PPAT TASK 1: KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENT AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Amber Jordan ECED 461: PIN/Kindergarten/Davis 1

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student and Learning Environment (4 artifacts) Step 1: Knowledge of Students -Contextual Factors Chart (Artifact #1)

Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers Task 1 Contextual Factors Chart

Source of Factor Contextual and Environmental Factors

Community
Urban, suburban, or rural; socioeconomic; census data on families

Urban, Suburban, or Rural- Suburban Socioeconomic Status- 30% below poverty level; Median household income between 2008 and 2012 is 27,694 Census Data on Families- 17,753 families

District
Enrollment, percent free and reduced lunch; graduation rate; ethnic breakdown; percent with IEP; percent ELL; per pupil expenditure

Enrollment- 9,040 students Free and Reduced Lunch- Free (58%) and Reduced (5%) Graduation Rate- 76.5% Ethnic Breakdown- White (45%), Black (40%), Hispanic (12%), Asian (1%), and Other (2%) Percent with IEPs- 12.0% with disabilities ELL Students- 1,017 students; not including bilingual students Per Pupil Expenditure- $8,370 Enrollment- 539 students Percent Free and Reduced Lunch- Free (58%) and Reduced (5%) Achievement Scores- Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS) Overall Scores (Grades 3-5) ELA - 671.9 Math - 664.3 Science - 628.5 Social Studies - 653.3 Ethnic Breakdown- White (36 %), Black (30%), Hispanic

School
Enrollment,; achievement scores; ethnic breakdown; percent with IEP; percent ELL; recognitions; teacher/student ratio

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

PPAT TASK 1: KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENT AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Amber Jordan ECED 461: PIN/Kindergarten/Davis 2 (28%), Asian (3%), and Other (4%) Percent with IEPs- 12.0 % with disabilities ELL Students- 156 students; not including bilingual students Recognitions- 2011- 2012 and 2012- 2013 Palmetto Silver Award Winner Teacher/Student Ratio- 21.5:1 Class- 24 Students Ethnicity- 10 Hispanic; 5 Caucasian; 9 African American Language Needs/ Cultural Characteristics- 10 who speak Spanish as their first language Gender- 11 Male Students and 13 Female Students: 6 female Hispanic; 2 female Caucasian; 5 female African American; 4 male Hispanic; 3 male Caucasian; 4 male African American Identified Special Needs - 3 students with speech needs; 1 identified with some special needs of autism Physical Needs- none Learning Styles- Whole group, small groups, individual instruction, visual, kinesthetic, and auditory learners Prior Learning/Experiences- 12 were enrolled in a pre-k program; the other 12 came from their home without any educational programs Academic Proficiencies- Ability levels range from below average to above average Behavioral Differences- The class is full of well-behaved students as well as others that have a hard time behaving. There are causes for misbehaving in class such as having autism, ADD, or ADHD. The student who has autism knows how to behave but has to be reminded to make good choices and to stay on task because of her disability. Others with ADD and ADHD also have to be reminded to make good choices because of their diagnosis. Areas of Interest- Sports, dance, music, reading, science, technology, and television

Classroom Demographics
Ethnicity, language needs, gender, identified special needs including gifted, physical needs, and cultural characteristics

Knowledge of Students
Learning styles, prior learning/experiences, academic proficiencies, behavioral differences, and areas of interest

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

PPAT TASK 1: KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENT AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Amber Jordan ECED 461: PIN/Kindergarten/Davis 3
Copyright 2013 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo and LISTENING. LEARNING. LEADING. are registered trademarks of Educational Testing Service (ETS). PRAXIS and THE PRAXIS SERIES are trademarks of ETS.

Step 1: Knowledge of Students

-1.1.1: Community, District, and School Contextual Factors That Influence Instruction Guiding Prompts From the Contextual Factors Chart, choose one factor that you believe will have the most impact on student learning from within each of the following three categories: community, district, and school. a. Identify your chosen community factor. Based on your chosen community factor, identify one possible instructional strategy and one learning activity that you could use in your classroom to further student learning. Provide a rationale that explains how the identified strategy and activity connect to the chosen factor. The chosen community factor is the socioeconomic status of the families in the Greenwood community. In Greenwood, there is a 30% below poverty level rating. By knowing this information, accommodations must be made for our students in the classroom to further student learning. In the classroom a direct instruction approach such as shared reading can expose students to words in the classroom. Shared reading will teach students how to identify different words in a text and how to sound them out and say them. Since shared reading is taught by the teacher the students are guided in finding and identifying sight words and are able to say, spell, and write them. One learning activity that I could use to further student learning would be to have students and teachers to bring in different environmental print and labels. After collecting enough for each student, each student would be able to pick the environmental print and labels they knew and make their own book out of it. Making an environmental print book would strengthen the students reading as well as their confidence. Both of these are important in teaching the students how to read and identify words around them. The students could use these at school as well as at their homes to practice saying, spelling, and writing words they know. Often because of the poverty level, a lot of our students are not equipped with books at home. This would be an inexpensive way to allow students to be able to take books home to be able to read. The students could even switch with others to continue to expose different words to each of the students. b. Identify your chosen district factor. Based on your chosen district factor, identify one possible instructional strategy and one learning activity that you could use in your classroom to further student learning. Provide a rationale that explains how
TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

PPAT TASK 1: KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENT AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Amber Jordan ECED 461: PIN/Kindergarten/Davis 4

the identified strategy and activity connect to the chosen factor. My chosen district factor is the percent of students who receive free and reduced lunch. The percentages of the two added together is very high. This means that a lot of students are receiving these meals and are probably not eating enough adequate meals at home. The free and reduced lunch is a good program for students so that they are at least getting some nutrition that they need to be healthy. The downside to not always having the right nutrition all the time is that their bodies are more likely to not be healthy and not ready to learn. Because so many students are eligible for this program and receive either the reduced or free lunch means that we as teachers must provide engaging activities to keep the students interested and focused on learning. An instructional strategy that could be used in my classroom could be the use of direct instruction such as explicit teaching. Explicit teaching can break topics down to where students can understand and learn. By using explicit teaching I can set a purpose for teaching, telling and showing students what to do, and then guiding them as they work individually. For example, in math, I could have math manipulatives out to help show them how to work through their addition problem. I would count out loud, show them, and point to each step I took to solve my addition problem. After modeling, I would guide them until they can fully work and understand the problem individually. This will provide adequate support and practice and then boost their confidence as well. c. Identify your chosen school factor. Based on your chosen school factor, identify one possible instructional strategy and one learning activity that you could use in your classroom to further student learning. Provide a rationale that explains how the identified strategy and activity connect to the chosen factor. My chosen school factor would be the number of ELL students. In our district we have a lot of Hispanic students. Interactive instruction could be used as a strategy in the classroom to promote student learning. Interactive instruction could be peer partner learning, discussion, think-pair-share, and tutoring. If these ELL students were paired with partners that spoke English as their first language they could teach them English and practice with them. In return the ELL students could teach English speaking students their language as well as their culture and backgrounds. This is double exposure for the ELL students as well as the English speaking students. They are learning more about themselves as well as others. This in itself could be a learning activity for those students. If these students are constantly with each other they are learning from each other. To further student learning as a teacher besides pairing students together I could have the ELL students in a group during guided reading and use flash cards with pictures and words on them and drill and practice with the students until they know the words. I think exposing the ELL students to as much words and practice they can get, they will exceed in anything.

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

PPAT TASK 1: KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENT AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Amber Jordan ECED 461: PIN/Kindergarten/Davis 5

- 1.1.2: Classroom Demographics and Knowledge of Students Guiding PromptsFrom the Contextual Factors Chart, choose one factor that you believe will have the most impact on student learning from within each of the following two categories: classroom demographics and knowledge of students. a. Identify your chosen classroom demographics factor. Based on your chosen classroom-demographics factor, identify one possible instructional strategy and one learning activity that you could use in your classroom to further student learning. Provide a rationale that explains how the identified strategy and activity connect to the chosen factor. My chosen classroom demographics factor is the identified special needs of the students. The instructional strategy I would use in the classroom to further student learning would be drill and practice. I believe for these students who have been identified with speech needs and the one with autism needs to have repetition. Not only do they need to repeat by saying, spelling, and writing but they also need to hear the repetition as well. By using the drill and practice they will eventually be able to succeed in speaking, spelling, and writing. In the classroom today, we exercise drill and practice in guided reading groups. They are able to see, hear, speak, spell, and write words and letters. Not only do they need to be able do this with words and letters they need to be able to do daily procedures. Drill and practice can be used to teach a lot different things. One learning activity I could use with these students is to teach them how to use the drill and practice technique to help ensure they can learn new things without always having a teacher or someone to guide them. b. Identify your chosen knowledge-of-students factor. Based on your chosen knowledge-of-students factor, identify one possible instructional strategy and one learning activity that you could use in your classroom to further student learning. Provide a rationale that explains how the identified strategy and activity connect to the chosen factor. Prior learning and experiences is my chosen knowledge-of-students factor. To further students learning in the classroom I would use an indirect instruction strategy with the students. I would use such things as rhymes, chants, songs, poetry, maps, and charts to instruct students. Based on what the students know from these prior learning and experiences, they need structure and a way they can remember information. The rhymes, chants, songs, and poetry will help students remember them easily. In my classroom, I would use songs to teach letters, sounds, numbers, etc. From experience in the classroom this semester, my students love singing the alphabet as they watch it on the SMART board. I believe having a tune to such things

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

PPAT TASK 1: KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENT AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Amber Jordan ECED 461: PIN/Kindergarten/Davis 6

as the alphabet, students are more likely to remember them and be able to use and say them. All of these techniques will help those that came from no prior learning and experiences and those that may have come from a pre-k program.

Step 2: Resources and Procedures - Instructional and Support Resources Chart (Artifact #2)

Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers Task 1 Instructional and Support Resources Chart
Resource One Example and Location

Community

Lander University - Greenwood, South Carolina 320 Stanley Avenue Greenwood, SC 29649 (Theatre Department performs plays for local schools) http://www.lander.edu/academics/CollegesDepartments/Arts-Humanities/Mass-Comm-Theatre.aspx Student Handbook Pinecrest Elementary

Building/District Policies http://www.gwd50.org/cms/lib01/SC01000859/Centricity/ Domain/1342/Pinecrest_student_handbook_2010_for_Sc hoolmate_planners.pdf ELL Teacher: Alla Polatty Pinecrest Elementary http://www.gwd50.org//Domain/1326 McGraw-Hill My Math 2013 Math workbook and lessons https://www.mheonline.com/mhmymath/

Instructional Support Staff

Instructional materials

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

PPAT TASK 1: KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENT AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Amber Jordan ECED 461: PIN/Kindergarten/Davis 7 After School Programs: Good News Club, After School Held in the cafeteria

Curricular Programs

Instructional Technology

Classroom SMART Board, iPad, Computers Located in every classroom

Student Data Access/Records

Certified Personnel Secretaries office in a locked file cabinet

Other Resources

Professional Learning Communities- A group meeting with grade level teachers, principal, and instructional specialists, usually held in a small classroom instructed for meetings

Copyright 2013 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo and LISTENING. LEARNING. LEADING. are registered trademarks of Educational Testing Service (ETS). PRAXIS and THE PRAXIS SERIES are trademarks of ETS.

- 1.2.1: Available Resources to Enhance Student Learning Guiding Prompts After completing the Instructional and Support Resources Chart, answer the following: a. Select two resources from the completed chart and describe how you would use each in your classroom to support student learning.

- McGraw-Hill My Math 2013

This book is used every week to help plan math lessons for the week. This book provides standards and activities to help teachers plan the math lessons. The book also gives the big ideas to focus on to ensure students are getting the main idea out of the lessons. There is a book for teachers and then there is math work books for each student. The math pages are pulled out of the work books for each student so that students are not flipping to other sections during the lessons. These pages guide the students with pictures and different things to trace to give them practice. I will use these work book pages to help teach the students math. The students are

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

PPAT TASK 1: KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENT AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Amber Jordan ECED 461: PIN/Kindergarten/Davis 8

instructed on each section of the pages to help ensure they are getting the most of the lesson.

- Classroom SMART Board, iPad, and Computers

The classroom SMART Board, iPad, and computers will be used on a daily basis. Every morning the SMART board is used to play songs for letters, sounds, numbers, and themed songs such as Valentines Day for the month of February. In the next few weeks as I take over the classroom, I will use the SMART board for playing videos for certain lessons and allowing students to use it for drawing or writing. I want to expose the students to using it, because I do not think they have had a chance to use it in the past. The iPad has just recently been added to the classroom, so I will be finding apps for the students to use and practice their alphabet, sounds, numbers, and sight words. I also want to use computers for students to get used to using them. I plan on having educational games or programs for students to practice with. b. Select a particular characteristic that you listed under Knowledge of Students in the Contextual Factors Chart. Describe how a resource, different from the two listed in Guiding Prompt A, could enhance student learning based on the particular characteristic selected. The selected characteristic that I chose is the academic proficiencies. This is the ability levels of the students that range from below average to above average. One of the resources that I could use is the professional learning communities. This is a meeting where teachers, the principal, and the instructional specialists meet and create plans for students who are struggling. These meetings focus on the lowest students that are below average and ensure that they are receiving the adequate support to succeed. These students are usually pulled from the classroom by ELL and speech teachers and worked with in special areas to increase their knowledge. -1.2.2: Student Interest Inventory - Student Interest Inventory (artifact #3): *Also administered PPAT Student Survey

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

PPAT TASK 1: KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENT AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Amber Jordan ECED 461: PIN/Kindergarten/Davis 9 Student Interest Inventory: Focus Student #1

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

PPAT TASK 1: KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENT AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Amber Jordan ECED 461: PIN/Kindergarten/Davis 10

Guiding Prompts a. Based on the compilation of information from the students' interest inventories, analyze one example of how this information would influence an instructional decision you would make in your classroom. An example of how this interest inventory could influence instructional decisions in the classroom is by allowing me to see what their favorite part about school is, if they like to use computers, and if they like to listen to the teacher read books. I can plan my lessons around these three things to ensure that I am reaching out to the students in the best way that they like to learn. Most of the students circled that they do like to use the computer. By knowing this I can incorporate not only the computer but also any other technology into the lessons and the classroom. Allowing students to use the computer will help to engage them in learning and give them practice using the computer and other technology in the classroom. Based on these student inventories, they will allow me to plan, teach, and accommodate these preferences in the classroom. b. Using one student's completed interest inventory, analyze how you would use one item from the inventory to promote the student's engagement and learning. Using Focus Student #1s Student Interest Survey, I can analyze the information to promote student learning in the classroom. Focus Student #1 drew a picture of a super hero to answer the question When I grow up I want to be a_______. In kindergarten students are still learning to write, so I had students to draw a picture of what they wanted to be and as I took up the interest inventories I asked each student what they drew. Using Focus Student #1s answer I can plan lessons that incorporate super heroes into the lesson. I can also use other answers such as doctors, a baker, and a police officer to engage students in learning. By law students are supposed to be educated of future careers and to promote education for career readiness under the EEDA Act. Using this information as what students want to be when they grow up is a perfect way to incorporate this information into the classroom. - 1.2.3: Communicating with Students and Families - Document of Parent/Family Communication (artifact #4) **Lander Video Permission and ETS Student Release Forms were sent home as well

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

PPAT TASK 1: KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENT AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Amber Jordan ECED 461: PIN/Kindergarten/Davis 11

Parent/Family Letter: Dear Parent or Guardian,

January 22, 2014

My name is Amber Jordan and I am currently a senior at Lander University. I am majoring in Early Childhood Education. I will be completing my student teaching in your childs classroom this semester and will remain in the classroom until Spring Break! I wanted to give you background information about myself so that you could get to know me better. I grew up in Belton, South Carolina where I still reside. I graduated from Belton-Honea Path High School in 2010. After graduating, I attended Lander University where I am a member of the Blue Key National Honor Society and the LAEYC organization at Lander, which is the local organization for NAEYC. I married my husband, Daniel in April of 2012. We now have a daughter, Maddilyn. In my spare time, I love spending time outside and with my family. My second grade teacher inspired me to fulfill my career in teaching and I hope to become a kindergarten teacher after I graduate. I have always loved children and being around them. I am eager to be in the classroom and being able to have a hands-on experience. My goal is to put to use what I have gained through my experiences here at Lander in your childs classroom. I am excited to learn through each student and use my knowledge that I will gain from Mrs. Davis, Mrs. Madden, as well as the students in my future years of teaching. I look forward to working with your child and seeing what kindergarten is all about. Attached is a form that grants me permission to videotape and photograph your student during my lessons and activities. Videos and photographs will only be used by Lander University and ETS for educational purposes. Granting your student permission is greatly appreciated. It allows me to reflect on my educational experience, and remember our time together! Please return this as your child will receive TWO PRIDE PAWS AND A TREAT! If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me! Thank you again for this opportunity! Sincerely, Amber Jordan amber.norris@lander.edu

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

PPAT TASK 1: KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENT AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Amber Jordan ECED 461: PIN/Kindergarten/Davis 12

Guiding Prompts a. Describe one example of how your method of communication addresses the demographic differences in the classroom. The parent letter I sent home address the demographic differences in the classroom by allowing parents to know that I am willing to help their child no matter who they are in any way I can. It also allowed the parents to know that they are able to contact me with any questions or concerns through the school or my email. My parent letter was a way to communicate with the parents and families and allow them to know more about me since I will be teaching their child in the classroom. b. Describe how your method of communication fosters interaction between you, your students, and their families. The parent letter is a way to communicate with the parents. This was my first time communicating with the parents and asking them to sign permission forms so their child can be videoed for educational purposes only. My parent letter allowed the parents to get to know me and my role in the classroom. This also allowed the parents to know how to contact me if they have questions or concerns. Communicating with parents is essential in the classroom and my parent letter allowed the parents, students, and families know that we can communicate and work together for the benefit of their children. - 1.2.4: Rules and Procedures Guiding Prompts: a. Describe one example of a classroom rule or procedure. Explain how the rule or procedure facilitates instruction, enhances student learning, or impacts the learning environment. Students start their day off by beginning on green ready to learn. Ready to learn is when students follow directions, sit quietly, and complete their work. From this level the students can either go up to Way to Go, Good Day, and Outstanding or down to Make Better Choices, Teachers Choice, and Parent Contact. To go up levels students have to make good choices. Students clips are pulled down for making the wrong choices. If students are on Make Better Choices, they automatically get a note on their behavior sheets in their folders. This chart facilitates instruction, enhances student learning, and impacts the learning environment by enforcing rules in the classroom. Students know they have to strive to get their clips pulled up so that they earn pride paws at the end of the week for each color they are on.

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

PPAT TASK 1: KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENT AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Amber Jordan ECED 461: PIN/Kindergarten/Davis 13

b. Describe one example of a technology rule or procedure. Explain how the rule or procedure facilitates instruction, enhances student learning, or impacts the learning environment. One technology procedure that is used in the classroom is the use of the SMART Board for morning activities. Each morning the class has a procedure of singing songs to help learn the alphabet, the letter of the week, counting to 100, and also monthly themed songs such as Valentines Day songs. This procedure is done every day after eating breakfast. These songs enhance student learning and impacts the learning environment by giving the students a different way of learning in the classroom. The students enjoy singing and being able to hear a rhythm or rap to go along with learning the alphabet, letter of the week, and counting to 100. c. Describe one example of a behavior management rule or procedure. Explain how the rule or procedure facilitates instruction, enhances student learning, or impacts the learning environment. The behavior management clip chart enhances students awareness of their choices and maintains a positive learning environment. The students are held accountable for their choices and have expectations throughout the day. The students behaviors are recorded on their behavioral chart in their folders each day by the teacher. Students have smiley faces that are colored with whatever color they have been placed on for that day. They are then expected to return these sheets every morning with their parents signature. This allows the students to be aware of their choices and are more likely to make good choices for the next day. Students are reminded each morning to make good choices so that their clips are pulled up.

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment

PPAT TASK 1: KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENT AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Amber Jordan ECED 461: PIN/Kindergarten/Davis 14

Class Behavior Chart

TASK 1: Knowledge of Student Learning and Learning Environment