Reading & Writing in the Content Areas

The attached documents attest to my ability to deliberately plan lessons in which social studies content is combined with reading and writing strategies. The topic and assessment were carefully chosen based upon a number of factors including state standards in social studies and writing. I also liked the idea of giving students step by step instructions to formulate this essay; reseach shows that determining cause and effect for particular events helps comprehension. Additionally, I felt that the use of graphic organziers could be particularly helpful in this process. By providing students with a well-planned process for how to accomplish their final product, they know what to do in order to succeed and I have integrated reading and writing into the social studies classroom in a meaningful way.

Cause and Effect Essay Lesson Plan

Cause and effect PowerPoint

Standards Based Assessment Project

This project was developed over the course of several weeks during the Standards-Based Assessment class. While it speaks to a number of different standards, T1 is specifically demonstrated throughout this project. Standard T1 shows that the work is “informed by standards-based assessment (analysis using formative, summative, and self-assessment.)” This project is based on the “Causes of Conflict CBA” for high school history from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. I spent a great deal of time researching both the CBA and different standards for the social studies as I started planning this project. Another helpful document in this process was the recommended rubric attached to the above-mentioned CBA; this helped me to plan out specifically what I expected of students. One of the important ideas that I kept in mind throughout this planning was the fact that I wanted to allow students the opportunity to do sufficient research for the project while giving them the tools to succeed. By giving students specific criteria, including a detailed rubric, they know exactly what to expect and know what they need to do to succeed. Not only is this project informed by standards-based assessments, but it was very intentionally planned in that the standards were deliberately chosen to help students create their own project and aligns with several state social studies EALRs.

Conflict in Africa – Classroom Based Assessment

Classroom Management Plan

As is probably true of many future teachers, the idea of establishing a classroom management or discipline system may seem daunting. However, this classroom management course has covered a great number of philosophies and techniques, and by studying these it has become more clear what may belong in my personal system of management. The attached paper will outline several of the systems studied in class, examine how these affect they way students view school, and present my own ideas for a system.

The Washington State Approval Standard corresponding to this class is L2, which focuses on “classroom/school centered” and “learning, knowledge, and skills connected to classroom and school communities.” As I worked on this classroom management system, I deliberately thought through my plan while keeping the potential environment in mind.

Classroom Management Plan

ISTE NETS Standard 1: Collaboration and Technology

There is extensive research to show that students learn well when they learn from one another. Collaborative learning can, and should, assume an important role in the classroom, and developing technology is able to play a large and very useful role in the process. The ISTE NETS Standard 1 says that teachers will “Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity.” It continues to state that teachers “use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation…” Using computers allows teachers to reach beyond the typical tools in the classroom to access the wealth of information on the internet. Crook says that, “in particular, computers offer a medium in which abstract material can be rendered accessible through creating visible and manipulable representations.” In other words, technology can help teachers present alternate means to understanding a concept. Thanks to Howard Gardner, we remember that not all students learn the same way—using technology can help teachers address these differences.

That being said, can technology play a part in encouraging students to work collaboratively? Absolutely! Marc Perry’s brief article on Google Wave shows how even this tool can be a very valuable addition to a classroom. Not only does the technology allow students within the class to connect, it also presents the opportunity for different classes to work together. The inter-disciplinary work gives students a meaningful experience while connecting them to other students.

This standard is important for my (future) classroom for many reasons—one of the most important to me, however, is the fact that I will be able to interact with my students through medias with which they are comfortable. What I mean by this is that many students are very comfortable using technology for communication, pleasure, homework, etc., and encouraging them to use technology will be setting them up for success not only in their school career but also in life beyond school!

Using Pageflakes is just one way in which I as a teacher can address the ISTE NETS standards. One of the components involves “model[ing] collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.” By using this, and other online resources like Google Wave, I can model to students the benefits of being connected to others via internet. I think that by encouraging students to find out what information and resources are available to them through Webquests or other online assignments gives them an opportunity to gain new skills for learning that they can use on their own.

Visit my Pageflakes site here.

Works Cited:

Crook, C. (1997). Children as computer users: The case of collaborative learning. Computers Education, 30, 237-247.

Perry, M. (2010). How to teach with google wave. The Chronicle of higher education. Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/blogPost/How-to-Teach-With-Google-Wave/19501/

Pageflakes Pagecast

http://www.pageflakes.com/melissarosejensen/

Philosophy of Education

This document was written for the first class of the program, American Education.

My own philosophy of education has been influenced by a variety of sources. This assignment encouraged me to examine other people’s ideas and integrate them with my own personal experiences to improve the effectiveness of my teaching.

Philosophy of Education