The teacher understands and uses a variety of appropriate instructional strategies and tools to promote learning and inquiry based on knowledge of the learner, subject matter, community, intended student standards and curriculum.

Indicators

• Uses a repertoire of instructional strategies that are based on research and best practices
• Explains the rationale for the selection of instructional strategies and tools based on student goals needs, and talents.
• Reflects systematically and continually on institutional strategies and makes adjustments accordingly
• Empowers students to think for themselves and constructs knowledge

Artifacts

2013, Watching-Ted Talk Video: Chimamanda Adichie: The Danger of a Single Story

I watched this Ted Talk video during my internship at Jameson Elementary School. The staff at the elementary school put together a meeting to address corrective teaching steps for students. The video came into play when a teacher was discussing the impact a single story has on a student's education.  Hearing staff discuss this topic, I learned that teachers and other students can unintentionally attach a single story to a student. When this happens, people only see, hear, or know a particular student as a "problem" or "failure" and the "positive" or "helpful" can not shine through and is rarely discussed. When this occurs the student also sees him/her self in this one sided negative way, creating a continuum of one sided ideas and feelings.

Attending the staff meeting on corrective teaching steps and watching  Chimamanda Adichie's video taught me to focus on all aspects of a story not just on one part. Whether it be the story of a woman from Nigeria, the story of an art lesson, or the story of a student, all sides need to be discussed and told. 

2013, Teaching Chunking in Lesson Plans

While Interning at Cape Elizabeth Middle School, I learned about the concept of chunking and soon understood the importance of this teaching strategy within the art classroom. After explaining the objectives of a lesson to my students, I demonstrated small increments or sections of a lesson. As time went on, I continued to unfold the stages of the lesson and demonstrated them one by one. In a lesson I taught called, clay insect tile reliefs I presented each step of making on a different art day. I had students begin the project by rolling slabs of clay and cutting tiles.  On the second day they worked on forming the insect body, one the third day they worked on wings, and on the last day they worked on legs.  I noticed that when students only had one step to work a time they remained extremely focused and attentive to design - none of them wanted to jump ahead.  I learned that this teaching strategy greatly helps to slow students down. It gets them focused on each step of the art making process, which helps to promotes good craftsmanship and a attention t o detail. 

2011-2013, Encouraging Playful Exloration

Throughout my student teaching experiences I have learned the importance of  allowing students to practice and play with materials. During this process I encouraged students  to think for themselves and use their own ideas. I used this strategy when teaching a clay unit to 5th graders. One of the first lessons, pinch pots, was designed to re-familiarize students to the clay tools and techniques. This simple lesson allowed students the freedom to make their own design choices for the pinch pot, the handles and the feet.  Each one came out unique and fun, and the kids loved playfully inventing and adding on different elements.