Artifact Reflection: Standard IX Reflection

Title: Date:

Pre-Student Teaching Weekly Progress Report March 3rd March 7th 2014

Description:
The following artifact is a weekly progress report that my pre-student teaching cooperating teacher, Andy Haas, and I completed on my seventh week of pre-student teaching. I reflected on my seventh week of pre-student teaching by discussing things within Mr. Haas class that I observed. I discussed my observations in my reflection and with Mr. Haas. In Mr. Haas portion of my weekly progress report, he personally stated that I have been doing a nice job with reflecting on my weekly experiences.

Alignment:
Wisconsin Teacher Standard Alignment: My weekly progress report best aligns with Standard 9: Reflection. The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his or her choices and actions on pupils, parents, professionals in the learning community and others and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally. This artifact best aligns with Standard 9 because, throughout my first eight weeks of prestudent teaching, I have been consistently evaluating my experiences and contributions within the classroom. Consistently evaluating myself has made me improve on my teaching style and my approach to education. Through this experience I was able to personally reflect on my progress while receiving reflections on my progress from an established teacher. No particular week at Lancaster Middle School (LMS) was identical to another. Each day that I was at LMS I learned something new about Mr. Haas, his students, and myself. Reflecting on my educational experiences to this point, I understand and acknowledge that there are new obstacles, understandings, and accomplishments every day within the classroom. My job is not one that will be the same day in and day out. I am more competent now in this standard because I was reflecting on my pre-student teaching experiences on a daily basis. I have reflected on these experiences personally and with my cooperating teacher.

UW-Platteville Knowledge, Skill, Disposition Alignment

My weekly progress report best aligns with KSD IV. A: Reflecting on Teaching The candidate makes an accurate and thoughtful reflection of his/her teaching effectiveness, is aware of specific elements of his/her teaching that contributed to successful instruction, and can offer alternative teacher action to predict the future successes of alternate approaches. Reflecting on my first eight weeks of pre-student teaching on my own and with my cooperating teacher best aligns with this KSD because I grew as a prospective educator through each reflection. With each reflection I made I became increasingly aware of things that I would like to either incorporate or avoid in my classroom. With Mr. Haas class, the list of incorporating teaching methods into my classroom far outweighs the list of methods I would avoid. By reflecting on my pre-student teaching experiences at the middle level, I believe that I have given myself a solid set of tools to use in my classroom one day. I am more competent after this experience because I have gotten into the habit of reflecting on teaching styles and what I have learned. I believe that getting into a good habit of reflecting on experiences in the classroom can offer alternative teacher action to predict the future successes of alternate approaches to teaching. Secondary Alignment: KSD IV B: Maintaining Accurate Records KSD IV E: Growing and Developing Professionally

Reflection:
What I learned about teaching/learning from this experience While reflecting on my experiences of pre-student teaching at the middle level, I learned that my job as an educator is not going to be the same every day. By reflecting on teaching experiences, I am not only making myself a better teacher, I am improving the benefits that my students get out of their education. I also learned how important it is to reflect on my teaching abilities on a regular basis because if I do not keep track of where I have been, there is no room for growth. What I learned about myself as a prospective educator as a result of this experience I learned that I am going to want to keep daily records of my teaching and my students progress. The effectiveness of my teaching is what determines whether or not my students retain content material. To make sure that I am an effective teacher, reflecting on my teaching is necessary. If my students are not making progress, I can draw back on my reflections and see what worked well in regard to a lesson/unit and what did not work well and make the appropriate changes.