NCTE Assessment 5: Teacher Research Essay
This assignment is completed and evaluated in the EDSC 4540 Capstone course. The Cooperating Teacher will provide some assistance with this assignment as described below. The University Supervisor does not have responsibility for this assignment.
The purpose of this NCTE Assessment 5 Teacher Research Essay on Effects of Integrated ELA Unit on Student Learning and Engagement is to help you demonstrate that you can have an effect on student learning and be able to engage in reflective teaching via basic teacher research methods.
Your reflective teacher research essay should address two questions:
1) To what degree did you help students produce meaningful and high quality texts within a supportive classroom?
2) How did you help your students develop critical analytical skills?
You will answer these questions in a synthesizing way by reflecting on at least 3 student artifacts (or sets of artifacts) that were generated within your integrated English language arts unit. What do they reveal about these two questions? You can use additional teacher-research data as well as you build your argument. You can use insights from your participant observations or daily teacher research journal reflections. You can also use your assessment results to show how the selected student samples are typical of or representative of the group or, in contrast, how abnormally unusual they were. You can use student comments as well. You can assume that the caring readers have seen the unit outline of your implemented design. Still, you will need to provide a brief overview of the unit and give a bit of context about how it unfolded. Make sure that you develop a compelling argument with ample data that documents and supports your controlling idea.
Your cooperating teacher should help you make plans to implement your unit within at least one classroom. Your cooperating teacher should observe your unit as it is implemented. He or she will be asked to write a short summary of his or her impressions of the teacher research essay, noting whether it is a fair version of what unfolded (see Verification sheet below).
Performance Standards
_____(1) Submitted Written Version of Implemented Unit Design for Review (5 points)
_____(2) Created an Introduction with Thesis That Clearly Stated Your Overall Impression of the Effectiveness of Your Integrated ELA Unit in Terms of Helping Students Think critically(10 points)
_____(3) Offered a Brief Context for Your Unit, Realizing That Your Implemented Unit Plan Has Been Reviewed, And That Your Audience Includes Caring Parents, Other Professionals, Other Teacher Candidates, Community Members and Even Mature Students Who Care About Your Teacher Research and the Effects of Your Teaching (5)
_____ (4) Provided Thoughtful Analyses of Embedded & Representative Student Artifacts That Supported Your Thesis and That Drew on Current Research and Promising Practice within English Language Arts (30 points)
______(4a) Analysis of First Student Artifact (or Set of Student Artifacts)
______(4b) Analysis of Second Student Artifact (or Set of Student Artifacts)
______(4c) Analysis of Third Student Artifact (or Set of Student Artifacts)
______(4d) Additional Analyses of Artifacts (or Set of Student Artifacts)
_____ (5) Chose Meaningful Artifacts That Helped You Build Your Case for Your Unit’s Effectiveness (10 Points)
_____(6) Reflected On Needed Changes within Unit Rationale, Teaching Philosophy, Design and/or Assessments; and/or Offered Teaching Insight That Could Be Shared with Other Professionals, Teacher Candidates, Parents or Community Members (10 points)
_____(7) Ended with a Summative Conclusion (10 points)
_____(8) Met Required NCTE/NCATE Target Standards—see below; Make Sure Your Essay More Than Evidences These Target Standards (10 points)
_____(9) Employed Edited American English (5 points)
_____ (10) Submitted Essay on Time as Final Polished Document and Statement of Your Professional Growth and Development; Electronic Version via Blackboard(5 points)
_____(11) Included a Statement from Your Cooperating Teacher That Your Essay Is a Legitimate Reflection of Your First Efforts to Implement an Integrated English Language Arts Unit (Unit Cannot Be Evaluated Without This Accompanying Verification Statement—See Attachment)
_____ Final Grade 100 Points Total (90-100 = A)