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Grace Koehler

Elementary Education

17 March 2017

Introduction

The College of Education at Pittsburg State University has enhanced my knowledge and

stimulated my passion for learning. In the past two years, I have grown in my understanding of

the Professional Knowledge Base and modeled its constituents through a variety of approaches.

During this time, I have also identified areas for growth that will further strengthen my abilities

as a teacher.

The Learner and Learning

My classes and field experiences have taught me how to identify and design experiences

that highlight an individuals strengths for academic growth, and this strength of mine is

regularly practiced in my field experiences. For example, the Zone of Proximal Development

was introduced to me in Early Childhood Foundations and Curriculum. During clinicals, I

frequently worked with a boy who was significantly below his grade level in reading. To help

him progress along his ZPD, I would track the words as he read. To scaffold the instruction, I

gradually had him track the words on his own. Both the knowledge gained from my class and

clinical experience helped me identify the students individual strength and the strategies I could

implement to promote his academic learning along his ZPD.

Understanding and meeting the needs of exceptional students is another strength of mine

shown during my field experiences. In Diversity in the Classroom, one of the weekly discussions

was dedicated to this subject. I discovered that when teaching exceptional students, it is crucial
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to know what works best with each individual child. In my internship placement, I currently

work with a couple of exceptional students throughout the day. A student with autism becomes

anxious when his routine does not follow a particular order. He needs to be aware of any changes

in the routine, and his workspace needs to be monitored in case miscellaneous items are

accidentally placed there. I communicate with him on any unforeseen changes, make sure he is

aware of what is occurring in class, and oversee his workspace throughout the day.

For instruction to be effective, it needs to be taught in a respectful learning environment.

I recognize the strategies needed to foster such an environment, and therefore, I believe this to be

one of my major strengths. Respect and routine are two of the numerous strategies that

Classroom Management has taught me. In my internship, the students are accustomed to their

daily routine of writing the agenda, making lunch choices, and morning work. During this time, I

monitor and redirect students. In terms of respect, I have discovered that it must be mutual.

Appreciation for the students and their thoughts, needs, and individuality leads to a positive

learning experience. To show my respect, I actively listen and engage with students, making sure

they know Im there to help them succeed. Additionally, I remind and model for students what

respectful behavior looks like and address any unnecessary, impolite actions or words. My

experiences in both my college course and placement have taught me how to implement and

maintain a classroom management routine that supports an environment fit for learning.

Despite my increasing familiarity with classroom management, I need to improve on

coordinating both time and space. In the past, I have struggled to conduct a lesson with the

provided space. To address this area, I will communicate with my cooperating teacher and ask if

I can temporarily move things if needed. Additionally, I would like to ask other teachers why
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they set up their classroom in a particular way. When interacting with students, in lessons or

centers, I tend to lose track of time, and therefore, feel rushed. I can strive to improve in this field

by asking others how they manage their time and set a five-to-ten-minute warning on a timer,

which will be a signal to begin wrapping up.

A separate area in which I aim to improve is knowing how to incorporate languages,

experiences, and cultures into my teaching practices. I have little experience with ELL students,

and integrating and modifying lessons with various languages will pose as a challenge.

Furthermore, I grew up in area with minimal diversity, and my lack of exposure may hinder how

I incorporate cultural experiences into the classroom. In order to better myself in these areas, I

plan to become more knowledgeable of the cultures in and surrounding the district I student

teach in, and researching the demographics would be an excellent start. Additionally, reading

about and participating in educational workshops pertaining to ELL students can help me

strengthen my ability as a teacher to incorporate diversity into the classroom.

Content

Making learning both relevant and relatable for students can better help children

understand a unit of study; thus, I consider understanding how applying instruction as a lens to

address local and global issues to be a strength of mine. Elementary School Mathematics has

taught me how to incorporate identifiable experiences into planning. I taught a lesson about the

different kinds of shapes. As I provided the name of the shapes, I gave four examples of where

they would see them. When students can take the instruction and relate it to something personal,

they witness the presence that learning has in their daily lives.

When teaching, it is important to expose students to different viewpoints, and as a teacher

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candidate, I understand that children should question, analyze, and learn concepts from other

perspectives. Early Childhood Foundations and Curriculum informed me on the Theory of

Cognitive Development. I have applied my knowledge of the Concrete Operational Stage at my

internship in a variety of ways. For instance, in a learning center, we used our story about

tsunamis and their damages to discuss how other people in the world are affected by natural

disasters. Also, I frequently ask students about how their words and actions can affect others.

Students must be exposed to diverse perspectives regularly for both cognitive and social benefits.

Standards provide a guide for what educators should teach, and when lesson planning,

one should be aware of learning progressions. This aspect of the Professional Knowledge Base

has been taught, reinforced, and applied in a number of my college courses and field experiences.

I first became familiar with standards in Curriculum Development, and I learned that students

learn through a sequential process such as: I do, we do, you do. This progression is the most

beneficial for students, and Ive applied this in my clinicals, practicum, and internship. When

preparing a lesson, I first decided the learning objective and standard, and followed with the

gradual release of responsibility. I believe this understanding is, comprehensively, my greatest

strength.

Supplementary resources like technology are becoming increasingly present in

classrooms, and when used appropriately, it can be an effective tool for teachers. However, I

have yet to integrate technology in my lessons. I feel insufficient in my abilities to use resources

like computers and iPads in a manner that is relevant to the learning. Additionally, I am unaware

of how I can make technology accessible to students with specific disabilities. To improve in this

area during my Professional Semester, I plan to discuss with my cooperating teacher about how
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technology has been used in the past and how to make it a successful resource for instruction.

One of the most important concepts related to content knowledge is that it is ever

evolving and not a fixed body of facts. Nevertheless, I could improve on staying up to date with

new ideas and practices. I have come to realize that I rely on my professors to inform and share

the new and best teaching practices thus far. To be a strong, effective teacher, I must also take

the initiative to research and learn about the developments in content knowledge. To take action,

I plan to attend workshops, network with other teachers, read new articles and/or books, and

pursue a master's degree. I want to teach students to the best of my ability, but this is only

possible if I keep abreast with the new ideas and practices.

Instructional Practice

Giving students meaningful feedback through a variety of strategies is crucial for

fostering an efficient learning environment and for a childs academic success; one strategy

wherein I exhibit this strength is purposeful praise. Effective Classroom Management stressed

the importance of purposeful praise and quality feedback. Earlier this semester at my internship,

I used purposeful praise for a Power Practice Activity, and I continue to communicate this form

of feedback with students. Sharing purposeful praise is similar to providing descriptive feedback,

another feedback strategy in which I excel. During my internship, I led one of the reading

centers, and I have found it quite effective to give students quality feedback. My specific

feedback lets the students know how they can improve and correct themselves.

When I plan instruction, I show indicators of strength through my process of curriculum

design such as: developmentally appropriate instruction, building on prior knowledge, and

sequencing. During Curriculum Development, all three of these items were emphasized because
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of the crucial role they have in lesson design. Initially, I always consider the developmental level

where each student stands. Then, I make sure the curriculum builds on what the students already

know. Finally, I teach the lesson beginning with an anticipatory set that hooks the students,

follow with gradual release of responsibility, and end with the closure. This sequence makes it

clear and easy for students to follow.

Assessment is much more than passing out a quiz or a test and wishing students their

best. Foundations of Measurement and Evaluation has taught me that assessment and instruction

must be aligned with the learning targets, and in my internship, Ive presented this strength when

planning lessons and evaluating the students in my internships knowledge of the content. I

recently taught a lesson using a graphic organizer to meet the learning target of summarization.

Once I had the goal, I developed my instruction and planned an assessment that allowed the

students to demonstrate their understanding of the target by independently filling out a

Somebody-Wanted-But-So-Then organizer.

Students need opportunities to become actively engaged in the assessment process and

reflect on their own progress. However, I have not applied this characteristic of instructional

practice in my field experiences. To improve in this area, I plan to use two strategies discussed in

my Foundations of Measurement and Evaluation course: conferences and journals. Students can

use their journals to record thoughts and questions, and conferences allow for children to become

engaged and share their knowledge of the curriculum with me. Both of these assessment

techniques can provide me with a deeper understanding of each childs academic growth.

Students need a variety of developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate

instructional strategies in order to meet learning targets. I feel confident in my abilities to provide
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developmentally appropriate teaching strategies, but as previously mentioned, my lack of

experience with cultural diversity could affect my teaching practices. Furthermore, I have not

had ample opportunities to observe differentiation in linguistic teaching. I intend to grow in these

areas by networking with general education, special education, and ESOL teachers and ask about

their classroom experiences and the instructional strategies that helped them.

Professional Responsibility

Learning is an evolving process, and teachers should adjust and reflect on their teaching

practices based on a variety of self-assessment and problem-solving strategies. Explorations in

Education accentuated the effect that self-reflection has within the classroom. Ive used my field

reflections and lesson plan reflections from past and current classes to evaluate myself as a

teacher candidate and identify areas for adjustments and improvements. This strength will be

tremendously beneficial in both my Professional Semester and future career.

A school is an organization within a historical, cultural, political and social context that

requires teachers to work collaboratively with others in order to support student learning. My

participation in my college classes, like Early Childhood Foundations and Curriculum, indicates

that working well with others in the various frameworks of the school community is a strength of

mine. Ive applied my experience of collaboration in my field experiences by assisting other

teachers and listening and sharing ideas. As teachers work together, they set a standard for how

students should behave in a learning environment.

Teachers should know how to contribute to a culture that supports high expectations for

learning, and my collaboration skills have lead me to grow in this area, making it a strength of

mine. I have exercised the knowledge gained from Early Childhood Foundations and Curriculum
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on positive and effective contribution in my internship placement. This semester, I attended an

inservice day that required input on a variety of topics that maintain a high expectation learning

environment. During this time, I shared my thoughts as well posed questions that warranted an

engaging discussion.

Despite my experiences on working with peers and teachers, I must grow in my

knowledge of effective communication with all members of the learning community, primarily

with parents, foster parents, and grandparents. Ive had few opportunities to engage with these

members of the school district, but I know they are an important part of the community and

student learning. To better myself in this area and establish an appropriate relationship with

families, I would like to observe a parent-teacher conference and plan on sending home a letter at

the start of the semester introducing myself.

Understanding the laws related to students rights and teacher responsibilities is

necessary for legal reasons and to ensure that children feel respected in the classroom. However,

I have little knowledge of laws such as: IDEA, FERPA, etc., and this is perhaps my weakest area

from the Professional Knowledge Base. I am determined to improve in this area by reading and

becoming familiar with these laws.

Conclusion

Reflecting on the Professional Knowledge Base provides me with the opportunity to

identify the various ways in which I have applied my learning from my time thus far in the

College of Education. Furthermore, recognizing my areas for improvements pushes me to better

myself as a teacher candidate. My self-reflection has helped prepare me for my Professional

Semester and future career onward.

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