Appendix J

 

To: EC-6 Post-Bacc Students

From: Dr. Vickery: Purpose of the Teacher Work Sample/Research Project

Dear Graduate Teacher Candidates,

I am writing today to provide some clarity and detail regarding the Teacher Work Sample/Teacher Research Project. As a graduate student at the University of North Texas, you are expected to complete what is called a capstone project. In other programs, this may be a thesis or an exam. In the Teacher Education Program, we use the Teacher Work Sample as the capstone for your certification/degree plan because our goal is to make the experience as useful and practical as possible to our future teachers. This capstone experience is also aligned to the Texas Teacher Standards and the in TASC education standards for teacher preparation.

The TWS is designed to provide a structure and sequence of the teaching and assessment activities all teachers perform as part of their planning and instruction every year. It supports you in understanding the context and community in which learning occurs, to assess students prior to instruction, identify learning goals, plan to help students achieve those goals, assess for understanding, and to reflect on that experience.

Dr. Dickson, your cadre coordinator, will guide you through the project and support you in embedding the steps into the context and curricular foci of your placement. The TWS is not designed to be an "extra" assignment external to your clinical teaching, rather (as stated before) a clear structure for what we know to be the elements of effective instruction. Your outcomes will provide for some excellent discussion with both your peer pre-service colleagues and your cooperating teachers.

Cheers,

Amanda Vickery, PhD.

Assoc. Dean for Educator Preparation

 

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS

1155 Union Circle #311337       Denton, Texas 76203-5017

940.565.4226      940.565.2921 fax      www.coe.unt.edu

 

UNT Teacher Education & Administration

EC-6 Post Baccalaureate Teacher Work Sample

Introduction

UNT’s Teacher Education Programs are designed based on the inTASC Standards for teacher preparation. The 10 CAEP inTASC standards are organized under seven components as follows:

Component 1:  Contextual Factors

Standard #1: Learner Development. The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.

Standard #2: Learning Differences. The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.

Standard #3: Learning Environments. The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

Component 2:  Learning Goals

Standard #4: Content Knowledge. The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.

Standard #5: Application of Content. The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues.

Component 3:  Assessment Plan

Standard #6: Assessment. The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making.

Component 4:  Design for Instruction and Component 5:  Instructional Decision Making

Standard #7: Planning for Instruction. The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.

Standard #8: Instructional Strategies. The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.

Component 6:  Analysis of Student Learning

Standard #6: Assessment. The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making.

Component 7: Reflection and Self-Evaluation

Standard #9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice. The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.

Standard #10: Leadership and Collaboration. The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.

Instructions for the Development of the Teacher Work Sample

A Teacher Work Sample: is a demonstration of excellent teaching performance that provides direct evidence of a teacher’s ability to apply the 10 INTASC Standards and related components during student teaching or internship.

You will plan and teach an instructional unit and assess student outcomes. Use of the seven components will help you identify your students, develop learning goals, decide how you will assess your instruction, plan instruction before teaching begins, make instructional decisions during teaching, monitor student progress as you go, and demonstrate how you have impacted your students’ learning outcomes.

Use the following pages as a template for your Teacher Work Sample. Ensure that all red text has been removed, your name is entered in footer, and all sections are complete.

Step 1: Create a cover page with your name, title of the work, school district, school, content area, grade level, dates

Step 2: Complete all tables with information related to Components 1-7

Step 3: Complete contextual factors, descriptions, analyses, and reflections for Components 2 - 7

‹ Appendix I: The Educator's Guide to Student Data Privacy                                   up                                                  Teacher Work Sample: Component 2 ›

• Printer-friendly version