hope for their future. Students really enjoy this time and write avidly about their experiences. It is also an activity that we do together, I write in my journal and share with them, and then students volunteer to read their writing to the class or to each other in their small groups. I think that it is this fifteen minutes at the beginning of every class period that defines all the rest. They define themselves as students, as learners, and as people as they enhance their understanding of self and personal values, they have the freedom to share with their peers in a supportive environment where they learn to value themselves and each other, and it prepares them for the rest of class with open minds and a group feeling of care and support. By giving the students and myself time every day to internalize our experiences and to pay attention to the ways we externalize these experiences for our peers through writing, I have become a facilitator of change. I know my students are learning and that they feel safe to experience that learning. That is the very best I can do. (Evidence: Photograph of Student Journals) (InTASC 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1g, 1h, 1i, 1j, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m, 2n, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, 3l, 3m, 3n, 3o, 3p, 3q, 3r)