Artifact and Reflection Form

Name: Tiffany Embry

Artifact number: 3

Title of artifact: Rapsterpiece Theatre ***See attached evidence 3***

Course number and name: MAT 735 Meeting the Needs of Diverse Students

Type of artifact: Rap song translation

Write a brief description of the artifact

Students will choose a popular rap song and translate it into proper English. I have provided an example that was
obtained from the internet. The example uses more advanced vocabulary than what will be expected from students.

Professional and/or Learner Outcomes Represented by this Artifact

Relate this artifact to your listed professional and/or learner outcomes.

Professional Outcomes
a. Teacher will become familiar with vernacular used in student’s current cultural setting.
b. Teacher will use social skills instruction to teach how to adapt language for different
audiences.

Learner Outcomes
a. Student will be able to distinguish between “home” language and academic or “school”
language.
b. Student will be able to produce a writing sample that demonstrates the ability to use proper
grammar in academic writings.

Report of Outcomes Attainment

This unit will be implemented in fall 2009. Once implemented, I will revisit to reflect on actual
findings and successes of the unit.

Reflection on the process

1. What does this artifact demonstrate as far as your learning?
 I realized that I had no idea what most of the songs my students were
listening to were actually saying. I chose several popular songs and realized that 99%
of them were inappropriate for translation.
2. What does it represent in relation to the changes you have made in your classroom?
I will be implementing this plan in fall 2009.
3. Describe why you chose this artifact.
 I chose this artifact because all of my students are really into music,
especially rap music. I believe that students will not view this assignment as “work”,
but rather as something they are doing to help Mrs. Embry understand what the song
is saying. Rapsterpiece Theatre has great potential to bring my students together as
well as to demonstrate that they are able to speak/write proper English.
4. Link the action research process, these results, the research you used to back your
decisions and the program and/or course outcomes.
 Dedicating themselves to life-long learning and professional development;
 fostering the learning of all students;
Connection:
This project, I feel will be the most successful for my students. I think that my students
will enjoy “translating” the lyrics for me, thus providing them a learning opportunity
without the student realizing that they are learning. After looking at most of the songs
that our students are listing to, I realized that I need to do a better job of filtering what
type of music I play in the classroom. Sometimes the local radio station is not playing
appropriate material!

5. What does this artifact demonstrate about you as a teacher? Link what you found to the
NBPTS Core Propositions?
 Proposition 1: Teachers are Committed to Students and Their Learning
 Rapsterpiece Theatre is an assignment that I feel steps outside of the box
for learning. It takes something that the student loves, rap music, and
fuses it with my goal of proper English.
 Proposition 3: Teachers are Responsible for Managing and Monitoring Student Learning.
 This project is all about monitoring and managing. Due to the nature of
the assignment, it is very important that students stay appropriate. After
reflecting on this assignment, I also think this project will be best
performed in groups.

I
 References

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