The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
Artifact:100 Books in 100 Days
Dates: Fall of 2009
Rationale: During my student teaching semester, I created a reading challenge called “100 Books in 100 Days” and challenged the students to read 100 books during my student teaching semester. This is one example of a way I would motivate students in learning. I believe that engaging students in creative, fun ways stimulates interest in learning.
Rationale: South Lyon Community Schools embraces “Habits of Mind” that include learning behaviors, teamwork, initiative, and work habits. During my student teaching semester, I created a poster for our classroom to remind students of the habits of mind they should be practicing every day. I also sat on the “Habits of Mind” teacher committee and helped developed a monthly school-wide program to encourage students to demonstrate a featured habit of mind. I designed the slips that teachers used to nominate students.
Rationale: : During my long-term guest teaching job in 5th grade, I had a number of students with behavior issues. Accordingly, I had to design daily behavior plans to aid students in improving their behavior and to ensure a safe classroom environment. I am including these in my portfolio as evidence of my ability to manage classroom behavior and create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
Rationale: In the winter of 2005, I took my first class in the teacher education program at EasternMichiganUniversity. This class was a "physics for elementary teachers" class and my professor, Dr. Bonnie Wylo, was constantly modeling great physics demos in class. I in turn would come home and do the demos and experiments with my kids and sometimes the neighbors as well. As I watched my kids and the neighbors actively engaged in "learning" after school with enthusiasm and without even knowing they were learning, a light bulb went off in my head that maybe other kids would like to do these fun activities after school as well. Shortly thereafter, my first after school event was born...the "Hardy Science Club." I chose to include this information in my portfolio because I feel it demonstrates my commitment to encourage kids to be self-motivated to become lifelong learners and my dedication to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction and active engagement in learning. Click here to read more about my after school programs.
I have now run after school programs for four years ranging from reading, writing, community service, math and science for grades K-5. My programs include: science club (gr. 3-5), "Young Scientist's Day" (gr. K-1), "Math Around the World" (gr. 3-5), "Adopt a Grandfriend" (gr. 2-3), "Jammin' with Geometry" (gr. 1-2), "I Scream for Books" (gr. 1-2), "Build-a-(game)Board Workshop" (gr. 3-5), and "Multiplication On Safari (gr. 3-4). In total I have worked with 197 different students in my after school programs. Nothing brings me greater joy than to see these kids voluntarily come after school to engage in more learning!
