T.O.C. by NCDPI & NCATE Standards
Vocabulary, Fluency, and Comprehension Lessons
Artifact 3: I Poem Unit
| Student samples: Guatemala | Students at Work | Invitation to students | Rubric | Lesson description |
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Mini-lessons: simile metaphor personification
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reflection | sample I Poem | I Poem template | poetry analysis |
Context:
This unit was created as partial fulfillment for RE 5130, Teaching the Language Arts, with Dr. Beth Frye. With this project, we were introduced to the idea of using poetry to explore other content areas. I am a lover of poetry, so I was enthused by this novel way of integrating poetry. The focus of my communications skills class is writing, mainly informational and research writing. As soon as I was given this assignment, I began to think of ways to integrate the two types of writing we had been studying into the poetry unit. The informational writing component of the course is geared to the NC 10th Grade Writing Test. In order to make this type of writing more appealing, I had tried to make it more personal to the students. When learning about writing definition papers, the overarching theme was "Define Yourselves." This approach proved very effective as was evidenced by students' attentiveness in class and their writing samples. Dr. Frye's assignment was to integrate a poetry unit in our classroom that used poetry as a vehicle for learning about other content areas. Thus, I designed this unit using the I-Poem. Because students were researching the country in which they were born, this unit fit well with the "Define Yourself" theme and allowed me to broach the topic of research writing in a much less painful manner.
A. Instructional Expertise
The candidate demonstrates instructional expertise by applying the theoretical, philosophical, and research bases for educational practice in P-12 settings to improve student learning.
Rationale: In planning, implementing, and evaluating instruction of this unit, I demonstrate instruction that is rigorous, coherent, and consistent with a well-developed theoretical and philosophical base and best practices emerging from educational research. My philosophy of education is that when learning is made personal, students will then have internal motivation to do their best work. If a student has a choice in his/her learning, then the student will also have the powerful motivator of interest. I also " monitor the effects of instructional actions, selection of materials, and other instructional decisions on students’ learning and behavior" as is evidenced by my daily reflections on the effectiveness on this unit.
B. Knowledge of Learners
The candidate incorporates knowledge of the nature of the learner, learning processes, variations in learning abilities and learning styles, and strategies for evaluating learning into the planning, delivery, and evaluation of instruction.
Rationale: My current teaching assignment is ELL. I knew that allowing my students to research their home countries would interest and motivate them. When I decided to use the I-Poem format for research, it was a decision based on the knowledge of the learning abilities and the learning processes of my students. For many of these students, this was their first encounter with the research process. When I began teaching them at the beginning of the semester, most of my students could not write a paragraph. I knew that if I assigned a traditional research paper, it would overwhelm the students and frustrate me as well. This assignment was the perfect introduction to the concept of research and its major components: plagiarism and the citation of sources. I also realized that this class would need extra instruction in terms of how to use the Internet for research, so I provided that as well.
D. Content Knowledge
The candidate demonstrates advanced depth and breadth of knowledge and skills in the academic discipline and in education.
Rationale: This artifact demonstrates my theoretical and applied advanced content knowledge because it shows a thorough understanding of both the research process and of poetry writing. The creation of this unit shows that I understand the necessary components of an effective lesson: literary models, mini-lessons, teacher-modeled writing, group work, and independent practice.
E. Professional Development and
Leadership
The candidate engages in continued professional development and provides leadership at the classroom, school, and community levels, and within the profession.
Rationale: I was so pleased with the results of this unit that I shared it in a departmental meeting,, and other communication skills teachers have effectively implemented my I-Poem unit, demonstrating that I "participate, formally and informally, in appropriate professional communities." Also, this artifact shows that I "seek, evaluate, and as appropriate, act on input from educators, parents, students, and other members of the community for continuous improvement." This unit was developed as part of a class in my master's degree. I acted on the input from Dr. Frye regarding best instructional practices for the teaching of writing and implemented this unit in my classroom, which, in turn, improved my teaching practice.