Principal 1
Teacher Knowledge, Insight, and Orchestration of Instruction
Accomplishing this Principal in the Classroom
The first thought that pops into mind when reading this principle is, who would you rather have as a teacher? A knowledgeable, insightful and well trained teacher without lesson plans or recourses? Or an underprepared, undereducated teacher supplied with unlimited recourses and brilliant scripted lesson plans? If I had to chose one, I would choose the first option. This is because I believe a good teacher is defined by his or her own expert understanding of the content they are teaching, sympathetic insight into students’ educational needs, and ability to orchestrate valuable learning. This applies to all subject and grade level areas. However, I will be focusing on sixth grade literacy in this portfolio. My notion of a good teacher is supported by Don Leu’s statement that, “The teacher’s knowledge, ability to make principled insightful instructional decisions for individual children, and ability to orchestrate effective instruction for the group of children being taught are more influential factors in student literacy achievement than knowing particular procedures for instruction or following scripted lesson plans” (13).
Accomplishing this first principal can and will differ based upon the teacher’s beliefs of what students should know about reading and writing and how they learn literacy most effectively. However, there are three aspects of this principal that must stay constant no matter the teacher. The teacher must first be knowledgeable of the content, the variable that is subject to change here is what content that specific teacher believes is important for students learn. The teacher must secondly be insightful of his or her students, what they believe in for how students learn literacy most effectively is subject to change. Thirdly, the teacher must orchestrate effective instruction, the certain methods are variable to change with the teacher’s beliefs on what and how his or her students must learn.
In my sixth grade ELA and reading classroom I will prepare myself to be a knowledgeable educator by knowing and understanding the Connecticut Common Core State Standards for ELA, the curriculum that my district has chosen for ELA, and the content in which I will present these standards. I have already and will continue to establish positive relationships with my students in which I see them for who they are as readers and writers and their potential. I must be insightful and recognize each of my student’s individual learning styles and, if applicable, special needs. This principle is critical because the teacher must be able to make educated instructional decisions for individuals and the whole class.
Accomplishing this first principal can and will differ based upon the teacher’s beliefs of what students should know about reading and writing and how they learn literacy most effectively. However, there are three aspects of this principal that must stay constant no matter the teacher. The teacher must first be knowledgeable of the content, the variable that is subject to change here is what content that specific teacher believes is important for students learn. The teacher must secondly be insightful of his or her students, what they believe in for how students learn literacy most effectively is subject to change. Thirdly, the teacher must orchestrate effective instruction, the certain methods are variable to change with the teacher’s beliefs on what and how his or her students must learn.
In my sixth grade ELA and reading classroom I will prepare myself to be a knowledgeable educator by knowing and understanding the Connecticut Common Core State Standards for ELA, the curriculum that my district has chosen for ELA, and the content in which I will present these standards. I have already and will continue to establish positive relationships with my students in which I see them for who they are as readers and writers and their potential. I must be insightful and recognize each of my student’s individual learning styles and, if applicable, special needs. This principle is critical because the teacher must be able to make educated instructional decisions for individuals and the whole class.
Specific Anchor & Grade Level Standards from CCSS
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.7: This standard is consistent with this principle because it requires that the teacher insightfully differentiates the content and changes their instruction to include various “media and formats” that address the different learning styles of the group of children being taught.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1: This standard is constant with this principal because it requires the teacher to be insightful of how their students learn best in order to differentiate instruction by effectively grouping the class.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.4: This standard correlates to the principal because it requires the teacher to differentiate instruction for students who are ELLs by providing them with a range of appropriate strategies that they can use to determine the meaning of unknown words and expand their vocabulary. The teacher must be insightful of the individual students’ progress in learning English in order to make instructional decisions that continuously challenge them so they can grow.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1: This standard is constant with this principal because it requires the teacher to be insightful of how their students learn best in order to differentiate instruction by effectively grouping the class.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.4: This standard correlates to the principal because it requires the teacher to differentiate instruction for students who are ELLs by providing them with a range of appropriate strategies that they can use to determine the meaning of unknown words and expand their vocabulary. The teacher must be insightful of the individual students’ progress in learning English in order to make instructional decisions that continuously challenge them so they can grow.
Instructional Practices
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
It is extremely important that I am knowledgeable and insightful of my students learning styles and reading levels. It is noted that, “administered during the first weeks of school, an assessment conference with a set of carefully leveled texts yields reliable data to guide teaching (Fountas and Pinnell).” In addition to facilitating a running record I will assess my students learning styles by asking them a series follow up comprehension questions referring to the text. Then I will ask interest questions such as, “what kind of book would you like to read for fun? A book with words in it, pictures or word searches and crossword puzzles?” (1). This will provide me with information in order to differentiate my instruction based upon the reading level and learning style of my students. I can then use leveled books during my reading period, and plan to provide a variety of activities that include kinesthetic, auditory, and visual learning during my English language arts period when I do not have the choice of reading material. I will implement these assessments in the first week of school during my reading period. I do not foresee issues with formatively assessing my students in order to gain insight and accommodate them.
GUIDED READING
In order orchestrate effective instruction for my various groups of students I will use a method of guided reading. I will break the class into groups, pairs, and one-on-one meetings with the teacher simultaneously based upon reading level. There are three rotating 10-15-minute blocks of time that each student reads in a group, pair and then one-on-one setting. I will use the information from the benchmark assessments to create these fluid groups, they will change over time as students’ progress. This allows the teacher to meet with every child to ensure that “they are provided strong instructional support to extend themselves by reading texts that are on the edge of their learning—not too easy but not too hard (Fountas and Pinnell)”. This allows the teacher to facilitate higher literacy achievement one-on-one with a student or students while the other groups and pairs work at their level. I will conduct this instruction during my reading period starting in the beginning of the year. I will base my lessons off of the suggested skills highlighted by the student’s accounts in Lexia Core 5 and iReady. There are no issues with this that I can foresee because this is a practice that is lacking and needs to be implemented into the Lexia Core 5 and iReady curriculum for it to be helpful to the children.
DIFFERENTIATION
I must also keep track of the progress of my students who are English language learners and adjust their level of supports to appropriately facilitate their understanding of the material. These tools range from iPad translator apps to a simple translated key of vocabulary words found in the lesson or text. If, by formative assessment, it is deemed there is an improvement I will make the instructional decision to differentiate these supportive tools to provide new challenges. This will put them at the edge of their learning like the guided reading. In addition, it fosters an inclusive and fair classroom by allowing students equal opportunities in accessing the same information from reading and writing. I will do this in both my ELA and reading classes starting in the beginning of the year following their formative reading level assessment. I see no issues in doing this for my students who are learning English.
It is extremely important that I am knowledgeable and insightful of my students learning styles and reading levels. It is noted that, “administered during the first weeks of school, an assessment conference with a set of carefully leveled texts yields reliable data to guide teaching (Fountas and Pinnell).” In addition to facilitating a running record I will assess my students learning styles by asking them a series follow up comprehension questions referring to the text. Then I will ask interest questions such as, “what kind of book would you like to read for fun? A book with words in it, pictures or word searches and crossword puzzles?” (1). This will provide me with information in order to differentiate my instruction based upon the reading level and learning style of my students. I can then use leveled books during my reading period, and plan to provide a variety of activities that include kinesthetic, auditory, and visual learning during my English language arts period when I do not have the choice of reading material. I will implement these assessments in the first week of school during my reading period. I do not foresee issues with formatively assessing my students in order to gain insight and accommodate them.
GUIDED READING
In order orchestrate effective instruction for my various groups of students I will use a method of guided reading. I will break the class into groups, pairs, and one-on-one meetings with the teacher simultaneously based upon reading level. There are three rotating 10-15-minute blocks of time that each student reads in a group, pair and then one-on-one setting. I will use the information from the benchmark assessments to create these fluid groups, they will change over time as students’ progress. This allows the teacher to meet with every child to ensure that “they are provided strong instructional support to extend themselves by reading texts that are on the edge of their learning—not too easy but not too hard (Fountas and Pinnell)”. This allows the teacher to facilitate higher literacy achievement one-on-one with a student or students while the other groups and pairs work at their level. I will conduct this instruction during my reading period starting in the beginning of the year. I will base my lessons off of the suggested skills highlighted by the student’s accounts in Lexia Core 5 and iReady. There are no issues with this that I can foresee because this is a practice that is lacking and needs to be implemented into the Lexia Core 5 and iReady curriculum for it to be helpful to the children.
DIFFERENTIATION
I must also keep track of the progress of my students who are English language learners and adjust their level of supports to appropriately facilitate their understanding of the material. These tools range from iPad translator apps to a simple translated key of vocabulary words found in the lesson or text. If, by formative assessment, it is deemed there is an improvement I will make the instructional decision to differentiate these supportive tools to provide new challenges. This will put them at the edge of their learning like the guided reading. In addition, it fosters an inclusive and fair classroom by allowing students equal opportunities in accessing the same information from reading and writing. I will do this in both my ELA and reading classes starting in the beginning of the year following their formative reading level assessment. I see no issues in doing this for my students who are learning English.