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Claim
My teaching philosophy has changed.

Support
Before entering the MAT program, I had developed what I felt was a strong teaching philosophy depictive of the teacher I knew I needed to be. My philosophy read as follow: There are many attributes necessary to be an outstanding teacher. Being a teacher means having your heart, body, and mind invested in the power of education. A teacher’s role is to encourage, motivate, and support his or her students cognitively, emotionally, socially, physically, and creatively in every aspect inside and outside of the classroom. While it may be a mouthful to say, each and every piece is essential to the success and wellbeing of each student. Our goal as leaders is to empower students to take ownership of their education. In order to do so, personal and positive relationships are key. Students need to feel comfortable in voicing their frustrations and concerns both inside and outside of the classroom. They also should be encouraged to share their successes. It is the job of the teacher to create a warm, safe environment inviting of these relationships. Students need opportunities to explore, problem-solve and collaborate with their peers. True teacher leaders understand the effect of organized lessons that allow for inquiry-based activities. No challenge is too big if we face it together and remember to celebrate the little successes.

Now having taken course EDU 568 among many others, I learned a great deal pertaining to the keys components of leadership both inside and outside of the classroom. The concept of  “change” was a common and powerful theme I have learned how important it is for educators to be adaptive in their leadership roles. In teaching, as well as other professions, it is not uncommon for many to feel insecure about leaving their “comfort zone”. The difference is that in education fear of leaving that “comfort zone” can ultimately hinder the development of our 21st century students. Research is continuously being conducted to insure that our students are obtaining the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in today’s ever-changing world.

One of the greatest impacts on education today is the use of technology. Technology has a definite underlying place in my philosophy. We live in a digital world where access to information is instantaneous and new generations are lost without the use of touchscreen. As an educator, I need aim to engage these “digital natives” into the lessons I are teaching. I truly believe there is no better way to create student buy-in than to allow them the opportunity to manipulate and explore within the topics I am teaching using technological advances. Looking ahead, I see team-teaching with educators from various locations and allowing students the opportunity to collaborate with peers around the globe! Dr. Art McCoy (2008) stated, “students are being educated today for a world that does not exist yet.” However coincidently, “teachers are facilitating an environment and teaching students in a way that is now extinct.” This refers to “the gap.” “To be a leader is to be able to challenge that gap.”

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Claim
Student achievement has increased due to changing in the devilery of instruction.

Support
My student’s growth is evidence that my teaching deliveries and instruction is benefiting my students. With adjustments in administering instruction based on data, flexible grouping, and in small groups, it has proved to be very beneficial for my students. Not only has it changed academically, but also it has established procedures, routines, expectations, and self-accountability for all involved.

Through the MAT program I have developed a deeper understanding of the importance of both short-term and long-term goal setting. In my district I am required to use “I Can” statements for each content area, as well as essential questioning. I will admit, I have often struggled in this area. However, utilizing the UbD framework has enhanced my ability to use questioning effectively to engage my students and create authentic learning experiences. Wiggins and McTighe state, “Long-term understanding goals will influence how you handle the short-term knowledge and skill acquisition goals.” (2011, p. 47). Students need to know what is expected of them and how they are going to reach their goals. UbD incorporates specific Understandings, focusing on what students will understand by the end of a lesson and/or unit. In addition it incorporates Knowledge, focusing on what students will know and what they will be able to do. Students should know what it is that they are working towards, as well as how the content relates to real-world experiences.

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Claim
I have become a teacher leader who advocates for change and strives for opportunities in the learning community.

Support
Before participating in the MAT program, I had never thought to ask myself the question “Am I making a valid effort to reach my maximum potential as a teacher leader?” In completing Lewin’s “What’s Your Leadership Style?” survey, I was not surprised to find that I exert a democratic leadership. Lewin (n.d.) states, “[Democratic] leadership often leads to more effective and accurate decisions, since no leader can be an expert in all areas. Input from group members with specialized knowledge and expertise creates a more complete basis for decision-making.” I spent a lot of time reflecting on the Professional Learning Communities I have been apart of over the last few years. In my experience each meeting had been treated like a cooperative learning activity. Every group member received a job, which typically consist of a leader, scribe, researcher, or timekeeper. In my eyes, all jobs are equally as important; with every member having an opportunity to voice their opinion, decisions are agreed upon collectively in most cases. At the closing of EDU 568, I looked back at my previously asked question at which time I answered “No”. No, I did not feel that at that time I had made a valid effort to reach my maximum potential as a teacher leader. In speaking on Professional Learning Communities, Richard DuFour (2004) stated, “In this all-too-familiar cycle, initial enthusiasm gives way to confusion about the fundamental concepts driving the initiative, followed by inevitable implementation problems, the conclusion that the reform has failed to bring about the desired results, abandonment of the reform, and the launch of a new search for the next promising initiative.”

I have since become a much louder voice in my leadership role as an educator. I am currently a Capturing Kids’ Heart Champion, Next Generation Science advocate and leading participate in Professional Learning Communities. I also played a significant role in the forming of the River Rouge School District Anti-Bullying Policy.

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Claim
Providing opportunities for student leaderships increases student responsibility and accountability.

Support
It is important for students to experience leadership opportunities inside and outside of the classroom. Lieberman and Miller (2004) expressed, “We become experts on the job, through experience and practice, by trial and error, seldom visible and often hidden (2004, p. 21) I do not believe it is any different for students. In order for my students to be successful, they need to be in control of their learning. If my goal as an educator is to help students reach their maximum potential and become lifelong learners, I need to be able to provide a culture and climate that encourages responsibility. Power sharing can support a positive environment. In my classroom, I implement jobs. While some jobs are minor, such as collecting pencils, others, like plugging up the laptops, are quite important. No matter the complexity, jobs provide a sense of importance and accountability.

By using cooperative groups, students are provided with leadership roles to complete a given task. In addition, my students are responsible for recording their own data following each summative assessment in both Science and Social Studies this school year. All data is recorded for both pre and post assessment to show student growth. I have found this practice to be very powerful in holding students accountable for their achievement. “Professionals learn by actually doing the work and reflecting on it” (Danielson, 2006 p. 21).

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Claim
I have improved my ability to address student readiness, interest and learning profile in an effort to meet the needs of all my students.

Support
Differentiation has a definite role in the classroom to ensure that each student has the opportunity to reach his or her maximum potential. Over the last two years in the MAT program, I have taken multiple teaching strategies that I have learned and implemented them into my teaching practices. In EDU 622, which focused on meeting the needs of all students, I had the opportunity to reflect upon my inclusion of differentiation in my teaching philosophy, lesson implementation and intervention.

According to Tomlinson and Imbeau (2010), “You must first identify the knowledge, understanding, and skills that are truly essential to the student’s continued growth and have not been developed.” (p. 131) During EDU 622, I selected a math lesson to “reengineer” on the basis of readiness. After having conducted the initial lesson in conjunction with administering formative assessments and conferring one-on-one with my students, I found that all students did not meet the lesson objective. Although some students exceeded the expectation, they were not given the opportunity to expand on their thinking. On the other side of the spectrum, there were students who lacked the prerequisite knowledge mandatory to complete the tasks of the lesson; therefore, they were unsuccessful. In order for all students to show growth, the lesson needed to be geared toward the needs of those below, at, and above grade level. As I altered the lesson, I provided opportunities for students to collaborate with one another, use manipulatives, and complete tasks specific to their readiness level. Adjusting my lesson based on readiness, gives my advanced learners an opportunity to challenge themselves and their peers. Our goal as educators is to help students build self-efficacy and independence as learners. (Imbeau, M. &Tomlinson, C.A. p. 22)

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A. Crandall - Lesson Plan (Differetiation) .docx

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Claim
Flexible grouping, as well as cooperative groups, have helped me to create an environment conducive to learning for all students.

Support
Differentiated instruction has been defined as “a process to approach teaching and learning for students of differing abilities in the same class. The intent is to maximize each student's growth and individual success by meeting each student where he or she is . . . rather than expecting students to modify themselves for the curriculum.” (Hall, 2002)

Tomlinson stated that, “Readiness suggests a temporary condition that should change regularly as a result of high quality teaching.” (p. 16) In my classroom, data is used to drive my instruction. Based on both formative and summative assessments, students are placed in flexible groups in order to “close the gaps” in their learning. Once students have mastered specific skills, they may move to another group that is better suited to meet their needs. In my district, one of the resources we currently use is Lexia Core 5, a research-proven program provides explicit, systematic, personalized learning in the six areas of reading instruction, targeting skill gaps as they emerge, and providing teachers with the data and student-specific resources they need for individual or small-group instruction. It is important that all students are provided with the opportunity to succeed.

Education taking place in the classroom should be preparing students for “the real world”. Constructivism is all about student-led instruction. In student-led environments, it is the students who guide the discussion and ask the questions; teachers are merely a support. I want my students to know they have power over their learning. I want them to be able to rely on one another for guidance. Tomlinson (2010) states, “classmates are excellent sources of help, and when students learn to pull together and help on another, both collegiality and community develop.”(p. 124) In my current fourth grade classroom, I use cooperative groups often to gauge student talk and leadership. There are four roles to be filled: time keeper, recorder, reporter and task manager. My students have to work together to complete various tasks. I find this time very valuable as students across the academic spectrum are able to compliment one another’s strengths and support their weaknesses.

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Claim
I use authentic, differentiated assessment to progress monitor the growth of my students.

Support
My growth in reference to the use of assessment in my classroom has tremendously changed. During the course of EDU 618, I was required to make come up with different assessments, which varied from low level to high level. Authentic assessments are crucial in lesson planning. In order to meet the needs of each of my students, accurate data Is need to drive my instruction. To create valid assessments, you must clearly identify the important learning objectives and be sure they are well sampled by the assessment procedure” (Brookhart & Nitko, 2015, p. 40). The experience had a positive impact on the way I assess my students. As opposed to administering only one standard assessment at the end of a unit, I now assess my student’s bi-weekly as a form of progress monitoring. In doing this, I try as much as possible to differentiate my assessments. I have found that performance-based assessments paint the best picture of what my students are capable of. Another change I have made is the use quality rubrics and opportunities for self-assessment.

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Claim
Through quality assessment, students are better able to transfer their skills to real-world tasks, conflicts, and situations.

Support
While I have become more efficient with creating and administering assessments, my students have benefited from it as well. The purpose of assessment is to get an accurate measure of student understanding on specific content. According to Brookhart and Nitko (2015), “valid assessment results give us a clear picture of what each student is capable of doing in relation to the learning objective” (p. 44). I assess my students every two weeks. The concepts tested on each assessment spiral so the amounts of questions are constantly increases. This is done for two reasons; 1 to increase retention of learned material and 2 to assess concepts being taught in small groups for those who did not master the objective previously. By doing this, it shows me where my students are at in terms of understanding. It also allows me a chance to confer with each student and show them their growth or lack their of every two weeks. All the results of these assessments and students growth are recorded in an online spreadsheet for use in PLCs and on student data sheets.

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Claim
Assessment data should not be used in isolation.

Support
While I’ve decided to assess my student’s bi-weekly, I have also shared my assessments and data with my Science and Social Studies teams. They have jumped on board and continue to assess their students as well. Due to the fact that we do not all teach the same grade level, we share our own data but focus on the power standards provided by our district. To create valid assessments, you must clearly identify the important learning objectives and be sure they are well sampled by the assessment procedure” (Brookhart & Nitko, 2015, p. 40) At our weekly PLC meetings we look at and discuss data to create a plan for upcoming weeks. This has worked out great for all the stakeholders involved in our team. Wiggins and McTighe (2011) state, “Knowing where the learning is headed enhances focus and engagement. More to the point of good design, answering such questions as a teacher will help you avoid aimless coverage of content.” (p. 48)

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4th Grade S.S. Essential Standards Pacing.docx

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Claim
I have became a teacher leader through Capturing Kids' Hearts to support the development of a strong culture and climate amongst stakeholders.

Support
In reading Danielson’s Teacher Leadership That Strengthens Professional Practice (2006), Danielson expressed that opposed to the traditional view of what a teacher looks like, true teacher leaders “develop a collaborative relationship with colleagues; they inspire others to join them on a journey without a specific destination. They recognize an opportunity or a problem, and they convince others to join them in addressing it.” Danielson’s concepts led me to look deeply into the effectiveness of my current Professional Learning Communities. As educators, we need to be open & accepting of constructive criticism while also being able to self-reflect. No teacher should feel threatened by other educators; likewise, we need not fight to be most superior. We all have insight to offer. Change is not the enemy; it is our reality & best hope for survival in a professional field that faces many challenges. As one of the Capturing Kids’ Hearts Champions in my building, we implemented the use of “norms” during both staff meeting and PLCs. These “norms” support a collaborative and cooperative environment.

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It is the responsibility of teachers to adapt to research-proven instructional methods to best support student learning.

Support

Just as our students are continuously learning, we as educators are continuously learning as well. Vollmer said, “We must change what, when, and how we teach to give all children maximum opportunity to thrive in a post-industrial society,” and I must say that I agree. Over the last few years, I have attended multiple trainings focused on programs and resources developed to assist in differentiation in the classroom. Such programs include, but are not limited to Visual Motor Integration, Lexia Core 5, Imagine Learning, Compass Learning, Study Island, Daily 5/CAFE, and Learning Farm. Over the last three years, my district has also been the proud receiver of an art grant from Eastern Michigan University. This grant provides not only our students with art supplies and student leaders, but also professional development opportunities for staff members. Each one of these resources and/or programs is utilized to assist with differentiation in the classroom.

According to Tomlinson and Imbeau (2010), differentiation is more of a philosophy than an actual set of instructional tools (p. 13). While these resources are used to support differentiated instruction, it is important to understand that they do not replace classroom instruction. In the video “What is Differentiated Instruction?” Tomlinson states, . “...the teacher anticipates the differences in students’ readiness, differences in their interests, differences in their learning profiles, and as a result of that creates different learning options or different paths to learning so that students have the opportunity to learn as much as they can…” I am continuous growing and developing in my craft as an educator so that  I can see adequate growth and development in my students.

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Evidence - Communication

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Claim
Lack of a strong culture and climate the distrurb the learing community and impact student achievement.

Support
While taking course EDU 586, I received an email from the lead teacher of PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention & Support) addressing the number of office discipline referrals that have been submitted during the first month of school. In reviewing the data, I was shocked to read that there had already been 28 ODRs submitted compared to 11 ODRs the previous school year. I chose to investigate the implementation of PBIS as it relates to the culture and climate of our school so that I could better understand what areas need to be addressed to improve our system practices. The purpose of my needs assessment was to obtain the opinions of all teachers regarding the implementation of our PBIS initiative.

I conducted an 11-question, multiple-choice survey consisting of statements requesting a level of agreement or disagreement. The Google document was distributed to 28 classroom, special education and specials teachers in my building. 23 of the 28 teachers participated in the survey. In reviewing the collected data, I was able to break the questions and responses into 4 categories: PBIS Expectations, Addressing Student Behavior, Communication and Culture & Climate. The two areas that presented concern were Addressing Student Behavior and Culture & Climate.

I had the opportunity to present my data to all stakeholders: administrators, teachers, support staff, students and parents. The conversation circulated around the need for set protocols, rules and procedures with the understanding that culture and climate affect student achievement.

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Claim
I have developed and shared organizational documents to support differentiation in the classroom.

Support

Collaboration amongst all educational staff is essential. As Danielson states, “The success of teachers’ work with students is heavily influenced by the structures of the school” (2006, p. 61). I have had the privilege of working besides some phenomenal educators over the years; and as a teacher that has not been in one consistent grade-level, all support is appreciated. As one of the youngest educators in my building, I try to use my familiarity and skills with technology to support those that need it. While taking EDU 622, I developed a organizational chart to assist with flexible grouping for Daily 5/CAFE. This easy-to-read chart outlines the groups to be met with each day and during a specific round. As a Word document, it is easily editable to account for group changes.

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Claim
I have contributed to my colleagues learning by sharing ways to implement assessments in their classrooms in order to enhance consistency and learning.

Support
As previously stated, I have shared the assessments, as well as, the data spreadsheet with my colleagues. It has been a collaborative effort amongst all stakeholders, including students. They have now taken more responsibility of their scores and can now speak to their test data. This way of teaching is becoming a norm throughout every grade level in my building.

The inclusion of rubrics in instruction has had a great impact. During PLCs, my teams discussed how the criteria and performance-level descriptions in rubrics help students understand what the desired performance is and what it looks like. In my classroom, I present and review the rubric of an assessment or task before students begin. I have used past assignments from other classes as modeling tools. My students have grown comfortable with using a rubric to evaluate their own work, as well as the work of others. This idea has been shared and is in the works.

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Daily 5/CAFE chart sample

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Crandall - Presentation Feedback Form.docx

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Claim
Teachers should plan instruction with the end in mind, emphasizing teaching for understanding versus knowing.

Support
In order for instruction to be carried out effectively, planning is essential. Throughout my teaching experience, I have used multiple lesson plan templates, each new template containing alterations made in the hopes of simplifying the planning process while keeping the meat of the lesson intact. Having had the opportunity to read Wiggins and McTighe’s The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units, I have developed an understanding of the power of the “backward design,” as well as, why it is important to aim for understanding versus knowing. Wiggins and McTighe’s philosophy states, “UbD is predicated on the idea that long-term achievement gains are more likely when teachers teach for understanding of transferable concepts and processes while giving learners multiple opportunities to apply their learning in meaningful (i.e., authentic) contexts.” (2011, pp. 4) Creating my own unit in EDU 570, gave me the opportunity to begin testing this philosophy. Though I will admit it was a little difficult to get started, the payout was amazing. Focusing on only a few Common Core State Standards and keeping the end in mind, I feel that I created a unit that will truly benefit each one of my students. “Teaching is a means to an end, and planning precedes teaching.” (2011, pp. 7) The visual person that I am, I enjoyed creating and incorporating a calendar into my unit, I believe it will help to keep me organized. Overall, my UbD planning experience was an educational, powerful experience. Having the opportunity to explore, create, and revise my lessons made all the difference in my planning process. My unit was constructed not only with the end in mind, but also my students in mind. Differentiation plays a key role in utilizing the UbD model. Analyzing the three stages separate helped to deepen my understanding.

I had the opportunity to share my UbD lesson plan with my fellow team members during PLCs and felt that the information was well received. My hope was not to tell my team how to create their lessons, but rather to share my success and appreciation of the planning process UbD provided.

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Claim
The collaboration embedded in Professional Learning Communities promote authentic learning using student data to drive instruction.

Support
The courses imbedded in the MAT program provide rationale for what are considered “best practices” in terms of planning and instruction.  In The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units (2011), Wiggins and McTighe discuss what they call the “twin sins” of planning and teaching. The first of these “twin sins” is activity-oriented teaching. In activity-oriented teaching, the teacher’s primary concern is planning and conducting various activities based of the merit of engagement over relevance instead of using activities that generate authentic learning.

The second of the “twin sins” is content coverage. In content coverage, teachers merely use a resource such as a textbook or other form of literature to guide their instruction. Opposed to using the text as a supplement to support instruction, they march through the content and “cover” it. In order to achieve worthy goals, teachers need to focus on uncovering content through instruction. I believe that “curriculum can prevent learning,” if followed like a playbook. There needs to be room for flexibility, student talk, opportunities to clear up misconceptions, art integration, as well as, many other components that make up a healthy and productive learning environment. As teachers, we know what our students are capable of and the areas where more support is needed. Being able to accommodate for all learning styles and ability levels are what makes great teachers great.

Professional Learning Communities can support the removal of these “sins” in our classrooms. I had the opportunity to assist in the presenting of Professional Learning Communities; what they are and are not, the essential questions, PLC purposes and ILCs. PLCs are an opportunity to review data in order to guide instruction. If PLCs are used correctly, in conjunction with the UbD framework, I believe that the “twin sins” will be something of the past. Tomlinson and Imbeau (2010) explain, “The idea is not to plan everything the way you always have and then plan differentiation on top of that.” (p. 137) Using the UbD framework has helped me incorporate differentiation into my everyday lesson planning as opposed to planning it as a separate component. I believe this will help alleviate stress and free up much needed time for teachable moments and personal brain breaks.

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As a classroom teacher in the past, I had often been afraid to try things that I felt may be too challenging for my students or me. Because of this, I would limit the learning in my classroom. Tomlinson and Imbeau (2010) stated, “When teachers are afraid of what might happen when students work independently, in small groups, with inquiry-oriented tasks, or at varied places, they often opt to more passive approaches to learning that ‘dumb down’ the curriculum.” Reflecting back, this used to be me. Throughout the past two years, I’ve been required to start implementing small groups and modeling what I expect from my students, pushing me pleasantly outside of my “comfort zone”. I have had the opportunity to implement different types of assessments, develop rubrics, and have conversations with my students regarding their academic performance with valuable feedback. I truly feel that the online peer groups throughout the MAT program were huge supports that made me feel more comfortable trying new things. I’ve become accustomed to doing these things everyday, including using the UbD lesson plan template as my own weekly template. Also, I believe I have become a better leader not only in the classroom, but also in my building. I have presented and shared out multiple things this school year, and continue to do so weekly in leading PLC meetings. By sharing my knowledge of new strategies and research-based information I know I have impacted changes in instruction, leadership, assessment and differentiation both inside and outside of the classroom for all stakeholders. I am a better educator today and will continue to grow as an educator in the years to come.

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Brookhart, S. M., Nitko, A. J. (2015). Educational assessment of students. New Jersey: Pearson.

Danielson, C. (2006). Teacher Leadership That Strengthens Professional Practice. Alexandria,
VA: ASCD.

DuFour, R. (2004, May). What is a Professional Learning Community? Educational Leadership (Vol. 61, p. 3)

Hall, T. (2002). Differentiated instruction [Online]. Wakefield, MA: CAST. Available: www.cast.org/publications/ncac/ncac_diffinstruc.html

Lewin, K. (n.d.). Quiz/Results -What’s your leadership style? Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/library/quiz/bl-leadershipquizbc.htm

Lieberman, A., & Miller, L. (2004). Teacher leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

McCoy, A. (2008). The ABCs of Educational Leadership [Video File]. Posted in http://learn.marygrove.edu

Remen, R. N. (2013). Becoming a Blessing [Online video]. Bioneers. Retrieved from

http://media.bioneers.org/listing/becoming-a-blessing-rachel-naomi-remen-md/

Tomlinson, C. A. & Imbeau, M. B. (2010). Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom. Alexandria, VA; ASCD.

Vollmer, J. (n.d.). The Blueberry Story: The teacher gives the businessman a lesson. Retrieved March 06, 2018, from http://www.jamievollmer.com/blueberries.html

Wiggins, G. P., McTighe, J. (2011). The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

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Over my last two years in Marygrove College’s MAT Program, my teaching philosophy has developed into a comprehensive philosophy that depicts who I want to be as an educator. I have gained knowledge in the areas of leadership, instruction, differentiation, and assessments. I have brought this newly acquired knowledge into my classroom to install a better learning environment for all. These new concepts are crucial in my understanding of how children grow and develop to become life-long learners. The complexity of teaching requires organization.  Teachers need to have established policies and responsibilities within their corridors.  As Danielson states, “The success of teachers’ work with students is heavily influenced by the structures of the school” (2006, p. 61). Structure reflects the importance of each aspect related to school.  In order for students to be successful, there needs to be a purpose for all actions taken in and out the classroom. Implementing more than just an intense rigor will encourage students to want to be in school, love to learn, and support each other.