ALVERN0 COLLEGE

LTM 621 FIELD STUDENT SELF-ASSESSMENT FORM

Candidate:_Karla Usinger_________ Assessor:________________________ Advisor:_______________________ Date:__4/23/15_____
Grade/Subject:___5th Grade____________________________ Topic/skill taught:___Writing_________________________
School:___Giese Elementary___________________
Observation: (check one)

___ 1st observation

Cooperating teacher:__Rhonda Martinez______________________

_X__2nd observation

___ Other (specify) _______________

Completed by: (check one) X Candidate

Overall Performance: _____Inadequate

_____Emerging

__X___Proficient

Planning (conceptualization/diagnosis/coordination)

_____Distinctive

Comments

Reflection Questions:
Using your knowledge of students background knowledge, learning
styles, skills, and abilities justify the educational decision making you
engaged in for this lesson.

Inviting (communication/integrative interaction)

Reflection Questions:
Explain what you did to create a positive, inviting, brain-compatible
learning environment.

I asked my CT what she suggest I should focus on with writing. She

explained the students have a difficult time with writing a great deal and
providing detail. I have also noticed this through my observations in the
class. She has come up with a rule that when they write, it must be at least
four sentences. I felt it would be beneficial to do a writing lesson on a topic
that they get to choose and practice providing detail using a graphic
organizer. I referred back to the student interest surveys I did in the
beginning of the semester when planning this lesson. Most of the students in
the group stated they enjoy writing and learn best when they get to talk with
others. I felt doing this writing activity in a small group where they can talk
and interact with others while writing would be most beneficial to them.
I created a brain-compatible learning environment by providing a safe, nonthreatening environment. I was positive and respectful to all the students. I
showed enthusiasm about writing and explained why providing detail is
important. I also provided specific, positive feedback to the students when
conferring with them while they were writing. I feel this was a meaningful
experience because they had the opportunity to write about a job they have.

Teaching (communication/diagnosis/integrative interaction)

Reflection Question:
Explain the educational theory, or theories, that guided your
development and implementation of this lesson. Consider: The Seven
Conditions of Learning, The Zone of Proximal Development, Ecological
Theory, Multiple Intelligences, Transformative Learning, The Comer
Process, Experiential Learning, Scaffolding, etc. Provide explicit
examples of how your teaching illustrates the theory you choose.
Explain how the learning activities actively engaged students in learning
and to what degree (think about Blooms Taxonomy as it relates to the
affective and cognitive domains).
Explain how you built on students abilities to comprehend, learn
vocabulary, or create a piece of text.
Explain how the content area strategy (ies) you used in the lesson
supported student learning and met their needs.

I used a couple of theories as a guide when planning this lesson. The first
theory I used was Blooms Taxonomy in that students would engage in
multiple levels of understanding. First, they identified a job they have at
home, then listed the details of that job using a graphic organizer, then
constructed an essay putting everything together, and last the students
evaluated their writing with a self-assessment.
I also used Vygotskys Sociolinguistic theory as a guide for this lesson. Many
of the students stated they learn better when they get to talk with a partner. I
provided the students an opportunity to talk and interact with each other during
this writing activity. I also provided a scaffold for students by modeling the
writing activity first, and then releasing the responsibility on them to complete
the task.
The last theory I used when planning this lesson was Howard Gardners
Multiple Intelligences. This writing activity met a variety learners. The
students reflected on their job/responsibility and wrote independently which
benefited the intrapersonal learners. Being able to talk and interact with others
during this activity benefited the intrapersonal learners. Writing, in detail,
about their job/responsibility benefited the students who are linguistically
smart. I explained the goals of the lessons and instructions for the auditory
learners. I also provided a sample essay, rubric, and modeled the writing
activity for the visual learners.
I built on the students abilities to comprehend by having them complete the
main idea wheel after seeing me model it. They also completed a selfassessment on their writing when they were finished.
My strategy of using a graphic organizer, the main idea wheel, supported
student learning and met their needs because they were able to focus on one
topic and provide six details on that one topic. The students then transferred
their ideas and details from the graphic organizer to a written essay. Filling up
the main idea wheel forced the students to provide at least six details on their
topic.

Assessing (diagnosis/integrative interaction)

Reflection Questions:
Explain how the assessments used for this lesson were designed to
monitor students progress toward the learning objectives.
Explain how you analyzed evidence of student learning.
Explain what you did to know what are the next steps in planning for
instruction. (Include what the next steps are.)

The assessment I used for this lesson was a rubric I created on Rubistar. I
designed the rubric to monitor the students progress towards the specific
learning objectives of this lesson. The rubric consisted of four categories:
focus on topic, support for topic, organization, and conventions. I used this
rubric to assess their written essays. The students also used the same rubric
when completing the self-assessment. I analyzed evidence of student learning
by looking at their completed graphic organizers and reading their written
essays. All of the students did well with this activity. They all had one topic
they focused on and provided at least six details for their topic.

Final remarks:
Overall, I feel the lesson went well. The strategy of the graphic organizer helped the students provide more detail than they usually do. They
all had one topic of focus, and they were forced to provide at least six details for their topic. All the students did well with this writing activity.
I also had the students complete a self-assessment form which they have never done before. I feel they did a great job for their first time. I
walked them through the self-assessment by going through each category of the rubric, and then they had to tell me one thing they did well
with writing and one thing they would like to get better at with writing. One thing I would change if I had more time would be to have the
students write a multi-paragraph essay with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Since I did not have the time for that, I would choose to do
this in my next steps for instruction.

Wisconsin Teacher Standards as they relate to LTM 621 Course Objectives

1. DPI: Teachers know how children grow: Clearly articulate an understanding of the modes of communication central to the development of
literacy: speaking, listening, writing, reading, viewing, and representing.
2. DPI: Teachers know how to teach: By providing explicit instruction, modeling and guided practice, demonstrate the ability to effectively
teach adolescents of varied backgrounds and developmental levels to use reading strategies effectively.
3. DPI: Teachers know how to teach; teachers are able to plan different kinds of lessons: Effectively incorporate a range of reading and other
literacy strategies to support student learning in the content areas.
4. DPI: Teachers know how to teach; teachers understand children learn differently: Thoughtfully design, select, modify and evaluate print and
non-print materials for individuals and groups of students including those for whom English is a new language.
5. DPI: Teachers know how to test for student progress: Design meaningful performance assessments that engage students in literacy and the
content areas.
6. DPI: Teachers communicate well; teachers are connected with other teachers and the community: Develop clear explanations, for adolescent
students and their parents, of the results of standardized literacy assessments and the implementation of instructional plans.
7. (DPI: Teachers know how children grow; teachers understand that children learn differently: Thoughtfully apply an understanding of
linguistic, cognitive, psychological, social, and cultural factors that influence literacy development in planning for individual and group needs.
8. DPI: Teachers know the subject they are teaching; teachers know how to teach; teachers are able to plan different kinds of lessons:
Effectively use technology to enhance literacy instruction in the content area.
9. DPI: Teachers understand that children learn differently: Clearly articulate how cultural beliefs and expectations shape the learning needs and
goals for students, including those for whom English is a new language.
10. DPI: Teachers are able to evaluate themselves: Evaluate relationships between WI Teacher Standards and the Alverno Education Abilities,
and their teaching practice.

Scoring Rubric
Level One
The reflection is vague
and lacks details; there is
little or no elaboration.

Level Two

Level Three
The reflection is
moderately detailed and
elaborated. Contains
examples to explain the
candidates thinking about
the lesson and justify the
educational decisions
made for this lesson.
Reflection demonstrates
suggests revisions that
need to be made to
improve this or other
lessons.

Level Four

Level Five
The reflection is very
detailed and well
elaborated. Clearly,
contains examples
sufficient to explain the
candidates thinking about
the lesson and justify the
educational decisions
made for this lesson.
Reflection demonstrates
revisions that need to be
made to improve this or
other lessons.