Week 6 – Final Project: The Big Interview Paula Walker EDU 650: Teaching, Learning, and Leading in the 21 st Century Dr. Jackie Kyger December 9, 2013

IGNORANCE: The lack of knowledge, education, or awareness.

I am the mother of 3 boys who are currently in school. These are the questions that loom in the forefront of my mind when I think about their education: When my children graduate, will they be adequately equipped with the 21 st century skills they will desperately need to be able to keep up with our even changing world? Will they not only be able to compete globally but also have successful careers that will allow them to become productive citizens in their communities? Will will they be able to survive the negative outcome of receiving a substandard education?

MY EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY I believe that every child is special and deserves the best education we can offer them. I believe that every child is unique and it takes much more than programs and curriculums to ensure their success. I believe that we as educators must take the time to build caring relationships with every child to better serve their needs. Education is not just academics. It is a combination of instilling social, physical, professional, and service skills to empower students with a holistic, quality learning experience. I envision every child in a potential place of greatness and will work to instill in them the belief that they can attain success in every endeavor if this is their desire.

Non-traditional school setting. It creates a business-like environment and emphasizes personal support and an intense academic program.anchored by an online instructional system and project-based learning. I believe that students should have continual real life instruction and career planning in order to thrive in the modern workplace. As an educator, my emphasis would be on allowing the student to personally develop goals and connect them to established partners who could provide them with valuable on- the -job experiences and training. This practice can prepare the student for more post-secondary education or for a vocational path if they choose. Preferred School Model

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN Having an effective classroom management is not simply just to create order in the classroom. It is important to develop an atomosphere where the teacher can effectively facilitate student learning and success in the classroom. MY VISION It is my vision that every teacher adopt a student-centered plan to manage their classroom. With this approach, the students don’t have to depend on their teacher all the time, waiting for instructions, words of approval, correction, advice, or praise. They don’t ignore each other, but look at each other and communicate with each other. They engage in activities facilitated by the teacher where they learn to value each other’s contributions. They learn from each other and build working relationships in order to solve problems and deal with conflict issues. ( )

A successful student centered class must also include: For the student –centered management plan to be successful, it must be aimed to fully engage the student, allowing them to be a co-designer of the class, while, at the same time, functioning as a well-run organization. Rules of conduct The role of the teacher and the students in the class. Plan implementation Classroom set-up Class communication.

Lesson Planning: The Backward Design Approach In teaching you should begin with the final destination in mind and then determine your desired route. (Newman, 2013) Why “Backward” is Best Our lessons, units, and courses should be logically inferred from the results sought, not derived from the methods, books, and activities with which we are most comfortable. Curriculum should lay out the most effective ways of achieving specific results. It is analogous to travel planning. Our frameworks should provide a set of itineraries deliberately designed to meet cultural goals rather than a purposeless tour of all the major sites in a foreign country. In short, the best designs derive backward from the learnings sought. (Wiggins, G. and McTighe J., 2000)

The Process 1. Specify clear objectives for student learning What is the topic of the lesson? What is the most important thing you want your students to learn? What do you want them to understand and be able to do at the end of the class? What do you want them to do take away from this particular lesson? ASK YOURSELF : Establishing good, specific learning objectives will help you as a teacher develop methods and activities to reach these goals. Think of it as an “action plan” so to speak. What actions will you take in order to reach the answers to these questions above.

2. Determine Acceptable Evidence ASK YOURSELF: How will you know when your students understand ? What pieces of evidence will prove that your students have captured the lesson. How will they be able to demonstrate their understanding? Once a teacher has defined the ends, she can then "determine what evidence" would show that students had met those ends, and finally plan activities that would help students develop the skills and knowledge to produce the evidence. (Nelson, 2011) The Process

3. Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction ASK YOURSELF: What will you do to explain the topic? How can you engage students in the topic? What are some real life examples that will help students understand? What materials do you need? What will be your teaching method? You can now build activities that will help students gain knowledge and skills. Your instructional activities cannot be effectively planned until you have identified the desired results and assessments.

What you can expect to see in the classroom: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning Environment: Engage students in exploring real world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources. (National Education Teacher Standards, 2008 ) Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership: Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources. (National Education Teacher Standards, 2008)