PPAT - TASK 1: KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENT AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Gabrielle Gregorie ECED 461: MAT/Grade 1/Skipper January 31, 2014

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student and Learning Environment (4 artifacts)

Step 1: Knowledge of Students - Contextual Factors Chart (artifact #1): Contextual Factors Chart.doc Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers Task 1 Contextual Factors Chart
Source of Factor Contextual and Environmental Factors
Urban, Suburban, or Rural- Suburban Socioeconomic Status- 30% below poverty level; Median household income between 2008 and 2012 is 27,694 Census Data on Families- 17,753 families Enrollment: 9,040 students Free lunch: 58% Reduced lunch: 5% Graduation rate: 76.5% Ethnic breakdown: Asian 1% Black 40% Hispanic 12% White 45% Other 2% Percent with IEP: 12% with disabilities Percent ELL: 1,017 students; not including bilingual students Per pupil expenditure: $8,370 Enrollment: 725 students Free lunch: 73% Reduced lunch: 4% Acheivement (PASS) scores: ELA 654.7 Math 632.1 Science 613.1 Social Studies 638.7 Ethnic Breakdown: Asian 0% Black 55% Hispnic 12% White 31%

Community
Urban, suburban, or rural; socioeconomic; census data on families

District
Enrollment, percent free and reduced lunch; graduation rate; ethnic breakdown; percent with IEP; percent ELL; per pupil expenditure

School
Enrollment, percent free and reduced lunch; achievement scores; ethnic breakdown; percent with IEP; percent ELL; recognitions; teacher/student ratio

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Other 2% Percent with IEP: 11.4% Percent ELL: (see class demographics) Recognitions: House of Greenwood District 50 Montessori Education Program Teacher/Student Ratio: 1/21.5 Class: 20 students Ethnicity: Black 15 Hispanic 2 White - 3 Language needs: 2 ESOL students (ELL) and 2 who have IEPs for speech Gender: Male 12 Female - 8 Special needs: 3 IEPs, 2 for speech and 1 for ADD, 2 students take medication for ADD, and 2 ELL students GT: none Physical needs: none Cultural characteristics: 2 Hispanic students Learning styles: Whole group, small groups, individually instruction, visual, kinesthetic, and auditory learners Prior learning/experiences: pre-k and kindergarten: 3 students are kindergarten repeaters Academic proficiencies: Ability levels range from below average to above average Behavioral differences: Overall, the students are well behaved. One student has behavioral therapy and gets angry often, with drastic mood swings. However, he is comfortable talking to me and telling me what to do to calm him and get him back on track. Other students have attitudes and can be lazy, but overall the students follow the rules and have respectful behavior. Areas of interest: basketball, video games, technology, computers, college football, karate, reading, math, music, being active, and socializing

Classroom Demographics
Ethnicity, language needs, gender, identified special needs including gifted, physical needs, and cultural characteristics

Knowledge of Students Learning styles, prior learning/experiences, academic proficiencies, behavioral differences, and areas of interest

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TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

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Step 1: Knowledge of Students

- 1.1.1: Community, District, and School Contextual Factors That Influence Instruction: Guiding Prompts From the Contextual Factors Chart, choose one factor that you believe will have the most impact on student learning from within each of the following three categories: community, district, and school. a. Identify your chosen community factor. Based on your chosen community factor, identify one possible instructional strategy and one learning activity that you could use in your classroom to further student learning. Provide a rationale that explains how the identified strategy and activity connect to the chosen factor. The chosen community factor is the socioeconomic status of families in the Greenwood community. Based on the fact that 30% of families are below poverty level, accommodations can be made in the classroom to further student learning. An instructional strategy that could be used is indirect instruction. This strategy allows students to think independently and guide themselves through instruction. With many parents working double jobs and late shifts most of the students complete homework and reading independently. When taught the steps of how to problem solve and work through problems in the classroom, those students completing work at home on their own will be more confident. A learning activity I could use in the classroom to further student learning is making take home math manipulatives to practice with at home. Students use ten rods and ones at school to help them solve problems and understand the operations. Paper ten rods and ones could be made and laminated to send home in students folders that need them to independently solve problems. Teaching students what to do when they do not know the word or the answer allows them to further their learning. Giving them the manipulatives and resources to help solve these problems on their own is a strategy and activity that could be beneficial to my classroom. b. Identify your chosen district factor. Based on your chosen district factor, identify one possible instructional strategy and one learning activity that you could use in your classroom to further student learning. Provide a rationale that explains how the identified strategy and activity connect to the chosen factor. My chosen district factor is the amount of ELL students, especially Hispanics, within the district. Interactive instruction could be used as a strategy in the classroom to incorporate learning activities such as learning basic Spanish vocabulary. Using indirect instruction and student centered activities such as webquest, maps, reflective discussion, researching of Hispanic culture and countries, and interacting with our Hispanic classmates to learn about other cultures around the world opens the door to the bigger picture. Even knowing basic Spanish vocabulary such as numbers, colors, the alphabet, common verbs and nouns could spark the interest in students. It also allows the ELL students to share learning their

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

Gregorie 4 language with the students, and promote learning English in return. c. Identify your chosen school factor. Based on your chosen school factor, identify one possible instructional strategy and one learning activity that you could use in your classroom to further student learning. Provide a rationale that explains how the identified strategy and activity connect to the chosen factor. My chosen school factor is the percent of students that receive free or reduced lunch. It is a large majority of the school, which means there are a lot of students eating the meals served in the Cafeteria. This means there is a lot of waste, recycling, and preparing of the meals going on every day. The school also scored the lowest on PASS in science, and there are so many educational opportunities and activities to make of the school lunch topic. Many schools have worked on their lunch system for a long time and have school gardens that children grow to provide vegetables and fruit for the cafeteria. This can spiral into a variety of many other lessons; eating healthy, growing a plant, etc. I would use this opportunity to promote independent study in the classroom. This instructional strategy could be used in a basic science lesson that students would love. When learning about the basic needs and structures of a plant, students can recycle the weeks worth of milk cartons to make our class carton garden. Students could each grow a seed in their recycled cartons and research and journal throughout the process. This would allow students to recycle the mass of milk cartons, due to the amount of students that eat free/reduced lunch at the school, and turn it into an educational experience to promote student learning. - 1.1.2: Classroom Demographics and Knowledge of Students Guiding Prompts From the Contextual Factors Chart, choose one factor that you believe will have the most impact on student learning from within each of the following two categories: classroom demographics and knowledge of students. a. Identify your chosen classroom-demographics factor. Based on your chosen classroom-demographics factor, identify one possible instructional strategy and one learning activity that you could use in your classroom to further student learning. Provide a rationale that explains how the identified strategy and activity connect to the chosen factor. My chosen classroom-demographics factor is the two Hispanic students in the classroom who are both ESOL. This factor could allow me to incorporate an instructional strategy and learning activity to further student learning. Peer Partner Learning is an instructional strategy I could use in the classroom with these students. Partnering up with another student that they can work well with will provide them with someone to ask questions to and receive directions from. These students do not struggle speaking English but often write as they hear the pronunciation of words, and are slower readers. Having a peer partner that they can work collaboratively with gives them confidence of accomplishing their work without relying on a teachers help. This strategy and activity could TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

Gregorie 5 promote student learning in the classroom. Identify your chosen knowledge-of-students factor. Based on your chosen knowledge-of-students factor, identify one possible instructional strategy and one learning activity that you could use in your classroom to further student learning. Provide a rationale that explains how the identified strategy and activity connect to the chosen factor. My chosen knowledge-of-students factor is the knowledge of learning experience that the students previously had, with the three kindergarten repeaters in my class in particular. Focus student #1 is a kindergarten repeater, and is also the lowest student in my first grade class. Giving him the same instruction and activities as the students who are working at grade level teaches him nothing and simply is not fair because he does not understand. An instructional strategy that could promote learning for this student is independent study on iPad apps for common sight words and pre-emergent reading skills. Faculty members share apps they find at our meetings each week to increase the use of the classroom iPads throughout the school. While other students work on seatwork and guided reading groups, these apps could be used as a technology conducted learning activity to promote student learning in the classroom.

Step 2: Resources and Procedures:

- Instructional and Support Resources Chart (artifact #2): Instructional and Support Resources Chart.doc

Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers Task 1 Instructional and Support Resources Chart
Resource One Example and Location
The Museum Greenwood, South Carolina 106 Main Street Greenwood, SC 29646 http://www.emeraldtriangle.sc/museum/ 50G: The New Generation of Learners Initiative Greenwood School District 50 http://www.gwd50.org/domain/2133

Community

Building/District Policies

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

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Reading Recovery: Debra Burnett Mathews Elementary School GWD 50 http://www.gwd50.org//Domain/1054 McGraw-Hill My Math 2013 Math workbook and lessons 1 book per student: left in the classroom https://www.mheonline.com/program/view/1/16/25 57/mymath2013/2559/002117069X/ After School Programs: Step Team, Good News Club, YMCA Held in the building

Instructional Support Staff

Instructional materials

Curricular Programs

Classroom Smart Board, iPad *Located in every classroom (at MAT)

Instructional Technology

Student Data Access/Records

Compass Learning Odyssey: Book-bag (student scores) Accessed on class computers, in computer lab and to students with internet access outside of school (Teachers can view students records and progress) https://www.thelearningodyssey.com Class Dojo Classroom Management Plan

Other Resources

http://www.classdojo.com

Copyright 2013 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo and LISTENING. LEARNING. LEADING. are registered trademarks of Educational Testing Service (ETS). PRAXIS and THE PRAXIS SERIES are trademarks of ETS.

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

Gregorie 7 - 1.2.1: Available Resources to Enhance Student Learning: Guiding Prompts After completing the Instructional and Support Resources Chart, answer the following: a. Select two resources from the completed chart and describe how you would use each in your classroom to support student learning. - Odyssey Compass Learning is the computer program the school uses to provide students with activities and preparation for the MAP Test. Teachers can access the students book-bag to see what activities they have completed and where they have strengths and weaknesses. Since these activities are based around the content seen on the MAP Test, I could use this resource to see what areas I need to focus on. I can also understand what concepts the students have mastered in order to succeed and be confident when tested and support student learning. - The Greenwood Museum is a great community resource available for a wonderful field trip opportunity. First grade social studies focuses on people, places, and the community and students can experience the life in their Greenwood community in the 1800s. There are many exhibits varying the three floors of the building and have hands on activities with every exhibit in the museum to support student learning. b. Select a particular characteristic that you listed under Knowledge of Students in the Contextual Factors Chart. Describe how a resource, different from the two listed in Guiding Prompt A, could enhance student learning based on the particular characteristic selected. The selected characteristic is the academic proficiencies and ability levels of the twenty students ranging from below average to above average. Reading recovery teachers and other instructional resources throughout the school, like Mrs. Burnett, are available to accommodate these students who are struggling to be at grade level requirements. Students that Mrs. Burnett pulls for small group instruction or one-on-one have been steadily improving until some of them reach the point where they are on grade level and no longer need additional instruction. She was just able to release one student and work one-on-one with a student needing it more because dramatic progress and self-confidence is evident in the student. Communicating and working collaboratively with the instructional support staff at the school is a tool to enhance student learning in the classroom for those who need additional instruction. 1.2.2: Student Interest Inventory: - Things That Interest Me (artifact #3): *Also administered PPAT Student Survey

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

Gregorie 8 Student Interest Inventory: Things That Interest Me Focus Student #2: *Corrections and comments for reflection

Focus Student #2

- Sponge Bob

- Barbie dolls

- Bear

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

Gregorie 9 Student Interest Inventory: Things That Interest Me Focus Student #2: part 2

Focus Student #2

- Walk

- Doing hand stands

- The Easter Bunny

- Be rich

- Doctor * Used in 1.2.2 b.

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

Gregorie 10 Guiding Prompts: a. Based on the compilation of information from the students' interest inventories, analyze one example of how this information would influence an instructional decision you would make in your classroom. An example of how this interest inventory could influence instructional decisions is by how it allows me to see: how students like to read (independently, read to, read to someone else), what they are interested in reading, and what their interest in life are that I could incorporate into instruction. Students that like to read books to someone could be partnered up to read together when they have completed work and are searching for something to do. I could also take students that do not like to read independently and put them in a group that listens to books on tape in the reading center. These student inventories provide me with useful information to accommodate instruction based around students individual interests. b. Using one student's completed interest inventory, analyze how you would use one item from the inventory to promote the student's engagement and learning. Using Focus Student #2s completed Things That Interest Me Survey, I can analyze the information to promote student learning. FS #2 wrote 6. When I grow up I would like to: be a docter Under the EEDA Act, teachers must educate students of future career clusters and promote education for career readiness. Different careers, including a doctor, such as: nurses, teachers, police, etc. were also listed throughout the students surveys. This information can be used to plan a lesson or mini-unit on different careers to promote students engagement and leaning about why they go to school and how it relates to their future. - 1.2.3: Communicating with Students and Families: - Document of Parent/Family Communication (artifact #4)

Parent/Family Letter: *Attached Lander Video Permission and ETS Student Release Forms
Links: Parent Letter - Parent Letter.docx Forms - Lander Video Permission Form.docx ETS Student Release Form.docx

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

Gregorie 11 Guiding Prompts: a. Describe one example of how your method of communication addresses the demographic differences in the classroom. The parent letter I sent home addressed the diversity in demographic differences in the classroom. I understand that parents and guardians may not always have the time or education to read and fill out forms from the teachers and school. I filled in as many of the blanks as I could to make it easiest for the parents. I also have met some of the parents and families that the students live with and have been able to grow in communication skills amongst the different demographics throughout the classroom. b. Describe how your method of communication fosters interaction between you, your students, and their families. This letter was the second letter I have sent home communicating to parents, so they are familiar with who I am and my role in the classroom. Since I have sent the letter home, I now receive notes from parents addressing other information about the child, I grade all of the work that goes home and am able to give feedback/comments, and sign daily behavior status in folders and write notes home to parents each day. The more communication and interaction between the families and the students, the more beneficial you can be collaboratively for the learning in the classroom. - 1.2.4: Rules and Procedures: Guiding Prompts: a. Describe one example of a classroom rule or procedure. Explain how the rule or procedure facilitates instruction, enhances student learning, or impacts the learning environment. When students come to school each day, they begin the day on level green ready to learn. Ready to learn is a state of overall behavior and presence that promotes learning - sitting quietly, following the rules, raising your hand, not talking out, completing work, etc. From this level students can lose or gain points throughout the day which are recorded on the app Class DOJO on the Smart Board, iPad and behavior clip chart. The points determine which color you are on the clip chart. (attached photos). By managing the class behavior and maintaining a ready to learn expectation, I am able to facilitate instruction, enhance student learning, and promote a positive learning environment. b. Describe one example of a technology rule or procedure. Explain how the rule or procedure facilitates instruction, enhances student learning, or impacts the learning environment.

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

Gregorie 12 A technology rule/procedure we have in the classroom is the daily computer assignment chart. Above each of the four computers located in the classroom is five students name for that specific computer. Each day a group of students are chosen to work on Odyssey at their assigned computer. When the class is gathered on the rug to review morning work and daily calendar, the students record files on Odyssey, called Book-bag, is viewed to see what activities were completed that day. Students know how they are expected to behave when on a computer at school, and what they are suppose to being doing at all times during the assigned computer times to enhance student learning. c. Describe one example of a behavior management rule or procedure. Explain how the rule or procedure facilitates instruction, enhances student learning, or impacts the learning environment. The behavior management clip chart enhances students awareness of their choices and maintains a positive learning environment. At the end of the day, each students folder is marked with the color they are on the chart at the end of the day and reasons/comments about the students actions. Parents have a key to determine behavioral status according to color, and initial daily. They often send notes and responses about the situation. By having the students aware of their behavioral status throughout the day, they are more likely to make good choices to improve. Consistent communication and reminding the students that they are responsible for the consequences of their actions promotes a positive learning environment to facilitate instruction and enhance student learning.

Class DOJO Clip Chart TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment