Showcase
On this page, you will find a partial collection of the work that I have accomplished while completing my Master of Arts in Education (MAED) degree through Michigan State University (MSU). As I began to collect pieces of my proudest work to add to this collection, I noticed that certain themes became present. These themes have helped me to categorize my work into three main categories:
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1. Understanding Unique Learners
2. Diversity & Inclusion
3. Classroom Management & Relationships
I find it important to understand unique learners because they are present in every classroom regardless of the location, age group, etc. Diversity and inclusion goes hand-in-hand with this idea. Diversity can be found in every school district and it is important as an educator to celebrate that diversity and encourage inclusion. Finally, in order to be successful in relating to my students and encouraging acceptance in my classroom, I need to have the ability to manage my classroom and to build strong relationships. These categories help, not only to summarize my learning experience, but also to summarize my priorities as an educator.
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Click on the title in each green box below to view these documents in their entirety.
Understanding Unique Learners
When I created this presentation, the purpose was to learn about Peer-to-Peer programs in school. I had volunteered to co-teach the Peer-to-Peer course in my school building, but with no special education degree, I had no idea where to start. More importantly, I wanted to understand how this program would be beneficial to students with autism and to their peers who would work closely with them. By creating this presentation, I was able to see the ways in which I could help my students and my school building by being a part of the Peer-to-Peer program. This presentation showcases my understanding of peer-to-peer programs and the ways in which they can benefit students and schools.
While creating this presentation, the goal was to learn about a disability within my classroom that I had little to no experience with called sensory processing disorder. Through the research that I completed I was able to learn more about what this disorder was and about what causes it. I was also able to learn how to professionally approach getting help for students who struggle with sensory processing disorder. This presentation showcases my ability to learn more about my students and to use what I learn to help them.
The purpose of this essay was to focus in on one case study student as well as one literacy skill that this student could use additional instruction with. In order to complete this paper I went through the process of assessing the student, planning lessons based on my assessments, and creating a text set to meet the students needs and interests. I appreciated the process of this paper because it encouraged me to find new ways to help individual students and it also allowed me to spend time working one-on-one with students. This essay showcases my ability to find appropriate interventions for students and to offer individualized instruction.
Diversity and Inclusion
The purpose of this essay was to define what the word "relatability" means when it comes to literature. Through the process of writing this paper, I was able to define relatability and I was also able to discuss how I prioritize that quality in my classroom. In the end, I came to the conclusion that relatability is essential, but it is also important to push students outside of what they know so that they can experience diversity. This essay showcases my ability to keep an open mind as an educator and to expose my students to diverse materials.
This essay was both challenging and eye-opening for me. The goal of the essay, was to try to understand someone's words and actions through the lens of their culture (a culture that was diverse from my own). I found this essay to be challenging because I had to break away from my own cultural beliefs in order to change how I viewed a character in the film Whale Rider. I found this essay to be eye-opening because it forced me to do what I encourage my students to do all the time: put themselves in someone else's shoes and view things from a different lens. This paper showcases my ability to learn from others and remain open-minded as an educator.
I am extremely proud of all that I learned and was able to reflect upon through writing this particular essay. In this essay, I discuss my stance on literature in the classroom and how my opinions have changed through the reading of certain novels, articles, etc. In the end, I come to the conclusion that the literature I read personally and the literature that I introduce to my students should be diverse, enlightening, bold, and should encourage empathy. This essay showcases my ability to introduce my students to diversity to encourage their learning beyond academic content.
Classroom Management and Relationships
For this project, I was offered several different topics to research. I chose to create a plan for classroom management because it was something that I could apply immediately in my own classroom. While working on this project, I used a variety of resources to give myself a well-rounded view of classroom management. In the end, I focused on five main factors of classroom management: student relationships, classroom expectations, student motivation, family communication/involvement, and trauma-informed teaching. This project showcases my ability to identify areas in my teaching that could be improved upon, as well as creating a plan to work on those improvements.
Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support (PBIS) was a system of both schoolwide and classroom behavior management that I was very interested in learning about. I have a strong belief in creating clear expectations for my students, but also in keeping our expectations positive. Learning about this system of behavior management helped me to apply these beliefs and strategies within my own school building and classroom. I was also given the opportunity to collaborate with a peer on this assignment which I always find to be beneficial. This project showcases my ability to take initiative in my own professional development by learning about a program that could benefit me and my school building.
In this essay, I compare and contrast the educational philosophies of John Dewey and E. D. Hirsch. I enjoyed writing this paper because it allowed me to examine two different approaches to education. What I found through my research was that, perhaps neither philosophy was all right or all wrong, but instead there were valid points to each. Both philosophies forced me to think about what I prioritize in my classroom, which is to build relationships with my students and get to know them as whole people. This essay showcases my ability to keep an open mind and find positives from two different points of view.