Appendix 25.04 Sample Reflective Statements Term Four Portfolio Reflective Statement by Jessica Tucker It has been sixteen months since I entered the CalStateTEACH program and there is much to reflect upon. In the last few months, I have been immersed into a program that has far exceeded my expectations. My dream of being an elementary school teacher has finally come true. I owe this wonderful opportunity to the CalStateTEACH program, my wonderful Faculty, and school site mentors. The resources and help that have been made available to me have been incredible. Some of the issues and ideas discussed have had a significant impact on my outlook as an educator. This wonderful program has given me a new insight into teaching, as well as tremendous resources and tools to guide me through my career. CalStateTEACH has also introduced me to six domains of Teaching Performance Expectations. These 13 TPEs are the “rule book” for the teaching profession. I find myself reviewing the California Academic Framework more often and using it to create lessons and activities in the LPA for my students. I currently have a checklist on my desk and each time I cover a standard, I mark it off my list. I am always aware of what needs to be covered, and what already has been. Although the framework and LPA are great tools, it takes much more to create a valuable lesson. Instructional ideas, strategies, and various resources all share a part of making information come together and creating an organized lesson. The most significant factor is the student population. Background knowledge is essential when planning instruction and designing learning experiences for all students. Incorporating various personal and cultural related lessons into the classroom allows for all students to feel welcome. I have learned many wonderful strategies in the readings for early communication. I have utilized many, which include sending home a brief parent survey on the first day of school. This allows the parent to share valuable information about their child. I also send home a newsletter each month to update parents on classroom activities and announcements. Assessment has become a hot topic recently, and is also an area I have grown immensely in. So much pressure is put on students to perform on standardized tests, which causes stress for everyone involved. I have learned how important it is to use a variety of methods when assessing student learning. Throughout my observations, and teaching I have witnessed how students learn in different ways. Since students learn in different ways, they should also be assessed in different ways. Understanding how to use and interpret assessments is a significant factor in the classroom and should always be used as a guide in planning. Assessment should be done to first determine a student’s level of learning and then to track progression. Assessment may be formal or informal, and could just be teacher observation. I found first hand that the way a student performs one day on a test is not a true reflection of their achievement. There are so many factors to consider when testing including: cultural issues, stress, and if the child was feeling well that day. Incorporating a variety of assessments including running records, brief comprehension checks, an interest and attitude survey, or a student teacher conference provides a more accurate reflection. I was lucky to have an assigned Faculty who was constantly introducing me to various assessment tools and encouraging me to implement them. In the last few months I have found that no matter how much time and effort is put into a lesson, the students are not learning if they are not engaged. While planning a lesson I find myself getting excited over ideas and strategies. Whether or not these actually work in the classroom is a different story. Initially grabbing the student’s attention and focusing their efforts on a lesson is tough in itself. Actually supporting them throughout the lesson is another dimension. Students learn when they can connect with the information that is given to them. My classroom consists of a variety of students with different needs. Students bring with them culture, religion, and various beliefs to the classroom. Various techniques and instructional strategies must be utilized to meet the needs of every student. Techniques such as cooperative learning groups, technology based resources, and proper modeling all must be implemented to engage the learners. I find myself using cooperative learning a lot while I am planning and presenting lessons. The students enjoy working with their peers, and it helps to bring cohesiveness to the classroom. I like this strategy because it also encourages peer tutoring which is beneficial to my ELD learners. During planning I make sure and group my ELD learners with an English proficient student. Depending on the lesson I will also group students with higher math or reading skills, with those who struggle. It creates and maintains relationships between the students, and also adds variety to the usual direct instruction model. Since I am a visual learner, I have always made sure to incorporate a variety of resources into my lessons. I did however notice that many times I used direct instruction as my instructional strategy. I also learned I needed to regularly analyze my teaching and modify my actions for the future. One goal I have for the future is to utilize other instructional strategies when presenting lessons. The reading and math series that are mandated by my district are based on the direct instruction model. All lessons are set up to reflect a “teacher talking, students listening” format. I would like to incorporate guided inquiry math lessons where the students are exposed to a variety of manipulatives to experiment with. This would make the lessons more enjoyable for the students, as well as provide a tactile resource for learning new concepts. I have found that a well-implemented classroom management plan is essential for student learning. If a student feels uncomfortable or anxious in the classroom, his or her ability to learn is affected. Establishing a positive environment for learning is important and includes various aspects. Following through with discipline procedures and enforcing classroom rules is the first step to student success. Handling discipline problems quickly and effectively is important inside the classroom. Effective classroom management is noticeable the moment you walk into a classroom. Through my observations, substituting, and of course my own classroom, I have been able to witness both effective and ineffective classroom management at the Kindergarten through eighth grade level. An open line of communication between a teacher and parent is another significant factor in student achievement. Establishing and maintaining a positive bond with my students and their parents is my primary goal. Student success is only possible when there is parent support inside and outside of the classroom. Before the school year began I was told by a colleague to never give out my cell phone number. She explained that if a parent needed to get a hold of me they could do it during school hours. At this time there are three parents who have my cell phone number. These are parents whose children need extra support to make it in second grade. I feel it is essential since we are currently working together to help their children succeed. As I progressed through the CalStateTEACH Program I set many goals for my self and strived to achieve them. Now that I am nearing the end, it is time to set new goals. One of these goals is to continue my learning. Although I feel I have learned so much over the past few months, I know I still have so much more to learn. Even though it is only my first year teaching I feel I have Page 2 of 7 Appendix 25.04 updated 1/9/2009 learned so much. I began the year feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. Slowly I learned the curriculum as well as my students. I learned what worked and what didn’t, and what changes I would make for the following year. Another goal I have set for myself is to continue to learn new ways to support student learning, especially ELD learners. This is extremely significant because I am an educator in a diverse community. Not only do I have students with Spanish as their primary language, but I also have a Korean student. These students are just like every other student in the sense they are in my classroom to learn. It is my job to modify and adjust to make sure their needs are also being met. When I decided to become an educator I took on many responsibilities that I was previously unaware of. I learned that as an educator, I have many obligations to my students. One obligation is to continue learning and not depend upon past knowledge. This may include attending workshops, communicating with other professionals, and furthering my education. When I am awarded my credential my journey does not end, but rather begins. I have found that each day is a learning experience not only for my students, but myself as well. It is amazing what a group of seven and eight year olds can teach you. What is even more exciting is that each day is different. What works one day may not work another day. Each day the students are growing and changing and it is my job to guide them and equip them with the skills they need to continue their journey. Portfolio Reflective Statement by Samantha Harlow Teaching is best compared to the layers of an onion. Like an onion there are many different layers. With each passing day, month and year another layer is exposed and with it comes new knowledge about the teaching profession. My brother-in-law always told me, “You don’t really know anything until you teach it.” I remember I used to just nod my head and agree. Reflecting back on his words is rather humorous now. If I think back on my first year of teaching, a big smile comes across my face – along with a sigh of relief. Thank goodness that's over. I have vivid memories of my first Term in CalStateTEACH. Everything seemed to happen at once. I arrived with my little bag and set up my classroom. The children came and I began the year feeling confident in my subject knowledge, but rather than being an instant success, I discovered that my brother-in-law was right. During that first year of teaching, my mind was swimming with new information and change. I went right into survival mode. Of course it didn’t help that our landlord sold the house and we had to move in November. It just spiced things up even more. CalStateTEACH became essential to my survival. I experienced tremendous growth over the course of one year. It was like being a scientist. I had all these experiments or activities to conduct, and I went to my lab each day to find a cure for cancer. The most tremendous growth for me during the first year was of course classroom management. What first year teacher doesn’t struggle with management in the first year? From the beginning of the year, I was handed several challenges. My classroom environment was made unstable by a moving wall that kept opening and closing to let new classrooms come and go. Then I received a student who needed anger management. He came to me at the beginning of the year and refused to enter the classroom. His life was so traumatic that he couldn't bear anything new. It took Page 3 of 7 Appendix 25.04 updated 1/9/2009 months of patience and work to help this student make progress. He was eventually able to share a desk with another child and made many friends, but it was a process. My second Term in CalStateTEACH is when the light bulbs really started to go off as my teaching became deeper and layered. I began to see myself as an inventor, mathematician, scientist, literary critic, researcher, explorer, guide and nurturer. It was a very rewarding stage for me because I became comfortable with the fluidity and change that occurs in a classroom. This was my second year of teaching and my administrators decided to change my grade level. Hey, why not spice things up a little, eh? I had to start from scratch. My initial thoughts were frightening, as I knew what it could mean to start anew. However, the experience was quite different from the last year. Instead of the confusion and anxiety, I had lots of ideas and prior knowledge to draw on as I began the school year. It’s amazing what one year’s growth can hold in store. This was also the Term where I really began to feel competent in the California academic content standards. I began to unwrap them and discover exactly what the children needed to learn over the course of the year. This was very enlightening considering our program of instruction did not align with the standards. So, I began to use the standards and seek out the necessary materials to convey the learning goals. I no longer felt bound to the textbooks or the should do’s. Instead, I felt confident in selecting the best materials I could find for my students. This was one of the best layers yet. Another significant development during this Term was my ability to individualize instruction. I was able to pull small groups together on a daily basis for reading and mathematics. My centers were self-sufficient and the children could work independently. In the Term prior, I had begun to implement centers, but I had not quite moved on to individualized instruction. Of course, I tried, but this was an entirely new level of teaching. My third Term in CalStateTEACH was when the planets aligned. My students had begun to make enormous steps towards reading and writing and I felt a great sense of accomplishment. This was when I began to integrate the curriculum across the content areas. I learned to integrate both my science and social studies, how to write effective lesson plans and create a classroom environment that promotes autonomy and respect. Together with my site mentor and another colleague we began planning thematic units. It was a welcomed transition because it allowed me to teach in depth and provide my students with meaningful learning experiences. I remember the first thematic unit we planned together. It was on weather and my site mentor did a lot of the talking as we became comfortable with how to seek out the necessary materials. It was an amazing change that enabled me to become more confident in my ability to think outside the box. This was when I realized my full potential as a creative participant in my classroom. Then I began planning for my mathematics unit, which completely changed my perspective on mathematics instruction. It was focused around measurement and how to teach it in a developmentally appropriate way that would be accessible to first graders. We had a great time. This unit incorporated literature, writing and lots of hands-on experiences including experiments. That was certainly one of my favorite units. The children loved it and it signified my ability to effectively teach mathematics to children. With Term Four came a sort of tightening of the bolts. It feels as though I have digested a mass of information, which I then implemented in my classroom and now it’s time to review my practices and fill in any big gaps. Page 4 of 7 Appendix 25.04 updated 1/9/2009 The case study was certainly the most insightful part of Term Four. It gave me the opportunity to step outside my classroom and observe an entirely different age group while focusing on the literacy of a single student. I was able to implement multiple measures of assessment to get an accurate picture of his literacy and where he needed the most individualized instruction. It made me realize the wealth of information we can gather from students in order to effectively meet their instructional needs. It also made me realize the depth of reading instruction and theory. Reading is a complex process with many different theories and practices. Within the next two years I plan to start a masters program in reading and language arts. It is my goal to become a reading specialist. There are an abundance of children in American today who are struggling to become literate. In order to meet the needs of my students and facilitate the maximum growth possible in one school year, I need to be well trained and equipped in the area of reading. Completing a master’s in reading will not guarantee success, but I will feel confident in my ability to provide my students with the latest research and practical techniques available. As I come to a close in this program, I cannot help but think of all the layers to which I have been exposed over the course of the last two and a half years. I have become a professional educator through the care and support of my Faculty, school site mentor, colleagues and the engaging work from each Term. With challenge comes growth and CalStateTEACH was certainly challenging. I am grateful that I made the choice to enroll in such a rigorous course of study. Portfolio Reflective Statement by Susan Rizk As I was nearing the end of Term Four, I found myself reflecting on all of my work to this point. This includes all of my work for CalStateTEACH activities, studying for and taking the RICA, my daily teaching and all of its related activities and my family. Over the last two and a half years, I have grown as an educator and as a person. As I grow in my knowledge and abilities, I find that my fellow teachers seek my advice and input more and more. As I continue to learn as well as to teach, I realize that I do have a lot to offer my students. Combining my learning through CalStateTEACH with my teaching benefits everyone – my students and myself. The CalStateTEACH program has provided me with experiences that benefit not only my learning, but also my students’ learning. The numerous lessons and units I have completed during Term Four have provided me with remarkable means to reach and teach my students. My students and I now integrate more technology into our activities and lessons. We interconnect all subjects and the students are continuing to perform self-assessments. The students now engage in many higher level thinking activities. Over the last two and a half years, I have shifted from being the gatekeeper of knowledge and rules to being a teacher who interacts with the curriculum and the students by designing active learning tasks and more authentic types of assessment. As part of this process, I must consider the distinctive ways each student truly knows about their world. Multiple intelligences, learning styles and learning preferences must be considered. I now strive to make my curriculum flexible enough to meet the unique needs of all learners thus making it more student-driven. Page 5 of 7 Appendix 25.04 updated 1/9/2009 We are now teaching in a standards-based environment where both students and teachers are being held accountable. Given that students come to school having different knowledge levels resulting from diverse experiences, backgrounds and culture, I must consider all these factors so new information can be presented in a meaningful way to each student. One method to achieve this is to encourage the students to “think outside the lines.” In modeling this, I can engage the students and extend their thinking. The challenge is to promote the students’ abilities so they can continue to learn and to build their understandings. As new technology-supported approaches to teaching and learning become part of the tools I have available, some challenges arise. These include partnering with students to create effective teaching and learning strategies and assessing the value of certain technologies and integrating them. When technology is used in ways that the students perceive as interesting or related to personal goals, the student is totally involved in the activity and directs attention to achieving the personal goal. In partnering with the students, greater student engagement in learning can be realized. To enhance my role as motivator when using technology, I must interact with all students to get to know them better. This would give me the opportunity to identify and understand each student’s unique needs, interests and goals so I can then relate learning content and activities. Students can be challenged to invest effort and energy in taking personal responsibility and to be actively involved in their learning. The students would also be provided with opportunities to exercise personal control and choice over the types of learning activities and ways of demonstrating personal mastery. Interacting with the students creates a safe, trusting and supportive atmosphere. Here are some elements I will be cultivating as I continue to grow as a teacher. Think Outside of the Classroom – I will strive to leap outside of the classroom walls and take my students with me. As much as possible, I will try to make classroom experiences exciting and memorable for the students. My lessons would be so much more enjoyable for both my students and me if they get to live and experience the material in full, living color, rather than from behind dreary, predictable desks. By giving the students a real world application for the knowledge they gain, I can take learning to the next level. Creativity in Lesson Presentation – I will be dedicated to the credo: “Learning - whatever it takes.” I must recognize that bored students do not learn as well as actively engaged learners do so I must be willing to do anything necessary to help students understand the material at hand and catch the fever for knowledge. I should enthusiastically show the students how to love the process of learning. Students enjoy a hands-on, practical approach to learning, ensuring that many of these exciting lessons will be remembered for a lifetime. A Willingness to be Myself with the Students – I will welcome the very human aspect of teaching. I should not be afraid to look silly and I should do anything that helps make learning fun and drive the academic message home. Additionally, I will love the students for the individuals that they are, capitalizing on the energy of youth, not trying to squander it for the sake of classroom calm. I will invest time, trust and unrestrained energy in students’ lives, which will pay off at test time and even when class is over. Students Love to Enter My Classroom – All of the above reasons should combine with my personality so that the students cannot wait to come to class. Smiles and enthusiasm will Page 6 of 7 Appendix 25.04 updated 1/9/2009 permeate the students’ attitudes, regardless of race, class, region or interests. I will make even the most inaccessible subjects come alive in my classroom. Overall, it would be well worth my energy to have exciting hands-on activities to drive a concept home rather than to spend time having the students read a dry textbook. I can follow my instincts to be myself with my students, which can really pay off in enthusiasm for learning. As I progressed through all Terms of CalStateTEACH, I found myself continuing to grow as a teacher. Everything I have done brings me to the point of being an innovating teacher. Looking at and reflecting on my professional development goals, where I’ve been and where I want to be, will quickly propel me to be a distinguished teacher. As I have reflected on myself and on my students, I can honestly say we have all done, and will continue to do, an outstanding job! 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