Title: Best Practices Reflection from Block 1 Placement

Date: Spring 2014

Artifact Description: My artifact is a reflection paper I wrote in the spring of 2014 for my K-4
Methods of Cognitive Development class while attending the University of Wisconsin Platteville.
The paper is based on the reflection of three out of seven best practices that I observed in my
block 1 placement. These best practices came from our text titled, Best Practice: Bringing
Standards to Life in Americas Classrooms by Steven Zemelman, Harvey Smokey Daniels, and
Arthur Hyde.
ALIGNMENT
Wisconsin Teacher Standard Alignment
I believe this artifact best aligns with standard four of the Wisconsin Teacher Development and
Licensure Standards which states: The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional
strategies, including the use of technology, to encourage students development of critical
thinking, problem solving, and performance skills. This artifact best aligns with standard four
because it shows that I have and understand the different tools that will allow me to use a
variety of strategies in my classroom to develop students critical thinking, problem solving, and
performance skills. I have encountered using strategic thinking in the classroom by asking the
students questions about text we are reading before, during, and after we read the book. I have
also observed and worked with students using representations to learn by using writing tools
such as word ladders and writing logs. Finally, I have taken formative and reflective assessments
while working with students in Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) groups by asking questions
throughout the book (reflective assessment) and taking running records (formative assessment)
of what the students read.
UW-Platteville School of Education Knowledge, Skill, Disposition Statement
Alignment:
I believe this artifact best aligns with KS3.c. of the UW-Platteville School of Education Knowledge,
Skill, Disposition Statements which states: The candidate has the ability to engage students in
the learning process by linking appropriate content, based upon suitable instructional materials
and resources, to students knowledge and experience, being certain that all students are
cognitively engaged in the activities/assignments and that the students actively contribute to the
content design. Instruction is highly coherent and appropriately paced for all students and allows
for reflection and closure as appropriate. This artifact best aligns with this standard because
asking questions before, during, and after a book are read ensures engagement throughout the
book by linking what is happening. Tools such as word ladders and word logs allows students to
actively contribute in the lesson.
Secondary Alignment
KS1.d. Demonstrates knowledge of resources
KS3.b. Uses questioning and discussion techniques
REFLECTION
What I learned about teaching/learning:
This experience has taught me the importance of using a variety of instructional strategies to
develop understanding. As standard four discuses, teachers need to be able to use a variety of
instructional strategies to encourage students development of critical thinking, problem solving,
and performance skills. I learned that each student has their own unique way of learning
material and those needs have to be meet by using several different tools. We can use the
different types of assessment to adjust the material as needed to fit the students needs. As an
educator it is the teachers job to possess those tools that the child needs to succeed
academically.

What I learned about myself as a prospective educator:

I learned that knowing a variety of different teaching strategies is essential as a future educator
because you have to be able to adjust the curriculum to fit the needs of individual students.
Every student will have his/her own unique way of critical thinking, problem solving, and
performance skills and teachers need to know how to teach each one of those students. The
more tools the teacher possesses, increases the chances that the student will eventually
understand the material.
Molly Mayer
K-4 Methods
Best Practices Reflection
February 19, 2014

Throughout my observations in a second grade, special reading classroom, at

Westview Elementary I am seeing several Best Practice strategies that my teacher does
as she teaches. There are three Best Practices that my cooperating teacher instills in her
classroom that Zemelman, Daniels, and Hyde (2012) discuss in their textbook. Those
three strategies are strategic thinking, representing to learn, and formative/reflective
assessment.
I have observed that my teacher instills strategic thinking in her LLI group while we
read. Before we read the book we talk about what the students already know about the
topic. As we read the book we stop and answer questions, and think about what the
book is about. After we finish the book, we make inferences and talk about what could
happen beyond where the story ends.
The second strategic skill that my teacher instills in her class is representing to
learn. My teacher also does this in her LLI group by using all sorts of different writing
tools. She uses word ladders and writing logs with the kids to practice their letters. We
write letters and words all the time while we are in LLI.
The third skill that my cooperating teacher instills is Formative/Reflective
Assessment. These skills are also implemented as we do our LLI groups throughout the

day. We take formative assessments as we read the books by asking them questions
about what they have just read. We also take reflective assessments of the children by
taking running records of how the children read.
In conclusion, Zemelman, Daniels, and Hyde discuss different reading strategies
that are best practices for teachers to use. I observed my cooperating teacher using
strategic thinking, representing to learn, and formative/reflective assessment in her
class.

References
Zemelman, Steven, and Harvey Daniels. Best practice: bringing standards to life in America's
classrooms. 4th ed. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2012. Print.