| Use this form in conjunction with the 3 standards and 12 criteria | ||
| Name : First Grade Teacher |
| Building and Assignment: Private School |
| Standard/Criterion: Designing Curriculum 1(d) designing and/or adapting challenging curriculum that is based on the diverse needs of each student |
Step 1 - Needs Assessment and Goal Selection
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| 1a-Professional Growth Area of Focus
Your self-assessment using the Descriptions of Practice, discussions with your Professional Growth Team, and the review of school/district plans will provide guidance on a specific area for growth within the selected criterion. |
| In discussing my teaching with my professional growth team I found that there are a few ways I have been successful in standard 1d. In math, my students use a variety of strategies to solve problems, reflect on their thinking strategies, and communicate what strategies worked well and which didn’t on a weekly basis. In our problem of the day – I model a strategy to attack the problem. We practice it as a class. Each day I add a strategy. They have my models on the board and their practice sheets. On Thursday, they select what strategy they want to use for a test. Friday we correct and they assess the success of their strategy selection. In reading I have taught my students to use determine meaning and analyze a story in multiple ways. For my literacy block – I have ladder of activities/questions for books that are part of a series we study. Some relate to unlocking through visual cues, some through vocabulary, others ask for predictions and as student responses show comprehension- we move up the ladder. Students keep a reading journal with reading buddies who write do a book review- having students answer the questions again but individually along with the follow-up – “How did you decide that?” This helps find out what strategies they are using.
However, in completing my self-assessment I discovered that I have often failed to inform students of the learning targets or the steps required to reach the targets. I have provided students with very limited options for assistance, remediation, acceleration, or enrichment. I have not provided many opportunities for students to reflect on their own learning and thinking strategies. Rarely have I adapted curriculum to appropriately challenge all students, and I don’t know many strategies to determine the diverse needs of each student.
I need to learn more about involving students, particularly what is appropriate for first graders, in knowing their strengths and challenges and how to self-reflect on their learning. I need to learn ways to design and organize curriculum and instruction to match students’ individual needs as well. I also need to learn how to set up systems and structures that allow for time to have both remediation and enrichment options. |
| 1b-Rationale
What will your students be able to do as a result of your professional growth that they are not now able to do? |
| First
grade students will
· Articulate the learning targets and the steps they could take to reach the targets · Identify options for assistance, remediation, acceleration, or enrichment as needed · Identify their individual learning needs and articulate and evaluate their thinking strategies · Accelerate to grade level by end of year. |
Step 2 - New Learning
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| Based on your rationale, what new skills and knowledge (grounded in research) will you need to build your capacity in this area? Be Specific. |
| In the September 2001 Educational Leadership article “Standards for Diverse Learners” authors Paula Kluth and Diana Straut state that within the same classroom students should be working on a range of skills that fit their individual needs and abilities. They explain that, “By adopting a personalized approach, teachers can use standards to allow a range of acceptable performances”. In light of this research I need to learn how to make creative adaptations to curriculum in order to adapt the curriculum to students’ unique needs and learning styles. My professional growth team suggested that I take an online course entitled “Success with Differentiated Instruction” through Seattle University because this teaches how to respond to students’ needs and create respectful activities, quality curriculum, and flexible grouping. It teaches how to assess for readiness, interest, and learning profile in order to give the best learning opportunities to all students. These are the skills that I need in order to build my capacity for differentiated instruction. |
Step 3 - Professional Growth Action Plan
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| What specific growth activities will you engage in to obtain the identified new learning? |
ACTIVITIES
| TARGET DATE
| RESOURCES NEEDED
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| Take 2-credit online course through Seattle University “Success with Differentiated Instruction” | Summer 2008 | $170 |
| Read article. Make a plan with professional growth team how I could use the 11 activities to help students identify options for assistance, remediation, acceleration and enrichment | Spring and Autumn 2008 | Guskey, Thomas R. (2007/2008) The rest of the story. Educational Leadership, 65, 28-35.
Professional Growth Team |
Step 4 - Evidence Proposed
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| What evidence might you gather to demonstrate the impact of your professional growth on student learning as stated in Step 1? |
| ·
Examples of remediation and enrichment activities and structure I employed to allow for both within my classroom.
Samples from a low, medium and high student: · Reflections of students of what was required and in what ways they met the learning targets · Journal entries on how they determined that they needed help or enrichment and how they got the needed help · Written reflection to the following prompts: What thinking strategies did you use? Did those work well for you, why or why not? What would you do differently next time? · Student reflection on making adjustments to meet their individual needs. Student work demonstrating adjusting their work. Explanation of why they made that adjustment · Completed student-created individual learning plans with a continuum. Include a student reflection of where they placed themselves and why |