Marica Klipp

Tim Hazen
Intro to Ed.
Link Crew Leader
August 26th- June 3rd, 2013-2014
Description
This artifact is a photo of me and my link crew group, and of the shirt and pin I got from being a
Link Crew leader in Baraboo, WI. I was the leader and mentor for the incoming freshman class
of 2013-2014. I would visit their home rooms once a week and do activities that took up the
entire home room period.
Wisconsin Teacher Standard Alignment
This experience best aligns with standard ten of the Wisconsin Standards for Teacher
Development and Licensure. Standard number ten states: The teacher fosters relationships
with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support students
learning and well-being.
My artifact aligns with standard ten because I was able to connect with the freshman I was
working with. I was able to not only make them feel welcome in the high school but also allow
them to get to know not only me, but their teachers and classmates better. I was able to build
relationships with these students that I still hold onto today. I was held up on a pedestal by these
students because I was their mentor, a friend, and someone who was there to help them get
through school when they hit rough patches. There was a great amount of responsibility I had to
pick up, I had not only normal level students but handicapped and special ed. students in my
home room. While building relationships with the students I also got to build relationships with
the community by helping out with fundraisers and other opportunities to get more involved with
the community.
UW-Platteville Knowledge, Skill, Disposition Statement Alignment
Alignment Statement KSD4.c: COmmunicates With Families
Through the year I worked with my linkies, I got to meet with their families during our teacher
conferences. I got to explain what I was doing, how I was improving as a young adult in school
while helping their child succeed, and how I made their child more comfortable to ask for help.
In the small amount of time with the student's parents, I gained relationships and also built a
trust factor with the parents. A main part that I had to focus on was if the students were being
bullied and how I could keep them safe. In the classroom setting students would pick fights and
not co-operate with others. It was my job to notify the parent if the student acts out in a
classroom setting and to offer options to them with how to handle the situation if it were to
proceed to continue. Every month a letter explaining what we would be doing would be sent out
to the parents giving them the option to have their student participate or opt out of the activities
we are doing that month.
This also addresses the following KSDs:
KSD2.d. - Manages Student Behavior
KSD3.a. - Communicates Clearly and Accurately
KSD3.e. - Demonstrates Flexibility and Responsiveness
KSD4.d. - Contributes to the School and District

Marica Klipp
Tim Hazen
Intro to Ed.
What I learned about teaching/learning from this experience
Through the year working with freshman students in a classroom setting, I was able to learn
how to communicate clearly with the students, other teachers, and the parents. I was also able
to learn how to deal with situations such as a student reaching out to me for help, or when a
student has an outburst in class. I learned what kids need to grow and succeed in school.
Parents taught me what their children were like and how to interact with them, as their children
taught me how to interact with their parents. I learned that it is very important to build a base
with other teachers and the community, this is because it will help you when you need to benefit
the students and will also show you other ways to handle certain situations you may have never
dealt with.
What I learned about myself as a prospective educator
When working with the freshman group, I needed to get to understand their situations and be
able to handle them along with my own problems. The students showed me the power or trust
and also showed me that I was responsible enough for them to look up to me. Talking to the
parents was the hardest part for me because the students confided in me. I learned to talk to the
student and the parents about things that would help increase their productivity in school and
their relationships with other students. While working in the classroom some of the activities we
did, certain students couldnt do. I had to overcome this by making up an entirely different
activity that had to be approved through my mentor. The relationships that I built with all of my
linkies and their parents have helped better me as a person and helped me get them through
the year. From this experience, I learned how important it is to talk and get to know the people
you are working with and the community you are involved in.