My Last Master's Class: A Reflection

After having come to the end of my time in MAT671 (Applied Best Practice Strategies in Classroom Instruction) it is now time to reflect on all that I have learned. I have learned so much in the course of just 4 weeks and I am excited that this was the ending class for my Master’s Degree. What a great way to finish this chapter in my education and a great way to start teaching. So, you ask, what did I learn?

My greatest take away in this class, was really a reminder of something previously learned: Keep developing a GROWTH MINDSET and continue to explore new ways to learn. This is a great reminder for me as a teacher, but also directly affects the students I will teach.

What was new to me in this class?

So Much! Here are 2 of my favorite new things:

1. Accessibility features on ipad, iphone, mac, and chromebooks. While I knew how to use some accessibility features, I was in awe at the amount of features available that I could use with my students, and they were just sitting right there, a few clicks away. (See previous post to learn about a few features)
2. While there are so many apps and ideas out there, I really appreciated the assignment that helped us categorize our apps that we found, and how we would use them. One of my favorite apps that I discovered during this class was Storybird. This app is a tool that allows students to create digital stories, poems and more and publish their work (print it too!). I really enjoyed creating a story myself, and I know students will enjoy exploring and expressing themselves through this app. There are so many great apps and tools out there! I can’t wait to continue exploring.

What previous thoughts and ideas were confirmed in the class readings and activities?

1. Growth Mindset. I already knew about this but I greatly appreciated the video where Carol Dweck spoke about Growth Mindset. As an avid reader, her book got added to my TBR pile immediately. Learning about Growth Mindset in this class, helped confirm that all students have the ability to learn and to take this with me as I begin teaching.
2. Personalized Learning. Professor Gilbreath spoke about this at our first Collaborative meeting and I got very much excited. Then after reading about it again in the Horizon’s report, I became excited to see that this is in the works. I have been discussing this concept of personalized learning with my parents (both teachers) for years. I love the idea that students can learn and challenge themselves at their own pace, and move on to something new when they have mastered previous content.

What questions do I still have?

1. How do I deal with push back from administration when trying to incorporate new technologies and strategies in my classroom?
2. How do I not get overwhelmed with all the various apps I can incorporate into lessons during my first year of teaching?
3. How do I know when to use the set curriculum the school has adopted and when to design something on my own?

This could go on forever… I know, I know, It comes from experience. I just need to dive right in!

What resources, tools, or instructional practices will I incorporate into my own teaching?

1. Symbaloo. I love using this as a place to gather resources for myself and for students.
2. Learning from Students. I love learning from students. They have never known a world with technology, and I am always open to see what they use and how to incorporate it into classroom learning.
3. Blogs, twitter, and Youtube. I like these as both a form of professional development to learn new tools and strategies but also a way for students to learn through online exploration.

What was my favorite assignment? Why?

My favorite assignment was creating a lesson plan mashup. This assignment was really challenging (aren’t the best things always a little challenging) and it really allowed me to explore some new tools. I may be teaching 4th grade this upcoming school year so I wanted to create a lesson I could actually use! After a lot of time spent on youtube, blogs, and content standard websites, I had finally narrowed it down to a math lesson on area and perimeter using architecture. I got so excited about the lesson, I actually want to complete the project myself (it doesn’t help that I have been watching Grand Designs). I learned a lot about different tools that students can use because it took me a long time to find an age appropriate architecture app. Overall, I think this assignment was not my favorite because of the final project but all the new information and tools I learned in the process of creating the lesson.

This class was a great way to end my credentialing and Master’s program...now on to teaching!

Accessibility Technology Tools

Check out this presentation on 4 great accessibility tools that could be used in your classroom to help your students learn more efficiently and cater to their own unique needs.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1qxwnnPd3RD5hqkxYMrF8FO1W64kiYpuMvJeDqZ7pAsM/edit?usp=sharing

10 Great Teaching Resources You Don't Want to Miss!

Looking for some great resources to help you with your professional development and curriculum? Look no further! Below I have outlined 5 resources that would help me in my professional development as I start teaching as well as 5 resources that the students could use in the classroom. Check it out!

Best Practice tool for Professional Development

Name of Online Resource	Website URL	How will this site assist you in your teaching?
Wordpress	wordpress.com	With this website, I can create a portfolio of how I am progressing through each teaching domain. I can highlight what has worked well in my classroom and what things I have improved on or where I still need to improve. This would be a great way to create an online portfolio.
Learning Front	http://learningfront.com	I would use Learning Front to stay up to date with best practices and connect with other teachers about how to integrate and use technology within my classroom.
Simple K12	simplek12.com	This website allows you to have access to a variety of resources that would aid in professional development. I would be able to view webinars and online conferences about a variety of classroom tools.
PBS Teacherline	http://www.pbs.org/teacherline	I think this website will be helpful to me when it comes to specific professional developments. If there is something that I want to take a class in that my district is not offering, I would check on this site to see if there are any classes geared towards what I need.
	http://mathsolutions.com	I think this resource will help me to be more creative with how I teach math. One thing I get stuck on, is teaching concepts the way that I know, and not branching out to teach them in other ways. This website has classroom lessons, articles, and webinars to help you become more successful.

Best Practice tool for Curriculum

Name of Online Resource	Website URL	How will this site assist you in your teaching?
Google Expeditions	https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.vr.expeditions	This looks like such a fun way to learn. I would use this in my classroom specifically in History and Science. It would be such a great tool for students to connect what they are learning to the real world, and learn more new things! It would also be a cool tool to use to follow a character in a book.
Screen-o-matic	https://screencast-o-matic.com/home	I like this as a tool for myself because I can use it to record something on my screen to later show my students. For example, if I wanted to show them how to create a powerpoint in google for a specific assignment, I could use this resource to record exactly what I want and then students would be able to refer back to it if needed.
Hemingway	http://www.hemingwayapp.com	I would definitely use this in my classroom to help students self-edit their work. It highlights complex sentences and errors and helps the students fix them.
Pic Collage	http://pic-collage.com http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2016/02/summarize-day-with-pic-collage.html#.WXVfya3MxE4	I would use this resource in my classroom by allowing students to use it to summarize what they have learned through pictures and video. This would be a great way for students to create a summary in any subject or even summarize what they learned that day across all subjects.
Nasa Wavelength	http://nasawavelength.org/resource-search?facetSort=1&educationalLevel=Elementary+school	This site gives teachers a bunch of resources for a variety of grade levels. You can find the resource that you want to use and click on it for it to take you to it directly. You can also create a list and add interesting reads or activities to easily find later. I would use this when learning about space or reading non-fiction.

Incorporating Tier 2 and Tier 3 Vocabulary into a History Lesson

Below you will find a lesson for a kindergarten class. Kindergarten students learn about their community and the people who live and work their. This lesson would be a great introductory lesson to get the students to start thinking about who lives and works around them. As the unit builds, more tier 2 and tier 3 vocabulary would be added.

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Lesson: A Community Of People

Subject: History

Grade: Kindergarten

Standard: Historical and Social Sciences - K.3: Students match simple descriptions of work that people do and the names of related jobs at the school, in the local community, and from historical ac­counts.

Objectives: Students will learn that a community is made up of different people who live and work near each other. Students will learn who lives in their community and the type of work that they do.

Vocabulary Words:

Tier 2:

work

play

help

different

Tier 3:

firefighter

teacher

community

Materials:

Computers and Headphones

Large Print version of article

Crayons

Pencils

Writing paper (with space for drawing)

“Play” booklet

Books about community

Lesson:

1. Students will sit on carpeted area for whole group lesson. The students will listen as the teacher reads the article “A Community of People” (readworks.org). The article will be presented large print for the class to see along with a picture of a person working in their community.
2. The teacher will circle a vocabulary word and say the word asking the students to repeat the word. Students will make inferences about what the word means and the teacher will provide them with a correct definition. The teacher will provide a sample sentence (e.g. I play outside when it is hot.) The students will “think pair share” their own sentence with their partners.
3. Students will repeat step two for each word.
4. Teacher will explain and model each station that the students will be working at prior to students moving.

Students will use computers with headphones to listen to the article again, then read books about community members.

Students will write sentences with teacher support using the vocabulary words to write about the community.

Students will add a drawing to their writing that shows community helpers working.

Students will practice using the sight word “play” to fill in the blanks in a book about the word. Then color the pictures.

5. Students will rotate to each station as they finish each task.
6. Teacher will close by having students gather back on the carpet and discuss what they learned about the community. Teacher will make sure to highlight and repeat when students use vocabulary words in their explanations.

Reintroduction

It has been awhile, so let me reintroduce myself. My name is Rachel Dunn. I have been married for 4 years and have a beautiful 1 year old daughter. I previously worked in a middle school with groups of students with special needs as a push-in Instructional Aide. I am nearing the end of my teaching program and will hopefully be teaching in a classroom soon. I feel like I would describe myself as a creative and reflective teacher. I enjoy creating lesson plans that are creative and fun that motivates students to want to learn. In addition, I am naturally reflective and modify lessons as needed to fit the needs of students. These two qualities help me to meet the needs of diverse learners. Each student that enters my class will have specific needs. Whether the student is an English Language Learner, a GATE student, a student with a special need, or an advanced or low academic student they will need someone who is creative and reflective to help them learn. Modifying and adapting lessons as well as finding ways to engage students are ways that I can meet their needs.

After taking the TeamTechnology Questionnaire, I was not surprised to find that my personality type is INFJ. I have previously done personality testa and received the same myers-briggs result. In the leadership portion of the Questionnaire I scored highest in Ideological Leader and Participative Leader. After reading the descriptions, it does make sense. Values are important to me as well making sure that people feel valued when collaborating. The career choice that the test matched me to is Education Consultant. I feel like these personality traits will affect my relationships with students positively. I care deeply for other people and their feelings. Because of this I feel like I will be able to develop strong relationships with my students which in turn help me understand the specific academic, emotional, and social needs that they may need. Sometimes because I have a need for "keeping the peace," I can become to involved in the social life of students, so it is important to remember when to butt out and when to intervene.

After taking the Teaching and Learning Styles Inventory, I have reconfirmed what I already new about my teaching and learning style. I have a higher preference toward Reflective and Visual learning. These two styles will help my students be successful because it allows for differentiated learning. Because I am reflective, I will be looking back on what was taught and the success of the lesson, and reteaching when necessary as well as modifying the lesson or the way in which I am presenting information. Visual learning can especially help students who are English Language Learners or students who have special needs. combining visuals in with text can be beneficial to many students as well as help me explain the concepts more efficiently.