Standard+I

Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers:
 * 1. **** Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity **
 * a. ** promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
 * b. ** engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
 * c. ** promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
 * d. ** model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments

**Include all that apply: instructional strategies such as differentiation, technology standards (NETS-S), state standards.**
 * 1. List all that goes into planning for classroom instruction. **

When planning for classroom instruction, I incorporate the school curriculum, state standards, and identifying student's needs. It can be complicated depending on the type of students in the class. Some classes require more individualized attention, and usually if there are learning support students in the class there is either learning support teacher or support staff. As a department we do not meet or collaborate due to the the small amount of teachers we have. We only have three social studies teachers, and we teach different content and different grade levels. To meet technology standards and needs I often implement videos off of YouTube, TeacherTube, Discovery Education, and other various technology tools. To meet all student's needs (differentiation) students work in small and large groups, student led instruction, as well as many activities that incorportate multiple intelligences.


 * 2. List the types of projects and activities you use with your students. **

(Sociology /PsychologyWorld History) || Collaborative Learning Differentiated Instruction Project--Based Learning Higher Order Thinking (have them organize, evaluate, and find creative methods to present information.) || using various multimedia sources (moviemaker.com) || using computers, videos, and music. || Creativity and innovation Use of digital tools Collaboration (students make songs/poems dealing with course content) || youtube.com discovereducation.com PowerPoint ||  ||   || Authentic Activities Digital Tools/Resources || Microsoft Word Internet Searches ||  ||
 * **Projects** || **Strategies** || **Technology** ||
 * Student Presentations
 * Presenting Information in a contemporary fashion
 * Student Projects (children's book, term papers) || Higher Order Thinking


 * 2b. Do your planned projects and activities include any of the following: project-based learning, authentic activities, higher order thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, creativity and innovation, and use of digital tools and resources? List all that apply. **

//**Chart Above shows:**// Project-Based Learning, Authentice Activities, HOT, Collaborative Learning, Problem Solving, Creativity and Innovation. Also many projects and activities include digital tools.

**3. List at least 3 ways that you can improve or would like to grow with regard to planning.**

--Learn and become more familiar with state standards and ways in which to implement them into school curriculum. The website pdesas.com. The website is relatively new and offers standards and examples of several lesson plan activities. Our school has been training teachers of to use this website, and it will be expected the lesson plans will be aligned to the state standards.

--Use the NETS to understand how to implement technology skills and digital tools into the classroom. This is very important considering students are very engaged by technology and using technology in the classrooom will only empower and prepare them for the real world. I plan to use more technology tools in the classroom next year, especially after being exposed to so many great tools during the technology class.

--The final way I could improve my teaching in regard to planning, is meet with other teachers in my department to discuss effective strategies. Also, I would like to see some of their projects they use to see if I could modify them to fit my content area. I seem to get great ideas from talking with other teachers, however our department doesn't seem to do it very often.


 * 4.List resources that can help you grow in this strategy. **

--I would like to keep a copy of Blooms 21st Century Chart to refer to when planning essential quetions. I do think I may miss some higher order thinking questions during class. Problem solving is a skill every 21st Century student needs and utilizing Bloom's will help with addressing advanced questions. --Referring to my Diigo account which offers insight into effective strategies and articles that are shared by other teachers. Also, I plan to read online journal articles that show how educators around the country are using student-centered learning to create effective classrooms


 * Summary Statement for Strategy 1 **

After reflecting on my strengths and weaknesses as a classroom teacher, there are definitely areas I can improve upon. I do think I am receptive of new ideas that would create student interest. I think a great strength of mine is my ability to implement creative lessons and discussions. I continue to try differentiate my classroom instruction and student projects. Two skills that I plan to improve on are becoming familiar with the PDESAS website. I follow district curriculum, however I would like to become familiar with state standards and the new website offers primary documents and lesson ideas. Finally, I would also like to use technology as means of student assessment. I have never seen the NETS standards prior to this class, but I do feel in the next few years every teacher will have to know how to explain and utilize the standards in the classroom. By using more technology as a tool for problem solving, I must start to use the NETS standards. My plan is to change some of the existing projects I use now to technology-based projects and incorporate higher level thinking skills with that. I plan to assign one project per unit next school year (2010-2011).