Artifact Five: NetSmartz Cyber Safety Workshop Presentation and Certificate

In our society today, technology is all around us. Technology is our present and it will

most certainly be that much more in our future. Technology makes our global world available to

everyone at the touch of a button. But, with all of this information available at the touch of a

button, cyber safety and digital citizenship has become extremely important for everyone who

wants to access all of this information as safely as possible. It is our responsibility as educators to

teach our students to be safe and ethical digital citizens who use technology properly and safely.

Teachers should take whatever opportunities possible to introduce and reinforce cyber safety

practices (Classrooms and Cybersafety, n.d.).

Connections to Standards

INTASC Standards

Standard #9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice

9(d) The teacher actively seeks professional, community, and technological resources, within and

outside the school, as supports for analysis, reflection, and problem-solving.

9(f) The teacher advocates, models, and teaches safe, legal, and ethical use of information and

technology including appropriate documentation of sources and respect for others in the use of

social media.

9(i) The teacher understands how personal identity, worldview, and prior experience affect

perceptions and expectations, and recognizes how they may bias behaviors and interactions with

others.
9(n) The teacher sees him/herself as a learner, continuously seeking opportunities to draw upon

current education policy and research as sources of analysis and reflection to improve practice.

NYS Code of Ethics for Educators

Principle 6: Educators advance the intellectual and ethical foundation of the

learning community.

Educators recognize the obligations of the trust placed in them. They share the

responsibility for understanding what is known, pursuing further knowledge, contributing to the

generation of knowledge, and translating knowledge into comprehensible forms. They help

students understand that knowledge is often complex and sometimes paradoxical. Educators are

confidantes, mentors and advocates for their students' growth and development. As models for

youth and the public, they embody intellectual honesty, diplomacy, tact and fairness.

The Ontario Ethical Teacher Standards

Care: The ethical standard of Care includes compassion, acceptance, interest and insight

for developing students' potential. Members express their commitment to students' well-being

and learning through positive influence, professional judgment and empathy in practice.

International Society for Technology Education for Teachers and or Students

(ISTE):

Teacher
4.a. Advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and

technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate

documentation of sources.

4.c. Promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of

technology and information.

Artifact
 Artifact Six: Educational Application (App) Review Assignment

For my sixth artifact, I have included an Educational Application (APP) Review

Assignment. I have included this artifact because technology is all around us; our students are

using more and more new technology and we, as educators, need to find a way to incorporate

more technology in the classroom to assist our students in learning. The Educational App Review

showcases eight apps that are relevant and useful for the classroom. Apps and technology are a

great way to aid in engaging our students in a more fun style of learning. The apps can be in

game format but are educational in nature. This allows for students to have fun while learning.

The apps are great for time management, to incorporate within lessons, as well as using them as

a way to assess our students understanding of the information we are teaching them. Adding

technology to the classroom can make learning more fun for our students (Cox, n.d.).

Connections to Standards

INSTAC

Standard #2: Learning Differences

2(e) The teacher incorporates tools of language development into planning and instruction,

including strategies for making content accessible to English language learners and for

evaluating and supporting their development of English proficiency.

2(f) The teacher accesses resources, supports, and specialized assistance and services to meet

particular learning differences or needs.

2(g) The teacher understands and identifies differences in approaches to learning and

performance and knows how to design instruction that uses each learners strengths to promote

growth.

2(h) The teacher understands students with exceptional needs, including those associated with

disabilities and giftedness, and knows how to use strategies and resources to address these needs.

2(i) The teacher knows about second language acquisition processes and knows how to

incorporate instructional strategies and resources to support language acquisition.

Standard #8: Instructional Strategies

8(a) The teacher uses appropriate strategies and resources to adapt instruction to the needs of

individuals and groups of learners.

8(e) The teacher provides multiple models and representations of concepts and skills with

opportunities for learners to demonstrate their knowledge through a variety of products and

performances.

8(g) The teacher engages learners in using a range of learning skills and technology tools to

access, interpret, evaluate, and apply information.

NYS Code of Ethics for Educators

Principle 1: Educators nurture the intellectual, physical, emotional, social, and civic

potential of each student.

Educators promote growth in all students through the integration of intellectual, physical,

emotional, social and civic learning. They respect the inherent dignity and worth of each

individual. Educators help students to value their own identity, learn more about their cultural

heritage, and practice social and civic responsibilities. They help students to reflect on their own
learning and connect it to their life experience. They engage students in activities that encourage

diverse approaches and solutions to issues, while providing a range of ways for students to

demonstrate their abilities and learning. They foster the development of students who can

analyze, synthesize, evaluate and communicate information effectively.

The Ontario Teacher Ethical Standards

CARE: The ethical standard of Care includes compassion, acceptance, interest and

insight for developing students' potential. Members express their commitment to students'

well-being and learning through positive influence, professional judgment and empathy in

practice.

TEAC/CAEP Claims

Claim 2: Medaille College graduates meet the needs of diverse learners through

effective pedagogy and best teaching practices.

International Society for Technology Education for Teachers and or Students

(ISTE):

Students

2a. Communication and collaboration: interact, collaborate, and publish with peers,

experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.

6a. Technology operations and concepts: Understand and use technology systems.

5c. Digital citizenship: Demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.

4b. Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making: Plan and manage activities

to develop a solution or complete a project.

 4c. Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making: Collect and analyze data to

identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.

1c. Creativity and innovation: Use models and simulations to explore complex systems

and issues.

3a. Research and information fluency: Plan strategies to guide inquiry.

1b. Creativity and innovation: Create original works as a means of personal or group

expression.

Teachers

2a. Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments: design or adapt

relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student

leaning and creativity.

1a. Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity: Promote, support, and model

creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.

4b. Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility: Address the diverse needs

of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate

digital tools and resources.

1c. Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity: Promote student reflection using

collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students conceptual understanding and thinking,

planning, and creative processes

3a. Model digital age work and learning: Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and

the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations.

1b. Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity: Engage students in exploring

real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources.
 3.b Model digital age work and learning: Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and

community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.

1a. Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity: Promote, support, and model

creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.

P-12 NYS Common Core Standards

Standard Strand: Reading Standards for Informational Text (K-5)

Grade: 4

Topic: Key Ideas and Details

Item number and statement: 1. Refer to details in a text when explaining

what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Standard Strand: Writing Standards (K-5)

Grade: 2

Topic: Production and Distribution of Writing

Item number and statement: 5. With guidance and support from adults and

peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and

editing.

Standard Strand: Speaking and Listening Standards (K-5)

Grade: 1

Topic: Comprehension and Collaboration

Item number and statement: 1. Participate in collaborative conversations

with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in
 small and large groups. D. Seek to understand and communicate with

individuals from different cultural backgrounds.

Standard Strand: Writing Standards (K-5)

Grade: 4

Topic: Production and Distribution of Writing

Item number and statement: 5. With guidance and support from peers and

adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and

editing.

Standard Strand: Number & Operations in Base Ten (4.NBT)

Grade: 4

Topic: Use place value understanding and properties of operations to perform

multi-digit arithmatic

Item number and statement: 4. Fluently add and subtract multi-digit whole

number using the standard algorithm. 5. Multiply a whole number of up to

four digits by a one-digit whole number, and multiply two two-digit numbers,

using strategies based on place value and the properties of operations.

Illustrate and explain the calculation by using equations, rectangular arrays,

and/or area models.

Standard Strand: Elementary Science (K-4)

Grade: 1

Topic: 4. The Living Environment

Item number and statement: 1.1a Animals need air, water, and food in order

to live and thrive. 1.1b Plants require air, water, nutrients, and light in order to
 live and thrive. 1.2a Living things grow, take in nutrients, breather, reproduce,

eliminate waste and die.

Standard Strand: Health, Physical Education, and Family Consumer Sciences

Standards (K-4)

Grade: 1

Topic: Personal Health and Fitness

Item number and statement: 1. Family and Consumer Sciences: Students

will use an understanding of the elements of good nutrition to plan appropriate

diest for themselves and others. They will know how to use the appropriate

tools and technologies for safe and healthy food preparation.

Standard Strand: Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Arts (K-4)

Grade: 1

Topic: Visual Arts

Item number and statement: 1. Students will make works of art that explore

different kinds of subject matter, topics, themes, and metaphors. Students will

understand and use sensory elements, organizational principles, and

expressive images to communicate their own ideas in works of art. Students

will use a variety of art materials, processes, mediums, and techniques, and

use appropriate technologies for creating and exhibiting visual art works.

Ontario Curriculum Expectations

Standard Strand: Reading Standards 1-8

Grade: 4
 Topic: Reading for Meaning

Item number and statement: 1.4 Demonstrating Understanding:

Demonstrate understanding of a variety of texts by summarizing important

ideas and citing supporting details (e.g., make an outline of a section from

a textbook in another subject to prepare for a test).

Standard Strand: Writing Standards 1-8

Grade: 2

Topic: Applying Knowledge of Language Conventions and Presenting

Written Work Effectively

Item number and statement: 3.1 spell many high-frequency words

correctly (e.g., words from their oral vocabulary, anchor charts, the class

word wall, and shared-, guided, and independent reading texts) 3.2 spell

unfamiliar words using a variety of strategies that involve understanding

sound-symbol relationships, word structures, word meanings, and

generalizations about spelling (e.g., spell words out loud; segment words

into clusters of letters to hear onset and rime; sort words by common

sound patterns and/or letter sequences; link letters to words: You hear

with your ear; follow rules for adding endings to base words when the

spelling doesnt change; use word meanings to help spell simple

contractions and homophones: bear/bare)

Standard Strand: Reading Standards 1-8

Grade: 1

Topic: Oral Communication

 Item number and statement: 2.4 choose appropriate words to

communicate their meaning accurately and engage the interest of their

audience (e.g., choose words relevant to the topic from the full range of

their vocabulary, including new words used regularly in the classroom;

use descriptive adjectives to clarify and add interest to a narrative; use

inclusive language that conveys respect for all people)

Standard Strand: Writing Standards 1-8

Grade: 4

Topic: Developing and Organizing Content

Item number and statement: 1.2 Generate ideas about a potential topic

using a variety of strategies and resources (e.g., brainstorm; formulate and

ask questions to identify personal experiences, prior knowledge, and

information needs).

Standard Strand: Mathematics Grades 1-8

Grade: 4

Topic: Number Sense and Numeration

Item number and statement: Operational Sense: Multiply two-digit

whole numbers by one-digit whole numbers, using a variety of tools (e.g.,

concrete materials, drawings) and student-generated algorithms.

Standard Strand: Science and Technology 1-8

Grade: 1

Topic: Understanding Life Systems: Needs and Characteristics of Living

Things
 Item number and statement: 2.2 Investigate and compare the basic

needs of humans and other living things, including the need for air, water,

food, warmth, and space, using a variety of resources. 2.4 investigate the

physical characteristics of plants (e.g., basic parts, size, shape, colour) and

explain how they help the plant meet its basic needs (e.g., roots anchor the

plant and help provide the plant with food and water; some plants have

brightly coloured flowers to attract bees), using a variety of methods and

resources.

Standard Strand: Health and Physical Education 1-8

Grade: 1

Topic: Healthy Living

Item number and statement: C2.1 Making Healthy Choices: describe

how the food groups in Canadas Food Guide (i.e., vegetables and fruit,

grain products, milk and alternatives, meat and alternatives) can be used to

make healthy food choices [CT]

Standard Strand: The Arts 1-8

Grade: 1

Topic: Visual Arts

Item number and statement: D1.1 Create two- and three-dimensional

works of art that express feelings and ideas inspired by personal

experiences.
App Review Assignment

EDU 571

Casey Bouillere-Howard

Medaille College
1. ELA Reading App
Subject Area: English language Arts: Reading
App Title: Flocabulary
App Price: Free 14-Day Trial (Request a quote for the school after trial)
Languages: English

Rationale: This is a great app for all sorts of different subjects that are all aligned with different
state and Common Core standards. This app uses educational hip-hop to engage students using
Flocabulary songs, videos and exercises to help meet Common Core objectives.

Standards:
ISTE Standards for Students
2a. Communication and collaboration : interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others
employing a variety of digital environments and media.
ISTE Standards for Teacher
2a. Design and develop degital age learning experiences and assessments : design or adapt relevant
learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student leaning and creativity.
New York State P-12 Common Core Standards
Standard Strand: Reading Standards for Informational Text (K-5)
Grade: 4
Topic: Key Ideas and Details
Item number and statement: 1. Refer to details in a text when explaining what the text says
explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Ontario Curriculum Expectations

Standard Strand: Reading Standards 1-8
Grade: 4
Topic: Reading for Meaning
Item number and statement: 1.4 Demonstrating Understanding:
Demonstrate understanding of a variety of texts by summarizing important
ideas and citing supporting details (e.g., make an outline of a section from
a textbook in another subject to prepare for a test).
2. ELA Writing App
Subject Area: English Language Arts: Writing
App Title: Super Speller: Create Your Own Spelling Tests
App Price: $2.99
Languages: English

Rationale: This app serves as a fun and interactive way for students learning to spell new words.
It allows students to input words from their vocabulary list and lets them study at their own pace
in numerous ways: word search puzzles, accessibility with VoiceOver for children who are
visually impaired, a practice test, and memorization. The Super Speller App also allows parents
to review their childs score and identify words that may need a little more help.

Standards:
ISTE Standards for Students
6a. Technology operations and concepts: Understand and use technology systems.
ISTE Standards for Teacher
1a. Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity : Promote, support, and model
creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.
New York State P-12 Common Core Standards
Standard Strand: Writing Standards (K-5)
Grade: 2
Topic: Production and Distribution of Writing
Item number and statement: 5. With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a
topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing.

Ontario Curriculum Expectations

Standard Strand: Writing Standards 1-8
Grade: 2
Topic: Applying Knowledge of Language Conventions and Presenting
Written Work Effectively
Item number and statement: 3.1 spell many high-frequency words correctly (e.g.,
words from their oral vocabulary, anchor charts, the class word wall, and shared-, guided,
and independent reading texts) 3.2 spell unfamiliar words using a variety of strategies
that involve understanding sound-symbol relationships, word structures, word meanings,
and generalizations about spelling (e.g., spell words out loud; segment words into
clusters of letters to hear onset and rime; sort words by common sound patterns and/or
letter sequences; link letters to words: You hear with your ear; follow rules for adding
endings to base words when the spelling doesnt change; use word meanings to help spell
simple contractions and homophones: bear/bare)
3. English Language Learners (ELL) App
Subject Area: English as a Second Language (English Language Learners)
App Title: FluentU
App Price: Free, $8-$18/month, $80-$180/year
Languages: English

Rationale: This app takes real-world videos (music videos, commercials, news, and inspiring
talks) and turns them into English learning experiences. This app helps students ease into
learning the English language and culture over time and they will learn English as it is spoken in
real life. The videos have captions to follow along and you can tap on a word on the image to
find the definition and meaning of the word.

Standards:
ISTE Standards for Students
5c. Digital citizenship : Demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.
ISTE Standards for Teacher
4b. Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility : Address the diverse needs of all
learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools
and resources.
New York State P-12 Common Core Standards
Standard Strand: Speaking and Listening Standards (K-5)
Grade: 1
Topic: Comprehension and Collaboration
Item number and statement: 1. Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse
partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and large groups. D.
Seek to understand and communicate with individuals from different cultural backgrounds.

Ontario Curriculum Expectations

Standard Strand: Reading Standards 1-8
Grade: 1
Topic: Oral Communication
Item number and statement: 2.4 choose appropriate words to communicate their
meaning accurately and engage the interest of their audience (e.g., choose words relevant
to the topic from the full range of their vocabulary, including new words used regularly
in the classroom; use descriptive adjectives to clarify and add interest to a narrative; use
inclusive language that conveys respect for all people)
4. Students with Disabilities (SWD) App
Subject Area: English Language Arts: Writing
App Title: MindNode
App Price: $39.99
Languages: English, Arabic, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese,
Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Swedish

Rationale: MindNode is a fantastic app for students with ADHD. Students with ADHD may
sometimes find it hard to organize thoughts and ideas, MindNode helps students organize their
ideas into visual formats that are more engaging than making regular lists. MindNode helps
keeps students keep track of tasks and can help students remain productive with reminders for
deadlines.

Standards:
ISTE Standards for Students
4b. Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making : Plan and manage activities to
devellop a solution or complete a project.
ISTE Standards for Teacher
1c. Facilitate and inspire sudent learning and creativity : Promote student reflection using
collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students conceptual understanding and thinking,
planning, and creative processes.
New York State P-12 Common Core Standards
Standard Strand: Writing Standards (K-5)
Grade: 4
Topic: Production and Distribution of Writing
Item number and statement: 5. With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop
and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.

Ontario Curriculum Expectations

Standard Strand: Writing Standards 1-8
Grade: 4
Topic: Developing and Organizing Content
Item number and statement: 1.2 Generate ideas about a potential topic
using a variety of strategies and resources (e.g., brainstorm; formulate and
ask questions to identify personal experiences, prior knowledge, and
information needs).
5. Math App
Subject Area: Mathematics
App Title: Sushi Monster
App Price: Free
Languages: English, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish,
Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Swedish, Traditional Chinese, Turkish

Rationale: This is a great app for students to practice, reinforce and extend math fluency in a fun
and engaging way. The goal of this app is to use speed and accuracy to place sushi pieces near
the monster and make the target number; making a correct answer feeds the monster. This app
also meets Common Core State Standards.

Standards:
ISTE Standards for Students
4c. Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making : Collect and analyze data to
identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
ISTE Standards for Teacher
3a. Model digital age work and learning : Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the
transfer of current knowledge to new technoloiges and situations.
New York State P-12 Common Core Standards
Standard Strand: Number & Operations in Base Ten (4.NBT)
Grade: 4
Topic: Use place value understanding and properties of operations to perform multi-digit
arithmatic
Item number and statement: 4. Fluently add and subtract multi-digit whole number using
the standard algorithm. 5. Multiply a whole number of up to four digits by a one-digit whole
number, and multiply two two-digit numbers, using strategies based on place value and the
properties of operations. Illustrate and explain the calculation by using equations, rectangular
arrays, and/or area models.

Ontario Curriculum Expectations

Standard Strand: Mathematics Grades 1-8
Grade: 4
Topic: Number Sense and Numeration
Item number and statement: Operational Sense: Multiply two-digit
whole numbers by one-digit whole numbers, using a variety of tools (e.g.,
concrete materials, drawings) and student-generated algorithms.
6. Science App
Subject Area: Elementary Science
App Title: Happy Little Farmer
App Price: $3.99
Languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian
Bokmal, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Swedish, Traditional Chinese.

Rationale: Happy Little Farmer is a great app to allow children to learn how things grow. The
game allows them to grow food and to pick them before they go bad; it allows them to feed
animals and to appreciate and learn about the wonders of nature.

Standards:
ISTE Standards for Students
1c. Creativity and innovation : Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and
issues.
ISTE Standards for Teacher
1b. Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity : Engage students in exploring real-
world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources.
New York State P-12 Common Core Standards
Standard Strand: Elementary Science (K-4)
Grade: 1
Topic: 4. The Living Environment
Item number and statement: 1.1a Animals need air, water, and food in order to live and
thrive. 1.1b Plants require air, water, nutrients, and light in order to live and thrive. 1.2a
Living things grow, take in nutrients, breather, reproduce, eliminate waste and die.

Ontario Curriculum Expectations

Standard Strand: Science and Technology 1-8
Grade: 1
Topic: Understanding Life Systems: Needs and Characteristics of Living
Things
Item number and statement: 2.2 Investigate and compare the basic
needs of humans and other living things, including the need for air, water,
food, warmth, and space, using a variety of resources. 2.4 investigate the
physical characteristics of plants (e.g., basic parts, size, shape, colour) and
explain how they help the plant meet its basic needs (e.g., roots anchor the
plant and help provide the plant with food and water; some plants have
brightly coloured flowers to attract bees), using a variety of methods and
resources.
7. Health App
Subject Area: Health and Physical Education
App Title: My Food Nutrition for Kids
App Price: $1.99
Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Simplified Chinese,
Spanish, Swedish.

Rationale: My good Nutrition for kids is a fun and engaging app that allows students to
explore the world of food and gain knowledge about food classifications, nutrition and how to
cultivate herbs.

Standards:
ISTE Standards for Students
3a. Research and information fluency : Plan strategies to guide inquiry.
ISTE Standards for Teacher
3.b Model digital age work and learning : Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and
community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.
New York State P-12 Common Core Standards
Standard Strand: Health, Physical Education, and Family Consumer Sciences Standards (K-4)
Grade: 1
Topic: Personal Health and Fitness
Item number and statement: 1. Family and Consumer Sciences: Students will use an
understanding of the elements of good nutrition to plan appropriate diest for themselves and
others. They will know how to use the appropriate tools and technologies for safe and healthy
food preparation.

Ontario Curriculum Expectations

Standard Strand: Health and Physical Education 1-8
Grade: 1
Topic: Healthy Living
Item number and statement: C2.1 Making Healthy Choices: describe how the food
groups in Canadas Food Guide (i.e., vegetables and fruit, grain products, milk and
alternatives, meat and alternatives) can be used to make healthy food choices [CT]
8. Art App
Subject Area: The Arts
App Title: Assembly Design graphics, stickers and logos
App Price: Free
Languages: English, Simplified Chinese

Rationale: Assembly is a great app that allows students to use their imaginations and create
artistic logos, stickers and design graphics using template or creating their own work by combing
shapes and images from a vast library of choices.

Standards:
ISTE Standards for Students
1b. Creativity and innovation : Create original works as a means of personal or group
expression.
ISTE Standards for Teacher
1a. Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity : Promote, support, and model
creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.
New York State P-12 Common Core Standards
Standard Strand: Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Arts (K-4)
Grade: 1
Topic: Visual Arts
Item number and statement: 1. Students will make works of art that explore different kinds
of subject matter, topics, themes, and metaphors. Students will understand and use sensory
elements, organizational principles, and expressive images to communicate their own ideas in
works of art. Students will use a variety of art materials, processes, mediums, and techniques,
and use appropriate technologies for creating and exhibiting visual art works.

Ontario Curriculum Expectations

Standard Strand: The Arts 1-8
Grade: 1
Topic: Visual Arts
Item number and statement: D1.1 Create two- and three-dimensional
works of art that express feelings and ideas inspired by personal
experiences.

Artifact Seven: Pecha Kucha Presentation on ADHD

 Pecha Kucha presentations or, PK presentations for short, are a method of presenting

information about a topic in a short and concise manner. A PK presentation consists of

presenting information using only 20 slides at 20 seconds per slide. The topic that I chose to

discuss for my PK presentation was ADHD. Using this PK presentation as an artifact in my

portfolio allows me to address students with disabilities and I also provide ample amounts of

suggestions for classroom management techniques with students who have ADHD. Providing

this artifact allows me to showcase my abilities for classroom management, lesson planning,

student accommodations, best teaching practices. This artifact is important because it allows me

to show that I understand the importance of academic instruction, behavioral interventions, and

classroom accommodations when it comes to students who are ADHD (Teaching Children with

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Instructional Strategies and Practices, 2008). I have

included the 20 slides, along with the script I used for the presentation and the standards

associated with this artifact.

Connections to Standards

INSTAC Standards

Standard #1: Learner Development

1(a) The teacher regularly assesses individual and group performance in order to design

and modify instruction to meet learners needs in each area of development (cognitive, linguistic,

social, emotional, and physical) and scaffolds the next level of development.
 1(b) The teacher creates developmentally appropriate instruction that takes into account

individual learners strengths, interests, and needs and that enables each learner to advance and

accelerate his/ her learning.

1(e) The teacher understands that each learners cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional,

and physical development influences learning and knows how to make instructional decisions

that build on learners strengths and needs.

New York State Code of Ethics for Educators

Principle 1: Educators nurture the intellectual, physical, emotional, social, and civic

potential of each student.

Educators promote growth in all students through the integration of intellectual, physical,

emotional, social and civic learning. They respect the inherent dignity and worth of each

individual. Educators help students to value their own identity, learn more about their cultural

heritage, and practice social and civic responsibilities. They help students to reflect on their own

learning and connect it to their life experience. They engage students in activities that encourage

diverse approaches and solutions to issues, while providing a range of ways for students to

demonstrate their abilities and learning. They foster the development of students who can

analyze, synthesize, evaluate and communicate information effectively.

The Ontario Ethical Teacher Standards

Care: The ethical standard of Care includes compassion, acceptance, interest and insight

for developing students' potential. Members express their commitment to students' well-being

and learning through positive influence, professional judgment and empathy in practice.
 Respect: Intrinsic to the ethical standard of Respect are trust and fair-mindedness.

Members honour human dignity, emotional wellness and cognitive development. In their

professional practice, they model respect for spiritual and cultural values, social justice,

confidentiality, freedom, democracy and the environment.

TEAC/CAEP Claims

Claim 3: Medaille College graduates are caring educators.

Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)

Special Education Professional Ethical Principles

#3. Promoting meaningful and inclusive participation of individuals with exceptionalities in their

schools and communities.

#6. Using evidence, instructional data, research, and professional knowledge to inform practice.
Artifact

Slide 1 Slide 2

Slide 3 Slide 4
Slide 5 Slide 6

Slide 7 Slide 8

Slide 9 Slide 10
Slide 11 Slide 12

Slide 13 Slide 14
Slide 15 Slide 16

Slide 17 Slide 18

Slide 19 Slide 2
 Pecha Kucha Presentation ADHD (Script)

Slide 1

- The definition of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a brain disorder marked by an

ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with
functioning or development.
- Inattention means a person wanders off task, has difficulty sustaining focus, and is
disorganized. These problems are not due to defiance or lack of comprehension.

Slide 2

- Hyperactivity means a person seems to move about constantly, including in situations in

which it is not appropriate; or excessively fidgets, taps, or talks.
- Impulsivity means a person makes hasty actions that occur in the moment without first
thinking about them and that may have high potential for harm; or a desire for immediate
rewards or inability to delay gratification.

Slide 3

- An impulsive person may be socially intrusive and excessively interrupt.

- ADHD is a disorder that makes it difficult for a person to pay attention and control
impulsive behaviors.
- He or she may also be restless and almost constantly active.
- These difficulties usually begin before the person is 7 years old.
- However, these behaviors may not be noticed until the child is older.

Slide 4

- Doctors do not know just what causes AD/HD.

- However, researchers who study the brain are coming closer to understanding what may
cause AD/HD.
- They believe that some people with AD/HD do not have enough of certain chemicals in
their brain.
- These chemicals help the brain control behavior.
- Parents and teachers do not cause AD/HD.
- Still, there are many things that both can do to help a child with AD/HD

Slide 5

- Inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity are the key behaviors of ADHD. ADHD is not
just a childhood disorder
- Even though hyperactivity tends to improve as a child becomes a teen, problems with
inattention, disorganization, and poor impulse control often continue through the teen
years and into adulthood
 Slide 6

- Some people with ADHD only have problems with one of the behaviors, while others
have both inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity.
- Most children have the combined type of ADHD.
- Boys are three times more likely than girls to have AD/HD.

Slide 7

Learning and behavioral characteristics associated with ADHD that are relevant to teachers are:

students with symptoms of inattention may often:

Overlook or miss details, make careless mistakes in schoolwork, or during other activities
have problems sustaining attention in tasks or play, including conversations, lectures, or lengthy
reading.
May not seem to listen when spoken to directly

Slide 8

Have problems organizing tasks and activities

Avoid or dislike tasks that require sustained mental effort, such as schoolwork or homework
Lose things necessary for tasks or activities, such as school supplies, pencils and books.
Be easily distracted by unrelated thoughts or stimuli
Be forgetful in daily activities

Slide 9

Students with symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity may often:

Fidget and squirm in their seats

Leave their seats in situations when staying seated is expected, such as in the classroom.
Run or dash around or climb in situations where it is inappropriate or, in teens, often feel restless
Be unable to play or engage in hobbies quietly

Slide 10

Be constantly in motion or on the go, or act as if driven by a motor

Talk nonstop
Blurt out an answer before a question has been completed, finish other peoples sentences, or
speak without waiting for a turn in conversation
Have trouble waiting his or her turn
Interrupt or intrude on others, for example in conversations, games, or activities
Slide 11

Some common challenges created by students with ADHD are:

They demand attention by talking out of turn or moving around the room
They have trouble following instructions, especially when theyre presented in a list, and
with operations that require ordered steps, such as long division or solving equations.
They often forget to write down homework assignments, do them, or bring completed
work to school.

Slide 12
They often lack fine motor control, which makes note-taking difficult and handwriting a
trial to read.
They usually have problems with long-term projects where there is no direct supervision.
They dont pull their weight during group work and may even keep a group from
accomplishing its task.

Slide 13

- Your most effective tool in helping a student with ADHD is a positive attitude.
- Make the student your partner by saying, Lets figure out ways together to help you get
your work done.
- Assure the student that youll be looking for good behavior and quality work and when
you see it, reinforce it with immediate and sincere praise.
- Finally, look for ways to motivate a student with ADHD by offering rewards on a point
or token system.
-

Slide 14

As a teacher you can make Classroom accommodations for students with ADHD

For seating, you can:

Seat the student with ADHD away from windows and away from the door.
Put the student with ADHD right in front of your desk unless that would be a distraction
for the student.
Seats in rows, with focus on the teacher, usually work better than having students seated
around tables or facing one another in other arrangements.
Create a quiet area free of distractions for test-taking and quiet study.
Slide 15

Student work

Create worksheets and tests with fewer items, give frequent short quizzes rather than long
tests, and reduce the number of timed tests.
Test students with ADHD in the way they do best, such as orally or filling in blanks.
Divide long-term projects into segments and assign a completion goal for each segment.
Accept late work and give partial credit for partial work.
Slide 16

To help student organization

Have the student keep a master binder with a separate section for each subject, and make
sure everything that goes into the notebook is put in the correct section.
Provide a three-pocket notebook insert for homework assignments, completed
homework, and mail to parents (permission slips, PTA flyers).
Make sure the student has a system for writing down assignments and important dates
and uses it.
Allow time for the student to organize materials and assignments for home. Post steps for
getting ready to go home.

Slide 17

Some teaching techniques for students with ADHD could be to

Signal the start of a lesson with an aural cue, such as an egg timer, a cowbell or a horn.
List the activities of the lesson on the board.
Keep instructions simple and structured.
Use props, charts, and other visual aids.
Vary the pace and include different kinds of activities.
Allow a student with ADHD frequent breaks.
- To end a lesson:
Summarize key points.
Be specific about what to take home.
Slide 18

A picture book I could utilize with classroom students to begin discussions about ADHD could
be

Mrs. Gorski, I Think I Have The Wiggle Fidgets

It begins with the main character, David Sheldon getting in trouble (again!) by his teacher, Mrs.
Gorski. David cant seem to stay out of trouble because of his need to move around and try out
his many inventive ideas. With this discovery of the wiggle fidgets, David discovers ways to
help him pay attention in class and help his teacher understand his attention difficulties.

Slide 19

Some good websites for teachers who have students with ADHD are:
- CHADD.org which is good for teacher training on ADHD and classroom management
- GoNoodle.com which is a website that has videos to channel classroom energy for good
and give students a brain break and move around.

Slide 20

A couple good websites for parent who have children with ADHD are:

- Takecontroladhd.com : a great website that provides podcasts with information for

parents about how to help their child with adhd.
- Ncld.org: is a great website that provides countless resources for parents to reference for
any question they may have about their child who has ADHD.
 Artifact Eight: Philosophy of Education Research Paper

For the eighth and final piece of the artifacts that I will present to you, I have included

my Philosophy of Education Research Paper. This artifact is important because, as teachers, we

need to stay current with the most up-to-date research when it comes to our best teaching

practices, classroom management skills, educational theories, etc. In the classroom, we as

teachers need to continuously learn, relearn, and unlearn things that will benefit us as educators

(Why Should Teachers Do Research?, 2014). By providing you with my Philosophy of

Education Research Paper I am able to better showcase my abilities to conduct research, my

abilities in the sense of time management, CRT, best teaching practices, diversity in lesson

planning as well as diversity in the methods in which I will be conducting my lessons in the

classroom. I believe that it is important for us as educators to be continuously adapting our

teaching styles to the learning styles of our students. All of our students are individuals and they

are all unique in the manner in which they learn, that is why we need to be adaptable so that we

can get the best possible results from each and every one of our students. Below is my

Philosophy of Education Research Paper which will give greater detail about my philosophy of

education as well as the theories and theorists that have greatly impacted me as an educator.

Connections to Standards

INSTAC Standards

Standard #1: Learner Development

 1(a) The teacher regularly assesses individual and group performance in order to design

and modify instruction to meet learners needs in each area of development (cognitive, linguistic,

social, emotional, and physical) and scaffolds the next level of development.

1(b) The teacher creates developmentally appropriate instruction that takes into account

individual learners strengths, interests, and needs and that enables each learner to advance and

accelerate his/ her learning.

1(e) The teacher understands that each learners cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional,

and physical development influences learning and knows how to make instructional decisions

that build on learners strengths and needs.

New York State Code of Ethics for Educators

Principle 1: Educators nurture the intellectual, physical, emotional, social,

and civic potential of each student.

Educators promote growth in all students through the integration of intellectual,

physical, emotional, social and civic learning. They respect the inherent dignity and worth of

each individual. Educators help students to value their own identity, learn more about their

cultural heritage, and practice social and civic responsibilities. They help students to reflect on

their own learning and connect it to their life experience. They engage students in activities that

encourage diverse approaches and solutions to issues, while providing a range of ways for

students to demonstrate their abilities and learning. They foster the development of students who

can analyze, synthesize, evaluate and communicate information effectively.

The Ontario Ethical Teacher Standards

 Care: The ethical standard of Care includes compassion, acceptance, interest and insight

for developing students' potential. Members express their commitment to students' well-being

and learning through positive influence, professional judgment and empathy in practice.

Respect: Intrinsic to the ethical standard of Respect are trust and fair-mindedness.

Members honour human dignity, emotional wellness and cognitive development. In their

professional practice, they model respect for spiritual and cultural values, social justice,

confidentiality, freedom, democracy and the environment.

TEAC/CAEP Claims

Claim 3: Medaille College graduates are caring educators.

Philosophy of Education Research Paper

Casey A Bouillere-Howard

Medaille College

ECI 610
 Philosophy of Education

As an educator, I cant seem to wrap my head around coming up with my own personal

philosophy of education because of how multidimensional and diverse our education system is

today. Making a big picture statement about education today is in a way wrong and narrow

minded. That is to make us believe that education can be looked at as a general issue rather than

individual matters. As students in the Elementary Education program, we have been taught since

the first day we came to class that everything and every situation we will come across in our

careers will be one-off or unique, and that our methods of teaching and our techniques for

helping students learn will need to be incessantly changing and perfected all at the same time. A

hard task to accomplish, but one that is feasible for those whose hearts are in it for the students.

Even though this is what I believe, there are still some proclamations about education that I dont

believe in; like the fact that we are supposed to educate our students by filling them with

information that has been lectured to them, and make them regurgitate this information on

assessment after assessment. To me this is just not the way to go about educating our students,

especially when our students are individuals who learn in many different and unique ways. I am

an enormous believer in people who chose to be different to change the world for the better and

reach as many people as they can; from Gandhi to the Dalai Lama, I support uniqueness. By

uniqueness I mean I support the many different styles of learning that come into each and every

classroom, and I will plan my units and lessons around each and every one of these learning

styles so that I can make sure I give the best opportunity to every student to learn the best way

that they can.

 Since I have to make my own philosophy of education I would say that it would be that;

teaching young prosperous students is a challenge that should not be taken frivolously; to

discover new ways to positively influence as many students as possible in something that THEY

believe in and that THEY are passionate about in their lives. Not only do we need to focus on

educating the minds of our students, we should be asking ourselves, How can we educate the

hearts of children? - Dalai Lama (About Us, 2012). We should want to teach our students to be

compassionate, loving, tolerant, respectful members of society, that can contribute not only by

using their minds but by also following their hearts and creating some good moving into the

future. To achieve this in my classroom I will include a couple different methods of teaching

such as kinesthetic leaning and the student-centered approach to learning so my students can

learn by doing.

I believe that in order to be successful in educating young students and being able to

access and help students achieve their full potential, a teacher must be able to come into the

classroom and feel ethically obligated to provide the best opportunities that they can to allow

students the chance to reach the highest standard they can possibly achieve. By expecting the

best out of your students, and by teaching them the tools to problem solve, and to think deeper,

you are creating independent learners who will understand that with hard work, perseverance and

commitment, his/her students will thrive with success and rise above and conquer any obstacle

they may face; and if they struggle to rise above, it is my duty as an educator to equip them with

the skills they need to work through those obstacles and grow from those trials. But, because the

way that education and the education system are set up today, it would be incredibly difficult to

apply my philosophy. This is certainly a challenge worth accepting.

 Today we tend to view education in two completely different lights. One, we look at

education through the economic eye. Two, we look at it from societies viewpoint. Essentially

what I am saying is that, what we have come to believe the education system to be is that;

smart people can only be fabricated or produced in the classroom. We have come to believe

that the more education someone receives, the higher education, the more prestigious the

education, the more successful that person will be, hence, the smarter they will become. The

problem with this is that, where is the passion in our students? How can we, as educators, teach a

student if their heart is not in to it. The idea of teaching is to teach someone what they are

passionate about. Isnt it? To do so, I will need to find out what my students likes and dislikes

are; their different learning styles and what makes them tic, what is IT that gets them to put

their all into their work. By doing so, it will allow me to tailor my lessons, units and my teaching

style to best suit each one of my students. No matter the age, each and every student is passionate

about something and the key as a teacher is to figure out how to find that passion within them.

Two of my favorite quotes from the Dalai Lama point directly to this; the first quote is;

We have to think and see how we can fundamentally change our education system so

that we can train people to develop warm-heartedness early on in order to create a

healthier society. I don't mean we need to change the whole system, just improve it. We

need to encourage an understanding that inner peace comes from relying on human

values like, love, compassion, tolerance and honesty, and that peace in the world relies on

individuals finding inner peace. (Dalai Lama Quotes, n.d.)

The second quote really hits the nail on the head with regards to my teaching philosophy

We all want to live a happy life and have a right to do so, whether through work or
 spiritual practice. I'm subject to destructive emotions like anger and jealousy the same as

you, but we all have potential for good too. However, our existing education system is

oriented towards material development; neglecting inner values. Consequently, we lack a

clear awareness of the inner values that are the basis of a happy life. (Dalai Lama

Quotes, n.d.)

We as educators need to teach our students how to better themselves and help to develop them

educationally, but what we also need to, I think, is that we need to help guide our students

towards their passion, teach them about the inner values that are the basis of a happy life.

(Dalai Lama Quotes, n.d.)

Research Backing my Philosophy

Although I may not entirely agree with todays education system, I would still be able to

incorporate my philosophy into the classroom by allowing students to have freedom; freedom

that allows for creativity and expression. Allowing students to have a range of freedom gives

them the opportunity to experiment and fulfil some self-discovery for their likes and dislikes, and

their strengths and weaknesses. I would do this by drawing from many different philosophies and

personal influences in my education that I believe best aid in describing and explaining my

teaching philosophy. Some of the philosophies and approaches to education that I gravitate

towards as an educator are; The Dalai Lama and Buddhism (not as a religion, as a philosophy),

Holistic Education, and Jean Piaget, John Dewey, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Howard Gardner and

Jerome Bruner and their theories/philosophies of education.

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama, a wise man, and Buddhism, not as a religion but as a philosophy, I have

found to be of great inspiration for me and my view on education and life as a whole. His
Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, was born on July 6 1935 in Takster, Amdo, northern Tibet, with

the name of Tenzin Gyatso (Brief Biography, n.d.). This simple Buddhist monk is someone I

have long strived to become more like, to view life as he does and to bring his view of

acceptance of all people, his positivity and his view on education. His Holiness the 14 th Dalai

Lama began his education at the age of six with a curriculum that consisted of five major and

five minor subjects (Brief Biography, n.d.). He finished his Geshe Lharampa Degree or

Doctorate of Buddhist Philosophy, at the age of 25 (the 14th Dalai Lama, n.d.).

The five major topics that he studied were logic, fine arts, Sanskrit grammar, and

medicine, but the highest prominence was placed on Buddhist philosophy which was broadly

separated into supplementary five categories: Prajnaparamita, the perfection of wisdom;

Madhyamika, the philosophy of the middle Way; Vinaya, the canon of monastic discipline;

Abidharma, metaphysics; and Pramana, logic and epistemology (Brief Biography, n.d.). His vast

knowledge in all of these areas, combined with his immeasurable knowledge of Buddhist

Philosophy is what has allowed him to conceive these worldly views for inner peace, world

peace, love, compassion, tolerance, forgiveness, religious harmony and understanding, and

honesty (Three Main Commitments, n.d.).

It is these views of the Dalai Lama that I would like to promote in my classroom and

instill in my students. I want to be able to educate my students that we should show agape to

everyone, we need to love everyone and everything. Because when we show love to everyone it

diminishes what hate stands for and the more we love we spread around us, the more positivity

we will have in not just the classroom but also in our lives and in the world around us. With all
the negativity in the world today, violence, bullying, cyber bullying, hate crimes, etc. I want my

students to understand that to be happy doesnt mean having material objects or the most money

in the world, to be happy is to find inner peace and Philautia, love of ourselves (Three Main

Commitments, n.d.). I know that there are going to be some students that come into the

classroom and feel like it is not okay to be different; in my classroom, I want my students to

know that being different or unique is okay. I want them to know, that in my classroom they are

safe and that they can be whoever they want to be. I want them to love themselves first so that

they can learn to love others.

I agree that I should not be using religion in the classroom, and that is one thing that I

completely understand. What I mean is that by incorporating Buddhism into the classroom and

my lessons as a philosophy I would be able to teach my students about leading a moral life, to be

mindful and aware of their thoughts and actions, and to develop wisdom and understanding (A

Five Minute Introduction, n.d.). I want to educate my students about the difference between good

and bad, to be honest and truthful. The Buddhist philosophy has shown to be a great way to

show a deep understanding of the mind and natural therapies by prominent psychologists (A Five

Minute Introduction, n.d.). Having this philosophy in mind while I am making lessons and

teaching in class, I can be sure that I will be able to teach my students to be mindful and aware of

their thoughts and actions; teach them that negative actions have negative reactions and that

positive actions have positive reactions. I believe that in time, this will allow them to develop an

understanding of their own education and push them to strive forward in bettering themselves as

students and as citizens of this world. Not only are we as teachers supposed to educate our

children for tomorrow we are here to help foster these students into wonderful, respectful,
loving, caring, people of this world and using these philosophical Buddhist teachings and the

wisdom and mantra of the Dalai Lama, we can achieve doing so.

Holistic Education

Holistic education is in my view a philosophy of education that is, at its core reminiscent

to the teachings, philosophy and worldview of the Dalai Lama, and of the Buddhist philosophy

as well. The purpose of Holistic education is to support students in meeting the challenges of

academics as well as the trials of living (Holistic Education: An Introduction, 2003). Holistic

Education is based on the principle that each student discovers his or her own identity, meaning,

and purpose in life, through influences in the community, the natural world, and through spiritual

values like kind-heartedness and peace (Miller, 2013). Holistic education considers it critical for

young students learn about themselves, healthy relationships, prosocial behavior, social

development, emotional development, resilience, to see beauty, have awe, experience excellence,

and appreciate truths (Holistic Education, 2003). Thus, we ask ourselves, how did we know

what we did to overcome challenges in our lives? How did we achieve our triumphs? Of all of

those challenges and successes we have experienced in our lives, how many of those did we

learn in school and how many did we learn from lifes experiences? This is why I believe that

incorporating a Holistic educational viewpoint to the classroom is key because it allows for

students to bring their life experiences to the classroom and use those as a mechanism for better

understanding of the course work, and using those as stepping stones for problem solving and

furthering their education, and creative expression.

 The foundation upon which holistic education prospers in making students better learners

as well as better people is the fact that it allows for organic learning and pushes the student to

search for meaning, whether it be personal, situational, cultural and anthropological (Hutchison

& Bosacki, 2000). Hutchison & Bosacki (2000) present that holistic education tries to help

students realize balance in body, mind and spirit; allowing the students intellectual growth to be

cultivated in balance with their emotional, physical, spiritual and social development. To me, as

an educator this is important because I believe it is central when educating young minds, we use

the whole person, body and mind, as a connected unit for better educational growth, not just one

part of the person. Some of the holistic teaching methods I could include when doing a lesson are

storying, journaling, visualization, dance, drama, music, visual arts, and diverse introspective

practices (Hutchison & Bosacki, 2000). Using these teaching techniques in the classroom would

allow students to be reflective as well as active. By combining physical activity with learning it

allows the students to learn while moving about instead of being glued to a chair with their heads

in their books. Including five-minute physical activity brain breaks between subjects or when I

start noticing students lagging or getting bored will be a great way to break up the monotony of

constant lecturing. This also allows the students to express themselves in creative ways that

require deep reflective thought or higher order thinking according to Blooms taxonomy because

they can move about however they feel.

Another great tool that comes with holistic education is that it implements flexible pacing

(Holistic Education, 2003). Flexible pacing, I believe, is essential in every classroom because not

all students learn in the same stride and no student learns at the same stride at all times (Holistic

Education, 2003). Because learning is a fundamentally innovative act it needs a system that is
interchangeable and capable of moving along with the individual students learning (Holistic

Education, 2003). The fact is that when lessons are too fast the students get lost and thus lose

interest in the subject, when the lessons are too slow they become uninterested; the priority of the

matter is that the students need to be treated as individuals and that there is no need for a whole

classroom to move at some illogically single-minded learning stride.

The most important part of holistic education to me, is that it stresses the need of helping

students learn the meaningfulness in the things they are taught (Holistic Education, 2003). Just

like I had previously mentioned at the beginning of my paper in my own personal philosophy of

education is that; we need to discover new ways to positively influence as many students as

possible in something that THEY believe in and that THEY are passionate about in their lives.

Holistic education does just that. Everyone, no matter how old they are finds it difficult to learn

something that is not meaningful to them; which in hindsight makes it much easier to learn

things that are meaningful to them (Holistic Education, 2003). This will allow me to use an

inquiry-based learning method so I can encourage the students to ask questions and ponder what

they would like to learn or know about the world around them and I would be able to guide them

in the right direction to do their own research and find answers out on their own; whether it be

research online, in books, asking people who work in specific fields in question, etc. I would use

this to help me help my students find something in any subject matter that means something to

them. I would do so by figuring out what is meaningful to the individual students and incorporate

those meanings or interests into the lessons and coursework. I would draw inspiration from the

students and integrate things from their daily lives, their neighborhoods, their city or their home

countries into something as simple as a word problem; and I would continue to integrate these
things in to all of my lesson plans. This will help garner their attention and interest to the

subjects I will be teaching.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Dewey, Jean Piaget and Jerome Bruner

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Dewey, Jean Piaget and Jerome Bruner are all brilliant men

and theorists that have had a tremendous impact on education as we know it today. One common

factor with these theorists is that they all in some way, shape or form conceive in a sense that

learning through discovery, experience or by performance/ doing is what education is about;

natural or organic experiences is what drives learning.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Jean-Jacques Rousseaus philosophy of education is that of a natural education in

combination with a public education (Doyle & Smith, 2013). This was noticed in his writings in

his book the Emile and other minor writings that he did concerning his philosophies about

education. In the Emile, he writes that there are three educators in order to be properly educated

nature, men and things (Collins, 1976). A great passage from the book that resonates with my

philosophy of education is that;

We are born weak, we need strength; we are born destitute of all things, we need

assistance; we are born stupid, we need judgment. All that we have not at our birth, and

that we need when grown up, is given us by education.

This education comes to us from nature itself, or from other men, or from circumstances.

The internal development of our faculties and of our organs is the education nature gives

us; the use we are taught to make of this development is the education we get from other
 me; and what we learn, by our own experience, about things that interest us, is the

education of circumstances. (Rousseau, 1889).

This stuck with me because we as teachers should understand that our students are coming to our

classrooms with knowledge they have acquired from living their lives outside of the school. We

are one of the three educators that Rousseau (1889) talks about in his philosophy and we are the

ones who are supposed to help elaborate and expand on the natural knowledge that our students

have already learned. They will be coming to us with questions about life and about anything in

general. Our students have copious amounts of interests that we as teachers need to take into

account when we are planning our lessons because by doing so we will be more capable of

grasping our students attention and have them more engaged with what we are trying to teach.

We are there to help them find the passion that lies within them. To help my students find their

passion and grasp their interest in subjects at school I will introduce new fun and exciting

activities and I will use classroom discussions to allow my students to explain themselves

verbally and I will be assessing them at the same time. I will use a personalized learning method

to have students follow an individualized learning plan that caters to their interests and skills;

when assigning projects, handouts, and homework, I can give my students a list of questions that

are separated like tic-tac-toe and have them pick three things that result in a win for tic-tac-

toe. By separating the questions or the assignment into different areas, the student picks the

ones that he/she likes, and one that he/she doesnt like as much; this makes the student feel like

he/she is in control of what he/she is doing and thus makes he or she more interested in what

they are doing. This was a method that my high school physics teacher used when handing out

assignments, he would give us a handout with a list of possible topics, questions or projects we

could choose from. That way it gave us the freedom to pick something that most interested us
and at the same time he was able to get us to fulfill what we needed to so that it matched up with

the curriculum.

John Dewey

John Deweys philosophy of education was also that of a naturalistic approach to

learning, meaning that knowledge gained is from people being active in their own environments;

that people learn by doing (Field, n.d.). Not only did Dewey refute that childrens education

was only for preparation in public life; he believed that the school should be an annex to civil

society and incessant with it (Field, n.d.). This would mean that students are encouraged to

become respectable members of society, dynamically chasing their interests in connection with

others (Field, n.d.). According to Deweys philosophy this is best done by using a student-

centered approach to learning, merely using the teacher as a vessel full of resources to guide

students and prepare them for the demands of responsible membership within the democratic

community (Field, n.d.). Deweys philosophy of education stressed the importance of finding

meaning in the activities that are being done in the classroom, and participation in classroom

democracy (Only a Teacher: John Dewey (1859-1952), n.d.). He wrote that the central moral

imperative in education was democracy and that;

the school and society must become an embryonic community life, active with types of

occupations that reflect the life of the larger society and permeated throughout with the

spirit of art, history and science. When the school introduces and trains each child of

society into membership within such a little community, saturating him with the spirit of

service, and providing him with instruments of effective self-direction, we shall have the
 deepest and best guarantee of a larger society which is worthy, lovely and harmonious."

(Only a Teacher, n.d.).

Essentially what Dewey is suggesting is that, it is important that we do not just spew information

and fact out on our students and instead that we teach our students that the skills and knowledge

that they learn can be integrated into their lives as people, citizens, and human beings and that he

was also a big supporter of students learn by doing as well as integration of students past

experience into the classroom. To achieve what Dewey is saying, I will once again use a student-

centered approach, allowing the students to freely ask questions and use me as a guide for the

exploration of their interest and having the students use self-direction for doing their own

research. I can also do this by bringing to students out on mini fieldtrips throughout their

community and having them explore further what in their community might interest them. I

would have my students write in a journal while they are on the trip and when they come back so

they can pose questions as well use higher order thinking to explain themselves. I will also have

students produce biographical reports in many ways such as oral presentation, collage,

reenactments, etc. to examine more deeply things in their community and their world around

them.

Jean Piaget & Jerome Bruner

Although Jerome Bruner was opposed to Jean Piagets concept of readiness since he

thought that schools spent too much time trying to match difficulty of subjects to a childs

cognitive stage of development; they both had somewhat of the same impact on education by
theorizing that children/students are active learners and they learn better by performing, by

discovering (hands on approach) (Gardners intrapersonal and bodily/kinesthetic learning) and

by having interest in the subject (McLeod, 1970). Piagets Theory that children learned in

cognitive stages is what Bruner opposed but similarly both Bruner and Piaget believed in the

concept of discovery learning or also known as the constructivist approach (McLeod, 1970).

Piaget and Bruners constructivist theory tackles how learning essentially ensues; the teacher is

used as a catalyst whose responsibility is to help the student when it comes to their own

understanding (McLeod, 1970; Piagets Theory of Constructivism, n.d.). Once again, this

method of teaching is less focused on the teacher and lectures and more focused on a student-

centered approach to learning. I would implement this method into my classroom by asking the

students questions and having them come up with their own answers instead of me giving them

the answers. This will allow the students to grow as critical thinkers. A few strategies that I could

include that I found while doing research would be to; have students work together and help one

another to answer questions; I cold designate one student as the expert of a subject and have

them teach the class; and also have the students work together in groups or pairs to research

controversial topics which they then must present to the class (Piagets Theory, n.d.).

Conclusion

Teaching young prosperous students is a challenge that should not be taken frivolously;

to discover new ways to positively influence as many students as possible in something that

THEY believe in and that THEY are passionate about in their lives is what my philosophy of

teaching is all about. I want to incorporate the philosophical Buddhist teachings and the wisdom

and mantra of the Dalai Lama to help to help foster these students into wonderful, respectful,
loving, caring, citizens in their societies and of this world and using these philosophical Buddhist

teachings and the wisdom and mantra of the Dalai Lama, we can achieve doing so. To conceive

these worldly views for inner peace, world peace, love, compassion, tolerance, forgiveness,

religious harmony and understanding, and honesty (Three Main Commitments, n.d.). It is these

views of the Dalai Lama that I would like to promote in my classroom and instill in my students.

I would do this by making sure my classroom is a safe place for students and that maltreatment,

bullying and teasing will not be tolerated. By using a holistic approach to my teaching, it will

allow me to incorporate the whole child, mind and body, into my teachings. I can incorporate

using physical activity in my lessons (active learning). I can also use physical activity for brain

breaks like using yoga or mindful meditation to decompress after a stressful lesson. Also by

understanding the theories of naturalistic and constructivist approaches to education brought

forth by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Dewey, Jean Piaget and Jerome Bruner; I would use a

student-centered approach to teaching and pose the students questions allowing them to use

reason and higher order thinking to do their own personal research to discover answers to their

own questions. The students will use me as a guide who can help them unlock their potential to

become the great learners that I know each and every one of my students can be.

There are various influences that help make a student successful, and centering

improvement on difficult assessments, to me, is not looking at the big picture and is not

benefiting the students. I believe each student should be treated as an individual who has

different, individual, learning styles which in turn means that assessments should be

individualized, either in the way that its marked or the way its presented to the student. This
goes back to facilitating the needs of each student to ensure their specific targets and needs are

met.

Learning happens for each individual at a unique pace and with time constraints and

curriculum expectations; it can be tough to realize curricular needs as well as keeping pace with

the individual learner. For this reason, I believe that my time management skills will be essential

in my teaching practices. Because of this I believe that pacing and time management strategies

should be given more thought in IEP. Students should be allotted comprehensive work sessions,

with focus being placed more on math and language. rather than have the student bounce around

from science to math to language, never really getting the full grasp of any. With many of these

practices employed; as I stated earlier, I trust that the passion, interests and curiosity that lies

deep inside every student can be exploited given the appropriate individual attention and

strategic plan.

As teachers, we need to take an interest in our students like and dislikes and we need to

figure out what they want to learn as individuals. Of course, they may not all have an idea about

what they want to learn, and thats alright too. We need to stop treating school and education like

a factory and spewing lecture after lecture about things our students arent even interested in. We

need to learn about our students and take an interest in their interests and plan accordingly. We,

as educators have the tools, ability, and the platform to influence our students and the future, and

know how to create good, happy, thoughtful, productive people of our ever-changing global

society. Not only do we need to focus on educating the minds of our students, we should be

asking ourselves, How can we educate the hearts of children? - Dalai Lama (About Us, 2012).
We should want to teach our students to be compassionate, loving, tolerant, respectful members

of society, that can contribute not only by using their minds but by also following their hearts

and creating some good moving into the future.

References

A Five Minute Introduction. (n.d.). Retrieved August 08, 2017, from

\http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/5minbud.htm

About Us. (2012, August 06). Retrieved August 11, 2017, from http://dalailamacenter.org/about

Brief Biography. (n.d.). Retrieved August 09, 2017, from https://www.dalailama.com/the-

dalai-lama/biography-and-daily-life/brief-biography

Collins, P. M. (1976). ROUSSEAUS PHILOSOPHY (OR PHILOSOPHIES?) OF

EDUCATION. The Irish Journal of Education, X(2), 51-80. Retrieved August 10, 2017.

D is for John Dewey: His Approach To Education. (2017, June 04). Retrieved August 10, 2017,

from http://www.thepositiveencourager.global/john-deweys-approach-to-doing-

positive-work/

Dalai Lama Quotes About Education System. (n.d.). Retrieved August 08, 2017, from

http://www.azquotes.com/author/8418-Dalai_Lama/tag/education-system

Doyle, M. E., & Smith, M. K. (2013, April 04). Jean-Jacques Rousseau on nature, wholeness and

education. Retrieved August 10, 2017, from http://infed.org/mobi/jean-jacques-

rousseau-

on-nature-wholeness-and-education/

Field, R. (n.d.). John Dewey (1859-1952). Retrieved August 10, 2017, from

http://www.iep.utm.edu/dewey/

Holistic Education: An Introduction. (2003). Retrieved August 09, 2017, from

http://www.holistic-education.net/visitors.htm

Hutchison, D., & Bosacki, S. (2000). Over the edge: Can holistic education contribute to
 experiential education? The Journal of Experiential Education, 23(3), 177-182. Retrieved

August 9, 2017.

McLeod, S. (1970, January 01). Bruner. Retrieved August 10, 2017, from

https://www.simplypsychology.org/bruner.html

Miller, R. (2013, May 08). A brief introduction to holistic education. Retrieved August 09, 2017,

from http://infed.org/mobi/a-brief-introduction-to-holistic-education/

Only a Teacher: John Dewey (1859-1952). (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2017, from

https://www.pbs.org/onlyateacher/john.html

Piaget's Theory of Constructivism. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2017, from http://www.teach-

nology.com/currenttrends/constructivism/piaget/

Rousseau, J. (1889). Emile, or, Concerning education (E. Worthington, Trans). New York: Start

Publishing LLC. (Original work published 1762)

The 14th Dalai Lama - Biographical. (n.d.). Retrieved August 09, 2017, from

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1989/lama-bio.html

Three Main Commitments. (n.d.). Retrieved August 09, 2017, from

https://www.dalailama.com/the-dalai-lama/biography-and-daily-life/three-main-

commitments
Conclusion

As we reach the end of my artifacts, I hope that you enjoyed sifting through them as

much as I enjoyed the task of putting them together for you. It is my sincere belief that these

artifacts that I have compiled together for you, showcase my abilities as a teacher, moreover my

readiness as a teacher candidate to accomplish my responsibility as a professional

teacher/educator. I have showcased this through citations of theorists and experts in the field of

educations and relating them to my artifacts as well as my own beliefs about teaching and best

teaching practices. I further provided more evidence to support my claims of readiness to

become a teacher by delivering to you my capabilities for planning lessons and units, my

assessment of students, how I will motivate my students to learn, my proficiencies with

technology in the classroom, through CRT, and accommodations. Completing section has

allowed me to showcase my abilities as a confident, capable, respectful, motivational, prepared

and ready teacher candidate.