Part 2

Part II- Context: Connecting Self-Assessment to Your Context

Awareness of biases, experiences of privilege, and personal values inform your chosen instructional project:

Growing up in Great Falls, Montana we had a large diverse population due to the air force base and several Native American reservations near by: Little Shell Chippewa, Rocky Boy and Blackfeet Reservation. I grew up with a family member who is biased towards anyone of a different race and color. I learned those tendencies as I grew up. Even during my teaching career, I willingly admit I have carried those biases with me. This fall I had the opportunity to plan a monthly Native American lesson with one of my district’s IEFA coaches. Through her knowledge and experiences I became very self-aware of how unfair my biases have been to my students and how limiting these biases were to my career and being an effective educator. Interestingly, I was asked to be a TLI Fellow and the knowledge I gained has changed my outlook forever.

I was asked to be on our district’s IEFA Leadership Team, which took me by surprise as I had guilt when reflecting on my own biases. I did take the position and am now learning the history and appreciation for the Native American people. Not only that, I am also enjoying working with this IEFA coach; she is showing me first hand the detrimental affect of being biased.

One of the implicit bias tests I took was that of Native IAT and my results were that I had a strong association for white Americans. This did not come as a surprise to me. Therefore, the reason I chose the project of creating lessons and teaching lessons to fellow teachers through my IEFA Teacher Leadership team is to learn and further develop my understanding of the Native American culture. After all, isn't it when we begin to understand others, that we can also appreciate them and their history?

Overarching Competency #1 - Reflective Practice- Performing

I am in the developing stage in Reflective Practice.

PLC work: (Evidence: (3) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vgUKAZHpTnjKN-ggVnNSgJ6jR183QCQ1vEIzswPTEdI/edit?usp=sharing
I am a BEA school representative.
I am trying to create a cultural change within my school, beginning with our teacher’s lounge. I sent a google form hoping to use this as a catalyst for a positive culture change to CRMS (Evidence: (4).

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1e5N1pTu9Z3tC_A5217uR5puIzjR8aBG0-MPeTvAsytw/edit I do need to work on Personal Effectiveness. I will change and share what I can within the parameters of what my administrators allow me to do in terms of culture change at my school

I am on the IEFA Teacher Leadership team to develop, implement and teach lessons to teachers. This is where I’d like to place my focus.
I am also part of this TLI Fellowship team and will continue this transformation.
I am on the Student Support Team which tracks students at risk. I am paired up with a student and become their mentor.

Evidence: (5) Above, (6) and (7) Below

Overarching Competency #2- Personal Effectiveness

I am in the emerging stage of Personal Effectiveness.

I taught in another city for 16 years and at that school I was able to take the role of leadership in several key school committees. I shared these responsibilities with others. In this other school, we shared similar goals, we had trust and worked as a team to be successful. I then moved to Billings and sought out similar opportunities in the school I am at now.

I was told by a former principal that he would like to see me get my administration degree because he saw leadership qualities in me. I am looking forward to taking a more active role this upcoming school year, as our administrator has opened up staff committees and I have volunteered to be on the Emergency Planning Committee, stay on the Student Support Team and continue being a leader in our PLC group.

For three years, I have celebrated Veteran's Day by inviting all military veterans and those military members currently serving to be recognized by their families and our school. This event has been published in the Billings Gazette and has positively impacted over 100 families.

Evidence: (8) and (9) Above, (10) and (11) Below

Diversity-Equity-Cultural Competence Section-Explore and Challenge Inequity

I am in the developing stage of Explore & Challenge Inequity.

I teach social studies and we have conversations regarding personal identity and cultural background. I allow students to share their heritage as we read through our text and/or discuss news programs. I am engaging myself in ongoing self-education regarding cultural differences by being a part of the IEFA Teacher Leadership Team. Meeting and collaborating with teachers who have Native American heritage gives me new view-points and allows me to learn from them.

I have worked closely with an IEFA Curriculum Coach since September 2019 to develop classroom lessons, 8 total, that build on the foundation of IEFA (Indian Education For All)

Evidence: (12) Above

Instructional Leadership Competencies- Coaching and Mentoring

I am in the developing stage of Coaching and Mentoring.

I believe that this competency is related to coaching other teachers, and being mentors to them. Before we can do that, we have to be willing to be taught and coached ourselves. I also see this as building programs within the school and the district where all teachers to grow professionally.

I am in the developing stage for Coaching and Mentoring. I know that I am in this area because I do all of the following:

Establish a trustworthy work environment with colleagues in which there is an open exchange of ideas. • Work with other teachers to provide information about their own practice to promote growth and development. • Seek opportunities to give and receive feedback on instructional practice.

I am on a committee called Check and Connect where a teacher is paired with a student to mentor them throughout the year. I am on the Student Support Team at my school. This team looks at helping classroom teachers to incorporate interventions to assist struggling students.

I do not fit the last description yet, but I will in the future. (Provide targeted professional development based on data analysis and instructional needs.) I will be presenting my IEFA lessons to audiences in two different workshop platforms.

Evidence: (13) and (14) Above, (15) and (16) Below

Connecting Assessment of Diverse Stakeholders to My Context

Describe your work with diverse stakeholders, shared learning experiences, and how you anticipate your instructional mindset might evolve during the TLI process.

I was invited to be on a team of teachers to write lessons that infuse IEFA into the social studies curriculum. Being on this team allowed me to work under the IEFA director and two curriculum coaches. In order to be a TLI Fellow I had to get permission from my principal and he is in support of any and all efforts to infuse IEFA. I believe that most importantly, students who are exposed to my Clovis Child lesson will benefit from this lesson.

In August 2019, I set up a meeting with my teaching parter, one of the IEFA coaches and myself to develop an IEFA lesson each month.

Through the TLI process my mindset has evolved greatly. Perhaps a personal observation can explain my mindset. I was driving downtown in Billings and we have a large population of homeless Native Americans.; I was annoyed that they were there. About a month ago as I was driving downtown and saw a homeless group my thoughts were that of, "What can I do to help them?"

Describe how your awareness of those from different cultures, experiences, and backgrounds inform your chosen project.

Teaching ancient history has given me a deep appreciation for the history of the human race. During my time teaching, I have had the pleasure of students sharing their family history, including my Native American students. A few years ago I invited a renowned professor to speak to my students. His passion and love for the Native Americans imprinted on my heart. I realized how vital it is to learn about their culture and share that knowledge with all of my students.

Evidence: (17), (18) and (19) Below

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