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Introduction
Introduction
“What greater joy can a teacher feel than to witness a child’s success?” Michelle L. Graham
I subscribe to a collaborative, symbiotic learning environment in my classroom. Group discussions, collaborative projects, in-class participation, and other group related activities fill my daily schedules and assignments. I do not want students simply reading the material, but actively engaging with it, and with the various viewpoints brought by each individual student, students are able to learn from one another as well as from the material read with a sociological lens. This combination helps to bridge the gap between breadth of knowledge and depth of knowledge, giving students a quality learning experience they can pull from at any point in their life. Students will interact with a wide variety of texts ranging from classical literature (Shakespeare, Homer, Chaucer), to more recent works (Orwell, Lee, Morrison), to more contemporary works (Tillman, McCarthy, Coates), and examine the historical and social context behind the works. Group discussion boards, academic texts or excerpts, and kindle usage will help disperse information across the classroom giving students access to texts and materials otherwise unobtainable. The goal is to develop literacy and knowledge as well as expose students to multiple viewpoints, writings, and styles. Creative, thematic units will help students to synthesize and creatively express the information they have learned across readings and activities.
Content
Content
Curriculum
Curriculum
Designing and implementing units and lesson based upon Common Core State Standards, Universal Design for Learning Frameworks, Culturally Responsive Teaching, student interest, available materials, and inter-disciplinary content
Creative, thematic units built around the core principles outlined will assist students in synthesizing information and creatively expressing what they have learned across readings, activities, and assignments
These lessons and units help to promote collaboration, co-learning, disciplinary literacy, critical and analytical thinking skills, and applying content knowledge to everyday life. Building bridges between the home and the classroom is crucial for a long-lasting and impactful learning experience.
My minor in History allows me to develop inter-disciplinary approaches to the curriculum, developing elements of historical front-loading, historical connections, and sociological elements of United States, Indigenous Peoples, the Great War, and Middle Eastern History.
Content Creation Methods
Content Creation Methods
As mentioned above, I utilize the UDL guidelines in creating my units and lessons, CRT in developing reading materials and classroom environment, and CCSS to develop unit goals
By utilizing the Universal Design for Learning guidelines, I am able to teach all students rather than the mythical average student. Building from multiple means of representation, of action and expression, and different means of engagement allows me to reach all styles of learning, each student's individual learning methods, and students with special needs.
By utilizing Culturally Responsive Teaching, I am able to bridge the gap between the home and the classroom and create a long-lasting, impactful learning experience. This pedagogical view incorporates texts from a variety of cultures, backgrounds, and walks of life so that all students can have their personal experience validated and represented within the classroom.
By following the Common Core State Standards, I ensure that students are meeting the criteria required by the state and to ensure that my lessons have an appropriate end goal through backwards design.
Assessments
Assessments
Utilizes a variety of assessment techniques and methods to gauge student knowledge gained throughout a lesson, unit, quarter, and semester. I use this data to modify the curricula as needed, reflect and revisit knowledge students struggled with, and to help myself become a better teacher. I personally do not like traditional tests as they do not adequately gauge student engagement and comprehension, but rather a student's ability to take a test.
Summative Assessments: Utilizing creative and engaging assessment strategies, I tend to have students complete any number of testing strategies. Portfolios, essays, creative projects, presentations; any assessment that allows a student to creatively engage, critically analyze, and transform the source material will be utilize within my classroom.
Formative Assessments: I tend to utilize exit slips and quick-writes to gauge student comprehension over a given lesson or topic. Once the data has been collected, I can then revisit the necessary material or move onto the next phase of the unit.
Student Self-Assessment: Utilizing journal entries and reflective writings, students develop their meta-cognitive skills and allows students to reflect upon their learning and their understanding of the concepts taught in class. Furthermore, this style of self-assessment develops writing skills through consistent usage and allows me to gauge student comprehension.
Standardized Testing: While I personally dislike the concept of standardized, traditional testing, I will do all I can to prepare students for exams like State Assessments, ACTs, and SATs. I fully understand the importance these tests have on a student's future, on a school's reputation, and a reflection of my teaching capabilities.
Classroom
Classroom
Educational Technology
Educational Technology
As seen in my portfolio sections, I am well versed in technology and educational technology. Utilizing a blended or flipped classroom method allows me to reach students even when they are not in the classroom, allows me to better implement the UDL guidelines, and allows for creative and engaging approaches to education. (Please see the portfolio for an example of Canvas usage).
Experience in one-to-one schools has allowed me to better managed student behavior on devices as well as better utilize the devices to enhance student learning. Multiple modes of representation, action and expression, and engagement are enhanced through technological mediums.
Experience in Canvas, Blackboard, and Google Classroom allows me to transition seamlessly to each platform of learning as well as make the most of the tools the services offer.
Given my background in video editing, in graphic design, and in technology in general, I am fully equipped to create an engaging and creative classroom both online and physically as well as create fun and engaging unit projects and assessments.
Diversity, Inclusion, and Differentiation
Diversity, Inclusion, and Differentiation
Through the usage of UDL and CRT frameworks, I employ diverse, inclusive, and differentiated instructional methods. This allows me to create relevant and engaging content that aims to address all needs of the learner as well as addressing and including the learner's personal background and culture within the classroom.
Using a diverse array of instructional methods, I allow for differences in auditory, kinesthetic, and visual methods of learning.
By utilizing Culturally Responsive Teaching, I am able to bridge the gap between the home and the classroom and create a long-lasting, impactful learning experience. This pedagogical view incorporates texts from a variety of cultures, backgrounds, and walks of life so that all students can have their personal experience validated and represented within the classroom.
By using the LARA Method, I employ the use of dialogue facilitation in order to have authentic and respectful conversations in my classroom that deal with controversial, personal, and/or literature content.
Classroom Management
Classroom Management
By utilizing a variety of collaborative and self-reflective techniques, I am able to hold students responsible for their own actions as well as better able to maintain the peace within my classroom.
I work with students to develop comprehensive class rules for daily operations and rules for in-class dialogue. By working with the students, they feel they created the rules and have a voice within the rule-creating process. Through modeling behavior and holding myself accountable, I am able to better enforce the rules and hold students accountable.
I work hard to develop a classroom environment that fosters respect for all, responsibility for one's own actions, a willingness to learn, and a safe place for all students.
I work hard to develop student independence in their learning experience and in their work habits, but also in the creation of a collaborative, symbiotic work environment that allows for active engagement and peer-mentoring in coursework.
I maintain high expectations for my students. I am not the type to have a slow and easy going curriculum, but one that challenges and pushes students to their limits in order to help them understand that hose limits are self-imposed. I work hard to ingrain a growth mindset within my students, utilizing reflective journals and self-discovery to help students understand where they went wrong and how they can improve.
Peers, Collaboration, and Communication
Peers, Collaboration, and Communication
Colleagues, Collaboration, and Communication
Colleagues, Collaboration, and Communication
I see my craft and profession as one of constant growth, communication, collaboration, and reflection
I maintain regular communication with my principal and with my colleagues in order to develop an open and collaborative relationship.
This extends to the students and parents/guardians as well, contacting them when issues arise, but also when a student has made advancements achievements in the classroom. It is a crucial to never call a parent only to talk about a student's shortcomings. Calling home every so often to provide updates and positive comments on a student goes a long way in developing a collaborative relationship with the parent/guardian.
Collaborating with peers within my discipline allows me to create better units, lessons, and assessments as well as learn from those with more experience or with different backgrounds. Collaborating with peers outsides of my discipline allows me to better create inter-disciplinary lessons that feed off of and enhance the learning in my class and the other content class.
An example would be aligning an American Literature class to follow the timeline of a U.S. history class, or developing an Environmental Literature unit in conjunction with an Environmental Science unit in a science course.
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