Joseph Crowley
Domain 5:
Diversity
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The candidate presents artifacts and accompanying descriptions that demonstrate his or her ability to create inclusive learning environments where all students are afforded access to rigorous college- and career-ready standards.
NCTE Standard 5: Professional
Responsibility of ELA Teachers
InTASC Standard 1(e): The teacher understands that each learner’s cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical development influences learning and knows how to make instructional decisions that build on learners’ strengths and needs.
InTASC Standard 2(j): The teacher understands that learners bring assets for learning based on their individual experiences, abilities, talents, prior learning, and peer and social group interactions, as well as language, culture, family, and community values
InTASC Standard 2(m): The teacher respects learners as individuals with differing personal and family backgrounds and various skills, abilities, perspectives, talents, and interests.
Candidates plan instruction and design assessments for reading and the study of literature to promote learning for all students.
see this for appropriate standards for this artifact: https://ncte.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2021_NCTE_Standards.pdf
and
https://ccsso.org/sites/default/files/2017-11/InTASC_Model_Core_Teaching_Standards_2011.pdf
and
https://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Teaching/Educator-Equity/Ohio-s-Educator-Standards/TeachingProfessionStandards.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US
NCTE Standard 5.3: Candidates apply and demonstrate knowledge in collaboration with learners, families, colleagues, and ELA-related learning communities
Ohio State Standard 6(b): Teachers share responsibility with parents and caregivers to support student learning, emotional and physical development and mental health.
Description
These two artifacts are reflections of my two diverse field placement experiences. The first artifact discusses my twelve hours of volunteer work in the Sycamore Center where I supervised and assisted in teaching children in afterschool activities for two hours a day. My typical duties at the center required me to look after children as they played and ensured that they were paying attention while being taught Bible stories or other subjects like math or gardening. The other artifact reflects on the eleven one-hour-long tutoring sessions with my little brother, Max (they were typically one hour, but two sessions were only thirty minutes). I would teach Max how to write paragraphs, and grammar using a textbook called Building with Diligence, and I would assist him with homework. Each artifact includes pictures of me at the Sycamore Center and tutoring Max and a sign-up sheet from an advisor from the Sycamore Center and Max’s mother, Maria Crowley, to confirm my presence at each event. I also included some written work Max completed during our tutoring.
Implications
These artifacts demonstrate my ability to recognize diversity within students and create an accompanying learning environment tailored to their needs. I understand that every student is unique, and each child has different needs that my instruction must accommodate. They show my understanding and cooperation with a diverse community of students, and my respect for students as individuals who deserve my full respect and attention. I use my knowledge of my students and the school community to adjust and redesign my lessons and teaching. I show how I can contact parents to discuss how they would prefer their child be instructed, and tailor new assignments to improve their grades or skills. Lastly, I can participate in new activities to improve student retention.
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I gained two equally valuable experiences while working within a classroom and individually tutoring during my diverse fieldwork. My work in the Sycamore Center taught me how to control a classroom while recognizing each student as an individual, and it showed me how to respect the community and cultures of my students. I understand that an effective learning environment is when students are treated and respected as people who are different from one another. I also learned how knowing about a student's interest can improve their learning from my tutoring with Max. Designing lessons and activities around subjects and topics that capture students' attention can increase their engagement in learning. It is important not to view students as one collective whole, and my diverse field experience helped me understand how to address students individually in my instruction.