Standard 1-Student Learning
"Demonstrates ability to enhance academic performance and support for implementation of the school district’s student achievement goals."
My responsibilities extend far beyond developing student knowledge in a particular content area. I need to give students the tools that will be useful throughout life. These tools include study, writing, and research skills as well as interpersonal, decision-making, and time management skills.
As a teacher, I must effectively communicate with students in a variety of ways. These forms of communication include verbal, non-verbal, written, and visual. Many of these communication forms occur with the help of technology. Effective communication also extends beyond the classroom. A teacher must effectively communicate with parents, colleagues, and students outside of class.
It is important to communicate with my students not only as their teacher, but as a person. I use communication to show them I care. I use communication to listen to them. Even the brightest and most successful student may be in desperate need of someone who will simply listen.
Effective communication is not only important for conveying information, but it gives students a model of how they should communicate in an academic setting. Communication skills are something that can and should be directly taught, as they are needed to be successful in today’s world. Teaching my students to communicate will also encourage them to voice their struggles and questions in my class.
My responsibilities extend far beyond developing student knowledge in a particular content area. I need to give students the tools that will be useful throughout life. These tools include study, writing, and research skills as well as interpersonal, decision-making, and time management skills.
As a teacher, I must effectively communicate with students in a variety of ways. These forms of communication include verbal, non-verbal, written, and visual. Many of these communication forms occur with the help of technology. Effective communication also extends beyond the classroom. A teacher must effectively communicate with parents, colleagues, and students outside of class.
It is important to communicate with my students not only as their teacher, but as a person. I use communication to show them I care. I use communication to listen to them. Even the brightest and most successful student may be in desperate need of someone who will simply listen.
Effective communication is not only important for conveying information, but it gives students a model of how they should communicate in an academic setting. Communication skills are something that can and should be directly taught, as they are needed to be successful in today’s world. Teaching my students to communicate will also encourage them to voice their struggles and questions in my class.
Assessment Results Analysis-SchoologyOn all of my schoology quizzes and tests (web-based), each question is aligned to a particular NGSS standard (or two). The results shown here look at middle school physical standard 1-2, "Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred." Schoology's mastery tool allows me look at each standard individually to see which students are proficient. The line at the top of the picture tells me that 83.3% of my students are proficient on this standard (based on quizzes 6 and 7). Each of the lines below represents an individual's proficiency. This allows me to quickly pick out students who need additional instruction. It also allows me to reflect on my teaching of the concept. Do I need to do any re-teaching? What can I do better next year to reach all students?
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Assessment Results Analysis-ExamView
When teaching in Minnesota, all test questions were aligned to particular state standard (or two). The results shown here were calculated using the program “ExamView.” This program allows me to look at the percent of students who answered each question correctly (like a typical scantron form). More importantly, it can show the percent of students that are proficient at each standard (below, left) . This information is used to guide future instruction and see if there are areas that need reteaching. This data can also be broken down by student, so that I can determine a particular student’s areas of weakness in order to guide individual instruction.
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Evidence of Student Learning
Below are three examples of student work that clearly demonstrate their learning. The first is a rap about mitosis that was performed for class. For this assignment, students were able to choose a way to present. The second example is another way that students presented their understanding of mitosis using modeling clay. The last example is a writing strategy called a RAFT that I learned about at a “Strategies for Gifted Learners” workshop. In RAFT assignments, students must choose a role, audience, format and topic. This assignment was used as a final summative assessment on a short stem cell unit.
Peer Reviewing Lesson PlanCollaboration isn’t just for adults! In this lesson plan, I teach students to collaborate in order to give constructive feedback on their research papers. This enables them to practice the important skill of accepting and using constructive criticism to improve.
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Student Learning Essay ReflectionThis essay was written as a post assessment for one of my graduate courses “Improvement of Instruction and Curriculum Planning.” In the essay, I address the following questions: What is learning? What is evidence of learning? What factors affect student learning? How do I use theory to inform my practice and effectively affect student learning?
To summarize this essay, learning is the process of acquiring or improving skills or knowledge. The word "improving" is key in this definition because it recognizes the importance of measuring learning according to each individual. Written or oral formal assessments are traditionally what are used as evidence of learning. However, evidence of learning can also be found by informally observing students. Those who are able to make inferences, analyze, and critique content-related material are showing clear evidence of learning. Students are able to put things into their own words are also showing evidence of learning. Student learning is definitely influenced by students’ background knowledge and home-life. However, I like to focus on the factors that I can directly affect such as attitude, high teacher expectations, classroom management, and engagement. Finally, theory is something that is important to keep up to date with as it provides teachers with strategies that are proven to be effective. |
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Introductory Letter Home to ParentsCommunication is key to student success. I sent this letter home at the beginning of the school year to introduce myself. In the letter I explain that I will be teaching their student all year long and encourage parents to contact me with questions or concerns. It is important to begin communication early and on a positive note.
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Synthesis
Student learning is always the goal. All activities must be designed to maximize student learning, and I must always ask myself what I can do to enhance student learning. The artifacts above show that I use data as one way to analyze students learning on tests. I also believe in using a variety of assessments types to reach all students and that assessments should be a continuation of student learning (not something that happens afterwards).
Good communication must be modeled and taught for students. In addition to communicating with students during class, teachers must be skilled at communicating with parents and students outside of class. Today’s technologies have increased the ways that teachers can communicate with students and parents. In addition to my class website, I also communicate with parents via emails and phone calls.
Good communication must be modeled and taught for students. In addition to communicating with students during class, teachers must be skilled at communicating with parents and students outside of class. Today’s technologies have increased the ways that teachers can communicate with students and parents. In addition to my class website, I also communicate with parents via emails and phone calls.