EDU 650 FINAL PROJECT FEBRUARY 23, 2015 BONNY OESCH PART 1: THE BIG INTERVIEW

INTRODUCTION & SUMMARY Bonny Oesch Graduated from Missouri State University in 2010 Licensed and Certified vocal music teacher K-12 and early childhood education K-6 Three years experience as a K-12 vocal music teacher. I have also had experience as a special education paraprofessional and a kindergarten/first grade teacher’s aid. I am applying for the lead teacher position for kindergarten at Branson Elementary School.

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION Make a positive influence on students’ lives. I strive to be prepared and organized so that the classroom focus is on learning. My students are held to a high standard. “If students are held to a high level of accountability, they will usually rise to that level, but if students are not expected to perform well, they will not” (Newman, 2013, chapter 4.5). The classroom environment will foster intrinsic motivation. Students have ownership of their learning. I lead by example by placing importance on life-long learning. Consistent professional development is crucial to keep up with current teaching methods and practices.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN My job as the teacher is to “Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity” (ISTE standards). The classroom environment is student-centered so students learn to self-regulate, collaborate, and effectively communicate with one another. Classroom procedures and rules are reviewed and practiced daily so students are clear about their expectations. My rules are: Listen quietly while others are speaking. Follow directions the first time given. Keep hands, feet, and other objects to yourself. Be safe. Be respectful.

DIFFERENT SCHOOL MODELS Branson Elementary Schools have established great community resource programs. The backpack program, family resource planning, and the mentor program all help to provide essential services to students and their families. I would like to bring more technology into the Branson classroom as Forsyth has done with their one-to-one technology initiative. The 21 st century requires digital literacy, therefore, technology should be a resource that students are able to use daily. I believe an interdisciplinary approach to teaching would be highly effective as well. Instead of treating each content area as a separate entity, I would like to establish a cross-curricular method. This approach will allow students to acquire a deeper understanding of concepts instead of skimming the surface and moving on.

EFFECTIVE LESSON PLANNING & DESIGN Effective lesson plans include objectives that are clear, complete, and specific (Newman, 2013, Chapter 9.1) Objectives should focus on the learning outcome, or specific concept, and be in line with the Common Core State Standards. Lessons tap prior knowledge and actively engage students. I use the backwards lesson plan design, which Newman (2013) explains with the following steps: 1.Identify desired results 2.Determine acceptable evidence 3.Plan learning experiences and instruction (Chapter 9.3) Activities should also elicit critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration time with other students.

ASSESSMENT MATTERS Assessments allow teachers and students to see the level of comprehension and guide subsequent instruction Formative assessments should occur continually in the classroom. Teachers should be constantly evaluating student comprehension, providing feedback and planning future lessons and activities accordingly. Rystad (2013) states five strategies to foster student success with formative assessments. Those strategies are as follows: 1.“Clarifying, understanding, and sharing learning intensions. 2.Engineering effective classroom discussions, tasks and activities that elicit evidence of learning. 3.Providing feedback that moves learning forward. 4.Activating students as learning resources for one another. 5.Activating students as owners of their own learning.” Many times “the assessment does not match the learning objective” (Jones, Jones, and Vermette, 2011). I use the backwards lesson plan design to ensure summative assessments are in alignment with the activities and lessons of each unit.

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES Professional learning communities are the best way to improve teaching methods. As each teacher works to improve their own practice, collaboration between colleagues who share the same goal will produce even better results. Newman (2013) says “As our world continues to change, so do the demands of our jobs” (Chapter 14). It is because of this phenomenon that professional development and learning communities are so important. There is such an abundance of new ideas and innovations that we must divide and conquer. Working as the lead teacher, I would help Branson Elementary School by encouraging professional learning community that share common goals. Just as we want students to have ownership of their learning, teachers deserve the same ownership of overall school goals.

REFERENCES International Society for Technology in Education. ISTE Standards Teachers. Retrieved from 14_ISTE_Standards-T_PDF.pdfhttp:// 14_ISTE_Standards-T_PDF.pdf Jones, K., Jones J., Vermette, P. (2012). Six Common Lesson Planning Pitfalls – Recommendations for novice Educators. Education, Vol. 131 (Issue 4), p library.ashford.edu/eds/detail/detail?vid=1&sid=8098a16c-5e b331a0%40sessionmgr115&hid=104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZW RzLWxpdmU%3d#db=crh&AN= library.ashford.edu/eds/detail/detail?vid=1&sid=8098a16c-5e b331a0%40sessionmgr115&hid=104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZW RzLWxpdmU%3d#db=crh&AN= Newman, R. (2013). Teaching and Learning in the 21 st Century: Connecting the Dots. San Diego, CA: Bridgeport Education, Inc.