Standard V

Reflection and Self-Evaluation DM1- Diversity

Throughout my experience as a Student Teacher and in a practicum setting, have had the opportunity to !or" !ith several different races, ethnicities, and languages# have learned to see a situation from more than one vie!point, and tried to help my students do the same# $ve tried to foster an environment of caring and security in my class !here each child feels accepted and loved# n my current class as have taught the unit on ndigenous %eople of the &mericas, have 'een sensitive to the (ispanic culture, and helped the children see !hat it might have 'een li"e through the eyes of the &)tec or Mayan children, instead of *ust the traditional European +olonist# have also 'een sensitive to a child that is very affected 'y violence, 'y !or"ing to find picture and !ays of descri'ing the violent civili)ations of the Maya and &)tec !ithout have !or"ed !ith many E,, student and have tapped into my past experience of learning Spanish to understand ho! they might feel learning English, and !hat might help them#

DM-- Effective %edagogy n my teaching experience and this unit fre.uently used the SM&RT 'oard to create interactive lessons for my students that offer engaging visual and hands-on !ays of learning# n this unit, created SM&RT 'oard slide sho!s to enhance each lesson# also used the E,M/ often for students to share their !or" !ith the class, and to display examples of !or" re.uired# This !ay the expectations !ere clear# 'rought in ncan

panpipe music for the children to listen to as they studied the characteristics of the ncas#

also added a short video clip that connected a movie they had seen to the ncan life !e !ere learning a'out#

DM0- Su'*ect Matter !as very confident in the su'*ect matter of this unit# have lived 1 11-yrs !ith the Mayan people of 2uatemala and have studied and learned their cultural and history first hand# have al!ays 'een fascinated 'y the ancient people of the &mericas and have researched and studied the &)tecs, ncas, and Mayans for many years# !as very confident in my a'ility to accurately teach a'out their civili)ations and ans!er .uestions the children had# also am confident in my "no!ledge of the European +oloni)ation, having read several 'oo"s on it, and researched it for past presentations# n this sample, !ent in depth to create slide sho!s of images and examples that !ould aid the class in seeing !hat had seen and experienced# spend at least 133 hours on the research and development of the SM&RT 'oard slides# My main focus in this category !as to add fresh enthusiasm, excitement and interest in the topic# did this through my o!n love and enthusiasm for it, and my love of learning a'out others cultures# felt that have 'een effective in doing this#

DM4- Environment This has 'een an area that has 'een a main focus to me# 'elieve firmly that need to esta'lish a relationship of trust and caring !ith each student in order for them to learn and succeed in my classroom# have tried to connect !ith each student each day and get to "no! them and their lives# This helps me 'etter understand ho! to reach and teach them# ,istening to the children share form their lives has helped me 'e sensitive to

their needs and !or" to create a caring, safe environment in my classroom !here every child feels accepted and cared for# 5no!ing their needs, has 'een very necessary for this !or" sample# /ne student is very sensitive to violence and 'ecomes upset if reactive if he sees too much# have 'een "eenly a!are of this in preparing the lessons, and sho!ing slides, that teach a'out these very violent civili)ations and their destruction# also have a student !ho is (ispanic# have 'een sensitive in portraying these ancestors of the (ispanic countries accurately and !ith enthusiasm, 'ringing in excitement in imaging !hat it might 'e li"e to 'e a child in their cultures# M My classroom management strategies that are most effective is praising the students !hen they are doing as instructed and pointing out the positive !hich encourages the remainder of the class# have used a group point system, and individual point as !ell# n managing, have also 'een sure to explain the 'ehavior expected and follo! through !hen they did not meet it# 6hat helped the most, ho!ever, !as "eeping them engaged in a variety of teaching strategies and "eeping the unit fun and interesting#

DM7- Reflection This experience has taught me that teaching and learning can 'e fun and successful at the same time# have often heard others say that social studies is 'oring to them# have tried to tap into every mode of learning could8 visual, music, dra!ing, games, hands-on to create a learning experience !here the students come a!ay en*oying learning a'out other people and cultures# 9y analy)ing the data from the pre and post assessments, have 'een very delighted !ith the ma*or increase in test scores for the unit, sho!ing that the students learned some difficult, and at times confusing, terms and ideas#

The pre test average for the class !as 44: !hereas the post test average !as ;-:, more than an increase of 133:< t has also 'een helpful to evaluation their lap'oo"s containing eight formative assessments, at least one for each lesson# The class scored very !ell on these# t has also given me a different perspective as am teaching this unit three different times in rotation to three different classes of students, !or"ing !ith over eighty students and their different personalities and learning styles# DM=- Teaching Disposition have learned, and continue to focus on the importance of creating a professional disposition and relationship !ith those !or" !ith# !or" to sho! respect for the mentor teachers and faculty, as !ell as parents and students# n this student teaching experience, have !or"ed hard to connect !ith each student every day, to let them "no! care, and to learn !hat can a'out them that !ill help me teach them 'etter# These relationships have 'een vital to me as have "no! learning styles, sensitive topics, and those !ith special learning needs# am !or"ing on my confidence in my s"ills as a teacher and my a'ilities to handle the sometimes difficult experiences have# This has 'een the main challenge for me# feel that it has improved a lot in the last fe! !ee"s# "no! that am an example to the students and need to 'e the 'est one can 'e 'y communicating !ith respect and caring and sho!ing enthusiasm and *oy in !hat do#