ARTIFACT EVIDENCE AND REFLECTION

WTS#3
ARTIFACT DESCRIPTIONS:
MEL-Con Examples; CITE learning Styles Inventory; Student Example
The artifacts presented here include a collection of written responses created
by students to a common writing prompt, a learning styles inventory (CITE)
and a graphic representation of one particular students learning styles as
produced from tabulating data from the inventory. These documents were
collected or created by me in the duties of teaching and acting as a case
manager in the recent years working directly with the students that
produced them. The writing samples represent the schools effort to focus on
literacy and mastery in writing cohesive and coherent paragraphs. The
anchor papers represented three levels of proficiency. The CITE Learning
Styles Inventory was an instrument that I administered to each of the
students on my caseload as a Cross-Categorical Teacher this past school
year.
ALIGNMENTS:
Wisconsin Teacher Standards
Standard Three - Teachers understand that children learn differently.
The teacher understands how pupils differ in their approaches to learning
and the barriers that impede learning and can adapt instruction to meet the
diverse needs of pupils, including those with disabilities and exceptionalities.
These artifacts align with WI DPI Standard Three insofar as they illustrate my
experience compiling student work that shows how students learn and
perform differently. The paragraph samples show that students have differing
abilities in written expression and literacy. These work samples were created,
collected, scored and shared back with students to identify and address
strengths and deficiencies in the writing process. Critique and advice was
offered to each student with regard to these submissions and specific
attention was given to building and fostering improvement and skill
development with respect to writing. The CITE learning styles assessment
was pivotal in working with individual students in gaining insight into
strengths, weaknesses and preferences when it comes to knowing yourself
and how you learn. My students were able to discuss their strengths and
challenges with greater understanding as a result of analyzing and
discussing the results of this inventory.
UW Platteville School of Education Knowledge, Skill and Disposition
Statement

ARTIFACT EVIDENCE AND REFLECTION

WTS#3
KSD 3.e. DEMONSTRATES FLEXIBILITY AND RESPONSIVENESS
The candidate has the ability to make appropriate adjustments to his/her
instruction and accommodates students questions and interests while being
aware of student differences and difficulties, and can use a wide range of
resources and strategies to meet all students needs in the classroom.

KSD 2.a. CREATES AN ENVIRONMENT OF RESPECT AND RAPPORT

The candidate demonstrates genuine care and respect for students while the
students exhibit respect for the teacher. The students also display genuine
care and respect for one another as individuals and as students, and are
aware of cultural, social, intellectual and physical variations among their
peers.

In particular, the artifacts presented here show that I have experience and
understanding of the need to address students where they are. Students
have a wide range of abilities and proclivities when it comes to a variety of
academic skills. When administering and reviewing the writing prompts and
responses as well as the learning style inventories, it was imperative that the
critique, analysis and results were kept confidential and between the teacher
and student. In this way, an understanding and trust were created to be able
to address the level of mastery, unique perspective and strengths and the
needs to bridge performance gaps or desires for each of my students.
Building such a fostering relationship to address academic and personal
information is imperative for real growth and improvement.

REFLECTIONS AND IMPACT ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:

What I learned about teaching I have learned over the years that students
want and respect authentic criticism. When a person that they trust
addresses the realities of how they have performed without judgment or
talking down to them, students are much more likely to see a way to improve
and do better. Authentic critiques allow for a student to see a way for doing
better, especially when the educator illustrates how improvement can
happen. Empty criticism without an offer of encouragement and guidance
does nothing for student confidence.

ARTIFACT EVIDENCE AND REFLECTION

WTS#3
What I learned about myself as an educator I have learned that the
utilization of authentic assessments for student growth is very powerful.
Scores mean little to students that are looking to be truly mentored.
Percentages and raw scores on tests are empty indications of performance.
The blips on a Scantron form are not as meaningful to a kid in your classroom
as your genuine comments about their performance. In my time as a
teacher, I have developed countless tests and measures of performance in a
wide range of courses. Many or most of them simply call for students to
choose the correct answer and bubble in the correct oval. I know for a fact
that I have made more of an impact on students with constructive
comments, insightful questions that called for great depth of understanding
and feedback that was real and filled with encouragement and opinion.