The Developmental Teaching Portfolio

Initial Level

The Developmental Teaching Portfolio

Kimberly Anderson

Initial Level

The Developmental Teaching Portfolio

Kimberly Anderson

Elementary Education

Department of Education and Interdisciplinary Studies

The Gateway Program – Morristown Campus

Tusculum College

Spring, 2014

Table of Contents

SECTION ONE: BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Introduction

Working Resume

Statement of Philosophy

Program of Study

Unofficial Transcript

ACT or Praxis I Scores

SECTION TWO: SELECTED ENTRIES

Planning and Teaching Strategies:

Bloom’s Taxonomy Assignment

Lesson Plans

Actual Teaching:

Assessment and Evaluation:

Performance-Based Grading Rubric

Learning Environment:

Guided Observation #1- Contextual Factors

Guided Observation #2 – Physical Arrangements

Guided Observation #3 - Paperwork

Professional Growth:

STEA Membership

STEA Spring 2014 Conference Certificate

Communication:

Letter to Parents

PBL Project

SECTION THREE: PROFESSIONAL EVALUATION

Field Placement Journals

Field Placement Evaluations

Timesheets

Concluding Reflection

Section One: Background Information

INTRODUCTION

My name is Kimberly Anderson. Right now, I am working on receiving my Associate of

Science in Teaching, K-6 degree from Walters State Community College. I am going to be

graduating in May of 2014. As I move forward from Walters State, I will be working on my

Bachelors of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies Degree with the primary study of Elementary

Education, K-6. I plan on adding on either science or mathematics in order to become a licensed

science or mathematics teacher. My primary reason for wanting to be an educator is simply

because I want to help children pave the way to their future through their education journey. I

believe that if you want your students to be successful in their lives, you have to make them

believe that they are successful at a young age. I am very excited to become a future educator in

Tennessee. This portfolio is my Developmental Teaching Portfolio. In it, I will include past

projects that I have done that have touched base with the Common Core, and also document the

experiences that I have had in the education field thus far. This portfolio is not finished; it is a

work in progress. This portfolio will be added to as I journey on through my educational journey

and as I begin to blossom professionally into the education field. I plan to use this portfolio to

look back upon, and gain ideas and inspiration when situations get tough in my future as an

educator. As my education continues, I am extremely excited, and look forward to my future

role as a professional educator in the state of Tennessee.

Kimberly Kay Anderson

7355 Saint Clair Road

Whitesburg, TN 37891

(423)200-8364 / [email protected]

Professional Objective: To provide children with the knowledge and instruction that is required.

Education:

2014-2016 Bachelors in Interdisciplinary Studies, K-6 Licensure

Tusculum College

2011-2014 Associates of Science in Teaching, K-6

Walters State Community College

2007-2011 High School Diploma, Morristown Hamblen High School East

Honors and Awards:

Fall 2013 Walters States Dean’s List

Related Educational Experience/Professional Experience:

Spring 2014 Service Learning, Whitesburg Elementary School, Second grade

Fall 2013 Service Learning, Whitesburg Elementary School, Second grade

Spring 2013 Service Learning, Russellville Primary, Special Education Pre-K

College Related Professional/Academic/Service Activities:

2013-2014 STEA Member

Additional Work Related Experience:

2011-Present CVS/Pharmacy

Front Store Clerk

2010-2011 Childcare/Babysitter

Placement File:

Please contact the Tusculum College Career Services.

Website: http://web.tusculum.edu/career/

TEL: (423) 636-7447

FAX: (423) 444-5105

http://web.tusculum.edu/career/

Philosophy of Education

Teaching in today’s society is guaranteed to be a great deal of hard work. It is not, nor

will it ever be, all fun and games. There are a lot of processes that an educator has to be willing

to go through in order to be a prepared teacher. This means there will be many extremely long

hours that an educator must be willing to put forth. The long hours will be spent on developing

numerous lesson plans (common core aligned, of course), differentiated instruction inside the

classroom, and using time management both inside and outside of the classroom – which, of

course, are three attributes of an effective teaching.

Throughout an educator’s college career, there will no doubt be moments when lesson

plans are needed to be built. In developmental education classes, future educators will get a dose

of what (and how much time) it takes to put together a lesson plan. As time passes by, the future

educator in training will be creating more and more lesson plans. There are numerous items to

keep in mind when developing lesson plans. The most important one is the common core.

Common core is everywhere in today’s society. It is required that classroom lessons be aligned

to common core requirements. In response to this requirement, educators must figure out how to

incorporate the common core into their lesson plans.

Another item that an educator must work on is differentiating instruction. Differentiated

instruction is a philosophy that involves providing students with different avenues to acquiring

contents. This often means re-working lessons to meet the educational needs of all their

students. This philosophy is especially helpful when children with special needs are

incorporated into general education classrooms. Future educators in training normally learn

about this concept in their introduction to special education classes. There are many different

techniques on how to differentiate instruction – the most common being Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Bloom’s Taxonomy is a classification system used to distinguish different levels of human

cognition – i.e., thinking, learning, and understanding. There are six different categories under

this philosophy that are as followed: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing,

evaluating, and creating. This process requires a lot of organization and time management.

Organization and time management go hand-in-hand when it comes to teaching.

Educators must keep in mind that all their lessons and materials need to be as organized as

possible in order to be a successful, effective teacher. Often times, being organized will require

the teacher to have a huge amount of file folders and some filing cabinets. With keeping

classroom materials organized comes time management, and time management is a key concept

in maintaining a successful classroom. A teacher must know when to move on from one concept

or to keep going with the one at hand. This is especially helpful when there are students that are

not grasping certain concepts. Truly effective teachers will have back up plans in their

“organized classrooms” to pull out if a concept is not being grasped. Time management and

organization are also helpful when introducing a new concept – meaning reviewing a recently

learned concept and connecting it with the new concept.

Nobody said that teaching was going to be easy, but nobody said that it was not worth it

either. Yes, there will be many, many hours spent preparing lessons. Yes, there will be lots of

thought put into how to teach concepts. Out of all that time, however, comes an educator that is

successful with organization and time management, developing lesson plans, and differentiating

instruction – which are three key components that an effective teacher should acquire.

Context Statement

Type of Artifact: Program of Study

Date: Spring 2014

Courses: EDUC 2300 Introduction to Education

Description: This is a copy of my Program of Study from Tusculum College.

Context Statement

Type of Artifact: Transcript

Date: Fall 2011-Spring 2014

Courses: All Courses

Description: This is an unofficial copy of my current transcript.

Transcript Data

STUDENT INFORMATION

Birth Date: Nov 08, 1992

Student

Type:

Continuing

Curriculum Information

Current Program

A. S. Teaching

Program: AST Teaching

College: Behavioral Social

Science

Major and

Department:

Teaching, Education

***This is NOT an Official Transcript***

TRANSFER CREDIT ACCEPTED BY INSTITUTION -Top-

Summ

er

2010:

East Tennessee State Univ

Subject

Course Title Grade Credit

Hours

Quality

Points

R

TRAN 9999 Historical Geol TC 4.000 0.000

TRAN 9999 US Since 1900 TB 3.000 0.000

Attempt

Hours

Passed

Hours

Earned

Hours

GPA Hours

Quality

Points

GPA

Current Term: 7.000 7.000 7.000 0.000 0.000 0.000


INSTITUTION CREDIT -Top-

Term: Fall Term 2011

https://prodssb.ws.edu/pls/PROD/bwskotrn.P_ViewTran#top


College: Health Programs

Major: Pre-Physical Therapy Asst

Student Type: New First Time Freshman

Academic Standing: Good Standing

Subje

ct

Cours

e

Camp

us

Lev

el

Title Grade Credit

Hours

Qualit

y Points

Star

t and End

Dates

R

BIOL 2010 Walters State CC,

Main Campu

s

UG Hum Anat and Phys I C 3.000 6.000

BIOL 2011 Walters State

CC, Main

Campus

UG Hum Anat and Phys I Lab

B 1.000 3.000

HUM 1030 Walters State CC,

Main Campu

s

UG Introduction to Film Appreciat

A 3.000 12.000

INFS 1010 Walters State

CC, Main

Campus

UG Computer Applications A 3.000 12.000

MATH 1630 Walters

State CC,

Main Campus

UG Finite Mathematics B 3.000 9.000

Term Totals (Undergraduate)

Attempt

Hours

Passed

Hours

Earned

Hours

GPA Hours

Quality

Points

GPA

Current Term: 13.000 13.000

13.000

13.000 42.000 3.230

Cumulative: 13.000 13.00

0

13.00

0

13.000 42.000 3.230

Term: Spring Term 2012



Student Type: Continuing


Subje

ct

Cours

e

Camp

us

Lev

el

Title Grade Credit

Hours

Qualit

y Points

Star

t and End

Dates

R

BIOL 2020 Walters State CC,

Main Campu

s

UG Hum Anat and Phys II D 3.000 3.000


CC, Main

Campus

UG Hum Anat and Phys II Lab

C 1.000 2.000

ENGL 1010 Walters

State CC,

Main Campus

UG Composition I B 3.000 9.000

PSYC 2130 Walters State

CC, Main Campu

s

UG Life Span Psychology B 3.000 9.000

SPCH 1010 Walters

State CC, Main

Campus

UG Fund of Speech

Communication

B 3.000 9.000


Attempt

Hours

Passed

Hours

Earned

Hours

GPA Hours

Quality

Points

GPA


13.000

13.000 32.000 2.461


26.000

26.000 74.000 2.846






Subje

ct

Cours

e

Camp

us

Lev

el

Title Grade Credit

Hours

Qualit

y Points

Star

t and

End Date

s

R

ENGL 1020 Walters State

CC, Main

Campus

UG Composition II A 3.000 12.000

HIST 2010 Walters

State CC,

Main Campus

UG American History I B 3.000 9.000

MATH 1410 Walters State

CC, Main Campu

s

UG Number Cncpts and Algeb Struct

B 3.000 9.000

SOCI 1010 Walters

State CC, Main

Campus

UG Intro to Sociology B 3.000 9.000


Attempt

Hours

Passed

Hours

Earned

Hours

GPA Hours

Quality

Points

GPA


12.000

12.000 39.000 3.250


38.000

38.000 113.000

2.973






Subje

ct

Cours

e

Camp

us

Lev

el

Title Grade Credit

Hours

Qualit

y Points

Star

t and

End Date

s

R

CHEM 1030 Walters State

CC, Main

Campus

UG Concepts of Chemistry A 4.000 16.000

CHEM 1031 Walters

State CC,

Main Campus

UG Concepts of Chemistry

Lab

P 0.000 0.000

HIST 2020 Walters State

CC, Main Campu

s

UG American History II B 3.000 9.000

MATH 1420 Walters

State CC, Main

Campus

UG Prob Slvng Geom and

Statistics

B 3.000 9.000

SPED 2010 Walters State CC,

Main Campu

s

UG Introduction to Special Educat

B 3.000 9.000


Attem

pt Hours

Passe

d Hours

Earne

d Hours

GPA

Hours

Qualit

y Points

GPA


0

13.00

0

13.000 43.000 3.307


0

51.00

0

51.000 156.00

0

3.058


College: Behavioral Social Science

Major: Teaching



Additional Standing: Dean's List

Subje

ct

Cours

e

Camp

us

Lev

el

Title Grade Credit

Hours

Qualit

y Points

Star

t and

End Dates

R


CC, Main Campu

s

UG Concepts of Biology A 4.000 16.000

BIOL 1031 Walters

State CC, Main

Campus

UG Concepts of Biology

Lab

P 0.000 0.000

EDUC 2010 Walters State CC,

Main Campu

s

UG Psy of Hum Dev for Tchrs

A 3.000 12.000

GEOG 2010 Walters State CC,

Main Campu

s

UG World Regional Geography

B 3.000 9.000

MATH 1530 Walters State

CC, Main

Campus

UG Probability and Statistics

A 3.000 12.000


Attempt Hours

Passed Hours

Earned Hours

GPA Hours

Quality Points

GPA

Current Term: 13.000 13.000 13.000

13.000

49.000 3.769

Cumulative: 64.000 64.000 64.000

64.000

205.000

3.203


TRANSCRIPT TOTALS (UNDERGRADUATE) -Top-

Attem

pt Hours

Passe

d Hours

Earne

d Hours

GPA

Hours

Qualit

y Points

GPA

Total Institution: 64.000 64.000 64.000

64.000

205.000

3.203

Total Transfer: 7.000 7.000 7.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

Overall: 71.000 71.000 71.000

64.000

205.000

3.203

Attempt Hours

Passed Hours

Earned Hours

GPA Hours

Quality Points

GPA

Institution Combined: 64.000 64.000 64.000

64.000

205.000

3.203

Transfer Combined: 7.000 7.000 7.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

Overall Combined: 71.000 71.000 71.000

64.000

205.000

3.203



COURSES IN PROGRESS -Top-


College: Behavioral Social Science

Major: Teaching


Subject

Course

Campus

Level

Title Credit Hours Start and End Dates

EDUC 2300 Walters State CC,

Main Campu

s

UG Foundations of Education

3.000

ENGL 2110 Walters State

CC, Main

Campus

UG American Literature I 3.000

MUS 1030 Walters

State CC,

Main Campu

s

UG Music Appreciation 3.000

PSCI 1030 Walters State

CC, Main

Campus

UG Concepts of Earth and Space Science

4.000

PSCI 1031 Walters

State CC,

Main Campus

UG Concepts of Earth and

Space Science Lab

0.000


Context Statement Type of Artifact: ACT

Date: December 2010, March 2011

Courses: All Courses

Description: This is a copy of my ACT scores.

Test Date: March 2010 Test Location: State

Test Option: ACT (NO WRITING)

Score

Composite Score : 24

This is not an official ACT score report and is

intended only for your informational use.

Does your score meet the ACT College

Readiness Benchmark?

English 23

Yes. But you can further improve your

English skills. Usage/Mechanics 14

Rhetorical Skills 10

Mathematics 27

Yes. But you can further improve your mathematics skills.

Pre-Algebra/Elem. Algebra 15

Algebra/Coord. Geometry 13

Plane Geometry/Trig. 14

Reading 22


reading skills. Social Studies/Sciences 13

Arts/Literature 09

Science 22 No. Learn how to

get ready for college-level classes in science.

Test Date: December 2009 Test Location: National

Test Option: ACT (NO WRITING)

Score

Composite Score : 23

This is not an official ACT score report and is

intended only for your informational use.

Does your score meet the ACT College

Readiness Benchmark?

English 23


English skills. Usage/Mechanics 12

Rhetorical Skills 12

Mathematics 25

Yes. But you can further improve your mathematics skills.

Pre-Algebra/Elem. Algebra 15

Algebra/Coord. Geometry 12

Plane Geometry/Trig. 12

Reading 17 No. Learn how to get ready for college-level

classes in reading. Social Studies/Sciences 09

Arts/Literature 08

Science 25


science skills

Section Two: Selected Entries

Planning and Teaching Strategies

Context Statement Type of Artifact: Bloom’s Taxonomy

Date: Fall 2013

Courses: EDUC 2010 Psychology of Human Development for Teachers

Description: This is a copy of the Bloom’s Taxonomy activity that I did for EDUC

2010.

Name: Kimberly Anderson

Date: December 2013

Class: EDUC 2010 Psychology of Human Development for Teachers

Semester: Fall 2013

Bloom’s Taxonomy Worksheet

1. Targeted level: Fourth grade

2. Subject area: Science

3. Specific content to be taught: Animal homes and adaptations

4. Book title and author: Animal Homes by Ann O. Squire

5. Questions

a. Remembering

i. Recall three examples of why animals need homes to survive.

ii. Tell two examples of why animals need homes to survive.

iii. Name one example of why animals need homes to survive.

b. Summarizing

i. How would you summarize animals being architects?

ii. Can you explain what happens when an animal builds its home?

iii. Illustrate an example of an animal building its home.

c. Applying

i. What examples can you find to experiment with how animals might find

their homes?

ii. Identify three examples of how animals find their homes.

iii. Construct, or build, an example of how animals find their homes.

d. Analyzing

i. How is animals needing homes compared to why you need a home?

ii. Compare two reasons why animals need homes like you need a home.

iii. List one reason why animals need homes like you need a home.

e. Evaluating

i. Evaluate what is needed for an animal to build its home.

ii. Evaluate two things that an animal needs to build its home.

iii. List one thing an animal needs to build its home.

f. Creating

i. Create 3D model of animal home.

ii. With a partner, create a model of an animal home.

iii. Draw an example of an animal home.

Context Statement Type of Artifact: Lesson Plan Assignment

Date: Fall 2013


Description: This a copy of the lesson plan to go along with the Bloom’s Taxonomy.


Title of Lesson: Animal Homes

Grade: Fourth grade

Date: December 2013

Materials Needed:

“Animal Homes” by Ann O. Squire

Pencils

Paper

Markers

Poster Board

Construction Paper

Cardboard

Goals:

The students will:

o Recite the definition of an animal home.

o Recall why animals need homes.

o Name different examples of animal homes.

o Identify how animals find their homes.

o Build or draw a model of an animal home.

Objectives:

The students will:

o Listen to the teacher read the book “Animal Homes.”

Then the students will:

o Work together in groups to fill out the assigned questionnaire (see Bloom’s

Taxonomy).

o Work together in groups (no more than four to a group) to draw or build models

of animal homes.

Instructional Procedure:

1. Talk about different types of homes (i.e., human homes and animal homes.)

2. Read aloud “Animal Homes”.

3. Discuss the different types of animal homes.

4. Have students work together to fill out their questionnaires.

5. Have students build their models of animal homes.

6. Have a classroom discussion on what has been learned.

7. Grade questionnaires and projects.

8. Assessment time.

Questions for Higher Order of Thinking (H. O. T.): See attached Bloom’s Taxonomy

Closure: To close the lesson, the teacher will have a classroom discussion with his or her

students to discuss what has been learned about animal homes and adaptations.

Adaptations to Meet Individual Needs: Partner work for those who need extra assistance.

Actual Teaching

Assessment and Evaluation

Context Statement Type of Artifact: Rubric

Date: Fall 2013


Description: This a copy of the rubric to go along with the Bloom’s Taxonomy and

provided lesson plans.

0-2 3 4-5 Score

Group

Participation

Did not participate

group work

Participate some,

but not enough

Participated

throughout the whole

class period

__ / 5

Attitude and

Cooperation

Bad attitude; was

not a team player

Decent attitude;

had to be

reminded of how

to be a team

player

Great attitude; knew

exactly how to be a

team player

__ / 5

Listening

Skills

Did not listen to

others in group

Listen some to

others in group,

but was

interruptive

when others were

speaking

Listen to the others in

group with no

interruptions

__ / 5

Questions None of the answers

were correct even

through it was

group work

Some of the

answers were

correct; others

were incorrect

All answers were

correct

__ / 5

Animal

Home

Model

Participation

Did not participate

in the building of

the animal home

model

Participated

some, but

decided not to

finish

Participated to the

very end of the

project

__ / 5

Total Score

__ / 25

Learning Environment

Context Statement Type of Artifact: Guided Observation #1

Date: Spring 2014


Description: This is a copy of the guided observation that was done during service

learning for EDUC 2300.

Guided Observation #1 – Contextual Factors


Date: April 8, 2014

Course: EDUC 2300 Introduction to Education

School: Whitesburg Elementary School

Interview your mentoring teacher to obtain the demographics about the school. Write a

response for each question in a paragraph format.

1. Record the number of males, females, and ratio of ethnicity within the classroom.

In the second grade classroom that I observed for the required service learning, there

were eighteen children total. Eleven of the eighteen students were boys, and the other

eight were girls. There was not a ratio of ethnicity considering all the children were of

White (non-Hispanic) descent.

2. What are the developmental levels of the students within the classroom you are

observing?

In this particular classroom, most of the eighteen students are either average or above

average. There are a few that are slightly below average. With extra help being given,

most of the entire class should be at average or slightly above by the end of the school

year.

3. How is the instruction modified to meet the diverse needs of the students?

By this point in the year, the students know how to do the work assigned on their own.

Since the teacher goes over the directions, and then does not guide the students through

the work, the teacher has more time to help those students who need the extra help. The

teacher will pull her academic struggling children aside to her table where she will give

them the extra help that they require.

4. Research the school and the Tennessee State Government web site to obtain

information about the school community, school report card, and school population.

The community that the school resides in is a close knit community. In this community,

it seems to be that everyone knows everyone – whether it be personally or just by word.

According the school report card, Whitesburg received A’s in all academic areas under

the achievement and the value added categories. The population of the school is just over

200 students.

5. What are the specialized programs/activities found within the school that would

assist special needs children, those who need enrichment activities, or remediation?

List the specific programs that are available.

Within the school, there is an afternoon only resource class. This hurts those who are

need of resource, because they are not able to receive the class all day. Speech and

occupational therapy is also available if the child is eligible for the services. On

occasions, behavioral therapist will come around helping those students who have

behavioral issues due to a mental or physical disability.


Date: Spring 2014




Guided Observation #2 – Physical Arrangement


Date: April 8, 2014



Instructions for the Observer: Give a brief critique of the effectiveness and use of: technology,

lighting, traffic patterns, instructional displays, management, and motivational elements.

1. Effectiveness of:

a) Technology:

In this particular classroom, there are a few different types of technology. First of all,

there are four computers all together. Three of the computers are used for student

testing, such as for accelerated reading program, and the other is for the teacher to

use. The teacher also has a printer in her room, so she does not have to leave her

classroom to pick up documents that need to be printed. There is a Smart Board that

the teacher will use every day, along with her ELMO projector. The ELMO projector

is connected to the teacher’s computer which, in turn, is connected with the projector

to the Smart Board. The teacher also has a television and VCR/DVD combo; this

does not get used too often.

b) Traffic Patterns:

Seeing as the teacher is constantly moving around her classroom around due to

misbehavior, the traffic patterns are easy to maneuver. Occasionally, it will be hard

for the teacher to get around the desks. Most of the time it is a clear shot. The

students’ desks are faced towards the whiteboard and the Smart Board. This means

that the teacher’s desk is to their right. None of the students are directly facing the

windows (to their right) or the door (behind them to their left). Overall, the

classroom is perfectly set up for effective classroom management.

c) Instructional Displays:

There are two bulletin boards in the classroom. One of the two is specifically

designed to hold the Common Core objectives. The other is designed to hold all

emergency plans, the lunch menus, the card system, and the school calendar. Most of

the walls have educational posters on them. Above the whiteboard and the Smart

Board, there are posters of the alphabet in both manuscript and cursive. On another

wall, there are posters that explain what addition and subtraction are.

d) Classroom Management:

At the beginning of the day, the students are very talkative as the teacher takes

attendance and lunch counts. As soon as that is done, they have a bathroom break –

where they are to behave or discipline will occur. For the most part, they tend to

switch game plans pretty easily without any objections at all. If misbehavior does

occur, then the student(s) have to pull a card. The card system is as followed: pink

(good behavior), red (five minute time-out of recess), yellow (ten minute time-out),

orange (fifteen minute time out), purple (no recess plus parent phone call), and black

(principal visit). Most of the time, the teacher will give a warning about the

misbehavior and give the student(s) a chance to stop what is being done before a card

is to be pulled. Patience is definitely a key to keeping a classroom under control.

Another would be to keep the “talkative” and “disruptive” children away from each

other, in their own separate corners.

e) Motivational Elements:

When a student(s) is/are presenting good behavior, then the student(s) gets praise for

the good behavior. On some occasion, the student(s) will receive a trip to the treat

box. During class, if a student is paying attention while others are not, then they have

an opportunity to earn a trip to the treat box. Most of the time, students are praised

out loud where the others can hear the teacher praise their peer. On other occasions,

the teacher will pull a student aside and tell them what a great job they are doing

being good. Sometimes there are instances of negative reinforcement, but it does not

happen often.


Date: Spring 2014




Guided Observation #3 – Paperwork


Date: April 8, 2014



1. How do students seem to have been instructed to head papers?

When a paper is handed out to the class, the students are asked to write their name on the

front of the paper as soon as they get it. For the most part, the students do what they are

told. In order to be sure that names are on papers, the teacher has inducted a new

strategy; the students are to highlight underneath their name with to ensure that their

names are indeed on there.

2. What policies exist for students for handling incomplete work, late work, makeup

work, and missing work?

For all instances listed, students have the opportunity to work on any missing and/or late

work during recess. Makeup work is to be handled at home. Incomplete work will be

finished during recess also.

3. How are students instructed to submit completed work or turn in graded

assignments?

Upon finishing an assignment, the students are to turn the assignment in in the

coordinating basket for that particular class. This seems to be second nature to all the

students, and there is not a problem with them doing so.

Personal Growth

Context Statement

Type of Artifact: STEA Membership

Date: Spring 2013

Courses: SPED 2010 Introduction to Special Education

Description: This is a copy of the welcome letter that I received upon completion of

STEA membership.

Context Statement

Type of Artifact: STEA Spring 2014 Conference Certificate

Date: Spring 2014


Description: This is a copy of the certificate that was received upon registration at the

STEA Spring 2014 conference in Nashville, TN.

Communication

Context Statement Type of Artifact: Letter to Parents

Date: Spring 2014


Description: This is a copy of the letter sent home to students upon the start of my

service learning experience.

Friday, February 14, 2014

Dear Parents,

My name is Kimberly Anderson. I am an elementary education major at Walters State

Community College. I am writing to inform you that I am taking part in a service learning

project for my Intro to Education class this semester. Mrs. Greene has invited me into her

classroom to observe and work with your children. I am looking forward to this experience, and

putting the groundwork together that will assist me in my own future classroom. If you have any

objections or questions, please contact Mrs. Greene at 423-235-2547.

Thank you,

Kimberly Anderson

Kimberly Anderson

Context Statement Type of Artifact: PBL Presentation

Date: Spring 2013


Description: This is a copy of the Problem Based Learning Presentation for SPED

2010.

Photosynthesis Today! Appetizer

If weather permits, the class, as a whole, will go on a nature walk and collect leaves for a leaf

collection.

Entrée (select 1) Make a 3D model of photosynthesis. See teacher’s example for clarification.

In a group of no more than five, create a play that demonstrates the process of photosynthesis.

Make sure you use signs to help you with your interpretation.

With a partner, make a recipe card(s) using your own creative words for the ingredients and

directions for the process of photosynthesis.

Side Dishes (select 2) With a partner, choose a tree or plant from the nature walk and make a short PowerPoint about

how that plant goes through photosynthesis.

Write a paragraph explaining what would happen if photosynthesis did not occur.

With a partner or on your own, recall what you know about the Magic School Bus series.

Create a Magic School Bus adventure on how you think our Magic School Bus friends would

explain photosynthesis. Use pictures to illustrate your adventure.

Draw a picture of a tree from the nature walk and label all the parts that aid in photosynthesis.

Dessert(s) (optional) Create a crossword puzzle, for the class, using as many words as you can from our lesson on

photosynthesis. The teacher will choose the best word puzzle to send home with the class as

extra credit.

Bring in a leaf from a tree in your yard that we have not discussed in class. Research an

interesting fact about this tree.

Come up with five questions about photosynthesis that the teacher will choose for a trivia game

the class will play before the test.

Create a song explaining photosynthesis.

Choose your order, and feel out the attached order form to hand into the teacher.

Tic-Tac-Toe

Dig Three Holes

Dress up as your favorite character from

the book and tell the class a few

characteristics about the character and have

them guess who you are.

Imagine and write the future for Stanley and Zero after they found

the treasure.

Choose a character other than Stanley, pick one event, and rewrite

this event from this characters point of

view.

How did the main character change

throughout the story? Write a paragraph.

Compare and contrast the book and the movie. Write 3 paragraphs about what was the same in both the

book and movie, what was left out of the movie, and

what was in the movie that wasn’t in the book.

Using a poster board, make a timeline of the

main events in the book and illustrate with

pictures.

With a partner, using a poster board(s),

illustrate the three different story lines

throughout the book and then label their

time period.

Make a poster about why you like the book or the movie better.

Construct a model of what you think the lake

looked like before it dried up and after.

Section Three: Professional Evaluation

Context Statement Type of Artifact: Field Placement Journals

Date: Spring 2013


Description: This is a copy of the field placement journals for the class Introduction to

Special Education.

Service Learning Prologue

Kimberly Anderson

Course: SPED 2010 Introduction to Special Education

Russellville Elementary School (primary campus)

Agency’s Mission Statement:

“The mission of Russellville Elementary School is to provide a nurturing and safe

environment where children from diverse backgrounds will build confidence and obtain the skills

necessary to succeed in multi-cultural and rapidly changing society. We will equip students with

the ability to communicate effectively. We will also enable them to become critical thinkers,

responsible decision-makers and trustworthy citizens. We will promote high expectations,

leading to maximum academic achievement and a love of learning.”

Russellville Elementary School is a decent size school, averaging about 750 students,

educating grades Pre-K thru fifth grade. According to most people in the community,

Russellville is excellent schools where the teachers actually care about the children are learning.

Knowing a few teachers that teach there, myself, I know that this statement is quite true. Also

when asking around about where I should participate in my service learning for this class, most

of my old teachers had told me to either go here (Russellville), Fairview Marguerite or Union

Heights. Seeing as most people told me to go to Russellville, I am. It is said that they have one

of the best special education programs in Hamblen County, when it comes to elementary schools,

that is. I guess I will soon find out if this is true or not.

For my service learning experience, I have chosen to observe Mrs. Christy Elkins’ Pre-K

Special Education class. Knowing Mrs. Elkins, I know that she is an excellent choice of a

special education teacher to observe. She really takes pride in what she does every day, so I

know that I will learn a lot from her, and that she will be able to show me how to handle certain

situations.

My main goal to obtain from this service learning experience is how to accommodate the

needs of children that is stated in their individualized education plans (IEP). I figure that if it is

stated in the IEP, then it is there for a reason, and that reason is that it is needed to be followed.

By working with Mrs. Elkins, I am fairly certain that she will help me understand, and show me

how, to accommodate those needs listed in a child’s IEP into the classroom. My second goal to

obtain is how to handle certain predicaments that will accompany teaching children with

disabilities. When working with children with disabilities, a person has got to realize that there

may be certain situations, or environments, that will upset a child. Knowing how to help the

child out in the moment of need, or how to prevent a child from being uncomfortable, would

mean a lot in a general education classroom, or in a special education classroom. I am certain

that Mrs. Elkins will also show me ways to keep my emotions, or reactions, in check when

something happens to a child that could, perhaps, send him or her into an episode. My last goal,

though it is not the least important, is to obtain the knowledge on how to differentiate the lesson

plan to meet the goals of each student that is listed in their IEPs.

Service Learning Journal

Kimberly Anderson

Monday, March 11th

8:30 AM – 1:30 PM

Pre-Kindergarten Special Education

Overview:

In the special education pre-kindergarten class that I am observing for my service

learning, there is a total of fifteen children. Out of those fifteen kids, only a fraction comes all

four days that the class is in attendance, which is Monday thru Thursday. Most of the children,

that attend the class, only come two to three times a week. Almost every child obtains speech

therapy, occupational therapy or physical therapy at the school (sometimes all three) at least once

a week (sometimes more). Their school day consists of:

8:30 – 10:00 AM: Arrival/Small Groups (coloring, writing/drawing, etc.)/Free Play

10:00 – 10:30 AM: Morning Circle (attendance, story time, songs, etc.)

10:30 – 11:00 AM: Lunchtime

11:05 – 12:00 PM: Playtime (outside if weather permits)

12:05 – 12:30 PM: Small Groups/Free Play (different activities)

12:35 – 12:45 PM: Snack Time

12:50 – 1:30 PM: Afternoon Circle/Departure (letters, numbers, rhyming, etc.).

Affect:

Considering this is my first service learning, I was a little nervous going into a classroom.

Once I began to get the feel of how the class went, however, I began to relax. As I relaxed, I

realized how truly wonderful these children are. Today, there were six remarkable little kids that

could absolutely melt your heart with their bright personalities and their eagerness to learn.

Sure, they all have their little setbacks, but they do not let them stand in their way of achieving

what they need to achieve. They are intelligent little kids that enjoy learning and playing, and

achieving their goals that are set out for them in their IEPs. I feel that the kids, along with the

teacher and her classroom aids, are remarkable human beings, and I am truly grateful that I get

the opportunity to work with them. Not only has observing these kids today taught me about

educating children with disabilities, but it has also taught me a little about myself. I was in a

place just like them once, and here I am today, studying and going to school to become a teacher.

This made me realize that the kids can do anything that they set their minds to, as long as they

have the right support from family, friends and the community.

Behavior:

As earlier stated, all I did today was observe the environment of the classroom. Not only

did I observe the teacher and her classroom aids, but I also observed the way the classroom was

set up. There are three little tables where the kids go each morning to do their small group

activities. Normally, according to the teacher, the first table will have some sort of coloring

activity. This is to help them build fine motor skills and help them build up their muscle

strengths. It is also allows them the opportunity to practice writing their names on their

worksheets. At the second table, the kids normally participate in some sort of critical thinking

worksheet; today’s was drawing your favorite animal and writing about why it was your favorite.

At the last table, the kids will recite the alphabet, using flashcards, recite (or match) their shapes,

recite (or match) their colors, and make patterns. There, also, is a bunch of little chairs that the

group will use for circle. Each kid participates in some way during morning circle. For instance,

during morning circle, they bring themselves to school, meaning they use the Smart Board to

drag their names from “at home” to “at school”. Then they must tell their teacher which side has

more names (either the “at home” or the “at school”). Story time normally happens during this

time, and so does singing songs. During afternoon circle, they learn a new letter in the alphabet

(this week is “V”). They also work with rhyming words and math patterns.

Content:

Under the INTASC, there is a category called the learner and the learning. In my

opinion, the teacher uses this category the most in her classroom. She understands that each kid

has a different learning style, and differentiates her lesson plans to meet the needs of each child.

Upon observation, I have noticed that the teacher has different methods of getting the same

concept through to her kids. For example, one of her kids knows all his letters, numbers, colors

and shapes, and when she holds up the flashcard with one of the items, he will concentrate for a

second then yell it out. With another one of her kids, she holds up two flashcards and asks the

child to pick out which one she asked for. All in all, her teaching style varies with each kid, and

I hope to see more of this, and learn about how to differentiate the teaching style to meet the

needs of each child.

Kimberly Anderson

Wednesday, March 13th

8:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Pre-Kindergarten Special Education

Overview:

On the second day of service learning, there was only eight out of the fifteen kids in the

classroom today. They basically followed the same schedule as the group from Monday had,

which was:






12:35 – 12:45 PM: Snack Time


Of course some of the timing was thrown off a bit due to classroom interruptions.

Affect:

On my second day of service learning, I was not as nervous as I was on my first day. I

had already spoken to the teacher and asked her if I could participate in the classroom today.

She agreed that it would be best, and let me help the kids do a sequencing exercise during small

groups this morning. In addition to helping the little kids with the sequencing exercise, I also got

to help them with knowing their alphabet and pattern making. It was an amazing experience

getting to help them learn, and watch their faces glow when they realized they were right.

In addition to helping out in the classroom, I got the opportunity to observe the speech

therapy session of three students. Two out of the three students are English language learners,

and the other student has a non-verbal disability. During the speech class, I was amazed by how

much the kids really knew, and how much they could actually talk. It surprised me that they got

the pronunciation of the word right after the teacher only said it once. I was never that good in

my speech therapy sessions when I was their age.

Behavior:

As stated earlier, my behavior today was different than on Monday. I actually

participated in the class today by helping the students out in their small group activities. As I

was helping them during these, the teacher was observing me. When the kids were done with

their small groups, she came over to me and told me that I was really patient and good with the

kids. I took this compliment to heart as I continue to help out today.

I began to notice something today though. The classroom aides did not use people’s first

language at all. As a matter of fact, they really talked down upon the kids. It really frustrated

me to hear them talk about the kids the way they did, because each of the children are

remarkable human beings with bright personalities. Sure, they can have their episodes, and be a

little frustrating, but you know they cannot help it.

Content:

Today I saw a lot of differentiated instruction being used in the classroom. Since each

one of the kids has a different developmental or intellectual setback, the teacher has to choose to

teach the lessons in a way that can benefit each one of them. For example, one little boy has

Autism. During afternoon circle, the teacher taught a lesson on patterns using a “Sesame Street”

game from http://www.sesamestreet.org that features Cookie Monster. The teacher sat with the

little boy and repeatedly said the pattern. Finally, she asked him what came next in the pattern,

and he shouted it out. For another little boy, she asked him to come to the Smart Board, and say

the pattern. He did what she asked of him, and was able to figure out what came next before she

even asked him what the pattern was. It was great seeing actual differentiated instruction in a

classroom. It helped me gain a better understanding of the concept, and has inspired me to use

the concept in my own classroom one day.

Cookie Monster game link:

http://www.sesamestreet.org/play#media/game_7380c2a5-163c-11dd-98c7-b9f43dcf5330

http://www.sesamestreet.org/

http://www.sesamestreet.org/play%23media/game_7380c2a5-163c-11dd-98c7-b9f43dcf5330

Kimberly Anderson

Thursday, March 14th

8:30 AM – 1:30 PM

Overview:

Today in service learning, the little kids from Monday’s session were back in the

classroom. All in all, their school day was pretty much just like all the others, which was:






12:35 – 12:45 PM: Snack Time


Affect:

My feelings today were not as similar as the days before. Today, I was more comfortable

in the classroom than I had been. These students are really beginning to grow on me, and I am

going to be sad when next Tuesday comes and I have to say good bye. On another note, I was

happy to see that the classroom aides had a better attitude towards this set of kids today. To tell

you the truth, the Tuesday/Wednesday group of kids are a tad bit more stressful than this group,

and I guess that is where the negative issues were arising from. All in all, today was better than

the other days, emotional wise, that is.

Behavior:

During today’s service learning session, I had the opportunity to help the students with a

little art and craft session. Due to the cold weather yesterday, the class was not allowed to go

outside. Instead of going outside, they stayed in and painted a paper plate brown. Today, they

used these brown paper plates to make Easter bunny faces. I got to help the kids put together

these faces. While helping the kids do this arts and crafts project, I noticed that I had picked up

some of the teacher’s habits, like saying “put on” when the student was applying glue to an eye

or ear of the bunny. It really surprised me of how much that you can pick up from observing

how a teacher is in his or her classroom, and how easily it is to sound like them.

After helping out with the arts and crafts project, along with the alphabet and patterns, I

actually sat with the kids during circle time today. I got the opportunity read the kids a story

today, which was really fun. I also got to lead the kids in their favorite song, “Bear Hunt”. All

in all, this morning’s circle time made me realize that I would love to teach either kindergarten or

even pre-kindergarten. To tell you the truth, I never thought that I would say that I would want

to teach kids that age, but the kids have inspired me in a way that I did not think anybody could.

Content:

Differentiated instruction was used more today. It really surprises me on how many

different ways you can differentiate a lesson and still be teaching the same lesson. Today, the

teacher called upon a little girl who has a development disability. The little girl tottered over to

where the teacher was sitting on the floor, and sat down in her lap. The teacher told her what

letter she was looking for (V), and asked her if she could find it. The little girl looked around,

and began to get frustrated because she could not find a “V”. The teacher was able to point her

in the right direction, and she found the letter that she was looking for. For each kid, she has a

different method on how to help that child find the letter “V”, and she sticks to that method.

Link to “Bear Hunt” song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-hKr4qxUMI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-hKr4qxUMI

Kimberly Anderson

Tuesday, March 19th

8:30 AM – 1:30 PM

Overview:

Today in service learning, it was my last day working with the kids. Last Wednesday’s

kids were back in the classroom today. As with all the days that I have been, the class schedule

is still the same, with the exception of a fun interruption (more to come):






12:35 – 12:45 PM: Snack Time


Affect:

Overall the emotions of today were just the same as they had been during my first three

days of service learning. However, instead of being nervous like I was on the first day, I was

more relaxed and comfortable. To be honest, I was a bit, actually more than a bit, sad. The

feeling of disappointment sat upon me, because it was indeed my last day working with these

students, and being able to support them in their learning process. Overall, today was a really

good day in the classroom. We had a bunch of fun, and even got a surprise…we got to see the

baby chicks hatch in another room. The kids really thought that was cool and thought it was the

most amazing thing that they have ever seen.

Behavior:

In service learning today, I helped the little kids with their normal morning small group

routines. Once the students arrived, they were to sit down at the first table and color three

sharks. One little boy was excited to color the sharks, considering it is his favorite animal (he

told me this). After the students were done coloring their sharks, they had to practice cutting

with scissors. Most of the kids were able to do this skill, but some struggled with holding the

scissors. Once they got the right hold on the scissors, they were able to cut the paper. After

practicing cutting, the children moved to the second table. Here they were to make a monkey

that was exactly like the teacher’s example. Most of the kids were able to do this, but some of

the kids struggled to keep the body parts in the right spots. At the last table, the kids went over

their ABCs, numbers, colors, and shapes (pretty much the same as last week), but this week they

added lacing skills to their workload. The teacher had a bunch of strings that the students had to

lace large beads onto. In morning circle time, the kids played “Monkey See, Monkey Do.” This

was fun to watch them do. After circle, it was lunchtime, and then outside time. Before I knew

it, the day was over and it was time to go…

Content:

As with all the days that I have been participating in this service learning experience, I

noticed, again, that differentiated instruction is a huge concept used in this classroom. When I

left the classroom for the last time, I asked the teacher if she was a big believer of differentiated

instruction. Her response was: “With differentiated instruction, I can take the lesson and modify

it to meet each of my students’ personalities, and their interests. By doing this, I am able to keep

their attention and keep their focus on what they need to learn. I know that I cannot always keep

their attention, but with the differentiation of the lesson plan to meet their personalities, interests,

and needs, I can attempt to keep their focus.” As I drove home today, I really thought about

what she said about differentiated instruction. I realized that what she said was correct. Though

a teacher may not always keep the attention of her students, but they can attempt to keep their

attention by hitting their interests, personalities, and needs in the classroom lesson.

Epilogue

Looking back at my service learning prologue, I have realized that I came a long way

from the day that I had written it. For example, when accommodating a child’s needs that are

listed in his or her IEP, Mrs. Elkins taught me different methods to go about this. For one, she

told me to make a chart of when, and what time, each student has their related services provided

for them. She has also showed me how to differentiate each lesson to meet the needs listed in the

child’s IEP. For example, when she works with her students on their ABCs, numbers, colors,

and shapes, she uses differentiated instruction by switching up how she teaches them. One little

boy does really good with all of his ABCs, numbers, colors, and shapes, so therefore, she just

holds up some flashcards for him, and he will yell out whatever is pictured on the card. For one

of her little girls, she holds up two flashcards and asks her “which of the following is this ____?”

She differentiates each of these methods with each little kid, and it seems to work every time.

They are in the process of successfully learning everything that they need to know to move on to

kindergarten. As for learning how to handle predicaments that could come with teaching

children with disabilities, Mrs. Elkins has told me that the number one rule in her book is to

remain patient and stay calm. The longer I have thought about this, the more it makes sense. I

got the experience to observe her and her aides in various situations. On my first day, there was

a little boy that got really upset and started screaming and crying during circle time. I watched

as the classroom aide reached behind her and picked up a vest that had been lying on the table

behind her. I continued watching as she got up and walked over to the little boy, slipping it over

his head, and fastening it on the sides. Almost instantly, the boy started to calm down as the

classroom aide started to rub his back some. Within about three to five minutes, he was back to

a calm little boy, minus a few shout outs. Seeing this happened showed me that being calm and

trying to remain patient is the key to helping these kids. If you remain calm, it will not stress

them or worry them any and they will not get – worse.

I figured that teaching students with disabilities would be challenging, and after

observing this classroom, I realized that it is indeed challenging. Even though these children

were remarkable, intelligent, little kids, they still were a challenge to their teacher and their

classroom aides. The aides told me that they never knew what kind of mood that the children

would be in, and whether it would be a good day or a bad day. The aides also said that they have

to ask themselves a few times whether or not being in this profession was for them. In the end,

they always come back to classroom day after day. As for the needs, patience on the agency’s

part is, in my opinion, a must. You cannot get frustrated with these children. It is not their fault

that they have a disability, and you should not blame them for the fact that they do. Therefore,

being patient with them helps them in the long run. As for the needs of the student, whatever is

listed in their IEP is what they need to get. If speech therapy is listed, then speech therapy

should be given. No exceptions. In the future, I hope I get to have the experience of educating

children with disabilities. Like I stated earlier, children with disabilities, especially those that I

had the opportunity to work with, are remarkable human beings. In my opinion, they are all gifts

from God, and should not be disrespected or judged. What I want to do is to help these children

gain the respect that they rightfully deserve and should experience.

I have completed 19 hours of Service learning. Here are four lasting experiences that are an

outcome of my Service Learning project:

1. The knowledge that I gained from working with these little kids has completely changed

my view of life. It is all about the kids, and what the kids need…not what everyone else

wants or need.

2. The feeling I got from helping the little kids with their ABCs, numbers, colors, and

shapes – nothing could ever replace that feeling of joy that I got from watching them

learn.

3. Interacting in the classroom was great. I loved helping the kids in small circle, but I

absolutely loved the opportunity of playing games with them during their free play and

outside time. They have very active imaginations, and always kept me smiling.

4. Overall, the whole service learning experience is a lasting experiencing. I will never

forget the kids that I have worked with, and I will never forget everything that I saw and

learned. It was truly life changing.


Date: Fall 2013


Description: This is a copy of the field placement journals for the class Psychology of

Human Development for Teachers.

VISION FOR MY FUTURE

Here is what I want to accomplish this year:

Education: With my education, I plan to finish with all my classes here at Walters State and

move on to either East Tennessee State University or Tusculum College to the Education

programs. I also plan to graduate Walters State in the spring.

Career: Right now, I am planning on keeping my job at CVS/Pharmacy. In the future,

however, I plan on finding a job that can be more flexible with my school hours. Right now, I

hardly get any time to do anything school related, and I am really struggling. It would be nice to

move on to another career soon.

Family and Friends: I plan on getting in a better place with my family and friends. I hardly

ever get to see them due to my school and work schedule. I feel like I am missing out on a lot of

their lives and just want to be able to be there for them and support them.

Involvement and Service to My Community: This year I want to really help my community of

Whitesburg get our community house back up and running. It has been abandoned for years, and

we are all participating in getting it back up. I also want to start substituting some, so I can get

more experience inside the classroom.

Personal Growth: For myself, I am hoping on getting at a better place both emotionally and

health wise. I have been battling depression for the past year, and with all the stress of both

school and work, I stay in this state of depression. I also plan on doing more research on Lupus,

since I have it. I do not know much about Lupus, so I need to learn how it is affecting my body.

Service Learning Project


Course Title: EDUC 2010 – 001

Date: September 22nd, 2013

Agency Name: Whitesburg Elementary School

Agency’s Mission Statement/ Grades Served/ Community Needs: I will be serving 2nd grade

at Whitesburg Elementary with Mrs. Sue Greene. Whitesburg is a small community, and the

school needs the community support. Every year, the community comes out to the one big

fundraiser that Whitesburg Elementary puts on, Fun Night. During this night, everyone in the

community, and outside the community, come together to help the school raise money for

supplies needed. For as long as I can remember, it has always been this way. Mostly this

community support is coming from former students, like myself, and Mr. Southern could not be

any prouder. On Mr. Southern’s “Principal’s Corner” page on Whitesburg’s website is where the

mission statement can be found, which is as followed: “Whitesburg provides a secure, pleasant

atmosphere where learning is meaningful, students and staff are respected and valued, the

community is involved, and we endeavor to become functioning members of a community.” I,

for one, think that the mission statement hits dead on. Almost every student that comes out of

this elementary school respecting their peers and helping in the community. It makes me proud

to be a Whitesburg Cherokee at heart, and that’s where my heart will always stay.

Prologue: What do you expect to get from your service learning experience (i.e., how will this

experience help YOU develop)? How will it impact your learning and link to class materials? How

do you think the students and staff will perceive you? What goals do you have for the semester’s

Service Learning experience? What fears do you have (if any) about service learning?

I hope to get real life experiences on what it is like in the classroom. This experience will help

me gather information as to how teachers teach the material, and how they keep their patience.

Normally what is taught in class is what can be seen in our service learning experiences.

Hopefully the staff and students will see me as a professional. My goals for this semester’s

service learning experience is to see what it is like in the classroom. My fear is that I will not

obtain any valuable information for the future.

Journal Entry – September 24th, 2013

First Agency Visit: (Overview of Events)

This morning was my first morning of service learning at Whitesburg Elementary. Since

my little brother attends the school, I arrived at about 7:30. Since I was earlier than expected, I

decided to go talk to Mr. Southern again on what was expected of me. As always, he continued

to say that he expected me to be like a professional. Of course, I take this to heart as I walk

down the hallway with Mrs. Greene this morning. As we are walking down the hallway, she

gives me a quick insight as to what I am going to see in my 3 ½ hours here this morning.

From 7:50 to 8:15, students will be dismissed from the gym to come to their classrooms.

Once they are in their classroom, the lunch count is taken up and attendance is done. Mrs.

Greene also decides to take her students to the restrooms before class is officially started. Once

8:15 rolls around, it is time for language – where the students normally work on phonics and do

some accelerated reading testing. At 9:20, both 2nd grade classes split up into three different

classes for math. Then when they come back together at 10:20, spelling is to be done. At 10:45,

the classes are dismissed for lunch – where you will see Kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade

during this lunch period.

ABCs of Reflection

Affect: Even though I had attended Whitesburg as a child, I was still apprehensive about

this morning’s experience. I was no longer going to be considered as a former student. I was

going to be considered a teacher in training. That in itself can be frightening. However, once I

was in Mrs. Greene’s classroom, and she introduced me to the kids, this feeling went away.

They accepted me as a teacher in training and continued to show their good behavior that they

almost always show for Mrs. Greene. Over the day’s course, I feel that Mrs. Greene, plus all her

wonderful co-workers, were beginning to become accepting of me serving my service learning

here at Whitesburg, and were excited for me to be studying to become a teacher.

Behavior: My actions today were not non-existent, but very close. What I did today was

observe Mrs. Greene as she taught her class. I watched as she explain the directions to her

students and as she explained the worksheet to them – pausing after each section to answer any

questions that they may have. As her students are working on their school work, she will walk

around and help them as they need it. I also watched as she helped her at-risk student with his

work. She was very patient with this student, and was there for him whenever he needed her to

be. This in turn helps him, because she is there when he begins to become discouraged. Even

though I did not do anything but observe, I still gained insight on how a classroom functions by

observing Mrs. Greene in her classroom.

Cognition/Content: I was really eager to see how what we are learning in class would

fit into what actually happens in the classroom. It was eye-opening to see that Piaget’s Stages of

Cognitive Development came into play. These students are considered to be in the Concrete

Operational Stage of Development. I watched as they realized that how they feel is not how

others feel – especially in play when it came to bullying. Just by this, it excites me to be a

teacher in training.

Journal Entry – October 17th, 2013

Fourth Agency Visit: (Overview of Events)

As I arrived today, I learnt that Mrs. Greene was not going to be there today. I had the

option to either go home or sit in with the other 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Linda Hill. I decided to

take this opportunity to sit in with Mrs. Hill to see how her teaching style is different from Mrs.

Greene’s. The students have the same schedule as the students in Mrs. Greene’s classroom, but

Mrs. Hill is like the polar opposite to Mrs. Greene. While both make sure their students

understand the classroom material, only one will give concrete examples to help the students

understand – and that will be Mrs. Hill.

ABCs of Reflection

Affect: I was nervous this morning going into Mrs. Hill’s classroom instead of Mrs.

Greene’s. I was frightened that her students would not accept me as well as Mrs. Greene’s

students had. However, all those feelings went away when her students accepted me as a teacher

in training. After that moment, I was eager to see what today had in store for me.

Behavior: Mrs. Hill actually had me working with the students today! This is something

that Mrs. Greene has not let me experience yet. With Mrs. Hill, I helped her students with their

language assignments when they needed helped. It was an amazing experience! I also did some

reminiscing of the past when Mrs. Hill started singing a song to help her students remember to

put their names on their papers – she used to sing that song to my classes when we were little! It

was a great feeling to see that she still likes to keep her spontaneity with songs – she has a song

for everything. All in all, today was a successful day for me working with students. I cannot

wait to work with them more in the future.

Content: It was eye-opening today to see the authoritative parenting style come out of

Mrs. Hill. She shows affection and respect for her students. She provides a loving and

supportive classroom. She includes her students in decision making. Her students tend to be

happy and self-confident. They appear to be well rounded students who know what is and is not

expected of them. This is what I hope to bring to my own classroom in the future, so it was

really great seeing it in the classroom today.

Journal Entry – October 22nd, 2013

Fifth, and last, Agency Visit: (Overview of Events)

When I arrived this morning, I realized that Mrs. Greene was back – her husband had had

surgery – and I was to go back to her classroom today. I had no problem with this, because I had

missed my kiddos in her classroom. As the day started, I notice something about Mrs. Greene’s

students that I had not noticed before. As they turned in their assignments, they were

highlighting underneath their names. I began to wonder about this, so when Mrs. Greene had a

moment alone, I asked her about it. She said it was to help her students remember to place their

name on their assignments. In the past, if her students were to forget their name on a paper, they

had to redo the assignment – plus write their name multiple times. This technique was unique! I

had never seen a teacher have their students do this. I believe this is something that I will try in

my own classroom.

ABCs of Reflections

Affect: Going into service learning today, I was not apprehensive at all. By this point in

time, I was beginning to get into a routine of going and learning about the experiences. I had a

very whirlwind day today since it was my last day. I was relieved that I was finding time to

finish up my service learning, but at the same time, I was disappointed that it was ending so

soon. I have really become attached to the individuals and what they have to offer in the

classroom. I have become attached to Mrs. Greene as well. She has showed me a lot of what it

takes to be a teacher. She was also teaching me on what it takes to prepare for a substitute to

come in for a few days – I helped her gather her assignments for three days of having a

substitute. It was a real successful day at gaining insight in this side of teaching.

Behavior: For the first part of today, I was helping Mrs. Greene’s at risk student with his

language work. He is cautious in what he is doing with assignments. To get discouraged easily,

he is really intelligent and with support he could become an accomplished individual. I also got

to help another really special at risk student. This little girl is Hispanic. Her parents speak no

English at all. However, this little girl taught herself English by watching television shows like

Sesame Street, Dinosaur Train, and other PBS and Nickelodeon/Nick Jr. shows. By talking to

her, you would never be able to tell that she taught herself to speak English. Mrs. Greene paired

me with her because she was having trouble with counting money. This was a wonderful

experience to help the students who were having trouble.

Cognition/Content: Three words: at-risk students. As stated earlier, I helped two at-

risk students today – a little boy and a little girl. Both are exceptional little kids who, with the

right amount of support, can become accomplished individuals. This makes me want to, again,

create a loving and supportive environment for my future students to come to. This makes me

want to wrap my arms around those who are struggling and help them succeed. This experience

has definitely got me excited to pursue my future career as a teacher, and I would not have it any

other way.

Epilogue:

Reflect on your semester’s service learning experience.

This semester’s service learning experience was very different from the experience I had

in my special education service learning last spring. For one, because I did not get to work with

the kids a lot. I only got to work with the kids on my last two days of service learning; in my

past service learning, I got to work with them almost every day.

Revisit the prologue. Have your expectations been met?

For the most part, my expectations for service learning were met. I did gain insight on

real life classroom experiences. Being in the classroom gave me insight on how teachers keep

their patience (though hard to do) and how they differentiate their lessons to meet the needs of

their students.

How have you been surprised, delighted, or dismayed by the experience? Give specific examples.

During my service learning experience, I was delighted to help the children with their

assignments and help them learn how to count money. However, I was dismayed to hear about how

some teachers talk about their students. Some talked about their students as if they were pests, and

they are not pests. They are human beings that need love, support, and guidance. They need

guidance throughout their journey through school – and it saddens me that they may not get it.

How could this experience be improved?

To be honest, other than the way some teachers talked about their students, nothing

needed to be improved. I would have liked to be able to help the students more, but it is what it

is. No complaints necessary.


Here is what I want to accomplish in the next five years:

Education: I plan on being done – for the most part – with my education. I may continue

school for my benefit, but then again, I may not. I have no idea what the future holds for my

education, but it is what it is and that is what it shall be.

Career: Career wise, I hope to be in a classroom of my own, putting what I have learned into

effect. I plan to be the best that I can be for my students.

Family and Friends: I honestly hope to be more family and friend oriented when it comes to

this time. Right now, I am not to family and friend oriented, but I plan to change that as life

progresses.

Involvement and Service to My Community: I plan on being somewhere in the Hamblen

County community teaching the wonderful human beings how to be respectful and how to be

great community members.

Personal Growth: Again, I hope to be in a better place emotionally and health wise. I really

feel bad these days, and hope that does not progress as life proceeds.

REFLECTIONS

Here are the Knowledge and Skills that I have acquired as a direct result of taking part in this

Service Learning project:

Knowledge and Skills that I have acquired would deal with teaching styles, classroom

management, and supporting at-risk students. I plan on giving my students an authoritative

“parenting” style in my classroom. I want to create a loving and supportive environment where

they can obtain the self-confidence to be the best that they can be. I want to be able to manage

my classroom where the kids also get to help me make the best decisions. I want to wrap my

arms around those in need and help them succeed.

Here is how this Service Learning project ties in with my EDUC 2010 Psychology of Human

Development for Teachers class:

I saw a lot of Piaget and Vygotsky’s views in the classroom. However, I seen more of

the parenting/teaching styles come into play. One of the teachers I sat with had the authoritarian

teaching style and the other had the authoritative. I also got insight on how to support the at-risk

students. I could not have asked for anything more out of this experience.

My Contribution to the Community

I have devoted 18 hours to my Service Learning project. Here are four lasting experiences that

are an outcome of my Service Learning project:

1. One experience I will never forget was how accepting the kids were of me. They looked at

me as a teacher – not a student myself. That was a really great experience for me. It made

me feel better about going into future classrooms.

2. Another lasting experience was getting to see how what we have learned in class takes effect

in real world situations. It is pleasant to see what we are learning now will help us in the

future.

3. Seeing the parenting styles come into effect was another experience that I will never forget.

4. Helping the students at-risk is an experience that I will never forget, also.


Date: Spring 2014


Description: This is a copy of the field placement journals for the class Introduction to

Education.


Here is what I want to accomplish this year:

Education: I plan to accomplish graduating Walters State this year, and then moving on to

Tusculum’s Bachelors Program. I get stressed out with more than one class at a time plus work,

so I think Tusculum is going to be great for me.

Career: Career wise, I want to move on from CVS/Pharmacy this year. I am not happy there

anymore. I do not want to go to work at all. I plan on trying to get some sort of job in the school

system. I would really like to be a teacher’s assistant.

Family and Friends: I want to spend more time with my family and friends. My grandmother

is really bad off, and the doctors are saying that she does not have much time left. I plan on

spending quite a bit of time with her.

Involvement and Service to My Community: My community is trying to redo our community

center and make it look presentable again. I plan on helping out in fundraisers to raise money for

repairs. I plan on taking part in the repair process myself.

Personal Growth: For myself, I want to get on better terms health wise. I have been battling

quite a few different health problems this year, and I am ready to get better. There is a lot that I

got to change about my lifestyle, but I am going to make it happen.

Service Learning Project


Course Title: EDUC 2300-001 Intro to Education

Date: _____________________________

Agency Name: Whitesburg Elementary

Agency’s Mission Statement/ Grades Served/ Community Needs:

Whitesburg Elementary School is an elementary school that requires some community

help. Without the community by its side, it probably would not be highly functional at all. The

school does not have a lot of funding, and gets its primary funding from the community. Parents

send the Coca-Cola bottle caps and fridge pack containers in, so that the school can receive the

Coke Rewards. The school has one huge fundraiser night in September every year; everyone

comes out to support the school on this night. Fun Nite is where Whitesburg gathers some

funding to get them through the school year.

Whitesburg Elementary School serves grades Kindergarten through Fifth grade. Every

child that goes through this school takes something away with them – a family that will never

break apart. Once a Whitesburg Cherokee, always a Whitesburg Cherokee. Whitesburg’s

mission statement states “We’re building a better world one student at a time. Whitesburg

provides a secure, pleasant atmosphere where learning is meaningful, students and staff are

respected and valued, the community is involved, and we endeavor to become functioning

members of a community.” I believe that mission statement stands true. Almost all Whitesburg

kids come out as respectful and trustworthy. Learning is valued by most that leave Whitesburg.

The kids are taught that school is important, and that they can reach any goal/dream that they

want to as long as they put their mind to it.

Prologue: What do you expect to get from your service learning experience (i.e., how will this

experience help YOU develop)? How will it impact your learning and link to class materials?

How do you think the students and staff will perceive you? What goals do you have for the

semester’s Service Learning experience? What fears do you have (if any) about service

learning?

I expect to gather tons of experiences of what it is like in the classroom. I hope this

service learning experience will help me develop into a successful educator in training. I believe

that everything that we go over in class will be brought to life in my mentor teacher’s classroom.

I hope that the students and staff will perceive me as professional, because that’s all I aim to be.

I have goals of interacting with the students in ways that I have not been able to in previous

service learning experiences. I have no fears for this service learning experience.

Service Learning Journals

First Agency Visit – Thursday, March 6, 2014 – 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Overview of Events:

When arriving at service learning this morning, I was immediately informed that I would

be back in Mrs. Greene’s second grade classroom. Apparently she had requested that I come

back to her classroom for this semester’s service learning experience. This is the classroom I

was in for EDUC 2010 back in the fall. I immediately felt a bit disappointed that I was not going

to obtain the opportunity to observe another grade level. Throughout my service learning

experiences, I have been in the lower grades (Pre-Kindergarten and Second grade), and I really

wanted to be in one of the upper grades. Nevertheless, I am excited to be back in the classrooms

observing and interacting with the kids.

Affect:

I have to admit that I was a little frustrated that, even though I was requested back into

the classroom, I was not allowed to interact with the kids. I was not allowed to really interact

with the kids. However, I do understand that the second half of the school year is crucial for

learning due to the fact that state-initiated standardized testing is flying towards them at full

force. On the other hand, I am excited to hear that almost all of the kids had reached the

Accelerated Reading goal that they needed to go on the Accelerated Reading field trip this May.

I am very proud of them! When I left them last fall, none of them were anywhere close to

meeting this goal, and now most of them have it.

Behavior:

Today, I basically just observed how Mrs. Greene presented the material to the students.

I also observed how the students take in and react to the material that has been taught. More

importantly, though, I observed how the teacher interacts with the students. For the most part,

she is very patient with them; this is very different from last semester. There are some occasions

where she is very impatient with them, and she does not let them be kids. Yes, they should be

punished for doing wrong things, but that does not mean that they should pull a card for getting

up to get a tissue or sharpen their pencil. Maybe it is just the stress of the upcoming standardized

tests, but it is unfair to the kids to be punished for almost every little thing that they do.

Content:

Today in service learning, I saw a lot of student-based learning. The lessons were taught

around how the kids would learn the content. I also saw some differentiated instruction when it

came to Mrs. Greene’s math class. Overall, that is the two big things that I saw that really

connect to what we have learned in class.

Second Agency Visit – Wednesday, March 12, 2014 – 8:00 AM – 12 Noon

Overview of Events:

Upon arriving today, I was told that some of the day would be spent in the gym getting

ready for the upcoming Social Studies fair that will be tomorrow. This means that the students

will be making any last minute adjustments to their projects, and will be adding the finishing

touches to their presentation boards. Overall, it should be a very interesting day; especially since

all the kids are hyped up about the Social Studies fair.

Affect:

I got to admit. I was extremely interested and anxious to see what these second grade

students dished out for their projects. Being that they are second graders, it was bound to be an

entertaining and intriguing day. The kids really had me smiling about their enthusiasm that they

showed towards their projects. When I left at noon, today, I was so proud of what they had

dished out, and I am really looking forward to the real fair tomorrow.

Behavior:

Along with helping the students get ready for the fair tomorrow, I also helped Mrs.

Greene out by grading some papers that she had not had time to grade since she had been helping

her kids with their projects. Though I had done this before for some of my past elementary,

middle, and high school teachers, this gave me a new perspective on what grading papers was

really like. I also did something that I did not have a chance to do last semester – observe

reading class. Mrs. Greene’s reading class is the “advanced” reading class. Her children know

how to read, and they actually enjoy reading.

Content:

Today, I learned entirely what it takes to be an effective teacher. Organization and time

(though hard to find) is the two key factors that play a role in being an effective teacher. I found

out that it is not always easy to keep an organized classroom, but you have to try your best to

keep it as organized as you can. Organization (or lack of organization) can make or break a

classroom. The lack of time can also make or break a classroom.

Third Agency Visit – Thursday, March 13, 2014 – 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Overview of Events:

Let me just say that I met a lot of “famous” people today. Who all did I meet? Well there

was George Washington, Barak Obama, Faith Hill, Jo Dee Messina, Yogi Bearra, Sacojawea,

Lucille Ball, Ben Franklin, and Jackie Kennedy. Okay, so I did not actually meet the real people,

but the second through fifth graders were required to dress up as people that were correlated with

their project subject. Second graders were famous people from their states. All of the ones

mentioned, besides George Washington, Barak Obama, Jackie Kennedy and Ben Franklin, came

from the second grade. The others came from the fourth and fifth graders. Nevertheless, today

was a very entertaining day.

Affect:

Today I was really excited to get to service learning. My little second graders were going

to be dressed up as famous people from their project state. I had already predicted that it was

going to be intriguing and it was going to make me smile. Today was a great day, and I was so

happy that I got to enjoy it with them.

Behavior:

My goal for today was to help keep the kids calm, cool, and collected; which by the way

is easier said than done. About thirty minutes in, the kids were already restless. I walked around

and interacted with each one of them, asking the students questions that I figured that the judges

would ask just to make sure they were ready for the judges. I found myself keeping an eye on

those students that are the rowdiest. I also found myself smiling at the enthusiasm that the kids

put forth for the judges. However, while the judges were asking the second graders questions, I

took it upon myself to walk around and look at the other grade levels’ projects.

Content:

Today I seen how “poverty” plays a role in title one schools. Most of my students in the

service learning classroom that I am in have parents that cannot afford to buy a lot of supplies for

their projects. There are some, however, that went over and beyond. Maybe it is the poor kid

inside speaking, but it was really heartbreaking to see that some were heartbroken because their

presentation boards were not as elaborate as the others.

Epilogue:

Reflect on your semester’s service learning experience.

Overall, this semester’s service learning experience has been one of a kind. It started out like

I was not going to do any interaction with the kids. Then it turned out to be wonderful as I got to

work with them on their Social Studies fair projects. I will never forget the experiences that I gained

from this service learning experience.

Revisit the prologue. Have your expectations been met?

For the most part, every one of my expectations were met. I did get a chance to mingle with

some of the school board members, and some of them actually thought I was already a teacher at the

school. They were shocked to find out that I was not. Dr. Lynch even said himself that he was proud

of me for choosing this field, because he knew that I would do well in this profession. I did gain tons

of experiences of what it is like in the classroom. I also gained that experience of what it can be

outside of the classroom when it comes to grading papers. I gained insight that it is definitely a lot of

work to be a successful, effective teacher, but if you really love what you do, you will succeed at

what you do.

How have you been surprised, delighted, or dismayed by the experience? Give specific

examples.

I was surprised with how well I did connect with the students this semester. Last semester, I

did not really have a chance to really connect with them. This semester, however, I connected with

them. I helped them push through the fair. I helped them in their reading and math classes. I even

got down in the floor and played games with them during recess. On my last day, I read them “Oh,

the Places You’ll Go!” by Dr. Seuss. I explained to them that they are the key to their futures. Their

future is what they make it, and with the help of teachers along the way, they can be successful at

anything that they put their minds to.

How could this experience be improved?

Honestly, this experience could not have improved. It by far perfect just the way it was. I

would not trade any of the experiences and moments that I had with this semester’s service learning.

It was truly remarkable!


Here is what I want to accomplish in the next five years:

Education: I hope by the time the next five years is up that I will have graduated with my

Bachelor’s Degree. Right now, I am still undecided if I will go on and get my Master’s Degree.

Who knows? I might just do it. A teacher is only a good teacher if they are a good learner, after

all.

Career: In the next five years, I hope to be in a school system somewhere working as a teacher.

I honestly do not care what grade I teach, because I will be happy anywhere. I have even

consider the fact that I might have to move around to find a job, and I am perfectly content with

that.

Family and Friends: This subject is really tough for me to talk about right now. We just found

out some disturbing news about my grandmother. The doctors said that she probably would not

see the end of 2014, so I want to get as much time in with her as I can. However, in the next five

years, I plan to be as family oriented as I can be. Honestly, I love my family; I just never get a

chance to actually see them and be with them.

Involvement and Service to My Community: Right now, I enjoy volunteering throughout the

community. I can normally be found taking water to the volunteer firefighters when they are on

calls. This is partly due to the fact that my boyfriend is a volunteer, and then it is partly due to

the fact that they are local heroes and they need to stay hydrated. Within the next five years, I

hope to still be doing the same thing. I want to support our local heroes, and I also want to be

involved as much as I can be in my future students’ lives. I will attend their sports games. I will

be there for them when they need someone to talk to, or need that extra boost of confidence. I

will be the encouraging person that they may need in their lives.

Personal Growth: I hope to grow more in the next five years as a person. I have grew out of

my shyness a lot, but I plan on growing out of it a lot more. I also hope to be in a better place

health wise.

REFLECTIONS

Here are the Knowledge and Skills that I have acquired as a direct result of taking part in this

Service Learning project:

I have learned what it takes to be a successful teacher.

I have learned that patience is key.

I have learned that organization and time management can make or break a classroom.

Most importantly, I have learned that as a future educator, I am there for the students.

Here is how this Service Learning project ties in with my

EDUC 2300 Introduction to Education class:

This service learning ties into the class, because it does introduce us what it takes to be a

teacher and what it is like to be in a classroom. We gain real life experiences during these 18+

hours in a classroom. Real life experiences that we will take to heart and will hold close to us as

we continue down the pathway of our college experience. Once of our college experience is

done, we will take these real life experiences into our own classrooms with us.

My Contribution to the Community

I have devoted 18 hours to my Service Learning project. Here are four lasting experiences that

are an outcome of my Service Learning project:

1. One experience that definitely will stick out in my mind and in my heart is getting a chance

to actually connect with these students. I realized that to be a successful teacher you really

do have to care about your students and you have to show them that you care. If you do not

care, then you should not be an educator at all. You are not only torturing yourself if you do

not care, but you are also hurting the kids by not giving them an education experience that

they deserve.

2. Another experience that will stick out to me is how to discipline the children. I do not want

to punish them for every little thing that they do – like sharpening their pencils or getting a

tissue. I have realized that I will come up with the rules of the classroom with my students so

that we all know what is expected of them and what they should and should not do.

3. Another lasting experince would be learning that successful classroom management requires

organization and time management. Mrs. Greene pretty much beat that fact into my head

that it was key to being a great teacher. It was also repeated in a session at the STEA

conference this spring.

4. My fourth experience would be working with the kids on their projects. It really warmed my

heart to help them prepare and to be there with them as they presented their presentations to

the judges. That’s all I could ever ask for; to be warm-hearted by the experiences that I am

going to have in the future.

Context Statement Type of Artifact: Field Placement Evaluations

Date: Spring 2013


Description: This is a copy of the field placement evaluation for the class Introduction

to Special Education.


Date: Fall 2013


Description: This is a copy of the field placement evaluation for the class Psychology

of Human Development for Teachers.


Date: Spring 2014



to Education.

Context Statement Type of Artifact: Field Placement Timesheets

Date: Spring 2013


Description: This is a copy of the field placement timesheets for the class Introduction

to Special Education.


Date: Fall 2013


Description: This is a copy of the field placement evaluation for the class Psychology

of Human Development for Teachers.


Date: Spring 2014



to Education.

Concluding Reflection

Thank you for taking the time to review my developmental teaching portfolio. I hope it

was helpful enough for you to gain perspective in all the knowledge and skills that I have

obtained throughout my journey to become a future educator. As time goes on, I will add more

knowledge and skill to what is already present. I am looking forward to the future of a new

career opportunity that teaching will present to me. My goal is to become a successful, helpful,

and loving teacher to my future pupils.

Documents

The Developmental Teaching Portfolio