ALVERNO COLLEGE

TEACHER CANDIDATES SELF-ASSESSMENT

Candidate: Shawna Hendrix
Supervisor: Carol Dixon
Cooperating Teacher: Rebecca Reagles
School: Asa Clark Middle School
Disability Categories Represented: N/A

Check One: 1st Observation _X__ 2nd Observation ___

Date: March 2, 2015
Number of Students: 7
Grade: 8th
Subject(s): Language Arts
Diverse Student Needs Represented:
Evidence (Candidate)

Planning and Preparation (AEA: Conceptualization/Diagnosis

WTS: 1, 7 DISP: Respect, Responsibility - CEC: 1, 4, 5, 9, 10)

Uses teaching resources and curriculum materials that are

appropriate in representing the ideas and concepts.
Plans instruction appropriate to students stages of development and
learning styles.
Provides opportunities for active engagement, manipulation and
testing of ideas and materials.
Chooses appropriate teaching strategies, learning experiences, and
materials to achieve different instructional purposes and to meet student
needs.
Plans motivational instruction by relating lessons to students
personal interest.

____Inadequate

____Emerging

_X_Proficient

____Distinctive

Respond to:
How did you determine the appropriate standards and objectives?
Because we were planning an optional workshop, I developed the lesson
before coming up with the standards and objectives. I decided I wanted to
do a two-day poetry workshop, where we analyzed the theme of similar
pieces and then wrote our own poetry. From there, I was able to find
several common core standards and objectives that fit into the lesson.
How did this lesson fit into the curriculum?
Currently, the students in Mrs. Reagless 8th grade Language Arts class are
working on individual projects (narratives, argument essays, etc.) based on
what they need help on. However, Mrs. Reagles allows a section of the
class time where students can participate in optional workshops, which can
be for fun, or can be assessed for a score. Therefore, my poetry workshop
fit into the curriculum in terms of being both a fun activity and allowing
them to use their personal poetry for a score in terms of word choice, etc.
Why did you choose the materials? How effective were they?
I knew I wanted to do a poetry workshop because Mrs. Reagles said they
hadnt worked much on poetry this year. However, it was Mrs. Reagles
who mentioned the two poems that I used in demonstrating analysis of
similar themes in poetry. It so happens, after doing some research, that
the second poem we chose was a response to the first one, which worked
out perfectly. The poems were effective in analyzing a comparison theme
from two different writers. The third poem is used to analyze the theme of
dreams deferred in order to give the students a broad theme to work off of
in creating their own companion pieces.

Classroom Environment (AEA: Coordination/Integrative Interaction

WTS: 2, 3, 5 - DISP: Respect, Responsibility CEC: 2, 3, 5)
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Evidence (Candidate and Student)

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Evidence (Candidate)

Planning and Preparation (AEA: Conceptualization/Diagnosis

WTS: 1, 7 DISP: Respect, Responsibility - CEC: 1, 4, 5, 9, 10)

Shows respect for the diverse talents of all learners.

Is committed to the expression and use of democratic values in the
classroom.
Organizes, allocates, and manages the resources of time, space,
activities and attention to engage students in productive tasks.
Respects students as individuals with differing personal and family
background and various skills, talents and interests.

____Inadequate

_X_Emerging

____Proficient

____Distinctive

Respond to:
How did you create a positive learning environment?
I created a lesson that was advertised as being just for fun. There was no
risk to joining the workshop. It was constructed as a two-day workshop
where students could learn some poetry, learn how to analyze it and
develop a theme, and then create their own companion pieces based off of
that theme. If a student really loved the work they did, they can submit it
for a score, but they dont have to. Overall, I promoted it as being a fun
learning experience.
How do you feel students felt during the lesson? What is your
evidence?
Although I did not have a large turn out in the 5 th hour class that was
observed, the seven students that I had join the workshop seemed like
they really liked it. They were truly focused and eager to participate and
learn. I had a volunteer to read each of the three poems aloud, which was
great in order to get some students to read poetry (a different medium).
Even a student who has trouble reading aloud volunteered! (She prefaced
it with a, Ill probably stutter reading it though.) During discussions with a
neighbor, the students stayed on track and discussed only what I asked
them to, and then were eager to share with me what they came up with in
terms of the theme and why they felt that way.
How did you demonstrate respect for, and rapport with the learners?
Well, I first advertised it as being a not-so-serious thing. I said it was for
fun and explained that there was no risk in trying it. I said that I am not a
poetry expert and that Im analyzing the poetry the same way they are- I
dont know any more or less than they do. The students in the workshop
already knew that I am a student at Alverno, and not actually a teacher, so
although they probably assume that I am on a higher-level of learning, they
know I am not a teacher yet- Im still a student, just like them. I also said
that poetry is open-ended and there are no right and wrong answers.
How did you actively engage students? Who responded? Who did
not? Why?
I had three of the seven students read the poems aloud. I also had small
(two-to-three people) discussions and then we discussed it as a whole.
Gratefully, most students were eager to share their thoughts and ideas with
me. It was a comfortable environment in which we were all able to share
our ideas openly. There were two students who didnt share out loud, but I
did hear their ideas and responses in their small groups, so I was able to
assess that they understood the material.
What kinds of responses did you give to students responses?
We discussed things as a group. If I thought a response was great, I said,

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and Universal Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in part or whole by any method is prohibited by law.

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Evidence (Candidate)

Planning and Preparation (AEA: Conceptualization/Diagnosis

WTS: 1, 7 DISP: Respect, Responsibility - CEC: 1, 4, 5, 9, 10)

great! If I thought a response needed more explanation, I questioned it. I

know there was one point where a student mentioned the singing in the
poem as being literal and I questioned whether the people in the poem
were really singing aloud. She was then able to realize that the singing
was metaphorical, which was great.

Evidence Code Definitions:

Inadequate = Unsatisfactory

Emerging = Needs Improvement

Proficient = Satisfactory

Instruction (AEA: Communication, Coordination, Diagnosis,

Integrative Interaction WTS 4, 6, 7 - DISP: Respect, Responsibility,
Communication CEC: 4, 6, 7, 8, 9)

Encourages discussion.
Modifies explanations when necessary to assist students
understanding.
Recognizes the importance of verbal and nonverbal communication.
Is a thoughtful and responsive listener.
Communicates in ways that demonstrate a sensitivity to cultural and
gender differences.
Models appropriate communication strategies in conveying ideas
and information.

Distinctive = Exemplary

Evidence (Candidate and Student)

____Inadequate

____Emerging

_X_Proficient

____Distinctive

Respond to:
How well did your strategies support meeting the lesson
objectives/learning targets?
I think it went well. I believe all of my objectives were met. The students
were able to determine the theme of the poetry, compare and contrast two
poems, determine the meaning of words/phrases (i.e., deferred), and
thus use the words as evidence for their argument of theme, and adapt to
reading poetry aloud.
What went well? What would you change? Why?
The students got it, which is the most important part. They were able to
develop and understand the theme of the poems, which was the essential
goal. They were able to analyze word choice in order to develop this
theme and argue their point. I would, however, have had liked to analyze
the poems a bit further. I taught the same lesson in the 3 rd hour class with
about 15 kids, and we had a great discussion about certain words and
lines of the poems that we didnt divulge in during the 5th hour class (call it
nerves). However, I think the overall goal was met.
How effective were the leveled questions you used?
I believe they were effective. The main goal was to analyze theme in the
poems. They needed to be able to explain their analysis by using specific
words/lines from the poetry as evidence. They were able to determine the
similarities and differences in the poems, as well, which was essential in
being able to analyze theme within two different perspectives.
How did you use the academic language? How well do you think the
students know and understand the academic language? ELL?SPE?

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Evidence (Candidate)

Planning and Preparation (AEA: Conceptualization/Diagnosis

WTS: 1, 7 DISP: Respect, Responsibility - CEC: 1, 4, 5, 9, 10)
Cite evidence.

We discussed terms such as theme, metaphor, etc. I also had to

explain what some words meant in the poetry, such as deferred, or
melodious. Otherwise, the language of the poems, as well as in the
discussions, were very straight-forward English. I did not have any ELL or
SPE students.

Evidence (Candidate and Student)

Assessment (AEA: Diagnosis/Integrative Interaction WTS: 8, 9

DISP: Collaboration, Communication CEC: 1, 5, 8, 9, 10)

Evaluates the effect of class activities on both individuals and the

class as a whole, collecting information through observation of
classroom interactions, questioning, and analysis of student work.
Uses classroom observation and information about students as
sources for evaluating the outcomes of teaching and as a basis for
reflecting on and revising practice.

____Inadequate

____Emerging

_X_Proficient

____Distinctive

Respond to:
How well did your assessment measure students meeting the
objectives?
During day two of the workshop, students discussed with partners and then
aloud as a group what they thought the theme was and how they came to
that conclusion, which was a form of assessment. On day two, the
students are writing their own companion pieces which shadows the theme
of a poem, which also works as an assessment that they were able to
understand theme.
What were your assessment results during and/or after the lesson?
How does this inform you of next learning steps?
During the lesson on day one, the assessment results were wonderful.
The students seemed to really grasp the concepts and use evidence to
support their point. Tomorrow (day two) we will be writing our own pieces
and analyzing the work of a fellow student. From there, I will be able to
fully understand whether the students grasped the concept.
What would you change about your teaching and/or assessment to
better support or extend students performance?
I would have loved to have analyze the texts a bit more. Word choice is a
very important part of poetry, and I dont think I focused so much on
analyzing words and structure as much as I should have. I would have
liked to have exuberated more confidence in my teaching as well.

Professional Responsibilities (AEA: Communication/Integrative

Interaction WTS: 10 DISP: Responsibility, Collaboration,
Communication CEC: 2, 5, 10)

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and Universal Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in part or whole by any method is prohibited by law.

Evidence (Candidate)

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Relates professionally and effectively with the cooperating teacher

and faculty.
Dresses professionally and consistently portrays a professional
demeanor.
Is enthusiastic about teaching.
Seeks out the cooperating teacher to support his/her development
as a learner and a teacher.

Overall Performance: ____Inadequate

____Emerging

__X__Proficient

____Inadequate

____Emerging

_X_Proficient

____Distinctive

Respond to:
Describe your contact with the CT in planning this lesson. (e.g. How far
ahead did you contact her/him? Did you suggest a lesson or use one
already in place? If in place, did you discuss or make any modifications?)
My CT (Rebecca Reagles) was crucial in planning this lesson. She gave me a
free for all to build my own workshop, and after I came up with a few ideas,
she was able to hone in those ideas to create a cohesive lesson. She was able
to (in a matter of minutes) determine the two poems (Whitmans and Hughess)
that would work perfectly to suit the lesson. That night I created my lesson plan
and a PowerPoint presentation, in which she responded with positive feedback.
How did you present yourself as a professional to the students?
The students have been aware of who I am simply because Ive been in their
classroom for weeks. They know that I am a college graduate with an English
degree who is working on getting my teaching license and my Masters.
Therefore, since day one, they have treated me as a professional. They only
refer to me as Ms. Hendrix, they use me as a resource when they need help,
and they value my knowledge and assistance in their writing projects.
____Distinctive

See below.

SUMMARY REFLECTION: Rationale

DESCRIBE AND PROVIDE EVIDENCE FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING in a short narrative:

On March 2, 2015, I taught a suburban 8th grade Language Arts lesson on poetry. I demonstrated the following two of the Wisconsin Teacher
Standards for Licensure and Development: Teachers know the subject they are teaching and Teachers know how to teach. I had studied the
concepts of poetry and, specifically, the themes and analysis of word choice in the poems in order to instruct the lesson. I dissected the poems in
order to fully understand the meaning as well as studied the historical context of the two poems. I used a PowerPoint (which served as both a visual
and verbal presentation), partnered discussions, and an overall small group discussion to instruct the lesson. For day two of the workshop, we are
writing our own poems on our individual classroom blogs and analyzing peer poems. We will also be sharing our poems in our small group to
discuss their themes.
Two of the Alverno Graduate Advanced Education Abilities that I demonstrated in my lesson are Conceptualization and Communication.
I was able to demonstrate conceptualization by integrating my knowledge of poetry and Language Arts in order to instruct a lesson on poetry. If it
werent for my background in English, I would not have been able to effectively communicate the ideas of theme or metaphor, or even be able to
analyze a poem based on word choice. I used communication by providing a PowerPoint, which was both an oral and visual (written) presentation.
Copyright 2014. Alverno College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All rights reserved under U.S., International
and Universal Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in part or whole by any method is prohibited by law.

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In addition, by constructing our own blogs with our own poetry, we are utilizing a form of media that allows us to read and comment on each others
poems.
I believe that I successfully demonstrated at least five of the Common Core Standards. Literacy.RL.8.2 states that an individual be able to
determine a theme/central idea of a text, which was the main point of the literary analysis of the two poems. Literacy.RL.8.5 asks that students be
able to compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the different structure of each text contributes to its meaning and
style. We looked at two poems and were able to analyze the similarities and differences, not just in the physical representation of the text, but in
terms of their meaning and word choice. Literacy.RL.8.4 states that students be able to determine the meaning of words/phrases as they are used in
text/analyze the impact of rhymes/other repetitions of sounds on a specific verse/stanza of a poem. Although we didnt analyze the rhymes in the
poems, Walt Whitmans I Hear America Singing uses a lot of repetition, which we argued stresses the point of his poem. We also used the words
to determine what the overarching theme was. Literacry.RI.8.4 is very similar, as students are able to determine the meaning of words and phrases
as they are used in a text. And finally, Literacy.SL.8.6 was utilized in asking the students to read the poems aloud. Poetry is a whole different way
of reading and writing, which many people are not adept to.
My lesson fit into the curriculum for the term, which is the Lucy Calkins readers workshop framework. Mrs. Reagless 8th grade class is
focusing on conducting important mini lessons (10-15 minutes long) and spending the rest of class doing individual writing based on student goals.
My poetry lesson was a brief 10-15 minute instructional lesson followed by a writing workshop. By making the lesson optional, we were
personalizing the instruction, and I was able to tackle several of the Common Core Standards.

Copyright 2014. Alverno College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All rights reserved under U.S., International
and Universal Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in part or whole by any method is prohibited by law.

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