M7U1A2

Thu Nguyen

Cohort 01/2016

M7U1A2

MEETING SUMMARY

As a full time Lower School Art teacher at ICSA, I worked with thirteen classes including 240 students from PreK to grade 5. This meeting was conducted with my mentor, Mrs. Freeman – the PD director - in her office. The following points were covered in our meeting.

1. Personal Progress Update

I debriefed my mentor - Mrs. Freeman- the overall status and my personal progress with Teach-Now, also mentioned the permission for my early clinical.

2. Teaching standards

For my particular subject, AERO 2007 is used. This is a snap shot of my account in Atlas Rubicon.

However, I also presented to Mrs. Freeman the ten standards, which were required by Teach-Now program to be covered in the eighth module and, which would evaluate me. These ten core standards, which were set by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), through its Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC), set a model core teaching standards that all teachers should know and be able to do to be effective in today’s learning context.

http://www.ccsso.org/Resources/Publications/InTASC_Model_Core_Teaching_Standards_A_Resource_for_State_Dialogue_(April_2011).html

3. Teaching plan

As a teacher of a special subject, I had my teaching units and lessons monthly and weekly for each grade level updated in the school system. So I shared a summary sheet mentioning what would be covered during my official clinical starting from March to May 2016.

At the beginning of the year, regardless teacher’s opinion, the school management decided to adopt a system called Renweb for grading and wanted to use it for planning lessons and sharing lessons with parents. After the first semester, they were convinced that this system was functioning well only for grading and reports, but not for planning lessons. As its result, teachers had to come back to work with the previous system, Atlas Rubicon.

4. Classroom expectations and routines

We did not include classroom expectations and routines in this meeting. Although not being a homeroom teacher, I did set a general rule and its consequences for all lower school students from the beginning of the school year. My mentor was pretty clear about this.

My schedule with each class followed four-day rotation. Students were accompanied to my classroom and picked up by teaching assistants; then we spent forty-five minute each period we met. Students were aware of our agreed rule and its consequences. The rule was visible inside my classroom. However, I also made some regular reinforcements and expectations in some special cases when greeting them at the entrance door.

5. My experience and impression with the course

I highlighted some insightful experiences and impression that I have had with the program. 

In short, the meeting went briefly and was very pleasant. Mrs. Freeman has always had plans for each teacher and teaching assistants in this school since she began this position last school year. She suggested me to select some online courses for my professional development, and I chose Teach-Now on my path to become a certified teacher. Working in the same school with my mentor was a privilege for me. I was able to meet with her, to seek for any advice, and to have her observe my class. As its result, she was able to witness my growth and provided

M7U1A1

Thu Nguyen

Cohort 01/2016

M7U1A1

CLINICAL EXPECTATIONS

Like a bird about to leave its nest, I have a mixed feeling apparently when my course nearly comes to an end. It is time for “know and show”. It is time for “show and grow” too.

Clinical practice is the final step in my journey becoming certified teachers. Due to the family relocation, I had to do an early clinical paralleling with the previous modules during my ex full time teaching job. This paper aims to reflect my expectations and experiences during my clinical period.

11.    Practice what have been learning

This is a common expectation for all parties: Teach-Now institute, the mentor, and me. I realized this is a privilege for full time teachers like me; I had a golden chance to bring or apply what I have learned into my teaching practice everyday, starting from January when my course began. In my particular case, by bringing mobile devices into Visual Arts, I could confirm its positive impacts in my teaching proven via the shiny eyes of my beloved students. By greeting students from the class door and frequently reinforcing class rules and expectations, I sailed my days easier than I did before with fewer unexpected interruptions. By planning and sharing my units with fellow colleagues, I witnessed the real meaning of interdisciplinary teaching and the effectiveness of student learning. In short, I tried to implement whenever possible some tips learnt in classroom management and technology integration, evaluated the effects on students and my work, and adjusted myself to meet better the needs of students and the requirements of the program.

As mentioned above, due to the family relocation, I unfortunately can’t follow the normal route to the final as others. The transfer falls right in the moment of clinical. Foreseeing that the transfer will impact my study plan, I had to ask for an exceptional approval for earlier clinical practice that turned out a benefit for me in putting skills learnt into the practice. Beside the full time job, I had to work double during the past four months for the course in order to both satisfying learning modules and accumulating the clinical practice. Thanks to the understanding and flexibility of the program officers, I could fulfill my learning in an unexpected situation.

22.    On site learning from my mentor and other colleagues

I felt blessed to work with a mentor who has more than twenty-year experience in education and currently is the school PD director. Despite her extremely busy schedule, she always listened to me, gave inspiring and thoughtful advices. She was born to be a teacher and a trainer of teachers. She used to visit my classroom for observation, sat with my team in our weekly meeting, and found any possible time to give her feedback and constructive inputs. Her patience, guidance, and inspiration were like a mirror for me to reflect myself as a teacher.

Many colleagues in this school have considered Teach-Now for their certifications. They were my companions, source of information, and comrades. We shared concerns, findings, and possibilities for each new approach recommended by the program. We made some suggestions, and I do hope the school’s administrators will consider their budget in integrating technology in teaching and learning.

33.    Try suitable solutions in real life situations

The program enables me with up to date teaching practices of the 21^st century. Unfortunately, life is not the same everywhere, so are schools and policies. Starting from the 2^nd module, I learned how national law, school policy, and culture affect teaching and learning. I learned how different students learn and teachers teach in the digital age. Nevertheless, theory is still far from practice in some cases. Lack of resources and limitation of infrastructure remain restless concerns in some schools, including my school. But these challenges stimulated my creativity. Convinced by one of my inspiring colleagues, I decided to bring my own devices, instead of waiting for the investment and violating the school policies. I decided to test the effectiveness of mobile learning approach. Similarly, technology was integrated in three out of seven grade projects in my last Exhibition. I believe this is one of the ultimate expectations of Teach-Now to empower teachers in their own ways of leading the changes wherever they are.

44.    Enrich my personal teaching experiences and professional network in this new career

Throughout the course, I found myself grow and enriched every day. Even though the course is very intensive and time consuming, especially for working people, I have truly gained a lot of insights, skills, and useful recommendations from experienced instructors, friendly cohorts, and the like via social networks created since the first module. My early clinical fell right in the second semester where so many changes in terms of systems happened and many school projects underwent. I sometimes couldn’t imagine how I handled all of these workloads at the same time. Overcoming all these stressful moments especially after the first year teaching all grade levels in the elementary school, my confidence was boosted to a higher level, my maturity in dealing with behavioral issues was better improved, and my lessons were planned much properly according the Teach-Now lesson plan template. The course led me to a new horizon where I could meet with so many enthusiastic instructors and professional teachers, where I could learn from them in so many ways, and where I began the new career in a proper direction.

All skills learnt in previous modules were extremely useful in the clinical. I felt myself well prepared, better equipped, and bravely empowered in each lesson and each change I did. I knew why, what, and how I could do to make my lesson more interesting and achievable for my students and in my own.

55.    Successfully obtain a teaching certification

Education has undergone a lot of changes: one of those requires certified teachers. I personally believe this is a good chance for both fresh people and veterans in the field grasp a quick and enhance their view about how education has been transformed in the 21^st century and how technology has affected their daily life. I believe teacher preparation courses of twenty years ago look much different comparing with the way Teach-Now do today. I believe the classroom tomorrow will also look much different from the ones we have today. I also believe teaching and learning of tomorrow will differ from those of today. Therefore, professional development is the best way to keep us up to date with the development of technology.

In brief, most of my expectations were achieved during my clinical. I actually found my true self, my true passion, and my potential future through this beloved job and this demanding course. Hopefully I can find my way in the next destination.

 

M6U4A3-TEACHER EVALUATION

TEACHER EVALUATION

Purpose of Teacher Evaluation

The primary goal of teacher evaluation is to help teachers become more effective, ultimately to improve student learning. A 2010 report from NEA’s Professional Standards and Practice Committee summarizes the primary purpose for evaluating teachers:

“The core purpose of teacher assessment and evaluation should be to improve the knowledge, skills, dispositions, and classroom practices of professional educators.”

Current Teacher Evaluation systems

Teacher evaluation systems have been reviewed and revised across the nation in order to improve student learning and to strengthen teachers’ commitment to the profession.

In Ohio, each school district must select either the original or an alternative framework, in which teachers will be evaluated based on two basic areas: educator performance and student growth measures.

Ohio Teacher Evaluation System (OTES)

In the winter of 2009-10, New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) worked closely with the local teachers’ union to design a new evaluation system centered on evidence of student learning. Under the new system, all teachers receive ratings in two overarching categories: “student learning growth,” which reflects student progress on standardized and teacher-generated assessments, and “instructional practice/ professional values,” which reflects regular observations by administrators on factors such as lesson planning and preparation, classroom practice, use of data, professionalism, and high expectations for students. (Teacher Evaluation 2010)

Proposed Elements for Teacher Evaluation

As a new teacher in the field, I believe that evaluation is critical for continuous improvements to the profession. I believe that a fair evaluation system should be multifaceted, multiple measured, and teacher-driven; its data should be regarded in teacher tenure, compensation, development, hiring, promotion and dismissal. I also believe an effective evaluation can motivate effective teachers.

Thus the following elements may be included in an effective and comprehensive teacher evaluation system:

-   Educator Performance: Teachers should be evaluated against clear, rigorous performance expectations based primarily on evidence of student. Expectations should reflect excellence in the classroom, student engagement, as well as academic progress.

-       Classroom observations and Frequent Feedback: instructional coaches, principals, and peer teachers should conduct frequent classroom observations.  They should also have regular conversations with their teachers to discuss overall classroom performance and student progress; professional goals and developmental needs; and the support school leaders will provide to meet those needs. Observations are tied to a clear, detailed and rigorous rubric that focuses on evidence of student learning.

-       Teacher artifacts and Teacher’s Goal-Driven Professional Development Plans: PD plan, lesson plans, curriculum plans, student data records, student work, student formative and summative course evaluation data, minutes from course team-planning meetings, curriculum maps, and teacher reflection notes

-       Teacher self-assessments: it promotes an objective self-reflection of strengths and areas for growth. The reflection should be based on analysis of evidence about effective instructional practices and the impact of those practices on student learning. More importantly, teachers’ input in determining performance and learning outcomes should be part of the evaluation process.

-       Peer review Evaluation: is an ongoing process in which the teacher and peer reviewer examine data, performance and student learning.  The Peer Review Evaluation tool can be used to promote a collaborative relationship between a teacher and his/her peer reviewer. 

-       Student growth data on standardized tests: for tested subject, teachers’ value-added scores can be used to guide efforts to enhance teaching effectiveness if the scores are supplemented with other measures of teaching effectiveness.

-       Student Perception surveys of engagement and motivation: “The advent of student feedback in teacher evaluations is among the most significant developments for education reform in the last decade.” (Timothy Daly, the organization’s president and a former teacher)

-   Teacher contributions to a school or district, such as serving on committees, developing curriculum, mentoring, or engaging community support

As AFT president Randi Weingarten said, teaching is a profession built on the hard work, reflection, care, persistence and intellect of great teachers. We must do everything we can to ensure we protect the profession and provide our students with an education that will truly prepare them for the future.

RESOURCES

Teacher Evaluation: A resource Guide for National Education Association Leaders and Staffs. nea.org

Teacher Evaluation 2010. The New Teacher Project

http://www.aft.org/position/teacher-development-and-evaluation

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/10/why-kids-should-grade-teachers/309088/

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/student-feedback-improves-your-teaching-vicki-davis

http://tn.gov/education/topic/tvaas

M6U3A1-High Expectations for Academic Language

Thu Nguyen

Cohort 01/16

High Expectations for Academic Language

Academic Language

Academic language is a meta-language that helps learners acquire the 50,000 words that they are expected to have internalized by the end of high school and includes everything from illustration and chart literacy to speaking, grammar and genres within fields. (8 Strategies for Teaching Academic Language).

Academic language is the language of school and it is used in textbooks, essays, assignments, class presentations, and assessments. (Academic Language and ELLs: What Teachers Need to Know)

Academic Language can be defined as 1) the language used in the classroom and workplace, 2) the language of text, 3) the language of assessments, 4) the language of academic success and 5) the language of power. (Academic Language Function Toolkit-2010)

the idea of "bricks and mortar"

High Expectations and College Level Answers

The use of academic language is more important than ever in preparing students for academic and professional success, particularly in the era of rigorous college- and career-ready standards (such as the Common Core State Standards) that require an increased use of academic language in and across all disciplines. (Academic Language and ELLs: What Teachers Need to Know)

Teachers have an important role to play in supporting your students' academic language development. 

Academic English and social English are not two separate languages. Academic English is more demanding and complex than social English. Learning social English is just the tip of the iceberg. Just because they can speak on the playground, talk to peers, and use everyday English does not mean that they are up to speed in academic English.

(What Is the Difference Between Social and Academic English?)

BICS/CALP

BICS are Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills; these are the "surface" skills of listening and speaking which are typically acquired quickly by many students; particularly by those from language backgrounds similar to English who spend a lot of their school time interacting with native speakers. (Second language acquisition - essential information)

 CALP is Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency. CALP includes language for formal academic learning and for written texts in content areas such as English literature, math, science, and social studies. CALP skills also encompass reading, writing, and thinking about subject-area content material. Students also use CALP skills to compare, classify, synthesize, evaluate, and infer. (Getting Started with English Language Learners by Judie Haynes)

 http://www.educ.ualberta.ca/

RESOURCES

Academic Language Function Toolkit – October 2010)

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/top-10-terms-students-need-know-be-successful-standardized-tests

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/8-strategies-teaching-academic-language-todd-finley

http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/academic-language-and-ells-what-teachers-need-know

http://www.educ.ualberta.ca/

http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/106048/chapters/How-Students-Acquire-Social-and-Academic-Language.aspx

http://esl.fis.edu/teachers/support/cummin.htm

M6U2A3-Pre-Assessment for Differentiation

Thu Nguyen

Cohort 01/16

Visual Arts – Grade 3

Aboriginal Art

Pre-Assessment for Differentiation

Pre-Assessment

In Visual Arts, Pre-assessment is often taken place in the form of artwork interpretation. The class gathers in a circle, focusing on an artwork projected on the board or a large size print hung on the bulletin board. The question is written on the board and students are given time to Think – Pair – Share/Talk their prior knowledge with the whole class. And that was actually what I already did in this unit.

When I learned about types of questions and assessments and explored tools using technology, I was thinking about making one assessment that can be used either for Pre or Post Assessment. The first type may be simple with multiple-choice or matching questions, targeting on the learning goals defined. The second type may include some personal reflection like self-assessment with essay or short answer types.

I guess constraints in terms of time, pace, and technology concern teachers a lot to design such types of game-like assessments. With Cahoot free version, I found it friendly and easy to use and hopefully my students will feel more interesting and stress-free taking these assessments in Art.

In my own experience, Google Forms are more developed for assessments than Cahoot free version. However, Cahoot is more interesting for young learners with its game-like and visual style. 

Here are the Pre-Assessment I did with Cahoot.

Click this link for a clearer review.

https://play.kahoot.it/#/lobby?quizId=d65b114c-ab1c-41ad-ba03-ba554259711e

Innovative Differentiation Strategies for Learning Goals

Link to the original chart.

https://www.lucidchart.com/documents/edit/677655b3-96c1-4104-a867-c035f3d0bc60?driveId=0AI8NoojjBBbVUk9PVA#

My differentiation strategies for four defined learning goals are detailed in the below chart.

Students’ participation and engagement is my number 1 target in each lesson I teach. Skill and Knowledge will come along as students are diving into each activity. The below writing will focus on the two groups who are either advanced/ready to apply or limited/need instruction.

1. For "Ready to Apply" group

Learning goal 1: Students are able to identify the identity of Aboriginal culture, belief, and Art.

They are students who answered most, including the most difficult, of the pre-assessment questions correctly, which is equivalent 23% of the class, to keep them challenged and minimize abundance is critical. Know and Share is a good strategy to tap into their prior knowledge by asking them to share verbally with the class what they knew. To challenge them, I will ask them to interpret one artwork hung on the bulletin board and take notes during their explanation for misconception correction at the later stage. To check their contribution to their group reflection on a big poster, I will properly assign different colors of markers.

Learning goal 2: Students are able to understand the meanings of Aboriginal symbols and colors.

In this game-based learning activity, students will make groups of four, play a guessing game with three levels, record their answers on a sheet, check the correctness at the end of each round, and calculate their points. Even though they will play in groups, the points they get somehow similarly with other members in the group, but this activity requires critical thinking and problem solving skills. And this is an innovation in this subject, when students learn through playing.

Learning goal 3: Students are able to understand and experiment dot painting and X-ray technique with different media.

In this hands-on practice, I began the lesson by modeling techniques in a circle. Then students come work in small groups to explore media and practice skills learned. Observation, going-on questions, and Art Critiques are key strategies during this independent practice stage.

Learning goal 4: Students are able to create and illustrate stories collaboratively in groups.

Story map handouts and explicit explanation are important to get students through the expectations. When they sit with their groups, role activation helps students to stay on task and be responsible for their group work. Teacher and students can brainstorm a chart with roles and responsibilities, let students fill what they know about responsibilities of each role and decide to choose the roles they feel comfortable. Students in this group can support their peers in this group project following Peer Helping strategy.

2. For "Need Instruction group" and My Observation

Learning goal 1: Students are able to identify the identity of Aboriginal culture, belief, and Art.

They are students who appear to have limited knowledge about the topic, which is equivalent 23% of the class, to keep them engaged and stimulate their interest for the new topic is my focus. The topic may be new but it must be interesting for them to dive in.

Visual aids are a must. Before the class, I make sure artwork prints hung around the classroom. Following the Know and Share of advanced students, I play a video clip that tells briefly the culture, belief, and life of Australian Aborigines and some authentic artworks. Each new vocabulary or term is introduced with a word card and its explicit definition on the other side of the card. To enrich their understanding about Aborigines, Mobile learning is used as a home exercise. Students will explore more stories on the website http://www.abc.net.au/dustechoes/ and they will come to the next lesson ready and more confident to participate in Dreamtime story telling time.

Recording the lesson allows me to review what I did right or wrong at class, to understand better students in their working places when I was with the others, and to adjust my lesson with the other class and in the next lesson.

Learning goal 2: Students are able to understand the meanings of Aboriginal symbols and colors.

In this game-based learning activity, students will learn from peers when sitting with advanced students. Even they are new with the topic but they enjoy guessing game and can solve simple symbols. The class is very dynamic in this activity. I can tell students are engaged and enjoy learning through play.

Learning goal 3: Students are able to understand and experiment dot painting and X-ray technique with different media.

Some differentiation strategies are ready but I simply do have to use them because the experiment does not seem challenged to this group. Students demonstrate their interest, engagement, and perfectness in creating dot paintings with different media. It proves that hands-on activities and experiments are appropriate for new skills.

Learning goal 4: Students are able to create and illustrate stories collaboratively in groups.

Especially for this group of students, grouping is my strategy to provide the chance for students to learn from their peers. Beside story map handouts and explicit explanation, I spend more time with groups needing more guiding instructions. Observation must be more often when circulating around the class, and taking note should be applied instead of intervention only. Role activation helps students to boost their confidence that they are integral parts of their group and to make sure they have their voice in group’s decision.

In brief, the unit has enriched me in so many ways. I now can be more confident to make assessments with Cahoot or Google Forms, using assessing data for differentiation planning and adapting my teaching in the later stage.

RESOURCES

https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/teach/priorknowledge

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/dec13/vol71/num04/Differentiation@_It_Starts_with_Pre-Assessment.aspx

http://www.wku.edu/rtwsc/exemplars.php

https://sites.google.com/site/lrtsas/differentiation/5-preassessment-ideas