Abby Johnson

Speaker Reflections
Speaker Reflection: Dr. Jodi Newton
Dr. Newtons presentation How did they maximize learning for all students?
What Great Teacher Do Differently was very valuable as I begin the journey to become
a teacher who empowers her students to reach a high level of achievement. One of the
things I agree with is that great teachers hold high expectations for their students. I have
seen this in my own life as the teachers who made the most impact on me were the ones
who expected more from me. Often times, it was more than I even thought I could
possibly achieve, but through their consistent encouragement and help, I saw myself
succeed and fall in love with learning. Despite these high expectations, those teachers
always allowed me to make mistakes and relearn material. They put in extra time to
ensure that I completely mastered every objective. When I become a teacher, I want my
students to see themselves as I see them. They have enormous potential and should have
confidence in their ability. However, when mistakes come, it is important to learn from
them and move on. Another essential aspect of great teachers is the need to constantly
plan and tweak activities. I know that I am just beginning to understand how important
that is. I should make plans, but I will always be willing to adjust those plans to fit my
students need. Student performance should drive the lesson plans for my class. As I go
back to the classroom in the coming weeks, I hope to begin implementing these
characteristics of successful teachers. I am realizing it is essential I begin to practice
habits of great teachers now and not wait until I have graduated and have my own
classroom.

Speaker Reflection: Robert Marzano

The video we watched gave many suggestions for effective classroom
management. One of the big ideas of the video was how to engage students in learning.
Some of the recommendations included using games, competition, and movement to
promote engagement. I think this is something that would allow students to practice the
information they are learning in a fun way. Many times I play games in an academic
setting, I am much more engaged because it doesnt feel like Im learning. One of the
suggestions I hadnt thought about before was providing opportunities for students to talk
about themselves. By allowing them to speak from personal experiences, each student
can make connections and have a deeper understanding of information. Second, by
establishing and maintaining classroom rules and procedures, the teacher and students
have a much more effective learning environment. I loved the suggestion that students
could create their own rules and procedures. I think this is something I will try to
implement in my classroom. If the rules are not working, they can be modified. However,
I think students will take more ownership of the classroom and their learning experience
if they feel they are valued and respected. Once the rules are established, teachers should
work to recognize and acknowledge students adherence and lack of adherence to
classroom rules and procedures. One of the suggestions I found helpful was to use
concrete consequences for proper behavior and misbehavior. In many of the classrooms I
have been in over the years, I have found some kind of reward and consequence system
for behavior, and it seems to be an effective method. Another aspect of effective
classroom management is communication high expectations for all students. It is
important to identify students who you have set low expectations for and make sure you

are asking them questions and helping them to answer them. Finally, the area I saw as
having huge importance is establishing and maintaining effective relationships with all
students. A practical way I want to practice this area this year is making sure I know
something about each student. Also, by knowing the student well, I can personalize
activities to the students interest.
Speaker Reflection: Dr. Rogers
Can anyone be a teacher? That is the questions Dr. Rogers began her session with
on Tuesday. My immediate thought was yes, but then I began to think. Anyone could
say they would like to be a teacher, but all of those people would not be effective ones. I
think there are many qualities a person must possess to be an effective teacher. I agree
that knowledge and teaching skills are important, but I think one of the most important
things to ensure a great teacher is dispositions. Dr. Rogers told us that research has shown
teachers attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs about their students and themselves affect
student learning. As I thought about the teacher who made the most impact on my life, I
thought of my third grade teacher. She saw the potential in me that I didnt even realize I
had. By setting high expectations for me while being intentional and nurturing, I thrived
and fell in love with learning. I want to implement that in my own life as I work with
students. Another disposition I hope to possess is being positive in every interaction with
children. As I heard of Marva Collins and how much she impacted her students, I realized
the power of our words. A knowledge base, teaching skills, and effective dispositions are
all necessary to be a great teacher. Each aspect does not matter if one is missing. Without
excellent dispositions, the knowledge and teaching skills I possess will not matter
because my students will not respect me. I hope my students fall in love with learning as

they see how much I love learning and care for each individual child. As I continue in
my clinical experiences, I hope to gain knowledge, learn valuable teaching skills, and
improve my dispositions so that I am the teacher my students deserve.
Speaker Reflection: Dr. Hannah
Until I began my education classes, I always thought of assessments as tests or
grades. The emotions I felt towards them were panic, dread, stress, and so many more
negative feelings. I have come to realize that my teachers didnt always use them as they
are intended to be. Assessments should be created before the teaching occurs. They
should concern what we want our students to learn while focusing on what was taught.
Dr. Hannah said, Getting to know your kids is the greatest assessment you can do. As I
processed what she meant by this, I realize how true that is. As I get to know each student
personally, I can identify their struggles much more quickly and assist them in getting
back on track. One way to constantly check to see which students are on target and which
students are falling behind is giving formative assessments. These assessments can be
informal and should not have a grade on it. Formative assessments are one of the most
important things to ensure effective teaching. This does a great job in telling me what I
may not have explained well, what the class as a whole is struggling with, and what I
may need to go back and reteach. It also gives students a great way to see their progress
and see what needs to be worked on. It is important to me that I incorporate formative
assessments in every lesson that I do. Whether it is a quick check with a thumbs up or
thumbs down or a graphic organizer, they will provide me with essential information to
be an effective teacher. All of this will lead to a summative assessment that will indicate
what each child learned from the unit. As I learn more and more about learning targets

and assessments, I realize how important they are to cultivate a flourishing learning
environment.
Speaker Reflection: Dr. Wood
Beginning in third grade, I was placed in a gifted education program at my school.
I went to another classroom once or twice a week where I participated in a lot of creative,
imaginative activities. While those enriching experiences pushed me, the teachers I had in
the regular classrooms did not implement activities that challenged me and kept me
engaged. Many times I got bored or frustrated when I had to hear a lesson retaught.
Before this seminar, I had grouped gifted learners and high achievers together. I now
realize that gifted learners learn at a much deeper level. In my classroom, I want to be
observant and aware of gifted learners. I see how important it is to develop intentional
activities and lessons that cater to a variety of learners. When I was in fourth grade, my
teacher sent me into the closet with three other gifted students to work on harder math
problems. While I was glad I did not have to hear the lessons repeated, I was still lost
with the math problems I had not yet been exposed to. I believe it would have been more
helpful if she had looked for ways to go deeper with the current mathematical concepts.
When this occurs in my classroom, I want to challenge these students while continuing to
give them attention, guidance, and instruction. One way to meet the needs of gifted
learners is through enrichment. Enrichment can include independent study, learning
centers, or problem based learning. With all students, I want to incorporate choice boards
into my curriculum. I think this is a perfect way to cater to students interests while also
providing a deeper learning experience. There is still a lot I want to learn about meeting
and challenging all students. I still wonder how I can provide different activities for

students without some feeling as outsiders. However, I am much more confident after
receiving many tools I can use with gifted learners in the classroom.
Speaker Reflection: Dr. Bluiett
Until Thursday morning, I had never thought about early literary assessments. I
have come to realize how essential assessment is when meeting the needs of students and
helping them succeed. I have learned that assessment should guide instruction. However,
I had not thought of it like a scientific process that requires constant observation and
assessment and forming new hypotheses. Dr. Blueitt gave us a question to use when
deciding what procedures should take place when assessing a student. She said, Will this
procedure help me make important instructional decisions regarding my students
needs? It is extremely important that every decision made in any academic setting is
purposeful. In order to successfully meet students needs, I must be aware of the variety
of assessments available and how to use them. Many times intervention is necessary at an
early age to make an impact. These assessments are often times given to students in
preschool through first grade. They include concepts about print, letter name knowledge,
and phonemic awareness. All of these assessments were new to me. I found the Concepts
About Print Test very interesting. I never considered that the amount of knowledge and
familiarity a student has with books indicates the childs reading success. It is also
important that I respond to the assessment data with necessary action to resolve any
issues. This process never ends. I should always push for my students to succeed further.
I am still unsure about how to know which assessment to give at the appropriate time.
However, I will continue to research and learn about these assessments on my own so
that I am better equipped as I enter the classroom.

Speaker Reflection: Dr. Underbakke

Dr. Underbakkes talk on Tuesday was very interesting and made implementing
literature into the classroom very practical. One of the first things that Dr. Underbakke
said was that chapter books should be read throughout the year no matter what the grade
level. If you had asked me if I thought reading was important in the classroom, I would
have said yes with no hesitation. However, if you asked me what books I would read to a
classroom of students in early elementary, I would not have said chapter books. As he
spoke, I thought back to my own experiences as a student. The first time a teacher read a
chapter book to me was in third grade, and it was the book Because of Winn Dixie. I
remember falling in love with the characters and feeling like a part of the story. I now
realize how instrumental that was in the development of my passion for reading. I want
to incorporate the daily reading of chapter books into my classroom with the primary
purpose of exposing them to high quality literature instead of reading for the sake of
teaching content. I realize it will be easier to go throughout the day without prioritizing
that time. However, I realize how important it is to develop strong readers. One of Dr.
Underbakkes suggestions was comparing the female leads in Wringer and Bridge to
Teribithia. When the opportunities arise for students to apply skills they have learned like
comparing and contrasting to novels read in class, the students make deeper connections
to the reading, practice skills, and see their growth as a reader. I think another key to
incorporating chapter books into the classroom is having a personal passion for reading
and for those books. Cultivating a love for reading in students is something that will last
them a lifetime.

Speaker Reflection: Dr. Cheshire

Dr. Cheshire began by saying that assessment is for learning and not for grades.
When looking at assessment through that lens, it changes why we assess and how we
assess. As teachers, we should assess students to determine if they have met their learning
targets and goals and any area that may need improvement. We should be more
concerned about their understanding rather than if they can memorize information. It is
important to remember to incorporate assessments throughout the lesson rather than just
the end. It allows the teacher and students to monitor progress along the way and catch
any misunderstandings before the end. Effective assessment should continue with
effective feedback. Assessment only works if the teacher gives students feedback
concerning how they can improve. I have seen this in my classroom this week. My
teacher gives each student a reading goal for the week. She has individual conferences
with each student to check in with them. Once they have met their goal, they get a new
one. One boy she conferenced with today did not meet his goal of comprehending his
book. She gave him new strategies and told him she would check in with him again
Monday. This semester, I have seen the most growth in students when they receive
immediate and specific feedback. After looking at student math examples in class, I
realized how subjective grading can be, even in something that seems black and white. It
is important to have very specific expectations when facilitating assessments. This can be
accomplished by creating a rubric that you share with the students. I want to be a teacher
who consistently assesses her students to ensure that each child is meeting the required
objectives. Not only do I want to provide feedback, I want to provide feedback that is
detailed with practical steps the students can use to improve.

Speaker Reflection: Trace Crossings Faculty

Debbie Drake is the bookkeeper for Trace Crossings. She is responsible for
keeping all of the money and forms organized. Each teacher is given $373 to spend on
any materials used for instruction. The Alabama Educator Code of Ethics: Public Funds
and Property states that the school and teacher are responsible for all funds and
transactions. Ms. Drake ensures that all forms and permission documents are accounted
for including forms for collecting money, permission for fundraisers, permission for
collecting donations, and documentation for teacher absences. While she doesnt interact
directly with students on a day-to-day basis, her work keeps the school running smoothly
and ensures that the teachers have the resources they need for their classroom.
Angela Robuck and Adriana Northcutt were the next two staff members that
spoke to us. Ms. Robuck is the music teacher while Ms. Northcutt serves as the art
teacher. They spoke to us about specials, which include art, library, P.E., and music. Each
area has standards on the ALEX website that they teachers must ensure that students
master. Each class goes to each art, music, and library once a week and is paired with PE.
Ms. Northcutt suggested we use the website Deep Space Sparkle for ideas for art projects.
These lessons are organized by grade, subject, and technique. These teachers all provide
enrichment activities for the students. They all try to make sure that their lessons tie back
to things the students are learning in the classroom. For example, as students are learning
about farm animals in the classroom, Ms. Robuck uses her songs about farm animals.
They both emphasized their role as a resource to the teacher. This can be when the
teacher is incorporating these areas into the regular classroom, but it also includes
identifying and supporting students who are having problems in the classroom.

Ida Collins is the manager of the lunchroom and is responsible for the breakfast
program and lunch. Each morning breakfast is provided for each classroom. Because
forty-seven percent of students are on the free lunch program, the school receives funding
for children to have a free breakfast. For lunch, students are placed into one of three
categories: free, reduced, or paid. This is determined based on the familys financial
status. The state department provides the menus and set regulations for the operation of
the lunchroom. The requirements for these lunches include everything being baked to
reduce sodium intake. Students must be provided with vegetables, fruits, and milk. It is
evident that Ms. Collins loves the students at Trace Crossings. She makes sure that each
student has the proper food and nutrition. Ms. Collins said that if students are hungry, the
teacher has a much harder job teaching students. I agree that her job impacts students
achievement by providing them with some of their most basic needs.
Mr. Pitts is the ELL teacher. He works with about seventy-five students who
qualify for additional instructional support because of their LEP, limited English
proficiency. Mr. Pitts works with students in small groups to provide reinforcement.
Many times he will use the guided reading program to help them with their reading and
writing. Additionally, he manages student data. This data falls into two categories which
are administrative data and instructional data. This includes a students LEP status,
assessments, reading levels, and other things. He also acts as an interpreter for IEP
meetings and contact between the school and the parents. Mr. Pitts is also involved in
standardized testing for ELL students. They take ACCESS and the ACT Aspire.
Information about the ACCESS test can be found on the WiDA website. He and Ms.
Barber agree that these tests are not fair for the students. Mr. Pitts role at Trace provides

consistency in communication between the school and parents, increases student

achievement through instructional reinforcement, and ensures that all student information
is accurate and up to date in case the student must move schools.
Ms. Barber is the principal of Trace Crossings. She is responsible for providing
teachers with everything they need to be successful in the classroom. Her most important
job, however, occurs before the teachers ever step foot into the classroom. She believes it
is when she is hiring a new teacher. When beginning the interviewing process, she first
looks at their resume. The resume determines if they are brought in for an interview. It
should be in a bulleted format with college and high school activities that is no more than
a page long. Once the teacher is called in for an interview, Ms. Barber does not look at
the resume again. It is important to dress professionally because that is what gives the
first impression. The questions she asks concern curriculum, discipline, instruction,
classroom management, and rules in the classroom. The teacher should show enthusiasm
for teaching and have goals in mind for their own growth. There isnt a specific type of
teacher or personality that she looks for. She hires the teacher she believes would work
best with the grade levels team. Ms. Barbers role in hiring and working with the
teachers determines the type of instruction and learning students receive.
Ms. Houston, Ms. Norris, and Ms. Pfeiffer serve as the Title 1 teachers at Trace
Crossings. These positions are federally funded based on the poverty level of the students
in the school. Their focus is working with middle tier students in reading and math. They
collect data concerning student performance in that area and then determine the
objectives that need to be mastered. Their goal is to work with these students until they
can be transitioned out. These teachers work in small groups of three to four students.

With the reading curriculum, they go into the classroom, but for math instructions they
pull the children out. One important thing to note is that any child can receive title 1
services even if they are not the ones in poverty. These three teachers work with students
who would have otherwise been overlooked and equip them with the instruction and tools
needed to be successful in the classroom.
Ms. Paige serves as the instructional support teacher. Her job consists of seventy
percent teaching and thirty percent of paperwork. However, this changes every year. Her
primary job is to collaborate with teachers to help their students meet their learning
objectives. This year she works with about twenty students. She provides Tier 1
instruction using guided reading and math inclusion to meet the students IEP goals and
their individual needs. Some of these goals also include social skills. All of her work goes
back to what is written on each students IEP. This determines the instruction she
provides and the time she spends with each student. Her role allows these students to
achieve their learning goals through individual, intentional instruction. Ms. Paige said,
The only thing constant in special education is that it is constantly changing.
Speaker Reflection: Lari Valtiera
On November 10-11, 2015, I attended ELL training facilitated by Lari Valtiera,
the supervisor of the ESL programs in Jefferson County schools. Jefferson County
schools encompass children speaking forty-nine languages with Arabic as the fastest
growing. Over the past two days, we learned how language is acquired, how to use
WIDA resources to plan lessons, the components of academic language, and strategies
that help ELs master the content. The acquisition of language is a process with five
stages. There are also four domains of language, which include listening, speaking,

reading, and writing. I think it is important to remember that each student goes through
each stage; however, they all progress through the stages at different rates. My job of the
teacher is to make sure students are moving forward in the process. I cannot control how
much language is acquired by a certain date. Students will move from the silent
preproduction stage to the advanced fluency stage. They will move from observation to
one or two words to simple sentences and phrases to sentences. For each stage, there is a
corresponding WIDA proficiency level. These levels are used to indicate where the
student is in language acquisition and what the teacher can do to help students master
objectives in the next level. In Alabama, a student is considered proficient in English with
a score of 4.8, meaning their language is no longer a barrier to understanding material.
There are two parts of language, social and academic. The social language, basic
interpersonal communication skills, is considered playground language that concerns
familiar content in a face-to-face context. The second, cognitive academic language
proficiency is academic language that the teacher must focus on for the student to be
successful in learning. Before this training, I assumed the best thing for me to do as a
teacher is to focus on social language. However, I realized children would learn that
without my assistance. I should emphasize academic language instruction.
Another component of English instruction is comprehensible input. It is important
for teachers to be aware of each students language level and provide students with
information at that level. However, teachers should help students through gradual steps
toward a higher level. What a teacher says is critical because if even a part of it is not
understood, the achievement gap widens. Learning can only occur when new information
is presented at the next level. As I teach students new language, I should incorporate

auditory, visual, and kinesthetic techniques. This can be accomplished by students seeing
pictures of words, hearing the way they sound, or acting out a word or even punctuation.
It is also important to help students make connections from their first language to the new
language and vocabulary. Many of the practices we were taught are best practices for all
students; however, they are essential for English Language Learners.
Speaker Reflection: Mrs. Joyner
On Wednesday, we got to hear Mrs. Joyner speak about the maker movement and
how to incorporate technology into math. She emphasized the importance of making the
technology in math relevant and purposeful. Every lesson doesnt need technology, but
when it can be used to enhance the students learning experience, it needs to be used.
Many times these activities can increase students problem solving skills, giving them
time for collaboration while creating a product. One project some of her students are
working on is creating a replica of Trace Crossings in Minecraft EDU. While it does not
seem like this is math, her students must calculate the dimensions to build the school
correctly. We also watched a video of a teacher getting his students to write a song about
math concepts they were learning. I loved seeing how excited and engaged the students
were in the project. By taking the extra time to plan math lessons that are more than just a
textbook, pencil, and paper, the students will have a much more meaningful learning
experience. I would love to incorporate the resources she gave into the classroom. For
example, I think using online Geo Boards on personal devices would be a great way to
bring in technology. Students can use the online tool, take a screenshot of it, and save it to
their computer. This way, their work is saved, and they can look back at it as a reference.

I would love for students in my classroom to have a digital math portfolio they build all
year where they can look back at all their progress.
I also really enjoyed the activity we did with the buckets, skewer sticks, and zip
ties. These type of activities can be incorporated into math lessons and used to teach
many different concepts like geometrical shapes, angles, and length. Mrs. Joyner said that
youre instructions can be as general or specific as you want them. The instructions
influence the goals the teacher has for her students. From this time with Mrs. Joyner in
the science lab, I realized the subject of math can be an engaging and creative learning
process.