Carrie Lee's Portfolio
InTASC* Standard 1:
Learner Development
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
EVIDENCE SUPPORTING STATEMENT
- Context for Learning
- Creative Response Unit Outline
- Gallery Walk Interactive Pear Deck Slides
- Student Takeaways
- 3 sample feedback packets (linked in artifacts 2-4)
- APA References
- Upload Date: October 5, 2021
- Language: English
“The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences,” (CCSO, 2013)
The InTASC standard as outlined by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSO) informs my understanding of some of the best practices to utilize as I plan for instruction (CCSO, 2013). I see learner development as meaning that I have made every effort to learn about the students in my class, and incorporate that information into the choices and plans I make for activities. Whether considering the facts offered by the data in the system, the information gleaned from conversation, or assessments in the classroom, I have a variety of opportunities to get measures to gauge where a student is in their English language arts journey. It is of great importance to see the student in a holistic fashion, as well as the parts that contribute, in order to craft the rich, inclusive, and engaging curriculum.
When I first began student teaching, the district had just released the results of a recent student body survey. The results communicated by the district through our administration were that while students felt a connection to the staff, the students felt little if any connection to their peers. This prompted staff to set a goal for the remainder of the year to foster connections between the students and build self-esteem.
Using common core standards-based learning targets for English language arts responding to complex texts (Common Core State Standards Initiative, 2010), the Washington State Office of Public School Instruction, (OSPI) commissioned and implemented social-emotional learning standard on social awareness (Social and Emotional Learning Benchmarks Workgroup, 2020), and the context for learning that provided crucial insights about these students, I designed a creative response unit.
Students’ creative submissions for this unit were then organized into a digital collection that provided the basis for discussions and the gallery walk PearDeck activity-based lesson. Following that lesson was the final student activity of the unit, a series of self-reflection questions about the unit, including one asking the students to articulate 1 takeaway from the experience. The final feedback each student received was a packet of positive peer comments on their creation.
In the first few weeks, I engage in question and answer sessions for the students to learn about me. Simultaneously I take all the information and insight I learn about them to inform the context for learning in artifact 1. I subsequently designed this creative response unit to conclude as spring break of 2021 began for our district, knowing that when we returned, my students would physically be in the high school classroom for the first time due to pandemic closures.
Understanding the importance of validation and positive peer interactions on self-esteem during adolescent development, in combination with my unique learners needs, I incorporated a packet of positive peer feedback (examples of which are shown in artifacts 2-4) as the finale to this unit (Berk, 2018). I harvested all the comments from a variety of assignments and discussions in the unit to create a document for each student, and sent it to their inbox. These packets were received by all students the weekend before they would be together in the classroom. This unit, and specifically the sample set of both student work and peer responses, in combination with the links in the introduction, demonstrate the variety of developmentally appropriate learning experiences I was able to create for my students, and the outcomes that resulted. The artifacts included are an exceptional example of my understanding of the Learner Development INTASC standard because they demonstrate consideration of every aspect of the student including, differentiation for needs through choice, and resulted in the desired outcome as well as stronger social relationships and higher self-esteem for students.