This page is designed to show off a some of the work I completed during my tenure at Michigan State University. Each of the images is also a link to my work samples. To find out more about the specific courses in the Special Education Concentration, please visit the MAED concentration page.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I have organized my work into three categories:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I have organized my work into three categories:
- Content Instruction: This section provides examples of work I completed that demonstrates my understanding of content-based practices. Throughout my time in the program, I had a multitude of opportunities to try out different practices and strategies that pertained to not only content instruction but best teaching practices.
- Pedagogical Beliefs and Social Emotional Learning: This section provides resources that I created while in the program that relate to growing our own pedagogical beliefs and engaging in social-emotional learning. I found this section to be most robust becuase these two topics are my passion.
- Understanding and Building Inclusivity: This section provides work samples that demonstrate my understanding and experiences with inclusivity. The MAED program did an incredible job at providing me opportunities to reflect, respond and expand my knowledge and understanding of diversity and inclusivity. After all, it is the role of the teacher to provide a safe and loving environment that fosters learning.
Content Instruction
A content unit plan is designed around the framework: Students+ Task Demands = Maximize Learning for All+ Provide Specialized Instruction + Assess and Refine. This framework identifies that in order to create a powerful lesson that will impact identified struggling learners, we must provide them with meaningful and specially designed instruction followed by deliberate assessments and reflection. This plan was created for a 5th grade math classroom that highlights the lesson planned (graphing in 4-quadratns), universal supports supplied during the lesson, and specifically designed instruction for two struggling learners.
|
In this essay, I discuss the value in allowing children to read for pleasure. This essay indicates my ability to reflect upon what I have learned using valuable articles and personal experiences as the guidelines for my opinions. I force you to question your own classroom library and whether or not you are allowing your students opportunities to form their own social beliefs.
|
This essay researches the long standing debate around the intention of Shel Silverstein's book, The Giving Tree. Through much research and internal debate, I am not settled on the true meaning. I would like to believe my innocence, and maintain that it is a story of unconditional love. This contemplative reflection highlights my ability to review and critically comb through literature. Before my time at MSU, I had no strong opinions regarding children's literature, since it was not applicable to my teaching content. I was given multiple opportunities to argue and discuss the nuances of children's literature.
|
Pedagogical Beliefs and Social Emotional Learning
This is a list of some of my "favorite" teaching tools that I carry around in my back pocket. Each student created their own list and the lists were shared among the class. They range from uses in the academic arena, social emotional learning to classroom management ideas. These resources identify my ability to network with other teachers and my comfortability with using multiple forms of technology.
|
This presentation highlights the importance of implementing a social emotional learning (SEL) curriculum. I was able to give this actual presentation during a recent professional development. This assignment identifies my leadership abilities and want to improve those around me. I find huge value in SEL and I am passionate about spreading those ideals.
|
Educational inquiry is hugely important in the quest for higher education. The domains of educational inquiry include: understanding the "foundations of education", practitioner inquiry, ethnographic inquiry, learning over the life cycle, theories of the mind and curriculum and new information technologies. The following essays are examples of combing through different types of educational inquiries and associating them to my own development as a human and educator.
Understanding and Building Inclusivity
This Individualized Educational Program (IEP) was created for a fictional student, Tony. I worked closely with a special educator to create a plan to help our struggling student. The report took an extensive amount of time and energy, but indicates my ability to collaborate and my knowledge base involving students with learning difficulties.
|
I created this presentation to highlight the importance of developing a Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support (PBIS) system. I presented this to my school administration team to encourage them to buy into the idea. I discussed the value of introducing PBIS to the school, what it would look like in the constraints of the school , the classrooms and on an individual level. This could easily be used as a professional development opportunity, as well.
|
The images above are my own or they are free from the Weebly photo library. The images are also links to my work.