Context

Educational Context

My name is Shannon Vennes and I am a fourth-grade teacher in Billings, MT at Orchard Elementary School. In college, I double majored because I found that I had two equal passions I wanted to pursue. I received my bachelor's in Secondary Education (Social Studies Broadfield) and my bachelor's in Sociology from Montana State University in Bozeman, MT. After being in the classroom for a while, I returned to school and recently received my Master's in Elementary Curriculum and Instruction from Montana State University-Billings. 

Between receiving my bachelor's degrees and my master's, I taught for 11 years at a private school in Bellevue, WA. While there I taught 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. I was the lead teacher for the 3rd grade team in which I wrote and created International Baccalaureate (IB) lessons. These lessons encompassed math, reading, and writing while having a science or social studies focus as well. In 2019, my husband and I decided it was time to leave Washington and settle our little family of 4 in Montana. I began that school year teaching at Orchard Elementary and am now in my 5th year at the school where I have taught 4th grade, as well as 2nd grade.

Orchard Elementary School poses many unique challenges. Orchard is a Title I school on the southern side of Billings where every child receives breakfast and lunch free from the school.  Many of the students come from low-income families and suffer hardships from a lack of guardian guidance. Some of the student population would be considered transient, not knowing where they will be sleeping or resting each night. It is not uncommon for family members of the students to be incarcerated or under the watchful eye of Child and Family Services. With so much taking place out of the classroom for many of the students, the district recognizes the role that the school plays. Orchard Elementary is a trauma-informed school that offers staff the necessary training to assist these students daily. 

Besides being active as an educator in my building, I am also a building representative for Orchard Elementary School in the local union, Billings Education Association (BEA). Along with being an active member of my local association, I am also an active member of the Montana Federation of Public Employees (MFPE) and the National Education Association (NEA). This year, I had the privilege to attend the annual MFPE conference in Helena, MT. I am a firm believer in the work the unions do in keeping our educational system operating in a manner that treats teachers with respect and equity as we work hard to shape young minds into tremendous beings.

Connecting Self-Awareness to Context

It is important to understand myself and where I stand with my biases, personal values and successes, and understandings regarding my privileges. As a white woman who was raised within the middle class, and continues to live within the upper middle class, both bias tests allowed me to reflect on where I am at with handling different cultures and races that are different from mine. I did learn that I have a bit of bias towards others and that skin tone can play a factor. Now, this could be simply because these individuals are different from me and my light pale skin tone. My greatest asset is my willingness to continue to learn and explore things that I am slightly uncomfortable with. When I learn something about myself I use it as fuel to continue to learn about the subjects and components that drive that original thought process. My greatest challenge stems from being comfortable and confident in my abilities, and releasing the fear that I may offend someone or be viewed differently if I discuss from an alternate perspective. 

The first overacting competency I chose to focus on for my TLI project is Continuing Learning and Education. At the beginning of my Capstone Challenge within this competency, I am at the developing stage. I feel confident about my abilities when participating and engaging in discussions with my colleagues, specifically regarding professional resources. I would like to reach the state of performing when my TLI is complete. I would like to not only have the abilities but also participate in the design and share professional developments with others. 

The second overarching competency I chose to focus on for my TLI project is Technology Facility. At the start of my project, I am emerging within this competency. I can use technology beyond classroom instruction and can manage my professional responsibilities. I would like to continue within this competency to the level of development. In doing so, I would be able to utilize technology as a method of networking, as well as, synchronously and asynchronously.

The foundational competency I chose to focus on for my TLI project is Explore and Challenge Inequity. At the start of my project, I am between the emerging and developing phases. I have started to identify cultural background and its importance, but believe I need to further develop my abilities to see the inequities that are present within cultures.

Finally, my leadership pathway is Instructional Leadership. This specific competency reflects my ability to accurately lead teachers within instruction. My project is designed to assist other teachers in presenting students with diverse and culturally designed lessons. At the start of my project, I am in the developing stage. I have taken on different leadership roles in the district that have required me to present at conferences and assist other teachers (across the district) through lessons I have created, specifically tied to Indian Education for All. In conjunction with this, I have facilitated components of these lessons in both paper form and via digital platforms to assist teachers with implementing further use of technology within their classrooms. 

As I work through my TLI Capstone, I believe that being able to identify and apply cultural components will fit with both of my overarching competencies. By working hard to continue learning and education, I will be able to institute these cultural components. These will also be present when explaining and utilizing technology within the competency technological facility. 

Connecting Assessment of Diverse Stakeholders to Context

With Instructional Leadership as my pathway, the main stakeholders that will be affected by my project are teachers across the district. Specifically at the start of my Capstone, my main stakeholders will be 4th-grade teachers, as that is the grade level I plan to start developing Indian Education for All (IEFA) lessons. Other stakeholders within my Capstone include the district coaches, specifically the district IEFA coaches and math coach. As I continue through my project, I will need to keep in mind that there can be a difference between what the district approves curriculum-wise versus the curriculum teachers like to use in their classrooms. For example, many teachers opt to pull lessons from online sites. I need to be sure that the lessons I create are approved and “bought into” by all of the stakeholders.

Context Artifact 1 - My Approval Form from my coach.