CSTP 1: Engaging and Supporting
All Students in Learning
1.1 Use knowledge of students to engage them in learning
Level of Development: Applying
Date: September 2020
Evidence: Get To Know Me Activities. I used various “get to know me” activities to learn more about my students. Students completed these activities with their coach (guardian). I met individually with each student, one-on-one, to get to know each child and discuss their completion of the activities. I utilized their get to know me activities to learn more in-depth what interests them and what they like. I asked additional questions using a get to know my students questionnaire that I created. I took notes to create an individual student profile reflecting each child’s interests. I implemented show and tell activities to further get to know my students. Students bring some of their favorite things to share in the whole class and small group. Teacher further learns about her students.
Documents: All About Me Activity
Updated: Level of Development: Integrating
Date: October 2021
Evidence: This Year Will Be Awesome Coupon: When first meeting my students, I give them a coupon that says this year will be awesome. I ask students to tell me one thing about this year that they believe will be awesome. This allows me the opportunity to get to know my students and ask them additional questions.
Documents: This Year Will Be Awesome Activity
Updated: Level of Development: Innovating
Date: 4/6/22
- Standards:
- TLMS Domain I: Fostering a collaborative culture to support educator development and student learning
- NBPTS: Proposition 5: Teachers are Members of the Professional Community
Documents: Global Citizenship Education Lesson
1.2 Connect learning to students’ prior knowledge, backgrounds, life experiences, and interests
Level of Development: Emerging
Date: October 2020
Evidence: Lesson Plan. Learning Our Letters. In this lesson, students are learning how to identify their letters. Students are given multiple opportunities for hands-on learning. To give students further opportunities to practice, they are provided with a choice board that has various activities. Students are given the opportunity to choose activities from a choice board. The purpose of the choice board is to extend student learning in the focus standards in a lesson on the alphabet. Students are able to select what activity they would like to complete. I provide digital and printable materials for the choice board.
Documents: Student Choice Board
Updated: Level of Development: Applying
Date: October 2021
Evidence: Curriculum Tracker: To connect my guided reading lessons to what students have already learned to enhance learning or to give an introduction to what they will be learning, I follow the Heidi Curriculum tracker that kindergarten uses. I also meet with the other kindergarten teachers where they give me the curriculum students are learning in order to implement them into my lessons.
Documents: Curriculum Tracker
ISTE Standard 4a: I dedicate planning time to collaborate with colleagues to create authentic learning experiences that leverage technology.
Level of Development: Applying
Date: October 2021
Evidence: To support students, my colleagues and I utilize a shared drive that contains student data, resources, assessments, and more. We utilize this to discuss our lessons and more during lunch ins and PLC meetings. The drive folders can be viewed here: Shared Drive
1.3 Connect subject matter to meaningful, real-life contexts
Level of Development: Emerging
Date: October 2020
Evidence: Classroom Observation. Students practice counting images of real world objects to practice counting in the whole class setting.Students are applying their understanding of counting. I assign various assignments for students to apply their knowledge of counting and practice. Students complete counting collections at home using drawings and objects they find in their house. After students practice at home, I observe students as they complete their counting collections in small groups or whole groups using objects found at home. Students utilize markers, crayons, or other objects. Students are given opportunities to utilize realia to apply and extend their learning.
Documents: Counting Collection Assessment
Updated: Level of Development: Applying
Date: October 2021
Evidence: Sorting Cards with Real-World Images - During the word work portion of my guided reading lessons, I utilize real-world pictures to sort for learning letters. Students have the opportunity to make connections between words they already know and their beginning sounds. This enhances student learning.
Documents: Sorting Cards
1.4 Use a variety of instructional strategies, resources, and technologies to meet students’ diverse learning needs
Level of Development: Applying
Date: October 2020
Evidence: Lesson Plan: Guided Reading. I provide small group guided reading instruction to 8 groups a day, where I utilize various instructional strategies to support students at their individual reading levels. During our small-group time, students actively participate in a guided reading group. Students are given various ways to show their learning. During small groups, we choral read books for students that are at a Pre-A level. Students were provided alphabet books with the specific letters that they need to practice in order to differentiate instruction. Students complete the alphabet books for extended practice at their individual levels.
Documents: Sorting Graphic Organizer. Students are provided with visuals and graphic organizers for sorting pictures to learn how to identify the sound and initial letter of words.
Updated: Level of Development: Integrating
Date: October 2021
Evidence: Individual Guided Reading Lesson - If students are struggling with something specific to their learning, I will plan a one-on-one small group lesson with them that focuses on that particular skill or concept that the student needs support in. I pull them for a 10 minute small group lesson, that is designed around their individual learning needs.
ISTE Standard 5a: Educator as Designer: Use technology to create, adapt and personalize learning experiences that foster independent learning and accommodate learner differences and needs.
Level of Development:
Date: October 2021
Evidence: I provide students with an array of different technologies that can be utilized at home to enhance their individual learning needs. Students are able to practice specific sight words or use different websites games. Here are some examples of some of the sites I share with students teachers and parents: Online Supports
1.5 Promote critical thinking through inquiry, problem solving, and reflection
Level of Development: Exploring
Date: September 2020
Evidence: Classroom Observation. I ask students open-ended and higher order thinking questions. Students are asked what they “notice” when looking at different images. The skill of identifying what they notice in a picture is further applied when looking at illustrations in the books they are reading. This is ultimately supporting their comprehension and literacy development. In addition, students read texts during guided reading where they can relate to the story or characters. In addition, students read nonfiction texts where they can apply their understanding utilizing their prior knowledge and experiences to further understand a story.
Updated: Level of Development: Integrating
Date: October 2021
Evidence: Rubrics - I utilize rubrics from Jan Richardson's Guided Reading text in order to set detailed goals for students and provide adequate feedback that supports students learning and reflection. Students goals are tracked during each lesson based on the rubric.
1.6 Monitor student learning and adjusting instruction while teaching
Level of Development: Emerging
Date: October 2020
Evidence: Classroom Observation When students are responding to questions asked, I prompt them to give more information and to increase their learning. I provide wait time in between asking questions. Students are given opportunities to think deeper about concepts by giving more examples and applying their own experiences to such responses. Students are given opportunities to discuss questions with partners in think-pair-share or in small group breakout sessions. Students discuss a question further in a different setting. In our small groups, students are given opportunities to answer higher order thinking questions. I give students the opportunity to think and ponder prior to answering.
Updated: Level of Development: Applying
Date: October 2021
Evidence: Guided Reading Discussion - During our discussion portion of the lesson, I prompt students to give more details and ask questions. I also give students time to ask each other questions about the text being read. This enhances students learning and understanding of the text being read. When students have the opportunity to turn and talk about the text, it engages them in their learning by creating a social application to the lesson.