Showcase of Graduate Work
The following is a showcase of my work that was completed during my Master of Arts in Education program at Michigan State University. The examples you see here highlight important skills that I learned throughout the program. To view each detailed piece of work, click on its title. The work falls into three overarching themes that emerged in my coursework: Literacy Instruction, Creating a Successful Learning Environment, and Lifelong Learning.
Literacy Instruction
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This project outlines my analysis of literacy assessments for two students. This paper highlights my ability to deeply analyze literacy assessments and create academic goals for a student based on the information gleaned from the analysis.
Literacy Learner Analysis Project
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This project is a detailed analysis of my work with one student in assessing his literacy needs. This project shows my ability to deeply analyze a student’s literacy abilities, create lesson plans based on that analysis to help the student reach academic goals, and provide academic recommendations for the student’s parents and other teachers.
Language Arts Unit Plan Overview
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Here is an outline for a first grade Language Arts unit plan on reading comprehension. The unit plan includes 10 lessons and exemplifies my ability to create an entire literacy unit including common core state standards, clear academic objectives, strategies for assessing student knowledge, and rationale for instructional choices.
Creating a Successful Learning Environment
Evaluation of Classroom Management
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This application activity contains a table of information which outlines my understanding and philosophy of classroom management. The table also shows my curiosities about classroom management and a plan for learning new strategies. This exemplifies my ability to reflect on my classroom management skills and improve upon my strategies to create a successful learning environment.
Classroom Management Reflection
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This paper is a reflection on classroom management after watching a video of a speaker/educator. The essay outlines my stance on classroom management and exemplifies my understanding of the important role the adult has in creating a successful learning environment for students. Two major themes discussed here are the use of proactive discipline and positive reinforcement.
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This project paints a detailed picture of my plan for creating a classroom environment that helps all students meet success. This paper highlights the importance of having a well-organized and carefully thought-out classroom management plan along with research and rationale. Details of this plan include an outline of the classroom’s physical arrangement, strategies for creating positive teacher-student relationships and peer relationships, classroom rules and procedures, and behavior management plans.
Lifelong Learning
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This paper discusses the concept of teacher inquiry- a form of classroom-based research that teachers are using as a new form of professional development. This type of inquiry can serve many purposes for a teacher including assessing personal teaching practices and solving problems that often occur in the educational world. This paper shows my understanding of the importance of observation and reflection as an educator.
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This document is a professional reflection on my views of comprehensive literacy instruction and how I can use my knowledge to improve upon my current literacy practices. This essay highlights the importance of continually assessing student progress and utilizing research-based best practices for literacy instruction.