Running head: PORTFOLIO

Portfolio Josh Borders Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

PORTFOLIO Field Experience For my field experience, I observed Mr. McGary, a math and science teacher at

Perry Meridian Sixth Grade Academy. During my six weeks in his classroom, I observed many valuable qualities that I can use to become a better teacher. Many factors have been taken into consideration as I reflect on my time in this learning environment. The primary aspects of Mr. McGarys class that I was able to assess were class composition, structure, time, instruction, assessment, and leadership. However, there were also deeper lessons that I was able to draw from this experience. After the first observation session, Mr. McGary informed us that this was an advanced placement class and the students populating this room were in the upper echelon of academic performers in the school. We felt it was necessary to keep this fact in mind when observing and assessing some of the teaching strategies that would be demonstrated throughout this experience. First and foremost, Mr. McGarys class was composed of 32 students, about 80% of which were Caucasian. The other 20% appeared to be students of Burmese dissent, or students that spoke the language of Chin. However, I am unaware as to whether or not these students were categorized as ESL, but they seemed to adapt quite well to the learning environment that Mr. McGary had created. Furthermore, there were more female students than there were male students and none of the students appeared to have any identifiable disabilities. Students were not grouped by ability, but rather grouped in clusters of four to six students and set up so that each cluster was a mixture of task-oriented students and students that could use some assistance with remaining focused. This allowed the students in each group to assist one another with staying on

PORTFOLIO task and being productive members of the learning environment. I feel that Mr. McGary set his groups up in this manner because those who use the least amount of grouping by ability are those with the highest achievement (Boaler, p. 107, 2008). Despite the occasional chatter, students were engaged and on task each day we observed them. Classroom structure was another factor that I observed and it seemed to play an important role in the overall dynamic of the environment. Homeostasis seemed to be achieved when Mr. McGary was at the front of the classroom, providing instruction to

the students. What I mean by this is that I perceived that the students were comfortable with the teacher taking a rather traditional approach to delivery instruction. Mr. McGary stood at the front of the class and used the SmartBoard to supplement his delivery of the lesson. Furthermore, he seemed to have a very solid rapport with his students, which translated into a complacent learning ecosystem. The students respect one another, as well as the teacher and this seemed to be attributed to Mr. McGary treating them as young adults rather than kids. He spoke to them in a mature manner, made the rules and guidelines clear, but also allowed the students to take responsibility for their own behaviors and the behaviors of others by stressing the importance of accountability. As far as time and instruction are concerned, the class was split about 70/30 with an emphasis placed on mathematics instruction. The students worked on the math lesson for about an hour and twenty minutes, then transitioned into the science lesson, which lasted for about 5 minutes. During science class, multiple learning styles were addressed within Mr. McGarys differentiated instruction. Some groups would work on an interactive, hands-on activity, while other groups would work independently, then

PORTFOLIO they would rotate to the opposing station. All the while, Mr. McGary would move about the classroom providing additional help and feedback to the students as they worked. The great thing about Mr. McGarys approach to teaching is that he allows students to communicate and collaborate with one another while they work in stations. Some

teachers would discourage this open-discussion template, but Mr. McGary used it to his advantage by observing what was being said, then asking thought-provoking questions to further the students understanding. The aforementioned method of instruction is founded largely within the confines of constructivism, but supplemented with some aspects of the more traditional approach. As he milled about the room, he was also able to assess his students as they worked to develop a better understanding of the lesson at hand. However, he also used standard methods of assessment too. In one of our observation sessions, the students were given a multiple-choice test to assess their understanding of the most recent math lesson. Although this method of assessment is sometimes frowned upon, Mr. McGary was able to modify the evaluation by utilizing technology that the school had access too. Each student has their won personal laptop that they are able to use throughout the course of a standard school day. Mr. McGary was able to incorporate this into the curriculum by developing a test that the students could take on their computers. Although the format of the test matched that of a standard paper-and-pencil test, the students were able to use their laptops for every aspect of the test. Overall, I was extremely impressed by Mr. McGarys method of instruction, as well as his classroom management and rapport with his students. I am unsure as to what my classmates field experiences were like, but if they were anything like my trios,

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then they were afforded the opportunity to observe and learn from a great teacher. I will take away many valuable ideas and strategies from this experience and feel fortunate to have been assigned to Mr. McGarys classroom for observation purposes. In my personal opinion, Mr. McGary exemplifies what it means to be a great teacher. A particular quote comes to mind when I reflect on what I observed in his classroom: Through dialogue the teacher-of-the-student and the students-of-the-teacher cease to exist and a new term emerges: teacher-student and students-teachers. The teacher is no longer merely the-one-who-teaches, but one who is himself taught in the dialogue with the students, who in turn while being taught also teach. They become jointly responsible for the process in which all grow (Freire, 1985). Professional Development #1 For my first professional development, I chose to attend a PTA meeting at Clinton Young Elementary in Perry Township School District. I chose this professional development site because it is the elementary school that I attended during my primary years of education. This particular meeting was held on August 28, 2012 and was the first of the year for Clinton young. The meeting lasted about 30 minutes and included a secretarys report, treasurers report, a few words from the assistant principal, and a discussion about fundraisers and activities for the upcoming school year. Similar to most board meetings, each topic was presented and then seconded by another member of the committee. Also, membership information was discussed and a goal was set for the number of members that the association would like to have by the end of the year. I though the most interesting thing about the PTA meeting was the number of people that attended the event. There were multiple teachers, many parents, and an

PORTFOLIO administrator that were present for the meeting. I feel that it is very important to have a wide variety of perspectives at these types of events. Not only do the teachers and administrator provide insight into the schools perspective on different topics, but also the parents are able to interact with the staff members during this time. Furthermore, each parent is able to familiarize themselves with the staff and ask questions as the topics are presented to the group.

I think that this is a very important association within the school system, because it allows parents and teachers to work together in achieving a common goal. The common goal that I have mentioned is to provide students with a means for additional activities, by raising money through different events that the PTA is responsible for coordinating. The difficult thing for the PTA to establish is a consistent group of volunteers to assist with the events. Considering the teachers have their plate full on a daily basis and most parents work one, if not multiple jobs throughout the school year, it is a struggle to find people that are capable of committing to volunteer their time on a regular basis. Another interesting thing I noticed at this meeting was the attendance of a few English Language Learner families. It is very inspiring to know that they want to be involved in their childrens educational experience even though they may not completely understand the native language of most PTA members. Teachers that are present for the meetings can take note of the parents that are willing to attend these meetings and use this to assist their ELL students educational needs in the classroom. By attending meetings like this, the parents are showing the staff members that they are willing to go the extra mile for their children. Teachers would be wise to take advantage

PORTFOLIO of opportunities like this and ask these parents to become even more involved in the actual learning environment. Clinton Young seemed to have a solid community foundation to supplement the work of their school, which will translate to better experience for the students populating the school. Professional Development #2 My next professional development experience was accomplished by attending a school board meeting for Perry Township School District on September 10, 2012. The attendance for this event was exemplary, which could most likely be attributed to it being the first school board meeting of the year for the district. Many things were discussed throughout the duration of the meeting, but the main topics being addressed

were the new TAP system and the renovation budget for the year. The TAP system was introduced in great detail toward the beginning of the meeting and continued for over 30 minutes. Initially, two administrators presented an overview of the TAP system and how it would be implemented throughout the district. Next, the superintendent provided his insight into the system and how he felt it would benefit the township as a whole. Finally, the Assistant Superintendent went over the budget for the current and upcoming renovations that the township had approved. Even though I have lived in this township my whole life, attended every level of school here, as well as worked in the township for the past seven years, this was my first ever school board meeting experience. I had always heard about the meetings and what had been discussed, but it was always through another source such as word of mouth or via email. After attending this meeting, I now realize the importance of being informed about what is going on around me. Not only am I being provided information

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about the township I live in, but I am also learning about things that influence the place I work and the people that I should and shouldnt be voting for when elections roll around. Even after attending just one meeting, I feel that I am better equipped if I choose to become more involved in my local community. Also, I learned very valuable information about the new teacher assessment procedures that are being enacted district-wide. I had only recently been introduced to the TAP system in our block courses, but by attending the school board meeting I was able to learn much more about how the system would benefit the township. Although there has been a lot of grumbling throughout the township about this new form of assessment, the administrators made a very solid case in favor of the implementation of the TAP system. Not only did it create more jobs in the township, but it also holds teachers more accountable for their method of instruction and understanding of what their students truly need. I think that we are fortunate as future educators to be exposed to this form of assessment because it will force us to work harder to formulate a pedagogy that is appropriate and effective. Furthermore, I think that attending school board meetings expresses a persons desire to be informed and involved within the community. Not only were there teachers and administrators present, but also there were many parents and guardians in the crowd, which is a testament to the impact the township has in the community. It is also a great platform for a person to voice concerns that they may be having about what is going on in the district. Overall, I have found that the open-forum model of the school board meetings is a great avenue for employees and families of the township to stay involved and informed about what is happening in the district. It is important for the

PORTFOLIO township to provide the community with a voice and a platform to make those voices heard. Professional Development #3 My last professional development experience involved attending a cluster meeting at Mary Bryan Elementary on October 3, 2012. The cluster meeting is essentially a professional development meeting for teachers, to acclimate them and inform them about strategies that will assist them with their upcoming TAP assessments. At the beginning of the year, each school interviewed and hired a master teacher to coach the rest of the teachers about how to approach the school year in

regard to the new assessment system. Each week, a cluster of teachers meets with the master teacher and participates in a lesson based on the TAP model and then they are asked to utilize what they have learned throughout the rest of the week in their classrooms. In their subsequent meeting the following week, they report about how the strategies were implemented in their classes and then they proceed to learn the next strategy that the master teacher has prepared for them. Going into this meeting, I wasnt sure what to expect because the TAP system is new to the township and I havent had a chance to familiarize myself yet. I feel that it is a very beneficial procedure for schools to enact for professional development and teacher assessment. Not only are teachers held more accountable, they are also provided with new ideas and strategies for their classrooms. Being able to interact and bounce ideas off of one another allows teachers to practice using collaboration and communication skills that they can pass on to their students. Furthermore, the master teacher, in most cases, is a former colleague of the teachers and this surely makes the

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cluster meeting seem more causal, which in turn relaxes the environment and opens the discussion forum considerably. Much of the master teachers duty is to introduce topics, lead the discussion, and provide helpful feedback to the rest of the staff, but also they seem to act as the liaison between teachers and administration. This is an integral responsibility for the master teacher, because they have be able to interpret what they observe during cluster meetings and translate that into a next course of action for the administrators. Overall, I thought the cluster meetings seemed to be quite advantageous and productive in regard to a schools ability to grow and improve as an effective learning community. The use of interactive activities, followed by a discussion session for those involved to express their comments and concerns, allows the master teacher to immediately reflect on the effectiveness of that particular meeting. Also, the teachers are able to take what they have discussed in the meeting and implement it into their classrooms. Then they reconvene the following week and discuss with their colleagues about what worked and what didnt. I think that I would really benefit from this format of professional development when I become a teacher and hope that the TAP system is still being used. I enjoy being able to collaborate with my peers and provide my own insight, while simultaneously gaining the perspective of others.

PORTFOLIO Reference Boaler, J. (2008). Whats math got to do with it? How parents and teachers can help

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children learn to love their least favorite subject. New York, NY: Penguin Books. Freire, P. (1985). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Continuum.