ED 606 Portfolio K Dailey

8/3/2019 ED 606 Portfolio K Dailey

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ed-606-portfolio-k-dailey 1/29

Portfolio Project

Kristen M. Dailey

Western New England University

Assessment Theory and Design

ED 606

Tina Powers and Dr. Deb Patterson

December 11, 2011

INVITATION

If you are a dreamer, come in.If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,

A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer . . .

If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire, For we have some flax golden tales to spin.

Come in!Come in!

~Shel Silverstein



Table of Contents

Table of Contents 2

Cover Letter 3

Selection One

Discussion 1.1 Icebreaker 4

Discussion 1.1 Icebreaker Reflection 5

Selection Two

Assignment 2.1 Constructivism and Authentic Assessment 12

Assignment 2.1 Reflection 14

Selection Three

Try This 8.1 Rubric Revision 15

Try This 8.1 Rubric Revision Reflection 18

Selection Four

Assignment 8.1 Four More 19

Assignment 8.1 Four More Reflection 21

Philosophy and Goals 23

Philosophy Reflection Survey 24

Future Goals 27

Portfolio Rubric 29

K. Dailey 2



KRISTEN M. DAILEY ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

27 C, 21 F-1, No. 9, Lane 175, Wu-Lin Road, Hsinchu, Taiwan R.O.C. 30055

Telephone +886 976 466 479 [email protected]

Skype: kristen.dailey

Dr. Deb Patterson

Western New England University

1215 Wilbraham Rd.Springfield, MA 01119

December 11, 2011

Dear Dr. Patterson, Tina Powers and Classmates,

The following portfolio is a small compilation of work I have completed for ED 606 Assessment

Theory and Design. In selecting examples of work I have completed, I hope to highlight for you the

ways in which some of the activities and ideas have manifested in my own classroom practice.

Assessment is an ongoing process. As an educator, I am always seeking new strategies and ideas to

best reach all of my students. It is my belief that as a teacher I am always learning, and I try my bestto stay open to the possibility of growth at any time.

While deciding on selections for this portfolio, I reread many of the interactions we have had as a

class. I have enjoyed discussions with this group, and feel fortunate to have a community of

talented and knowledgeable peers. I was been able reflect upon my own development. My ideas

expanded with information presented in this course, and I have revisited and learned new concepts

since my last lessons on assessment.

Throughout these eleven weeks, I have implemented new ideas into my classroom as they were

presented in this course. I invite you to view the modifications I made to our opening icebreaker

assignment; I have included samples to demonstrate the ways my eighth grade Language Arts

students completed the same activity. My second selection for this portfolio is a post on

constructivism and authentic assessment, which reflects a personal change in philosophy for me

during this course. For my third selection I have included the rubric revision as an example of work

I feel I have done well. My final selection is the four more activity, which was chosen as an

example of a lesson gone wrong.

For each selection included in my portfolio a reflection follows. While I struggle at times with a

concise articulation of my ideas, I hope to have presented my growth as an educator throughout the

semester. I have been humbled, excited, surprised and challenged throughout the last eleven weeks

by the coursework and my peers. These ideas are evident most clearly in my philosophy of teaching, as I try to summarize in words the reasons why I have chosen this profession, and the

reasons why I feel so passionate and committed to the work that I do each day.

I would like to thank everyone for their feedback and support throughout this process; it has been a

pleasure working with each of you. To my peers who are still working on this program, I look

forward to working together again. For those of you completing this journey, best wishes.

Yours kindly,

Kristen Dailey

K. Dailey 3

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



Selection One

Discussion 1.1 Icebreaker

Let’s start at the very beginning. What a very nice place to start. ~The Sound of Music

This is from my original post:

Hello, all. I have been teaching for ten years, and at

present I am teaching Language Arts 8, 9, 11, AP Literature

and Literary Film at an international school in Taiwan.

K. Dailey 4



Discussion 1.1 Icebreaker Reflection

This September marked my tenth year of beginning classes, with the opening day sort

of meet, greet and introduce yourselves on a day before classes really get started. I have used

many opening day activities with a few standout moments of innovation- one specific

example that comes to mind is the year I spent hours writing questions on a beach ball with

a Sharpie marker. The students formed a circle and threw the ball around, each having to

answer the question that the thumb from their dominant hand rested on. Questions were

light-hearted and fun, ranging from What is your favorite television program? to Do you have

a tattoo? This icebreaker was an easy way to learn names, and a few fun facts about one

another. As teachers, we have all developed our bag of ideas for the first day of school.

As the student I really enjoyed the icebreaker for this class. This is my first time as a

student in this program, and I found this activity was a great way to introduce myself. I began

with a list of words I feel represent me, and then found ten images to accompany them. The

first thing I wished to present was my love of photography; all of my images are photographs

that I have taken.

The image of Kitty-chan was taken at Taoyuan International airport almost two years

ago before a Chinese New Year trip. When I chose this image, I didn’t even consider that she

is a cat. I don’t particularly like cats, or Hello Kitty even. In my mind, I used this image to

present myself as a traveler, and one who spends most of her time in Asia. The Buddha

painting I bought for $1 in Laos, and fell in love with this piece immediately. I hesitated on

adding the glass of wine, concerned about the negative implications of presenting alcohol in

a first introduction. As an educator, I look forward to unwinding with a glass (or a few) of red

wine each Friday night. My beau and I make dinner and have wine; it is what we like to do.

Walking around my apartment looking for inspiration for this assignment, I snapped this

photo quickly on my phone. My intention for it was to present things in life I enjoy. The third

photo I took using my SLR, and I thought it was a great way to present myself. I have worn

eyeglasses for 29 years—they are a large part of my personality and I make them a playful

part of my wardrobe. When I lived in America, I strategically took a part time job with

LensCrafters to boost my collection, and have a wide variety of shapes and colors. My last

image is of pizza that I took with my phone on my first night in NJ last summer. Pizza is a

reminder of home, and the food I miss most living abroad. The significance of this photo is

one of friendship, of couches and movies, of microbrews and laughter. It reminds me of New

York and New Jersey, and the wonderful people I love there.

K. Dailey 5



I like this activity and the way it develops the idea that a picture is worth a thousand

words. Since we did not provide an explanation for our images, it was fun to see the varied

impressions we made of our classmates.

Even though the beginning of the year had passed, I immediately modified this activity

for a lesson with my eighth grade Language Arts class. When we completed this activity inOctober, we had just completed The Treasure of Lemon Brown by Walter Dean Meyers. The

short story highlights the significance and deeper meanings objects can have. As a class we

discussed the ways in which some of the things we carry can help us to identify who we

really are. By the end we learn that Lemon Brown’s “treasure” is a harmonica and newspaper

clippings—the story builds to this revelation. Once a famous jazz musician, Mr. Brown is

now a vagabond, with only memories of a life once lived. We learn of his son, the decisions

he made that brought him to where he is now in life, and the way our lives can be influencedby strangers. Mr. Brown used these things to identify himself. Bridging this idea, students

were asked to present images to represent themselves.

This a screen-shot of the initial instructions I posted to Moodle:

I modified this activity to fit the needs of my classroom. The students of Hsinchu

International School already know each other very well. The entire eighth grade is 25

students, and they travel together all day with a few exception. This year we had a few new

students join, a few students moved away, and many students have been in school together

for several years. By mid-October we were already pretty familiar with one another. I

compiled all of the images together into one document, switched names for numbers, made

multiple copies and posted them around the room.

K. Dailey 6



Students were given handouts and and a directive to walk around the room and try to

determine and record which images they thought matched their peers. I included my own,

swapping out the wine and art image for a monarch butterfly. The pizza image was a

giveaway to most of the students, as just the week before I wrote a sample narrative

paragraph about how much I love pizza. A few confused me with Jeffery, who included theAmerican flag as one of his images. Born in New York, he lived in America for a few years of

his life. This was a high energy activity, and students were excited and noisy. The room felt

alive. While some students clearly defied my “no sharing answers” rule, it was fun to hear

students debate. I decided not to choose this as a battle and allowed students to chat, but

reminded them several times to keep quiet about their own images.

A few of the students selections were fairly obvious and literal. The example below is

by a student named Melody:

In case you are unfamiliar with the last two, they are a character named My Melody

from Hello Kitty and a screen shot of Melody from The Little Mermaid. Everyone in the room

was able to immediately recognize who these images belonged to. Many people identify

themselves with their names. One thing that is unique about Asian culture is that most

students choose their own English names. Periodically, they will change them. Younger girls

transition from Barbie to something more sophisticated, and many girls have names inspired

by Disney cartoons. In the presentation portion of this activity, Melody explained to the class

that she chose her own name, and how it has become a large part of how she identifies

herself. Without the explanation portion of this assignment, I never would have realized why

she chose so many images relating to her name.

K. Dailey 7



Some students, like Julia below, were self-critical in their choices.

Others did not observe the no words instruction.

For Julia’s images, I debated about what to do. In the end, I asked her if she would

mind replacing the two images with words. In a short conversation, I told her I like the wayher brain works, and shared that I completely identify with her dislike of Math. It has been a

point of camaraderie ever since. I host eighth grade study hall in my room, and these

students are with me often. Just this week a student asked if I would be able to explain

something from Algebra to him, and Julia jumped in to tell him that I hate Math. “Like me,”

she smiled. On a personal note, I have enjoyed being able to share aspects of my own life

with students through shared experiences that have arisen from this exercise.

Here are Julia’s replacement images, which I was glad to see were more positive:

(For some reason my computer keeps putting the name of the file on the picture of the baby when I

do a screen shot. Please pretend “Thinker“ isn’t there)

A few students stand out clearly in my memory, because they surprised or impressed

me. Some of the images that seemed simple at first were quite profound, like Paul’s. The

depth of his selections were especially demonstrated in the third portion of this activity—the

explanation and presentation.

K. Dailey 8



These are Paul’s images:

When I saw his selections, I did the same thing everyone else did. I thought, o f course Paul

put a soccer ball and shoes, he loves soccer. Everyone knows that. His written explanation is

below.

Paul expanded upon point three in his presentation, and I am so glad he did. In his

presentation, we learned more about why Paul loves soccer. He talked about the ways in

which soccer can be a starting point for friendship. He said that as an only child, sometimes

vacations are not so much fun, because it can feel like there is nothing to do when you have

no one to play with. He told the class how his perspective on this changed once when he

was in Thailand a few years ago. That year, he packed a soccer ball. When he went out into

the local neighborhood with his ball, within a half an hour he was playing with ten other

children. They spoke no English, and he no Thai. He was the only person wearing shoes. “We

had nothing in common,” he said, “but soccer. And at some point soccer became our

1. I chose the guitar because I love to play the guitar and I think that my favorite kinds of musicall come from the sounds of a guitar. I chose the electric guitar because I like the loud andpowerful sound of the electric guitar.

2. I chose the rafting picture because I like to do many things that consists of going out to playwith the nature. I also love to raft because it is one of the most exciting thing in the wold. At

the same time you want to scream but you also want to laugh and cry.3. I chose the soccer shoes and ball because soccer is a very big part of my life. I use it to meetnew people and make friends. I also love to play soccer because it is a team sport and if youdon’t work as a team it just doesn’t work for us. So it is very similar to a man’s life.

4. Last but not least, I chose this picture because it represents where I come from and who Iam. I also wasn’t really sure if I was from France or Colombia, so I put both. ese twocountries are my family. When I grow older I will do the best I can to improve those twocountries.

K. Dailey 9



language, and that is why I loved soccer more then than I ever had before. I decided to give

them the ball.” I was blown away.

I immediately wanted to use this assignment with my students after completing it for

this course. I gained much more from using this assignment with my own students than I

could have anticipated. I found that the multiple means of expression gave great dimensionto this activity, offering students several ways to communicate their ideas and invite peers to

learn more about one another.

I learned that one of my quieter students, Stella, began hiking as a way of interacting

with a grandmother she can’t speak to because of the limitations of language. I feel aware,

often, that I do not speak Chinese beyond short phrases of necessity. This student, who is a

native of Taiwan, can not communicate with her own grandmother. It helped to put things in

perspective.

The last example I’ll share taught me that one of my most talkative and

friendly students, Nicole, was / is not always that way:

K. Dailey 10



I chose to share the example above as it is a reminder of the ways in which each

person is complex. Even at thirteen, this student is able to identify that there is more than one

side of her personality. As a new student this year, most students were surprised to learn that

she was once shy and quiet. It seems this student never stops talking—she is an endless

bundle of excitement. Kids can be surprising. Never in a million years would I have guessedthat a grasshopper image would be used to represent an outgoing personality. I have not

taught eighth grade in a few years, and most of my teaching experience has been with the

older grades. Using the symbols activity in class reminded me that even though my students

look really small, they are capable of much deeper thought that I was giving them credit for.

This assignment afforded me an opportunity to learn more about my students. It

helped me to explore the ideas of symbolism in literature, to connect to the text, and to offer

students multiple ways of expression. The students needed to utilize critical thinking skills,writing skills and presentation skills to complete this assignment. We were all able to learn

about one another from this assignment, and had fun trying to guess which images fit each

student (or me). We discussed the ways in which our interpretations of images can be

different from the interpretations of our peers, and how we each have different reasons for

the things we value and the ways we define ourselves. I am really glad that I adapted this

activity to incorporate into my classroom, and I will definitely use it again in the future.

K. Dailey 11



Selection Two

Assignment 2.1: Constructivism and Authentic Assessment

It has been a long time since I’ve studied different educational theories as an

undergrad, and because I had little frame of reference for their meaning, they have been long

forgotten. Reading the handout on constructivism was enlightening, as I do most of these

things regularly in my classes. My subject lends itself easily to constructivist teaching, and I

wonder how this approach would work in an elementary classroom, particularly the lower

grades, because they need so much structure and guidance.

The ways in which people interpret literature is subjective, and as a result students are

able to debate and work through different ideas. Students in my class are often broken into

discussion groups, provided handout questions, given discussion time, and then expected to

lead the class discussion. In eleventh and AP, students create their own leveled questions. I

try to maintain an open mind to student interpretation and hold my opinions until the end,

facilitating discussion without leading. Playing Devil’s Advocate is always fun. The main

challenge manifesting at my present school is that some classes are filled with students who

are quiet and reticent to participate. In compromise, we occasionally will take our questions

to a blog or Edmodo to converse in an electronic setting; for some reason students feel less

vulnerable expressing their opinions and ideas when they have enough time to think, edit

and post. The technology generation is truly upon us; commonly students working in groups

will conduct their conversations on Google chat (even while seated next to one another) “to

keep a record of the dialogue.” Technology allows me to integrate interactive websites into

my class, otherwise I do not use many manipulative or physical materials.

Wait time is an interesting balance that comes with experience, I think. I waited tables

from high school through my sixth year of teaching. In a profession based upon tips, one

must learn to read a table. Do they want me to chat with them? Do they want someone

funny? Is the expectation that I will take their order in a timely fashion, clear plates, pour

more wine and drop dessert menus while otherwise staying out of the way? Wait time in a

classroom is the same type of balance. A teacher must be able to read the class and

determine whether the class is genuinely thinking, merely waiting for someone else to

answer, or does not know the answer. Some things don’t matter enough to wait. Ask a

question, count to five, answer it yourself and move on. Other, better questions, are worth

waiting for.

K. Dailey 12



The constructivist approach is similar to the principles of authentic assessment as

presented in the first week of this course. Providing students with an active role in the

direction of the course creates a student awareness of their role in the class; allowing them to

create questions and influence the direction of lessons helps build student confidence and

recognition of their value in class. When students are aware of the way they influence aclass, it makes for more successful self-evaluation. Authentic assessment is continuous and

ongoing; as the class dynamics change, assessment follows. From a constructivist approach, a

teacher must evaluate and understand where students are as learners in order to modify

lessons accordingly; when the lessons change, so will the authentic assessment. Active

collaboration, between the students and each other, the students and the teacher, and all

participants with the material, are key components in both authentic assessment and the

constructivist approach. Constructivism is an educational system that requires authenticassessment, as relying solely upon traditional assessments would limit the success of a

constructivist learning environment.

K. Dailey 13



Assignment 2.1 Reflection

I have not yet taken Contemporary Learning Theory, and if I have learned about

constructivism before, it has been long enough I have forgotten some of the details. When I

read the Brooks and Brooks article, it gave what I do definition. This ah-ha moment

compartmentalized my teaching style and gave me a clear place to belong. Reading through

the list, I felt a satisfaction similar to returning from the grocery store and realizing I

purchased everything I needed without even making a list. This one page handout helped me

to identify and label my teaching style in a very clear and specific way. This created for me a

lens through which I interpreted most of the coursework for this class, and I found myself

frequently reflecting upon the qualities of a constructivist classroom as presented in this

handout.

I consider myself to be fairly self-reflective in my teaching. I am lucky to be one half of

a teaching couple; often I will come home from work and reflect upon certain moments of

the day. Did I succeed in reaching out to a struggling student? Did I listen enough? Was this

lesson successful? Should I have done this instead? Beginning with this article, I began

developing a more specific focus through which I am able to self-reflect. It created within me

an awareness of certain things I was already doing in my classroom, and made me pay

attention to them. As humans, it is easy to fall into a routine and do things without paying

attention. Sometimes, this sudden awareness can make things run less smoothly. I can drive a

stick-shift car with ease, and can work my way through gears smoothly without thinking

about it. If I begin to focus on the act of driving, however, the pedals don’t seem to switch

places as gracefully, and under my command the car begins to make a more obvious

transition between the gears. My identification with the qualities of a constructivist teachers

made me, occasionally, self-conscious. I found myself wondering at times if I am this type of

teacher, or if this is the teacher I strive to be. Nine weeks later, reflecting upon this initial

response, my answer is that I am both.

In my initial response, I discussed wait time. I stand by my initial comments on this

idea. Somedays I am able to manage a better balance than others. Throughout this course my

understanding of authentic assessments has deepened. I have been inspired to continue to

reflect upon my own teaching style, to maintain flexibility and to remember to always remain

open to possibility. The day I decide I have nothing left to learn in education will hopefully

be the day I decide to retire. Perhaps by then we will have found the perfect place to open

our Bed and Breakfast somewhere within listening distance of an ocean.

K. Dailey 14



Selection Three

Try This 8.1: Rubric Revision

*I prefer Rubrics in Landscape format. For the purpose of my portfolio, it has been modified

for spacing.

READING RESPONSE JOURNAL: THE ORIGINAL

5 4 3 2 1/0

PersonalReactionstocharacters,plotandtext

Youhaveexplainedyourreactionsingreatdetailusingcleardescriptionsandexamplesfromtext

Youhaveexplainedyourreactionsandsupportedthemwithexamples;wordchoiceisadequate

Yourreactionsarepresent,butyoudidn’texpandonreasonsorgiveexamples;yourwordchoiceshouldbebroader

Youprovidedsomereactions,butyourexplanationswereweakoroverlysimplified

Yougaveareactionwithoutanyexplanationandonlyusedsimplewords

Madeconnectionswiththecharacters,plotorauthor,asksrelevantquestions

Yourconnectionsandquestionsareinsightful,relevant,thought-provokingandexplainedwithcleardetailsfromthetext

Yourconnectionsandquestionsarerelevant,well-thoughtandyouhavetakenthetimetoexplorethem

Youhavemadesomerelevantconnectionsandaskedreasonablequestions,butyoursupportlacksdetail

Youhavemadesomeconnectionsandaskedquestions,butyourcontentisweak;someconnectionsirrelevant

Youhavemadeaweakconnectionwithnoexplanation,ornoconnectionmadeatall

Commentaryonwritingstyle,literaryelements,plotdevicesanddevelopmentof thestory

Youdiscussthewritingstyle,literaryelementsandplotdevicesingreatdetailandsupportyourideaswithexplanation

Youdiscussthewritingstyle,literaryelementsandplotdeviceswithadequatedetailandsupport

Youhaveexpressedopinionsonthestyle,literaryelementsorvoiceof theauthor’swriting;supportmaybetoogeneral

Youhavemadesomereferencestothestyle,literaryelements,plotdevicesandauthor’swriting;explanationmaybelackingsupport

Youhavemadeareferencetotheauthor’swriting,butyourexplanationisweak

PersonalReflectionsandPredictions

Reflectionsarethoroughlyexplainedandsupported;Maderelevant,realisticpredictions,whichareexplainedandsupportedthoroughly

Reflectionsareexplainedandsupported;Maderealisticrelevantpredictionswithadequatesupportandexplanation

Somereflectionsmade,supportisattempted;Madesomepredictionsthatwererealisticandsupportisattempted

Attemptedtoreflect,butexplanationwasweakincontent;Madesomepredictions,buttheywerepoorlysupported

Attemptedtoreflect,butdidn’tdiscussindetail/Noattemptmade;Madeanunrealisticprediction;noexplanationgivenof whatistocome

Quoteselection,analysisandplotdetails

Youhavechosenimportantquotesfromthetextandofferedexcellentanalysisanddiscussion

Youhavechosenimportantquotesandofferedgreatanalysisanddiscussion

Youhavechosenquotesthathaveallowedyoutooffersufficientanalysisanddiscussion

Youhaveselectedquotesfromthetext,butIamnotsurehowtheseconnecttoyouranalysisanddiscussion

Youflippedopenthebookand justcopiedoutanything,right?

Bummer.

ANYTHING WITHOUT YOUR NAME WILL LOSE TEN POINTS!

Final Score: ____/25 x 5 =____

K. Dailey 15



Name:Kristen Dailey

READING RESPONSE JOURNAL:REVISED

5 4 3 2 1/0

Personal

Reactions to

characters,

plot and text

You have explained your reactions ingreat detail using clear descriptionsand examples fromtext; great wordchoice :)

You haveexplained yourreactions andsupported them

ith examples;ord choice is

adequate

Your reactions arepresent, try toexpand on reasonsand give examples;try to broaden wordchoice

You provided somereactions; try tomake strongerexplanations withmore detail

You gave areaction withoutany explanationand only usedsimple words. Tryharder next time!

Made

connections

with the

characters,

plot or author,asks relevant

questions

Your connectionsand questions areinsightful, relevant,thought-provoking

and explained withclear details fromthe text :)

Your connectionsand questions arerelevant, well-thought and you

have taken thetime to explorethem

You have madesome relevantconnections andasked reasonable

questions, try to adddetails to support your points

You have madesome connectionsand asked questions;strengthen your

content, and makesure to show how your ideas connectto the text

You must makeconnections andexplain yourpoints. If you

need help, comeask!

Commentary

on writing

style, literary

elements, plot

devices and

development

of the story

You discuss theriting style,

literary elementsand plot devicesin great detail andsupport your ideas

ith explanations :)

You discuss theriting style,

literary elementsand plot devices

ith adequatedetail and support

You have expressedopinions on thestyle, literaryelements or voice of the author’s

riting; rememberto make yoursupport specific!

You have madesome references tothe style, literaryelements, plotdevices or author’s

riting; make sureto support yourpoints!

You have made areference to theauthor’s writing,make sure toexplain yourpoints!

Personal

Reflections

and

Predictions

Your reflections arethoroughly

explainedand well supported;You made relevant,realistic predictions,supported andthoroughlyexplained :)

Your reflections areexplained and

supported; Youmade realisticrelevantpredictions withadequate supportandexplanation

Some reflections aremade, and support is

attempted; Youmade somepredictions that

ererealistic andexplained them

You attempted toreflect,

but yourexplanation was

eak in content; you made somepredictions, please

ork to support your points

You attempted toreflect;

you must discussindetail / you mustmake a realisticprediction; youmust giveexplanation of

hat is to come

Quote

selection,

analysis and

plot details

You have chosenimportant quotesfrom the text andoffered excellentanalysis and

discussion :)

You have chosenimportant quotesand offered greatanalysis anddiscussion

You have chosenquotes that haveallowed you to offersufficient analysisand discussion

You have selectedquotes from thetext; you mustconnect your quotesto your analysis and

discussion

Your quoteselection mustshow analysis andconnections to therest of the text.

ANYTHING WITHOUT YOUR NAME WILL LOSE TEN POINTS!

Final Score: ____/25 x 5 =____

K. Dailey 16



Comments:

________________________________________________________________________________

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________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

*The name and score were not on the original, but for spacing purposes I used the header

and footer for these items. As a result of turning in this assignment in one document, I was

unable to remove these two items from the original. The top rubric is one that I use often for

reading response journals, assessing whether or not a student read, and how deeply they are

reading. I tend to use this more frequently with my upper grades, and still use mostly 10-5-0

quizzes with my eighth graders. With nines, I use a combination of quizzes and journals, and

use a modified, easier version of this rubric. I use this rubric with my upper grades, which iswhy the original has a bit of sarcastic language in it. For the purpose of this assignment, I

tried to make the language used more positive, and the directions a little more clear.

Infrequently do students get below a three on any of the categories. I use this as a framework

to guide students to a deeper reading of literature, and find that a rubric provides them with a

series of bullet points to follow when completing reading journals.

K. Dailey 17



Try This 8.1 Reflection

When I saw this assignment for the first time, I was relieved. I use rubrics often, and

feel that over the years I have been able to construct a strong rubric. I have a habit of being

self-critical of the work I complete—I never feel like I am up to date on marking, I often think

of a question I wanted to ask after the bell has rung, and I always wonder if I could have

done more with a text. I feel confident with rubrics, and I consider writing rubrics to be one

of my strengths as an educator. I briefly contemplated using a rubric from an online source

before deciding to improve upon one of my own. Honestly, I didn’t make too many changes.

I closely evaluated my use of language and tried to be more positive. I added a space for the

score and for comments, and I tried to be more clear in my directives.

The reason why I chose to include this selection is because of what came after this

assignment. I have two students who come to my class during an independent learning class.

After submitting this assignment I found myself looking through my rubrics folder and

examining the language I use, among other things. During this time I was writing a few

rubrics for upcoming assignments in my classes. While Sophia and Gina were sitting in my

room, I took a few minutes to ask them about their experiences with rubrics. I inquired about

how many teachers at our school use rubrics, and learned that a few of us do. From Moodle,

they were able to show me an example of a rubric used by a colleague, the Humanities

teacher. It was a pretty standard example, one similar to something I would find on the

internet. It was clear, concise, and three by three. I asked the girls if they found rubrics useful,

and they said yes. That morning I had posted a new rubric on Moodle. I asked them if they

read the entire rubric, and they both said no. They told me that usually they just read one or

two squares in the higher numbers of each category once or twice. “Usually when I get the

assignment,” said Sophia, “and then again before I hand the work in, to make sure it’s done.”

Playfully I may hand out a rubric one day and write really outrageous things for the 1/0

category, offering extra credit or a bubble milk tea to the first person who notices.

This helped to put the role rubrics have in my room in perspective. Ultimately, my

main purpose in using rubrics is for myself. Sure, they give guidelines to students, allow

parents to see what is going on, but really I use them for me. They give me benchmarks for

grading, eliminate the mystery, and allow me to articulate what exactly I am looking for. This

is the revelation I took from my chat with Sophia and Gina. I will continue to use rubrics.

K. Dailey 18



Selection Four

Assignment 8.1: Four More

Four More!

Name: Kristen Dailey

Date: November 17

Concept/Topic: Rubrics

Key Idea: (On your own, jot a key idea)

Rubrics provide a framework to inform

students of the requirements of theassignment, to provide a model through

which the assignment will be assessed, and

to highlight levels of quality.

Key Idea: (On your own, jot a key idea)

Rubrics provide teachers with a framework

through which to assess students, and toformalize key points from an assignment by

creating key points through which to

assess students for more subjective ideas

and concepts.

Key Idea:

★ Rubrics are great for defining the

criteria of the assignment for

the student.

This idea was contributed by: Mr. H, grade 5

teacher.

Key Idea:

★ A guide to assessing diff erent

levels of development or

performance in a specific

assignment.

This idea was contributed by Mr. A, grade 4

teacher, and my beer half.

Key Idea:

★ Rubrics analyze the learning

process, and assess key points,

off ering options other than

tests.

This idea was contributed by Mr. S, LA

teacher

Key Idea:

★ Rubrics break the assignment

into parts and show

expectations.

This idea was contributed by Ms. C,

Science / Drama teacher.

K. Dailey 19



The Four More strategy would be great in a class where students are

completing research. Students in my grade 9 class are reading To Kill a Mockingbird

at present, and we have watched a documentary film about the trial of The Scottsboro

Boys. Since I teach in Taiwan, many students do not have the background of the Civil

Rights Movement in the United States that students from there have. As a result, I

am introducing a research project where students will seek out information about

some of the key points from that history. This tool would be a good way to begin, have

students select a topic, write what they know about it, and then ask others. In

addition to students being able to teach one another, it may help students focus their

own ideas and narrow the specificity of the project. For myself, completing this

assignment was a bit of a challenge, as rubrics are something I already feel I know

quite a bit about. Still, I kept my own answers minimal, and selected key points I

heard from others. While this may not be new knowledge, it was beneficial for the

purpose of understanding the way this tool works. In my own classes, I do not think

this is the type of assignment I would collect, rather have students complete this task

for the benefit of interacting with others and sharing ideas.

K. Dailey 20



Assignment 8.1 Reflection

I was enthusiastic about using Four More with my ninth graders, and decided to try

the activity that I suggested in my initial post. I maintain that Four More is a good strategy for

sharing knowledge among peers. It was not until I implemented this assignment into my own

class that I understood what a benefit my prior knowledge of rubrics afforded me in my

completion of the four more task. In my initial post, I commented that knowing about rubrics

made this assignment a challenge. Now I can say I have experienced both sides of the

spectrum with this collaborative strategy.

My students have just finished reading To Kill a Mockingbird, and will do Prezi

presentations next Wednesday on a variety of subjects surrounding The Civil Rights

movement and key events that led up to this time in American history. Two weeks ago,

students were encouraged to do preliminary research at home and generate a list of three

possible topics. The next day in class, students were permitted to choose their own topics and

partners. Some of the topics included The Montgomery Bus Boycott, Emmett Till, and

Malcolm X. Once they decided on their topic and partner, they wrote on the board to avoid

duplicates. They returned to their seats and began preliminary research while others were

deciding. Roughly ten minutes later, after everyone had chosen a topic, I handed out the Four

More strategy. I recommended that the students have an exchange while completing this

assignment, and take a few minutes to talk about one another’s topics.

What did I learn about my students from this activity? That they knew even less about

these topics than I thought. A few students walked around aimlessly, unable to find peers

who knew anything about their topic. This happened to the pair who chose the 16th Street

Baptist Church bombing. Some topics were easier than others, as some had been discussed

in class or are very famous events in from world history. I observed that the answers for the

more well known topics were superficial. Here is an example of conversation- Student A:

“What was the Montgomery Bus Boycott?” Student B:“That’s when Rosa Parks sat in the white

section of the bus and started the boycott.” Student A: “What else?” Student B: “Um... then

the boycott started.” Student A:“Okay, and then what happened?” Student B:“Then people

stopped taking the bus, they boycotted . I just said that.” It was at this moment I jumped in.

This lesson was quickly crashing and burning. Noting this, I threw in a quick

modification. I refocused the students to solicit questions if they were unable to solicit

answers. Watching the way this reignited conversation in the room, I added that everyone

should have at least 8 questions and answers. For the students who have been able to find

answers, I requested that they ask questions too. This modification proved to be greatly

K. Dailey 21



successful as students returned to their seats to begin further research. The questions helped

students to narrow and focus their ideas, the followed the new directions well, and a few

later commented that the questions were helpful.

Technically this strategy failed, but the adjustments I made to this activity in progress

luckily worked out. If I needed to teach this lesson again, I would not use Four More. In myexperience, this strategy is much better suited for something that is a review. Another use I

can see for Four More is to begin a dialogue about a topic where students may have varied

opinions, as it could create a platform for debate.

Using this strategy and having it bomb is a reminder that as educators we need to be

flexible. Some lessons do not work the way we anticipate and we need to make a quick

decision about how to make the most of a situation. Other times a teachable moment flies in

through the window, and the class goes off course on a worthwhile tangent. As teachers, weneed to take these moments in stride; there is always tomorrow.

K. Dailey 22



Assignment 1.2: Philosophy and Goals

*For this assignment, I have chosen to include my original post.

ED 606, Assignment 1.2: Philosophy and Goals

Your name: Kristen M. Dailey I believe people learn best when they are comfortable in their learning environment.

Students learn best when they are listened to. Students respond to respect, and give it when they

receive it. Students shut down when they are bored, and need to be challenged and gently pushed.Students check out when they are lost, but may be afraid to admit that. People learn best when all of

these things are taken into consideration, and when they are presented with a teacher who is

passionate about the subject maer.

My primary role as a teacher is to make my students fall in love with literature. My other

roles are to be a mentor, a sounding board, and someone who is generally concerned about the well- being of my students. My role as a teacher is oen one of long hours, where my students know that I

am available, even on vacation, if they need me.

e goal of all education should be to prioritize. Everyone in education needs to remember

what it was like to be a student, and to remember that students are made up of diff erent types of

people. e goal of all education should be to prepare students to never stop learning, and to alwaysask questions. Students should know that it is okay to try and fail, and should be surprised when

they understand something they never thought they would. By the end of the year, I hope my

students will have read something they loved. I hope they will have had one moment they will never

forget. I hope they will have learned something about themselves, and someone else. I hopestudents will have learned how to connect literature to the larger world around them and nd poetry in every day life. I hope students will remember at least one moment of laughter and feel like they

learned something at the end of the year.

My broad curriculum goals for the remainder of this year are to increase student writing

ability and reading comprehension, to nd stronger techniques for engaging ESL students in

mainstream classes, and to begin using Illuminated Texts. is year I hope to nd more successful ways to pair students in groups, and to nd stronger solutions for inviting student participation. My

professional goals for the remainder of this year are to nd a new place of employment, to learn more

about curriculum and instruction, and to begin a wiki or a blog.

e purpose of assessment is to beer understand our roles as educators, to determine

information which will support our analysis of student progress, and to gauge our successes andfailures in the classroom. e purpose of evaluation is to provide educators, students,

administration and parents with evidence of student progress. In my classes, student growth is

tracked with projects, papers, rubrics, participation, on-going projects, wrien assessments, and

quizzes. I have on-going email dialogues will most students, and always allow students to revise and

resubmit.roughout the year I have student meetings to discuss with the student their progress inclass and to highlight strengths and weaknesses, and have found these meetings to be very

informative.

K. Dailey 23



Philosophy Reflection Survey

In the assignment above I noted that one of my professional goals for this year is to

find a new place of employment. In the past month and a half, I have completed tens of

applications for schools around the globe, and have modified my teaching philosophy quite

often since the beginning of this course. I stand by my initial submission, and still feel it

presents a good reflection of who I am as an educator. For the purpose of presenting my

current educational philosophy, I have fused together several versions of what I have been

working on, while including the prompts from the initial assignment for this course. Please

forgive me for presenting my current goals and philosophy separately.

Teaching Philosophy

I believe that teaching is forty percent content knowledge, forty percent compassion, and

thirty percent stand-up comedy. I never give less than 110%. Enthusiasm for a subject and

compassion are, I believe, two of the most beneficial qualities a teacher can possess. When I reflect

upon my own experiences as a student, my memories are punctuated with educators who loved

what they were doing while caring about students, both academically as well as personally. I care

for and believe in all of my students. My role as a high school teacher is to create a safe

environment for each student.

I believe people learn best when they are comfortable in their learning environment.

Students learn best when they are listened to. Students respond to respect, and give it when they

receive it. Students shut down when they are bored; they need to be challenged and gently

pushed. Students check out when they are lost, and may be afraid to admit that. People learn best

when all of these things are taken into consideration, and when they are presented with a teacher

who is passionate about the subject matter. I am passionate about creating an active classroom,

presenting materials that are relevant, and discovering new methods to promote student

engagement. As an educator, I have learned skills of improvisation, and find flexibility and theability to teach under any circumstances crucial.

In each class I invite dissent while encouraging students to challenge ideas and themselves,

assign work that is difficult, yet valid, and maintain a safe space for students to ask questions. My

primary role as a teacher is to make my students fall in love with literature. My other roles are to

be a mentor, a sounding board, and someone who is generally concerned about the well-being of

my students. My role as a teacher is often one of long hours, where my students know that I am

available, even on vacation, if they need me. I believe in each student’s capacity to be successful,

and have high expectations for student eff ort. I value the importance of creating lessons which

promote critical thinking and work to develop students into persons of high character. I believe

K. Dailey 24



teachers should model positive character traits such as respect for others, personal integrity and a

strong work ethic, and feel that character education and service learning are integral components

of education. Using literature as a medium, I hope to guide students to consider the reality of the

world around us, and to be thoughtful and mature about the materials read and discussed in class.

I create lessons that promote independent learning while reinforcing academic responsibility tostudents.

My teaching career began in an urban district in New Jersey with a large population of

struggling learners. When I took my place in front of the classroom fresh out of university, I was

idealistic and optimistic. I sang as a mode of discipline in a school where hallways echoed with

voices of anger and frustration, and learned to really listen. Limited resources and working in a

“failing” school district presented many challenges, and showed me that I can work in any

environment where I love my students. Teaching in several schools around the world has taught

me that I can love my students in any environment.

I believe the goal of all education should be to prioritize. Everyone in education needs to

remember what it was like to be a student, and to remember that students are made up of

diff erent types of people.e goal of all education should be to prepare students to never stop

learning, and to always ask questions. Students need to know that it is okay to try and fail, and

should be surprised when they understand something they never thought they would. By the end

of the year, I hope my students will have read something they loved. I hope they will have had one

moment they will never forget. I hope they will have learned something about themselves, andmany things about others. I hope students will have learned how to connect literature to the

larger world around them, and will find poetry in every day life. I hope students will remember at

least one moment of laughter, and will feel like they learned something at the end of the year. The

purpose of assessment is to better understand our roles as educators, to determine information

which will support our analysis of student progress, and to gauge our successes and failures in the

classroom. e purpose of evaluation is to provide educators, students, administration and

parents with evidence of student progress.

It has been a decade since I first entered the classroom, and I am lucky to have met

educators I aspire to emulate and students who have challenged me; to have cried tears brought

on by self-doubt, failed lessons and frustration; to have enjoyed proud moments of great success,

and stopped for moments of reflection along the journey. My understanding of education has

been further cultivated by my experiences abroad; I am constantly learning. In Japan I worked at a

large, highly academic public school where I was the only native English speaker. Initially

overwhelmed by the limitations I faced while trying to explain the intricacies of English grammar,

I began a rich study of my native language. Working in a 1:1 laptop environment in Taiwan has

helped me to introduce many aspects of technology into my teaching style, including blogs and

K. Dailey 25



class wiki pages. While the small school environment has been challenging at times, I have

benefitted from knowing my students well and watching them grow as learners, and I have

learned to consistently over-plan.

I left America to teach abroad; I am a traveling teacher who loves to read while

experiencing the world. I am grateful for opportunities to share my enthusiasm for learning in theLanguage Arts classroom. Academic integrity is stressed in each of my classes, and I firmly believe

in rigorous intellectual goals and demands. I believe in the value of authentic assessment, and

assign many projects and activities to supplement more traditional methods. I push my students

because I believe in them as learners while recognizing and addressing their frustrations. It is the

incredible teachers I have known who inspired me to enter the field of education. It is my students

who have kept me coming back each year.

K. Dailey 26



Professional Goals

My goals as an educator for the remainder of my career are to continue to develop valid

performance assessments in class. My goals are to pause and reflect on my teaching, and to

continue to evaluate if I am working to the best of my abilities. I also want to make sure that I

keep reading, both personally and professionally, to fully support my knowledge of my subject. At

some point in my career I hope to get National Board Certification.e last thing I want to set as a

lifetime goal is the consistent introduction of new technology into my classroom.

At the beginning of this term, I listed my professional goals as: nd a new place of employment,

to learn more about curriculum and instruction, and to begin a wiki or a blog. I am still actively seeking new

employment and this course and ED 617 have already broadened my knowledge of curriculum and

instruction. My last goal, creating a wiki or a blog, can not realistically happen without first

fulfilling the goal of finding a new job.ere are not enough hours in the day. I have all of theresources and technology I need at my disposal, with too many other things taking priority. is is

something I would like to maintain as a long term goal, while I list several that I can accomplish by

June.

My first immediate goal for 2012 is to try the Podcast Literature Circles I posted in

Discussion 10.1. I feel that using this idea in my classroom will help guide students to

independently seize control of class discussions.e creator of this idea, Adam Watson, presents a

great reminder of something I need to stay conscious of—student accountability is key.is goal

is easy to attain; I need to make the time to prepare a solid framework, determine what I hope to

accomplish with this activity and hypothesize possible outcomes. One more thing I can do to

attain this goal is to read through the links he has posted in support of podcasts in the classroom.

I still hope to find a new teaching position, perhaps one where I am not teaching five separate

courses, so I can focus more on each class and not feel spread so thin.

Last year I visited Cambodia for the first time, and the impact the culture had on me was

profound. I set a goal early on this semester to organize a service learning trip with students. In

February, I am taking 30 students to a rural village outside of Siem Reap, and it is the first

international field trip I have planned and coordinated myself. Student interest has exceeded my

expectations, and I am taking one third of the school with me. I have written and collected

permission slips, made packing lists and packets of information, collected passports and booked

the flights.ere is still so much to do, and I hope to grow professionally from this experience.

Service learning is a component of education I strongly believe in, and I hope that this experience

will help me to solidify and articulate the benefits I see to this form of learning. I determined

something I wanted to accomplish this year, put my mind to it, and I am getting it done.

My last goal for 2012 is to continue to solicit student feedback, and I plan to implement

more student self-reflections in class. One thing I have taken from this course is the importance

K. Dailey 27



of student awareness in their own education.is is something I have already begun to do, and I

found the results to be worthwhile and informative. I believe that it is important for me, as an

educator, to continue to foster and develop an active learning process in my students. Creating a

routine where students frequently pause to reflect on their learning will also create time for me to

pause and reflect upon my teaching. I have created a format for students to assess their roles ingroup work, and I hope to expand this reflection process to other aspects of learning.e first step

towards a successful implementation of student self-reflection is the awareness for the necessity

of it, and one I will continue to foster.

K. Dailey 28



Portfolio Assessment for ED 606 (Dr. Deb Patterson)

Name____________________________________ Semester_______________________

Cover Letter Comments S T

Invites reader into portfolioLetter is personalizedGives concise overview of portfolio contentsAccurately proofread and editedLetter format is correctly followed

AAAA

Selection #1 S T

Selected event or experience is clearly described or representedSelection is accompanied by reflectionReflection identifies reason for selection,articulates learning that took place, and defines next steps

AAA

Selection #2 S TSelected event or experience is clearly described or representedSelection is accompanied by reflectionReflection identifies reason for selection,articulates learning that took place, and defines next steps

AAB

Selection #3 S T

Selected event or experience is clearly described or representedSelection is accompanied by reflectionReflection identifies reason for selection,

articulates learning that took place, and defi

nes next steps

AAB

Philosophy Reflection S T

Philosophy content is clearly written(free of error, shows depth of thought)Philosophy is accompanied by reflectionand sets three goals for coming year

A

A

Other Items (Optional) (Selection #4) S T

Selected event or experience is clearly described or representedSelection is accompanied by reflection which articulates learning

AA

Portfolio as a Whole S TOverall organization, includes all items on the checklistSelections are substantive, demonstrating depth of thought and clarity of writing Presentation (organization, careful editing and proofreading, clear language)Reflections are specific and clearly written(includes overall average of the above scores)

AAAB

Overall Comments:

I find self-assessments to be very challenging. I hope I have successfully been able to present theamount of work that went into this semester and portfolio. Thank you all for the feedback and

great conversation throughout this term. It has been a pleasure to work with you. Best of luck to everyone in future endeavors!

Documents

ED 606 Portfolio K Dailey