Domain I: Designing Learner-Centered Instruction
Proficiency: The teacher designs instruction appropriate for all students that reflects an understanding of relevant content and is based on continuous and appropriate assessment.
As an educator, it is of the highest importance that I develop clearly stated objectives that are age appropriate and able to be assessed. To illustrate this development, I have attached my logical fallacies lesson plan. This lesson was given on April 10th and April 11th and was used in an Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate English III classroom. Formal or informal assessment can be used for each of the eleven objectives. For example, students were asked to complete a silent reading and note taking warm-up for the lesson plan. A quick glance across the room revealed which students were on-task and which students needed redirection. The students also self-assessed their understanding of the reading when they taught their portion of the chapter to their jigsaw group. Students who did not comprehend the information could not adequately teach the material which signaled that I needed to step into the group.
To demonstrate that I engage students in a variety of interesting, challenging, and worthwhile activities, I have submitted a copy of the logical fallacies jigsaw cards and jigsaw group work handout. As students entered the classroom, they were handed a jigsaw card. These cards indicate which pages of the first chapter in Everything’s an Argument they should read and also creates their jigsaw group. Students were then asked to complete the silent reading warm-up by reading the pages indicated on their card and writing down three important ideas from their section. By informing students that they would be responsible for teaching their portion of the chapter to a group of their peers, their motivation to complete the activity was increased. They concluded that it was worthwhile to read their pages. After students were grouped for the jigsaw activity, they were asked to explain to their group the three important ideas they wrote down. This challenged students to convey their ideas in a way that four other students would understand. Finally, this activity was interesting to students because it broke the mold of the traditional act of reading a chapter and answering the questions that follow.
To show that I help students link new content with their prior knowledge and gain insights into their misconceptions, I have submitted the PowerPoint presentation and the accompanying student handout for the logical fallacies lesson. I showed students a commercial or a picture for each logical fallacy which aided in their understanding of the complex ideas. Because my students were 16 and 17 years old, I focused on showing them political advertisements and commercials. I stressed that within a few years they will be able to vote and must be able to recognize the faulty reasoning in politics. I also believe that they should be aware of advertising ploys used in commercials as making large purchases, such as buying a car, can easily be swayed by the messages we receive on television. Showing commercials to the students allowed them the opportunity to see logical fallacies in a way that pertained to their own lives.
To illustrate that I guide students in using appropriate technology to gather, organize, and display their work, I have submitted photos of students presenting print political advertisements to the remainder of the class. For this activity, students were grouped into fives and assigned a logical fallacy. Each group was to find a way to present and explain their logical fallacy. This particular group chose to find advertisements from the 2012 Presidential campaigns of both Barack Obama and Paul Ryan that showed false cause. They used their cellphones to find the images and the innovation station to display the images for the class. By allowing students to use their cellphones I can incorporate technology into the classroom even though there may not be adequately provided resources from the school.
Students presenting President Obama’s “Change” poster as an example of the false cause fallacy.
Students presenting a Time magazine photograph of candidate Paul Ryan as an example of the false cause fallacy.
To show that I design a variety of worthwhile assessment instruments, I have submitted a copy of the logical fallacies presentation assignment and the logical fallacies quiz. The logical fallacies presentations served two purposes. First, by asking a group to focus on finding examples of a logical fallacy and explaining those examples, I am able to informally assess their comprehension of the direct teaching portion of the lesson. Second, I am able to use the presentations to assess the students’ mastery of TEKS §110.33. (b) (26) Listening and Speaking/Teamwork, which outlines that students must work productively in teams. It was easy to see which groups were not working well together, as they were either silent in their groups, completely off-task, relying on one group member to complete the work, and/or not prepared to present. After identifying the groups who were not working productively, I was able to employ motivational and instructional techniques to guide the group. The logical fallacies quiz was used as a closing, formal assessment. This quiz asked students to use the knowledge they gained from the lesson to identify the logical fallacies in three short arguments. It indicated which students would benefit from re-teaching and which student students had mastered the lesson.