Reflection 2

In our readings and discussion posts, my classmates and I have discussed the idea that it’s not really nature versus nurture, it’s nature and nurture. Both are components of a child’s development, and to completely ignore one of the two is ignorant and probably hurtful to the child. Further, we as teachers are part of the “nurture” part of the process – children are not nurtured solely by family. It takes a village, and teachers are a big part of that village for many children. I feel that it is our duty to nurture in as productive and helpful a way as possible – we’re not just responsible for teaching our curriculum, we’re also responsible for students’ well-being and growth into functional, healthy, productive adults. If a student walks into class and tells me they’re self-harming (and believe me, I’ve had this happen), I can’t just say “Oh, okay. Well, did you do your homework last night?” That would be callous, useless to the student and probably deeply hurtful, and certainly not nurturing. It may be in that kid’s nature to tend towards self-harm – but it’s in the nurturing, how we deal with it and which coping mechanisms we use to help a student get help, that we teach more than just our subject matter. In Module 2’s discussion, I mentioned a student with ADHD required a multitude of different coping tools and coaching/assistance and nurturing. I’d like to expand that here, and go beyond the prompt a bit. I think it’s also a teacher’s responsibility to keep an eye on students’ mental health and stress levels, because we put a lot on our kids – stress, expectations, pressure… and it can take its toll. We need to develop more coping mechanisms and structure ways to help address student psychological issues in a compassionate, nurturing manner. We don’t do enough, and counseling departments in schools can’t handle everything (though many try admirably). We all need to be well-versed in what’s called Trauma Based Learning – the idea that our students all have experienced some kind of rough patch or difficulty, and that we need to be sensitive to it as educators, nurturers, role models, and responsible adults.

Learners in Context Class: For Assessment: Child/Adolescent Development

tell about what you know about child/adolescent development. This can be from a practical perspective or even what you have experienced in your family.  Also, describe how your current knowledge of development informs your philosophy of instruction.

To be perfectly frank, I don't know all that much about childhood development - I've never taken any classes that cover such material. What little I do know, I know from personal experience in the classroom, and from the reading for this blog post. Since my intent is to teach high school, I will focus on how that limited experience and knowledge applies to adolescent development in this post.

Teenagers are weird and confused little humans. Their bodies are changing, and therefore so are their thought processes. Freshmen in high school tend to be less mature in every sense of the word, and much less serious in their academic study - my (admittedly limited) understanding is that they can't quite handle academic rigor yet, because they're too busy figuring out the physical stuff. Other high school teachers have told me there is an enormous jump in maturity from freshman to sophomore students.

Attention span is also tied to development - it increases as a child ages, and tops out at about 10 minutes for most individuals (Medina). And yet, classes are usually at least 45 minutes long. What this means, as Medina points out in this week's reading, is that teachers have to cleverly bust up their lessons into digestible 10 minute sections, so that they maximize their students' attention spans. Fortunately, these every-10-minute breaks lend themselves to review and question sessions, which (hopefully) reinforce learning instead of causing attention to wander.

The Medina reading also reminded me that repetition is a key and useful tool in the classroom - repetition leads to remembering! I tend, when teaching, to use repetition to emphasize and to reinforce concepts. Since most of my teaching experience is in a karate classroom, that means having students do techniques in drills until they can do the drills in their sleep. In my limited academic teaching experience, it means teaching something, and then having students write it in their own words - so that the students repeat what they learned, but in language that both is easier for them to process, and gives them some ownership of their new knowledge.

Medina's chapter on sleep is also fascinating, and strongly relates to child/adolescent development. It's common knowledge that teens need about 9-11 hours of sleep per night. But we load our students up with so much homework, and start the school day so early in the morning, that kids often can't get enough sleep *and* finish their mountain of homework. So I wonder how we, as future teachers, can manage this conundrum - do we give less homework, knowing that would cater to kids' sleep needs and attention spans, but would lessen the repetition they'd get that would reinforce learning and remembering? Or do we pile on homework assignments, and hope that kids will do what they can or what they feel they most need to do?


**Note: I leaned very heavily on the Medina reading here. I'm having technical issues with Kindle, which is preventing me from accessing the other textbook - that should be resolved by tomorrow.

Program Standards and Elements of a Model Entry

SPU Blog Portfolio Model

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Program Standards

Expected outcomes are expressed as program standards, which are aligned with State-designated teacher preparation approval criteria shown in WAC 181-78A-270. Program standards include criteria (e.g. 1.), elements (e.g. 1.1), and examples. Any level of the program standard is appropriate for reflection, feedback, or evaluation.

1. Expectations – The teacher communicates high expectations for student learning.

1.1 Demonstrating Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy

E.g. Teacher recognizes the value of understanding students’ interests and cultural heritage and displays this knowledge for groups of students.

1.2 Communicating with Students

Teacher’s explanation of content is appropriate and connects with students’ knowledge and experience.

1.3 Engaging Students in Learning

The lesson has a clearly defined structure around which the activities are organized. Pacing of the lesson is generally appropriate.

2. Instruction – The teacher uses research-based instructional practices to meet the needs of all students.

2.1 Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques

Most of the teacher’s questions are of high quality. Adequate time is provided for students to respond.

2.2 Engaging Students in Learning

Most activities and assignments are appropriate to students, and almost all students are cognitively engaged in exploring content.

2.3 Reflecting on Teaching

Teacher makes an accurate assessment of a lesson’s effectiveness and the extent to which it achieved its instructional outcomes and can cite general references to support the judgment.

3. Differentiation – The teacher acquires and uses specific knowledge about students’ cultural, individual intellectual and social development and uses that knowledge to adjust their practice by employing strategies that advance student learning.

3.1 Demonstrating Knowledge of Students

Teacher recognizes the value of understanding students’ skills, knowledge, and language proficiency and displays this knowledge for groups of – students.

3.2 Demonstrating Flexibility and Responsiveness in Lesson Adjustments

Teacher makes a minor adjustment to a lesson, and the adjustment occurs smoothly.

3.3 Demonstrating Flexibility and Responsiveness in Persisting to Support Students

Teacher persists in seeking approaches for students who have difficulty learning, drawing on a broad repertoire of strategies.

4. Content Knowledge – The teacher uses content area knowledge, learning standards, appropriate pedagogy and resources to design and deliver curricula and instruction to impact student learning.

4.1 Demonstrating Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy

Teacher’s plans and practice reflect familiarity with a wide range of effective pedagogical approaches in the discipline.

4.2 Setting Instructional Outcomes

All the instructional outcomes are clear, written in the form of student learning. Most suggest viable methods of assessment.

4.3 Designing Coherent Instruction in the area of Learning Activities

All of the learning activities are suitable to students or to the instructional outcomes, and most represent significant cognitive challenge, with some differentiation for different groups of students.

4.4 Designing Coherent Instruction in the area of Lesson and Unit Structure

The lesson or unit has a clearly defined structure around which activities are organized. Progression of activities is even, with reasonable time allocations.

5. Learning Environment – The teacher fosters and manages a safe and inclusive learning environment that takes into account: physical, emotional and intellectual well-being.

5.1 Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport

Teacher-student interactions are friendly and demonstrate general caring and respect. Such interactions are appropriate to the age and cultures of the students. Students exhibit respect for the teacher.

5.2 Managing Classroom Procedures through Transitions

Transitions occur smoothly, with little loss of instructional time.

5.3 Managing Classroom Procedures through Performance of Noninstructional Duties

Efficient systems for performing noninstructional duties are in place, resulting in minimal loss of instructional time.

5.4 Managing Student Behavior by Establishing Expectations

Standards of conduct are clear to all students.

5.5 Managing Student Behavior by Monitoring

Teacher is alert to student behavior at all times.

6. Assessment – The teacher uses multiple data elements (both formative and summative) to plan, inform and adjust instruction and evaluate student learning.

6.1 Designing Student Assessments around Criteria and Standards

Assessment criteria and standards are clear.

6.2 Designing Student Assessments with an Emphasis on Formative Assessment

Teacher has a well-developed strategy to using formative assessment and has designed particular approaches to be used.

6.3 Designing Student Assessments to Inform Planning

Teacher plans to use assessment results to plan for future instruction for groups of students.

6.4 Using Assessment to Provide Feedback to Students

Teacher’s feedback to students is timely and of consistently high quality.

7. Families and Community – The teacher communicates and collaborates with students, families and all educational stakeholders in an ethical and professional manner to promote student learning.

7.1 Communicating with Families

Teacher communicates with families about students’ progress on a regular basis, respecting cultural norms, and is available as needed to respond to family concerns.

8. Professional Practice – The teacher participates collaboratively in the educational community to improve instruction, advance the knowledge and practice of teaching as a profession, and ultimately impact student learning.

8.1 Participating in a Professional Community

Relationships with colleagues are characterized by mutual support and cooperation.

8.2 Growing and Developing Professionally

Teacher welcomes feedback from colleagues when made by supervisors or when opportunities arise through professional collaboration.

Elements of a Model Entry

There are different formats for writing portfolio entries. However, responding to writing prompts 1-6 helps to address desired performance on professional knowledge and skills, along with identifying steps for having a greater impact on K-12 student learning.

1. Citation of the program standard (either criteria, element, or example) along with an interpretation of what the standard means.

2. Presentation of evidence with description. The description includes context and related research or theory associated with the creation of the evidence.

3. Justification of how the evidence demonstrates competence, or emerging competence, on the program standard.

4. Summary of what was learned as a result of creating the evidence or having the experience.

5. Comment on the implications for student learning.

6. Propose specific changes or next steps to increase effectiveness in the area under examination.