RunningHead:PILLARSOFPRACTICE

BuildingPillarsofPractice

anMATCSynthesisPaper

Inpartialfulfillmentoftherequirementsforthe
MasterofArtsDegreeinCurriculumandTeaching
DepartmentofTeacherEducation,MichiganStateUniversity

CoreyK.Kapolka
PIDA36397556
July2016

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Introduction
IbeganmyteachingcareerandtheMATCprogramasaWoodrowWilsonSTEMTeaching
Fellow.TheWoodrowWilsonprogramatMSUpreparescareerchangingindividualswithan
acceleratedpathtoteachingsecondarymathorscienceandsupportinearninganMATCdegreeasthey
begintheirteachingcareers.PriortomyFellowship,IcompletedaMaster'sdegreeinPlantBiology
andworkedasaresearchscientist.Isoughttomakeadifferenceinhighneedschoolswithmycontent
expertiseandidealsforscienceeducationnotauniquecircumstanceamonglatecomerstothe
profession,butausefulreferencepointformypersonalevolutionasateacher.
MyfirstsalariedteachingpositionhasbeenataDetroitcharterschoolthatusessixcharacter
'Pillars'toguidethepersonalandacademicdevelopmentofitsstudents.Ifindthemtobeappropriate
startingpointsfordiscussingeducationalgoalsingeneral,andhaveselectedseveralwithwhichI
identifymosttoserveasmyguidepostshere.My
CommitmenttoHighQuality
isbornfrommy
researchcareer,andinformsmypersonalstandardsformyteaching.TeachinginDetroitrequires
MaintainingSocialConsciousness
tobeabletobuildrelationshipswithmystudents,whohaveawide
varietyofdifferentbackgroundsthatareallquitedifferentfrommine.Lastly,Ihavecollaboratedwith
numerousteachersintheMATCprogramandmyschoolwhohavegivenmeanappreciationforthe
importanceof
Cooperation
ineffectiveteaching.Theremainingthreepillars
Grit,Integrity,
and
Accountability
willnotbeusedhere.
WhenIbeganteachingatmycurrentschool,IdidnotappreciatetheusefulnessofthePillars
formyowndevelopmentandtreatedthemastalkingpointsforlifelessonswithmystudents.With
perspectiveofmyteachingoverthecourseofthepasttwoyears,however,Inowrecognizehowuseful
theseconceptsareastoolsforreflection.Werequireourhomeroomstudentstoreflectupontheir
experienceeachsemesterwithreflectionsforeachPillar,andIfinditfittingandonlyfairthatIdothe

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same.ForthethreePillarsidentifiedabove,Iwilloutlinetheirpersonalsignificanceandpresent
evidenceofmygrowthineachareathroughartifactsfrommyearlyteachingcareer.

PillarsofPractice
ACommitmenttoHighQuality
Highqualityteachingcanappearinmanyformsdependingonschoolcontext.Myexperiences
teachinginmyinternshipandfirstformalpositionhaverequiredverydifferentapproachesto
successfullyleadmydiversityofstudents,andIhaveneededtodevoteconsiderabletimetodeveloping
highqualityplansandmethods.Planningappropriateunitsandlessonsthatengageandenrichmy
studentsisapriorityofmyteaching,alongwithreflectiononthoselessonstoimprovemyqualityof
instructionandstudentlearningoutcomes.Ihavepersonallydevelopedmanylessonsformy
curriculum,andIhavefoundthatmyhighestqualityworktendstobeproducedwithfeedbackfrom
peerteachersorincollaborationwiththem.
Throughoutmyteacherpreparationandfirstyearofteaching,Ipreparedunitplansandlesson
plansdesignedaroundtheNextGenerationScienceStandardsandMichiganScienceStandards.A
modelunitplanwithlessonsdevelopedforTE802thatIusedduringmyinternshipIhaveincludedin
myportfolioasArtifact1.Theselessonsencouragestudentinquiryandapplicationofnewknowledge,
andincludeseveralmethodsofassessingstudentunderstandingwhichhelpmetoassessandrespondto
studentprogress.Ifrequentlyfindmyselfmodifyinglessonsfromclasstoclassandupdatingplans
afterschooltobetteraccommodatestudentlearninginthefuture.Ihavefoundthathighquality
teachingrequiresnotonlyextensivepreparation,butalsoawillingnesstolearnandchangeinresponse
totheneedsofmystudents.

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ReflectiononmyteachinghasbeenaconsistentreminderofhowIcanimprovemyinstruction
andqualityofexperiencesformystudents.Contentknowledge,afterall,isonlyasusefulasmy
methodsofimpartingthatknowledgetomystudents.IhavefoundthatImustfrequentlymodify
activitiestoaddressdiversestudentabilities,andstudentscanbemybestresourceindeveloping
differentiatedexperiencesbyprodingthemwithopportunitiestomaketheirownmodificationstoour
activities.Asanexample:WhilecompletingaDNAextractionlab,somestudentsaskedtotry
extractingDNAfromothermaterialsthanwhatwasinitiallyprovided,andattemptedtocalculatethe
densityofDNAineachsample(seeArtifact2).Theirsuggestionsimprovedthequalityoftheirown
experienceswiththelessonaswellasthoseoffuturestudentsafterImodifiedmyplanstobeusedthe
nextyear.Wheneverpossible,Inowgivestudentsfreedomtosuggesttheirownapproachestoaproject
oraddtoanexperimenttoencouragepersonalinvestmentintheirlearning.
Inadditiontoformativeadjustmentstolessons,TE801preparedmeforformalreflectionon
teachingmethods.Oneofmymostvaluableexperiencesinreflectingonmyearlyteachingutilized
videoofalessonthatallowedformetoanswerseveralprobingquestionsabouttheeffectivenessabout
myownteachingthroughreviewofmyrecording(seeArtifact3).Devotingtimetoreflectiononmy
effectivenessandhowwellmyteachingalignswithbestpracticeshasbeenimportanttobuildingmy
classroomroutinesandhighqualityinstruction.Ihavecontinuedtoreflectweeklyonteaching
practiceswithmyplanningpartnerandinfrequentlywithapeergroupofteacherswhorecordlessons
tosharewiththegroup.

MaintainingSocialConsciousness
OneofthefirstcoursesIcompletedwithmycohortwasTE822IssuesofCulturein
ClassroomandCurriculum.Weexploredissuesofrace,poverty,andsocialjusticetoprepareusforour

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agreementtoteachinhighneedschoolsforthefirstthreeyearsofourcareers.Ihadtocometoterms
withmyinexperiencewithraciallydiverseschoolsandmyroleininstitutionalizedracism.Artifact4is
anexplorationofmyownracialbackgroundandculture,andareflectiononhowthosecanaffectmy
expectationsasateacher.Highneedschoolsarelargelypopulatedbystudentsofminorityracial
groups,whileidealisticyoungteacherswhothinktheyaregoingtomakeadifferencethrough
educationarepredominantlywhite.Ibegantowonder:whatkindofdifferencecanweactuallymakeif
wecontinuetoperpetuateracialnormsinthemostvulnerableschoolsinourcommunities?WhatcanI
asaWhitemaleteacherinanurbanLatinoorBlackschooldotopromoteintegrationandracial
equalityamongouryoungpopulation?
Wealsoexploredhowteacherscanbesociallyconsciousandresponsibleintheplanningof
lessons.Fartoooften,materialspreparedforsecondarysciencecoursesarewrittenfromthe
perspectiveofmiddleclasWhitecommunities.Studentsareexpectedtobefamiliarwithsomenatural
communities,tohaveseenadarknightsky,andtohavelearnedaboutthediversityoflifeinzoosor
books.Manyurbanstudentshavenothadthoseexperiences.Forustopreparelessonsthatspeaktothe
experiencesofourstudents,wemustincorporatetheirowncultureandcommunities.Ihaveincludedas
Artifact5amulticulturallessonplanthatguidesstudentsinDetroitthroughneighborhoodsinthecity
tolearnaboutwhat
environments
areintheircityandhowhumanshaveimpactedthem.
Ianticipatedteachingaraciallydiversegroupofstudents,buttheentirestudentbodyofmyfirst
schoolacharterhighschoolinDetroitwasAfricanAmerican.Segregationisaliveandwellin
Michiganschools,whereWhiteteachersdriveintoDetroittoteachBlackstudentswhiletheirchildren
gotoschoolinRoyalOakorBirmingham.Iamnotexemptfrommyowncriticismduringtheschool
yearIlivedjustnorthof10mileandcommuteddownWoodwardorI75.Acknowledgingmyimplicit
roleswasimportantformetobecomecomfortableleadingmyclasses,becausemystudentsunderstood

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thatmostoftheirteacherswerecomingintotheircommunityasoutsiders.Learningdaytodayabout
theirneighborhoodsandwhattheirliveswerelikewasavaluablemethodformetobuildrelationships
andgraduallybecomeamemberofthecommunity.
Theunfortunaterealityofourschoolisthatteachersandadministratorsarehiredandleavewith
alarmingregularity.Ofthesevenscienceteacherswhobeganthe201415schoolyear,tworemainedat
thebeginningofthe201516year.Duringonethreeyearspan,fivedifferentprincipalsledthehigh
school.IhadtoreassurestudentsthatIwaswiththemfortheyearwhilestrugglingtoremainsureof
thatfactundertheweightthatcomeswithfirstyearteaching.Ibegantounderstandbetterwhymy
studentswereatsuchaneducationaldisadvantagerelativetosuburbanstudents:therewasaglaring
lackofaninstitutionalidentitythatoftencomesfromveteranteachersandadministrators,andnew
teachershavedifficultyadjustingtotheneedsoftheirstudentsandidentifyinghowtheycanmodify
existinglessonsfortheirabilitiesandmotivations.
Toaddressthisneed,IproposedaresearchstudyasacomponentofTE861thatwouldassess
therelativeeffectivenessofdifferentformsofformativeassessmentinelicitingstudentideasand
understanding.ThisstudyisincludedinmyportfolioasArtifact6.Iwantedtohaveroutinesinplaceto
regularlycheckforstudentmasterywhileavoidingfrustrationandresignationthatcancomefrom
pushingstudentsintounfamiliaroruncomfortabletasks(e.g.independentcriticalanalysis).Studying
whatisandisnoteffectiveindifferentschoolcontextsisaneffectiveapproachtobuildingsocially
consciousapproachestoteachingstudentscriticalcontentintheircommunity.
Conductingstudiesandgatheringdataabouttheeffectivenessofdifferentteachingmethods
withinourschoolcontextcouldgiveourscienceteachersabetterfoundationuponwhichtheycan
buildtheirlessons.Sociallyconsciousteachersdowhattheycantounderstandtheirstudentsandtheir
motivations,andgatheringdatathroughactionresearchandclassroomobservationsareavaluable

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methodofbuildingunderstanding.Overtime,enoughdatacouldbegatheredbycooperatingteachers
tobuildacohesivesciencecurriculumthataccountsforthebackgroundsandneedsofourstudents.

BuildingCooperation
ObservingpeerteachersandcollaboratingonimprovinginstructionthroughProfessional
LearningCommunities(PLCs)inMSUsinternshipprogrampushedmeintothehabitofseekingout
andstealingbestpracticesfromotherteachersatmyschool.Ihadgrownintoanobstinantconfidence
inmyownabilitiesasabiologistbeforeteaching,andIhadtoteardownsomeofmybeliefsabout
myselftobeabletoacknowledgemyflawsandworktowardsimprovingthem.MyFallevaluationwas
abysmal,astiffshottotheegothatmademereevaluatehowIwasspendingmytimeandapproaching
myinstruction.Iwastryingtoteachinamannerthatwaseffectiveatmyinternshipschool,butwasnot
appropriateformycurrentstudents.
Iwasnotprovidedwithamentorthroughmyschool,butIdidhaveaplanningpartnerwhohad
twoyearsofteachingexperiencepriortothatschoolyear.Ibeganleaningonhermorefollowingmy
evaluation,andspentoneprepeachweekworkingwithheronourcurriculum.Weusedoneunified
curriculumfortheremainderoftheyear,whichwasnotalwaysaperfectarrangementbutkeptme
afloatlongenoughtoregainmyfooting.WecollaboratedonourannualStudentLearningObjectives
(SLOs),adocumentthatguidedourunitsandoverallgoalsforourstudents(SeeArtifact7)Iturnedto
myassistantprincipal,whohaddonemyevaluation,formanagementanddisciplineguidance,and
addedaninductioncoachfortheoccasionalsageadvice.Isurroundedmyselfwithteachersinsimilar
situationsasmine,testingtheirideasandtakingeffectiveroutinesandclassroomideasintomy
repertoire.
Gradually,myimprovementcame.Myclassroomroutinesbecamealignedwiththoseofother

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teachers,providingstudentswithcomfortableconsistency.Iregainedmyconfidencebythetimeof
myformalSpringevaluationandmadeadramaticjumpinmyoverallscores.Icouldattributethe
changetotheclassesthatwereobserved,myacclimationtotheschool,orthelessonsIprepared,but
thesefactorscanallbetracedbacktothecollaborationsthatemergedwhenIletmyselfbeanoviceand
learnfromwhatmypeerscouldofferinsupport.

Synthesis
BuildingmyPillarsofPracticehastakenseveralyearsandcountlesshoursofplanningand
teaching.Achievinghighqualityresultshasbeenelusiveattimes.Beingculturallycompetenthasbeen
astruggle.Findingcollaboratorsatanewschoolwithoutamentorwasalongprocess.These
challengeshaveweighedmedownandpushedmetobecomeateacherthatIdidnotknowIcouldbe,
andovercomingthemhasbeenatransformativeexperiencethatIexpectwillcontinuefortherestof
myteachingcareer.
TheartifactsIhavereferencedanddiscussedhereareonlyasmallpieceofwhatIhave
producedandexperiencedasaWoodrowWilsonFellowandmemberoftheMATCprogram.Theyare,
Ihope,usefulinsightsintohowIhavegrownfromidealisticresearcherintocommittedurbaneducator.
UponreflectiononmyexperiencesintheMSUteachereducationprogramandselectionofartifacts,it
isclearthatbecomingculturallyconscioushasbeenmygreatestareaofgrowth.Ididnotfully
understandthestrugglesurbaneducatorshaveincultivatingalearningcommunityamongtheir
studentsuntilIfoundmyselfintheirposition,andmyinstructorsandreflectiveactivitieswere
invaluableresourcesfornavigatingmyfirstyear.