EC 2900-02
May 5, 2009
Table of Contents:
I.) Introduction………………………………………………………...Page 1
II.) Philosophy Statement………………………………………………Page 2
III.) Contextual Factors………………………………………………… Page 4
Introduction:
The purpose of this Level I Teacher Work Sample portfolio is to demonstrate the progression and proficiency of my comprehension in the developmentally appropriate practices of educating young children. My involvement in Sophomore Field has enhanced my comprehension of the learning outcomes, which includes the knowledge, skills, and dispositions professional and appropriate teachers possess.
I have acquired knowledge of some of the learning outcomes through the first hand experiences I obtained while observing the diverse settings of both an urban and suburban school which correlates with Learning Outcome C in the Knowledge category, The beginning teacher has experiences with diverse populations. Learning Outcome C in the category of Dispositions states, The beginning teacher is a reflective practitioner. Through completing the Contextual Factors of the district, school, and classroom setting, I was able to reflect on the course readings to analyze how contextual factors have implications for the classroom.
This portfolio presents the implementation of my experience and attained knowledge. Included is a philosophy statement, which is the connection drawn between the evidence experienced in my observations and the learning outcomes that produces a definition of a child-focused philosophy rooted in developmentally appropriate practices. Following the Philosophy Statement is a supported application of contextual factors regarding an understanding of the correlation found between the teaching-learning process and the contextual factors of the individual student, classroom, school and community.
Philosophy Statement:
Children learn best when they are provided with an education that is developmentally appropriate, that can challenge and help to expand their knowledge. Teachers who are developmentally appropriate use their own knowledge to enhance the learning and development of each child. An exceptional teacher utilizes her knowledge about the contextual factors of the individual student, classroom, school, and community to develop suitable goals, plans of instruction and forms of assessment for each child. In having an underlying comprehension and understanding for each individual student, the educator is better able to provide for the child’s mental, physical and emotional needs. Assessments of the students assist in determining any information about the child, which can further help evaluate, monitor and analyze him or her. The teacher is to exercise his/her comprehension on subject matter pertaining to professional and national standards as a means by which to present the student with an optimal learning environment.
The classroom environment is a crucial aspect of the child’s education. A developmentally appropriate classroom consists of an atmosphere in which each child’s individual needs may be fostered. The educator is responsible for creating a caring community of learns. In my field experience, a pre-school teacher broke the boundary between special needs children and regular education children by creating an environment where the children interacted socially and accepted each other’s differences. When a disabled child was unable to follow directions or understand a concept she would ask another student to show the disabled child through the activity, which ultimately rewarded both students with a sense of success when the activity was rightfully completed. A teacher appreciates the diversity of each child, the classroom and embraces these differences as a means to teach students about acceptance and self-confidence. Individual and cultural differences along with student talents and abilities are implemented by the teacher to create a diverse classroom where each child is comfortable and able to thrive. As part of understanding the child and the cultural norms of the each child and the community the teacher builds reciprocal relationships with the students’ families. A teacher leads the classroom as a role-model for tolerance and acceptance of diversity, while also using personal knowledge about each child’s diverse needs to accommodate him or her. In understanding each child, the teacher sets exceeding yet appropriate expectations that challenge the child and allows for success.
A teacher employs specific skills in educating children. Copple and Bredekamp (2009) editors of Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs: Serving Children from Birth through Age 8, state that “an excellent teacher establishes a caring community of learners, teaches to enhance to enhance development and learning, plan curriculum to achieve goals, asses children’s development and learning and establishes reciprocal relationships with families,” when providing an appropriate practiced in education young children. By planning curriculum to achieve important goals, the educator supports standards, assesses the child formally through tests and informally by observation, creates a network of student support, and implements various instructional strategies that accommodate each child. The teacher exercises techniques such as Vygotsky’s theory of scaffolding to illustrate classroom activities for the student’s comprehension of a topic or activity. In a second grade classroom I observed at a public suburban school the teacher used scaffolding to instruct activities preformed by the class. During a science lesson she paired students of various cognitive strengths and abilities together, this allowed the children to actively engage in a common goal, provide each other with support and guidance, while interchanging skills and transmitting knowledge. The goal of the educator is to employing his or her skills, knowledge and objective disposition to accommodate for each child a curriculum which enhances the student’s growth and development.
Contextual Factors:
Community, District and school factors:
South Mountain Elementary School is located in Millburn, a town found in Essex County, New Jersey. In 2000, according to Milburn Township’s website there were an approximate 19,765 residents who lived in the 10 square mile town of Milburn (http://twp.millburn.nj.us/Demographics). Demographically Millburn Township was 88.9% White, Caucasian, 1.1% Black or African American, 2% Hispanic, and 8.4 % Asian, in a 2000 census. About 39% of the population’s family income was in the $200,000 or more bracket, 12% had an income between $150,000-$ 199,999, and 15% between $100,000- $149,999. Of the population 25 years or older that resided in Millburn 74% were college educated, 38.4% have a graduate degree, while 35.6 % had a bachelor’s degree. Milburn, established 151 years ago in 1857, is now a predominantly White-Caucasian, well educated, wealthy suburban community. The culture of this community is reflected in the district’s schools.
Of the seven schools in the district, South Mountain Elementary school is one of the thriving and excellent school communities. The township of Milburn prides on being one of the top school districts in the state of New Jersey. According to introduction page of Millburn Township Schools, www.millburn.org “The Millburn Township School District consists of seven schools, all known for their challenging curriculum and academic excellence.” This source also describes “Millburn’s five elementary schools (grades K-5) [to have] consistently rank among the highest in New Jersey in the annual State Report Card,” demonstrating the district’s exceptional school system.
South Mountain School along with the other schools in Millburn provides an excellent education to all of students. The school is located on 2 Southern Slope Drive, in Millburn. Classes begin promptly at 8:40 and end at 3:00 PM. This school operates as a learning facility for approximately five hours and forty minutes on an average day. South Mountain Elementary School’s, 2007-2008 New Jersey’s School Reports Card specifies that the average class size at Southern Slope Elementary is 17.2 students per class, there is a 3:1 student to computer ratio, a total 362 students enrolled and 17.7% of the school population has a disability and IEP. On average, 87% of students speak English as their dominate language at home, 5% speak Mandarin, 4.4% Russian and 3.6% speak another language as their dominate language at home. In 2007 the students performed with a 94% attendance rate, and a 0% suspension or expulsion rate.
As a wealthy township, the financial data of the Millburn Township School district is on average higher than the state average. New Jersey School’s Report Card expresses that 89% of revenues in the district are from a local source in contrast to the state averages, where only 52% of revenues are at a local level. For the 2007-2008 school year, New Jersey State Report card also states that the total cost per pupil in the Millburn district budget is $15,338 when compared to the state average of $14,359 a significant difference of almost about $1000 per student.
Classroom Factors:
South Mountain Slope Elementary School provides students with many optimal learning advantages, such as an abundance of technology, a wide assortment of books and other classroom materials, large spacious classrooms, and most importantly a warm caring yet organized environment. The second grade class which I encountered while objectively observing the dynamics of a classroom, ran smoothly and efficiently due to the open availability of resources. The teacher’s design for the room was similar to that of her teaching. Her classroom was spacious and open, organized, yet inviting and warm. The classroom had a carpet area where the class would constantly meet together to learn lessons, work alone or together on assignments, or to simply relax and unwind after an eventful day of learning. The carpet area filled with pillows and special hanging light, and was used for many different activities yet also served as an element of softness that allowed students to gain a sense of warm inviting feelings. C. Stephen White and Mick Coleman authors of Early Childhood Education: Building a Philosophy for Teaching believe that “it is important to bring homelike softness into the classroom,” this creates an inviting and enriching environment (303).
The many resources of the classroom were efficiently organized while remaining accessible to the children. Books were available in many bins placed throughout the room. These books were organized by subject and topic making them easier to find. A classroom computer was located on a desk in a mutual area of the room for all students to have access. Dictionaries, thesauruses, pencils, crayons, markers, paper rulers and other materials were situated near the carpet area to form a division between the carpet area and the rest of the classroom. These materials were placed near an area of the classroom, where most of the learning took place, and the need for these materials was most necessary. The students’ desks were arranged in rows; however most of the class’ learning took place in the carpet area or in other parts of the room. When students met together on the carpet for lessons and other activities, a sense of closeness and support was created between the pupils. White and Coleman convey that “large-group meeting are an important component of the day,” during these meeting children develop social skills and create a sense of stability in the classroom (306).
During morning meeting the class would discuss the schedule for the day. By implementing the students with a schedule to follow, White and Coleman feel “provide[s] many organizational benefits,” while also creating an environment of balance and stability (321). Although the teacher followed a schedule she was open and flexible to change. At times she would find a scheduled activity more suitable for a different time or felt that the students needed a break to rest and would allow them to have an early snack or participate in a read out loud. Rules were another important factor of this second grade class, the teacher did not enforce specific class rules that were listed; however she promoted good citizenship, which included respect, sharing and caring. Other than being overly social the class the students followed the teacher’s expectations well by respecting each other and themselves.
When working together the students were paired up with their partners or group based on the “magic stick system” which grouped them together by using the element of chance. Each student would pick a Popsicle stick from a cup, the stick would have another student’s name, and that person we be their partner. Using this system for assigning partners and groups gave everyone a fair chance at being paired up without causing any problems or making any child feel left out. Most of the student’s parents worked and therefore were not involved with the class often. Occasionally the teacher would receive emails from various parents or would have a conference with parents to discuss their child’s progress and any concerns either the teacher or parent might have.
Student Characteristics:
The students of this second grade class were diverse learners, each who stemmed from different cultural values and norms, family contexts, and had particular interests, hobbies and needs. Together they form a small community that defines their class as a whole. There were approximately four out of seventeen students who struggled with a disability or learning disorder. These particular students needed extra assistance, understanding and both mental and emotional support. Many of the students of the class were considered to be average to low-average learners, which meant that they retained most of the information they learned and were able to gain knowledge however were less competent in specific subjects, needed extra support and had particular learning styles . The class was comprised of an approximate even ratio of boys to girls. Most students were White-Caucasian and lived with their parents.
Each child had different hobbies, interests and learning abilities. These differences among the students, along with the teacher’s effect on the class, formed a diverse classroom culture. White and Colman explain that “children develop at their own pace,” this principle draws a link between early childhood education and child development, which is an important factor in understanding the dynamics of a classroom (11). Some students in the class behaved more maturely than others, although they were all about the same age, and while some could read very well others were challenged in reading comprehension this is because children develop at their own rate.
The class was filled with students of various developmental levels. Sebastian, a Hispanic ten year old boy from the class, raised by his single working mother was one of the low-average learners in the class. He had difficulty with writing, yet he loved to read comic books, and watch Dragon-Ball Z movies. He needed to be closely monitored for understanding and comprehension of instructions. His DRA was a 20, meaning that at seven months into second grade he was still only reading and comprehending as a second grader in his first month of school. Karoline was another average learner in the class, she enjoyed playing sports. She struggled with reading comprehension and read at a very slow pace. Her parents were not as supportive in helping her complete 20 minutes of reading and a reading journal entry that was assigned each night for homework, she had potential to be a higher learner but she needed the extra support from her family in order to excel. Nine year-old Miriam was interested in art, she found pleasure in drawing coloring and painting. She was a strong in reading but had difficulties with understanding math. When learning she grasped concepts best through visually learning.