Ways Teacher Work Samples Impact Teacher Decision Making

1. Ways Teacher Work Samples Impact Teacher Decision Making Dr. Laurie Katz Associate Professor: Early Childhood Education Middle Tennessee State University lkatz@mtsu.edu Good morning. I am a professor at MTSU. MTSU is one of the universities that has been involved in the collaboration of the Renaissance Project. Good morning. I am a professor at MTSU. MTSU is one of the universities that has been involved in the collaboration of the Renaissance Project.

2. Research Question What are the types of decisions that student teachers are making in their student teaching placements? Some of the key processes of the TWS involves analysis of student learning &self- reflection & evaluation. I conducted a study exploring the outcomes of student teachers� reflections & analyses by identifying the types of decisions they made during their implementation of the TWS. Some of the key processes of the TWS involves analysis of student learning &self- reflection & evaluation. I conducted a study exploring the outcomes of student teachers� reflections & analyses by identifying the types of decisions they made during their implementation of the TWS.

3. Participants 20 student teachers 10 � Pre-K through 4th grade certification 10 � K-8 certification Kindergarten � 3rd grade placements 8 week period (August 20, 2002 � October 11, 2002)

4. Key Processes of Teacher Work Samples Contextual Factors Learning Goals Assessment Plan Design for Instruction Instructional Decision-Making Analysis of Student Learning Self-Evaluation & Reflection My data collection was from the Instructional Decision Making section of the TWS.My data collection was from the Instructional Decision Making section of the TWS.

5. Key Teaching ProcessInstructional Decision-Making TWS Standard: The teacher uses on-going analysis of student learning to make instructional decisions. Task: Provide 2 examples of instructional decision-making based on students� learning or responses

6. Instructional Decision-MakingPrompt Think of a time during your unit when a student�s learning or response caused you to modify your original design for instruction.(The resulting modification may affect other students as well.) Cite specific evidence to support your answers to the following: Describe the student�s learning or response that caused you to rethink your plans. The student�s learning or response may come from a planned formative assessment or another source (not the pre-assessment). They responded this prompt. They had already written the unit plan. During the course of their unit they made specific changes based on a student�s learning or response. I analyzed their changes in their unit plan (I.e. what they decided to change in their unit)They responded this prompt. They had already written the unit plan. During the course of their unit they made specific changes based on a student�s learning or response. I analyzed their changes in their unit plan (I.e. what they decided to change in their unit)

7. Content Analysis �Culture is an organization of things, the meaning given by people to objects, places, and activities� (Spradley, 1980, p. 86) I conducted a content analysis of the data based on Spradley�s approach and his perceptions of culture. I perceived the classroom as a culture. I identified elements of cultural meaning in the TWS of the Instructional Decision Making key process and then discovered how the parts were organized. E.g. created cultural domains or categories of meaning. Cover term, included terms, and semantic relationship. The cover term is the name for a cultural domain. The included terms are the names for all the smaller categories inside the domain. The third element in all cultural domains is a single sematic relationship that links together the cover terms with the smaller category. I will show some of the bigger and smaller categories as a way of sharing some of the findings. From these categories..patterns emerged that made statements of relationships among the categories.I conducted a content analysis of the data based on Spradley�s approach and his perceptions of culture. I perceived the classroom as a culture. I identified elements of cultural meaning in the TWS of the Instructional Decision Making key process and then discovered how the parts were organized. E.g. created cultural domains or categories of meaning. Cover term, included terms, and semantic relationship. The cover term is the name for a cultural domain. The included terms are the names for all the smaller categories inside the domain. The third element in all cultural domains is a single sematic relationship that links together the cover terms with the smaller category. I will show some of the bigger and smaller categories as a way of sharing some of the findings. From these categories..patterns emerged that made statements of relationships among the categories.

8. There are 3 components of assessment during the TWS � pre-formative & post. Student teachers made changes to their assessments based on the student responses by revising the format of their original assessments. For ex. A ST was teaching a science unit on weather. As part of her assessment she initially showed a picture of a weather condition to the students. The students were to choose a word from a word bank that identified the picture and write that word on the answer sheet. Students were getting the wrong answers. ST changed the format by showing the picture and having the students orally identify the weather condition in the picture. Another example, 1 st wrote in this section that she learned from the pre-test that some of the students with special needs didn�t understand the multiple choice format that she had devised. Therefore, she changed her assessment format by reading part of the assessment to the students and �instead of writing the letter of an answer on the line, students circled the correct answer. � Rewording original questions that were more understood by the student. One st decided to read formative assessment questions to an ELL where initially she planned another type of assessment. Several st�s embedded the assessments into the curriculum. I turned the assessment into a game or activity that the students played. There are 3 components of assessment during the TWS � pre-formative & post. Student teachers made changes to their assessments based on the student responses by revising the format of their original assessments. For ex. A ST was teaching a science unit on weather. As part of her assessment she initially showed a picture of a weather condition to the students. The students were to choose a word from a word bank that identified the picture and write that word on the answer sheet. Students were getting the wrong answers. ST changed the format by showing the picture and having the students orally identify the weather condition in the picture. Another example, 1 st wrote in this section that she learned from the pre-test that some of the students with special needs didn�t understand the multiple choice format that she had devised. Therefore, she changed her assessment format by reading part of the assessment to the students and �instead of writing the letter of an answer on the line, students circled the correct answer. � Rewording original questions that were more understood by the student. One st decided to read formative assessment questions to an ELL where initially she planned another type of assessment. Several st�s embedded the assessments into the curriculum. I turned the assessment into a game or activity that the students played.

9. The biggest section involved ST�s decisions to make changes in their unit plan by revising their activity(lesson) or implementing another activity(lesson) when they thought that students weren�t mastering the objective or learning goal that was being taught. ST�s realized that their teaching strategy was not consistent with the student�s learning style so they would change their activity to be more consistent with the student�s learning style. If a child learned visually, the ST would implement visuals such as pictures or using an overhead to enlarge or highlight certain words or pictures. Ex. 1 st was conducted a unit on sound. Her s�s were having difficulty with the associated vocabulary words. She had the students draw pictures of the words to help them remember the definitions. Students had problems identifying parts of a plant. The ST took the kids outside and had them act-out the parts of the plant. Centers: St was making butter � too long of an activity � kids were getting bored and she realized she could accommodate the learning goal that she was teaching into centers. Adapted a center to accommodate the needs of a student. At the same time this center was a good reinforcing activity for the other students, also. The biggest section involved ST�s decisions to make changes in their unit plan by revising their activity(lesson) or implementing another activity(lesson) when they thought that students weren�t mastering the objective or learning goal that was being taught. ST�s realized that their teaching strategy was not consistent with the student�s learning style so they would change their activity to be more consistent with the student�s learning style. If a child learned visually, the ST would implement visuals such as pictures or using an overhead to enlarge or highlight certain words or pictures. Ex. 1 st was conducted a unit on sound. Her s�s were having difficulty with the associated vocabulary words. She had the students draw pictures of the words to help them remember the definitions. Students had problems identifying parts of a plant. The ST took the kids outside and had them act-out the parts of the plant. Centers: St was making butter � too long of an activity � kids were getting bored and she realized she could accommodate the learning goal that she was teaching into centers. Adapted a center to accommodate the needs of a student. At the same time this center was a good reinforcing activity for the other students, also.

10. Students realized that they needed to accommodate their plans to meet diverse ability levels of the students. They had academically-bright students finishing assignments earlier than others and they were confronted with decisions of what to do with them. Students realized that they needed to accommodate their plans to meet diverse ability levels of the students. They had academically-bright students finishing assignments earlier than others and they were confronted with decisions of what to do with them.

11. Decisions based on�. Developmentally appropriate practices Linking assessment to curriculum

12. Developmentally Appropriate Practices Child-focused �Authentic� Assessment Centers Inclusive Practices Materials Hands-on activities Decisions focused on best interests of the child. What can I do to help this child learn? No blame on the child or family but what type of teaching strategies will help this child? Struggled with finding out what the child knows? Changes in formative and post assessment practicesDecisions focused on best interests of the child. What can I do to help this child learn? No blame on the child or family but what type of teaching strategies will help this child? Struggled with finding out what the child knows? Changes in formative and post assessment practices

13. Assessment Acted upon students� verbal and non-verbal gestures indicating lack of understanding of objectives. Linking assessment with curriculum.