Multimedia Interview Kimberly Hannon-Diczhazy EDU650: Leading, Teaching, & Learning in the 21 st Century Instructor: Richard Newman March 23, 2015

Introduction Hello. My name is Kimberly Hannon-Diczhazy and I live on the beautiful coast of Alabama with my three amazing children ages 10, 11, and 19; however, I was raised and lived in the wondrous state of Arizona until 10 years ago. I truly believe it takes a village to raise a child, so I am heavily involved in my children's programs, as well as community volunteer work. I have been involved in the Head Start program for seven years; two as a parent and five as a Teacher. I fell in love with the children and everything the program stands for. After two years of being asked to work for them, I had accepted; however, I am now applying and am ready to become a Kindergarten teacher of your school, Nan Gray Davis Elementary. I believe you will find that I have the education and knowledge to be an asset at your school.

Education & Experience After completing Hayden High School (Arizona) as Salutatorian of my class with a GPA of 3.8, I went on to succeed as a Restaurant Regional Manager, while overseeing 600+ employees. After marrying and beginning my family, my husband passed prematurely at the young age of 32. I decided then that I would eventually return to school to pursue degrees in the Early Childhood Education field. At this time I am close to completing my ECE Bachelor’s Degree, while also working on the Master’s Smart Track at Ashford University. In my near future I also plan on achieving my Doctorate in Education. My early childhood education experience includes one year as a Head Start Teacher Assistant, and four years as a Head Start Lead Teacher. I do believe I am the best candidate for the Kindergarten teaching position that I am now applying for.

Philosophy of Education The teaching philosophy I would like to incorporate is to provide optimal learning and overall development of young children through age-appropriate materials and practice, and culturally diverse play-based activities. I believe this can be achieved while Providing optimum positive social, emotional, physical, language, and cognitive development for all children at the center. Involving the community by interaction and inclusion with the children, their families, and numerous social interests and diverse influences. “The desired results of inclusive experiences for children with and without disabilities and their families include a sense of belonging and membership, positive social relationships and friendships, and development and learning to reach their full potential” (DEC, NAEYC, 2009, p. 2). Ensuring that I have ongoing professional development that all-encompasses 21 st Century skills, such as new innovations and technological advances.

Classroom Management Philosophy and Mission Implementing effective and differentiated instruction Clearly defined Student Roles in the Classroom Educator Roles in the Classroom. Rules & Expectations Cultural Competence Professional Growth & Leadership Digital Citizenship & Responsibility As an educator one of the most exciting aspects is the planning, organization, and implementation of the classroom design. Each area of the design should be resourceful and easy to incorporate, while enhancing the learning and development of the children involved. The classroom plan I have enclosed will feature a design that caters to Kindergarten children, includes safe indoor and outdoor environments, and describes numerous characteristics that enhance their learning and development. This includes the following aspects:

Different School Models As an effective educator I believe it is imperative that I have the knowledge and understanding of other school models, and not just the one I may teach at. Keeping in mind the numerous differences at various school models, I will maintain the following ideals: Integration of Common Core State Standards. “The Common Core focuses on developing the critical-thinking, problem- solving, and analytical skills students will need to be successful” (CCSI, 2015). These characteristics are certainly important for students to become independent, productive, and responsible adults. We are now in a diverse, innovative, and technological world, and it is up to educators to ensure every child is taught not only media competence, but also self-reliability, communication, and problem-solving skills. “Customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources” (ISTE, 2014). Differentiated instruction is another approach I incorporate that guarantees the children’s educational needs are being met, along with other key factors that result in ‘whole child’ learning and development.

Effective Lesson Planning An effective lesson plan can certainly begin with good learning objectives. As it states in our text “’The idea is to challenge your students with higher-level learning objectives, questions, and assessments, as well as prepare them for the growing amount of higher-level questions and problems provided in testing situations” (Newman, 2013, 9.1, para. 3). There are numerous reasons why it is critical to include good learning objectives, such as: It will provide the end goal for each student is measured, whether by activity, class, or lesson. Students and teachers will have a clear understanding of what they are attempting to achieve. Elements that attribute to an effective lesson plan: Well-researched planning for theme or topic. Pre and post assessments. Consideration of special needs adaptations and modifications. Management of instruction and materials. Checking for understanding with activities and open-ended questions.

Assessment Matters Assessment is a tool that can be utilized for numerous reasons; recognition and awareness of possible special needs, appropriate stages of development, observation for further instruction, and the use of various strategies and methods.. “Criteria for success (often called rubrics) should be developed so that students understand what is expected of them, and so that they can use feedback to see where they need to strengthen their performance” (TLL, n.d.). The following are additional benefits of effective assessment:rubrics Clarifying, understanding, and sharing learning intentions. Engineering effective classroom discussions, tasks, and activities that elicit evidence of learning. Providing feedback that moves learning forward. Activating students as learning resources for one another. Activating students as owners of their own learning. (Rystad, 2013, video file).

Professional Learning Communities With new innovative and progressive ideas constantly being introduced to the classroom environment, it is imperative that educators are on continual learning quests to improve their overall knowledge and education. As it states in our text “A professional learning community is a group of educators who collaborate in such processes as collective inquiry and action research in order to achieve better results for students. Educators in these communities believe that their continuous learning is the key to improved student learning” (Newman, 2013, 13.3, para. 2). It is important to mention that any educational institution recognize that the professional development of their teachers is a priority in their overall planning and implementation, and should offer support in their development quests.

References Common Core State Standards Initiative ( International Society for Technology in Education. ISTE Standards Teachers. Retrieved fromISTE Standards Teachers DEC/NAEYC. (2009). Early childhood inclusion: A joint position statement of the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Chi Newman, R. (2013). Teaching and learning in the 21st century: Connecting the dots. San Diego, CA:Teaching and learning in the 21st century: Connecting the dots Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Rystad, M. (2013, April 7). Assessment for learning [Video file]. Retrieved fromAssessment for learning Teaching & Learning Laboratory. (n.d.). Intended learning outcomes. Retrieved from