Noelle Young Electronic Portfolio - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

1 / 40
About This Presentation
Title:

Noelle Young Electronic Portfolio

Description:

If your child wishes, he/she may bring treats for the class on the big day or a ... Please do not send birthday party invitations to school unless the entire class ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

Number of Views:117
Avg rating:3.0/5.0
Slides: 41
Provided by: govwentwo
Category:

less

Transcript and Presenter's Notes

Title: Noelle Young Electronic Portfolio


1
Noelle Young Electronic Portfolio
2
Table of Contents
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
3
Noelle M. YoungE-Portfolio Resume
  • Teaching Experience
  • Bilingual Kindergarten Teacher Oak Ave.
  • Elementary School, Greenfield, CA
  • 1987-1990
  • Bilingual Kindergarten Teacher Green Acres
  • Elementary School, Santa Cruz, CA
  • 1990-1994
  • Spanish Teacher Cornerstone Christian Academy
  • Ossipee, NH
  • 2000-2003
  • Kindergarten/Reading Recovery Teacher
  • Effingham Elementary School, Effingham, NH

1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
4
Introduction
  • I have had the privilege of working with
    children over the course of the past twenty three
    years. After graduating from Cal Poly, I worked
    as a bilingual kindergarten teacher for seven
    years. After the arrival of our first child we
    decided to move back east where I began a five
    year career as a children's librarian. Following
    another move, I instructed Spanish in a private
    school with children ranging in age from
    pre-school to junior high. Once my youngest
    daughter entered kindergarten, I returned to the
    public school where I am presently entering my
    sixth year of teaching half day kindergarten and
    half day Reading Recovery with first graders.
  • I am lucky to have a job that I love to go to
    every day. Teaching kindergarten allows me to use
    my creativity as well as become a life long
    learner with my students. I am committed to
    providing a nurturing and fun environment where
    students feel safe to take risks and to discover
    their talents and abilities. I have returned to
    school to complete my Masters of Elementary
    Education in order to update my skills and to
    fine tune my teaching. The following document
    serves to highlight some of my work and
    accomplishments as an educator.
  • I look forward to sharing my experiences and
    abilities in the following e portfolio.

1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
5
Mission Statement
  • It is my belief that all children are gifted
    with unique and amazing talents. It is my job as
    their teacher to help them discover their gifts
    and to provide instruction that will foster their
    academic and personal growth. If one method of
    instruction does not work for an individual, I
    will continue to search for the method that
    matches that student. I encourage all students to
    grow in areas that are difficult for them and I
    strive to scaffold children's efforts while
    helping them to reach for the next skill level.
    My growth as an educator is my responsibility and
    I will continue to learn new methodologies as
    well as to stay current with advances in
    educational research. Every year brings a new set
    of children and thus a new set of challenges that
    I look forward to meeting.

1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
6
Core Proposition
  • 1. Teachers are committed to students and their
    learning.
  • 2. Teachers know the subjects they teach and how
    to teach those subjects.
  • 3. Teachers are responsible for managing and
    monitoring student learning.
  • 4. Teachers think systemically about their
    practice and learn from experience.
  • 5. Teachers are members of learning communities.

1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
7
Artifact One Page 1 Proposition 1
Accomplished teachers are committed to students
and their learning.

Rationale Beginning of the Year Parent Letter I
have chosen this artifact as an example of my
commitment to students and their learning. This
letter is an example of one of the many ways that
I communicate with parents in order to foster a
clear vision of how the classroom will be run as
well as to answer important questions about
scheduling. In the letter I give the parents and
idea of who I am and welcome them to become
involved in their child's classroom in whatever
capacity they are able to participate. I
emphasize good attendance in the letter because I
have seen a pattern over the years of poor
kindergarten attendance and the negative affect
on learning. Furthermore, I want to discuss in
this letter the importance of establishing a safe
and secure classroom by helping students develop
a list of classroom rules that will protect each
student's right to safety and respect. Another
strategy that I implement throughout the school
year in order to maintain communication with
parents is weekly kindergarten article in our
school newsletter. In the article, I tell parents
what skills we are working on, suggest activities
and skills that could be practiced at home, and
thank parents for any additional help that they
have offered to our classroom. This article also
a place where I can commend students for their
accomplishments.
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
8
Artifact One Page 2 Proposition 1
Accomplished teachers are committed to students
and their learning.

Reflection It has become clear to me over
the years that a strong parent teacher
relationship will build a stronger teacher
student relationship. Parents have a need to feel
informed about who is teaching their child as
well as what their child is learning each week.
The beginning of the year letter is a way to
start the school year of a firm foundation of
clear information and open communication.
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
9
Artifact One Page 3 Proposition 1
Accomplished teachers are committed to students
and their learning.

Mrs. Young's Kindergarten Class 2009-2010 Welcome!
!! This week your child will complete one of the
most important milestones in his/her life- the
first day of school! I understand that you and
your child may have met this day with excitement
or apprehension (or a little of both) and I hope
this letter will help you to know what to expect
in kindergarten this year and answer any
questions you may have. I would like to take this
time to introduce myself. My name is Noelle
Young. I am beginning my 13th tear as a
kindergarten teacher. I graduated from California
Polytechnic University in San Luis Dispose, CA
and have just recently earned my Masters in
Elementary Education from the University of New
England. I spend my mornings working with your
kindergarten children and my afternoons teaching
reading with first graders.
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
10
Artifact One Page 4 Proposition 1
Accomplished teachers are committed to students
and their learning.

I am looking forward to working with your child
this year and helping him/her to achieve his/her
full potential. Through the remainder of this
letter, I will share some of my beliefs and
classroom policies. Parent/Teacher
Relationships I believe that a good
parent-teacher relationship is necessary for
maximum school success. Throughout the year I
will communicate with you through notes, phone
calls, newsletters, reports and parent-teacher
conferences. I encourage you to contact me if you
have any questions or concerns. Parent
Participation Throughout the school year there
will be a variety of special classroom activities
and celebrations. Cheffing School is known for
the feeling of community among our students,
staff, parents and community members. I encourage
you to attend school wide and classroom functions
when possible and to support them by sending
needed supplies or treats. Your support of school
activities makes your child feel important and
sends the message that you value school. I
welcome parent volunteers in my classroom.
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
11
Artifact One Page 5 Proposition 1
Accomplished teachers are committed to students
and their learning.

School Attendance Your child's regular and prompt
attendance at school is crucial to his/her
success. I can't emphasize this point enough.
Many kindergarten-learning activities are group
oriented and involve interactions with
classmates. Please view school as a priority, and
see to it that your child attends every day
except in the case of illness or an emergency. An
absence note is required when your child returns
to school. School personnel can only dispense
medication with a note from your doctor and with
the medication in its original container.
School Hours Kindergarten hours are from 900
to 1130. Students may enter the classroom at
845. No one should arrive before 830 as there
is no supervision before this time. If you choose
to drive your child to school, please drop
him/her off at the front of the school.
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
12
Artifact One Page 6 Proposition 1
Accomplished teachers are committed to students
and their learning.

Transportation Kindergarten children may ride the
school bus to school. Students may be picked up
at 1130 at the front entrance of the school. If
anyone other than the parent (including
grandparents, other family members, care-givers,
etc. ) is to pick up your child at any time , I
must have a written note from the parent. This is
a school policy made for the safety of your
child. If your child is to be dismissed to a
care-giver other than the parents on a regular
basis, one note for the year is sufficient. If
you have sole custody of your child, the school
needs a copy of a court order indicating
so. Recess The children will be going outdoors
for recess on most days unless it is raining or
extremely cold. Please keep this in mind when
helping your child to select clothing for the
day. Labeling your child's outerwear helps avoid
confusion.
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
13
Artifact One Page 7 Proposition 1
Accomplished teachers are committed to students
and their learning.

Snack Drink All children will receive an envelope
for snack drink money. If your child would like
to have snack milk or juice, please fill out the
envelope and return it to me. You may send in
money daily, weekly or monthly. Snack milk or
juice are 30 cents each. Snack We will have a
short snack every day. Your child should bring
something healthy to eat during this time. One or
two items are sufficient. I do not allow the
children to trade or share food due to problems
with food allergies. Birthdays Birthdays are
special occasions for young children. If your
child wishes, he/she may bring treats for the
class on the big day or a day near his/her
birthday. We celebrate birthdays during our whole
school morning meeting and then again with the
kindergarten children. Please do not send
birthday party invitations to school unless the
entire class has been invited. Although it may
seem convenient to distribute invitations this
way, it can result in hurt feeling for those not
invited.
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
14
Artifact One Page 8 Proposition 1
Accomplished teachers are committed to students
and their learning.

Discipline Establishing good classroom discipline
is essential to each child's success. Confidence
and well being. Every child should feel that the
classroom environment is safe and secure, free
from all threats of physical or emotional harm.
In addition it is important that each child learn
to develop self-discipline and good work habits,
to resolve conflicts peacefully, and to think
independently. The children will learn the
purpose of classroom rules and develop the idea
that our classroom is a community with the common
purpose of learning, growing and becoming
friends. Through class discussion and rule
making, the children and I will compose a list of
classroom rules that protect each student's right
to safety and respect, as well as outlining the
responsibilities that each child has in
maintaining class order. In closing I would like
to say that I am looking forward to a great year
working with your child! Sincerely,
Noelle Young
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
15
Artifact Two Page 1 Proposition 2 Teachers
know the subjects they teach and how to teach
those subjects to students.Name of Artifacts
Reading Recovery training certificateand
Comparative Study Essay Date May 9, 2007

Rationale I have included this year long class
under Proposition 2. The Reading Recovery
training is suitable for this proposition as my
work in learning how to teach reading brought me
up to date with current and most effective
practices for teaching beginning readers. Reading
Recovery class caused me to constantly examine my
teaching practices on a weekly basis. Because of
this course, I took many steps in order to
improve reading instruction with both my
Kindergarten class as well as my Reading Recovery
students. After examining data over a period of
three years, I learned that most of my Reading
Recovery students had caught up to their peers or
surpassed them in reading. Those that remain
below grade level have been identified as having
special educational needs. Within my kindergarten
classroom, I have implemented the skills learned
in Reading Recovery in order to raise the overall
reading level of each class and prepare them for
first grade. My training with Reading Recovery
was an intensive year long
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
16
Artifact Two Page 2 Proposition 2 Teachers
know the subjects they teach and how to teach
those subjects to students.Name of Artifacts
Reading Recovery training certificateand
Comparative Study Essay Date May 9, 2007

Rationale (cont.) program that met for two
weeks in the summer every day and weekly during
the rest of the year. Teachers were observed
teaching an actual lesson with a student behind
the glass so that the instructor as well as the
other students could offer specific and timely
feedback. I continue to attend continuing
education classes on a monthly basis in order to
keep my teaching skills sharp and learn anything
new in the field of reading instruction. I am
presenting both my certificate of completion of
training as a Reading Recovery teacher as well as
my final essay, A Comparative Study.
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
17
Artifact Two Page 3 Proposition 2 Teachers
know the subjects they teach and how to teach
those subjects to students.Name of Artifacts
Reading Recovery training certificateand
Comparative Study Essay Date May 9, 2007
  • Reflection
  • This artifact has completely changed the way I
    teach reading. Before taking this course, I had
    very little training in the area of reading
    instruction. I now feel comfortable testing
    students of all levels and then evaluating
    exactly what skill they need to learn next in
    their personal reading program. After five years
    of training and teaching using Reading Recovery
    methods I am able to use diverse instructional
    strategies to teach struggling readers as well as
    gifted readers. Because reading is such an
    important skill for all students, it is always
    exciting to be able to give a student the gift of
    reading.

1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
18
Artifact Three Page 1 Proposition 3 Teachers
are Responsible for Managing and Monitoring
Student Learning Name of Artifacts Kindergarten
Quarterly Benchmarks Date 7/21/2009
Rationale I have included the benchmark
assessment guidelines in order to meet
proposition three. After the creation of a new
kindergarten report card for the school district,
the kindergarten teachers realized the need to
create a list of descriptors under each academic
heading that would describe the minimum skills
that correspond to a proficient level for each
quarter of the year. The benchmark list guides me
in both testing as well as teaching. I am also
able to use the benchmark list in order to
clearly explain student performance to parents.
The benchmarks help me to organize my instruction
so that I am teaching to meet quarterly goals for
kindergarten. I have created testing materials
that reflect what each child knows in each area
of the benchmark as well as provide documentation
in the form of a score in a grade book or a
document to be kept in the student's portfolio.
The process of creating benchmarks and testing
materials has made me much more familiar with the
academic standards for my grade level. I now know
exactly what my students need to know and when
they need to know it.
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
19
Artifact Three Page 2 Proposition 3 Teachers
are Responsible for Managing and Monitoring
Student Learning Name of Artifacts Kindergarten
Quarterly Benchmarks Date 7/21/09

Reflection The previous report card was in
the form of a narrative. The narrative was vague
and did not tell parents what skills their child
was missing or needed to improve. The new report
card specifically indicates whether a student is
above , at ,below or substantially below grade
level expectations in a given area. At first the
kindergarten teachers did not approve of the new
report card. Now, after developing a set of
quarterly benchmarks we are able to use the
report cards to plan our curriculum, recommend
students for tutoring, and to share academic
requirements with parents.
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
20
Artifact Three Page 3 Proposition 3 Teachers
are Responsible for Managing and Monitoring
Student Learning Name of Artifacts Kindergarten
Quarterly Benchmarks Date 7/21/09

Kindergarten Benchmarks for the end of the fourth
quarter- June (The descriptors listed under each
of the academic headings are the minimumskills
that correspond to a proficient level for this
point in the kindergarten year.) Reading Comprehe
nsion Demonstrates an understanding of what is
read aloud Responds verbally and symbolically to
questions about the content of a book read
aloud Uses pictures and information about the
story to predict what will happen next Retells
a familiar story without a book including
beginning, middle and end Retells a story and
includes characters, settings and important
events Connects events, characters and actions in
the story to specific life Experiences Applies
comprehension strategies to higher level texts
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
21
Artifact Three Page 4 Proposition 3 Teachers
are Responsible for Managing and Monitoring
Student Learning Name of Artifacts Kindergarten
Quarterly Benchmarks Date 7/21/09

Literary and Informational Texts Identifies the
characters in a story Identifies
characteristics of the main characters Answers
simple questions about a books
content Reenacts parts of a story Obtains
information using text Makes predictions Comp
ares stories to other text and personal
knowledge Makes basic inferences Applies
comprehension strategies to higher level
texts Word Study Reads at least 25 high
frequency words Recognizes and names at least
20 letters Identifies sounds represented by at
least 20 letters Uses the most common sound
associated with individual letters
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
22
Artifact Three Page 5 Proposition 3 Teachers
are Responsible for Managing and Monitoring
Student Learning Name of Artifacts Kindergarten
Quarterly Benchmarks Date 7/21/09

Phonemic Awareness Isolates phonemes in single
syllable words Blends and segments single
syllable words and onset-rimes Identifies three
sounds e.g. cat c-a-t Concepts about
Print Follows text with finger-pointing Demons
trates left to right and top to bottom
directionality Matches letters and words with
one to one correspondence Applies strategies
when reading higher level texts Reading
Strategies Recognizes when simple sentences do
not make sense Uses pictures, syntax, or
repetitive language pattern to predict Upcoming
words Applies strategies when reading books at
the instructional level Vocabulary Identifies
synonyms and antonyms Identifies and sorts
pictures of common words into basic
categories Organizes words by
categories Learns new vocabulary through
stories and instruction
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
23
Artifact Three Page 6 Proposition 3 Teachers
are Responsible for Managing and Monitoring
Student Learning Name of Artifacts Kindergarten
Quarterly Benchmarks Date 7/21/09

Writing Expresses ideas for writing Develops
topic clearly Uses pictures to illustrate
details/information related to topic Represents
facts through pictures Writes with organization
and focus Sticks to the topic and sequences
events when telling a story Conveys a clear
message Writes good short sentences that may
miss a word or two Uses emergent
spelling Represents storyline with beginning
and ending sounds Mechanics Demonstrates
spacing Writes from left to right with a return
sweep Uses upper and lower case
letters Writes legibly and is easily read by
others
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
24
Artifact Three Page 7 Proposition 3 Teachers
are Responsible for Managing and Monitoring
Student Learning Name of Artifacts Kindergarten
Quarterly Benchmarks Date 7/21/09

Math Numbers and operations Writes whole
numbers from 0-20 Counts 1 to 20 objects using
one to one correspondence Orders and compares
whole numbers 0-20 Understands 1 more/1 less
from 1-20 Adds and subtracts 1-10 Names and
values coins penny, nickel, dime Geometry and
measurement Sorts, classifies and names all
basic two-dimensional shapes Functions and
algebra Identifies, builds and extends patterns
created by self and by others A-B Finds values
that make sentence true using numbers 1-5 Data,
statistics and probability Tallies data created
by the class Problem solving Solves problems in
relation to all skills and concepts presented
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
25
Artifact Three Page 8 Proposition 3 Teachers
are Responsible for Managing and Monitoring
Student Learning Name of Artifacts Kindergarten
Quarterly Benchmarks Date 7/21/09

Science Demonstrates knowledge of key
concepts Demonstrates an understanding of
concepts through the completion of Related
activities Applies learned concepts Makes
connection with his/her own life and surrounding
world Social Studies Demonstrates knowledge of
key concepts Demonstrates an understanding of
concepts through the completion of Related
activities Applies learned concepts Makes
connection with his/her own life and surrounding
world
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
26
Artifact Four Page 1 Proposition 4 Teachers
Think Systematically about Their Practice and
Learn from Experience Name of Artifacts
Authentic Writing in Kindergarten Writers
WorkshopDate 7/18/09Course Education 690
Action Research
Rationale I have chosen my action research
project on teaching authentic writing in a
writers workshop with kindergarten students to
meet proposition four. Over the period of
fourteen weeks I closely examined, collected
data, and conducted research in order to improve
the writing program in my kindergarten class. I
discovered that I was not teaching writing
through use of the best current practices and
that there were many proven methods that I should
implement in my classroom next year. This project
taught me how to research a topic and create an
action plan that I would be able to then carry
out methodically in my classroom. I learned how
to create graphs and tables in order to examine
data. My action research meets the qualifications
of standard four
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
27
Artifact Four Page 2 Proposition 4 Teachers
Think Systematically about Their Practice and
Learn from Experience Name of Artifacts
Authentic Writing in Kindergarten Writers
WorkshopDate 7/18/09Course Education 690
Action Research
Rationale (cont.) because the class taught me
how to question my teaching practices and to
create a new program for writing. I was able to
critically examine my teaching from last year and
plan how to apply new learning theories to my
teaching for next year. In September I will
implement my new writing program with my
kindergarten class, collect data and examine the
effectiveness of my action research on students
ability to write on grade level independently.
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
28
Artifact Four Page 3 Proposition 4 Teachers
Think Systematically about Their Practice and
Learn from Experience Name of Artifacts
Authentic Writing in Kindergarten Writers
WorkshopDate 7/18/09Course Education 690
Action Research
Reflection Although the class was challenging
and time consuming, the time spent on research
and studying data taught me so much about what is
required in a kindergarten writing program. As a
teacher, we dont always get to take this amount
of time to study an issue in our classroom that
we want to change. This experience opened my eyes
to many resources and new skills that I plan to
apply to my future curriculum planning.
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
29
Artifact Four Page 4 Proposition 4 Teachers
Think Systematically about Their Practice and
Learn from Experience Name of Artifacts
Authentic Writing in Kindergarten Writers
WorkshopDate 7/18/09Course Education 690
Action Research
  • Statement of the Problem
  • In a report by The National Commission on
    Writing in Americas Schools and Colleges (2003),
    it is stated that our country is failing to teach
    children how to write. The report goes on to
    state that if our students are going to learn in
    general, then they must first learn to write.
    Some of the factors that are causing this call
    for a fundamental reformation of our writing
    programs are a lack of teacher preparation, a
    lack of resources to implement changes, a lack of
    time most students spend writing, not enough time
    spent writing at home, poor assessment
    methodology, and ownership of the problem by
    every teacher.

1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
30
Artifact Four Page 5 Proposition 4 Teachers
Think Systematically about Their Practice and
Learn from Experience Name of Artifacts
Authentic Writing in Kindergarten Writers
WorkshopDate 7/18/09Course Education 690
Action Research
  • Research Questions
  • 1. Will the use of authentic writing
    assignments improve student ability to write
    independently?
  • 2. Will the use of authentic writing
    assignments increase sustained time spent on
    writing?
  • 3. If students are motivated by authentic
    writing assignments, will their writing skills
    improve based on a rubric and the stanine scores
    on the Marie Clay Observation Survey?

1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
31
Artifact Four Page 6 Proposition 4 Teachers
Think Systematically about Their Practice and
Learn from Experience Name of Artifacts
Authentic Writing in Kindergarten Writers
WorkshopDate 7/18/09Course Education 690
Action Research
Hypotheses By implementing a writers
workshop, in the Lucy Caulkins style, a minimum
of four days a week, thirty to forty minutes a
day, kindergarten students will increase their
writing skills as well as become more independent
in their writing. Writers workshop is based on
the student choosing a topic while the teacher
introduces a skill or concept for the student to
practice in their writing as needed. Because
students will be writing with a set purpose,
motivation to write will increase as well as the
amount of writing produced. It has been shown
that writing once a week in a notebook limits
students writing skills and motivation to work
independently, therefore a writers workshop
model will increase effective writing practices.
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
32
Artifact Four Page 7 Proposition 4 Teachers
Think Systematically about Their Practice and
Learn from Experience Name of Artifacts
Authentic Writing in Kindergarten Writers
WorkshopDate 7/18/09Course Education 690
Action Research
Action Plan Following an extensive study of
research-based approaches to writing and writing
instruction and a careful comparison of those
practices to my own writing program, I will
change five main areas of concern. First, my room
needs to be set up in a manner that will support
students ability to work independently as
writers. Second, I have come to realize that
students need to learn correct letter formation
within the first two to three months of
kindergarten. A third aspect that I will change
is the environment for writing in kindergarten.
Creating a predictable routine will be a fourth
change I will implement next year. I will pay
close attention to creating authentic writing
experiences that are chosen by the students.
Lastly, I will be proactive in building skills
for independence in my kindergartens so that they
will know how to work without constant adult
assistance.
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
33
Artifact Five Page 1 Proposition 5 Teachers are
Members of Learning Communities Name of
Artifacts Collaborative Peer Coaching Project
and ReportDate July 11, 2009Course EDU 744-
Meeting Student Literacy Challenges
Rationale I have included this collaborative
peer coaching project under Proposition 5. The
peer coaching project belongs under this
proposition because it reinforced to me how peer
mentoring helps both parties improve their
teaching skills and therefore increase student
learning. Our goal was to improve how Amy, a
student teacher, could better retain the
attention of her students as well as increase
participation by all students during circle/rug
time. I learned from this project how to observe
a group of students and gather data to help in
making decisions about interventions. After
observing Amy, I researched best practices for
holding student attention and increasing
participation. I was then able to share with her
several web sites, articles, and personal
knowledge that I felt that would
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
34
Artifact Five Page 2 Proposition 5 Teachers are
Members of Learning Communities Name of
Artifacts Collaborative Peer Coaching Project
and ReportDate July 11, 2009Course EDU 744-
Meeting Student Literacy Challenges
Rationale (cont.) be helpful to her in
acquiring some practical strategies. I then
observed Amy again as she proceeded to implement
some of these strategies. We were both pleased to
see that many of these strategies were effective
in gaining student attention as well as increased
participation. This assignment reminded me of the
importance of class management skills and caused
me to take a look at my own classroom and refine
some of my own practices.
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
35
Artifact Five Page 3 Proposition 5 Teachers are
Members of Learning Communities Name of
Artifacts Collaborative Peer Coaching Project
and ReportDate July 11, 2009Course EDU 744-
Meeting Student Literacy Challenges
  • Reflection
  • This artifact taught me that I have a
    responsibility to work with other professionals
    in order to improve each others teaching skills.
    In the future I would consider having a student
    teacher work with me in order to personally help
    a future teacher in building a career in a great
    profession. I would also like to work with my
    fellow teachers in future peer mentoring projects
    in order to improve the learning community in our
    school.

1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
36
Theory, Strategy, Method and Final
ReflectionPage 1
As a kindergarten teacher, I observe that
most children this age are intrinsically
motivated to learn new things. It is my job to
make sure that I provide my students with timely
feedback on work that is inherently engaging.
Based on the class population, I choose themes
each year that will capture the interest of that
particular class. I have learned that when
students are provided opportunities to choose
their own topics for long term projects, they
become motivated to do their best work. For
example, when we are studying about farms, each
child chooses a farm animal to research and teach
the rest of the class about. I am also able to
set the groundwork for teaching my students that
perseverance and hard work are what makes a good
student. I do not reward students for doing good
work, but rather expect that they will want to do
their best work for their own satisfaction rather
than for a sticker or a prize. In order to
maximize learning, it is crucial to implement a
variety of effective instructional strategies.
First, I want to help students set specific
learning objectives at the beginning
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
37
Theory, Strategy, Method and Final
ReflectionPage 2
of a unit, both as a class as well as
individually. When students have a place where
they can see their progress through a collection
of dated work, such as in their writers workshop
folders, they are able to keep track of their
progress and assess themselves. By tapping into
students prior knowledge, I am able to help them
make connections from what they already know to a
new topic. This will in turn help them become
better learners. Another instructional strategy I
have found successful is cooperative learning.
Kindergarteners work in groups or pairs to do
math work, writing, and work board centers.
Cooperative learning builds students sense of
accountability, teaches them to help each other,
encourages each student to add their talents to
contribute to a group goal, and will help
children to practice interpersonal and small
group skills. I find that groups of three to four
students, placed in mixed ability groups are the
most effective. Because knowledge is stored
both linguistically as well as non-linguistically,
I am careful to provide a variety of activities
that will produce non-linguistic representations.
We make use of graphic organizers, creating
physical models, generating
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
38
Theory, Strategy, Method and Final
ReflectionPage 3
mental pictures, drawing pictures, and engaging
in kinesthetic activities. In a unit on spiders,
we may create a concept map about spiders,
compare and contrast spiders to insects using a
Venn diagram, make spiders out of clay, read a
story about a spider and then draw a picture of
it, and act out Little Miss Moffat. Through
these activities, students will make connections
about what they already know about spiders and
will add to their prior knowledge. Critical to
student achievement is my use of classroom
management. Students are involved in creating
classroom rules as well as taking responsibility
for their own behavior. I am responsible for
articulating clearly and enforcing a
comprehensive set of classroom rules and
procedures. Taking the time at the beginning of
each year to carefully teach students how to
behave toward one another, when to talk, how to
treat other peoples property, and good listening
skills is vital to a successful school year.
Kindergarten students also need the
predictability of a schedule and reliable
routines in order to feel comfortable at school.
I must be consistent in
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
39
Theory, Strategy, Method and Final
ReflectionPage 4
consequences when a student exhibits
inappropriate behavior. In my experience, I have
found that kindergarten students do not need
strong correction, but rather respond to a gentle
correction and a caring attitude. Lastly, I have
learned the importance of careful curriculum
design. When planning, I must keep in mind the
sequencing and pacing of the content I am
teaching and consider what experiences to provide
students with the content. I cannot rely entirely
in a text book for sequencing and pacing, but
rather must use textbooks as a guide. When
teaching Reading Recovery, I use the text book
daily in order to trouble shoot and plan that
days lesson. I have learned that each student
must be seen as an individual and it is my
responsibility as a teacher to provide effective
instruction for each unique child. When I set
goals for the lesson or unit, learning is
enhanced. A question I keep in mind daily is,
What does this child need to learn next in order
to progress toward a known goal?. It is also
important in curriculum to provide multiple
exposure to and
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
40
Theory, Strategy, Method and Final
ReflectionPage 5
complex interaction with knowledge. I enjoy
creating varying types of experiences for my
students and observing for enthusiasm and
engagement from the children. Last of all, it has
become clear that I need to make decisions about
what skills need to be mastered as opposed to
supplementary skills. What do I need to practice
so that students can perform them with speed and
accuracy? With these factors in mind, I am able
to create an effective curriculum that will
prepare my kindergarten students for success in
first grade.
1. Resume 2. Mission Statement 3. Core
Proposition 4. Artifact 1 5. Artifact 2
6. Artifact 3 7. Artifact 4 8. Artifact 5
9. Final Reflection
Write a Comment
User Comments (0)
About PowerShow.com