Running Head: Candidate Work Sample 1

Running head: CANDIDATE WORK SAMPLE 1
Candidate Work Sample
Danielle Petri
Colorado State University

CANDIDATE WORK SAMPLE 2
Table of Contents
Group Description……………………………………………………………………...……….…3
Curriculum……………………………………………………………….………………………..9
Lesson 1……………………………………………………………..…………………….9
Lesson 2………………………………………………………………………………….12
Lesson 3………………………………….………………………………………………15
Evidence of Assessment…………………………………………...…………………………….18
Reflection………………………………………………...………………………………………23
Appendices……………………………………………………………….………………………29
Appendix A- Supports for Children with Special Needs………………………...………29
Focus Tools……………………………………………………………………....29
Hand over Hand Assistance……………………………………………………...30
Appendix B- Field Assignments…………………………………………………………31
Field Assignment 1………………………………………………………………31
Field Assignment 2………………………………………………...……………33
Field Assignment 3…………………………………………………………...…35
Field Assignment 10……………………………………………..………………56
Group Description
This semester, I had the privilege of completing my practicum in the preschool room at
Shepardson Elementary School. This school is a STEM school which means they are a science,
technology, engineering, and math school. Shepardson is located in a fairly wealthy
neighborhood; the school looks well built, safe, updated, and clean which matches the way the
neighborhood surrounding the school looks. Shepardson itself is mainly Caucasian with only a
couple of Hispanic and African American children. The children in the school are mainly from
the middle class to the upper class. Less than 20% of children qualify for free or reduced lunch.
These are the demographics that match the school. The following paragraphs detail the
demographics of the students, expectations, interactions, support, description of the classroom,
and policies.
General Description of Students
The preschool classroom was an integrated classroom with both children who were
typically developing and children with special needs. In regard to demographics, there were 13
students total, four are girls and nine are boys. Eight of the 13 children are Caucasian, with four
being at least ½ Hispanic and one child being ½ African American which matches the
characteristics of the school as a whole. Eight of the 13 children qualify for free or reduced
lunch, so one can see that this characteristic in the classroom is not representative of the whole
school. There are six children total with IEPs; three have minor disabilities while the other three
are more mild or severe special needs. The children with IEPs breaks down into the minor
disabilities of one child being an ESL student with language delays and some other
developmental delays and two children only have language and communication delays. For the
more mild or severe special needs, this breaks down into one child having vision impairment,
physical delays, and language delays, one child being on the Autism spectrum with, and the last
child having Spina Bifida. There are many modifications and additions added to the classroom
and lessons that accommodate for the children with the different IEPs. These modifications are
outlined in every lesson plan for the three children with mild to severe special needs.
Most of the children love dramatic play and movement their activities and play. They
also love science and engineering types of activities, for example sink or float activities and
playing with magna tiles to make different structures. This demonstrates how curious the
children are and how much they want to learn. Curiosity was a strength that all the children
demonstrated and this followed them into everything they did at school.
Description of Children Being Assessed
There are three boys being specifically assessed and accommodated for. All three boys
have special needs and developmental delays. The three boys will be under the initials of L, T,
and C. Starting with L, he is three years old and it states he has another health impairment on his
IEP. L has other professional supports such as speech/language specialist and occupational
therapist, he has glasses and his gross motor skills are between eight and twelve month levels. T
is almost five years old and will be going to kindergarten soon. On his IEP it says he has a
developmental delay, but recently his team has been assessing him for being on the Autism
spectrum. He has problems with emotional regulation, communication, and social interactions.
Apart from this he is at or above his age range in all academic areas. This shows how he does
best in one on one interactions. Lastly, C is four years old and his primary disability is visual
impairment including blindness. This impairments has led to other delays developmental
including speech and physical delays. He has limited verbal output. He also has a lack of focus
and attention when it comes to play, interactions, and his academic work. All three boys have
specific accommodations for every part of their school day which include focus tools (see
Appendix A), hand over hand assistance (see Appendix A), and one on one interactions from
teachers, paras, and specialized professionals. There are many professionals that come into the
classroom to work with these boys that include an occupational therapist, physical therapist,
speech therapist, and vision specialist.
Expectations of Students
All students are held to high expectations because in order to receive high quality work
and behavior, one must expect that from the children. With that said there are different high
expectations for each individual child based on their developmental age and abilities. There are
also different expectations for the children who have disabilities or special needs; these
expectations are taken from and based on each child’s IEPs. All students are expected to respect
the teachers, other peers, and classroom equipment/materials. All students are expected to focus,
listen quietly, and raise hands to speak during whole group time. They are expected to follow
the directions laid out for them during whole group and small group time. They are also
expected to follow safety and health rules of the classroom.
Peer Interactions
Peer interactions within the classroom look different on a day to day basis as they would
with three to five year olds who change their minds constantly. They also look different
depending on how the child who have social and emotional delays are interacting that day. Most
children take turns, share, and play together well. Some children have a hard time taking turns
and will get frustrated if the play does not go their way. Other children will engage in parallel
play.
Teacher-Student Interactions
Based on the CLASS assessment, the teacher-student interactions are positive. For the
emotional support domain, the mentor teacher had high results for positive climate, negative
climate, teacher sensitivity, and regard for student perspectives. For classroom organization, the
mentor teacher had high remarks for the categories of behavior management, productivity, and
instructional learning formats. Lastly, for instructional support, the mentor teacher had high
remarks for the categories of concept development, quality of feedback, and language modeling.
By looking at the checklist for exemplary classroom practices as assessed through CLASS, one
can see that the interactions between the teacher and student are plentiful and positive.
Description of the Classroom
Based on the ECERS-R checklist, this preschool classroom ranks high. They have a
variety of materials that allow for choice, creativity, curiosity, learning, and exploration. They
have a variety of books that span across many topics. They have different objects that expand a
child’s communication. There are fine motor materials as well as materials for gross motor
movement and dance. There are a variety of types of music played in the classroom as well as a
variety of art materials and blocks to play with. The dramatic play center has materials that span
across different roles and topics. There are also a number of math and science materials that
expand on the children’s curiosity and learning. The materials in this classroom also span across
different cultures, gender roles, and ages that lead to a diverse classroom. They could work on
getting materials that span across topics such as special needs and economic class diversity.
Field Assignment #6 expands more on the physical environment of the classroom.

Policies for Classroom Management, Conflict Resolution, and Special Needs Students
Policies for classroom management include rules such as, “Keep myself safe, keep my
friends safe, and keep my things safe.” Another rule is “Say okay and do it right away.” The
teachers also set clear boundaries and high expectations, as well as promote respect as a way to
manage the classroom. For conflict resolution, the teachers use positive redirection to resolve
issues. If the behavior returns, they will enforce a loss of play time or involve the families if the
behavior is severe as a way using logical consequences. There are also natural consequences that
occur in the classroom when negative behavior happens. For children with special needs, the
teacher will take them to a quiet and isolated space in the classroom to work one on one with
them to calm them down and then will introduce them back into the classroom. Another tool
used in the classroom is behavior reflections to involve the children in looking at their own
negative behavior and finding a solution to solve the issue at hand.
Family and Community Support
The community and family support is outstanding at Shepardson. Parents contribute to
the preschool classroom quite often with resources, time, and money. The PTA is also great at
getting the classrooms what they need to be successful. The school is in a fairly wealthy
neighborhood, so many of the families have the means to support the classrooms financially.
There are also many families that volunteer within the classroom and on field trips. For
this particular classroom, many parents will stay in the morning to spend some time with their
child while helping them with writing their names. The teachers and families also have positive
interactions with great communication which forms relationships between them, this
relationships leads families to want to support the classroom even more. As for the community,
Fort Collins is a great community that lends much support. There are many volunteers within
the community that donate their time and money to help out the school. Parents of children with
special needs are also very involved with the IEP meetings, communicating their needs and
wants with the teacher, and working with the teacher on meeting that child’s goals.
Curriculum
Before I planned out and implemented my lessons, I took time to observe the children’s
interests and activities. I saw that they enjoyed reading and movement, so I incorporated these
interests into my lesson plans. I also noticed that they loved music, so I put integrated music into
my lesson about movement by utilizing the YMCA dance. Lastly, I noticed that the other three
children who have IEPs that are not L, C, or T, had speech delays. To help support this goal for
the children as well as support language within the classroom as a whole, I integrated a lot of
language, vocabulary, and discussion for each lesson and topic. The lessons I implemented into
the classroom this semester are as follows.
Lesson 1- Three Little Pigs Story Time- Whole Group Lesson
Lesson Idea/Topic and Three Little Pigs; connects to the curriculum unit of Nature
Rational/Relevance: through concept of wind
W- Letter of the week
Content Standard(s) addressed by this lesson with matching TS GOLD Objective:
Physical Domain: Standard 4.1: Develop hand strength and dexterity
• TS GOLD Objective 7.a
Social Emotional Domain: Standard 3.3: Follow simple rules, routines, and directions
• TS GOLD Objective 1.b
Language Domain: Standard 2.1: Engage in communication and conversation with

others
• TS GOLD Objective 9.c
Literacy Domain: Standard 1.3: Ask and answer questions and make comments about
print materials
Standard 1.6: Make predictions based on illustrations or portions of
story or text

CANDIDATE WORK SAMPLE
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Mathematics Knowledge and Skills Domain: Standard 1.1: Recognize numbers and
quantities in the everyday environment
Understandings: (Big Ideas)
To predict/retell the story of the Three Little Pigs
Inquiry Questions:
How do you make the letter W on the ground? What do you think will happen next in the
story? Why did this house fall down? Why did this house not fall down?
Evidence Outcomes: (Learning Targets)

I can:
Physical: use two fingers to write out the letter W

Social-Emotional: sit quietly during whole group and follow the morning routine
Language: talk about what is happening in the story
Literacy: I can answer questions about the story and say what will happen next in the
story
Mathematics Knowledge and Skills: count the number of peers in the group
This means:
Physical: control small muscles to write out a letter to work on fine motor movement
Social-Emotional: beginning to have the ability to recognize and regulate emotions,
attention, impulses, and behavior
Language: begin to use expressive language
Literacy: begin to understand and get meaning from stories
Mathematics Knowledge and Skills: beginning to understand that numbers represent
quantities
Name and Purpose of Lesson Three Little Pigs Story Time; the purpose is to retell the story using what
details they already know and making predictions.
Co-Teaching Which model (s) will be used?
Will co-teaching models be One teach, one assist
utilized in this lesson? Yes Why did you choose this model (s) and what are the teacher’s roles?
I will have the primary instructional responsibility, but I need other teachers
to help assist the children who have special needs in the classroom
Approx. Time and Materials Time: 15 minutes
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Materials: Three Little Pigs book

~Students are ~We will ~Knowledge of the Three Little Pigs and ~They retell the story back to me
currently know participating in routines before I read the actual words
demonstrating: students through predictions and/or already
are knowing the story and when they
successful can write the letter W on the floor
when: with two fingers
Procedures The strategy I intend to use is: Questions
I am using this strategy here because: I will prompt the children to tell the
story through questions, but they will do most of the “reading” of the story
with me reading the actual story only after they have said what happens next
Teacher Actions Student Actions
~Guide them through the routine ~Complete the morning routine
~Hold the book and ask the ~Make the letter W on the floor with
students to make predictions/retell two fingers
the story ~Call out the story and predict
~Read the actual words the details
~Explain how wind is tied into the ~Answer questions about the story
story
~Explain the small group activity
Closure I will explain the small group activity that they will be doing next with the
sequencing activity
Differentiation Modifications: L T C
Content: use one- Content: N/A Content: use
word phrases Process: use focus one- word
Process: use focus tools and phrases
tools; hand over reminders to focus Process: use
hand assistance Environment: focus tools; hand
Environment: use N/A over hand
special chair to assistance
keep him sitting up Environment:
right; have teacher have teacher sit
sitting next to him near him to help
to assist when him sit up right
needed on the floor and
to assist when
needed
Extensions: Content: ask challenging questions about wind and how it
ties into this story
Assessment TS GOLD
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Lesson 2- Three Little Pigs Sequencing- Small Group Lesson
Lesson Idea/Topic and Three Little Pigs; connects to the curriculum unit of Nature
Rational/Relevance: through concept of wind
W- Letter of the week
Physical Domain: Standard 4.4: Manipulate writing, drawing, and art tools
Social- Emotional Domain: Standard 2.2: Demonstrate age-appropriate independence

in a range of activities, routines, and tasks
Language Domain: Standard 2.3: Use increasingly complex and varied vocabulary
Literacy Domain: Standard 1.5: Retell stories or information from books through
conversation, artistic works, creative movement, or drama
Mathematics Knowledge and Skills Domain: Standard 5.5: Sequence a simple set of
activities or events
Put together the Three Little Pigs story using sequencing with pictures
Inquiry Questions:
What color should the pig be? What happened first in the story? What happened next?
What happened last?
I can:
Physical: use tools to make my own Three Little Pigs book
Social-Emotional: use the tools on my own
Language: use vocabulary I learned in the book and from my teacher
Literacy: retell the story through pictures and putting them in order
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Mathematics Knowledge and Skills: put the four pictures in order
This means:
Physical: having control of small muscles through fine motor skills
Social-Emotional: having the perception that one is capable of successfully
accomplishing tasks and building up one’s self-concept and self-efficacy
Language: use expressive language
Literacy: having the ability to understand and get meaning from the story in order to
retell the story in the correct order
Mathematics Knowledge and Skills: understanding how to order events
Name and Purpose of Lesson Sequencing the Three Little Pigs; to retell the story using standards mentioned
above and using pictures
Approx. Time and Materials Time: 15 minutes
Materials: crayons, scissors, glue, pictures of straw, stick, and brick house,
picture of wolf in boiling pot of water, picture of top of pig and picture of
bottom of pig
~Students are ~We will ~Knowledge and skills on how to use ~Use tools on their own, put the
currently know materials, knowledge of the story pictures of the story in order
demonstrating: students
are
successful
when:
Procedures The strategy I intend to use is: Task Analysis
I am using this strategy here because: I will give them tasks for a multistep
activity
~have materials out ~color pig
~show model of the activity ~cut out straw, stick, and
~assist when needed brick houses, cut out wolf
~give out one tool at a time in boiling pot
~ask questions while they are doing the ~put the pictures in order
activity matching the numbers on
~fold book up like an accordion the paper (1-4)
~glue pictures down
~glue pig head and
bottom onto paper with
ordered pictures
~answer questions along the
way
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Closure I will tell them they can take these books into centers in order to look off of
them when playing out the story through dramatic play
Content: have Content: n/a Content: use
laminated cut out Process: Teacher one- word
pieces of the should sit down phrases
story; show story next to him to Process: hand
to him in order; monitor his over hand
point to picture process; (should be assistance;
and narrate the able to cut, glue, special
story with them and color on his scissors;
Process: color own) special
the pig only Environment: n/a crayons
Product: teacher Product:
can make the end teacher can
product for him make the end
if they want to product for him
Environment: n/a if they want to
Environment:
n/a
Extensions: Content: ask challenging questions about wind and the
story Process: have them try to do each step by themselves;
add in more story pieces
Assessment TS GOLD
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Lesson 3- YMCA Dance- Whole Group Lesson
Lesson Idea/Topic and Movement to the YMCA song; connects to the curriculum unit of
Rational/Relevance: Health and Fitness
Y- Letter of the week
Physical Domain: Standard 3.3: Understand movement concepts, such as control of the
body, how the body moves (such as an awareness of space and directionality), and that
the body can move independently or in coordination with other objects
• TS GOLD Objective 5
Social-Emotional Domain: Standard 3.3: Follow simples rules, routines, and directions
Language Domain: Standard 1.1: Attend to language during conversations, songs,

stories, or other learning experiences
Creative Arts Domain: Standard 2.4: Demonstrate simple phrases of movement in time
and space
• TS GOLD Objective 35
Mathematics Knowledge and Skills Domain: Standard 1.1: Recognize numbers and
quantities in the everyday environment
Dancing to the YMCA dance and understanding the importance of physical activity
Inquiry Questions:
How can you make your arms into a Y,M,C, and A? Why is physical activity and
movement important?
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I can:
Physical: use movement to dance to the YMCA
Social-Emotional: sit quietly during whole group and follow the morning routine
Language: understand what the teacher is saying
Creative Arts: use dance moves and know where my body is at in relation to my peers
Mathematics Knowledge and Skills: I can count my peers
This means:
Physical: having control of large muscles for movement, navigation, and balance through
gross motor skills
Social-Emotional: having the ability to recognize and regulate emotions, attention,
impulses, and behaviors
Language: use receptive language
Creative Arts: use the body to move to music and understand the space in which one is
moving their body in
Mathematics Knowledge and Skills: I am learning quantities
Name and Purpose of Lesson YMCA dance; purpose is to add in movement and connect that movement to
standards mentioned above, and to teach importance of physical activity
Approx. Time and Materials Time: 20 minutes Materials: YMCA song
~Students are ~We will ~Knowledge on how to move their bodies ~Dance to the whole YMCA
currently know students and participation in routines songs and demonstrate
demonstrating: are successful knowledge on why physical
when: activity is important
Procedures The strategy I intend to use is: Do-It Signals
I am using this strategy here because: I will tell them how to do the dance
and then I will use Do-It Signals like make a Y so they know what they should
be doing in order to be successful
~Guide them through the ~complete the morning routine
morning routine ~answer questions about fitness
~Explain why fitness is important and health
~Ask questions about why they ~do the YMCA dance
think physical activity is
important
~Model the dance
~Explain the small group activity
Closure I will tell them they can now go home to show their parents the new dance
they learned and then I will tell them what they will be doing in the small
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group activity that is next

Content: use Content: N/A Content: use
one- word Process: use one- word
phrases Process: focus tools and phrases
use focus tools reminders to Process: use
Environment: focus focus tools
use a special Environment: Environment:
chair to keep N/A have teacher
sitting up right; sit near him to
have teacher help him sit up
sitting right on the
next to him to assist floor and to
when needed assist when
needed
Extensions: Content: ask challenging questions about how to keep
ourselves healthy and physical active
Process: have them dance on one foot or only using a
certain arm, etc.
Assessment TS GOLD
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Evidence of Assessment
To assess the children in the Shepardson preschool room, I utilized the TS Gold
assessment and objectives. I assessed three students in particular, they are all male and have
some type of special needs or disability. On the assessments they go by the initials of C, L, and
T. These initials match the initials used for the specific description of them in the group
description and the modifications of the lesson plan. Before the lesson plans were implemented,
I gathered observational data based on what they could do presently, what they need help on, and
what they could learn or work on. This was all a part of authentic assessment. I used all of this
data to write up the lesson plans as well as write out the modifications and adaptations for each
child. I then took observational notes during and right after each lesson based on what the boys
were doing developmentally for each domain. I then matched those observations onto the TS
Gold assessment to see where they fall within the continuum.
There are different levels of development for each objective for TS Gold. Levels one and
two refer to what birth to two-year olds should be able to accomplish. Levels three to six refer to
what three- to five-years old should be able to accomplish. Lastly, levels seven to nine refer to
what five-year olds and older should be able to accomplish. Note that some of the children I
assessed fall below or are higher than where they should be based on their age. For example, T
is higher in the literacy and mathematics domains, but is lower in the social-emotional domain.
This tells me that he is not good at managing his emotions and is not good in big groups, but will
excel academically when working one on one. L and C are low in the domains of literacy,
language, and mathematics. They also fall behind in the physical domain. This tells me what
accommodations to make for future lessons and that they need more direct instruction on these
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domains and concepts. The assessments for lesson with the different objectives and children are
below.
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Lesson 1: TS GOLD Objectives

21

22
The Arts
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Reflection
As I reflect on my practicum experience I am reminded of what a privilege it was to work
in the integrated preschool room that I did. I have learned so many things not just school and
content related, but also about myself as a future educator. With any practicum comes
experiences that went well and those with problems. I have learned from my practicum and with
that there are things that I would change and things I would keep the same. I have also gained
knowledge about myself as a teacher including my current philosophy, professional
development, personal and professional goals, and other global reflections of the teacher I would
like to become. Those points are answered in the following pages as I reflect on my practicum
experience in the preschool room at Shepardson.
To start, I honestly was nervous about this practicum placement; before this placement,
preschool was not what I wanted to teach and I did not want to teach children with special needs.
I did not let this thinking stop me from investing in the classroom and the children though and in
the end I am glad I had this placement. I have found a new passion for children with special
needs and I have found that I do not mind preschool at all. This shows how if one keeps children
at the center of their work and focuses on the passion they have for children instead of the dislike
that they feel for whatever placement they are in, one can gain a new passion and much
knowledge.
Many experiences went well. The children were all engaged and curious throughout my
lessons and we had great conversations surrounding the topic the lesson focused on. It is
amazing how much preschoolers know on different topics. I felt prepared for my lessons and
implemented the lessons pretty much exactly how I planned them. The modifications and
adaptations that I planned out for L, T, and C also had great success. My mentor teacher and the
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two paras in the classroom were also great at aiding me and supplying me with the knowledge to
be successful in not just that specific classroom but also future classrooms. The interactions
between me and the students also went well most of the time, although there were some
instances where this was not the case. I held the children up to high expectations and most of the
time they in turn acted respectfully and positively.
Although there were many experiences that went well, like in any classroom problems
arose. Most of the problems stemmed from behavioral issues and classroom management. T has
trouble regulating his emotions and communicating why he is upset clearly enough for us to help
him. This creates problems within the classroom for him, the teacher, the other children, and me.
I was not ready to handle such behavior problems and that only made it worse for T. With the
help of the mentor teacher, I learned the tricks on how to calm T down and how to communicate
with him. This included getting on his level, having him directly at me, and telling him
repeatedly to tell me what was wrong or repeatedly ask him what he wanted. Then if he was still
fussing, I could hug him or apply pressure to his shoulders, as touch and pressure calms T down.
After I learned these tricks, the problems were not that scary or daunting. Problems like these
can be resolved as long as there is positivity and trust between the teacher and student. This
demonstrated how important and valuable the interactions between teacher and student are. This
situation has also made me aware that children really value consistency while balancing variety
or new activities/concepts with familiar ones. For example, we also have the morning routine
which is consistence and familiar before going on to the new activities or concepts.
Along with learning just how valuable teacher-student relationships and interactions are
from personal experience, I learned many other things from this practicum placement. As I
talked about earlier, I have also learned about a new passion. Children with special needs are
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intelligent and great students just like their typically developing peers, they just need some extra
help. I have learned how to observe the children intently in order to know what they need and
how to give them what they need. I have learned to take initiative when helping these children
as well which has helped me grow as a teacher. I have also learned that flexibility is key.
Although my lessons were implemented smoothly for the most part, I have seen days when a
lesson cannot be implemented at all and the teacher has to change the whole entire day or
activity. This is where I have learned that a teacher needs to be prepared and have lessons
planned out, but they also need to be flexible in changing those plans. Flexibility is also key
when working with a student one on one so that those interactions stay child focused instead of
teacher focused. Some days are not good days for certain children and the teacher has to be okay
with that, change plans, and try that activity or assessment another day. As teachers, we always
want to be strengths focused and child focused which means working with the child’s schedule
and process so that we are getting them at their best.
Although I felt many experiences went well and I was content with my lessons, there are
always experiences or things that I would do differently, that is a part of the learning and
growing process. In the future, I would want to expand on my lessons to incorporate other topics
or activities so that I am expanding on the children’s interest and curiosity on that specific topic.
For example, the next lesson I would have for my Three Little Pigs lesson would be a wind
activity. I would set up a fan or blow dryer with many materials of different weights. I would
have the children predict which materials would blow away and which materials would not. I
would connect this wind lesson back to the Three Little Pigs stating how the straw and sticks
were not strong, sturdy, or heavy enough to not be blown away by the wolf, but how the bricks
were heavy enough to not be blown away. I would use the vocabulary I used in with the Three
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Little Pigs in this lesson as well to remind the children of those vocabulary words. Adding on
next steps and having a next lesson that would expand on past lessons is what I would do
differently.
I have gained much knowledge about myself as a teacher through this practicum
experience. My personal goals include gaining more knowledge about inclusive classrooms and
educating myself on how to support children with special needs. I also want to educate myself
on the different types of disabilities, policies and laws about those disabilities, IEPS,
assessments, etc. I believe educating myself is the first step to becoming a better person and
teacher for this specific topic. My professional goals include going to conferences and
discussions on inclusivity, early childhood, and teaching in order to gain more experience in the
education field. A goal of mine also include going to graduate school to get a master’s in Special
Education and getting licensed to teach in a special education or integrated classroom. These
goals all stem from my experience in this integrated preschool classroom.
Global reflections of the teacher I would like to become includes having inclusive and
developmentally appropriate classroom practices. This would include making sure each lesson
was age appropriate, individually appropriate, and socially and culturally appropriate. I would
also like to become the teacher that is known as being collaborative because I believe co-
teaching and working with other teachers is very beneficial and valuable not only to each other,
but to the children in the classroom too. Through collaboration, the children are getting the best
pieces of teaching through combining the best of a variety of teaching practices. I also would
like to become the teacher that advocates for their students and advocates for education as a
whole.
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This semester has also supported my professional development. This experience has
supported me to improve my initiative skills. I have been one to hang back in the classroom, but
through this experience and the support of the teachers around me, I have since gained
confidence within the classroom which has pushed me to take more initiative. I have more
confidence with taking initiative, leading lessons, leading conversations with the children,
supporting children with special needs, and dealing with classroom management, behavioral
issues, and conflict solution. I also have an even greater desire to improve my performance
through education and resources that I named above in my personal and professional goals. This
practicum placement has supported me in improving my professional development and I will
strive to continue to improve.
Lastly, this practicum placement has contributed to my evolving philosophy. I will
continue to include concepts from both progressivism and existentialism, but there are also
concepts that I have incorporated on my own. This includes having a child focused and strengths
based practice and philosophy, while also including components of intentional and authoritative
teaching. I believe the child is competent, ready to learn, and unique. Children are competent
enough to let them lead me in the lessons and topics that they want to explore which is why I
want my teaching to be child focused. Children are also unique in their intelligences, which are
described by Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, and the way they learn which is
why I want to focus on these different intelligences and the strengths that they hold. I want to be
an encourager and supporter of their unique intelligences which is why I want my teaching to be
strengths based. This is also why I will teach the whole child and why my lessons will be an
integration across different disciplines and developmental domains.

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My passion is with children and not just teaching them academics, but making
meaningful relationships with them as well. I want to support them in their success not only in
school but also in life. I believe in teaching children to explore their creativity and learning
rather than just listening to direct instruction, although I know direct instruction is needed at the
appropriate time. Components I want to include for the children is effective praise as a way to
let them know they are doing well at a specific task instead of only saying, “Good job” and
including time for exploratory play to support that creative piece for the children. The last part
of my philosophy is the never ending goal of becoming a better, more educated teacher for my
students. All of these concepts go into making my philosophy of teaching. I have evolved this
philosophy based on my past experiences combined with the experiences I gained from this
practicum placement. This demonstrates how valuable and how much I learned from this
placement. It was truly a privilege to work and learn in the integrated preschool classroom at
Shepardson.
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APENDIX A: Supports for Children with Special Needs

Focus Tools
Sensory items for children to touch and Sensory seats for children to have
play with so that their hands are busy and sensory input while focusing on
they can focus on speaking and listening speaking and listening
Sensory seat that lights up and

vibrates, so children have extra
sensory input. Can use on various
parts of body, not just as a seat
Here, L is sitting on a sensory seat in

the special chair. This helps him sit up
right so that he can see properly. The
Here, L is chewing on a rubber focus seat helps him have the sensory input Here, C is jumping on the trampoline
tool. His mouth and hands are busy so he needs to focus to relieve energy in order to regain
he can focus on listening focus
Special chairs to help children sit up

right so they can focus
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Hand over Hand Assistance
Here, C is receiving hand over hand Here, L is receiving hand over hand
assistance for coloring. The para will assistance for coloring. The para
start with her hand over his and then knows his zone of proximal
will slowly release responsibility over development enough to know he
to C and let him have the would not be able to color on his own
independence to do it on his own so she helps him bridge that gap by
providing assistance
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APENDIX B: Field Assignments

Field Assignment #1: Families and Professionalism
1.1 What does it mean to be a professional? What will you do to demonstrate that in your
classroom?
Being professional means to be on time, dependable, dressing and acting appropriately at
all times in the school, and being respectful. I will always make sure I am acting and dressing as
if I am in an interview for that school at all times. I will also work on showing initiative in the
classroom and being a person the teacher can depend on and look to for help even though I am
just a student myself. I will also look back to the professional dispositions paper to reference
how I should act and grow as a professional in the classroom.
1.2 List three professional goals that you have set for yourself this semester.
I can always grow professionally and this field experience allows me to do that, which I
am thankful for that. One goal I have for myself is to learn more about a culturally responsive
classroom and learn how to include that into my field experience. Another goal is to accept more
constructive criticism, really listen to it, and apply it to my life. The last goal is that I want to
show more initiative in the classroom since that is an important part in being professional in the
classroom. This comes with having more confidence in my abilities as a practicum student and
combining what I have learned in my classes with the concepts the teacher is sharing with me
and show more initiative in the classroom.
1.3 Describe one thing that you will do this semester to create a support and inclusive
environment for all families in your classroom.
In order to create a supportive and inclusive environment, I want to first meet all the
parents who come in and introduce myself so they know I am here to help and support their
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children. Second, through talking to the teacher and talking to the children, I want to learn about
their backgrounds so I can work on supporting them and being inclusive for the different
backgrounds. This is a concept I struggle with so I will talk to my teacher and get ideas on how
she creates an inclusive classroom as well as reference articles on this subject in order to have a
better idea on how to create this environment.
1.4 How does your Mentor Teacher collect the information they need on the cultural
groups represented among your children and their families? What is done with the
information once it’s collected?
My mentor teacher has the families fill out a survey during their first conference, open
house, or home visit. They have the families write down their different cultural values, holidays,
etc. so that she knows more about the families and children and their home life. The school’s
curriculum/ assessment program (GOLD) also asks questions that gain insight into a family’s
background and culture such as if the child speaks a different question at home.
Through the information being collected, the teacher uses these different cultural values
and holidays to get to know the children on a personal level and use teaching strategies and
activities that best fit that child’s background. She also celebrates different holidays of the
children in the classroom and explains that there are all kinds of different cultures. My mentor
teacher did mention her classroom, and Shepardson as a whole, is not a very diverse, so different
cultures/backgrounds of the children do not come up very often.

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Field Assignment #2: Development and Learning
2.1 List three goals established for the children in your setting.
One goal that is established for the children in my preschool setting is to remain
respectful throughout the day, especially during small group and whole group times (self-
regulation). Another goal is to learn how to write and identify the letter of the week every week
(literacy knowledge and skills standards). The third goal is to learn how to communicate their
needs and wants effectively to the teachers (socio-emotional standards and language standards).
All of these goals will help the children grow and develop in this classroom.
2.2 How does your classroom demonstrate developmentally appropriate practices?
My classroom demonstrates developmentally appropriate practices through creating a
community of learners that is supportive and caring. The teachers truly care about the children
and their learning and do everything they can to develop and scaffold that learning. Another way
is by implementing teaching strategies and lesson plans that are appropriate for each child’s
individual development and learning style. For example, in the morning the children come in to
work on writing their name and the letter of the week. Some children are learning to write upper
case, some are learning to write lower case, and one little boy is working on just tracing his name
with his finger. This activity is designed for each individual student based on their age and
ability. The routines in the classroom are well suited for the children; the classroom is also
flexible too in order to accommodate for children’s needs. The teachers have clear goals in mind
when working with the children and that shows through the lessons. The last way is through the
way the classroom is set up and the learning is set up to address the learning needs of all
children. The classroom is integrated with typically developing peers and children with special
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needs, and the classroom does well to accommodate each child’s needs no matter what their age
and ability is.
2.3 Identify one skill (i.e., parallel play, conservation, classification) and the corresponding
developmental domain (i.e., cognitive, motor, language, social- emotional) that you have
seen demonstrated by the children in your classroom Describe the scenario and how the
Mentor Teacher supported this skill and developmental domain.
I have been seeing the skill of early writing which falls under the category of literacy
knowledge and skills according to the Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines.
Every morning the children will sit down and find their folder with their picture on it. They will
then trace their names and then copy it down below. After they are done practicing with writing
their name, they will flip the folder over and trace the letter of the week. After they trace the
letter they will write the letter on their own down below. This scenario describes how the
children are working on their writing skills. The mentor teacher supported this by scaffolding
the children while they were writing. She would coach them on how to draw a certain letter if
they got stuck. She also supported this by being attentive to where each child was at in their
writing. Each child would have either capital letters or lower case letters depending on where
their ability for writing was at. By having the children write their names before the letter, she
was encouraging their own interests and engaging them with their name which every children
wanted to write. She would also display the letter of the week all over the room in case the
children needed to look at visuals in order to write the letter. Through all of this, the mentor
teacher was supporting every child’s ability to write.

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Field Assignment #3: Classroom Materials
3.1 Explore the materials available in your classroom and shared within the program.
Describe one activity using materials that you found that you could implement in your
classroom.
Some materials that the classroom has is scissors, glue, construction paper, and crayons.
An activity that can be done is to have the children try to cut shapes out and I as a teacher will
also cut out shapes. Then the children can create a playground using the shapes and gluing them
onto the piece of paper. This lets their creativity and imagination come into play while learning
and using the different shapes. This activity also lets them practice their fine motor skills and
independence. After they are done making their playground, I could go around and have them
tell me what is on their playground and how it works. This helps them with their communication
skills and gives them a chance to explain their picture. This activity also lets them use a variety
of materials and lets them have more opportunity to value and care for the materials.
3.2 What procedures and routines are in place to demonstrate and teach children the value
of caring for materials?
The teacher tells the students to care for the materials and states that they should take care
of the materials so that their friends/peers have something to use later on. She also described
how they would want other people to take care of their materials and not do anything to break
them, so they should want to take care of the school’s materials. The teacher also models how to
use and take care of the materials as well when they are using them. There are many
opportunities for the children to practice the value of caring for materials through the variety of
activities and play time that goes on in the classroom.

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3.3 Find out about the program’s procedures for purchasing materials. Describe the
process below.
For the preschool classroom that I am in for my field experience, the teacher gets $400
per class for the year. She has a morning class and an afternoon class, so total she gets $800 a
year. This budget also goes toward field trips, so not all of it is spent on materials. My mentor
teacher also said she gets to use the school’s materials like construction paper and tape for free.
She said this does not always happen since the preschool is considered separate from the
elementary school. She said at the last school she was at that she had to pay to use the laminator,
to use tape and construction paper, etc. So, it seems my mentor teacher is lucky in the fact that
she does not have to buy these kinds of materials. Therefore, my mentor teachers gets to focus
her budget on other materials she might need for the year. As for buying the materials, she said
there is a warehouse for the school district to buy their basic materials at. They do need to
submit a request to the office manager and get it approved before using their budget at the
warehouse. The school also has a purchasing card to purchase materials at places like Walmart
or on Amazon, but again she would have to submit a request in order and get it approved to use
her budget. Lastly, she said this particular school is very lucky because the parents contribute to
the school often. The Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) will open their budget up to the
teachers if they have extra money left over from their fundraising. The PTO will consider the
requests of the teachers and will let them know if they can fund that item or if one of them has
items like that personally that they can donate. All of these are the ways for my mentor teacher
to purchase materials.
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Field Assignment #4: Social Development
4.1 What skill would you like to improve upon in your interactions with children?
One skill I really want to focus on is to promote independence within my interactions
with the children. Independence is extremely important for preschoolers, so I want to help
facilitate that in a positive way with my interactions. This means that when they need
something, I will be warm and positive, but also expect them to ask for that something using
effective communication rather than just fussing. If they throw something or drop something, I
will ask warmly if they will pick it up themselves, instead of jumping at the chance to do it for
them every single time. I would love to improve upon this skill with my interactions because I
believe it will help their development and independence. I will do this through my positive
interactions. This skill creates independence for the children and they learn their own social
skills through these interactions. All of this will also help develop their social development
through knowing how to have positive interactions with me, their teacher, and their peers.
4.2 What indirect strategies does your Mentor Teacher use to facilitate positive interactions
in the classroom?
She uses respectful language in the classroom to model what positive interactions look
like in the classroom. She will also use stories or experiences to describe what positive
interactions look like to the class. Modeling is a lot of what my mentor teacher does to facilitate
positive interactions. I personally think modeling is a great indirect strategy to facilitate any kind
of positive interaction because the children look to adults to model their own behavior after. She
also tries to let the children work it out on their own first before helping so that the children can
practice problem solving and getting to a point where they are using positive interactions.
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4.3 An alignment of verbal and non-verbal behaviors is necessary to convey accurate
messages to children about their behavior. Describe a situation when you had to modify a
child’s behavior. What was the result? What would you do differently next time?
A child (Child A) kept stealing a toy from another child (Child B), so I wanted to modify
this behavior because stealing is bad and Child B was starting to yell. I would first observe to
see how the children handled this situation themselves and when Child B was not able to
problem solve on their own in order to get their toy back I intervened. I first asked who had the
toy first in order for them both to tell me their sides of the story. I waited and listened.
Afterwards, I turned to Child A and asked how they would feel if somebody took a toy from
them since they might be able to take the perspective of another person quite yet, they are able to
think about their own feelings and experiences. After that I told them how I would feel because I
was modeling my own awareness of my feelings as well as empathy for others. I told Child A
that they could have the toy after Child B was done playing with it and I named other choices for
them to do while waiting for that toy. The result ended up being that Child A went and played
with something else and the conflict was solved. This whole conversation was meant to model
problem solving, empathy, what is right and wrong in social situations, and how to have good
social relationships. What I would do differently would be to be mindful of my nonverbal
behavior because I do not pay attention to that as much as what I am saying.
For example, I notice that I cross my arms a lot of the time and this could come off as not
being warm and supportive. I want to be more aware of how I act nonverbally because I model
how to act in social situations. I would also take time to ask the children afterwards what they
would do if this situation happens next time or if they would do anything different in solving the
39
conflict when I helped. This would help them better their problem solving skills in social
situations as well as self-awareness and reflective skills.

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Field Assignment #5: Reflective Statements, Redirection, and Consequences
5.1 List four reflective statements that you used in conversation with children in the
classroom. What was the child’s response?
A reflective statement I have used was, “Wow! I see that you are drawing a J the correct
way!” The child’s response to this was smiling and asking me to watch her write the rest of her
name. Another statement I have made was, “I noticed you were sharing the book with K.” Both
children smiled to this and the child who was sharing said, “Yes, sharing is a nice thing to do. ”
Another statement I have made was, “I noticed you are not on your spot.” The child then got on
their spot at the carpet. Lastly, I have used a reflective statement such as, “You are kicking K
with your feet.” The child stopped kicking when I said this. All of the children have responded
well to my reflective statements. I think the reflective statements work well because they are
clear, to the point, and they know what they are specifically doing right or wrong. Children at
this age need specific and clear expectations and directions in my opinion which is why
reflective statements work well for these situations.
5.2 Describe a time when you had to redirect a child’s behavior. What strategies did you
try? What would you do differently next time?
I have tried the “Personal Message” strategy before without being able to name the
strategy that I was using. This strategy includes three parts which are reflection, identifying
emotion or consequence, and appropriate course of action. A time that I had to redirect a child’s
behavior was when a student was spinning around and bumping into the other students when
they were supposed to be lining up. I had said, “I see that you are pushing and bumping into
everyone. I don’t think your friends like that, it might hurt them. Please stop pushing and stay in
line. ” When the child would not stop pushing and bumping into the children, I had to give a
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consequence. I said, “If you do not stop pushing and bumping into them, you will have to stay in
for five minutes while your friends go out to the playground.” Through this class and the
readings I can see that I was using a strategy called the Personal Message and that I was using a
logical consequence. Strategies like this one can help praise a desired behavior or help correct
and undesirable behavior. Next time, I would ask the child what they think they should do
before I give my own course of action to see if they know what to do in a situation like that. If
they do not have an answer, I can then proceed with a course of action and a consequence if
needed.
5.3 Describe a time when you had to follow-through with a consequence. Describe the
scenario and the consequence given. How did you implement it? How effect was it in
modifying the undesirable behavior? What would you do differently next time?
A student was throwing a toy car around so I intervened and stated what I saw and that
the expectations were to not throw that car around. Again, I went through what I now know as
the Personal Message. I told the student that I did not want to see the car being thrown again as
it could hurt someone and because the expectation is that we do not throw things. After seeing
that the student would not stop, I told them that I would have to take the car away and move
them to a different spot if they did not stop throwing the car. This consequence is what I know
now as a logical consequence because it is directly related to the rule and there is a connection
between the behavior and resulting action. The child would still not stop throwing the car so I
took the car after it landed on the floor from being thrown and put it up. I also redirected the
child’s body away from the area where they were playing cars. This was example of when I had
to follow through with a consequence. I implemented the consequence by taking the car away
and moving the child to another area. The child was upset and fussed about the car being taken
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away. I told the child why I had to take away the car and I said, “Next time you can keep it if
you do not throw it.” This consequence seemed to work because I have not seen the child throw
another car around yet. As with my other scenarios, I would like to ask the child what they think
they should do as well as what their consequence should be because it helps them see how their
behavior was undesired and builds on their problem solving skills. They are also more likely to
remember what was wrong in the situation if they work through it with me in my opinion. Next
time, I might also think about giving the toy back after a while to see if they have changed
modified their behavior after we went over it together. I am not sure if this would work or not
though.
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Field Assignment #6: The Physical Environment
6.1- Draw in detail the room or rooms in which you work with children.
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6.2 Examine the physical space and design of the classroom. Answer the following
questions.
1. Can children move from one part of the room to another without interfering other
children? Yes
2. Are pathways arranged so that children do not interrupt each other? Moving around
the children’s tables can be difficult and the children could interrupt each other in this
pathway.
3. Are the boundaries between learning centers clear? Yes
4. Are areas arranged to encourage active child choice? Yes
5. Is storage nearby and labeled so children can put things away? Yes
6. Are centers placed so that quiet areas are separate from more active noisy areas? Yes
7. Are there places where children may work alone? Yes
8. Are there places where children may work with a small group? Yes
9. Are there places where children may work with a large group? Yes
10. Are temporary centers adjacent to core centers to which they are related? No
11. Can adults see the children all the time? Yes
12. Is the room big enough for adults and children to gather with comfort? Yes
13. Are furnishings child sized? Yes
14. Do the decorations reflect the specific backgrounds, experiences, and identities of the
children? Yes
15. Is the environment filled with words, books, and symbols? Yes
16. Is there a convenient place for children to keep their personal things? Yes
17. Are adult areas separated from child areas? Yes

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Plus the mentor teacher displays many of the children’s works, which is very important in
my opinion.
6.3 Describe one challenge in the classroom (can be behavioral, managerial, etc.) and how a
change in the physical environment may help to alleviate the situation.
The pathway between the tables and chair that the children sit at are tight. This causes
the children to run into one another, get stuck while trying to move, and get into each other’s
space. This causes frustration between the children and some will get angry. So this lack of
space is causing behavioral challenges. If the tables were set up differently to where there was
more space to move around them, this could alleviate many problems. If there was a change to
allow more room to move around children would not be bumping into one another which will
alleviate physical challenges. Since children will not be running into one another or not being
able to move, the children will not get frustrated and will therefore not have behavioral issues.
Physical and behavioral challenges can be solved by doing little things such as moving a couple
of tables away from each other like in this scenario. The environment makes a world of
difference in how smoothly the classroom runs, so something should be done if there are
challenges to this.
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Field Assignment #7: Facilitating Smooth Transitions
7.1 What strategies are in place to facilitate transitions from one activity to the next?
Giving a five-minute warning before there will be a transition has been very helpful from
what I have seen because it gives children time to process and be ready for the transition. The
teacher will also give clear, simple, and concise instructions for the transition and for what the
next activity will be before they go into the transition, so they are not wondering what will
happen next. The teacher also guides them during the transition. This all makes for a smooth
transition as I have seen in the preschool placement.
7.2 What considerations do teachers need to make when designing and implementing
transitions to move children from one activity to the next (i. e. , dismissing from large
group, getting ready to leave the classroom, lunchtime routines, etc. )?
My mentor teacher keeps the age and developmental abilities in mind when
implementing transitions. Some children need clearer and simpler guidelines for what will
happen before, during, and after the transition while others are able to understand more complex
guidelines or directions. Some children need full on or hand-on-hand assistance during a
transition while others are more independent and can transition completely on their own. She is
able to include all of their abilities and developmental age in mind when implementing
transitions since every child is different and reacts to transitions differently. This comes from
getting to know each child personally and having that trusting relationship with them. By
making sure to include differences and differentiate for each child, it will make for a smoother
transition for each individual child.

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7.3 Describe your experiences facilitating transitions this week. What worked well? What
didn’t you anticipate? What would you do differently next time?
I had a chance to facilitate a transition from whole to small group. Before I had them get
up to move, I explained what they were going to do next. I also explained how I wanted them to
transition into the next activity by telling them to be polite and move quietly. I gave clear
directions so that they would know what to do once they transitioned into their next activity and
this helped them stay focused, stay on task, and not be distracted by the transition. I had the
other teachers in the room take the two children first to their spots in the small group since they
needed the most assistance. I then let the other children go to their spots. Next time, I will call
on a couple children at a time to go to their seats instead of them all getting up at once. It
became a little chaotic when they all got up at once and they would start getting distracted from
bumping into one another and talking. This will make it less chaotic and a smoother transition
and I can also praise those who were sitting politely at whole group to go pick their seat first.
This will model how they should act during whole group to those who were not doing that as
well as will lead to a smooth transition.

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Field Assignment #8: Implementation of Small and Large Group Activities
Reflect on the experience of implementing a small group activity.
8.1 How did your advance preparation (or lack of it) contribute to the success or lack of
success of the activity?
By knowing exactly what I was doing before I implemented the activity and having it
written out in case I forgot a piece of the lesson helped contribute to the success of the activity.
Doing this helped the activity run more smoothly and I was able to articulate my directions
clearly and simply because I was that well prepared. Already having a model of what I wanted
them to do also helped immensely because the children were able to see the end goal and look to
it if they got stuck. Also, by being prepared and having everything written out, I was able to
look back on the standards and accommodations I was implementing to make sure I was on the
right track during the lesson and to make sure we were hitting on the goals and skills I wanted to
include. This was the same with the whole group time. Lastly, knowing where the children were
at before this activity in skill level and what knowledge/content they knew helped in being
prepared for this lesson, this was the same with the whole group time.
8.2 Did you carry out the activity as originally planned?
I did carry out the activity as planned and the accommodations I had planned also went
well.
8.3 How did you get the children involved in the activity and how did you encourage them
to participate?
I set the children up to be engaged for the small group activity during the whole group
activity. During the whole group activity, which was first, I read the book (Three Little Pigs) to
the children and I would stop and ask them to read it back to me before I would go on. This
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helped the children stay engaged because they were reading and doing as much work as I was,
they were also predicting which made it fun for them. I would praise them when they got the
story right and this made them even more excited. I then explained the small group activity and
that they were going to make their own Three Little Pigs book by putting the story in order and
that they would get to color, cut, and glue on their own. This chance for independence and being
able to show me what they learned during whole group (and how smart they are), seemed to
make them more engaged during the activity. They were also able to problem solve by putting
the story in order which kept them involved. I then connected their small group activity to
centers or play time which was next by saying they could bring their books to centers and act the
story out in dramatic play. Having different types of activities in this one lesson kept them
involved in my opinion, the activities included problem solving, discussions, and
demonstrations.
8.4 How did you structure the activity for success?
I made sure I explained the directions clearly before they even went to the tables to get
started. I then would only give them one step at a time. I would put crayons on their table to
color first, then when they were done coloring I would hand them scissors to cut out the pieces of
the story. After they were done cutting, I would have them line up the story to make sure they
got it correct first before they glued them down. After they had the right order, I would give
them glue to glue it down and then show them how to fold it. By taking it step by step, the
children were able to follow along better and not get too overwhelmed with too many directions.
This also helped the teachers be able to monitor the children and what they were doing better
than if all the children were trying to color, cut, and glue all at once. I also made sure two boys
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had two teachers that could help with hand-on-hand assistance so that they would also have
success with the activity.
8.5 What will you do differently next time?
Next time, I would make the sequencing activity have more pieces in the story to put in
order, since this activity only had four pieces, for children who were older and were able to take
on more at one time. This would help keep them more challenged and engaged and would align
with their zone of proximal development better. Also, for the children who needed more
assistance, I would have only had two pieces that they needed to put in order to align with their
zone of proximal development better.
Reflect on the experience of implementing a large group activity.
8.6 How did your advance preparation (or lack of it) contribute to the success or lack of
success of the activity?
Again, I felt I was prepared for whole group time, but not as much as the small group
time. I was not ready for how distracted the children would get when they were all together or
that they were rambunctious because it was the first thing we did in the morning. They wanted
to keep telling me about their night or things that were off topic. However, I kept my patience
and tried to move the whole group time along saying things like, “Oh we can talk about that at
centers or snack time, but right now we are going to focus on whole group.” This seemed to
work well although I found myself having to repeat this throughout the beginning of whole
group time. After we got through the routine parts of whole group and into the actual activity
they became more focused and engaged. I felt prepared for the actual activity part as I read the
Three Little Pigs and had them guess and recall the details of the story to read it before I read the
actual words on the page. Overall, I felt prepared with the activity, but not quite as much with
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the side things that were going on during whole group. The whole group was successful though,
despite not being completely prepared for the lack of focus and conversations.
8.7 Did you carry out the activity as originally planned?
I did carry out the activity as originally planned, although I would have to pause often
because of the distractions.
8.8 How did you get the children involved in the activity and how did you encourage them
to participate?
The children were engaged on their own because they seemed to love to tell me what they
remembered of the story. This book was also very catchy which also kept the children engaged
and wanting to participate. I think having an activity where the children had a chance to
participate instead of only sitting and listening helped keep them more engaged and involved
during whole group time. Being able to connect what they were doing in whole group to small
group and centers and explaining the connections also helped encourage them to participate
because they wanted to do the other activities, but they knew they needed to participate in this
activity first before they could do the other ones.
8.9 How did you structure the activity for success?
I made sure to stick to their morning routine before I went into my activity for whole
group so that whole group would be familiar to them. The routine included greeting time,
counting, and going over the schedule. This familiarity helped keep them focused and engaged
which contributed to the success of the activity. I made sure to not make the whole group
activity very long because I knew they could not sit there for very long. I made sure the children
who needed extra help to focus had their focus tools in order to stay engaged and so they would
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be able to sit at whole group for that time. I also structured read aloud time or story telling time
into this whole group; children this age love stories and they help children this age stay engaged.
8.10 What will you do differently next time?
I would make the whole group time longer. They seemed to be very engaged during the
whole time and activity and I feel like I cut their learning too short when we could have kept
going and opened up more conversations and thinking about the lesson. I should have had some
more questions that I could have asked to keep the thinking going, but I did not know how long
they would be able to sit there. For my next lesson, I will have questions to keep the learning
going during whole group time in case they are still listening and focused. If they are not able to
sit for very long next time, then I can skip the questions for whole group and bring them into
small group or centers. Having this back up, playing off of their engagement and learning, and
making it longer is what I would do differently next time.

53
Field Assignment #9: Assessment in Early Childhood
9.1 How do you know that children have learned as a result of your teaching?
I am able to use different types of assessments and strategies to track children’s learning.
I can use my authentic assessment of observations and match them to the children’s T. S. Gold
documents to see where they are at, where they need to be, and to see if they have reached that
point or not. By being able to assess where they are at in their learning, development, and skills,
I can tell if the children have learned as a result of my teaching.
9.2 What strategies are in place in the classroom to assess student learning (both formal
and informal)?
Strategies that are in place to assess student learning include screening tools, readiness
measures, sociograms, observation and annotation, anecdotal records, frequency counts, KWL
charts, checklists and inventories, rating scales and rubrics, participation charts, oral reading tests
or running records, teacher-child mini conferences, The Ecomap, and self-appraisal by the child.
There is also diagnostic assessment to determine whether a child has special needs or not, which
will help with assessing their learning.
9. 3 Document your observations of a child using this format for anecdotal records.
Child (use a pseudonym): L.

Date and Time: March 22, 2018 at 9:55 AM
Setting: Classroom during centers (open play time)
Purpose/ Focus of Observation To assess L’s motor development during
centers
Anecdote: L pulled himself up using the light table and
leaned on the light table to stand for five
minutes
Reflection/ Interpretation L. is working on his gross motor skills
by being able to pull himself up and stand
with assistance. This is working towards an
54
IEP goal under the physical development

domain.
9.4 Conducting a time sample is a valuable way to assess use of the classroom and patterns
in behavior. Document your observations of five children using this time sampling format.
List the activities available on that day and code them. For example, block play= 1 pretend
play=2 easel=3, snack table=4, sensory table=5, etc. At five-minute intervals, observe
where each child is and document that on the chart. What patterns do you see emerging?
1=cars on floor 2=dramatic play 3=shapes on easel 4= sensory table 5= puzzles
Children Observed: 5 Minutes 10 Minutes 15 Minutes

J. 5 1 2
A. 2 1 2
T. 3 3 3
R. 2 2 2
G. 1 4 4
• J. moved around a lot, I would assume it is because her attention span is very short
since she is only3.
• A. started out at one activity, went to a new activity, and then went back to the activity
he was first at. He is five.
• T. stayed at one activity the whole time; he loves shapes and becomes very focused on
them. He is five and is on the spectrum.
• R. stayed at one activity the whole time. He is three with some developmental delays.
• G. started at one activity and then moved on to a new activity but stayed there for
longer. She is five.
• (Knowing ages and developmental abilities aid in assessing if the behavior notes is
typical or not and may help explain why they are doing those specific patterns)
9.5 Conduct a brief developmental assessment utilizing the rubric below.
Objective: Children will demonstrate appropriate listening skills during large group.
55
Basic- Emerging Listener:

Does not follow directions, Needs constant redirection. Inattentive, Difficulty
focusing attention for more than a few minutes, Constantly disruptive.
Developing- Developing Listener:
Has difficulty following directions, Relies on repetition, Often inattentive, Has short
attention span, Often interrupts the speaker
Proficient- Capable Listener:
Follows oral directions, Usually attentive to speaker and to discussions, Listens to
others without interrupting
Advanced- Strong Listener:
Responds immediately to oral directions, Focuses on the speaker, Maintains an
appropriate attention span, Listens to what others are saying, Is interactive.
Children Basic: Developing: Proficient: Advanced:
Observed:
J. X
E. X
T. X
L. X
O. X
• J. is three years old

• E. is four years old
• T. is five years old and is on the spectrum
• L. is four years old
• O. is four years old
• (Knowing ages and developmental abilities will aid in assessing if the behavior being
exhibited is typical or not for the specific children and may help explain why they are exhibiting
those behaviors. )
56
Field Assignment #10: Anti-Bias Awareness
10.1 What kinds of differences make you most uncomfortable as a teacher?
Before this practicum, children that have disabilities or special needs worried me when
working with them because I did not know how to specifically teach them or know how to
accommodate to them. After learning and being in the classroom with children with special
needs, I have found that I love working with this population. This shows how knowledge and
experience will help teachers become less uncomfortable with children who have differences. I
have also found that I get nervous around children who have different backgrounds not because
they are wrong or weird, but because I do not know much about backgrounds other than my own.
This shows me that I should start to read up and talk to the families about their backgrounds and
ask questions in order to become more comfortable with teaching them. I love all children no
matter what differences they have, but I still need more knowledge in order to fully feel
comfortable teaching them so that I do not accidentally have bias or go against their
backgrounds.
10.2 In your experience, when do teachers know more than parents? When do parents
know more than teachers?
I feel that teachers know more than parents when it comes to teaching strategies within
the classroom and teaching strategies parents can use at home. An example of this is if a child is
an English Language Learner, the teacher knows what strategies to implement in the classroom
to work on the English language with them as well as what strategies the parents can use at home
to work on this. I feel the parents know more about their child’s temperament, personality,
background, and culture more than the teacher because that is their child and they spend the most
time with them. They are also the ones at home that are implementing their culture and
57
background in their home. Teachers can learn more by talking with parents and asking
questions, so that they have this same knowledge in the classroom. Something I came across in
this practicum that I thought was interesting is that the teachers knew a child was on the
spectrum, but his parents did not, or they did not want to believe that (I am not exactly sure how
they felt since I am not them). This was a unique situation in which the teacher knew more than
the parents and had to work delicately around the subject because she did not want to upset the
parent’s, but she knew the child needed to get the right type of support. The teacher brought in
professionals that knew even more than her in order to sit down with the parents and find the
child the support he needed. This is an example where the teacher knew more than the parents
but had to go about it in a delicate way with a lot of communication. This is also an example
where the teacher admitted she did not know everything and had to bring in other professionals
in order to give all the knowledge they could to the parents.
10.3 What elements of the classroom or curriculum are intended to counteract societal
biases?
The classroom that I am in is an integrated classroom with both children that are general-
ed and children that have special needs. This integration helps counteract societal biases toward
special education because the general-ed students can see that children with special needs are
children just like them, they just need some extra help. This way the children will learn to be
comfortable with children with special needs because they are around them and play with them
all the time. I never got this experience which is why I think I have felt “uncomfortable” for the
longest time. It is the same with children from different backgrounds, when everyone plays with
everyone and shares in the different backgrounds, they become comfortable with those different
backgrounds. The teacher also tries to celebrate different holidays from different backgrounds as
58
well as allows cultural concepts to be brought into the classroom by either the child or their
family as a way to share them with all the children. The children are then excited to learn about
different cultures and backgrounds and see that having a different background is not a bad thing.
I think all of this helps counteract societal biases.
10.4 What adaptations are or need to accommodate a child with a physical disability?
The classroom is set up in a way to allow movement by a child with a physical disability.
For example, there is one child who cannot walk so he has to crawl. The room is set up in a way
that allows plenty of room for him to crawl and nothing dangerous or harmful is on his level.
Toys are put on the floor for him to play with and the bigger toys are at a height and are sturdy so
that he can reach them if he pulls himself up or if a teacher assists him in standing up. The
children’s table is at the right height for him and his wheel chair as well so that he can still
participate in snack time and small group time. Special chairs are used for two boys so that they
can practice sitting up straight on their own and they are used during whole group time.
Scissors, crayons, toys, etc. are all adapted to meet the needs of the children with physical
disabilities as well. Lastly, hand-on-hand assistance is used for small group and snack time to
help adapt the activity and eating for the child with a physical disability.

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Colorado State University

technology, engineering, and math school. Shepardson is located in a fairly wealthy

demographics of the students, expectations, interactions, support, description of the classroom,

General Description of Students

Description of Children Being Assessed

speech therapist, and vision specialist.

expected to follow safety and health rules of the classroom.

Description of the Classroom

Field Assignment #6 expands more on the physical environment of the classroom.

negative behavior and finding a solution to solve the issue at hand.

Family and Community Support

The community and family support is outstanding at Shepardson. Parents contribute to

the classroom this semester are as follows.

Lesson 1- Three Little Pigs Story Time- Whole Group Lesson

W- Letter of the week

Content Standard(s) addressed by this lesson with matching TS GOLD Objective:

Physical Domain: Standard 4.1: Develop hand strength and dexterity

• TS GOLD Objective 7.a

• TS GOLD Objective 1.b

Language Domain: Standard 2.1: Engage in communication and conversation with

• TS GOLD Objective 18.a

• TS GOLD Objective 20.a

Understandings: (Big Ideas)

To predict/retell the story of the Three Little Pigs

Evidence Outcomes: (Learning Targets)

Physical: use two fingers to write out the letter W

Materials: Three Little Pigs book

Lesson 2- Three Little Pigs Sequencing- Small Group Lesson

W- Letter of the week

Content Standard(s) addressed by this lesson with matching TS GOLD Objective:

• TS GOLD Objective 7.b

Social- Emotional Domain: Standard 2.2: Demonstrate age-appropriate independence

• TS GOLD Objective 1.c

• TS GOLD Objective 9.a

• TS GOLD Objective 18.c

Understandings: (Big Ideas)

Evidence Outcomes: (Learning Targets)

Mathematics Knowledge and Skills: put the four pictures in order

Lesson 3- YMCA Dance- Whole Group Lesson

Y- Letter of the week

Content Standard(s) addressed by this lesson with matching TS GOLD Objective:

• TS GOLD Objective 1.b

Language Domain: Standard 1.1: Attend to language during conversations, songs,

• TS GOLD Objective 8.a

• TS GOLD Objective 20.a

Understandings: (Big Ideas)

Evidence Outcomes: (Learning Targets)

group activity that is next

Gold assessment to see where they fall within the continuum.

Lesson 1: TS GOLD Objectives

Lesson 2: TS GOLD Objectives

Lesson 3: TS GOLD Objectives

As I reflect on my practicum experience I am reminded of what a privilege it was to work

knowledge about myself as a teacher including my current philosophy, professional

experience in the preschool room at Shepardson.

time they in turn acted respectfully and positively.

and process so that we are getting them at their best.

goals all stem from my experience in this integrated preschool classroom.

practicum placement has supported me in improving my professional development and I will

strive to continue to improve.

Lastly, this practicum placement has contributed to my evolving philosophy. I will