Program Standard 2

In a Title 1 Public school, students enter the classroom at drastically different academic levels. Particularly for the 10^th graders I work with, our classrooms hold exceptional learners and many special education students, ELL students, and students who are grade levels behind. Not only that, but their English class the previous year lacked a substantial amount of rigor. While observing my mentor teacher, I noticed many ways that he required high standards for learning. I also observed how students quickly adjusted to his expectations; however, sometimes they lacked the endurance to be able to fulfill these expectations effectively.

SPU’s program standard 2 explains that a teacher can use well known and researched methods to support student learning needs. This includes using high level questions, engaging activities, and then reflecting on teaching to adjust to further meet student needs. This program standard requires that a teacher knows the students in her classroom well, understands their learning needs, and can adapt methods to effectively support student growth in the subject area. After noticing that my students struggled to read independently in class, I proposed an idea to my mentor teacher. I was reading Teach Like a Champion, and they supported the technique of fast pacing, and that it was the key to keep students engaged and develop their stamina while reading. I wanted to try this method with our students who wanted to rise to our level of rigor, but struggled to read independently. I planned convergent and divergent questions mixed with student led and teacher led reading. Students were engaged in a lesson that allowed them to participate, respond, and reflect on the reading, constantly changing the method of participation.

For my exit task and student voice, I asked my students to debrief the process, since none of them had seen this method in an English classroom. They were asked to rank the lesson from a 1-5, and explain why they thought this method was helpful (or not). I was surprised to see how many students enjoyed the new style of learning. Not all students enjoyed this process, but I noticed in the coming weeks that all students could recall information from the section of the book we read with high levels of accuracy. Because students were actively participating throughout the lesson, they demonstrated what they were learning; this helped me to know that both exceptional students were gaining knowledge and struggling studentswere learning too. Many of my students asked if we could use a similar process in the future.

As a teacher, I learned that this method of instruction, along with others, is important to serve the needs of all students in the class. If I only use this method of high engagement, my students will never develop the stamina to read independently. Conversely, if I only allow my students to read independently, I will never meet the demanding learning needs of my classroom; many of my special education students and low level students would fall behind. I also realized that using student voice is essential to the reflection component of standard 2. Without student feedback, my reflection on next steps to take would be meaningless.

Implementing this method of teaching was successful and my students appreciated this change of pace in our classroom. To continue developing my skills in instruction and program standard 2, I want to include formal student voice assessment at least once a week. This allows me to intentionally reflect on how my students engage with the learning, rather than just what their informal and formal assessment shows. Even an exceptional learner may be bored while effectively participating. Second, I would like to utilize reading groups. While I would love to use this method of pacing more often, in our class students read at different paces. If students implement reading groups, another method of instruction, they may be able to these activities with the students leading. To effectively implement this practice, I want to observe a teacher who does it effectively, because my mentor teacher has not yet implemented this in the classroom.

Program Standard 8: Professional Practices

Program Standard 8: Professional Practice. This program standard ensures that teaching candidates are actively working to improve their own practice, both through collaborating with colleagues and using professional development opportunities. Part of growing professionally is when first year teachers create a teacher persona. In Brown (2012), the author shares with the readers that the first year of teaching can be difficult. Individually, a teacher must create their own teacher persona in order to show students that (s)he is warm and organized. Beginning our Professional Issues class with common teacher problem areas was really helpful, because it showed the need for professional development so clearly. A new teacher is much more likely to feel and be successful with collaboration from a team of strong teachers and administration. 

In my own experience, I am learning what my teacher persona looks like from collaborating with experienced teachers. As we meet to discuss assessments, analyze student work, and even meet casually, I am asking questions and learning from their own experiences and strategies. I am beginning to develop my own teaching style and persona. One example is with the technique of positive framing. I was struggling to have students cooperate with seating arrangements and participation. One day, when my mentor teacher was sick, I did not use positive framing with a student. The entire class period, we played a game where the student was in control because I was creating extreme consequences. I let my mentor teacher know the next day, but I ended up speaking with a colleague about the situation. He gave me some insights into positive framing, and reminded me that giving students realistic options in high school is oftentimes the best move. Rather than making a dramatic consequence, I was reminded to empower students to choose wisely for themselves, framing the conversation with my ultimate purpose, that their success in class is important to me. 

As a result, I learned two things. First, I used a practical tip that has stuck with me since that day back in October. I learned that positive framing and giving students options solves a lot of the problems I encounter in the classroom. But I also learned how important collaboration is to solving classroom management issues and common problem areas for first year teachers. Without asking my colleague for help, I would have attempted to solve the issue in a similar manner, and the problem would have continued. 

The implications of collaboration on student learning is huge. Our school already collaborates frequently on creating or giving feedback to teacher assessment, curriculum, and even objectives. When this is happens, students receive the best possible instruction and evaluation. And when collaboration happens with classroom management strategies, it can completely change a student's success in that class. For the student that I was struggling with, when I was giving extreme consequences, his class time was spent fighting with me to avoid the consequences. When I switched my method and told him why I needed him in a specific seat, he responded to me with an "Ok, Ms. Wing," moved his seat, and spent the entire class period participating. By explaining to the student why it was important for him to move, by expressing my interest in his success, I was showing I was kind and organized. And he responded well, so much better than when I created an extreme consequence.  

For my own practice, I would like to expand my network of support. I love the teachers in my school; they are experienced, supportive, and are typically available to answer my questions. Yet I know that the more variety of voices I can collaborate with and get ideas from, the better my practice will become. Even in my year of student teaching, I have already encountered a few common problem areas. I know this will continue as I begin my first year of teaching. I want to be rooted and supported in a solid network of experienced teachers so that as I encounter problems, I know where to look for support. While my own colleagues will be available to help me, I also want to seek support from outside resources. 

 

Internship Criteria Standard 7: Family Engagement

Oftentimes, teachers feel that their schedules are so busy with planning, grading, and teaching that there is no time left for family engagement. However, this is an integral part of the role of the teacher and also a part of teacher evaluation. Both SPU and the Danielson framework says that teachers will "communicate and collaborate with families and educational stakeholders," requiring that teachers communicate "on a regular basis" regarding student progress in class. Sometimes, teachers only call to report bad news or behavior issues; however, this does not mean that teachers are "promoting student learning." Family engagement is a careful balance of communicating progress and areas of growth so that parents or stakeholders are truly "collaborators" in a student's education.

I have two examples of parent engagement from different perspectives. First, I had a student who did not show up to our class for the first four days. I knew him from the previous year and explained to him that I had not seen him in class yet, and if he was not present, I would call his parents. He promised he would be there, but failed to show up. I called his dad and explained the situation. The parent was disappointed, but also asked to participate in the solution. He instructed us to call him as soon as the student was tardy to class. And the next day, the student was in our classroom! He only tried to skip again one time, and we called the dad and the student has been present every day since.

Another example is was with a student who has inconsistent effort in class. When I read his first summative assessment, I was surprised by the level of writing and I called home to share with mom how impressed I was; it was clear that he worked hard and tried his best. His mom was really thankful for the good news about her son, and so was the student. Since I made that phone call, he has given more consistent effort in class.

From this experience, I learned an important piece about family engagement and standard 7. Often, first year teachers struggle with classroom management, but family engagement takes only a little bit of extra time and can highly impact learning environment. I had one student change his attendance and another student change his effort in class all by making a phone call home. I know that I am beginning to see the impacts of this emerging competence because I have a strategy to impact student behavior and learning in class.

The reality is that two phone calls is not enough. Because I have seen how effective family engagement can be, I want to create a system where students can get positive feedback to their parents. It is unrealistic to call each of my students once a month, but I think it might be a good idea to write three good news postcards or even make three phone calls for good news one day a week. I will continue to use parent phone calls as a step in my consequences, explaining to students that I want their parent's support in finding solutions. But I know that effective family engagement cannot be limited to just behavior phone calls. I hope that this system of positive phone calls will help me continue to build a positive and productive classroom.

Internship Criteria Standard 5: Learning Environment

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

Before the first few days of my internship, I anxiously awaited the start of the first day. It wasn't so that I could meet all the new students; instead, it was because my "freshman" were about to encounter their no nonsense 10th grade teachers. Standard 5 asks that each teacher create a safe environment so that students can focus on learning instead of on other factors. This includes monitoring behavior, establishing expectations, and transitioning smoothly. The previous year, the freshman teachers were very lenient of our 9th grader's behaviors. I walked into classrooms many days and most of the students had their phones out. I was grateful for the opportunity to work with them again this year, but nervous to see their reaction to a much more structured classroom environment.

My mentor teacher and I planned and assessed for our strategy toward our classroom environment. Our plan was to explain our classroom expectations throughout the first week and explain why. So on the first day of school, all our students came to class. And throughout the first week, all of our rowdy freshman became tenth grade scholars.

The first week, my mentor teacher and I explained our expectations for every task that we would do in class. Our students surveyed our expectations for entry task, individual and group work, assessment and exit task, and they explained them to us. We created a place where student's did not need their cell phones because of how quickly they had to finish everything and how much work there was to do. While our students were expected to do many things differently than in their freshman year, we also showed them how they would be supported. We expressed that by having two teachers, there would be more support. I was able to help my mentor teacher monitor behavior in the first few weeks and participate in teaching students what our expectations were.

The expectations and structured environment helped our students to focus and grow tremendously. We set our classroom up with a culture of error, but expressed that in order to learn, we all needed a safe classroom; each day we are working to also add a culture of better. Our culture of better stems from demanding positivity, encouraging risks, and holding students to exemplary work. We also tried to establish a culture of respect by going back to the amount of learning that needs to happen, state tests that students must pass, and reiterating that our classroom must be used for learning. We explained how the classroom environment must allow for students to learn and produce results that we as teachers needed.

While my mentor teacher and I have created a safe classroom with high expectations, we still have room to grow. If I am answering honestly, our students struggle to have a growth mindset. I have recently spoken with my mentor teacher about this. Many of our students were not challenged last year, and therefore did not master grade level standards. This means that they have extra work to make up in order to achieve at grade level. Often, if I try to have a student stretch their answer, they leave defeated that their response is not good enough. I need to continue to strategize with my mentor teacher to help students know it is better to take a risk and to try than to not try at all.

Our students also struggle to take ownership for class activities. They do the class activities, but now that each class is in the flow of things, they have forgotten the purpose of each step or activity that we do. I know this because of how I see students treating their entry task (not answered) or in how they listen to instruction (distracted). My mentor teacher and I need to repeat and review the purpose of these class procedures and our expectations until students can repeat them to us.

As this year continues, I hope to be able to use the skills of transition and reiterating my expectations so that students are constantly engaged as well as aware of what they are expected to do. But I already know as I become the primary teacher, I will need to set expectations each time I begin to teach because of my relationship with students from last year. I know I will need to be very firm the first few times I am the primary teacher so that students transition well to me being the main teacher.
These 10th graders are very smart. Any space for transition or even natural transition (change of teacher) allows them a chance for distraction and disengagement for learning. My mentor teacher and I must be firm about our expectations but continue to state them when we do each learning segment (entry task, activity, exit task). This will allow our classroom to continue to be a safe and effective place for learning throughout the year.

General Inquiry Reflection

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

Entering our program, while I felt confident in my ability to create interesting activities for students, I knew I had a lot to learn about how to develop formal lessons and units. From this course, I learned that while teachers are evaluated formally on designing well organized lesson plans, teachers are evaluated every day informally by their students to make sure lessons are practical, easy to understand, and engaging. Our inquiry class gave me the tools I need in order to create a classroom that can support these types of lessons full with student voice, engagement, and less "teaching" time. 

This evidence, from Understanding by Design, outlines one of the most valuable concepts to organizing lessons and units effectively. First, Understanding by design states that units are most effective by beginning with how you want to assess students and working to create interesting lessons from the assessment. This book, as well as our class, emphasized the importance of assessment along the way. This is so that students can self assess their own learning and so that teachers can evaluate student knowledge and their own instruction along the way. These ideas help educators create coherent instruction because it is a student centered way of teaching; it allows the student to evaluate progress of proficiency and the teacher to evaluate effectiveness of instruction and gives opportunities to modify curriculum if needed. 

This has important impacts for student learning. First, students are able to self assess their own learning and discover if they need more support and decide what type of support they need. Second, teachers are able to modify unit or even lesson structure to add in clarifying lessons or support lessons if many students are struggling. Also, it gives the teacher a chance to consistently check his or her own methods of instruction and seek excellence as they instruct their students. Finally, having students participating in student voice activities keeps them involved and engaged during class, creating an overall more engaging lesson for students. 

I see two practical ways to apply this to my practice. First, as a paraeducator, I can use this with students who are below grade level to check their comprehension. Before they begin a task, I can ask for them to explain the instructions, clarify definitions, and assess their knowledge of their requirements before going further. Second, I will need to begin to implement this into my lessons. Typically, I plan using only one practice activity due to time constraints; however, my goal will be to incorporate a short self-evaluation or informal assessment before the practice activity as well as after, to see if students are ready to move on to the next chunk of information. I feel that incorporating these ideas will support the growth of my own instruction. 

EDU 6918 Reflection

As a teacher candidate, I believe the process of self evaluation is critical. Teachers are evaluated according to the Danielson model, which asks teachers to reflect on instructional practices and make improvements after reflection. This is essential to becoming a proficient educator because the field of education is constantly changing as are classrooms and students. One topic where I see emerging competence is culturally responsive teaching. Coming into the educational field with a history in youth development, I found Sonia M. Neito’s article Profoundly Multicultural Questions (2002) helped build a connection between teaching and the realm of youth development. Before becoming a teacher candidate, I championed building confidence and self-actualization as key to success for students, as well as advocating for a more culturally responsive teaching in classrooms. While I applied parts of culturally responsive teaching, Neito’s article helped me to realize that only imparting students with self-confidence does not actually change the achievement gap. Her article showed me that in order to support students on the margins wholistically, it is essential to impart them with self-efficacy skills alongside the best curriculum available. This has great implications for student learning. This means I can implement both my knowledge of self-actualization and my new knowledge about my content area to increase student learning and engagement. I can plan units that incorporate standards, ELA content, and allow students to continue gaining self-efficacy.

            This emerging competence will propel me into the school year with practical steps I can take to increase my proficiency of my content area so better implement culturally responsive teaching. First, I have to pass the NES endorsement test. Studying for this test has brought back prior knowledge from high school and given me new knowledge that will help me increase proficiency in my content area. While I will not use many of the historic texts I am learning for my NES test, I hope the enduring ideas of comprehension and growth mindset will help as I begin student teaching. Second, I need to familiarize myself with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Because we do not cover all the standards, I am not familiar with all of them. While I know the standards used for both 9th and 10th grade at my school, I want to meet with the instructional coach at my school to go over why we select certain standards for each grade and why we omit others. Finally, I want to analyze the books we use for our unit at a higher level. While I have read sections and parts of our course texts, I want to read and analyze them, so that I can support students through differentiation and providing question prompts before reading. I believe that these three steps will help me to be more proficient in my content area, leading to a more culturally responsive teaching style. 

EDU 6132 Reflection 2

Professionals in all fields argue whether people develop though nature or through nurture. This debate is especially important for educators, who are responsible for supporting students through their learning process. This idea for me is best summed up in Pressley and McCormick's idea that each person has a natural range of potential that may or may not be reached based on the environment the person grows up in (Pressley & McCormick, 2007). This illustrates the point that our responsibility as educators is not just to teach students, but also to create an environment that allows for learning to occur. 

One developmental theory that shows this is Piaget's stage theory. In this theory, a child progresses through stages, and must pass through each stage fully before moving onto the next stage. This explains how children naturally develop. Yet, the atmosphere a teacher creates can allow a child's natural ability to reach his or her full potential. If a teacher uses material that is just a little bit more challenging for students, a "zone of proximal development" is created (Pressly & McCormick, 2007). This allows the child to be challenged and understand new ideas with the support of the teacher. Many times, this new way of thinking or challenge helps the student connect ideas and creates a disequilibrium; however, as the child conquers the new subject area or content area, they create "a new equilibrium that is more powerful, because the mind has learned to do more" (Pressley & McCormick, 2007). In my own classroom, I believe this will look like creating lessons with varying levels of difficulty. Students in the same classroom are always within a broad spectrum from confused and bored. I believe this can be solved by differentiating material and creating challenges for advanced students and more learning opportunities for students who are still confused. 

Just as Piaget's theory shows how educators can improve a learning environment, John Medina explains aspects of the brain that can help us understand human development and how to support student learning. One of the brain rules he discusses is memory. As humans, we are constantly bombarded with input; we hear people and noises, listen to our families and friends talk, and watch tv and media daily. How do we remember it all? Medina reassures us that we do not! He explains that students forget 90% of what they learn within 30 days of learning it. He also points out that students forget as a means of prioritizing (Medina, 2014). These facts have big implications for our teaching practices. As educators, our strategies for maximizing learning opportunities must be repetition and meaning. Medina emphasizes that students can only remember a few main ideas, so we must repeat the important parts over and over again. Second, Medina reminds us that the first few moments of learning are essential; in order to make learning more accessible, we must introduce new concepts thoughtfully and with meaning. In my own experience, high school students are used to starting class by sitting and writing an entry task. They're bored every period because every period begins the same! The repetition of using an entry task is good for students to feel comfortable; however, in order to remember information better, students must feel personally invested and reminded every day of the main ideas. In my own practice, I would introduce each topic with a fun, meaningful activity, but also end the class with the same information that is most important for students to remember. This is a practice Medina strongly suggests as well. 


These ideas relate closely with three of SPU's program standards. First, this connects with SPU's desire to set high expectations for students (1.3). SPU is determined that engaging students in meaningful learning will help them remember more and therefore learn better. Also, SPU's idea of pacing lessons well connects to the idea that only so much can be remembered by students. We must chunk information and repeat the important parts so that students will not be overwhelmed but instead can engage in meaningful information (Pressley & McCormick, 2007). This is closely related to SPU's program standard 2.2 where the teacher uses instructional practices that are proven to work. Medina's idea of repetition, meaningful entry activities, and even chunking are practical ways that have been proven to work because they help the brain remember more. Medina writes that each time our brain has to retrieve information, we reconsolidate our information. This means that the brain pathways become more used and also more connected to each other, helping our brain move information from short term memory to long term memory (Medina, 2014). This means that having activities and assignments where students are cognitively engaged means that these brain pathways are being strengthened. Finally, this relates to SPU's standard 3.1 where the teacher demonstrates knowledge of student's skills and knowledge and can differentiate activities to allow each child to succeed. This is definitely not the easiest or quickest way to create a lesson plan, but it does allow for each student to be challenged at an appropriate level. 

Professional

About Samantha

I was born in Hampton, New Hampshire and moved to Seattle when I was 18 to attend college. Since my arrival to the city, I have worked and served in White Center in Southwest Seattle. Currently, my mom and my brother live in Seattle as well, while my dad still lives in New Hampshire. I spend time commuting between Seattle and Tacoma, where my boyfriend lives.

Interest & Experience in Education

I became interested in education as I was volunteering for Seattle's Union Gospel Mission through a program at Seattle Pacific University (SPU). I began supporting their weekly youth group and wanted to be more present in young people's lives, so I started an internship that allowed me to volunteer in the schools. As I neared my graduation, I still did not want to leave my community, so I continued my work in White Center as well as in the school system. In the past two years since my graduation, I learned that working in a school combines my passion for supporting young people, learning, and community development, and this has pushed me to pursue a graduate degree in Education.

Characteristics of an Effective Educator

Coming into teaching with a background in youth development, I am pleased to see the characteristics of an effective educator are similar to an effective youth worker. There are two characteristics and practices that I see in our reading that reveal how to be an effective educator. The first characteristic is that the educator must be passionate and highly competent about their endorsement subject. Nieto explains this when she points out that students from low SES will never break the achievement gap with high self esteem alone (Nieto 2002). The second is that the educator must have the right balance of dominance and cooperation. Students must know that you care about them and their success but also that expectations will be informed both for positive and negative behaviors (Marzano 2007). I believe these are powerful characteristics that a teacher can have, yet are difficult to acquire. There is always room to grow in personal competency as well as in a classroom management style. However, as I begin my journey into teaching, these are the two characteristics I would like to follow. I believe these fit well into SPU's dispositions of service, leadership, competence and character. Passion, understanding, and high expectations are the characteristics I hope to pursue as a teacher, as I also hope to become more competence in my endorsement area. I believe that is the step to serving students and being and educational leader.

Program Standards and Elements of a Model Entry

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.

EDU 6132 Reflection 1

Because of my history in sociology, I learned more on the systems that affect young people than their development. Despite my lack of information, I learned some ideas about child development through professional development opportunities to help me navigate working with young people. For example, this year I learned about meta-cognitive factors. Learning about these factors helped put a theory to practices that I was using and helped me understand why it is so effective. Along with the ideas of meta-cognition, I learned about growth mindset. I previously learned the idea of a self fulfilling prophecy with my work in sociology; learning about growth mindset and people's expectations of a student really connected to this previously learned idea for me. 

Having words to describe these ideas of development for youth impacted the way that I worked with students. I have always worked hard to teach with equity and fairness for all students, including the students that do not participate. Yet, once I learned about high expectations involved with growth mindset, I have acted differently towards my students. Even when students test my patience, I continue to speak encouragingly to students and provide them with the reality that someone believes in them. Also, after learning about growth mindset, I focus less on student grades and more on praising student's work ethic. When students get discouraged, I focus on why they are learning and setting long term goals to motivate them in the short term. 

The ideas given in Medina's book were surprising, as most of them were new. I was not surprised that the offices and schools that we call home are not what would best support our cognitive functions. It was interesting to learn about the biological development of our body and even the severity of sleep deprivation. I believe that my understanding of meta-cognitive functions is supported by Medina's concept that people who cannot solve problems or learn from mistakes could not survive in humanity's humble beginnings (Medina 9). Even millions of years ago, humans needed these basic meta-cognitive skills which focus on outsmarting the enemy rather than being stronger than the enemy. In reality, this is always what I try to help my students to understand. When I help students understand the reason for their learning and set long term goals, it helps them become smarter.