Directions: All Three Parts

DIRECTIONS

[Version: July 2017]

Overview

The Vermont Licensure Portfolio (VLP) consists of three parts that align with the Vermont Core Teaching Standards (CTS), which are based on the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) Model Core Standards and Learning Progressions 1.0.

Part One Theme: The Learner and Learning - Candidates demonstrate their ability to thoughtfully examine, critically analyze, and insightfully reflect upon their readiness to use an understanding of learning theory, learner development, and learner differences for the design of effective learning experiences in a variety of settings with diverse learners.

Standard 1: Learner Development – The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.

Performance Criterion 1.1: Candidates use an understanding of learning theory (in areas such as

cognitive, linguistic, social emotional or physical) to design appropriate learning experiences.

Performance Criterion 1.2: Candidates use an understanding of developmental theory (in areas such

as cognitive, linguistic, social emotional or physical) to design appropriate learning experiences.

Standard 2: Learning Differences – The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.

Performance Criterion 2.1: Candidates use an understanding of individual differences to design

inclusive learning experiences.

Performance Criterion 2.2: Candidates use an understanding of diverse cultures and communities

to design inclusive learning experiences.

Standard 3: Learning Environments – The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self motivation.

Performance Criterion 3.1: Candidates design learning environments that support individual learning marked by active engagement.

Performance Criterion 3.2: Candidates design learning environments that support collaborative learning marked by positive social interaction.

Part Two Theme: Content Knowledge and Instructional Practice - Candidates demonstrate the ability to thoughtfully examine, critically analyze, and insightfully reflect upon the use of content knowledge and assessment, planning, and instructional strategies to implement creative, rigorous, and engaging learning.

Standard 4: Content Knowledge and Pedagogical Content Knowledge – The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) they teach and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of content.

Performance Criterion 4.1: Candidates accurately communicate central concepts of the discipline.

Performance Criterion 4.2: Candidates accurately address common misconceptions of the discipline.

Standard 5: Application of Content for Transferable Skills – The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues.

Performance Criterion 5.1: Candidates engage learners in applying perspectives from varied disciplines in authentic contexts (such as local and global issues).

Performance Criterion 5.2: Candidates integrate cross-disciplinary skills (such as critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving) to help learners demonstrate their learning in unique ways.

Standard 6: Assessment – The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learning progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making.

Performance Criterion 6.1: Candidates implement multiple methods of assessment to monitor learner progress to inform instructional practice.

Performance Criterion 6.2: Candidates analyze an individual student’s work over time using multiple methods of assessment to adjust instruction.

Standard 7: Planning for Instruction – The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.

Performance Criterion 7.1: Candidates plan instruction by drawing upon knowledge of content areas to meet rigorous learning goals.

Performance Criterion 7.2: Candidates plan instruction by drawing upon knowledge of learners to meet rigorous learning goals.

Standard 8: Instructional Strategies – The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.

Performance Criterion 8.1: Candidates use a variety of instructional strategies to make the discipline accessible for diverse learners.

Performance Criterion 8.2: Candidates use a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.

Part Three Theme: Professional Responsibility - Candidates demonstrate their ability to thoughtfully examine, critically analyze, and insightfully reflect upon their readiness for professional responsibility.

Standard 9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice – The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate [their] practice, particularly the effects of [their] choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.

Performance Criterion 9.1: Candidates are prepared for self-directed, continuous professional learning.

Performance Criterion 9.2: Candidates are prepared to practice in a legal and ethical manner.

Standard 10: Leadership and Collaboration – The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth and to advance the profession.

Performance Criterion 10.1: Candidates are prepared to collaborate with stakeholders (such as learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, or community members) to ensure student learning.

Performance Criterion 10.2: Candidates are prepared to advance the profession through advocacy, leadership and/or action research.

Components

Each part includes an Evidence Chart and a Narrative.

Evidence

See the Evidence Chart for directions on identifying evidence and connecting this evidence to the Performance Criteria listed above. Parts I and III do not have specific required evidence.

Part II has required evidence. Each piece of required evidence must be aligned with a Performance Criterion. However, the required evidence does not have to be the evidence selected for analysis in the Narrative. Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) may align this required evidence with Performance Criteria in their individual programs.

The required evidence for Part II includes:

1. A unit of study that contains at least five lessons and is representative of a candidate’s endorsement area(s), with an indication of how instruction will accommodate a range of learners and students with special needs;

2. 12-15 minutes of video (continuous or in clips) of the candidate providing instruction during the Student Teaching or Internship phase of the program, with accompanying annotations regarding the candidate’s teaching practice;

3. A supervisor’s observation or evaluation of the candidate’s teaching practice;

4. An analysis of samples of one student's work over time (multiple samples of one student) or analysis of samples of multiple students’ work over time drawn from the unit of study. (Student work means original products instead of teacher-generated tests, worksheets, etc., or standardized assessment tools.)

Narrative

For the Narrative for each Part, you are to demonstrate your ability to use three types of writing: description, analysis, and reflection. In a formally written and structured report, concisely address the three components listed below. Your Narrative must adhere to common standards for academic writing including grammar, usage, and mechanics (see the VT State Rubric for Writing Conventions), format (headings, spacing, pagination, etc.), and style (citations, quotes, and references). As a report of your professional performance, it is acceptable to use first person and active voice. Use pseudonyms throughout.

Describe

In the Description, candidates consider the Theme of the Part and illuminate their understanding of it. They can choose to do so by using literary devices such as story, metaphor, or image. If a program has candidates construct Part I across separate assignments, then they should refer to the Theme in each Description, which would provide more practice with descriptive writing.

Directions: The purpose of the Description is to use descriptive writing to introduce the narrative. Write a short essay/paragraph that:

1. Sets the context in which the evidence was collected. and

2. Holistically illuminates the meaning of the theme.

Analyze

The purpose of the Analysis is to demonstrate your ability to critically evaluate your performance as an emerging professional. To do so, you will construct a critical evaluation of your achievement of one Performance Criterion for each Standard. You will write 10 analyses in total (3 for Part I, 5 for Part II, and 2 for Part III). Each analysis should use four elements:

1. Performance Criterion – Explicitly interpret the features of the Performance Criterion.

2. Literature/Theoretical Framework – Use educational literature or program mission/theoretical framework to support your interpretation of the Performance Criterion. The program mission or theoretical framework can also include the mission or theoretical framework of the institution in which you completed fieldwork.

3. Salient Evidence – Select 1-2 pieces of salient evidence from the Evidence Chart for the chosen Performance Criterion. Articulate how your evidence connects to the Performance Criterion and the literature/program mission/theoretical framework. Throughout your analysis you should make explicit/direct connections to your evidence.

4. Critical Self-Evaluation – Use the Performance Criterion, literature, and salient evidence to evaluate how well you achieved the Performance Criterion: In what ways does your performance (based on evidence & literature) demonstrate your attainment of the PC, and in what ways does it not? Base your self-evaluation on the correspondence between the Performance Criterion, the educational literature (or program mission/theoretical framework) and your evidence (see diagram below).

Reflect

The purpose of the Reflection is to review your learning and identify areas for continued growth. The Reflection is an opportunity to practice reflective writing, in complement to descriptive and analytic writing. The intent of the Reflection is to have candidates employ reflective writing about the Theme of the Part. If a program has candidates construct Part I across separate assignments, then they should refer to the Theme in each Reflection, which would provide more practice with reflective writing. [1]

The Reflection includes two elements:

1. Review of your personal learning – Examine specific incidents and points of learning related to the Theme of the Part (e.g. Part I Theme: The Learner and Learning), reconsider long-standing perceptions that were challenged or affirmed.

2. Plan for ongoing learning – Conceptualize ideas for ongoing growth in this area.

Scoring

Each Part will be assessed using the rubric and Score Report for that Part. A whole number (1, 2, or 3) is required for the Descriptions, Analyses and Reflections. Reviewers must make a judgement and briefly remark on their decision in the Comment section. In order to earn a PASS on any Part, the majority of items must achieve a score of 3 and none can be a score of 1.

Two qualified reviewers will score each Part of the portfolio independently. Reviewers will discuss split outcomes and determine the need for a third reviewer. In order to pass the portfolio, candidates must pass each Part in a reasonable amount of time, as determined by the Educator Preparation Program.