Hello, my name is Adrienne Davis. I am currently in my fourth year at the University of Maine in the College of Education. I have spent this Spring semester student teaching in both a high school and middle school social studies setting. Throughout my experience I have learned excellent teaching strategies, classroom management strategies, the importance of professional collaboration and my own potential and skill. I have grown into a confident and motivated teacher who is ready to experience my first year of teaching. Technology in Education Technology should play a role in teaching and learning as often as possible. Our world is quickly moving toward a time where technology is the center of everything. In order to best prepare our students for their future careers and successes, familiarity and abundant experience with technology usage is essential. Not only in preparation for the future, but technology should also be used to supplement learning and engage students in the learning activities. Adrienne Davis There are always concerns for students using the internet in a safe and responsible way. For parents and teachers, it is critical to speak with students about using the internet safely and responsibly. I grew up in Smithfield, Maine spending my days running and playing outside with my four older siblings. Since then, I have always felt that the outdoors was like a second home to me. During the warmer months in Maine I enjoy hiking, camping, kayaking, rafting and playing various land sports outside. Then in the Winter I spend my outdoor time snowboarding or making snowmen with my young nephew and niece. Being active has always, and will continue to be a passion of mine. - Students should not be using social media at any point during the school day. - Stay away from cyber-bullying of any form. - Do not post pictures of anyone and only of yourself with your parents' permission. - Never talk to someone you do not know while online and DO NOT make plans to meet up with anyone you have met online. - Downloads can be dangerous to you and your device, only download parent or school approved items. Helpful links for parents and students: http://www.nationalcac.org/prevention/ internet-safety-kids.html http://www.nsteens.org “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” -Albert Einstein https://sites.google.com/a/maine.edu/davisa/ Philosophy of Education Philosophy of Assessment All learners are individuals with unique wants and needs within the classroom. A teacher should always instruct as if they are working with a single individual, but still teaching the entire class. Students should feel comfortable within the classroom and a teacher should promote a safe and secure environment. Within the classroom, both students and teachers should be experiencing growth and learning every day. Assessment in the classroom is crucial for students to understand where they are and where they need to go academically. For a teacher, student assessment should effectively demonstrate students' knowledge and skills but also tell the teacher what needs to be reviewed and what should be next for students. Regular and accurate assessments should occur throughout every instructional unit. Assessment should always occur in a variety of modes and should alternate between self-assessment, teacher assessment and peer assessment. This way, students will develop the skills necessary to give and receive constructive feedback in a variety of circumstances. Classroom Management Philosophy Clear expectations and regularly demonstrated procedures will allow for students to meet and exceed a teacher's expectations and for specific procedures to be followed for all specific scenarios. A classroom that runs smoothly will provide an environment that promotes effective and long-term learning. A teacher should always be consistent in enforcing and reinforcing classroom rules and expectations. Future Professional Development Goals Goal #1: To work on my level of content knowledge in my subject area. Goal #2: To work on creating a standard writing rubric for my future classes. Goal #3: To continue to work on and develop a bank of activities to be used in any classroom. Service to School/Inquiry Project A Unit Plan and Lesson Activities for the Bigger Picture/Project Based Learning Background information Within the World & American Studies II class sections, students have had trouble being prepared for the unit assessment due at the end of each unit. Typically, students in these classes begin the unit assessment at the last minute and end up passing it in weeks later. (Usually the students pass in the final draft close to the end of a grading period.) Throughout units in the past, students may not have always seen the “bigger picture” or the point to all the lesson and activities they were completing. Students would complete classwork, learning activities, and homework with no knowledge as to what they were working towards. Inquiry focus How can instruction and the organization of a unit be altered to most effectively benefit students as they work on and complete the final summative grade for the unit? The targeted outcome for this inquiry project is for students to work towards completing and understanding the unit assessment as they progress through the unit and lessons. Every lesson, formative and summative assessment will represent a piece of the unit assessment. By completing inclass tasks and assessments, students will be working toward completing their unit assessment. This allows students to clarify misunderstandings about the unit assessment as the unit progresses. By making students very aware of the unit assessment and its rubric early on, the instructor can reemphasize the due date, the rubric, and other aspects of the assessment daily.