Teacher Work Sample

1. Teacher Work Sample Valdosta State University Early Childhood and Special Education

2. Click the section you wish to view: I. Contextual Factors II. Learning Goals and Assessment Plan Assessment Concepts for the TWS III. Design for Instruction IV. Analysis of Student Learning and Reflections

3. Contextual Factors Teacher Work Sample Part I

4. Contextual Factors • The teacher uses information about the learning-teaching context and student individual difference to set learning goals and plan instruction and assessment. • Discuss relevant factors and how they may affect the teaching-learning process. Include any supports and challenges that affect instruction and student learning.

5. Contextual Factors include: I. Community, School System, School Factors • How would you describe your community to someone who had never visited? What is unique about your community that most communities do not have?

6. List and Describe the Unique Features of Your Community • Name and describe the unique features and then write 3 or 4 sentences about each feature. Do not use abbreviations.

7. Where would you find the information needed? Your community Chamber of Commerce web page Interview long term residences of the community Your mentor Local library or historical society center or web page

8. Contextual Factors include: Contributions of the Community to the School • Visit the web page of your local school system. • Interview your school’s Community Partners in Education chairperson to get a list of what the community contributes to the school.

9. Contextual Factors include: School System • Visit the local school’s web site to obtain the information related to the school system.

10. Contextual Factors include: School Factors • Investigate the web page of your local school to get the necessary information. • Visit the special education coordinator of your school to determine the special education services delivery model for your school.

11. Contextual Factors include: School Factors • The collaboration/team model describes a school that incorporates the special education teacher coming into the classroom in collaboration with the regular education teacher. • The resource room describes the students being taken out of the classroom to work with the special education teacher.

12. Contextual Factors include: II. Classroom Characteristics • The reading and math scores can be obtained from the assessments given by the mentor teacher.

13. Classroom Organization Definitions: • Homogeneous – Refers to ability grouping of students. • Heterogeneous – Refers to mixing of abilities in one classroom. • Self-contained – The students are instructed by the same teacher except for electives. • Team Teaching/Departmentalized– Teachers teach several sections of the same content areas, for example, science and math. • Co-teaching/co-lab – The special education teacher comes into the classroom to support the learning of the special education students in the classroom.

14. Contextual Factors include: III. Student Characteristics • Information for A,B,C,D,E can be obtained by looking at the permanent/cumulative records of the students or from your mentor teacher.

15. Contextual Factors include: IV. Individual Differences • Information for A,B,C:These are students who are identified and receiving services. Information can be obtained from your mentor and permanent/cumulative records.

16. Contextual Factors include: V. Students’ Prior Knowledge Specific To This Unit • List previous learning of the Learning Outcome or Essential Question of the lesson. • See Common Core Georgia Performance Standards/Georgia Performance Standards or Georgia Pre-K Program Content Standards.

17. Contextual Factors include: V. Students’ Prior Knowledge Specific To This Unit • Ask previous teachers, mentor teachers, parents, and students. Please note: This would not include the standard for the lesson you are teaching.

18. Prior Knowledge includes other sources of content knowledge • In what other settings might the students have gained content knowledge (for example, field trips, books, trips with family, and/or camps etc.)?

19. Example: Students’ Prior Knowledge From Other Sources of the Content for Your Unit The students in my classroom have lived in their home county for their whole lives. Most of them have not traveled outside of the county. I do have a few students who have been to Stone Mountain and/or the Okefenokee Swamp. Because they do not have background information, the information that I teach will have to include examples, visuals, and explanations using student engagement.

20. Contextual Factors include: VI. Instructional Implications • Address specifically how the contextual factors of the community, classroom, and students will impact your lesson planning, instruction, assessment, and classroom management. • Describe how the students’ prior knowledge of the content will impact your lesson planning, instruction, assessment, and classroom management.

21. Example of Instructional Implications for Individual Differences I have one student who has been identified as having a behavioral disorder, and he needs to move around; I will seat him in the back of the room so he will not be a distraction to others. I will allow him to stand when he needs to as long as he does not disturb the others. I will teach near his desk when possible and offer verbal encouragement to him. He will be assessed individually, but he is capable of completing all assignment with the class or with his parents in the evening.

22. Example of Instructional Implications from Community Factors-Lesson Planning Because the school has volunteers who come weekly to the school, I will sign for my students to get individual tutoring in their multiplication facts.

23. Example of Instructional Implications from Classroom Characteristics-Instruction, Assessment, and Classroom Management Because two of my students are reading below grade level, I will read all test items to the students and tape material for the students for content knowledge. I will assess them individually, and they will be given support and positive praise for accomplishments.

24. Example of Instructional Implications for Students’ Prior Knowledge - Planning • Describe how the students’ prior knowledge of the content of your unit will impact your planning. Example: Because they have not been taught this multiplication skill, I will build upon their knowledge of addition facts. I will plan to use manipulatives, games, and various strategies for both the visual and auditory learners.

25. Example of Instructional Implications for Students’ Prior Knowledge- Instruction • Because students are difficult to engage, I will spark their interest in the content with riddles, poems, and raps. I will instruct with manipulatives, small group work, and visuals.

26. Example of Instructional Implications for Students’ Prior Knowledge – Assessments The formative assessments will determine if I need to repeat the lesson using a different strategy or use a short review. The formative assessments will be short and explicitly assess the Learning Outcome/Essential Question for the day. The unit test will be given over two days with fun activities planned for each day at the conclusion of the assessment.

27. Example of Instructional Implications for Students’ Prior Knowledge – Classroom Management To maintain good management, I will continue to follow the classroom rules, using lots of positive praise, acknowledging correct answers, and stressing that I know it is exciting to learn new content knowledge.

28. Learning Goals and Assessment Plan Teacher Work Sample Part II

29. Learning Goals and Assessment Plan The teacher sets: • significant, • challenging, • varied, • and appropriate learning goals.

30. Topic and Content Areas • List the topic. • Identify the main content area. Example: Topic: Metric system Main Content Area: Mathematics

31. Common Core Georgia Performance Standards/Georgia Performance Standards • List the CCGPS/GPS that are aligned with each learning goal. • List the CCGPS/GPS for main content areas. (Note: Use what your mentor uses.) ■ Sometimes a standard is an appropriate learning goal. Sometimes it is too broad to be addressed in a unit as stated, and you have to select only part of it as a learning goal.

32. Common Core Georgia Performance Standards/Georgia Performance Standards • GPS Standards and Resources www.georgiastandards.org • CCGPShttps://www.georgiastandards.org/Common-Core/Pages/default.aspx

33. Established Goals List the Established Goals • Develop 2-6 Learning Goals • Goals will guide your assessment and your lesson planning. • In broad terms, tell what you expect students to know & be able to do at the end of the unit. • These are notactivities.

34. Established Goals: Science • Example: Students will identify properties, characteristics, and uses of rocks and minerals. • Non-example: Students will list at least five different minerals.

35. Established Goals: Social Studies • Example: Describe the struggles and successes of the colonists attempting to establish and develop the Jamestown colony. • Non-example: The students will locate Jamestown on a map.

36. Understandings & Essential Questions • List Understandings • “Specific inferences, based on big ideas, that have lasting value beyond the classroom.” • List Essential Questions • “A question that lies at the heart of a subject or a curriculum… and promotes inquiry and uncoverage of a subject.” Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2009) Understanding by Design

37. Learning Outcomes List the learning outcomes (LOs) • Take the goal and break it down into lesson-sized bites; state more specifically what students should know and be able to do at the end of the lesson. Use observableand measurableterms. • the LOs will be used as LOs on the dailylesson plans

38. Example: Science Learning Goal 2 Students will identify properties and uses of rocks and minerals. Learning Outcomes 1. Students will define the terms rocks and minerals. 2. Students will name three properties or characteristics of minerals. 3. Students will give at least four examples of the uses of rocks and minerals.

39. Knowledge and Skills • List Knowledge • The relatively straightforward facts and concepts that are to be gained from the learning and teaching activities • List Skills • Discrete techniques, and also complex procedures and methods Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2009) Understanding by Design

40. Explain Your Pre/Post Assessment Plan • Refer to Stage 2 in the “Guidelines for Writing ECSE Lesson Plans” to provide the following information for each learning goal. • Learning Goal 1 • Students • Criteria • Assessment • Accommodations/Modifications • Adaptations/Differentiated Assessments

41. Example: • Learning Goal 1 • Students: Students will identify properties of rocks and minerals. • Criteria: 8/10 correct – students meet LG1; 6/10 correct – students partially meet LG1; less that 6 correct – students do not meet LG1 • Assessment: 10 multiple choice questions • Accommodations/Modifications: Items will be read aloud to support struggling readers. • Adaptations/Differentiated Assessments: Visual cues will be provided for the ELL student.

42. Pre/Post Assessment Plan • Complete information for Learning Goal 2 (and additional learning goals, if applicable): • Learning Goal 2 • Students • Criteria • Assessment • Accommodations/Modifications • Adaptations/Differentiated Assessments

43. Assessment Concepts Teacher Work Sample

44. Formative Assessment • Gather data throughout the unit to describe students’ performances.

45. Assessments for the TWS • Summative assessment: • Develop and administer a pre- and post-assessment that is • valid, • reliable, • aligned, • easily understood by children, • feasible, • diverse, and • developmentally appropriate.

46. Assessments for the TWS • Summative assessment: • Develop, administer, and analyze scores of pre-test well in advance of planning and teaching your unit, so changes can be made if necessary. • Formative assessment: • Gather data throughout the unit to describe pupils’ performance and plan for remediation instruction.

47. Qualities Desired in All Written Tests • The item should measure the targeted skill. • Make sure you have enough test items to determine if the students have mastered the learning goal. • Ensure that the level of reading is below students’ ability. • Scores on the test should reflect content knowledge and not reading ability – unless, of course, it is a reading test.

48. Alignment • The learning outcomes, the instructional strategies, and assessment of pupils’ progress must be aligned. • This ensures that pupils are • taught the skills they are expected to master and • assessed in a way that is consistent with how they were taught.

49. Constructing Your Pre/Posttest • List your learning goals. Use your LOs to remind you about what specifics you need to include on your test. • Consider a variety of formats or types of questions, such as those on the following slides.

50. Constructing Your Pre/Posttest • Word the item so that only a single or very similar set of responses provides a correct answer. • Start with an answer and then word the question or sentence stem. • Place blanks at or near the end of the item. Examples: The capital of Georgia is _______. Who is the President of the Unites States?_________