ARTIA NELSON’S INTRODUCTION ARTIA NELSON EDU 645 DR. GRIGGS JANUARY 3, 2016

Hello, my name is Artia Nelson. I currently live in Kaiserslautern, Germany, but I am originally from Savannah, Georgia. I am a wife and mother of two beautiful daughters. I graduated from Valdosta State University in December 2011 with a BA in Early Childhood Education. I am currently employed at the Ramstein Child Development Center on Ramstein AB as a Program Specialist. I’ve worked in childcare for many years starting in my high school years, and I’ve loved it ever since. Teaching is truly a passion and a healthy part of my everyday life. I enjoy spending time with family, traveling Europe, reading, relaxing, and of course shopping.

MAED LEARNING OUTCOME #1: EMPLOY DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES ALIGNED WITH LEARNER STRENGTHS AND DIFFERENCES, DIVERSE CULTURES, AND DIVERSE COMMUNITIES TO PROMOTE STUDENT LEARNING IN A SAFE, COLLABORATIVE, ENGAGING, INCLUSIVE, 21ST CENTURY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. This MAED Program Learning Outcome intrigues me because with being an educator, the future of each and every student that enters the classroom is in your hands. Ensuring that the instructional practices that are being presented in the classroom are aligning with each learners’ strengths and differences, diverse cultures and communities are not an easy thing to do. Knowing that this task in our hands as teachers is an amazing yet scary feeling. The importance of ensuring that the environment being presented must demonstrate a safe, collaborative, engaging, and inclusive atmosphere as well as presents a 21 st century learning environment. This is such an amazing task that shows that we as educators are given the opportunity to pave the way for every student’s future. How we operate in the classroom sets the mood for student learning, student success, and student achievements. My goal is to ensure that each my students know that they are capable of doing anything they put their minds too as well as putting in the work to accomplish that goal. Nothing is impossible and I plan to work hard for each student to know it. Making learning fun, diverse, and potent is my goal as an educator which makes this learning outcome number one in my book.

MAED LEARNING OUTCOME #2: ENGAGE IN CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL GROWTH THROUGH LEADERSHIP IN EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS AND THE DEMONSTRATION OF LEGAL AND ETHICAL BEHAVIOR IN PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES. This MAED Program Learning Outcome intrigues me because I am a firm believer of continuous professional growth. I believe that every educator should seek more knowledge and ideas on a continuous basis. Finding ways to build on instructional skills, ways to present lessons in various ways to target each learning diversity in the classroom, and ways to implement technology; I believe requires numerous amount of research and professional growth. Teachers have to become familiar with the current now to see what intrigues their students, what grasp their attention and keeps it. Teachers must find ways to make education fun. The new and profound 21 st century learning skills are an awesome way to begin the professional growth that educators seek. It promotes student-based learning environments where the teacher focuses more on helping the students and supporting their ways of learning more than lecturing. Through it all engaging in continuous professional growth must demonstrate legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ASSESSMENT Assessment is necessary in every aspect of life because it reveals the truth of knowledge and understanding. Assessment presents whether teaching is being accomplished. Without assessment we as a society will never know if we are truly grasping the concept of the lessons being taught whether it be in the classroom or life lessons in itself. The importance of assessment is to provide individuals with the assurance that they understood the lesson and is able to progress further. Within the classroom, teachers use assessments on a regular basis to ensure their lessons are effective and students are understanding. It provides them with the information of whether they need to reteach or continue and build on prior knowledge. Assessment isn’t only important for the teacher but for the students as well. It ensures the students that they are knowledgeable in the lesson being taught and have mastered the skill. Assessment comes hand in hand with teaching. The overall goal is for teachers to build on student basic knowledge and expand it to mastery level. This promotes student achievement and success.