Running head: Assignment 1- Telling My Story

Assignment 1 Telling My Story

Ryan Sevy
National University

TED 690Capstone Course

Professor Clifton Johnson

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ASSIGNMENT 1- TELLING MY STORY
Abstract

This paper highlights the artifacts chosen for a Professional Develop Portfolio Quest
(PDPQ). The artifacts chosen to show domain competency are explained. The paper also briefly
visits the Teacher Performance Expectations (TPEs) and rationale for the particular one chosen.
The paper will also Evaluate progress in achieving competencies in the chosen TPE domain,
identify strengths and needs associated within the chosen TPE domain, discussing potential TPE
competencies to be used for the PDQP, and provide a rationale for selecting and completing areas
of professional needs and goals achieved for the chosen TPE domain.

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ASSIGNMENT 1- TELLING MY STORY
The Six Domains A-F of the Teacher Performance Expectations (TPEs)
The ability to continually improve, learn, and never be completely satisfied with ones
knowledge as a teacher, is essential for a teacher to be great in their field of expertise. The TPEs
are a vital part of measuring a successful teachers performance, performance standards for
teaching are grounded in the proposition that high standards for student achievement can best be
reached if teachers have in-depth knowledge and skills necessary to prepare all students to meet
these standards, and demonstrate continual progress regardless of ethnicity, native language, or
special needs (Constantino, 2009).
The six Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs) Domains are:
A. Making Subject Matter Comprehensible to Students
B. Assessing Student Learning
C. Engaging and Supporting Students in Learning
D. Planning Instruction and Designing Learning Experiences for Students
E. Creating and Maintaining Effective Environments for Student Learning
F. Developing as a Professional Educator

The Domain I am displaying now is Domain A: Making Subject Matter Comprehensible to

Students. As a substitute teacher covering almost all subjects for teachers, I have been involved
in many situations where a teacher needs me to effectively communicate subject matter to their
students in a way that is understandable and comprehensible; and I found this to be quite difficult
earlier with so many subjects. In Social Studies, I realized that although I knew much of the
information, communicating so much information in a way the students successfully understood
could feel overwhelming and discouraging.

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ASSIGNMENT 1- TELLING MY STORY
One of the three artifacts I have chosen to use in my e-portfolio is a sample of lesson plan
I created. I chose this artifact because it demonstrates how I attempted to make the subject
matter comprehensible to students, and illustrates some of my teaching techniques I used while
student-teaching. I learned so much during this valuable experience such as, the importance of
pre-loading content, scaffolding, and using a variety of approaches to the material through
differentiation. The second artifact I have chosen is a sample of student work. I chose this
artifact because it shows an example of how well the student was able to comprehend the subject
matter I was communicated to them, and measures their correct understanding. The third artifact
I have chosen is a supporting literature review of the author, Janis Harmon. I have chosen this
artifact because it shows how to promote literacy in various subject matter engagements, and
increase content area comprehension as a result.
Telling My Story
Teaching certainly has been a journey for me. I have grown tremendously from my early
days as a substitute, and through each of my courses at National University, I have learned so
much more about how to teach and how much I did not know regarding teaching. As a result of
what I have learned and just how valuable it has been to my professional development, I know
that I will always be learning and attempting to grow in my understanding of this great art of
teaching. Struggle, sweat, and tears have been part of my growth in Domain A, and as the years
have rolled by, I feel more and more confident in my abilities to really communicate subject
matter well to my students and know they are comprehending it successfully.
Strengths and Needs within TPE Domain A
MAKING SUBJECT MATTER COMPREHENSIBLE TO STUDENTS
TPE 1: Specific Pedagogical Skills for Subject Matter Instruction

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ASSIGNMENT 1- TELLING MY STORY
TPE 1B: Subject-Specific Pedagogical Skills for Single Subject Teaching
Assignments

Domain
Teaching Mathematics in a Single Subject Assignment

Strengths
My undergrad is in US History, so I am very familiar with the subject and really enjoying sharing
about it. I have also been heavily involved in sports most of my life and coach football, so I am
structured and appreciate daily work and discipline. I will use my passion and enthusiasm,
coupled with my natural ability to relate with others, to help students feel comfortable and safe in
the classroom learning environment. I believe in strong accountability and ask that of my
students. I understand a team philosophy and by having the students work in groups, they can
practice group accountability and peer-teach and they assist one another in their discovery for
answers, projects, and assessments. By asking students deeper, thought provoking questions, I
challenge them to look beyond the text and analyze what a larger sum of parts to see how they
affect the topics studied.
Area for Growth: What do I want to learn more about? Where can I
strengthen my skills?
I know I still have much to learn, and student teaching taught me much of that
understanding. I still want to learn more about best practices when it comes to ways of engaging
diverse classrooms with larger class sizes while keeping their interests in the subject matter. I
want to strengthen my abilities in being able to differentiate lesson plans to help my students
grow in their knowledge competencies.

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ASSIGNMENT 1- TELLING MY STORY
Potential Competencies to be Used for the Professional
Development Quest
As I create my PDPQ, I am forced to further analyze and reflect on my own skillsets, and
look further into areas I need improvement. Constantino writes, portfolios can be tools for
empowerment. They encourage teachers to assume more responsibility and ownership for their
own learning and professional growth (P.5, 2009). I feel competent in some areas such as
communication and relatability, however, I know that I still have areas to grow and by creating
my PDPQ and reflecting and understanding each domain better, I will find those areas. I
incorporate regular use of technology such as projectors, the internet, and videos and know this
is an area of competency for my PDPQ.
Rationale for selecting TPE Domain A
Understanding what is being given to them in content and instruction is critical for a
students success in any subject-matter. Domain A focuses on effectively delivering subjectmatter to students in a way they comprehend it successfully. Many students unfortunately, pass
through classes without really comprehending the content they are studying. TPE 1 Domain A
focuses on successful content delivery to students and making it accessible; and therefor is
essential to success in the classroom and the rationale for why I chose it.

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ASSIGNMENT 1- TELLING MY STORY

References
Costantino, Patricia M., De Lorenzo Marie N., & Tirrell-Corbin, Christy.
(2009).
Developing a Professional Teaching Portfolio: A Guide for Success.
Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Allyn & Bacon/Pearson.