Welcome

Hello! My name is Moenika Wells.

Welcome to my professional portfolio. I have created this portfolio to showcase my learning and qualifications gained through the Dixie State College Elementary Education Program. I anticipate to graduate from the Elementary Education program in December of 2010. I have based this portfolio around the Dixie State Education Department Standards (D.E.S.E.R.T.). For each standard I present two artifacts that show mastery of that standard.

Biographical Sketch

I was born in Logan, Utah. I moved to St. George at the age of three and have lived here ever since. I graduated from Dixie High School in 2006.

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to become a teacher. My Father is an Elementary School teacher and my desire to be a teacher stems from him. At a young age, I loved going to my Dad’s classroom. I loved helping him hang bulletin boards, or change the calendar at the end of the month. As I got older, I started to see the genuine impact that my dad has had, and continues to have, on his students. Over the years I have had many people tell me that they had my dad as a teacher and how much they loved being in his class. This occurrence always made me proud. It made me want to be like my Dad. I want to have an influence for good on other people’s lives like my Dad has. I feel that I have qualities that will enable me to do just that. I have a natural love and care for people, especially children. I have a calm personality that may help my students to feel safe, and that can be helpful to classroom management. I enjoy learning and hope to share my enthusiasm for learning with my students.

Educational Philosophy

The purpose of education is to enable people to be the best that they can be. To have an education is to have power. The more that a person knows, or the more educated a person is, the better decisions that person can make. I want a world full of educated people who are empowered and enabled to make the best decisions to better themselves and their communities.

The role of the student in education is that of a learner. In order to learn, the students in my class will need to be prepared and be actively participating. Students should be prepared to learn by having appropriate materials ready for use. They can also be prepared by knowing the classroom rules and procedures, and by being willing to follow these policies. Students need to be active participators in their own education. Students can participate in a variety of ways depending on the activity at hand, but students should always be listening for instruction and information.

My role as the teacher is to help students learn by having high expectations. If I expect my students to succeed then they will. As I teacher, I will create a pleasant classroom environment with well-established procedures. My classroom will be focused on learning but also one that feels very safe and welcoming. I will care for each of my students as individuals. I will make accommodations for students when needed so that all students in my class will succeed. In addition to curriculum content I will teach my students to be good people. I will help them to build character by taking advantage of natural teaching moments that occur. I will build the confidence in my students that they will need to be successful in their lives. As their teacher, I will strive to continually be an excellent example to my students of a life-long learner, an active participant in my community, and of optimism in life.

D- Diversity

Teacher candidates understand that diversity differences (race, gender, ethnicity, culture, exceptionalities, individual differences, etc.) affect learning and know how to provide educational opportunities that meet the needs of all the students.

Artifact #1- Contextual Factors

I created this contextual factors sheet for my science methods class at Dixie State College during Spring 2010 semester. The contextual factors are based on the practicum class I attended during that semester. This artifact provides evidence that I understand diversity differences affect learning because it demonstrates my knowledge in being able to obtain such information to improve my teaching, and so that I know how to differentiate my lessons for individual students. I used this contextual factor sheet every time I created a lesson for this class to be sure that all of the students were able to learn the most that they could. Therefore, I believe this is a strong artifact that demonstrates my knowledge that diversity differences affect learning.

Artifact #2- Gifted and Talented Characteristics File

In Fall of 2009 I created a gifted and talented characteristics file. The File includes ten characteristics that will help me to identify the gifted and talented students in my classroom. Each characteristic includes an intervention to help the students use their unique traits to their advantage. This file also includes my mission statement concerning the gifted and talented students. This artifact shows that I understand that diversity goes beyond race or ethnicity and that it includes the exceptionalities found in individual students.

E- Effective Pedagogy

Teacher candidates can create effective instruction and meaningful assessments for all students based on required subject matter knowledge, state content standards, curriculum goals, and use of technology.

Artifact #1- Unit Plan on Story Elements

During my student teaching in Fall of 2010 I taught a unit on story elements. The creation of this unit included making lessons that implemented effective instruction techniques and meaningful assessments. I relied heavily on the Utah State Core Curriculum to establish the learning objectives for the unit as well as in the individual lesson plans.

Artifact #2- Lesson Plan on Editing

I created this lesson plan on editing rough drafts while student teaching in the Fall of 2010. This lesson plan implements all the components of SIOP. My SIOP accommodations show that I can create effective instruction for all of my students. The objectives for this lesson comply with what is found in the Utah State Core Curriculum. This lesson shows my ability to create an excellent lesson and use meaningful assessments while teaching the required subject matter knowledge.

S- Subject Matter

Teacher candidates have a strong knowledge of the subject matter they will teach and can facilitate the acquisition of that knowledge in their students.

Artifact #1- PRAXIS

I took the Elementary Education: Content Knowledge PRAXIS in the summer of 2010. I not only passed this assessment, I did well enough to receive a certificate of excellence. This artifact shows that I have a strong knowledge base that I can share with my students.

Artifact #2- Unit Pre/Post Assessment Results

During my student teaching in Fall of 2010 I taught a Language Arts Unit on story elements. I administered a pre and post assessment to my students before and after the unit was taught. This artifact shows the results of those assessments. This artifact shows that I can facilitate the acquisition of knowledge in my students because all of my students assessments show massive improvement from the pre-assessment to the post-assessment.

E- Environment

Teacher candidates can create physically and emotionally safe classroom environments that encourage active learning, self-motivation, and cooperative interaction among students.

Artifact #1 - Classroom Model

Along with my dyad partner, I created a model of a classroom in the Fall of 2009 semester. While making this model, I considered the classroom environment a great deal. I've learned that classrooms need to be safe, comfortable places, as well as child-friendly and academically stimulating. From the color of the walls to the arrangement of the desks, all things in this classroom were well thought out to best represent a wonderful classroom environment. I have included a picture of our finished model classroom, as well as a rationale explaining why we created this classroom the way we did.

Artifact #2- Student Welcome Letter

In the Spring of 2009 I wrote this student welcome letter to be sent to my students the summer before they come into my classroom. This artifact shows that I recognize the importance of the classroom environment and that my own personal relationship with each student contributes to that environment. This artifact shows that I intend to make my classroom a safe, welcoming place for my students.

R- Reflective

Teacher candidates will be active learners and reflective practitioners, individually and with their colleagues.

Artifact #1- Action Research Question

In the Spring Semester of 2010 I conducted an action research project. I noticed that my practicum class that semester had a SmartBoard that was not being actively used. As a reflective practitioner, I wondered if increased use of the SmartBoard would lead to increased willing student participation. This artifact shows that I am an active learner because I was willing to do extra work to learn more about what works and helps students succeed in the classroom. This artifact also shows that I am reflective because as I was teaching in the class I reflected on how to improve participation and not only wondered if the SmartBoard would increase this but also did research and answered my question.

Artifact #2- Math Lesson Reflection

I wrote this reflection on a math lesson I taught in my practicum class in the Spring of 2009. This reflection shows that I am a reflective practitioner because I am able to not just report what happened during my lesson but also delve into what I could have done different to improve student learning.

T- Teaching Dispositions

Teacher candidates will foster a caring and professional relationship with students that focus on acceptance and their educational needs.

Artifact #1- Referral Letter

This referral letter was written by my mentor teacher during my student teaching in the Fall of 2010. In the letter my mentor refers to my ability to be positive and up beat with the students. My mentor teacher also gave me distinguished ratings as she says in the letter. This artifact, written by someone who has watched me teach many times, shows that I have the disposition to be an excellent teacher.

Artifact #2- Lesson Evaluation

This artifact is a lesson evaluation completed by my supervisor during my student teaching in the Fall of 2010. In the Teaching Dispositions category she rated me 5-Distinguished. This artifact shows that I can maintain a good teaching disposition even in the stressful situation of being evaluated by a supervisor.