The live year teacher certilication program at Michigan State University prepares college graJuates to assume the

responsililities ol leginning teaching. The program consists ol a planneJ sequence ol prolessional courses anJ
lielJ experiences incluJing a yearlong internship alter stuJents complete their lachelors Jegree. A liveyear
program enalles teacher canJiJates to acquire a soliJ grounJing in their teaching suljects as unJergraJuates anJ to
spenJ a year ol guiJeJ learning to teach in a school anJ classroom setting. The program meets all the requirements
lor the provisional elementary anJ seconJary teaching certilicate ol the State ol Michigan. It also rellects state
anJ national stanJarJs lor leginning teachers.

The internship comlines olservation anJ guiJeJ practice teaching averaging alout 3J hours per veek vith tvelve
creJit hours ol masters Jegree courses. These experiences are JesigneJ to support the interns grovth loth in
classroom teaching anJ in the perlormance ol a teachers other prolessional roles, such as vorking vith parents anJ
colleagues in the school. The internship incluJes a sustaineJ perioJ ol leaJ teaching. Vith the collalorating
teachers support, the intern lears primary responsilility lor planning, instruction, anJ assessment.

The attacheJ report is laseJ on the interns extensive experience.

MSU is an Allirmative Action/Fqual Opportunity Institution
Exit Performance
Description
(EPD) Report Cover Sheet
]orJan, Caitlin Flementary FJucation
Intern Major


Steere, Traci Sycamore Flementary
Mentor Teacher School Name


Oesterle, ]uJith Holt Pullic Schools
MSU IielJ Instructor School District
















Please place an X ly the correct item.
Internship Area Team Assignment.


X Flementary FJucation

SeconJary FJucation Special FJucation




Report prepareJ ly.


Mentor Teacher

X MSU IielJ Instructor




Report prepareJ lor.


X Iall & Spring Semester

Iall Semester Spring Semester




Report is laseJ on the school year.
ISI3SSI+ Date. April 2JI+



MSU is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution

Knowing Subj ect Matters and How to Teach Them:


Caitlin Jordan is a teacher candidate who brings intellectual strength and creativity to the lessons that she plans for
students. Her unit plans provide evidence of the strength of her content knowledge, her willingness to seek out a wide
variety of resources and her understanding of young learners. Caitlin created engaging lessons that best supported all
learners.

Caitlin`s units were adapted to the learners in her classroom. She prepared instruction and application activities with
her students in mind. She took into consideration learning modalities, thought processes and practice applications.
Objectives align with District and State Standards; lessons are hands-on and engaging learning experiences for the
children.

Active involvement in discovery learning was a consistent strategy which Caitlin planned into her units and lessons.
Whenever possible, children were working with their hands in order to explore and learn concepts and ideas. The
interns at Sycamore Elementary adapted the Inquiry Based Battle Creek Science Kits for their Science Instruction.

Caitlin incorporated the Smart Board` technology into most oI the lessons I observed, which helped students connect
to ideas about the concept they were learning. In order to bring the students into the lessons, Caitlin used pictures from
their week-long Big Nature Lesson` Iield trip which connected them to their own experience.


Wor king with Students and Managing a Classroom Learning Community:

Caitlin respects each of her students and values and respects their thinking. This classroom has the typical range of
students. Caitlin is able to address both behavior and academic issues in an appropriate manner for each student. She
treats all students as capable of learning and helps them make connections between new content and prior knowledge.
Very quickly, children learned that they could trust her fair-minded approach and understanding of their own specific
problem or concern. Caitlin`s ability to bring students into the Learning Community` has students helping each other
and striving to meet high expectations. This classroom`s population is the typical breadth oI students, academically
and socially. Caitlin has a natural ability to engage and support struggling learners. She organized differentiated
activities for her special needs students, and made certain that she supported their learning in ways that worked best for
them, without singling them out.

Lessons kept all students involved and actively participating in the learning. Caitlin creates a safe, caring and
productive environment in the classroom. This classroom has a welcome` Ieel to anyone entering. Students are
actively engaged in learning. When there is a need, she works with children individually to help them understand how
to resolve conflicts and how to work through and proceed when there is a difficulty, whether social or academic.



Wor king and Learning in a School and Profession:

During the internship year, Caitlin completed four graduate level courses that support continued learning and
instruction in the areas of Math, Literacy, Science and Social Studies. Her work in these courses led to units that had
the children in her classroom in mind. The units were developmentally appropriate and met district standards.

Caitlin worked as part oI a team. There are three second grade classrooms in this school. Caitlin`s Mentor Teacher
works with the other teachers in a team effort for all three sets of students. Thus, as an intern, Caitlin worked as part of

MSU is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution
this team effort to support student learning for all three classrooms of second graders. She organized and made
adaptations for her students as she implemented Math, Social Studies, Science and Literacy instruction throughout the
year.

Caitlin is a professional Teacher. She attended and participated in the regular staff meetings at the school and District
Grade Level meetings. She took advantage of Professional Development opportunities offered by Holt Public Schools,
the Ingham Intermediate School District, (the county educational support system for public schools) and Michigan
State University. She is a regular participant in the Grade Level Collaborative Meetings that take place during the Holt
Professional Development days.


It is with great pleasure that I strongly recommend Caitlin Jordan be hi red as a teacher in your district. Her
year-long internship, education, enthusiasm for children, and willingness to learn, mark her as a professional. Her love
of learning and her experience through the internship as a teacher will be an asset to the district that hires her. The
children in her classroom will be cared for and nurtured by this Teacher. Caitlin`s connection to, and understanding
of, children will strengthen your Elementary Program.