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The competent teacher has foundational knowledge of reading, writing, and oral communication within the content area and recognizes and addresses student reading, writing, and oral communication needs to facilitate the acquisition of content knowledge.
Artifact 1
i. The artifact I am describing is a trade book report. The report is about two different books related to running, Running with the Buffaloes by Chris Lear and Once a Runner by John L. Parker, Jr.
Both books are aimed at a high school audience, ages 15 and above, and are particularly suitable for those interested in running, cross-country, or track. However, I note that some readers may not find joy in reading about running. While Running with the Buffaloes has some swearing, I believe that the language is necessary to convey the emotions and experiences of the characters. I did not find anything objectionable in Once a Runner.
Overall, these books offer insight into the world of competitive running and the dedication required to succeed in the sport. They may not appeal to everyone, but for those interested in running or seeking inspiration and motivation to pursue their own goals, these books are worth a read.
ii. The Illinois Professional Teaching Standards standard that this artifact connects to is Standard 6Q) integrates reading, writing, and oral communication to engage students in content learning.
My artifact, a trade book report on two running books, demonstrates my understanding of this standard in a few ways. Firstly, by providing a variety of trade books that cater to different interests and levels, I am showing my ability to use different materials and resources to meet the diverse needs of students. Furthermore, by stating that these books are primarily for high school students who are 15 years of age or older, I am acknowledging the need to tailor instructional materials to the age and developmental level of my students.
In terms of promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills, these books are excellent examples. Both books explore the journey of competitive runners and the challenges they face, such as injuries, losses, and setbacks. The author of Running with the Buffaloes, Chris Lear, writes, "What they managed to achieve in the face of such adversity is the stuff of legend and glory" (Lear, 2000, p. back cover). This message highlights the importance of perseverance and grit, qualities that are necessary for any student to succeed academically and personally. Similarly, John L. Parker's Once A Runner shows the protagonist struggling to achieve a personal goal, which can encourage readers to think about their own goals and what it takes to accomplish them. Parker writes, "Such time, in fact, hardly exists at all in the real world; it is all out on the trail somewhere, and you only go back to it when you are out there" (Parker, 1978/2009, p. 17). This quote can prompt students to reflect on the value of hard work and dedication in achieving their goals.
Overall, my artifact demonstrates my ability to plan for and deliver effective instruction by using a variety of instructional materials, tailoring materials to the age and developmental level of my students, and promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills. These books show evidence of understanding the importance of perseverance, grit, and hard work, which are all essential qualities for success in any area of life.
iii. Through creating this trade book report, I learned about two books that I had not previously known about. I gained insight into the world of competitive running and the mental and physical challenges that come with it. As a teacher, this knowledge will be important in understanding and relating to my students who may be involved in sports or other extracurricular activities that require a high level of discipline and dedication.
In my future classroom, I can see myself using trade book reports as a way for students to share their reading experiences with their peers. By having students read books outside of the curriculum and create a brief report or presentation, they can develop important communication and critical thinking skills. This can also encourage a love for reading and provide an opportunity for students to explore topics that interest them.
Overall, this artifact allowed me to expand my knowledge of literature related to sports and running, as well as practice my summarization and analysis skills. I can see myself using similar assignments in my future classroom to encourage students to explore their interests and develop important skills.
Artifact 2
i. This artifact is a lesson plan for teaching U.S. History to 9th graders about famous people of the 1920s, with a focus on Charles Lindbergh. There are two versions of the lesson plan, one for in-person learning and one for online learning. Both lesson plans contain the same learning objectives and use the same Illinois Learning Standards. The lesson plan involves a variety of activities, including a discussion of heroes, video clips, lecture, note-taking, and group work. The students will be asked to justify whether Lindbergh's flight was a positive or negative contribution to society, identify the societal and ethical factors of Lindbergh’s flight, and create a hero from the 1920s.
ii. The lesson plan provided for teaching US History to 9th graders is an artifact that demonstrates his understanding of the Illinois Professional Teaching Standard 6H) understands how to use a variety of formal and informal assessments to recognize and address the reading, writing, and oral communication needs of each student; and 6I) knows appropriate and varied instructional approaches, including those that develop word knowledge, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, and strategy use in the content areas.
The lesson plan also shows evidence of understanding the standard through the use of various instructional strategies that promote reading, writing, and oral communication skills. For example, the use of breakout rooms and FlipGrid allows students to practice their speaking skills, while taking notes during the lecture and videos promotes reading and writing skills. Moreover, the use of explicit language instruction is demonstrated when students are asked to define the term "hero," and when they are given specific discussion questions to answer.
Overall, this artifact provides evidence of progress towards meeting the Illinois Professional Teaching Standard 6 by demonstrating the teacher's ability to design instructional strategies that promote reading, writing, and oral communication skills. The use of a variety of instructional strategies and technologies helps to engage students and ensure that they develop these skills effectively.
iii. Through creating the two lesson plans for U.S. History class about Charles Lindbergh, I learned about the importance of planning lessons according to the grade level, duration of class, and delivery method, whether in-person or online. The artifact helped me to recognize the need for variety in activities and assessments to keep students engaged and reinforce the learning objectives. I also gained insights into how to create a learning environment that encourages students to participate in discussions and reflect on their learning through collaborative activities such as Kahoot and FlipGrid. Additionally, the creation of various materials, such as videos, discussion questions, vocabulary presentations, and polls, has shown me the importance of using diverse resources to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the subject. As a teacher, I will use these lessons to develop a curriculum that is suitable for all students, regardless of their learning styles or abilities. In the future, I will use this artifact as a reference when designing other lesson plans for my class.
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