top of page

plans and delivers effective instruction 

STANDARD 3

ELEMENT A

Teachers demonstrate knowledge about the ways in which learning takes place, including the levels of intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development of their students.

​

I believe in the intersection of learning: Standards, language development, social building, and getting to know oneself better. I chose lessons like "Where I'm From" poetry and "I, Too Sing America" poetry. It gives students a chance to define who they are and what is means to be American to them. We also watched the "The is Me" music video from The Greatest Showman and talked about how identity plays a role in our lives as well as Cyrano de Bergerac, the classic text we were reading. I attached my "Where I'm From" poem that I modeled to my students. One, they get to know me better. Two, they see some writing techniques that I used. 

ELEMENT B

Teachers use formal and informal methods to assess student learning, provide feedback, and use results to inform planning and instruction.

​

As a writing instructor, feedback after the essay is turned in is probably the least helpful to the students which is why I had my seventh graders start with quick writes, then progress to a skeleton outline of their narrative. I was able to give feedback throughout this process. Then, we added drama, theme, leads, endings, and so on - part by part. Along the way, I gave grammar mini-lessons and left comments on their working drafts. I used formatives to scaffold their writing in a supportive way so that way, when the formal assessment came, I could focus on observing their growth, not just the overall outcome. The attached artifact is an example of one of those formatives. They first filled out a plot triangle which helps them write out a flash draft. I gave feedback directly on this document before they moved onto the last stage: rough and final draft. 

ELEMENT C

Teachers integrate and utilize appropriate available technology to engage students in authentic learning experiences.

​

Because of the timing of my student teaching, technology was the center point of all learning. The students and I utilized the chat feature of Google Meet to its full capacity, allowing specific and non-high-stake questioning. I also asked students to take advantage of tools like Grammarly, Canva, and Quizlet to develop study and design skills. In the following artifact, my students had the choice between a variety of activities that utilized different technology components, all while highlighting art and student interest. They had the flexibility to choose a world record that excited them. 

ELEMENT D

Teachers establish and communicate high expectations and use processes to support the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

​

I noticed my growth in asking "why?" At the beginning of the semester, I was asking surface-level questions, but now I focus on getting students think and expand more. I avoid giving answers; I prompt the class to use resources and look at textual evidence. One of those resources includes the summative rubric. I ask myself questions like, "How can I make these expectations accessible and usable to all students?" Evidence shows annotation to be an effective way to help students understand and recall better which is why I have them underline key words in the rubric.

ELEMENT E

Teachers provide students with opportunities to work in teams and develop leadership qualities.

​

Instead of sending the students off to do peer editing without guidance, I asked the students what expectations they had for each other. We talked about the benefit of honesty, compassion, and specificity when editing another's writing. I attached a checklist that the students used to guide their peer editing and therefore their revising.

ELEMENT F

Teachers model and promote effective communication.

​

When I asked one of my students to describe me in three words, she said, "relatable, thoughtful, and organized." I was diligent about updating the unit slides, learning objectives, and homework everyday. I wanted the students to have consistent structure and (almost) always understand what was needed from them that day. We also talked about behavior and academic expectations a lot, not just the beginning of the semester. "Hey, students, I love the energy you are bringing to class today, but we still have to stay respectful to us teachers and your peers," I reminded them one day.

 

I decided to offer optional Advanced Writing Workshops on Fridays during asynchronous learning. We created a norm document that outlined the expectations explicitly. 

Students

reflect

tion

I never want to underestimate the importance of curriculum and instruction delivery. Students deserve content that is relevant, purposeful, and fun. Life is too short to be unhappy seven hours each day. Learning has too much potential to be boring. However, I learned quickly that this goal will not be achieved each day. I included a variety of polls, puns, memes, music, icebreakers, and cheers to spice up the lesson plans. They were all worth it when I saw students who normally check out are vouching their case why Skittles are better than M&Ms. 

bottom of page