Running head ASSIGNMENT 1: TELLING MY STORY

Assignment 1: Telling my Story

Marissa Jadrosich-Forgét

National University: TED 690 Capstone Course

Professor Daniel Weintraub

14 April 2019
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Abstract:

This paper is about my journey through receiving my teaching credential and getting my

master’s degree. It emphasizes where I am at this point in my professional career and the steps, I

took to make a change. I will use the experience that I received through National University and

align my experiences both inside and outside of the classroom to the California Teaching

Performance Expectations. This paper will list the six domains of the California Teaching

Performance Expectations otherwise known as TPEs. I will focus on domain E “Creating and

Maintaining Effective Environments for Student Learning,” because I feel this is one of the most

important areas that needs to be mastered before any other domain. Additionally, this paper will

include the planned artifacts to support this domain, which will be included in my PDQP, as well

as my rational for selecting these items.

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Background (My Story):

A few years ago, I wanted to change my path. I wanted to no longer sit behind a cubicle,

but to do something that touched someone else’s life. I wanted my life to have a little bit more

meaning. Although I had looked into teaching, there was always something that got into my

way. It was either I got a new promotion at work, or family changes, and I could never find that

clear path on how I would go about achieving my dream. As a typical story goes, my husband

wanted a change. He wanted to move to a place where there was warmer weather and a different

life style. Fortunately, he was offered a job in Southern California where he could have that

different life style, and fortunately my job as a Program Manager did not follow me. So, here I

am. I am one class from graduating with a teaching credential and a master’s in education with a

specialization in Educational Technology.

My journey through the National University credential and master’s program has given

me some of the tools needed to be a successful teacher within the state of California.

Additionally, the state of California has put forth the same type of expectations to ensure that

everyone who goes through an educational program has certain standards that they need to meet.

These standards or expectations are similarly designed like the things that we expect our students

to master, we are expected to do the same things. For example, it states in the book, CalTPA,

“Just as our K-12 students are expected to demonstrate mastery of core curriculum content

standards through a series of assessments, so too are you required to master a set of outcomes”

(William, 2013, pg. 1). As teachers we are required to master our content, be able to educate

our students in the learning style that fits them, and continue to develop our profession so that we

continue to engage our students. We do this through mastering the Six Teaching Performance

Expectations (TPEs), which are included below:

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A. Making Subject Matter Comprehensible to Students

B. Assessing Student Learning

C. Engaging and support Students in Learning

D. Planning Instruction and Designing Learning Experiences for Students

E. Creating and Maintaining Effective Environments for Student Learning

F. Developing as a Professional Educator

The focus of my paper is Domain E: Creating and Maintaining Effective Environments

for Student Learning. My rationale for choosing this domain is this is one area for which I

struggle in as a substitute and a student teacher. Additionally, this is one area that I feel is most

important. I believe that all teaching is built on this domain. A person can be the most

intelligent teacher in the world, but if the environment is not conducive for student learning,

those students will not get the benefit of that intelligence. This is one area I work my hardest to

maintain. I am trying to find a balance between my being strict and also being that personable

teacher. I find that the personable traits are sometimes a lot stronger and fighting hard to

maintain the environment. I want to create that atmosphere of where students can have that fun

classroom but still maintain the control.

Planned Artifacts:

One of the first artifacts that I have chosen to support this domain is an evaluation that I

received during my student teaching. This outlines both my strengths and weakness for this

domain and I think this is important to note some of the strategies that I have designed and plan

to use to create an effective learning environment. The second artifact that I plan to use is a page

from my current portfolio. It outlines my classroom management plan and procedures that I plan

on establishing during the first few days of school. It is important to note that my experience is
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managing someone else’s environment, because in many instances, I am walking into a learning

environment that is not one that I designed that fits my personality. I think by showing the plans

that I have for my learning environment will show the growth and depth of who I am as a

teacher. The third artifact is a literature review. I would like to look at other research and

information to help me improve upon my classroom management. I just bought a book entitled,

Motivate the Unmotivated: A step-by-step system you can use to raise motivation in your

classroom tomorrow. I plan to read and use the resource to help strengthen my classroom

management.

Strengths and Needs within TPE Domain E:

E: Creating and Maintaining Effective Environments for Student Learning

TPE 10: Instruction Time

TPE 11: Social Environment

The Commission on Teacher Credentialing states that this domain is encompasses time

management in instructional planning and creating a positive learning environment for my

students. Below is a chart of my strengths in these areas and my needs assessment.

Areas of Growth

Domain/TPE: Strength(s) “Needs Assessment”

Creating and Maintaining Time Management: I am a Transparency of

Effective Environments for
Student Learning
-Instruction Time
-Social Environment
planner. I plan everything
down to the minute. I am
very good at utilizing every
minute of available class
time to keep students
engaged. This is really
important, because it keeps
the class flowing and can
eliminate behaviors by
keeping students busy.
Classroom Management
Plan: As a student teacher
and also a substitute
teacher, I never used my
classroom management
plan. I always used
someone else’s. I think
making rules and
procedures are important,
but I think that ensuring that
ASSIGNMENT 1 – TELLING MY STORY
Additionally, I review my
lessons at the end of each
day to see if I need to make
any changes or reteach
material that might not have
been understood. This is an
important step, because if I
do not review each day, then
I could be rushing or
forgetting something when
teaching my students.
Finally, I do make detailed
lesson plans which help with
time management. This
way, I can see what
activities I have planned and
my allotted time for those
activities.
Social Environment: I am
a very positive person when
it comes to education. I
create that by encouraging
kids to do their best and
setting goals for
achievement. Additionally,
since students are very
social, I plan lots of group
work and have students
collaborate with different
students within the
classroom, so that they get
the chance to get to know
each other. This is so I can
continue to build that
collaborative community.
Furthermore, I create
opportunities to get to know
my students at every
instance through questions
based on different activities
that I know the kids
participate in and build on
those responses.
6
they are communicated to
your students is important
when maintaining and
creating an effective
learning environment. My
plan is on the first few days
of school to communicate
my plan, review my
procedures and make sure
that the students understand
my expectations.
Additionally, I plan on
involving parents by
providing them with my
course syllabus and asking
them to sign as well to
ensure that they understand
my classroom expectations.
Time Management:
Although I am very good at
planning and reassessing
my lessons, sometimes I can
over plan, so evaluating
each lesson and ensuring
that I am not overwhelming
my students will be key to
having successful time
management in my
classroom.
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Potential TPE Competencies to be used in PDQP:

There are a few TPE competencies that one will see used in my PDQP. The first TPE

competency is detailed lesson plans. My lesson plans have a lot of information and I

differentiate activities with my lesson so that I am not always lecturing or always doing a DBQ.

This differentiating is key, because it is what keeps students from getting bored and tuning out

my lesson. Additionally, it allows for me to touch many different learning styles within a single

unit or lesson. A second competency that you will see in my PDQP is an emphasis on writing. I

think it is super important that students have the necessary skills and writing is an important

communication skill that is needed later in life. Currently, we send emails, text messages,

develop reports, post on social media. All these things require a student to be able to

communicate effectively in writing. Finally, a third competency that you will see in my PDQP is

the ability for my students to work together in groups. As students get ready to graduate from

high school, they will be working with in teams with other students and other people. They will

need to know how to work with all different types of people, so that they are able to problem-

solve and formulate a solution. I try to incorporate these things in my PDQP, because I believe

in preparing students for the future.

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References

Commission on Teaching Credentialing. (2013). California Teaching Performance Expectations.

Retrieved

from http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0C

B4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ctc.ca.gov%2Feducator-

prep%2Fstandards%2Fadopted-TPEs-

2013.pdf&ei=YCRZVMSxJerziAK8o4CoBA&usg=AFQjCNG9HRXhEbEwWeaaoRGT

0nwD5H8GX

Williams, L., Guillaume, A., and Ponder, J., (2013). CalTPA: Preparation Guide. Boston, MA:

Pearson.