Instruction

I highly value fostering an intellectually engaging student-centered classroom. The artifacts I have included reflect this by displaying my communication with students and dedication to culturally responsive teaching. 

During the summer, I was most proud of my ability to adapt in the moment to challenges and make changes to the lesson seamlessly. When I noticed students needed more time than anticipated on an assignment, I was strategic about choosing what aspects of that day’s lesson to prioritize to meet the objectives and what I could move to another day. I think this was one of the reasons why the class flowed smoothly each day.  

I also quickly realized that periodically assessing student learning was necessary for planning lessons. Aside from reviewing students’ notebooks, I did this through entrance and exit tickets, where students were asked to reflect on their progress or share any concerns. This is an area that I am dedicated to continuing growing in so that I can more effectively tailor instructions to meet all my students’ learning needs.  

Another aspect of ensuring students’ academic success is providing purpose and closure statements after each activity. I believe that doing so helped transition between activities and communicated to students that every assignment is important for their growth and that what they are learning is not simply busy work. This gives students ownership over their education, which is necessary for an engaging, student-centered environment.