e Portfolio Reflection
The Secondary Education Program at Dixie State University expects graduating students to use the DESERT Model to provide evidence of their pedagogical knowledge and growth. My e-portfolio contains DESERT Model benchmark documentation which demonstrates that I am a competent, caring, and qualified educator.
One aspect of my competency is displayed in my (DM4) Classroom Management Plan. This comprehensive plan contains classroom procedures and routines, beginning of the school years letters to students and parents, and a well thought out design for classroom arrangement. Further, in my (DM2) is a list of ten content literacy strategies designed to engage a diverse group of students who learn in a variety of ways. It has been long accepted that competent writers are frequent readers; I see motivating students to read as a key element in the task of developing skilled writers. I believe that utilizing these content literacy strategies can inspire even the struggling readers to spend more time reading not only for schoolwork but also for pleasure.
My competency within my content area is demonstrated in my (DM3) Gender in Literature essay. The essay, entitled “It Takes a Village,” combines literary analysis with written communication through the use of several relevant poems; in addition, it has been accepted for presentation at this year’s Utah Conference on Undergraduate Research (UCUR). My love of literature fuels my desire to enthusiastically teach great literary works, convey the importance of research and new perspectives, and instill an appreciation for critical and independent thinking.
My caring as an educator is best demonstrated through my (DM2) Assessment Project which I completed during my practicum assignment at Dixie High School. I worked with three English Language Arts classes, each of which contained at least thirty-five percent special education students. Assisting with the teaching in these classes showed me how to meet each student’s needs with patience, discretion, and appropriate lesson and assessment design.
Although grades are the current means by which learning is measured, grades do not always reflect the degree or depth to which a student has understood the concepts. Grades can, however, often provide an indication of the level of dedication and determination a student has demonstrated. My overall GPA, while not the 4.0 I would have preferred, is currently 3.88 and I have passed the Praxis II with a score of 191 out of a possible 200. These pieces of quantitative evidence, coupled with my experiences in practicum and student teaching, demonstrate that I am a qualified educator.
As I reflect on my e-portfolio, I remember all those experiences which have prepared me to take the next step in my professional development. Chief among those experiences are the years spent raising my family and learning how to effectively motivate children, nearly a decade working in a public school district, and finally the time I have spent at DSU learning those skills necessary to be an effective educator. My e-portfolio represents a culmination of experiences which provides evidence indicating my competence, caring and qualifications as a student of education.
The Secondary Education Program at Dixie State University expects graduating students to use the DESERT Model to provide evidence of their pedagogical knowledge and growth. My e-portfolio contains DESERT Model benchmark documentation which demonstrates that I am a competent, caring, and qualified educator.
One aspect of my competency is displayed in my (DM4) Classroom Management Plan. This comprehensive plan contains classroom procedures and routines, beginning of the school years letters to students and parents, and a well thought out design for classroom arrangement. Further, in my (DM2) is a list of ten content literacy strategies designed to engage a diverse group of students who learn in a variety of ways. It has been long accepted that competent writers are frequent readers; I see motivating students to read as a key element in the task of developing skilled writers. I believe that utilizing these content literacy strategies can inspire even the struggling readers to spend more time reading not only for schoolwork but also for pleasure.
My competency within my content area is demonstrated in my (DM3) Gender in Literature essay. The essay, entitled “It Takes a Village,” combines literary analysis with written communication through the use of several relevant poems; in addition, it has been accepted for presentation at this year’s Utah Conference on Undergraduate Research (UCUR). My love of literature fuels my desire to enthusiastically teach great literary works, convey the importance of research and new perspectives, and instill an appreciation for critical and independent thinking.
My caring as an educator is best demonstrated through my (DM2) Assessment Project which I completed during my practicum assignment at Dixie High School. I worked with three English Language Arts classes, each of which contained at least thirty-five percent special education students. Assisting with the teaching in these classes showed me how to meet each student’s needs with patience, discretion, and appropriate lesson and assessment design.
Although grades are the current means by which learning is measured, grades do not always reflect the degree or depth to which a student has understood the concepts. Grades can, however, often provide an indication of the level of dedication and determination a student has demonstrated. My overall GPA, while not the 4.0 I would have preferred, is currently 3.88 and I have passed the Praxis II with a score of 191 out of a possible 200. These pieces of quantitative evidence, coupled with my experiences in practicum and student teaching, demonstrate that I am a qualified educator.
As I reflect on my e-portfolio, I remember all those experiences which have prepared me to take the next step in my professional development. Chief among those experiences are the years spent raising my family and learning how to effectively motivate children, nearly a decade working in a public school district, and finally the time I have spent at DSU learning those skills necessary to be an effective educator. My e-portfolio represents a culmination of experiences which provides evidence indicating my competence, caring and qualifications as a student of education.