the 4 competencies

1. The teacher understands human developmental processes and applies that knowledge to instruction planning and ongoing assessment that's motivating & responsive to students' developmental characteristics.

2. The teacher understands student diversity and knows how to design assessments and plan learning experiences that are responsive to students' differences and promotes the learning of all students.

3. The teacher understands procedures for designing effective instruction and assessment based on appropriate learning goals and objectives.

4. The teacher understands learning processes and the factors that impact student learning and demonstrates this knowledge by planning effective, appropriate, and engaging instruction.

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Classroom Profile

My classroom is learner-centered and flexible. This allows students to access their own progress towards goals. I have a reading area that is designed for quiet reading and activities. There are many storage areas around the room for more convenience. I utilize my bulletin boards to display student's work. I have a data chart that displays my student's test scores per class for each benchmark testing. The data chart increases motivation and classroom engagement from each of my students, as they strive to compete with other classes for higher scores. As a class, we create anchor charts together when studying new material and these charts are displayed throughout my classroom. Our classroom routines are continuously modeled, discussed, and practiced. My classroom is differentiated and openly engages all of my students.

instructional plan
& Resources

I always set a purpose when creating a lesson plan. By understanding your ideal "end result," you can better plan the steps to take to reach that goal. Lesson plans must be informational, engaging, and made relevant to your students. Understanding each of your student's abilities and making necessary modifications to fit the needs of each student is imperative in creating an effective lesson plan. As a 6th grade English teacher, I often use graphic organizers, mnemonic devices, modeling, direct instruction, guided instruction, and other resources to assist all students.

Check out this lesson plan:
/uploads/5/6/1/2/56121309/5.1_plans.docx

My Curriculum

My curriculum is based upon Gagne's Nine Events which include the following:

1. Gain Attention
   
2. Present Learning Objectives (TEKS)
   
3. Stimulate Prior Learning
   
4. Present Content
   
5. Provide Guidance
   
6. Elicit Performance (Practice)
   
7. Offer Feedback
   
8. Assess
   
9. Apply Learning to Life
   

My district requires that each ELAR teacher follow a Year at a Glance (YAG) plan. This plan identifies when and what content to be covered. There are certain TEKS readiness/supporting standards and academic vocabulary required per content taught. This plan ensures that all students are learning the same material at the same time which makes STAAR test preparation and Benchmark testing more in unison.

technology

I try to incorporate technology into many of my ELAR lessons. Some of the technologies that I use are as follows:
Animoto, Prezi, Twitter, Powerpoint, Smartboard, Glogster, and more. Check out my "Design & Technology" tab for examples!

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