Apendix J: Teacher Research Project

Appendix J

THIS ASSIGNMENT IS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS ONLY

 

 

Text Description automatically generated with medium confidence

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

Teacher Work Sample: Component 2

Component 2.  Learning Goals/Objectives

 

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.

 
 

 
  1. Content Area:                                                   Grade(s):
  1. Length of Unit (# of days/class periods)
  1. Learning Objectives/Outcomes to be accomplished by students. (List each day’s objective, TEKS and ELPS.)

 

Day 1- Objective, TEKS and ELPS

 

Day 2- Objective, TEKS and ELPS

 

Day 3- Objective, TEKS and ELPS

 

Day 4- Objective, TEKS and ELPS

 

Day 5-  Objective, TEKS and ELPS

 

Teacher Work Sample: Component 3

 

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.

Directions:

Submit a copy of your Pre/Post Assessments to your Cadre Coordinator to preview before you give the Pre-Assessment to your students. Please include all scoring criteria (keys, rubrics, etc.).

Also, let your Cadre Coordinator know how you plan to assess each day’s instruction (i.e. Daily Formative & Summative assessments). You may want to include copies of these.

 

 

Teacher Work Sample: Component 4

Component 4.  Design for Instruction

 

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.

  1. Pre-Assessment Analysis - Provide a graphic representation of your pre-assessment data showing each student’s score by objective number and for each sub-group by objective number. Copy & paste all graphs into the Template for Component #4. Then answer the following questions.
  2. What did you learn about the subgroups of students?  Cite specific evidence from the assessment data that led you to these conclusions about the class and about the subgroups of students.
  3. How did your analysis of the pre-assessment data influence how you designed the learning activities for your class as a whole?
  4. Explain how you plan to adapt instruction for the needs of students with exceptionalities, bilingual, and English Language Learners.

Teacher Work Sample: Component 5

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.

Answer the following questions:

  1. Give at least two examples of times during the teaching of your unit that your assessment of student learning or the response of one or more students caused you to change your approach or to do something different than you planned.
  2. Describe the result of your selected modification; (i.e. Explain how your instructional modification impacted student learning.)

Administer your post-assessment at the end of the unit.

Teacher Work Sample: Component 6

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.

Comparison of Pre/Post Assessment

(Provide a comparison of the Pre/Post Assessments in graphic representation)

  1. Include a copy of either the Pre or Post-Assessment that you developed (Please include assessment Key or Rubric). Since the assessments are identical, you only need to include one, not both.
  2. Display your pre and post assessment results in graphic form using Graphmaker

Show graphic results by: Student, Objective, and Sub-Groups

 

Teacher Work Sample: Component 7

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.

  1. Write a reflection, summarizing your unit as a whole. Tell how it has deepened your understanding of assessment tools, teaching and learning, and how it will inform your own teaching in the future.

 

  1. Highlight the learning goal/objective in which your students were the most successful, as well as the learning goal/objective in which your students were least successful. Explain why or what you think may have contributed to the results.

 

  1. Discuss how you can use this information to develop further as a teacher. Discuss how you plan to capitalize on your strengths and improve any areas of weakness as you prepare for your own class.

 

The preceding documents have been adapted and modified from the following sources: http://education.ucf.edu/clinicalexp/docs/TWS_GuidelinesAndDirections.pdf

Teacher Work Sample Template – Oklahoma Christian University

https://www.wku.edu/teacherservices/student_teaching/documents/teacher_work_sample.pdf

 

Teacher Work Sample: Component 1

Summary of Work Sample Components

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.

Standard 1. Learner Development

 

Instructional Implications

Accommodations & Adaptations

Number of Students in the classroom:

 

 

 

Grade level(s)

 

 

 

General developmental characteristics of all student:

Physical

Social

Intellectual

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Socio-economic Status

 

 

 

Standard 2. Learner Differences

# of Students with Special Needs

 

 

 

Gifted-Talented

 

 

 

Response to Intervention:

 

 

 

504 Students

 

 

 

Title I Students

 

 

 

# of students who are identified as

English learners Bilingual learners

 

 

 

Languages other than English

 

 

 

Cultural Backgrounds

 

 

 

Standard #3: Learning Environments

Resources available: Ex. equipment, technology, books, supplies

 

 

 

Any other factor considered necessary for instruction

 

 

 

 

Teacher Work Sample: Evaluation Rubric

Evaluation Rubric for Teacher Work Sample

National Standards

Components

Content

 

 

Target

Acceptable

Unacceptable

CAEP 1

INTASC 1,2,3 

1. Contextual Factors

Forms completed with detailed descriptions of classroom conditions.

Forms missing any information; vague description of classroom conditions. I have questions about the Work Sample

Forms missing more than half the information; no classroom conditions described.

CAEP 1

INTASC 4,5,6

2.

Learning Goals, Objectives, TEKS & ELPS

All 5 lessons contain CCSS/ LGs, objectives & activities. Assessment tools aligned with objectives & instruction. Uses results of assessment to guide and modify instruction.

All 5 lessons contain CCSS/ LGs, objectives & activities. Most assess. tools aligned with objectives & instruction. Uses results of assessment to guide instruction.

Fewer than five lessons contain CCSS/LGs, objectives & activities. Describes some assessment tools but not aligned with objectives and instruction.

CAEP 1

INTASC 6,7,9

3, 4, 5

Instruction Plan  and Assessment Plan

Work Sample describes the pre- and post-assessment method(s).  Summative assessment is performance and requires HOTS. Pre- and post-assessments are analyzed and efforts to remediate unsuccessful students included. Detailed information provided about communication and follow-up. All responses are detailed and logical.

Describes the assessment plan for the Work Sample. Describes the pre- and post-assessment method(s).  Summative assessment is not performance but requires HOTS. Pre- and post- assessments are analyzed and efforts to remediate unsuccessful students included. Information provided about communication & follow-up.

Describes the assessment plan for the Work Sample. Describes the pre- and post- assessment method(s).  Summative assessment is not performance nor requires HOTS. Pre- and post- assessments are analyzed but efforts to remediate unsuccessful students not included. Responses are vague with little supporting verbiage.

CAEP 1

INTASC 4,5,6,7,8

5,6, 7

Analysis of Student Work & Description of Instruction

Graphs of Pre and Post Assessments are posted and individual student progress is described. At least three lessons include hands-on activities, at least two lessons contain cooperative grouping, and teaching strategies other than lecture are used.

Graphs of Pre and Post Assessments are posted and some student progress is described. At least two lessons include hands-on activities & 1 lesson with cooperative grouping. Other valid teaching strategies are used, but lecture dominates 2 or more lessons.

Graphs of Pre & Post Assessments are missing or student progress is not described. Lessons include very little hands-on activities or cooperative grouping. Lecture dominates lessons.

CAEP 1

INTASC 4

7.

Reflection

The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning and examines evidence to evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of choices and actions on others. The teacher adapts his/her practice to meet the needs of each learner.

The teacher examines evidence to evaluate his/her practices, particularly the effects of choices and actions on others. The teacher makes an effort to adapt his/her practice to meet the needs of each learner.

The teacher does a poor job reflecting, examining, and evaluating his/her practices and the effects of choices and actions on others. The teacher makes little effort to adapt his/her practice to meet the needs of each learner.