Professional Portfolio

Wait Time This is the time when a teacher falls silent inThink-Pair-Share order to prompt students to more carefully contemplate their response. The complexity ofRandom Calling student responses tends to increase with theClass Survey use of this strategy.More Than One AnswerProbes for More Thinking Students are asked to silently contemplateDevil’s Advocate over a question and formulate their thoughts. They are then paired with another student with whom they share their thoughts. Students then share their thoughts with the entire class in a discussion. Random calling ensures that teachers call on all students, rather than those who volunteer frequently. Students are chosen at random using a variety of methods. (i.e. popsicle sticks, student calling, etc.) This strategy works to involve all students in the discussion. Implementing a Class Survey entails eliciting responses from the entire class at once. This can be in the form of raised hands, thumbs up/down, etc. This strategy encourages multiple viewpoints or answers to be shared. A teacher sequentially elicits varied responses from his students. It is important to encourage students to elaborate on their responses or to extend them into further meaningful dialogue. Teachers can ask probing questions to prompt students to further explore and explain their reasoning. Proving students with a challenge motivates to extend their answers and defend their assertions. It allows them to solidify their stance on a topic.4. Select any TWO Response Strategies. Using your Essential Questions from #2, plan how you will use the Response Strategies you selected to support your inquiry/discussion. ABC DOMIn II 49 X-Y=? 2 + 2 = 4



































2 X-Y=?Lesson Reflection: My 5E Model LessonX-Y=? Unit five of my Digital Design and Media Production course focuses on the preparation of digital ABC A B Cphotographs for deployment on various forms of media and the necessary processes and concepts related to publication. The unit introduces concepts in color model processing, appropriate resolution sizing, effective color correction, and photo evaluation methods. Students engage in hands-on activities that immerse them into the content allowing them to establish personal real- world connections between their prior knowledge, and concepts being uncovered in class. The unit of study was created utilizing the 5E instructional model and accounts for six class days of study. Students are engaged on day one through the use of real-world examples of dramatic before-and- after photo edits and eye-catching digital photo compositions. They engage in a tactile photo sorting activity to activate their prior understanding of attributes that make photographs publication-ready. (i.e. blurry, overexposed, color-corrected, etc.) Students then participate in a gallery walk to examine their peers’ work. A KWL chart helps to activate their existing knowledge, as well as to guide learning for the following days. As an exploration activity, students engage in a Color Value Appraisal scavenger hunt where they explore the various ways different color models each process color. They will also conduct individual research on different color models and extend their knowledge during a Think-Pair- Share activity. I will dialogue with students about the interrelatedness of color-model selection and publication intent. (i.e. print, web, mobile media, etc.) As an interdisciplinary connection, students will discuss similarities between archaic printing methods vs the sophisticated automated printing press of today. DOMAIn III 65 X-Y=? 2 + 2 = 4

ABC Hands-on, Minds-on is an important strategy to utilize when teaching technology concepts. By immersing students into the content, they can effectively establish significant connections and apply their learning by doing. During the explain phase, students will engage in a teacher- supported activity where they utilize digital manipulation software applications to complete photo editing tasks. I will introduce technical vocabulary and scaffold understanding of key content vocabulary through the use of an active vocabulary learning activity. I will also dialogue with students about altering others’ works using digital manipulation software and the associated implications related to fair use and copyright infringement. In order to elaborate their learning, students will engage in a student-led photo editing activity where teacher support is only provided as needed. Students will rely on learned skills to apply their learning to complete a specific task related to content vocabulary, processes, and concepts. I will scaffold understanding of key concepts as needed. After completing their hands-on activity, students will brainstorm and dialogue about real-world applications for their newly-learned skills and how they relate to their existing skills. Evaluation for this unit of study will take place over days five and six. Assessment activities will be completed in three layers: Application, Synthesis, and Literacy Component. To demonstrate mastery of key concepts, students will first apply their learning to complete an individual photo retouching activity. Students will shoot their own five photographs and prepare them for publication according to specification. Students will layer on a synthesis activity where they have the choice of completing one of three products (brochure, presentation, or memorandum) related to concepts learned throughout the unit. Finally, all students will complete an individual reflection to assess their learning. Metacognition is an important part of learning so students are66 LESSOn REFLECTIOn: My 5E MODEL LESSOn X-Y=? 2 + 2 = 4

ABCencouraged to reflect on what concepts they feel they mastered and others they feel may needadditional scaffolding. Students are to submit their reflections in narrative format via digitalchannels to promote digital collaboration practices.Throughout the unit of study, differentiated instruction support is an important consideration.Varied learning styles are all honored through the use of visual elements, tactile elements,reading, and auditory elements. Students are provided with a choice on how to utilize materialsto meet their diverse learning needs. English Language Learners have access to a digitaltranslation system that allows them to scaffold English language acquisition based on their levelof SLA. This is performed digitally based on individual student profiles. Word banks and graphicorganizers are also made available to students who may utilize them to scaffold SLA. Forlearners who are Gifted/Talented, I have implemented a framework that I call Level-Up wherestudents can choose to extend their learning through diversified experiences that venture beyondthe generalized lesson content. Students are free to utilize the Level-up section, or not, the choiceis completely theirs.Technology education is a unique field to teach in, but it is dynamic and fast-moving. Studentsare naturally drawn to technology in this tech-centric age, so finding ways to appropriately andeffectively use technology to promote learning is a vital consideration for student success.Through the use of innovative methods, lesson content can be fun, engaging, and relevant to allstudents. DOMAIn III 67 X-Y=? 2 + 2 = 4

2 X-Y=? Professional Development GoalsX-Y=? As lifelong learners, professional development is an integral part of any teacher’s career. WithABC A B Cthe ever-changing world of education, there is always room to improve one’s craft and adapt one’s skill set to the changing times. This in no truer in the field of technology where obsolescence arrives in the blink of an eye. As a Technology Applications teacher, it is my challenge to continuously educate myself in the latest and greatest innovative methods related both to my teaching craft and the rapid-moving technology ecosystem. Professional growth is a critical part of Technology Education perhaps more-so than other content areas. Throughout the coming years, as a novice teacher, I plan to seek professional development opportunities related to innovative learning and technology integration with core-content. I hope to help bridge the gap that exists between technology-based learning and traditional content delivery. Students of this generation are naturally drawn and engaged by technology—it’s what they know—and I hope to utilize this to bring content to them in understandable, engaging, and relatable ways. Through professional growth related to instructional technology, I hope to become an advocate for the 21st century learner in the modern classroom. Looking forward, I hope to obtain my Master’s Degree in Educational Technology Leadership in hopes of becoming an administrator in the future. By completing that course of study, I wish to gain a position where my advocacy for innovative learning can reach further than one classroom. I will seek professional development opportunities related to campus-wide technology integration in order to move my campus into the future in preparation for the imminent technological revolution. Through my course of study in Educational Technology Leadership, my plan is to seek professional development opportunities related to instructional leadership with emphasis on68 X-Y=? 2 + 2 = 4

ABCinstructional technology. Because technology skills should be an integral part of any curriculumin order to prepare our students for the tech-centric society of tomorrow, following this course ofstudy will allow me to adapt the curriculum in my learning community to instill those skills inour students. DOMAIn III 69 X-Y=? 2 + 2 = 4

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2 X-Y=? My Educational PhilosophyX-Y=? Although prowess in one’s area of content is vital, if one does not know how to effectivelyABC A B Cimpart one’s knowledge to his students then expertise becomes useless. A teacher must strive to cultivate a meaningful learning environment for his students by establishing a safe, comfortable, and connected stage for learning. In order to set a learning stage—and produce a significant learning outcome—a teacher must create real-world connections, incorporate student-centered learning, exercise effective use of technology, and provide for the continual growth of his students. The success of a classroom stems from good management, not discipline. Foremost, it is critical to create real-world connections while simultaneously establishing a student-centered learning environment. If students do not find utility in the content they are learning and connect it to concrete experiences, they will find lessons insignificant and pointless. In order to reach his objectives, a teacher must make the material relevant to his students. Technology is significant to every student’s future; this tech-driven society is only moving in one direction: forward. It should be the objective of a teacher to explain how each lesson will aid students in their future endeavors, and encourage them to use Technology in a way that is meaningful to them. Students should be at the forefront of their learning; experiencing and acquiring knowledge, not simply listening to it. Hands-on engagement helps the material come to life for students. One cannot realize any goal in their classroom unless it is well-managed. As a teacher, controlling one’s classroom environment is essential. Educators must first model respect for students, the classroom, and the process of learning as a whole. The expectation for students to mimic those characteristics closely follows. One must create specific, but overreaching70 X-Y=? 2 + 2 = 4

ABCclassroom expectations, and not waver. While it is imperative to maintain firm control, it is alsonecessary to remain approachable by the students. It is crucial that students feel comfortableasking questions and that see their teacher as an adult who cares for them, someone they cantrust. It is necessary to maintain the role of an authority figure while communicating respect tostudents and relating to them on a personal level.The best teachers are those who never stop learning and continue striving to improve. It isimportant to realize that teaching is full of surprises and new experiences to which one must beready to adapt. What remains true is the necessity to create a meaningful learning environmentand to understand how to relate one’s knowledge to students. DOMAIn IV 71 X-Y=? 2 + 2 = 4

2 X-Y=? Resume and Letters of ReferenceX-Y=? ABCABC72 X-Y=? 2 + 2 = 4

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ABC74 RESuME AnD LETTERS OF REFEREnCE X-Y=? 2 + 2 = 4

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2 X-Y=? A Letter of InterestX-Y=? ABCABC76 X-Y=? 2 + 2 = 4

2 X-Y=?Professional ReadingX-Y=? 21st Century Skills: The Challenges Ahead ABC A B CAndrew J. Rotherham and Daniel Willingham 21st century skills like Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Information Fluency, and Global Awareness have been the staple among elite members of society throughout history. It is this set of skills that allow for a distinction between society, and high society, according to the authors. The challenge presented today stems from the extent to which student success is dependent on those skills. The integration of Critical Thinking and Problem Solving skills throughout content instruction should be paramount, however significant challenges arise. Classroom management, for example is one concern that presents itself with student-centered instruction. The daunting task for educational institutions comes with making a change in the face of teaching 21st century skills while maintaining an environment conducive for learning and providing for solid content delivery simultaneously. Rotherham, A., & Willingham, D. (2009, September 1). 21st Century Skills: The Challenges Ahead. Educational Leadership, 67(1) 16-21. — Connecting Creativity to Understanding Lois Hetland In the face of standardized testing and state-mandated accountability, education is becoming a vehicle simply for knowledge acquisition and recall. However, learning only for the purpose of passing a test or remembering important dates is not learning at all. If students do not learn as “…active, informed, ethical participants…” they will not be successful at “…shaping our collective futures.” Knowledge acquisition (regurgitation of information) should not be seen as a means of assessment (and measure of success) but as a byproduct of creative learning and expression. Students should be encourage to make necessary mistakes and learn from them in creative ways. The arts, writes Hetland, are a vehicle for creative expression that can be stretched to benefit and influence studies across all disciplines. To break the mold of conventional education, is to liberate out students to become free, critical, creative thinkers. Hetland, L. (2013, February). Connecting Creativity to Understanding. Educational Leadership, 65-70 — DOMAIn IV 77 X-Y=? 2 + 2 = 4

ABC Choosing Apps. by Design Jay McTighe and Tom March Living in the information age presents opportunities as well as challenges. In a time when students have access to the internet and advanced software in their pockets, the task becomes harnessing that potential and utilizing to promote learning. Teachers and schools can use the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) movement to their advantage. With innovation around every corner, McTighe and March write that educators should focus on the mastery of “high-leverage digital tools” to “promote core instructional goals.” The famous phrase, “There’s an app for that!” instantly comes to mind when discussing the vast amount of possibilities that apps can unlock for modern learners. By implementing Understanding by Design principles, educators can tailor the use of digital tools around three essential components of instruction: knowledge acquisition, meaning-making, and transfer. The article describes how teachers can implement technology to promote collaboration, knowledge management, and graphic organization tools to promote student learning. By allowing students to establish a digital presence, teachers can effectively give them a voice in this tech-centric age. McTighe, J. & March, T. (2015, May) Choosing Apps. by Design. Educational Leadership, 36-41.78 PROFESSIOnAL READInG X-Y=? 2 + 2 = 4

2 X-Y=?Professional Reading: The ArticlesX-Y=? 21st Century Skills: The Challenges Ahead ABC A B CAndrew J. Rotherham and Daniel Willingham To work, the 21st century skills movement will require keen attention to curriculum, teacher quality, and assessment. A growing number of business leaders, politicians, and educators are united around the idea that students need \"21st century skills\" to be successful today. It's exciting to believe that we live in times that are so revolutionary that they demand new and different abilities. But in fact, the skills students need in the 21st century are not new. Critical thinking and problem solving, for example, have been components of human progress throughout history, from the development of early tools, to agricultural advancements, to the invention of vaccines, to land and sea exploration. Such skills as information literacy and global awareness are not new, at least not among the elites in different societies. The need for mastery of different kinds of knowledge, ranging from facts to complex analysis? Not new either. In The Republic, Plato wrote about four distinct levels of intellect. Perhaps at the time, these were considered \"3rd century BCE skills\"? What's actually new is the extent to which changes in our economy and the world mean that collective and individual success depends on having such skills. Many U.S. students are taught these skills—those who are fortunate enough to attend highly effective schools or at least encounter great teachers—but it's a matter of chance rather than the deliberate design of our school system. Today we cannot afford a system in which receiving a high-quality education is akin to a game of bingo. If we are to have a more equitable and effective public education system, skills that have been the province of the few must become universal. This distinction between \"skills that are novel\" and \"skills that must be taught more intentionally and effectively\" ought to lead policymakers to different education reforms than those they are now considering. If these skills were indeed new, then perhaps we would need a radical overhaul of how we think about content and curriculum. But if the issue is, instead, that schools must be more deliberate about teaching critical thinking, collaboration, and problem solving to all students, then the remedies are more obvious, although still intensely challenging. What Will It Take? The history of U.S. education reform should greatly concern everyone who wants schools to do a better job of teaching students to think. Many reform efforts, from reducing class size to improving reading instruction, have devolved into fads or been implemented with weak fidelity to their core intent. The 21st century skills movement faces the same risk. To complicate the challenge, some of the rhetoric we have heard surrounding this movement suggests that with so much new knowledge being created, content no longer matters; that ways of knowing information are now much more important than information itself. Such notions DOMAIn IV 79 X-Y=? 2 + 2 = 4



ABCand the data are telling you something interesting. But to be surprised, you must make aprediction in the first place—and you can only generate a prediction if you understand thedomain in which you are working. Thus, without content knowledge we often cannot usethinking skills properly and effectively.Why would misunderstanding the relationship of skills and knowledge lead to trouble? If youbelieve that skills and knowledge are separate, you are likely to draw two incorrect conclusions.First, because content is readily available in many locations but thinking skills reside in thelearner's brain, it would seem clear that if we must choose between them, skills are essential,whereas content is merely desirable. Second, if skills are independent of content, we couldreasonably conclude that we can develop these skills through the use of any content. Forexample, if students can learn how to think critically about science in the context of anyscientific material, a teacher should select content that will engage students (for instance, thechemistry of candy), even if that content is not central to the field. But all content is not equallyimportant to mathematics, or to science, or to literature. To think critically, students need theknowledge that is central to the domain.The importance of content in the development of thinking creates several challenges for the 21stcentury skills movement. The first is the temptation to emphasize advanced, conceptual thinkingtoo early in training—an approach that has proven ineffective in numerous past reforms, such asthe \"New Math\" of the 1960s (Loveless, 2002). Learning tends to follow a predictable path.When students first encounter new ideas, their knowledge is shallow and their understanding isbound to specific examples. They need exposure to varied examples before their understandingof a concept becomes more abstract and they can successfully apply that understanding to novelsituations.Another curricular challenge is that we don't yet know how to teach self-direction, collaboration,creativity, and innovation the way we know how to teach long division. The plan of 21st centuryskills proponents seems to be to give students more experiences that will presumably developthese skills—for example, having them work in groups. But experience is not the same thing aspractice. Experience means only that you use a skill; practice means that you try to improve bynoticing what you are doing wrong and formulating strategies to do better. Practice also requiresfeedback, usually from someone more skilled than you are.Because of these challenges, devising a 21st century skills curriculum requires more than payinglip service to content knowledge. Outlining the skills in detail and merely urging that content betaught, too, is a recipe for failure. We must plan to teach skills in the context of particular contentknowledge and to treat both as equally important.In addition, education leaders must be realistic about which skills are teachable. If we deem thatsuch skills as collaboration and self-direction are essential, we should launch a concerted effortto study how they can be taught effectively rather than blithely assume that mandating theirteaching will result in students learning them. DOMAIn IV 81 X-Y=? 2 + 2 = 4

ABC Better Teaching Greater emphasis on skills also has important implications for teacher training. Our resolve to teach these skills to all students will not be enough. We must have a plan by which teachers can succeed where previous generations have failed. Advocates of 21st century skills favor student-centered methods—for example, problem-based learning and project-based learning—that allow students to collaborate, work on authentic problems, and engage with the community. These approaches are widely acclaimed and can be found in any pedagogical methods textbook; teachers know about them and believe they're effective. And yet, teachers don't use them. Recent data show that most instructional time is composed of seatwork and whole-class instruction led by the teacher (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Early Child Care Research Network, 2005). Even when class sizes are reduced, teachers do not change their teaching strategies or use these student-centered methods (Shapson, Wright, Eason, & Fitzgerald, 1980). Again, these are not new issues. John Goodlad (1984) reported the same finding in his landmark study published more than 20 years ago. Why don't teachers use the methods that they believe are most effective? Even advocates of student-centered methods acknowledge that these methods pose classroom management problems for teachers. When students collaborate, one expects a certain amount of hubbub in the room, which could devolve into chaos in less-than-expert hands. These methods also demand that teachers be knowledgeable about a broad range of topics and are prepared to make in-the- moment decisions as the lesson plan progresses. Anyone who has watched a highly effective teacher lead a class by simultaneously engaging with content, classroom management, and the ongoing monitoring of student progress knows how intense and demanding this work is. It's a constant juggling act that involves keeping many balls in the air. Part of the 21st century skills movement's plan is the call for greater collaboration among teachers. Indeed, this is one of the plan's greatest strengths; we waste a valuable resource when we don't give teachers time to share their expertise. But where will schools find the release time for such collaboration? Will they hire more teachers or increase class size? How will they provide the technology infrastructure that will enable teachers to collaborate with more than just the teacher down the hall? Who will build and maintain and edit the Web sites, wikis, and so forth? These challenges raise thorny questions about whether the design of today's schools is compatible with the goals of the 21st century skills movement. For change to move beyond administrators' offices and penetrate classrooms, we must understand that professional development is a massive undertaking. Most teachers don't need to be persuaded that project-based learning is a good idea —they already believe that. What teachers need is much more robust training and support than they receive today, including specific lesson plans that deal with the high cognitive demands and potential classroom management problems of using student-centered methods.82 PROFESSIOnAL READInG: THE ARTICLES X-Y=? 2 + 2 = 4

ABCUnfortunately, there is a widespread belief that teachers already know how to do this if only wecould unleash them from today's stifling standards and accountability metrics. This notionromanticizes student-centered methods, underestimates the challenge of implementing suchmethods, and ignores the lack of capacity in the field today.Instead, staff development planners would do well to engage the best teachers available in aniterative process of planning, execution, feedback, and continued planning. This process, alongwith additional teacher training, will require significant time. And of course none of this will besuccessful without broader reforms in how teachers are recruited, selected, and deselected in aneffort to address the whole picture of education's human capital challenge.Better TestsThere is little point in investing heavily in curriculum and human capital without also investingin assessments to evaluate what is or is not being accomplished in the classroom. Fortunately, asElena Silva (2008) noted in a recent report for Education Sector, the potential exists today toproduce assessments that measure thinking skills and are also reliable and comparable betweenstudents and schools—elements integral to efforts to ensure accountability and equity. But effortsto assess these skills are still in their infancy; education faces enormous challenges in developingthe ability to deliver these assessments at scale.The first challenge is the cost. Although higher-level skills like critical thinking and analysis canbe assessed with well- designed multiple-choice tests, a truly rich assessment system would gobeyond multiple-choice testing and include measures that encourage greater creativity, show howstudents arrived at answers, and even allow for collaboration. Such measures, however, costmore money than policymakers have traditionally been willing to commit to assessment. And, ata time when complaining about testing is a national pastime and cynicism about assessment,albeit often uninformed, is on the rise, getting policymakers to commit substantially moreresources to it is a difficult political challenge.Producing enough high-quality assessments to meet the needs of a system as large and diverse asU.S. public schools would stretch the capacity of the assessment industry, and incentives do notexist today for many new entrants to become major players in that field. We would need acoordinated public, private, and philanthropic strategy—including an intensive research anddevelopment effort—to foster genuine change.Substantial delivery challenges also remain. Delivering these assessments in a few settings, as isthe case today, is hardly the same as delivering them at scale across a state—especially the largerstates. Because most of these assessments will be technology-based, most schools' informationtechnology systems will require a substantial upgrade.None of these assessment challenges are insurmountable, but addressing them will requiredeliberate attention from policymakers and 21st century skills proponents, as well as a deviationfrom the path that policymaking is on today. Such an effort is essential. Why mount a national DOMAIn IV 83 X-Y=? 2 + 2 = 4

ABC effort to change education if you have no way of knowing whether the change has been effective? A Better, But Harder, Way The point of our argument is not to say that teaching students how to think, work together better, or use new information more rigorously is not a worthy and attainable goal. Rather, we seek to call attention to the magnitude of the challenge and to sound a note of caution amidst the sirens calling our political leaders once again to the rocky shoals of past education reform failures. Without better curriculum, better teaching, and better tests, the emphasis on \"21st century skills\" will be a superficial one that will sacrifice long-term gains for the appearance of short-term progress. Curriculum, teacher expertise, and assessment have all been weak links in past education reform efforts—a fact that should sober today's skills proponents as they survey the task of dramatically improving all three. Efforts to create more formalized common standards would help address some of the challenges by focusing efforts in a common direction. But common standards will not, by themselves, be enough. The past few decades have seen great progress in education reform in the United States— progress that has especially benefited less-advantaged students. Today's reformers can build on that progress only if they pay keen attention to the challenges associated with genuinely improving teaching and learning. If we ignore these challenges, the 21st century skills movement risks becoming another fad that ultimately changes little—or even worse, sets back the cause of creating dramatically more powerful schools for U.S. students, especially those who are underserved today. References Goodlad, J. I. (1984). A place called school. New York: McGraw-Hill. Loveless, T. (2002). A tale of two math reforms: The politics of the new math and NCTM standards. In T. Loveless (Ed.), The great curriculum debate (pp. 184–209). Washington, DC: Brookings. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Early Child Care Research Network. (2005). A day in the third grade: A large-scale study of classroom quality and teacher and student behavior. Elementary School Journal, 105, 305–323. Shapson, S. M., Wright, E. N., Eason, G., & Fitzgerald, J. (1980). An experimental study of the effects of class size. American Educational Research Journal, 17, 141–152. Silva, E. (2008). Measuring skills for the 21st century. Washington, DC: Education Sector. Available: www.educationsector.org/usr_doc/MeasuringSkills.pdf84 PROFESSIOnAL READInG: THE ARTICLES X-Y=? 2 + 2 = 4