Standard 1: Teaching for Learning:
Candidates are effective teachers who demonstrate knowledge of learners and learning and who model and promote collaborative planning, instruction in multiple literacies, and inquiry-based learning, enabling members of the learning community to become effective users and creators of ideas and information. Candidates design and implement instruction that engages students' interests and develops their ability to inquire, think critically, gain and share knowledge.
1.1 Knowledge of learners and learning:
Candidates are knowledgeable of learning styles, stages of human growth and development, and cultural influences on learning. Candidates assess learner needs and design instruction that reflects educational best practice. Candidates support the learning of all students and other members of the learning community, including those with diverse learning styles, physical and intellectual abilities and needs. Candidates base twenty-first century skills instruction on student interests and learning needs and link it to the assessment of student achievement.
Reflection:
During the community and school analysis I was able to really focus on the make up of my students and the community they live in. This analysis helped me to better understand the students and their needs. The library is a reflection of the community it serves and through this assignment I was really able to pinpoint what the needs of the students were. Also knowing the demographic background of the students helped me choose divers books for the collection in hopes that they would be able to find characters they could relate to. Knowing the needs of the students also helps me to develop lessons that better utilize strategies that will help them be successful in the library.
1.2 Effective and knowledgeable teacher:
Candidates implement the principles of effective teaching and learning that contribute to an active, inquiry-based approach to learning. Candidates make use of a variety of instructional strategies and assessment tools to design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments in partnership with classroom teachers and other educators. Candidates can document and communicate the impact of collaborative instruction on student achievement.
Reflection:
Through these two assignment I learned more about Stripling’s inquiry model and how to implement it into lessons for the school library. This assignment has helped me examine lessons and see how the inquiry model could be implemented and design lessons that are engaging and meaningful for the school library. It also helped me know how to look at classroom teacher’s lessons and know how to use inquiry to collaborate with them in the library. During these assignments I was given the opportunity to talk with my classmates and gain insight from them on the model and how to effectively implement the strategy into the library program.
1.3 Instructional partner:
Candidates model, share, and promote effective principles of teaching and
learning as collaborative partners with other educators. Candidates acknowledge the importance of participating in curriculum development, of engaging in school improvement processes, and of offering professional development to other educators as it relates to library and information use.
Reflection:
During the course of the graduate program I was given the opportunity to design collaborative lessons. During these assignments I learned how to engage other teachers in collaboration, how to reach out to them, and then follow through with the lessons. During the collaborative unit I worked with a fourth grade teacher to develop a Symbaloo to help students research famous North Carolinians. I also worked with a fifth grade teacher to help with their weather unit. Both of these lessons helped me gain knowledge of which teachers were receptive to collaboration and allowed me to gain their confidence as an instructional partner. I also learned how to design and implement a staff training. When teachers work together for the betterment of student learning the students always win. Any time new strategies can be taught or passed on to other teachers the students will benefit academically.
1.4 Integration of twenty-first century skills and learning standards:
1.4 Integration of twenty-first century skills and learning standards: Candidates advocate for twenty-first century literacy skills to support the learning needs of the school community. Candidates demonstrate how to collaborate with other teachers to plan and implement instruction of the AASL Standards for the 21st-Century Learner and state student curriculum standards. Candidates employ
strategies to integrate multiple literacies with content curriculum. Candidates integrate the use of emerging technologies as a means for effective and creative teaching and to support P-12 students' conceptual understanding, critical thinking and creative processes.
Reflection:
During the makerspace lesson I learned how to integrate Aurasma into a lesson for a fifth grade unit on the human body systems. This lesson focused on the respiratory system and utilized many different formats of information. By using Aurasma I introduced my students to a new way of demonstrating learning. Digital tools such as Aurasma, thinklink, and powtoon, offer an alternative to final learning products that help the students use technology to be creators rather than just users of technology.