FINAL PROJECT PORSHA’ TONEY ASHFORD UNIVERSITY

Introduction Hi, my name is Porsha’ Toney and I am interviewing for the lead teacher position. With the hard work, resilience, and dedication I give to scholars, I am very much so qualified for this position. I have an undergrad in Communication and is currently working on my Masters in Education with a Specialization in School Leadership. My commitment and love for children is the most important. When times get hard and my patience is tested, the passion I have for my students keeps me going. I know that you will be making the right choice for this positon because of my leadership skills. I have the ability to encourage the staff for greatness and lead them to increasing data in assessments. Hiring me for this position will be the best decision.

My Philosophy of Education As a teacher, everyone should expect me to put my best foot forward. My fondness for kids are unconditional and I know that I am able to instill the best in them. I am committed and dedicated to having scholars not only college ready, but also prepped for college graduation. My vision is that each scholar that I come in contact with creates the vision of their own to obtain the highest degree possible and receive as much knowledge as they can in their field. I want to be the light bulb that goes off in their heads that makes them want to reach for the moon. Lopez stated that “Elementary educators must never underestimate the power that they have in changing the life of a child. Furthermore, they must never assume that it is too early to begin making that change” (Lopez, 2013, pg.1). With that vision, parents can expect me to be the backbone for them.

A Visual Classroom Management Plan The classroom structure should be aligned with what the classroom looks like and the grade level the instructor is teaching. If the teacher is teaching elementary, the classroom desk should be grouped together in maybe fours to encourage collaboration. Desk also should be away from windows so students would not easily be distracted. Teachers should have the enough space in between grouped desk that scholars will not be able to have too much conversation and where they also move around the classroom if need be. The teacher’s desk should be positioned where every desk can be seen. For an elementary school setting, the color carpet should be in the corner for instructional or reading time. In addition, cubbies and lockers should be far alongside the wall to make sure scholars are not in their backpacks at times they shouldn’t be.

Different School Models School #1School #2Comments Total # of Students School 2 is a new charter school Demographics Majority African-American Both in urban areas Improvements Social structure. Balancing between work and play. Writing SkillsSchool 1 need to balance social skills why school 2 is struggling academically. Strengths Reading, Writing, Grammar, and Math Small group learning Student to Teacher Ratio 30:225:1School 1 has two certified teacher in the classroom while school 2 has only 1 teacher in each classroom. The Role of Technology The school uses Chromebooks for individual studies, they have that one on one time to improve on their Spelling and Reading skills. Not quite using technology yet.The role of technology is important because it is relevant in the 21 st Century. Making sure that scholars are readily available means adapting to the new age technology. Vison of the School College GraduationLaunch business savvy young learners on an academic trajectory of cultural effectiveness, environmental responsibility, and social responsibility. Even though both visions are different, they are both catering to the success of the children.

Effective lesson planning and design to include the Student’s Role in the learning process One of the most important elements of lesson planning would be great and effective learning objectives. Newman states that “Developing clear learning objectives can help develop conceptual understanding for cognition” (Newman, 2013, pg. 1) In addition, scholars will be able to better understand the lesson and grasp the concept quicker with a clear, specific, plan. Another important element would be the research. Research is pivotal in lesson planning because it is the initial start of the lesson plan. Gather as much data as possible and start from there.

Example of Effective Lesson Design (from Week Four) Learning Objective: After completing this unit, the scholars will be able to identify numerical operations by solving addition problems up to 20s. Students will know…. How to add numbers up to 20 Identify when to carry numbers over Display an answer and scholars know different numbers used to get the sum Performance Task Use colored blocks to count out numbers and to add to other blocks for problem solving Activity sheet with addition problems Small quiz to check progress of lesson Learning Activities Use crayons and coloring sheets to identify what numbers to add Explore chapter 2 in the textbook Small group addition activity to get scholars engaged

Assessment Matters Assessments are very important when it comes to making sure that students have every opportunity possible to succeed. Without this data, it is hard to fully help our scholars. From summative to formative assessments, it is key that these assessments are taken seriously for the betterment of the children. Formative assessment supports learning because it provides feedback to instructors and students, reveals learning gap and developmental delays, provides timely feedback, and help evaluate knowledge and understanding of specific subject matter” (Myers, pg.1, 2015). Summative assessment is the final test after a lesson. It is a graded test that a student cannot practice with or correct while formative assessment is the opposite. Myers, says that “Summative assessments are intended to summarize what students have learned and occur after instruction has been completed at the end of a predetermined point in time or instructional component. It can occur at the end of the school year or term; at the end of an instructional unit or chapter; and at the end of elementary, middle or high school” (Myers, pg.1, 2015).

Professional Learning Communities One professional learning community we have at school is a session every Wednesday called Professional Development. That session is where instructors come together to collaborate on different topics and areas of improvements needed for scholars to succeed. Some sessions are about culture (behavior) and ways to deal with certain scholars while most deal with data and academics. Teachers also have grade-level sessions where they are more detailed and talk about their grade level academics. They compare data to see their increases and decreases in data and how to grow those areas. These sessions are pivotal to constantly strengthening our teachers and encouraging them of the main goal, our scholars.

References Lopez, D. (2013). No excuses university: How six exceptional systems are revolutionizing our schools (2 nd ed.). Turnaround Schools Publications. Myers, S. (2015). Formative and Summative Assessments. Research Starters: Education (Online Edition). Newman, R. (2013). Teaching and learning in the 21 st century: Connecting the dots. San Diego, CA: Bridgeport Education, Inc.