1. Standard 1-PLANNING

Dimension 1.1 Standards and Alignment

The teacher designs clear, well-organized, sequential lessons that reflect best practice, align with the standards, and are appropriate for diverse learners.

To show that I design lessons that reflect best practice, align with standards and are appropriate for diverse learners I have attached a presentation of a Kindergarten lesson plan. This lesson plan is centered around artist Nick Cave and his famous “Sound Suits”. Students design, plan and create their own sound suits and then will have a group”performance” in their sound suits. This lesson touches on visual, auditory-visual, kinesthetic, and logical styles of learning.

Dimension 1.2 Data and Assessment 

The teacher uses formal and informal methods to measure student progress, then manages and analyzes student data to inform instruction. 

To show that I use formal and informal methods to measure student progress, I have attached a lesson plan done with high school students in which they learn about the color wheel. The color wheel is an art concept that students have learned about since elementary school. Because of this, I wanted to make sure that this lesson plan was one that included a discussion through a four corners/gallery walk in which I could informally asses students before we went deep into the content. The four corners/gallery walk was an opportunity to see what prior knowledge students had and allowed me to use our discussions to go back to when we went through the power point when I was delivering content. As a form of formal assessment students were to fill out a color wheel worksheet with paint. This formal assessment worksheet with paint was a good practice tool before students moved on to their analogous painting project.

Dimension 1.3 Knowledge of Students

Through knowledge of students and proven practices, the teacher ensures high levels of learning, social emotional development and achievement for all students.

To show that I ensure high levels of learning, social emotional development and achievement for all students I have attached a lesson plan I wrote for Kindergarten.  Students in this lesson were first re-introduced to vocabulary that they have heard in Social Emotional Learning lessons implemented in their classroom. The goal of his lesson was to have Kindergarten make SE connections in the art classroom and be reminded of the behavior that is expected in the art classroom. The students then learned a clay technique-coil. Although clay coils can be a hard clay technique for students with low fine motor skills the lesson and project is designed in a way that allows for flexibility in success level.

Dimension 1.4 Activities 

The teacher plans engaging, flexible lessons that encourage higher–order thinking, persistence and achievement.

To show that I have planned engaging, flexible lessons that encourage higher-order thinking, persistence and achievement I have attached a lesson plan that was used in a 9th grade art class Printmaking unit. As 9th graders in Art I, I wanted to challenge these students. This lesson allowed students to work in groups-dividing the work how they saw fit, researching, creating a presentation and presenting. This lesson was sequential and students had to follow every part of the project in order to be successful. With this project, different groups worked differently-there was flexibility in how they worked as long as there was a presentation at the end.

2. Standard 2- INSTRUCTION

Dimension 2.1 Achieving Expectations 

The teacher supports all learners in their pursuit of high levels of academic and social-emotional success.

To show that I support all learners in their pursuit of high levels of academic and social-emotional success I have attached two images from my personal journal. As a teacher with little experience it is hard to remember everything that happens throughout the day. It is also hard for me to plan time appropriately for specific projects. Because of this, every day I try to make a note of things that happen in the classroom both positive and negative so I can be reminded of things. With this journal I am able to easily and confidently arrange and change the order or timing of lessons for the next day in order to set up the students for success.

Dimension 2.2 Content Knowledge and Expertise 

The teacher uses content and pedagogical expertise to design and execute lessons aligned with state standards, related content and student needs.

To show that I use content and pedagogical expertise to design and execute lessons aligned with state standards, related content and student needs I have attached a lesson plan and image of the final product. This lesson includes studying an artist from history, learning the artist technique and applying it- the text highlighted in blue are the TEKS being met in the lesson. Apart from aligning with state standards this lesson is appropriate for the 5th grade art level. Students at this point developmentally are really aware about their appearance and care about how others see them. This project requires the student to work on a self-portrait and pushes students to work hard in order to make themselves look good.

 

Dimension 2.3 Communication 

The teacher clearly and accurately communicates to support persistence, deeper learning and effective effort.

To show that I clearly and accurately communicate to support persistence, deeper learning and effective effort– I have attached an image.

This image is just one example of the worksheets that I provide for students throughout the lessons.  With the A, B and C day schedule it is very easy for students to forget what they were doing the day before. I try to structure the lessons in a way where we review any vocabulary or what we did at the beginning of class- I do this because of the schedule but also because of attendance issues at the school. Also, I want to provide students with both oral and written instruction so they always know what to do.

Dimension 2.4 Differentiation

The teacher differentiates instruction, aligning methods and techniques to diverse student needs.

To show that I differentiate instruction, align methods and techniques to diverse student needs I have attached a lesson plan. This lesson plan was written for kindergarten clay. In the art classroom it is very easy to teach in a visual way, however in this lesson I made sure to differentiate instruction in a variety of ways. Students learned how to make a pinch-pot and followed along with the teacher as the teacher showed the steps on the doc cam. Students at the same time had worksheets on their tables that allowed them to move on faster or slower if they liked. This is something that I aim to do in all grade levels- give instructions orally, show them visually in a demonstration and then have images and words down on paper that students can always refer back to.

3. Standard 3- LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Dimension 3.1 Classroom Environment, Routines and Procedures 

The teacher organizes a safe, accessible and efficient classroom. 

To show that I organize a safe, accessible and efficient classroom  I have attached an image.

This image represents a procedure used every day in the classroom. The class seating is separated by tables. Each table has an assigned color- red, blue, yellow and green. Each week there is a table helper and the table helpers alternate by color. When students break for work time the table helpers know to go where the teacher goes. They pass out materials that need to be passed out such as papers, clay or whatever is needed depending on the project.  Students do most to all cleaning up in the classroom. 

Dimension 3.2 Managing Student Behavior 

The teacher establishes, communicates and maintains clear expectations for student behavior. 

To show that I establish, communicate and maintain clear expectations for student behavior I have attached a picture.

As a class, students can get rewarded with a free day. In order to get a free day the class must earn 10 large art bucks. An opportunity to earn a large art buck is given every day that students come into class. They are earned by doing 6/6 things which are: enter quietly, quiet voices, respectful of art tools, sitting properly, cooperation and cleaning up. Next, students get rewarded as tables for positive behavior. When a table is quiet, clean and has their heads down-then they are the first to get called in line and are rewarded with stickers.

 

Dimension 3.3  Classroom Culture 

The teacher leads a mutually respectful and collaborative class of actively engaged learners. 

To show that I lead a mutually respectful and collaborative class of actively engaged learners I have attached an image.

This image is an example of an extension done for a lesson. The lesson before this was a clay lesson. 3rd grade designed and built an animal of their choice out of clay. As students were getting done at different times they were given an animal research worksheet. After hearing the learning and enthusiasm happening in the classroom I decided to create another assignment. Students continued with their animals and created a portrait of the animals. They were then given the opportunity to make their animal even more personal by adding a name. The plan is to put these portraits on display along with their animal reports.

4. Standard 4- Professional Practices and Responsibilities

Dimension 4.1 Professional Demeanor and Ethics 

The teacher formally and informally collects, analyzes and uses student progress data and makes needed lesson adjustments. 

To show that I formally and informally collect, analyze and use student progress data and make needed lesson adjustments I have attached a video club assignment and reflection. For this assignment I collected student data and compared the data to my lessons objectives. I found that some of the students had gone above and beyond what I expected from them. From this I thought about how to better write a rubric for this assignments and others that would not penalize a student for being creative and going beyond what is expected but also not penalize those students that try hard and don’t go above and beyond.

Dimension 4.2 Goal Setting 

The teacher reflects on his/hers practice. 

To show that I reflect on my practice I have attached notes and reflection. The link shows the solution to a problem I identified in my teaching. My goal for this problem was to get better at time management in the classroom. To do so I used a variety of techniques such as using a timer, labeling the classroom better, and keeping a journal with notes. Overall I found these techniques to be very effective and ones that I will use in the future.

Dimension 4.3 Professional Development 

The teacher enhances the professional community.

Dimension 4.4 School Community Involvement 

The teacher demonstrates leadership with students, colleagues, and community members in the school district and community through effective communication and outreach. 

In order to demonstrate leadership with students, colleagues, and community members in the school district and community through effective community outreach I have done a variety of things. During my time at Blackshear elementary school I stayed for a variety of school events like the Hop Sock Dance. I joined in on their motto “together we educate, enrich and exercise” by attending the after school athletics team and exercising alongside them. At Ann Richards high school I participated during Sisterlympics- a No Place For Hate event where the students and staff compete against each other in team and individual activities. I helped our team receive 100 points in the dodge ball game and 10 points by going up with two of my students to sing “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” during Karaoke.