Dawnette's Portfolio of work

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Supporting References

Letters of Recommendation

File Attachments:
  1. Alternate Grade Placement Recommendation Alternate Grade Placement Recommendation
  2. CSUEB Education Team Leader Recommendation CSUEB Education Team Leader Recommendation
  3. Teaching Supervisor Recommendation Teaching Supervisor Recommendation

Performance Evaluations

TPE 1

Subject-Specific Pedagogical Skills

Making Subject Matter Comprehensible to Students

Gold Rush Unit

File Attachments:
  1. Gold Rush Activities across the curriculum Gold Rush Activities across the curriculum
    Planned activities to teach students elements of the Gold Rush through interactive engagement.
  2. The Voting Process Unit The Voting Process Unit
    This is a unit for Kindergarten students about the process of voting. This will be done in the Fall, during voting season and will be conducted over five days.
Web Links:
  1. Strike it RICH!! Strike it RICH!!
    Online interactive Gold Rush experience.

Rationale and Reflection

My rationale for using the Gold Rush unit was because these lessons make comprehension of the Gold Rush Days easy for all of my learners, which also supports my management philosophy to engage  students in their own learning. The Strike it Rich online interactive site gives students a cyber experience as a pioneer and memories that will last!

The reason I included the voting unit was to differentiate the level of making lesson comprehensible.  This unit was taught to kindergarten students and the engaging and hands-on activities/lessons helped them understand the voting process. Another activity/lesson to engage students, making the lesson comprehensible to all learners, which supports my philosophy.

Reflecting on both of these units brings a smile to my face.  The students were happy, engaged and learning.  I hope all of my lessons can be this engaging!

TPE 2

Assessing Student Learning

Monitoring Student Learning During Instruction
Web Links:
  1. Assessment of Language Arts and Mathematics Assessment of Language Arts and Mathematics
    This website consists of ALL content area standards for Language Arts and Mathematics. Once students have acquired the instruction for each topic, they are instructed to the online assessment. Students are able to follow another lesson (reteach) or take a quiz, assessing their knowledge of the content area.

Rationale and Reflection

The reason I chose this website as a basis of student assessment was because it's based on the California Content Standards.  It teaches (after we have taught a lesson) and reinforces the content, and follows up with a quiz to assess students retention.

Students love this website.  They have to take a preassessment test and then are allowed to play interactive games, while teaching content based lessons in math and language arts.  They are then assessed on their retention of the information.  They really enjoy this type of learning and we are provided an assessment of their knowledge.

This lesson supports my philosophy of giving students essential skills, by helping them learn to use the computer and provides another way to reach and teach children.

TPE 3

Interpretation and Use of Assessments

• Online tests or polls that give you feedback and analysis of student progress.
File Attachments:
  1. Online Assessments Online Assessments
    Brief overview of website used to track students' progress.
  2. Reflection & Rationale Reflection & Rationale

Rationale and Reflection

This is an online assessment software program used by the school district and it provides instant feedback on students assessments in language arts, reading and math.  The data is complete, offering Lexile scores, norm referencing and gives goal descriptors of where students are deficient.  I can print out a brochure to give to parents, instructing them where their child is struggling and where our focus lays.  

Helping students in the area in which they are ready to learn is helping them succeed, and supports my philosophy of educating children.  This website has helped me streamline my lessons, tailoring them to each child.

TPE 4

Engaging and Supporting Students in Learning

Making Content Accessible Suggestions
Playing War
File Attachments:
  1. Learning negative/positive numbers via numberline Learning negative/positive numbers via numberline
  2. Less Than Zero Transparency Less Than Zero Transparency
    Transparency used during the instructional stage to show students one way of tracking positive and negative values.
  3. Number Line Number Line
    Number line used during Guided Instruction and Independent Practice.

Rationale and Reflection

Making content accessible in math is extremely hard when it comes to the concept of negative and positive.  I feel I have supported my philosophy of enriching students lives and helping them to achieve success, with this lesson.

When I taught this lesson, students were actively engaged, understood the concept and loved the lesson.  They really understood the concept of adding and subtracting positive and negative numbers, after playing the game of war.  Very exciting lesson!

TPE 5

Engaging and Supporting Students in Learning

Student Engagement Suggestions
File Attachments:
  1. Making Change Making Change
    5-Step Lesson Plan on Making Change. Very engaging and interactive!
  2. Reflection with Teacher comments Reflection with Teacher comments
    Pg. 1
  3. Reflections Reflections
    Pg. 2

Rationale and Reflection

I chose this lesson to depict my ability to engage and support students learning.  This math lesson was created with several large enhanced visuals.  I used a large menu board, which listed the pet supplies and prices, as well as magnetic money, helping students manipulate their problems kinesthetically.  

My philosophy calls for a positive and creative learning environment, which this lesson provides.

My students were engaged and positive during this lesson and my observation actually went very well.

TPE 6

Engaging and Supporting Students in Learning

Developmentally Appropriate Teaching Practices in Grades K – 3, 4-8, and 9-12
File Attachments:
  1. Engaging Lesson Plan on Cause & Effect Engaging Lesson Plan on Cause & Effect

Rationale and Reflection

I chose this lesson because it is developmentally appropriate for my fourth graders.

This lesson was interesting to teach to the students and they were thinking of their own cause and effect ideas to act out, while learning.

My philosophy is supported with the inclusion of all learners and the engaging lesson I provided; thereby making learning accessible.

TPE 7

Teaching English Learners

Guided Language Acquisition Design

File Attachments:
  1. Classroom of ELL's Classroom of ELL's
    This describes how I am able to assist my ELL's in the classroom.
  2. Ecosystems: Food Chain/Food Web Ecosystems: Food Chain/Food Web
    This lesson is engaging, hands-on and incorporates Pre teaching for ELL's. Visuals and buddy-pairing is also another adaptation used for ELL students.
  3. My Reflection My Reflection
    I chose this lesson for Teaching English Learners, because it's engaging, hands-on and uses visuals and preteaching strategies. Students are also paired with buddies during group work and interactive activity provides a solid concrete experience!
  4. Supervisor Observation Supervisor Observation

Rationale and Reflection

I chose this lesson and these pictures to represent my ability to teach English Language Learners. The use of visuals and hands-on activities helps English Learners gain understanding of the concept being taught and helps them retain the knowledge. Throughout the lesson I spoke slowly and modeled everything.  Working in small groups helped my English Learners with their academic talk and the whole-group activity helped solidify the concept of the Food Web and what might happen if one part of the life-cycle was eliminated.

I chose this lesson and the images to represent my ability to teach English learners, as they best represent use of visuals and hands-on activities. The observations attached support my statement and this is yet another way to diversify my teaching and reach all learners, another philosophical idea of mine.

TPE 8

Planning Instruction and Designing Learning Experiences for Students

Learning About Students
Bookworm (Lg.)
The link to my Task stream work contains the Case Study documents, which will satisfy this TPE requirement.
Web Folios:
  1. TED Team 08 Sum'07 TED Team 08 Sum'07
    Click on TED 5356 - for Case Study work

Rationale and Reflection

I chose my Case Study as an example of how I use planning instruction to design learning experiences for my students.  This case study is an in-depth look at one students reading and comprehension levels as well as his spelling.  

I was able to use this case study to help my student achieve success and improve both his reading comprehension and level.

I enjoyed this case study and learned quite a bit about helping struggling readers. Learning about students and how to help them achieve their best, supports my philosophy of how to teach students.

TPE 9

Planning Instruction and Designing Learning Experiences for Students

Instructional Planning
File Attachments:
  1. Brenner Instructional Literature Unit with standards.pdf Brenner Instructional Literature Unit with standards.pdf
  2. Language Arts Instructional Unit Language Arts Instructional Unit

Rationale and Reflection

This is a three week instructional unit on a literature book.  I chose this as an example of my ability to design learning experiences through planning. This unit included the other subject areas and in depth looks at the meaning of the novel, "Walk Two Moons."

My students were actively engaged in this lesson and it supported their ability to work responsibly in cooperative groups. Students were expected to work independently and I monitored their learning. This supports my philosophy of providing engaging lessons to help students acquire new knowledge.

Students enjoyed this unit.

TPE 10

Creating and Maintaining Effective Environments for Student Learning

Instructional Time
File Attachments:
  1. Lesson on Bees (2 days) Lesson on Bees (2 days)
  2. Observation of Lesson Observation of Lesson
    Pg. 1
  3. Observation of Lesson Observation of Lesson
    Pg. 2
  4. Teaching Procedures Teaching Procedures
    Page 1
  5. Teaching Procedures Teaching Procedures
    Page 2

Rationale and Reflection

I used a two-day lesson I taught during my alternate grade placement, as evidence of meeting this TPE.  This was an active group of second graders and they were humming, just like the bees they were learning about, from beginning to end of each days lessons.  I have their teachers comments about observing my lesson and was pleased with the retention of information upon closing my lesson.

This was a very heartfelt and warm lesson to teach.  These students will remember this lesson forever, as it was enriching and engaging throughout.  They still talk about this lesson to me, as I pass by their classroom.

TPE 11

Creating and Maintaining Effective Environments for Student Learning

Social Environment
Agreements

Social Skills Images

File Attachments:
  1. Social Skills.ppt Social Skills.ppt
    This PowerPoint presentation is about the social skills management implemented in my classroom.

Rationale and Reflection

I used the agreements and "Wheel of Choice," as examples of how I maintain positive climate in my classroom.

I also included a PowerPoint showing the process of our social skills process when conflict arise.
This evidence supports my philosophy verbatim:

    "My classroom will create a safe, positive learning environment, which promotes cooperation, cultural diversity, creativity and academic success. I will strive to create a community of students that celebrate learning, by engaging in the educational process to achieve their personal best."

Most students have used these skills effectively and in rare instances, I have had to resort to parent conferences. Students appreciate the organized classroom and rewards I have included for good behavior.

TPE 12

Developing as a Professional Educator

Professional, Legal, and Ethical Obligations
File Attachments:
  1. sample_lesson_MPP.pdf sample_lesson_MPP.pdf
    Sample Lessons demonstrated at the professional development workshop.
Web Links:
  1. MPP Professional Development MPP Professional Development
    Wested provides professional development to educators.

Rationale and Reflection

I used this piece of evidence to meet this TPE, since it was a professional development workshop I went to throughout the whole year.  

This evidence supports my philosophy by providing a variety ways to introduce mathematics; thereby supporting all learners.

The skills I learned through these workshops, helped me learn different and engaging ways to teach other subjects besides math.  Students thrived during these lessons and learned how to use cognitive skills during small group work.

TPE 13

Developing as a Professional Educator

Professional Growth
Web Links:
  1. Internal Link Internal Link
    My professional objective tab includes both my Management Philosophy and Management Plan. Additionally, please refer to Supporting References Tab for Professional Letters of Recommendation.

Rationale and Reflection

Showing how I've grown as a professional educator, I've reflected back to the section of my efolio that contains my professional, specific employment and career objectives.

Although I've been working as an Intern while completing my credential, I do have two and one-half years of prior teaching experience; further evidence of my growth.

Conclusion

In completing this efolio file, I have provided evidence of how my lessons have reflected my philosophy of teaching.  I have taken the best part of my teaching practices and have included them for your review.  I must also include that all of my lessons are similar in nature: engaging, include visuals and a variety of instructional methods; to reach all learners.  I hope you have enjoyed my presentation of material and am looking forward to bringing forth my skills to your school.

Regards,

Dawnette Brenner
Author: Dawnette Brenner
Last modified: 4/10/2009 1:02 PM (EST)