PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO

SONIA SOLOMON
 STANDARD 1
TEACHERS DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP
• Teachers lead in their classrooms.
• Teachers demonstrate leadership in the school.
• Teachers lead the teaching profession.
• Teachers advocate for schools and students.
• Teachers demonstrate high ethical standards.
 STANDARD 1
TEACHERS DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP
• I have participated every year in the NC Teacher
Working Conditions Survey since it’s inception in
2002 and most recently in 2016. With each survey, I
review the results to see how many of our staff
would like more staff development on working with
ELLs (61%). I share the results with administration
via email so they can incorporate teacher needs
into upcoming professional development.
 STANDARD 1
TEACHERS DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP
 STANDARD 1
TEACHERS DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP
• I recently renewed my NBCT certification in the area of
English as a New Language.

• I have served on the WCPSS LEP Advisory Committee

and ESL Textbook Committee.

• Each year, I attend ELL testing training and serve as the

ACCESS Test Coordinator. I return to FRES to train
proctors for testing, develop a testing plan, and
administer the testing of all LEP students.
 STANDARD 1
TEACHERS DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP
• I am a member of several educational
communities and organizations including
Carolina TESOL, NCAE, the NCDPI ESL Listserv,
and the NCDPI Teacher Listserv.

• I have served on and been an action manager for

the Global and Parent Involvement SIP
Committees.
 STANDARD 1
TEACHERS DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP
• Each year I provide ESL Updates to K-5 teachers
in a written format and face-to-face. I archive
resources for teachers on my ESL website and in
notebooks in the workroom.

• I have conducted ESL-related trainings.

• I am a frequent contributor at ESL meetings and

to our ESL listserv.
 STANDARD 1
TEACHERS DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP
I frequently share resources with fellow educators.
 STANDARD 1
TEACHERS DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP
• I have presented at local and state educational
conferences including the NCSU ESL Symposium, the
Closing the Gap Conference, and the NC Reading
Association Conference.

• I am a co-author of the first guide for new WCPSS ESL

teachers: The New ESL Teacher Survival Guide.

• I have informally mentored several new ESL teachers

through the ESL Buddy Program and observed and given
feedback to aspiring teachers. I have served as a
cooperating teacher to a MAT student getting her degree in
ESL.
 STANDARD 2
TEACHERS ESTABLISH A RESPECTFUL
ENVIRONMENT FOR A DIVERSE
POPULATION OF STUDENTS
• Teachers provide an environment in which each child has a
positive, nurturing relationship with caring adults.
• Teachers embrace diversity in the school community and
world.
• Teachers treat students as individuals.
• Teachers adapt their teaching for the benefit of students
with special needs.
• Teachers work collaboratively with the families and significant
adults in the lives of their students.
I present at the FRES Kindergarten Orientation.
 I distributed information about the summer Early Start Program and
addressed questions about the ESL Program for this family and other
families that attended.
I created a website for FRES families and teachers with links to WCPSS and non-
WCPSS resources for parents, links to educational sites for students, and more.
There is information in English, Spanish, and several other languages.
 Each year, I create a welcome letter in Spanish that is distributed to
newly-enrolled families. It provides a quick introduction to our school
and policies such as attendance, the lunch application process,
Monday folders, and more.
 STANDARD 2
TEACHERS ESTABLISH A RESPECTFUL
ENVIRONMENT FOR A DIVERSE
POPULATION OF STUDENTS
• I send home WCPSS-generated and other agency information sheets
in various languages each month which list upcoming trainings and
resources for diverse families.

• I have organized training for staff on Hispanic/Latino culture through

WCPSS director Dr. Maria Rosa Rangel.

• I have provided staff development and provided informal information

on cultural differences.

• I have created a folder of Culturegrams on my ESL shared folder which

discuss various cultures of our FRES families. Teachers have been
informed of how to access these.
 STANDARD 2
TEACHERS ESTABLISH A RESPECTFUL
ENVIRONMENT FOR A DIVERSE
POPULATION OF STUDENTS
• Each year in August, I host a Hispanic Orientation for FRES Hispanic
families. Parents receive information about the school, have opportunities
to ask questions, and receive assistance with completing the free lunch
application. I have collaborated with administration, our school nurse,
our school social worker, and parent liaisons during these nights.

• I have prepared and presented Curriculum Sessions for FRES

Hispanic families.

• I display the diversity of my students in my classroom with photos of

the students and a world map showing where their families are from.

• I have collaborated with special education teachers during PLTs to

discuss the needs of special needs ELLs.
 STANDARD 2
TEACHERS ESTABLISH A RESPECTFUL
ENVIRONMENT FOR A DIVERSE
POPULATION OF STUDENTS
• The materials I use in ESL are culturally-sensitive and focus on
different cultures and ethnic groups.

• I have hosted a “Get Your Library Card Night” for ELL families in
addition to arranging for the Bookmobile to come to our school for an
evening event so families get easily get a library card and check out
books.

• I have attended sessions at professional development conferences

on a variety of cultures including Hispanics and Hmong.

• Although a small percentage of our ELL population does not speak

Spanish, they are not neglected. Each family receives a phone
call/personal greeting from me, assistance as needed with various
issues, and WCPSS flyers printed in various languages.
 STANDARD 3
TEACHERS KNOW THE CONTENT
THEY TEACH
• Teachers align their instruction with
The North Carolina Standard Course of Study.
• Teachers know the content appropriate for their
teaching specialty.
• Teachers recognize the interconnectedness of
content areas/disciplines.
• Teachers make instruction relevant to students.
 STANDARD 3
TEACHERS KNOW THE CONTENT
THEY TEACH
• I have demonstrated knowledge of teaching
ELLs through National Board Certification.

• I have attended numerous professional

development sessions including: Thinking Maps
with ELLs, SIOP in WCPSS, WIDA Standards and
the Language of Math, ExC-ELL, Learning in the
Fast Lane, and Common Core for the Not So
Common Learner.
 STANDARD 3
TEACHERS KNOW THE CONTENT
THEY TEACH
• Although my instruction is based on NC-adopted
WIDA Standards, I attend curriculum sessions
based on the NCSCOS to stay abreast of what
my students are expected to learn in language
arts, math, science, and social studies. My
eSchools Transcript lists the many sessions I have
attended.
• I link my instruction to NC and WCPSS
standards as evidenced by my lesson plans.
 STANDARD 3
TEACHERS KNOW THE CONTENT
THEY TEACH
• I subscribe to various listservs to stay up-to-date
with current educational research and best
practices.

• Reading Rockets
• Colorin Colorado
• WIDA
• CAL
• NCDPI ESL
 STANDARD 4
TEACHERS FACILITATE LEARNING FOR
THEIR STUDENTS
• Teachers know the ways in which learning takes place and they know the
appropriate levels of intellectual, physical, social, and
emotional development of their students.
• Teachers plan instruction appropriate for their students.
• Teachers use a variety of instructional methods.
• Teachers integrate and utilize technology in their instruction.
• Teachers help students develop critical thinking and problem-solving
skills.
• Teachers help students work in teams and develop leadership qualities.
• Teachers communicate effectively.
• Teachers use a variety of methods to assess what
each student has learned.
 STANDARD 4
TEACHERS FACILITATE LEARNING FOR
THEIR STUDENTS
• Although I use a variety of instructional resources based on student
needs. I determine student needs based on formative assessment data
and teacher observation.
 STANDARD 4
TEACHERS FACILITATE LEARNING FOR
THEIR STUDENTS

• Although my class in and of itself is a small group, I

use smaller groupings in class to maximize
learning. Frequently students in my classroom
are working with partners to ask/answer
questions, do buddy repeated readings, practice
high frequency words and new vocabulary, to
sort words, and more.
 STANDARD 4
TEACHERS FACILITATE LEARNING FOR
THEIR STUDENTS

• There’s very little lecture in my class and we are

rarely sitting. I address different learning styles in
my lessons with auditory and visual input,
kinesthetic, and tactile activities. We work with
magnetic letters and letter tiles to make words,
use realia, sing content-related chants, always
have visuals of the concept being presented, and
move frequently to keep the brain alert.
 STANDARD 4
TEACHERS FACILITATE LEARNING FOR
THEIR STUDENTS

• Students learn to cooperate in my classroom from

day one. Each year, we create a list of class
expectations/rules. Each student and I take
ownership by signing our contract (which is
written on poster paper). The giant contract is
posted on a prominent wall for all to see.
 STANDARD 4
TEACHERS FACILITATE LEARNING FOR
THEIR STUDENTS

• Communication is key in our ESL classroom.

Students are provided opportunities to
communicate via verbal and written forms each
day.
• Realia, photos, gestures, and modeling are a few
of the ways I try to provide comprehensible input
for my students.
• For Spanish-speaking ELLs, I refer to concepts in
Spanish when there is a breakdown in
understanding.
 STANDARD 4
TEACHERS FACILITATE LEARNING FOR
THEIR STUDENTS
• Various assessments in class and from other school-based
sources are used to plan instruction.

• Technology is used frequently as our department recently

supplied us iPads.
 STANDARD 5
TEACHERS REFLECT ON THEIR PRACTICE
• Teachers analyze student learning.
• Teachers link professional growth to their
professional goals.
• Teachers function effectively in a complex, dynamic
environment.
 STANDARD 5
TEACHERS REFLECT ON THEIR PRACTICE
• ELLs are assessed before entering the ESL program and
again each spring by WIDA ACCESS testing. I use the
results of these summative tests to look for growth in
language proficiency from one year to the next. In
addition, I coordinate all of this testing.
• I frequently review the formative assessment data
gathered by others for my ELLs during PLTs and from
mClass. I use this data to help me group students and
select the literacy focus of my lessons.
• In addition, I assess students by observation and by keeping
some anecdotal notes.
 STANDARD 5
TEACHERS REFLECT ON THEIR PRACTICE
• I maintain digital portfolios using the tool Seesaw to
document English language progression in listening,
reading, speaking, and writing.