I have created this portfolio to demonstrate my knowledge on technology use in the classroom and how technology can help me to achieve my Teacher Performance Expectations.
Bio Poem
My Bio-Poem will tell you a little about myself. For more information on me please see my main profile.
Resume
I have a resume that I have posted. This will give you a brief description of my work history as well as educational background.
Scavenger Hunt
This Scavenger Hunt is geared toward a 5th grade classroom. It focuses on the Unites States Constitution and its significance. This lesson meets California State Standards for a 5th grade Social Science unit.
Teacher Performance Expectations are an important part of become a teacher. I feel confident in my abilities to meet these expectations. Click on the links below to see how I will meet these standards when I begin teaching:
Standard A: Making Subject Matter Comprehensible to Students
Standard B: Assessing Student Learning
Standard C: Engaging and Supporting Students in Learning
Standard D: Planning Instruction and Designing Learning Experiences for Students
Standard E: Creating and Maintaining Effective Environments for Student Learning
Standard F: Developing as a Professional Educator
Monday, May 31, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Standard F: Developing as a Professional Educator
TPE 12- Professional, Legal, and Ethical Obligations
TPE 13- Professional Growth
How can technology help you develop as a professional educator?
Reflection:
There are many ways that technology can help me and other teachers develop as professional educators. It is important that teachers continue their education because the world is always changing and there is so much to learn even after college. I am a firm believer that education should and will last a life time. I think that a great way to stay educated and develop more skills is to take online classes. Most colleges offer online courses to refresh existing skills and help teachers develop new ones. Other ways technology can help is by allowing teachers to stay connect to each other through blogs, like this one, and other websites where teachers can post their experiences and share document such as lesson plans.
There are also great resources to help teachers with ethical issues such as scholarly articles locate din the ERIC research database. I found a great article on Ethical Leadership by Larry Lashway that would be great for teachers to read. A great place for teachers to stay connected to each other is Teacher Lingo. They have a blog and are an education community dedicated to connecting teachers. The California Department of Education also has great information on their website on how to improve teacher quality and other great resources on teacher requirements.
Links:
TPE 13- Professional Growth
How can technology help you develop as a professional educator?
Reflection:
There are many ways that technology can help me and other teachers develop as professional educators. It is important that teachers continue their education because the world is always changing and there is so much to learn even after college. I am a firm believer that education should and will last a life time. I think that a great way to stay educated and develop more skills is to take online classes. Most colleges offer online courses to refresh existing skills and help teachers develop new ones. Other ways technology can help is by allowing teachers to stay connect to each other through blogs, like this one, and other websites where teachers can post their experiences and share document such as lesson plans.
There are also great resources to help teachers with ethical issues such as scholarly articles locate din the ERIC research database. I found a great article on Ethical Leadership by Larry Lashway that would be great for teachers to read. A great place for teachers to stay connected to each other is Teacher Lingo. They have a blog and are an education community dedicated to connecting teachers. The California Department of Education also has great information on their website on how to improve teacher quality and other great resources on teacher requirements.
Links:
- ERIC http://www.eric.ed.gov/
- Teacher Lingo http://www.teacherlingo.com/
- California Department of Education http://www.cde.ca.gov/
Standard E: Creating and Maintaining Effective Environments for Student Learning
TPE 10- Instructional Time
TPE 11- Social Environment
How can technology help you create and maintain an effective environment for student learning ?
Reflection:
In order to create an effective environment for student learning a teacher needs to maintain a safe and organized classroom. I have had the unfortunate opportunity to be a student in an unorganized classroom and it was distracting and frustrating for me. Technology make it easy for both teachers and students to stay organized. Using Microsoft word a teacher can create monthly newsletters that students can take home to their parents. By keeping parents involved students will get support from home and everyone will be on the same page. Word can also help teachers create signs for the classroom stating rules and schedules. I think that I could use Word to create a daily schedule for myself so that I make sure that I stay on track on time so that I make sure students get the most out of their day. I can also create a seating chart using Word which would also be helpful to students. Create a classroom calender would also help teachers and students stay organized.
Jefferson County Schools has a great website dedicated to helping students manage their classroom effectively. It has downloads for seating charts, award, discipline, report cards, how to create a substitute teacher packet, and even questions to ask during parent-teacher conferences. Another great tool is Microsoft Office online. They have thousands of templates that can be used in the classroom and they are free and easy to use. I would use this site for many classroom materials such as calenders, newsletters, and even multiplication tables.
Links:
TPE 11- Social Environment
How can technology help you create and maintain an effective environment for student learning ?
Reflection:
In order to create an effective environment for student learning a teacher needs to maintain a safe and organized classroom. I have had the unfortunate opportunity to be a student in an unorganized classroom and it was distracting and frustrating for me. Technology make it easy for both teachers and students to stay organized. Using Microsoft word a teacher can create monthly newsletters that students can take home to their parents. By keeping parents involved students will get support from home and everyone will be on the same page. Word can also help teachers create signs for the classroom stating rules and schedules. I think that I could use Word to create a daily schedule for myself so that I make sure that I stay on track on time so that I make sure students get the most out of their day. I can also create a seating chart using Word which would also be helpful to students. Create a classroom calender would also help teachers and students stay organized.
Jefferson County Schools has a great website dedicated to helping students manage their classroom effectively. It has downloads for seating charts, award, discipline, report cards, how to create a substitute teacher packet, and even questions to ask during parent-teacher conferences. Another great tool is Microsoft Office online. They have thousands of templates that can be used in the classroom and they are free and easy to use. I would use this site for many classroom materials such as calenders, newsletters, and even multiplication tables.
Links:
- Jefferson County Schools http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/classroom/mnagement.htm
- Microsoft templates http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/CT012261901033.aspx
Standard D: Planning Instruction and Designing Learning Experiences for Students
TPE 8- Learning About Students
TPE 9- Instructional Planning
How can technology help you plan instruction and design learning experiences for students?
Reflection:
I think a great way to get to know students is to have them tell you who they are as a person and student in either written or oral form. For younger students written from will probably be best but for older students typing a paper using Microsoft Word or creating a PowerPoint presentation would be great. A great idea would be to have students create a presentation that the will give to the class stating who they are and what they know, like, and aspire to be. By using technology to create this project the teacher can assess the students computer knowledge at the beginning of the year and at the same time learn who their students are from their own perspective.
Technology is also a great tool for teachers when it comes to lesson planning. There are numerous websites that have pre made lesson plans such as Read Write Think. This website has great lesson plans for all grade levels on the subject of language arts. This website could be great for new teachers because you can use the lesson plans shown or create your own based off of the inspiration of another. Microsoft Word is a great program to use to create lesson plans. Word can also help you create tests, rubrics, and other classroom materials. By using technology teachers can create anything they need to teach students, keep themselves organized, and keep track of grades. Teacher Vision is a great site to use also because it has lesson plans, rubrics, and other classroom management resources.
Links:
TPE 9- Instructional Planning
How can technology help you plan instruction and design learning experiences for students?
Reflection:
I think a great way to get to know students is to have them tell you who they are as a person and student in either written or oral form. For younger students written from will probably be best but for older students typing a paper using Microsoft Word or creating a PowerPoint presentation would be great. A great idea would be to have students create a presentation that the will give to the class stating who they are and what they know, like, and aspire to be. By using technology to create this project the teacher can assess the students computer knowledge at the beginning of the year and at the same time learn who their students are from their own perspective.
Technology is also a great tool for teachers when it comes to lesson planning. There are numerous websites that have pre made lesson plans such as Read Write Think. This website has great lesson plans for all grade levels on the subject of language arts. This website could be great for new teachers because you can use the lesson plans shown or create your own based off of the inspiration of another. Microsoft Word is a great program to use to create lesson plans. Word can also help you create tests, rubrics, and other classroom materials. By using technology teachers can create anything they need to teach students, keep themselves organized, and keep track of grades. Teacher Vision is a great site to use also because it has lesson plans, rubrics, and other classroom management resources.
Links:
- Lesson Plans for Language Arts http://www.readwritethink.org/
- Teacher Vision http://www.teachervision.fen.com/
Standard C: Engaging and Supporting Students in Learning
TPE 4- Making Content Accessible
TPE 5- Student Engagement
TPE 6- Developmentally Appropriate Teaching Practices (K-3, 4-8, or 9-12)
TPE 7- Teaching English Learners
How can technology help you engage and support students in learning?
Reflection:
Technology is key when engaging and supporting students in learning. Making content accessible to students means helping students learn using the best possible instructional methods for the content at hand. Planning curriculum is important in aiding both teacher proficiency and student achievement. By using lesson plans that include multiple multimedia and technology elements students will be able to understand concepts on a higher level as well as become more engaged in learning. I believe that students need a hands on approach to learning, especially at the elementary level that I plan to teach. Lectures can provide a lot of information to students but it is not always the best teaching strategy. By integrating technology such as educational videos, podcasts, and interactive software we are engaging students in active learning. I also feel strongly that if students participate in team projects they will learn valuable life and social skills that will aid them in being successful students and adults. I also think that if teachers assign more projects and less papers that students will benefit from the hands on experience of creating something, such as making a volcano in science, a commercial in language arts, or creating a business in economics. Teaching practices are different depending on the grade being taught. This is because at each grade level students learn differently. By have state adopted content standards we can assure that students around the state are all learning the same concepts at the appropriate age. It is important that technology instruction be included at all grade levels as well because the younger generation is becoming increasing dependent on computers for research and development. If we start integrating technology at an early age students will have a better understanding of how technology relates to what they are learning and all the great things that technology can do. Technology can also be a huge help in assisting English Learners. There are many software programs out there that can help student read and understand English better. One program, Tell me More, meets No Child Left Behind standards and even uses speech recognition to help with pronunciation. Technology can also help teachers who have English Learners in their classroom. the Internet has many great resources for lesson planning as well as other tips to help teachers assist students.
I have included some links below that I found very helpful. The first is a link to The California Content Standards. This link will be helpful to me in lesson planning because it tells me what my students have learned, what they need to learn from me, and what they will learn in the future. I also found some great sites in regards to assiting English Learners. There is a site that has numerous links to different lesson plans and another with reviews on different software that can be used in the classroom to assist in learning the English language.
Links:
TPE 5- Student Engagement
TPE 6- Developmentally Appropriate Teaching Practices (K-3, 4-8, or 9-12)
TPE 7- Teaching English Learners
How can technology help you engage and support students in learning?
Reflection:
Technology is key when engaging and supporting students in learning. Making content accessible to students means helping students learn using the best possible instructional methods for the content at hand. Planning curriculum is important in aiding both teacher proficiency and student achievement. By using lesson plans that include multiple multimedia and technology elements students will be able to understand concepts on a higher level as well as become more engaged in learning. I believe that students need a hands on approach to learning, especially at the elementary level that I plan to teach. Lectures can provide a lot of information to students but it is not always the best teaching strategy. By integrating technology such as educational videos, podcasts, and interactive software we are engaging students in active learning. I also feel strongly that if students participate in team projects they will learn valuable life and social skills that will aid them in being successful students and adults. I also think that if teachers assign more projects and less papers that students will benefit from the hands on experience of creating something, such as making a volcano in science, a commercial in language arts, or creating a business in economics. Teaching practices are different depending on the grade being taught. This is because at each grade level students learn differently. By have state adopted content standards we can assure that students around the state are all learning the same concepts at the appropriate age. It is important that technology instruction be included at all grade levels as well because the younger generation is becoming increasing dependent on computers for research and development. If we start integrating technology at an early age students will have a better understanding of how technology relates to what they are learning and all the great things that technology can do. Technology can also be a huge help in assisting English Learners. There are many software programs out there that can help student read and understand English better. One program, Tell me More, meets No Child Left Behind standards and even uses speech recognition to help with pronunciation. Technology can also help teachers who have English Learners in their classroom. the Internet has many great resources for lesson planning as well as other tips to help teachers assist students.
I have included some links below that I found very helpful. The first is a link to The California Content Standards. This link will be helpful to me in lesson planning because it tells me what my students have learned, what they need to learn from me, and what they will learn in the future. I also found some great sites in regards to assiting English Learners. There is a site that has numerous links to different lesson plans and another with reviews on different software that can be used in the classroom to assist in learning the English language.
Links:
- California State Board of Education Content Standards http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/
- ESL Lesson Plans and Resources http://www.csun.edu/~hcedu013/eslplans.html
- ESL Software for Schools http://www.esl.net/sofware_schools.html
Standard B: Assessing Student Learning
TPE 2- Monitoring Student Learning During Learning
TPE 3- Interpretation And Use Of Assessments
How can technology help you assess student learning?
TPE 3- Interpretation And Use Of Assessments
How can technology help you assess student learning?
Reflection:
I think that is important that teachers assess student learning constantly in order to maintain an effective learning environment. TPE2 is important because students need to have feedback on their work right away while the work is still fresh in the students mind. I think that if a paper is due that students need to turn in a rough draft and that the teacher needs to return a corrected version back to the student right away so that the student can make improvements. If a teacher waits to assess a students work until the end of a course the student may fall behind and not know where they stand as far as their achievements. I think that some teachers feel that the students should keep track of their own progress but I disagree. Yes, students should have an idea where they are in regards to grades and academic achievement, but it is our job as educators to assist students in getting the most out of their education and that means assessing students often and making sure that students are aware of their progress and how they can achieve their academic goals.
In regards to assessing student learning their are many tools that teachers can use. Microsoft Excel is a great tool for teachers because you can create spreadsheets fro student grades and turn them into graphs. An Excel sheet showing student test scores is helpful to teachers, students, and parents. Teachers can assess the data and compare students to each other to see who needs the most help and who is doing well on their own. With an Excel sheet the teacher can also single out a students test scores and create a bar graph to see a students achievement levels. This graph could help helpful at a student/teacher or parent/teacher conference. Microsoft Word is also great to use in student assessment because you can create grading rubrics for assignments. Many projects are better graded when multiple elements are considered. A grading rubric created in Word should be handed out to students when an assignment is given. The rubric will give students vital information on how they will be graded and what is expected of them. In addition to Microsoft programs their are many other ways to assess student achievement. There is a ton of software available to easily track grades. I downloaded a free trial of Class Mate Gradebook and couldn't believe how easy it was to use. The Internet is a great place to start if looking for ways to help you assess students. I have included some links below that I found useful.
Links:
- Tips on Grading: Using Rubrics www.humboldt.edu/~ugst/downloads/rubrics/.pdf
- Class Mate Gradebook Software www.classmategrading.com
Standard A: Making Subject Matter Comprehensible to Students
TPE 1- Specific Pedagogical Skills for Subject Matter Instruction
How can technology help you make your subject matter comprehensible to students?
Reflection:
How can technology help you make your subject matter comprehensible to students?
Reflection:
I belive that this TPE is very important because teachers need be able to make the information that they are relaying to their students easy to understand. Sometimes teachers need to change their teaching strategy depending on the dynamics of their classroom. Not all students learn the same way. Some students are visual learners while others learn easily by listening intently to a lecture. By integrating technology teachers can continue on with a lecture while also showing videos and other multimedia to assist those who learn visually. Technolgy can be a huge help in the classroom as far as making subject matter easier to understand for students. Many subjects in school are not meant to be taught by simply giving a lecture. By using technology students are able to see and feel what they are learning.
Many Microsoft programs are great to use in the classroom as teaching tools such as Powerpoint presentations, Excel spreadsheets and graphs, and Photo Story. I have created multiple Powerpoint presentations in history classes that I have taken and they have been helpful in getting information accross to other students. With Powerpoint I was able to pinpoint key facts while also showing pictures and video to go along with my lecture. I have also seen history presentations given by using Photo Story. Photo Story is very user friendly and can be a great tool because it allows a teacher or student to create a photo collage to go along with a pre-recorded lecture. I have included a link below on how to use Photo Story in a Social Studies classroom. I like Photo Story because it allows teachers to create a great historical narrative. I also included a link for other ways to include technology with curriculum.
Links:
Links:
- How to use Photo Story in a social studies classroom http://cnx.org/content/m19686/latest/
- Technology Curriculum Integration Ideas http://www.berrienresa.org/classres/intideas.htm
Resume
Kimberlee Brant
Objective: To teach multiple subjects at the elementary school level.
Education:
Objective: To teach multiple subjects at the elementary school level.
Education:
- BA Liberal Studies: Multiple Subject emphasis (in progress)- Brandman University (2009-present)
- General Education- Modesto Junior College (2002-2007)
- High School Diploma- Oakdale High School (1998-2002)
Work Experience:
- Teller- Valley First Credit Union (2009-present)
- Lead Retail Sales Consultant- At&t Mobility (2004-2009)
- INC Specialist- Macy's (2002-2004)
- Cafe Supervisor- Galaxy Theatres (2000-2002)
Interests:
- Music, history, travel, and film.
Personal Contacts:
Available Upon Request
Bio Poem
Kimberlee
A reader
Witty, talkative, organized, and dedicated
Lover of food, music, and my family
Who believed that hard work pays off
Who wanted the American Dream, happiness, and love
Who gave laughs, support, and friendship
Who said "it's never too late"
Brant
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Scavenger Hunt
Topic: United States Constitution and it's significance.
Lesson Objective: This lesson is designed to help you understand the importance of the United States Constitution, it's creation, and it's different elements. In this web Scavenger Hunt you will browse the five websites that I have chosen (listed below) and then answer ten questions regarding what you have learned.
California Content Standards met:
5.7.2 Explain the significance of the new Constitution of 1787, including the struggles over its ratification and the reasons for the addition of the bill of rights.
Web resources: Make sure to visit all 5 of these sites!!!
The Constitution for Kids
Copy of The Constitution for the United States of America
Elbridge Gerry's Reasons for not Signing the Federal Constitution
Constitutional Amendments
Bill of Rights
Questions for research:
Lesson Objective: This lesson is designed to help you understand the importance of the United States Constitution, it's creation, and it's different elements. In this web Scavenger Hunt you will browse the five websites that I have chosen (listed below) and then answer ten questions regarding what you have learned.
California Content Standards met:
5.7.2 Explain the significance of the new Constitution of 1787, including the struggles over its ratification and the reasons for the addition of the bill of rights.
Web resources: Make sure to visit all 5 of these sites!!!
The Constitution for Kids
Copy of The Constitution for the United States of America
Elbridge Gerry's Reasons for not Signing the Federal Constitution
Constitutional Amendments
Bill of Rights
Questions for research:
- According to your reading, why did the United States need to draft a Constitution?
- Name at least 3 "framers" of the Constitution.
- What are the 3 branches of Government set forth by the Constitution, and what role do they play in our government?
- Why did some people not want to ratify the constitution?
- Elbridge Gerry did not sign the Constitution. Why? Do you agree with his reasons? Why or why not?
- What is an "Amendment"?
- Briefly explain how an Amendment can be added to the Constitution.
- Why is important to be able to add an Amendment to the Constitution?
- If you could add an Amendment to the Constitution what would it be and why?
- After reading over the Bill of Rights, which Amendment do you feel is the most important and why? Please explain.
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