I demonstrate mastery of and pedagogical expertise in the content they teach.

I establish a safe, inclusive, and respectful learning envrionment for a diverse population of students.

I plan and deliver effective instruction and create an environment that facilitates learning for the students.

I demonstrate professionalism through ethical conduct, reflection, and leadership.

450 list: teaming with classmates/colleagues, attendance, punctuality, communication, thorough and timely assignments

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District list: initiative, dependability, tact judgement, ethical behavior, integrity, collegiality, desire to improve, culturally responsive, commitment to profession

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My list: willingness to learn, belief in making a difference, knowledge about lives of students, celebrate diverse backgrounds, parent communication, utilize technology

It was encouraging to finally take the PRAXIS II this semester because I felt like my studies had prepared me super well, so I was able to go in and be confident about my language arts skills. My students and I will constantly be learning alongside one another, but it will be to my excitement to support students in their communication journey. 

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reflection

It has also been encouraging to outline and hash out a yearlong and unit plan that includes a detailed calendar and ten full-length lesson plans. It was inspiring to showcase my ability to integrate English skills into a scaffolded and engaging classroom.

I am constantly researching and practicing anti-bias teaching. I wrote my Truman Scholarship about supporting students in marginalized communities and I sought out specific strategies on how disrupt harmful education practices, including referring to Cornelius Minor's We Got This book. 

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reflection

Cultivating a safe, inclusive space is not new to my life's perspective. I intentionally seek out ways that I can be an advocate in every interaction. I recently talked to my instructor privately about a comment that might have been harmful to some identities in the classroom. The teacher ended up having a conversation with a student to make amends.

I decided to write my thesis on meaningful, relevant learning in English classrooms and I found an abundance of evidence that showed students participating more and displaying positive attitudes toward school. Referrals to the office even went down when students felt like their work mattered. So, when I plan, I take that information seriously and develop scaffolded lessons that students need.

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reflection

As a practicum class, we have been learning a lot about how assessment determines instruction. We need to be carrying out formative and summative assessments with clear learning objectives in mind. And when students don't meet the goals, then we can regroup and figure out how to best fill in the gaps.

I stayed in constant communication with my mentor teacher while also observing other teachers in local districts. It is important to me to keep seeking out master teachers to learn from. Plus, the more I interact with students, the happier I am. 

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reflection

In this phase of teaching, I was really trying to commit to the mindset of being a full-time teacher. I threw myself into wanting how to best support students in effective instruction. I signed up for multiple pedagogy newsletters, including Teaching Tolerance and AMLE. I recognizd the importance of continuously building my toolbox and being a dedicated educator.

Specifically when looking into my future presence in student teaching, I want to continually work on responding quickly to difficult situations and conversations while also engaging with the school  since I want to be valuable member of the community. I felt like my classroom management skills were developing each time I was in the classroom. I was balancing rapport and respect.

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reflection

Overall, I feel very comfortable about communicating with all parties in diverse contexts, including administrators, colleagues, students, parents, community members, etc. I feel that my positive presence is a big strength that I bring to schools.

I also feel that my initiative and thorough participation will benefit my students. I don't shy away from hard work if it means that the students will be better equipped for their futures. 

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I would like to work on utilizing collaboration to its potential. I love working in teams and I know that research proves to help students the best, but I don't often integrate its use within my practices as well as I want it to. 

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