STUDENT TEACHING APPLICATION SPRING 2020

Sherri Begay
LICENSE SOUGHT:

FLC ID: 900418056

EMAIL: slbegay2@fortlewis.edu

PHONE NUMBER: (970)880-4857

CURRENT ADDRESS: 20280 Hwy 160 A101, Durango,

CO 81303

STUDENT BIOGRAPHY:
Ya’aat’eeh, my name is Sherri Begay. I am born for the Bitter Water clan on my mother’s side, and for the Salt People
clan on my father’s side. I am originally from Wide Ruins, AZ. My mother’s name is Elisa Begaye and my father’s name is Douglass
Leonard Begay. When I was 6 years old, I remember riding my bike and playing outside, I remembered innocence and happiness.
In elementary I stayed in the dormitory at Wide Ruins Community School. I remembered obedience and manners. In my eighth-
grade year I transferred to Wilson Middle School in Albuquerque, NM for a year. I lived with my older sister, Roberta, I
remembered the constant pressure to be a perfectionist for her. Back on the reservation at Ganado High School where I will
graduate with the class of 2012, I remembered culture and education.
Children remember the important things in their lives, what happened and when it happened. My mother was an absent
parent due to alcoholism and my father died from heat stroke when I was only 4 years old. The innocence and happiness of my
childhood was riding my bike on the rolling hills of my reservation home. It was my therapy, riding away from solitude. I made
friends who were experiencing similar situations with their family members. We became friends because of this commonality, we
shared pain. Obedience and manners were learned during my 4 years in the dorm and dorm aids became my replacement mother.
During my time in the dorm I learned how to organize my schedule to make room for homework and learned that books were my
means of escaping reality. In my eighth-grade year, I made new friends who not only looked like me, but had a different color skin
than I. I made black and white friends. I learned that there are many different family structures in various communities. Reflecting
on my life experiences I learned that education was the sole connection to escape my somber life on the reservation, so I held my
education close for protection against alcohol, drugs, violence, and the threat of being a high school dropout.
I am a Navajo girl who learned what education meant and how it can release children like myself from their invisible chains
that are keeping them from being the best they can be. I would like to be involved in the community, to be involved and engaged in
the work of finding solutions, collaborating, giving ideas, and to overcome challenges with families, students, and the school
community. By that I will look at the community demographics, by looking at the various types of families that live in the area. I
will correlate with my field teacher to build positive academic identities for the students by having high expectations, having family-
like relationships, connecting the curriculum to real life experiences, and use active teaching strategies that are personalized for
each student. I will also recognize each student as unique and acknowledge their culture and their strengths.

PLEASE LIST EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN WHICH YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE INVOLVED IN STUDENT
TEACHING:
One of my goals is to establish positive student relationships, by this I would like to be involved with the recess supervision crew either in the
morning or in the afternoon. I would also like to be involved in morning breakfast crew by serving breakfast to students.

BRIEFLY DESCRIBE OUTSIDE INTERESTS THAT MIGHT ENRICH YOUR STUDENT TEACHING/PARTNERSHIP:
I enjoy being artistic during my alone time. I can use my artistic skills and apply them to the classroom by guiding students to be artistically
creative with their presentations. I can make student relationships and help scaffold lessons around Native American culture that involves stories,
taboos, and traditions.
Begay, sherri 900418056 SPRING 2020 STUDENT Teaching

While working with children in my practicum experience and working

TEACHING with preschoolers in Albuquerque I have learned that every child is
unique in their own way. I understand that some children need extra
STRENGTHS support and others don’t need the extra support, as a teacher I will be
there to provide both groups with the support they need. As a
practicum student, I tend to focus on my students’ strengths and not
their weaknesses. I don’t look at a child as a glass that is half empty,
instead I see a child as a glass half full. They come with background
knowledge and it is my goal to continue to build on their schema and
create a growth mindset within all children.

In my practicum experience at Needham and Park Elementary I have

TEACHING noticed that I need to grow in time management. I tended to create
lessons that were either too long or too short. Recognizing this made
me realize that I need to input a back-up plan when creating my lesson
GROWTH plans and add time needed for each section of the lesson plan. Another
teacher growth I would like to fulfill is building positive family
relationships. I want to get to know my student’s families and their
communities. Recognizing this, I can talk to students about their family
and their family beliefs.
Student Teaching Contract
Check off each item before signing

I understand that this application must be approved by the faculty in the Teacher Education Department.
If undergrad/post-bac: I will have completed all required supervised field study hours in 300-400 level courses by the
time I begin student teaching.
If undergrad/post-bac: I have successfully met the math and written proficiency requirements.
If undergrad/post-bac: I have senior or post- baccalaureate standing. I will have completed 100% of the required
education and auxiliary courses (with no extant incomplete grades), 100% of my major, and I will have completed 100%
of the required courses for the endorsement area (K-12 and secondary). I have attached the completed endorsement
sheet signed by the appropriate department (if applicable).
I am currently enrolled in the MAE program. I will have completed 100% of the required courses for the SPRING 2020
semester with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better before the FALL 2019 placement term begins. I will not
have any Incompletes extant before beginning the ST semester/placement.
If undergrad/post-bac: I have earned a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 and no grade lower than a C in
the licensing program (TED) courses.
I will have submitted a completed student teaching application form by the deadline. (PERC approval required for late
submission.)
I understand that I must pass the appropriate Program for Licensing Assessments for Colorado Educators (PLACE) or
PRAXIS exam prior to being placed, unless given an exemption by the PERC committee.
I understand that I will student teach in my assigned position and complete a minimum of 75 contact days and 600/620
hours applicable to my license.
I understand that twenty-five additional days for 5 credit hours or 50 days for 10 credit hours may be required for
students seeking to add an additional endorsement.
I will not interfere in or arrange my own placement unless otherwise instructed by the Field
Experiences Coordinator.
I will attend the orientation/placement seminar scheduled prior to student teaching. If I am placed in the area, I will
attend all seminars scheduled during the experience.
I agree to abide by all of the codes, policies, and school calendar of the school and district in which I will student teach.
I agree to meet all of the rules, requirements, and assignments as stated in the Student Teaching Handbook and to make
my cooperating teacher aware of them.
I understand that before I will receive credit for student teaching, I must successfully complete a Professional Exhibition.
I understand that teacher licensing in Colorado will be based on successful completion of student teaching, all degree
requirements of Fort Lewis College (or the holding of post-baccalaureate standing) and the passage of the appropriate
PLACE or PRAXIS exam. I may then apply for licensing through the Colorado Department of Education on my own and
at my own expense.
I understand that failure on my part to fulfill any part of this contract can be sufficient reason for my extension in,
deferment from, or removal from student teaching.
I understand that I must maintain positive and professional dispositions at the site of my placement. I will retain the
respect and professional accreditation of my host school. Should I be asked to discontinue my placement by my
principal, Cooperating Teacher, College Supervisor and/or the Field Experience Coordinator, I will not pass this student
teaching block of courses, with all attendant consequences: forfeiture of credit, delay in graduation (if applicable) and non-graduation,
etc.
I understand that if I do not complete student teaching for any reason, I will notify the Teacher Licensure Office and my
supervising teacher in writing regarding the circumstances. Failure to do so will result in removal from the Teacher
Education program with no option for future student teaching placement.
I understand that if I withdraw from student teaching or do not show up for my student teaching placement, Fort Lewis
College has no further obligation regarding future student teaching placement.
I understand that should I reapply to student teach, I must follow the procedure set forth in the Student Teaching
Handbook, “Re-enrollment in Student Teaching.”

Applicant signature: __________________________________ Date: _________________

THIS PAGE FOR FIELD EXPERIENCE COORDINATOR FILES: SUPPLY ONLY ONE WITH YOUR MULTIPLE FINAL DRAFTS….

Begay, Sherri 900418056 Spring 2019 STUDENT Teaching

PLACEMENT REQUEST: (All requests will be considered, but cannot be guaranteed)

1. School: Park Elementary Grade: 3rd School Phone: (970)247-3718

2. School: Needham Elementary Grade: 4th School Phone: (970)247-4791

3. School: Florida Mesa Grade: 2nd School Phone: (970)247-4250

4. School Grade School Phone

5. School Grade School Phone

PROFESSIONAL eDUCATION rEVIEW COMMITTEE

DO you need to appeal to the PERC Committee for any of the following reasons?

✓ I have not yet passed my Praxis/PLACE exam
_____ I have a grade below a C in an ED course
_____ I have a B- or lower grade in ED 322
_____ My GPA is below 2.75
If you have checked any of these, obtain more
information at:
https://www.fortlewis.edu/teacher-
education/ProgramRequirements/StudentTea
ching.aspx

HAVE YOU SUBMITTED A PERC PREVIOUSLY TO BE ADMITTED TO TED? Y N

IF HAVE YOU PASSED YOUR APPLICABLE Praxis/PLACE examination?

Score: ____________
(Attach copy of official score report)

3.3
G.P.A.: ___________
(Submit this last page to WAC at application conference: one copy.)