Teaching Portfolio Statement Of Purpose 174l5j

E. Megan Wyse: Pedagogy and Statement of Purpose Garden City Elementary was my only elementary school. On my last day as a sixth grader, I sat in a chair on the gym floor crying as I watched all my classmates receive the last awards they would ever get at this school. It was the last time I'd see all my friends. The last time I'd ever see my teacher - Mr. Harper. Lost in my misery, I did not hear my name called. "Megan Wyse." Mrs. Lee, the principal, said....again apparently. I did not know why I was called to the stage, but I went because everyone, including Mr. Harper, was smiling and looked so proud of me. Still, not knowing what award I'd just won, I thought to myself, "I want to come back here someday; and make other kids feel just like this." Every year, the teachers at Garden City Elementary would nominate students for the Kathleen B. Hoffa, Best Mental Attitude Award. I knew what the award was, everyone knew; but I never thought I would get it. My name went on a plaque that is still in the cafeteria. I am proud that I once called that school mine and that my name is on it. I still have the award. It will hang on the wall in my classroom someday as a reminder; not of what I won, but that I want to make children feel the way I did the day I received it: loved, proud, smart, valued, encouraged, successful, that I belonged. "Tell me, I'll forget. Show me, I'll . Involve me, I'll Understand." This Chinese proverb captures how I feel about teaching. As a teacher, I must mindfully involve my students in their leaning in order for conceptual understanding to happen. Knowledge is constructed in the minds of students, therefore their mind must be engaged. This constructivist concept has served me well in my teaching experiences. It is my job as teacher to facilitate learning, or create engaging lessons that require students to wade through disequilibrium by thinking logically and critically. It is through this process that students construct meaning and conceptual understanding. Culturally relevant teaching is a necessity in today's urban schools. Today's urban classrooms are increasingly diverse; and student's bring their cultures, languages, and schema to the classroom with them. Instead of viewing this as an obstacle to be overcome, teachers need to value their students and take advantage of the plethora of knowledge each student brings to the learning community. It is a community that needs to be built in a classroom. A safe haven for every child; a place where students can come together and learn tolerance and respect alongside mathematics and language arts. Imagine a classroom of students that feel confidant in their

abilities, no matter the level. Imagine open ended and culturally relevant questions and activities ed by multiple strategies; and students using those strategies as they work in teams to accomplish goals. This is the kind of classroom I wish to create. In my 4th grade student teaching experience, we did a Thanksgiving Feast Investigation. The students were asked to find the cheapest way to server 17 people 1 meat serving and three side dishes for Thanksgiving dinner. We set up several "stores" around the room: Kroger, Wal-Mart, Safeway, and Aldi. The prices for Turkeys, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, corn, etc were on displayed for each. After doing the investigation, I reflected on how I could improve this great, open ended activity with multiple access points and make is more culturally relevant. I decided that the next time I did it I would research my students' cultures and find out what traditional feast foods I could include. I could also research what grocery stores my students shopped at to make the activity set in their world. To include technology, I could have students look at grocery store websites to research prices. Making activities culturally relevant will draw interest for the students. It will make a seemingly difficult task more accessible to students. In this example, for instance, students can take pride in presenting a feast from their culture to the class. Teaching with cultural relevance is not hard, it only takes extra reflection and research on the teacher's part. Taking a little extra time to reflect, think, research and ultimately make lessons more meaningful and thought provoking is worth it. Students are worth it. Gloria Ladson-Billings (1994), an American Pedagogical Theorist know for her work of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and Critical Race Theory, wrote: "Utilizing students' cultures and schema will empower students to thrive emotionally, socially and intellectually." If we take the time to honor our students cultures, they will feel that sense of belonging in school and be better for it. When driving to Florida, I usually abandon US 75 in Cartersville, Georgia and take the secondary roads around Atlanta and its non-stop rush hour traffic. Although US 75 is the most direct path from here to there, it does not make sense, to me, to battle the Atlanta traffic. I apply this thinking to my teaching. Not every seemingly direct path or "best practice" is best for everyone. Differentiation is not only a practice that should be done for students that need services, it should be done for every student. The use of strategies is a wonderful way to provide multiple access points to the information while deepening the thinking and understanding those who have already made their way through disequilibrium. Strategies can be used in all subjects. For Example:

Math 1digit x 2 digit Multiplication: • • •

Standard Algorithm Array Method Expanded Notation

Reading Strategies: • • • • • •

Flipping the sound (accuracy) Post-it Picture Drawing as thinking tracks (visualization for comprehension) Cross-checking (accuracy) Using Word Parts (expanding vocabulary) Adjust Reading Rate (fluency) Schema / Metacognition Thinking Tracks (comprehension)

Writing Leads Strategies: • • • • • •

Quote Onomatopoeia Character or Setting Description Set the Mood Appeal to the Senses Ask the Reader a Question

By giving students options, you give them the power to take control of their learning. When empowered and in control, students will be able to access the lesson on their level, in their own way, with their own schema; and construct their own understanding. Every student can succeed if provided with a plethora of strategies through differentiation. At the core, constructivism, culturally relevant teaching, differentiation, and community all boil down to the same concept: a teacher must value their students, not despite, but because of their varied abilities and cultures. ing learning with differentiated strategies and methods; and utilizing their culture to make learning relevant to them, is the best way to cultivate growth emotionally, socially and intellectually. I wish to create a classroom that is a learning community where students not only learn content; but also learn to care about and value one another. In order to do that, I must be a mentor that models good citizenship. I must be a psychologist that can listen to my students and truly care about their well-being. I must be a social worker and ally, that protects, s and encourages them. I must be a community leader who shows them that they can make a difference in the world. I will make my students feel they are loved, proud, smart, valued, encouraged, successful, and that they belong. I will be an educator.

References

Ladson-Billings, G. (2009). The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children. San Francisco, CA: A Wiley Imprint.