tws e portfolio form

University of Puerto Rico in Humacao

and

Jose Campeche Community School

TWS: Teacher Work Sample

MICHAEL J. SOSA CARDONA

PRACTICE TEACHING – EDPE 4006

PRACTICE GROUP – 12-8

COOPERATIVE TEACHER – SONIA ALMEDA

PRACTICE SUPERVISOR – DR. NILSA LUGO

XXX-XX-88880 April 30, 2012

English Department

Table of Contents:

Contextual Factors…………………………..…………………………………………………….1

Learning Goals…………………………………………………………………………………….4

Learning Goal #1………………………………………………………………………….4 Learning Goal #2………………………………………………………………………….4 Learning Goal #3………………………………………………………………………….5

Assessment Plan………………………………………………………………………………….6

Overview………………………………………………………………………………….7 Pre and Post Assessment………………….

…………………………………………………………….7

Design for Instruction………….………………………………………………………………….8

Results of Pre-Assessment………..……………………………………………………….8 Unit

Overview………………………………………………………………………………….9 Activities………………………...……………………………………………………….10 Technology………………………...…………………………………………………….11

Instructional Decision-Making….……………………………………………………………….13

Situation………………………………………………………………………………….13 Problems………………………...……………………………………………………….14

Analysis of Student Learning.………………………………………….……………………….14

Whole Class………………………………….………………………………………….13 Subgroups……………………………………………………………………………….19 Individuals……………………………………………………………………………….20

Reflection and Self Evaluation………………………………………………………………….20

References and Credits………………………………………………………………………….21

Contextual Factors

The Jose Campeche Community School is located in Emilio Buitrago Street in “El Pueblo” of San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico. On the west, the school has the Generoso Morales Muñoz Community School (middle school), to the north, Jose de Diego Avenue, by the south, the sports complex of San Lorenzo, and by the east, the Hato Grande residence and the Las Mercedas urbanization. “El Pueblo” of San Lorenzo, where Jose Campeche is located, has middle class people and lower class people both. San Lorenzo has a population (as of 2010) of more than 40,000. The total of students in the Jose Campeche is of 606. As the years progresses, the total of students by grade decreases. 66 percent (%) of students in Jose Campeche are lower level class.

San Lorenzo has only two high schools. The other one is the vocational high school. Vocational high school has very interesting programs to study, but this school is very selective with its students (note: this work will not emphasize on anything that is not on the guidelines; that’s why not even the name of the vocational high school was given). So, most students that have good grades and good behavior tend to go to this school rather than on the Jose Campeche. This is why one of the things in Jose Campeche that resembles the school is the students with behavioral problems. It is said by teachers that this is the main problem with the school. They allege that the school is how it is because the vocational high school has the good students and the Jose Campeche has the “bad students” (an inappropriate term used by teachers themselves).

The students in Jose Campeche do have very behavioral problems. That is not an opinion. That is a fact. In this school, the students have much absenteeism, are always late to the classroom, cut classes by a lot, tend to challenge authority from time to time, among other factors. Note to make things clear: this does not mean that the Jose Campeche only has the black sheep of the town. The Jose Campeche has something that Vocational school does not have and would desire to have. This is the “Advance Program.” This is one of the things that sustain the school from closing (according to some teachers). Jose Campeche teaches Advance English and Advance Spanish. The school, although it has these brilliant programs, it lacks Advance Mathematics. However, this is something the vocational school does not have, making the Jose Campeche have a solid advantage over its competitor. With this program, students may have a chance of taking other courses in the University instead of taking Basic English and Basic Spanish.

Even though this school has the Advance Programs, it has a little problem. The Jose Campeche has been in probation for five years. This is due to flunking in “Las Pruebas Puertoriqueñas.” It is rumored that the school may close if the students keep flunking in this kind of standardized test. According to a student, these kinds of standardized tests “are not important. You don’t need them to pass a grade. Therefore, why bother?” These were words from my case study, Anibal Miranda (see professional notebook to see the profile of this student in particular).

The four core values of the English Program of the UPRH (University of Puerto Rico in Humacao) are seen to an extent in the school. The Jose Campeche High School recognizes the diversity of the students to an extent. By this it means that the school knows and recognizes that everyone is unique and learns differently. Also, that everyone is different from one another. Other than that, the school teaches in a way that is direct. The English teachers have a really strange method of teaching English. Even though the class is in English, the teachers tend to switch to Spanish every time, like making translations (I really don’t want to state that this is the grammar translation method because I could not bear with it). The teachers appear not to know the multiple intelligences theory developed by Howard Gardner, the language experience approach by Roach Van Allen, or even communicative language learning by Charles A. Curran, all which are good to teach in different ways and where the students does much of the work. In the end, diversity is not much emphasized like it is supposed to (in terms of learning).

The Jose Campeche High School is very behavioristic and a little constructivist. Because of this, creativity is not pushed to the next level. I will explain deeply. The methods that the teachers use are very direct. Balanced literacy is not applied like it is supposed to be. I’ve been scolded because of not giving time to students when they do not answer and I give them the answer. I have seen teachers done this also and not get scold at. Teachers don’t ask many questions and when they do they are lower level questions. I believe constructivism is better achieved when a teacher emphasizes on higher level thinking skills. Nonetheless, the Jose Campeche, through the Advance Programs, targets leadership. That is something to be praised for. Other than that, the target is minimal. With the Advance Programs, students are challenged to think critically and do tasks that normally a student is not asked for. For example, to do and design a play and be taken to stage. With this kind of task, students are challenged to work cooperatively, to use language correctly, and be creative. One may see the leaders of tomorrow like this.

Social transformation is achieved by the students, even though teachers do not teach to meet this goal. I explain myself. Everything is a routine in Jose Campeche. Teachers give class, cover material that was taught in previous years, and try to ensure that students pass the class through poor means. Social transformation cannot be achieved through these methods. Social transformation must be achieved when the students understands the necessity around him, when he reflects and admits things need to change. Social transformation is achieved when the teacher appreciates the diversity around him and projects it in the classroom so that students also appreciate it; when the teacher is creative and students learn from that creativity and apply it; when a teacher assumes the position of a leader and students see that and model that behavior. The end result, a man or a woman ready to make the world a different place. This is where my TWS begins.

The students I addressed were these kinds of students that need to be constantly in interaction with one another. They are very social. Lev Vygotsky tells us and educates us in this filed. Social constructivism is something that must take place in the classroom, especially in the

class of 12-8 (my practice group). The classroom only had a board, a marker, and an eraser. When the projector arrived, everything was made possible. With it, now I can project information, visuals, and videos, among other things through PowerPoint Presentations (PPP for short throughout the presentation), Prezi Presentations, Youtube, among other sources. Before it, the class was really limited, for example, to flashcards, an old method (which I do not criticize, but have to admit that there are better ways to approach the student). Why were these methods essential for their learning? These kinds of students tend to get uninterested easily. According to the group profile tabulations (see professional notebook to see the whole result), the students liked things to be really dynamic, attention getting, and social. They mentioned things like hanging out, going to the beach, travel, suspense movies and comedy, video games, texting, motocross (since they are in San Lorenzo, this is credible), among other things. Knowing this, the thematic units were designed based on these results.

The students are very social but they lacked writing skills. Almeda, my cooperative teacher, always emphasizes the second semester on writing. The students, according to Almeda and themselves, know how to work on the essay, something that was not quite true. I took this as a confirmation that the students needed to be taught and reinforced in the writing process. To assess students, I designed three types of assessment. One was to draft an essay in the classroom to know their strengths and weaknesses. Another, to write an actual essay after the process. The last one, to give a test regarding the topic. In the end, I believe the students may be able to write a full essay and know the rightful parts of the same. By the end of the unit, the student should be able to: write an essay and know each detail of the same.

Still, I tried to address students through different techniques. With trial and error, winning the students, as well as ensure their learning environment, was done possible. Even though students have almost everything in the classroom (provided by the cooperative teacher), these were all textbooks and dictionaries, things that, for the writing process, not all of them apply. Nevertheless, learning was done possible.

Learning Goals

Learning Goal #1

The student will recognize the parts of the essay.

From Webb’s DOK, it is level 1. In this level, students recognize, identify, define, and arrange the parts of the essay.

The activities that made this learning goal possible were working on vocabulary words as well as show students examples of essays. Also, PowerPoint presentations that showed a clear synopsis of what each part of the essay was.

English Content Standards and Grade Level Expectations Document (National Standards):

WRITING:The student effectively communicates to a variety of audiences in all forms of writing through the use of the writing process, proper grammar, and age appropriate expressive vocabulary.

W.12.1 Analyzes and assesses word choice to convey meaning; incorporates transitions, correct grammar, syntax, and style. W.12.2 Evaluates and applies a variety of organizational techniques to write effective narrative, expository, and persuasive essays using the writing process; demonstrates a preferred style of writing.

Learning Goal #2

The student will establish the parts of the essay by writing a draft of an essay with its rightful parts.

From Webb’s DOK, it is level 2 and level 3. In these levels, the student will organize and classify the parts of an essay as well as construct a draft of the same.

The activities that made this learning goal possible were debates, PowerPoint presentations as well as writing activities to assess student learning.


WRITING:The student effectively communicates to a variety of audiences in all forms of writing through the use of the writing process, proper grammar, and age appropriate expressive vocabulary.W.12.2 Evaluates and applies a variety of organizational techniques to write effective narrative, expository, and persuasive essays using the writing process; demonstrates a preferred style of writing.

W.12.3 Uses creative writing styles to produce poems and other literary forms.

Learning Goal #3

The student will apply concepts learned by writing a five paragraph essay with minimal or no errors in mechanics and structure.

From Webb’s DOK, it is level 3 and 4. In these levels, the student will revise, analyze, and synthesize what was learned from the draft of an essay to apply concepts to design and create a clean essay.

The activities that made this learning goal possible were PowerPoint presentations as well as group discussions, reviews, active participation, and debates.


WRITING:The student effectively communicates to a variety of audiences in all forms of writing through the use of the writing process, proper grammar, and age appropriate expressive vocabulary.

W.12.1 Analyzes and assesses word choice to convey meaning; incorporates transitions, correct grammar, syntax, and style.

W.12.2 Evaluates and applies a variety of organizational techniques to write effective narrative, expository, and persuasive essays using the writing process; demonstrates a preferred style of writing.

W.12.3 Uses creative writing styles to produce poems and other literary forms.

The learning goals are appropriate because the standards for twelfth grade are that they must already be making essays, things that these students weren’t able to do. Today, they it has been made possible.

Assessment Plan

Learning Goals Assessments Format of Assessment AdaptationsLearning Goal #1

The student will recognize the parts of the essay.

Pre-Assessment

Formative Assessment

Post-Assessment

Graphic Organizer

Quiz

Teacher observation

Speaking in a higher and clear voice.

Key words on the board stay to maintain on the task given.

Provide multiple enlightenments to students to clarify doubts.

Learning Goal #2

The student will write a draft of an essay with its rightful parts.

Pre-Assessment


Post-Assessment

Pre-writing activities

Draft introduction of the essay, body, and conclusion of the essay separately

Teacher observation

Speaking on higher voice and using gestures to emphasize on the discussion.

Reinforcing by repeating instructions.

Clarify doubts and target uncertainties (in any case) by individual help.

Learning Goal #3

The student will apply concepts learned by writing a five paragraph essay with minimal or no errors in mechanics and structure.

Pre-Assessment


Post-Assessment

Debate

Examination on the topic

Clean five paragraph essay with rubric

Repeating instructions when needed (although it was really necessary in many times).

Provide time for doubts and questions.

Work with other students to collaborate and reinforce learning.

Narrative of Assessment Plan:

The assessment plan is one that constantly monitors student’s learning and progress, in difference with traditional assessment and evaluations. In this unit, observations were done through a step by step process for ongoing and enduring ways to modify the unit in any case (if it was necessary). The students lived the input hypothesis from top to bottom.

When coming up with assessment plans, constructivism didn’t cross my mind. Instead, I acted as I was taught, constructivism applied but unconsciously. Monitoring student’s learning as a pre, formative, and post assessment is not an easy job. Taking this challenge so early made me feel like an experience teacher with tons of work to do.

The pre and post assessment are linked in every way with the learning goals. The first learning goal consists of making students recognize what is the essay in every way and to recognize the function of the same (the parts of it and what they do). With a graphic organizer, the teacher can gather data on what the students know about the essay. With a quiz, the teacher can gather data on the progress the students made throughout the lessons. With proper observations, the teacher can monitor progress and see if the next learning goal can take place effectively.

In the second learning goal, Students will start drafting an essay. Pre-writing activities are planned in order to get student’s mind running to pick a subject on what to write about. Making it a free topic will motivate students to write about something in particular. In the formative assessment, students will start drafting an essay through a step by step process. First, they will draft an introduction, then a body, and finally a conclusion. They will try to do it separately. This formative assessment will reinforce the skill for when students start writing the clean essay. This is because, by then, the students will have feedback and will have their errors corrected. With proper observations, the teacher can monitor learning and see if the students are ready to take the next challenge, the third learning goal.

The third learning goal is really a challenging one. In order to apply concepts and synthesize information learned throughout the learning goals, the students will engage in a debate of some sort. With this, the teacher can monitor growth in the students and their way of seeing the content being taught and how do they apply it. This feedback can serve to create the formative assessment. In the formative assessment, the students will be examined. The test will be one where the students will apply concepts learned. This test will be to prepare the stage for the post-assessment. With the test, the teacher will determine whether the students learned throughout the unit or not.

This step will be a really important one in this unit. For the post-assessment, the students will hand-in the clean essay. This clean essay will say a lot of the student. This assessment will be compared with the first assessment ever given. The teacher will compare and contrast data

from the first assessment with the post-assessment. The information gathered will tell if, throughout the unit, the students learned and if the unit served its purpose.

The assessments are appropriate for this grade because it is a twelfth grade. In twelfth grade, the students are supposed to even write papers after doing research. These students didn’t even know how to write well a paragraph on their own. Still, these assessment instruments measured learning because the students were taken to a next level and the teacher monitored the learning progress so that learning took place effectively.

Design for Instruction

Results of Pre-Assessment

To design for instruction, as a pre-assessment, students should draft an essay. I didn’t give the students a formal pre-test with instructions and all. Instead, I gave them a blank paper with instructions given orally. The students were supposed to draft an essay. They said they knew the concepts, so it was time to test them. When the students received the papers, they all complained. The students knew the concepts but they didn’t know where to localize them, identify them in a paper, or organize them.

The students gave their papers again, some blank like it was given, others with marks and things that they had erased. This meant that the students needed to be taught the subject of the essay from top to bottom. As a conclusion, the students did not need to be reinforced in the subject. I needed to start from scratch, from zero, from “nada.”

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The blank paper led me to understand that these kids knew what the essay was and its rightful parts but did not know how to apply them correctly. In other words, they knew what the essay was but did not know how to write one correctly and when they were asked to write one, they could not perform it. When the students gave me the paper like I gave it to them, I knew I needed to start from scratch. The students needed first to really recognize and understand what the rightful parts of the essay were.

Unit Overview

I prepared a writing workshop thematic unit. The student would be taken through a step by step process. In this thematic unit, the student would start learning from the title to the last period of the essay. In the exploration activity, the students would get familiarized with the parts of the essay. They would work with vocabulary words and examples of essays. In these activities, the learning goal being assessed is the first one.

In the conceptualization of the unit, I would give students a handout with an example of an essay. This essay would be “The Hazards Movie Going” by John Langan. Why this essay? This essay by John Langan is one of, if not, the best example of a basic essay. In this learning goal (number two to be precise), I am targeting the students to draft an essay. To achieve this, the students will be exposed to an example of a basic essay that has all the parts of the same. Also, in this phase, the students will learn more deeply what is the introduction, body, and conclusion of the essay and how do these function as a structure and as a whole.

In the application phase, the students will work on drafting the essay by parts. The students would start to work with the title, then the main idea, then the introduction, then the body and finally the conclusion. In this phase, the student will analyze what he wrote to produce a clean form of their draft with minimal or no errors given. This would be the final product. Learning goal three is seen in this phase.

Day Learning Goal ActivitiesDay 1 #1 Recognize the parts of the

essayBrainstorm ideas

Day 2 #1 Recognize the parts of the essay

Students will work on vocabulary words


Students will identify the vocabulary words in the essay


Students will identify and recognize the parts of the essay in the essay “The Hazards of Movie Going” by John Langan

Day 5 #2 Draft an essay Students will draft the

introduction of an essayDay 6 #2 Draft an essay Students will work on their

body of the essayDay 7 #2 Draft an essay Students will work on their

body of an essayDay 8 #2 Draft an essay Students will work on their

conclusion of an essayDay 9 #3 Write a five paragraph

essayStudents will take a test on the unit being taught

Day 10 #3 Write a five paragraph essay

Students will hand in their clean essay.

Activities:

I started teaching the students what were the introduction, body, and conclusion of an essay. In these lessons, I learned that the students really did not know what the proper uses of these parts. They only knew the essay possessed them. I gave the students homework where they had to look for 15 vocabulary words to know the proper term of each part of the essay and to look for examples of essays. The terms I taught them were:

1. Essay2. Thesis statement3. Restate thesis4. Composition5. Write6. Copy7. Draft8. Topic9. Introductions10. Supporting details11. Conclusion12. Closing statement13. Topic sentence14. Structure15. Paragraph

Around 25 percent of the students did not do the homework. I realized this would be a problem for the future. This made it tougher to apply the concepts learned. Also, with an example of an essay (The Hazards of Movie Going by John Langan), I helped the students identify the parts of the essay. After giving students various opportunities, they were assessed with a quiz. This was a matching. The students flunked the quiz. The results led me to reteach

the concept. After re-teaching, the students aced the second quiz. This was a perfect assessment plan. Learning goal number one was achieved powerfully.

The next activity would be to draft the introduction of an essay. Before this, the students were given various PowerPoint presentations (PPP) as reinforcement but also to know the parts more properly. In the first draft, the students chose a topic (it was free topic) and they made the draft on an introduction. It was a success. The results told me that they were making grammar errors and that they had problems with mechanics (syntax, word order). After that, they were asked for the body and the conclusion, and it was also a success. They showed the same problems. The students had errors in their papers, grammar errors especially (just like in the work from before). Learning goal number two took place here. It was sad to see so many errors, but it was a draft. Errors were possible in this stage. However, there came the time when I, as a teacher, feared for the works to be handed in.

Still, after giving them back their drafts with their proper recommendations of what to do, the students developed a five-paragraph essay with minimal errors and syntax problems. It was a success. Before this, however, the students participated in a debate, which served as an assessment instrument to evaluate and judge their learning. With the results of this debate, I could say that the students were well prepared for their clean essay. After this, the students took a test regarding the writing workshop. It was a cooperative work. The students had more than a week to complete it. The results were fair. The third learning goal is seen on this phase.

Technology:

A constructivist class should involve technology. In the process of the learning goals, the students will interact with PowerPoint Presentations. These will be seen by the projector (in-focus) connected through the laptop. Also, they can interact through the internet and Prezi presentations. One can use these devices and gizmos because it gathers the attention of the student and the class can be more actively like this. The internet can be used to gather information such as essays. With these essays, the students can have a clear idea of what a basic essay looks like.

Design for Instruction Visual Organizer: Outline Form

Essay:

Proper concepts Essay Thesis statement or main idea Restate thesis

Goes on the conclusion of the essay Composition Write

Difference with copy Copy

Difference with write Draft Topic Introduction

Contains main idea Supporting details Conclusion

Restate thesis Summary of main idea

Closing statement Topic sentence Structure

A body without its proper parts cannot function Paragraph

Parts of the essay Topic

Proper topicNot too broad

IntroductionThesis statementMain ideas

BodyStructureMain ideasSupporting detailsAt least three paragraphs

ConclusionClosing statementRestate thesisEnd your essay

Instructional Decision-making

To start, I modified my thematic unit. I had first created a thematic unit where the students drafted an essay completely. After that, through the process and lessons, the students would then come to realize how incomplete the essay was. With all this taught, the student would have learned the terms and concepts of the essay correctly and the development might have been a more solid one… I was wrong, and I assumed wrong. The learning goals were correct, but the approach and the way, the content would be taught needed to be modified.

At the beginning of the phase where I had to start teaching, I wanted students to draft an essay. According to data gathered from the cooperative teacher, the students took classes with a teacher called Diana Cruz. This teacher focused a lot on essay writing. Since the students passed her class, it was logical that they would master the subject given. Also, according to our national standards, the Content Standards and Grade Level Expectations given by the DEPR (Puerto Rico Department of Education), the students, by the age of seventeen, twelfth grade, they are supposed to even do research to build an essay.

However, there were situations that cause to modify, not only my lesson plans, but my whole unit. The students were not responding to the activities and the instructions given by me, the teacher. The students didn’t know how to organize ideas for an essay. The methodology was not the problem, but rather the approach. A more appropriate approach was needed and a more interactive and dynamic class was necessary.

To keep mastery of the subject, I decided to integrate two curriculum materials and modify the methodology. The curriculum materials chosen were “Writing for the Real World” and “You Can Write” textbooks. These books were property of the classroom. Also, they were not adapted to the school. It was Almeda’s decision to incorporate these wonderful learning tools to the classroom (note that Mrs. Almeda is –or was- my cooperative teacher). Like this, the concepts that were not understood would then be targeted with a more wide knowledge of the aspect.

Also, when deciding to teach the whole unit, I decided to change the way I communicated myself to them and try to have a little more control over the class. The students had much behavioral problems, so I needed to be a little more firm, authoritative, and confident. If not, students would get distracted with cellphones, mirrors, MP3s, among other things. I would

also try to make sure the student’s follow me as a model, but that has always been too hard. Distraction was a demon that surrounded the classroom while I gave class.

Throughout the modified unit, there were changes made, also. Even though I decided to take things pace by pace, the students didn’t master some of the content being taught, so activities and changes to lesson plans were necessary. For example, students had to outline an essay since the middle of the unit, and that had to be changed so that they outline the essay later on. Also, in the unit, students were really not in to activities on the board or just calling their names to participate. I decided to change that and apply PowerPoint Presentations and have a little paper ball and throw it at them if I wanted them to participate.

Analysis of Student Learning

Whole Class

Pre and Post Assessment

The students started with a pre-test. The students brainstormed ideas and tried to draft an essay. The word “tried” is used effectively because nobody managed to do it. The next graphic shows the details. It seemed that learning did not take place the year before this one. According to the results, everything needs to be started from scratch. These were the results gathered from the first pre-assessment of the learning goal number one. It is compared with the results of the post assessment of learning goal number three.

Student Results of Pre Assessment Results of Post Assessment1 0 372 0 -3 0 474 0 205 0 506 0 507 0 498 0 309 0 3910 0 1011 0 5012 0 4013 0 4614 0 1015 0 2216 0 49

17 0 2518 0 3019 0 4520 0 5021 0 -22 0 46

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Pre-Assessment GivenPost-Assessment Given

The pre-assessment consisted of a graphic organizer were the students said everything they knew regarding the essay. In the pre-test, the students failed. The students weren’t able to complete it, or rather, not even start it. The students knew the theory but did not know how to apply it. Through the learning goals, the students learned the parts of the essay, learned how to draft an essay, and at the end, did an actual essay. Compared to the first assessment, the pre one, the students were able to complete it. As seen in the graphic above, most student did well on the post assessment that on the pre-assessment. We could say that learning took place.

Quiz #1 and Reposition of the Same

The students started with the parts of the essay. Throughout the process, various observations were made. The students made progress throughout the days. The first learning goal consisted of just knowing the concepts before going to a stage where they had to apply the concepts learned. After analyzing the results of the quiz given to the students, I decided to

reteach the concept being taught. In the first goal, the students were supposed to recognize the pats of the essay. After analyzing the data from the first quiz, the first goal was not being met. Most students were flunking. The following data is from the first quiz given. It is compared with the reposition of the quiz.

Table #1: Quiz #1 (15 points)

Student Results of Quiz #1 Results of Quiz #1Reposition

1 7 -2 1 93 5 144 10 145 7 136 5 -7 13 148 6 119 11 1410 0 811 11 1312 - 1413 11 1314 - 1215 6 1216 5 1117 11 1318 13 1319 6 1020 5 1021 13 -22 - 13

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Quiz #1 (15 of value)Quiz #1 Reposition (15 of value)

Students here are arranged by last names first. In other words, the order is the exact same one from the roll book and register (as so it is in the other graphics). According to these results, I needed to reteach my lessons. My students were not learning enough and I was not reaching my goal. I was not getting through them to help them construct their own knowledge. It seemed that working with an actual essay was not that simple for them. Still, looking at the results, some of them were doing really well. A group in specific was learning. Still, it was a small group, not big enough to keep forward with the learning goal. So, a reposition was made in order to reteach the lesson. In the reposition, the students did excellent. Around 71% of the class passed the quiz. Learning was taking place as seen on the graphic above.

Test: The Essay

Student Results of Test (52 points of value)

1 372 483 484 405 406 467 488 46

9 4610 3711 4012 4013 3714 4015 4016 4017 4618 4819 3720 4821 4022 40

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Test: The Essay (52 points of value)

Test: The Essay (52 points of value)

The last representation consisted of a test. This was a test regarding material from the essay, but applied. The students did a group test, home test, where they had to outline an essay, apply theory, and answer short answer questions. Like before, the test was a success. Around 81% of the students did really well on the test. Learning took place. It was the third learning goal and it was taking place effectively. Students were learning and applying what they had learned. After this, the post-assessment was given and the results told that the students learned effectively the concept (see graphics above for post -assessment data).

Subgroups

The subgroup chosen is made up of four boys and three girls. These students had a somewhat good performance over the English language. Also, their competence was rather skilled. This is the reason why this particular group was chosen. The data tells that, at first, the students did not master well the subject being taught, but that throughout the days, the students started dominating the material.

student 1student 5

student 12

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Girls Language Performance Pre-AssessmentGirls Language Performance Formative AssessmentGirls Language Performance Post-Assessment

student 7 student 9 student 11 student 200

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Boys Language Performance Pre-AssessmentBoys Language Performance Formative AssessmentBoys Language Performance Post-Assessment

Individuals

Student 10 was a male, while student 12 was a female. Student 12 had lots of absenteeism, while student 10 had almost perfect attendance. Yet, student number 12 did really well, or rather excellent, compared to student 10. Student 10 was one that liked to talk in class a lot. Student 12, on the other hand, was always responsible with her work, even though she was almost always absent.

It is important to have an understanding of the learning of these two candidates because, inside the classroom, one can encounter many variables that affect learning. Take for example these two students mentioned above. One was always in the classroom. Still, his mind was like he was not in the classroom. Compared to the next student, she was almost always absent, but she was responsible for her work.

However, there is something that impacts my senses. How was the learning compared from one to another? These two passed the same experiences inside the classroom only with different impacts. Their motivation for learning was really different. I never got so many chances to modify student’s 1 behavior or the way he did things. Still seeing student 12 do her stuff made me realize how much learning must have been happening around those who really wanted to learn.

Reflection and Self Evaluation

Even though my students did really well in the three learning goals, in the first one, since it is a subject where they have to give their all, the process is rather difficult. Still, when my students arrived at the third learning goal, one could see the progress happening, and that made me real happy. However, I have to admit that it was on the final learning goal where the students really showed mastery of the subject matter, compared to the first one (the least successful one).

I have to admit that I have a long way to go as a teacher. My students learned, I have to admit it, but I believe I could have done better. Still, I believe the unit was a great success. It was my first unit to teach students, my first lesson plans, and my first experience officially working with students. Moreover, it was really important for me because my students learned and apply the concepts learned, and that is all that matters.

Most teachers don’t derive their classes from the Content Standards and Grade Level Expectations. It was until the other day that the teachers realized that this document was revised. This is something that is disquieting. Still, I was trained by the UPRH (University of Puerto Rico in Humacao), in other words, I was the difference among those teaches that didn’t even knew the document was revised. Also, the things I was inculcated with made the difference. Sometimes, the quantity and magnitude of education received speaks more than a hundred year-old experience.