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Masters of Early Childhood EducationCareer E-Portfolio NarrativeAmy Foster-WestgarthKennesaw State UniversityIntroductionAs this Master’s program comes to an end, I am excited to look back on all the knowledge I have gained. I was nervous beginning the program, as we were moving to a new town, and I was going to be teaching at a new school. This program has helped me grow as a teacher, and has also helped me in gaining professional relationships. I have found myself trying new instructional strategies and then sharing with my team. We hear of people doing research all of the time, and we wonder when they have time to do it all. When I found out we would be completing an action research project, I couldn’t help but wonder when I would have the time to do something like this, and how it would benefit me as a teacher. Upon completing our Action Research project I realized how much I gained from it. It allowed me to look at my students in different aspects and showed me the strengths and weaknesses in my classroom. I am now able to conduct my own research to make sure I am following the best practices in my classroom. Even though our program is ending, I will continue to grow as an educator. I will continue to try new instructional strategies in the classroom and analyze the results to support student learning. By continuing my education, it will show my students the importance of life-long learning. Subject Matter ExpertI am confident that I possess broad, current, and specialized knowledge of subject matter. A few teachers at our school participated in STEM day. My school is currently trying to provide more opportunities for students to be involved with the STEM process. I created a PowerPoint that introduced the process to my students as well as the guidelines. Throughout this program, I have had many opportunities to demonstrate this knowledge to colleagues, parents, and students. In my first grade classroom, I send a weekly newsletter home to not only inform parents of upcoming events and homework, but to also inform them of our weekly curriculum. As a member of our school literacy team I am also involved in creating curriculum maps. We come together before the beginning of each nine weeks and use our knowledge of subject matter to review past curriculum maps and produce current ones. All of these examples show I possess current and broad knowledge of subject matter. Upon the completion of this program I possess an interdisciplinary understanding of curriculum and its applications to real life. As we learned about Historical Figures in Social Studies this year, the first grade teachers put together Colonial Day. Each classroom was a different activity. We had a laundry room with a bucket and wash board, we had ink and feather pens, colonial toys, teachers were dressed as you would in the colonial days, and many more. Part of this standard is to compare life between now and then. Being a part of this program and as first grade lead, I felt this would be a great in house real life activity to help support student learning and represent understanding through use of multiple explanation, technologies, and strategies. My class website is a great way for parents to be a part of their child’s learning. On my website, I have linked activities depending on our weekly content to provide review. As part of my courses, I was to create a thematic unit. During this unit, my students were exposed to many different technologies. Students were able to complete a webquest, independently research, and use different programs to create books to show what they learned. In my gifted courses, I was given the opportunity to create a learning contract to help support student learning. As a master of education, I have created many strategies for students and myself to represent understanding of the curriculum.Due to this Master’s program, I possess strong pedagogical content knowledge. I have used this knowledge to create approaches to instructional challenges. The case study I completed allowed me to work with an ESOL student. Working closely with this student to complete the case study allowed me to use multiple teaching strategies to help support comprehension. The Impact on Student Learning Assignment also allowed me to create approaches to instructional challenges. After giving a pretest and posttest, I was able to analyze my data and provide enrichment and remediation opportunities for all of my students. The tiered lesson was a great way to use knowledge gained through this program to create opportunities to support instructional challenges. Students were given opportunities to show understanding on three different levels: below, average, and gifted. Using the pedagogical content knowledge I have gained in this program, has allowed me to grow as an educator. Throughout this Master’s program I have seen the importance of interdisciplinary understanding through instruction. My Action Research was a great example that proved instruction that is integrated, flexible, elaborate, and deep can positively support student learning. This Economics unit was a Project Based Learning activity that integrated Reading, Writing, Social Studies, and Math. My Gifted Impact on Student Learning Activity was another example provided through this program that proved integration across the curriculum positively impacts student learning. During this activity I was able to compare gifted and non-gifted students, as well as see the difference between student led learning and teacher led learning. Not only did creating the Thematic Unit provide many opportunities to use different forms of technology, but it also showed how integrating Literature and Social Studies can provide many flexible opportunities to elaborate and deepen student understanding. Integrating across the curriculum allows my students to take away meaningful lessons from the classroom. Facilitator of LearningA master of education should demonstrate that she is a facilitator of learning in her field. In doing this I should treat students equitably, respect individual differences, and adjust practices accordingly. During this program, I created several projects that forced me to look deeper into diverse cultures. My family values project allowed me to research Middle Eastern families. After completing this project and reading others, I gained knowledge on how to adjust practices in the classroom to respect these diverse cultures our classes are made of. The global teaching project, also created in this program, allowed me to find ways to involve our community and school in culturally rich programs and activities, so all students are seen as equals yet differences are respected. While completing ELL field experience, I was able to work with a student whose cultural barriers hindered comprehension skills. While working with this student I was able to adjust practices in the classroom and help this student succeed. This Master’s program has guided my understanding of human development and learning and has helped me use this understanding to create enriching educational experiences for all students. In completing my Case Study, I was able to understand how he learned and I was able to relate this to other diverse students in my classroom. I was able to find his strengths and weaknesses and work with him on both. When completing my gifted reflection and my identifying gifted learners paper, I was able to gain a deeper knowledge on how the gifted mind works as well as how to identify gifted learners in my classroom. I was able to learn the problems that come with identifying gifted students and the importance of being able to identify gifted students. I gained a deeper understanding on how to teach these students so they were able to get the most out of being in a diverse classroom. As an educator it is important to create a safe, well managed, supportive, inclusive, and challenging learning environment for all students. In order to provide this in my classroom I have an open communication policy with parents. At the very beginning of the year parents are given a copy of my behavior plan. This plan is also posted on my class website and is accessible at all time. I also use Class Dojo in the classroom. This is a great way to keep a well-managed classroom, as well as parents involved in their child’s day. Since parents can access this at any time and send messages throughout the day, it is a great way to gain parental support. To provide a challenging learning environment, I send home an Enrichment Homework Calendar that provides a variety of activities related to the monthly standards than students can complete at their own pace. I also use choice boards in my classroom allowing independent learning to take place. A facilitator of learning must use multiple methods, technologies, resources, and organizational arrangements to meet goals for students and overall school improvement plan. Throughout this program I have completed activities that have allowed me to implement this in my classroom. One activity is the Gifted Unit. This unit used many methods such as small group, whole group, independent activities, think pair share, hands-on activities, learning contracts, and technology integration in order for students to meet the standard. The majority of lessons I teach allow students to gain understanding using many different learning methods. In the program’s Math class I created a Math Lesson Plan that allowed me to find strengths and weaknesses in my students. After analyzing results I was able to form math groups that allowed us to remediate and extend. To meet goals and school improvement plans, teachers must use multiple methods, technologies, and resources in the classroom.This Master’s program has also helped me understand the importance of monitoring student progress with formal and informal evaluation and use the results to improve student learning. This year I implemented Academic Alerts in my classroom. This was an evaluation over skills being taught each nine weeks. These were sent home every four and a half weeks and allowed parents, as well as myself, to see the progress students were making. This also helped us see where some were still struggling and that needed extra support. My school uses DIBELS to monitor student growth in reading. I use this program to monitor progress weekly. The results allow us to see what reading groups students should be placed in to improve their learning. As a team the first grade teachers create common assessments with rubrics so that we stay consistent in our grading. This math assessment was created for use in the middle of a unit. After reviewing results we formed math groups to enrich and remediate. A master of education must monitor student progress in multiple ways, and then reflect on this to improve student learning. As a facilitator of learning it is important to be accountable to multiple audiences. It is also important to accurately interpret data and communicate the results. I believe that communication is a very strong part of a successful classroom, and because of this, I have many procedures that take place in my classroom. As I meet with parents, conference notes are taken on strengths and weaknesses. These notes are brought back out at each conference. We are able to see the growth that students have made and we are also able to see where they still need support. I am accountable not only to my student’s parents, but also to my Data Team. We meet every two weeks and discuss progress of students that are tiered or that we may feel need to be tiered. We interpret individual student data in order to set goals for each student. Data team notes from our meetings are sent to administrators. In order to communicate these goals with students we have weekly goal charts that get sent home every Friday to be signed and returned to school. Parents are also sent report cards at the end of each nine weeks, so they can see the progress of their child. Being accountable to fellow teachers, parents, and students helps us reach our classroom and school goals. ? Collaborative ProfessionalAs a collaborative professional it is my responsibility to collaborate with colleagues, parents, and other professionals to strengthen school effectiveness, to advance knowledge, and to influence policy and practice. One way I have collaborated to strengthen overall school effectiveness is through working with a group of team leaders to write our School Improvement Plan. This team consisted of administrators, school improvement specialist, parent involvement coordinator, and teachers. Our school Leadership Team meets every couple weeks. This team comes together to discuss any concerns teachers or administrators may have. I am one of the two first grade representatives. After these meetings, we meet with our grade level and share any notes from the meeting. As a grade level, our team comes together once a week and creates lesson plans for the following week. We break up the subjects and everyone brings their part. My final piece of evidence that shows my responsibility to collaborate is our unpacking the standards project in this program. I worked with a group of first grade teachers to gain a greater knowledge of our standards. Collaborating with other professional and being a part of school leadership teams have allowed me to become a stronger educator. Educators must reflect regularly upon daily practice, and use our experience and the professional literature to design and conduct research that improves student success. I have had many opportunities throughout this program to fulfill this. My literature review allowed me to review research on Project Based Learning, and helped guide my action research. My gifted paper allowed me to research studies, and reflect on my own teaching practices. It also guided me in identifying gifted learners as well as ways to serve them. My text analysis allowed me to reflect on literature I used in the classroom. I now make sure I am providing diverse literature to enhance my teaching. Reflecting on daily practices to conduct research has helped me grow as a master of education. A collaborative professional must proactively involve and lead parents and other members of the community in support of instruction and education. I have done many things in my classroom to make sure parents feel like they are involved in their child’s learning. I send home weekly newsletters with any reminders for the upcoming weeks. I include ways they can support their child’s learning at home as well. Our school also sends a monthly newsletter home letting parents and community members know what is going on in our school and also inviting them into our school. This builds a strong and supportive relationship with the school and the community. This year I was recognized for building relationships with my students, parents, and the community, and for my leadership skills by being awarded Teacher of the Month. As a master of education I believe involving parents and the community can positively impact the classroom.As a master of education, it is important to continue professional development throughout the year. I am a member of the Professional Association of Georgia Educators. Being a member provides me with many opportunities that benefit me as an educator. Mentoring new staff is another way I show this. I have had many new teachers shadow me this year. I also had the opportunity to mentor a high school intern this year. She was in my classroom three days a week and I felt it was a great opportunity to reflect on my teaching practices. Another form of professional development that I am involved with is this Master’s program at Kennesaw State University. This program has allowed me to better my teachings and grow as an educator. As an educator it is important that I adhere to professional ethical standards while reporting, conducting, and publishing research. As part of this course, I had to take the CITI online training before beginning my action research. During my action research, I was very careful in order to not give out any information on my students. I changed their names to numbers and used pseudonyms where they were needed. I sent home permission to publish forms with all of my students. This allowed me to use student work and student pictures in my research. As a master of education it is important to collaborate with teachers, parents, and the community to make sure our students are getting the best possible education. ConclusionEarning my Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and my Gifted Endorsement from Kennesaw State University has provided to be very beneficial towards my career. In all of the knowledge I have gained, I am confident that I am a subject matter expert that possesses current and broad pedagogical knowledge that allows me to overcome instructional challenges, as well as integrate throughout the curriculum in a meaningful way. I am a facilitator of learning that is accountable to her students and school, and I respect and understand individual differences. I provide a safe, challenging, and supportive learning environment that uses multiple methods, technologies, and resources to improve student learning. I am a collaborative professional that works with others to ensure I am using best practices in my classroom. Teaching is my passion, and I will continue to use what I have learned, as well as further my knowledge in the education field. ................
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