Speaker reflection 1

Dr. Jodi Newtons lecture What Great Teachers Do Differently based on her study
inspired me and gave me ideas on how to be the best teacher I can be. After studying great
teachers Dr. Newton was able to present how these teachers maximize learning for all students
through explaining what these great teachers do differently.
The great teachers Dr. Newton studied all had five practices in common. The teachers
ensured that everyone understood what it took to improve, teachers were loose on assignments
but tight on learning to allow relearning, they taught students to embrace failure, they planned
constantly to adapt to their students, and they taught students that learning and education is a
never ending journey through high expectations and strong relationships. The teachers that were
studied balanced tradition and innovation, independence and direction,and interest and standards.
Dr. Newton communicated that the responsibility of a teacher is to enhance student learning and
this is only accomplished by teachers who embrace that responsibility.
These points challenged me to think about my past and future in education. I asked
myself: which of my former teachers reminded me of the teachers Dr. Newton studied? Many
teachers came to mind, some that were similar to the teachers studied and others that were the
exact opposite. My experience year to year was based on the quality of my teacher and what they
did day to day in the classroom. Thinking about this challenged me to think about my future
classroom and the kind of teacher I want to be. Hearing the points Dr. Newton explained
encouraged me to take those practices into my own future classroom to make a difference in each
of my students education. This lecture gave me the tools and inspiration to embrace my

responsibility to enhance student learning and become a great teacher. Alyson McDonald
Speaker Reflection 2
The video The Art and Science of Teaching: A Classroom Management Resource gave
me practical strategies and ideas to help manage my classroom and engage my students. It also
made me think about the challenges I will face in my classroom. However, it motivated me to
think about how I will respond to these challenges.
Each time we have one of these seminars it makes me look forward to my future
classroom. Every strategy shared in the video I tried to envision myself incorporating it into my
own classroom. I think about my difficult students that will walk into my classroom and what I
will do to help them reach their full potential. Each of the big ideas came with practical strategies
that I could apply to these situations.
I think I will have the most trouble with establishing and maintaining classroom rules and
procedures. The video pointed out that this should be done in the the beginning of the school
year is and no matter how engaging the teacher is they must establish rules. The video suggested
that the teacher establishes a small set of rules and then interact with students about how they
feel about the rules and procedures. Afterwards, the teacher should review the rules often and
make changes to the rules if needed. The video also suggested to hold classroom meetings often
to talk about the rules and procedures and how the class is doing.

These seminars also make me reflect on my previous education experiences. The best
teachers I had knew when we were disengaged and knew how to bring us back in. They had strict
routines and procedures that we followed, however we still adored our teacher and had fun in the
classroom. Specifically, I remember my third grade teacher Miss Love. She balanced
engagement and procedure perfectly. I would hope to model my classroom after hers.
This video gave me tips and strategies that I want to be able to remember and take into
my future classroom. It reminded me that classroom management and engagement will be
challenging, but there are plenty of tips and strategies to combat these problems. It is
encouragement to know that there are so many resources from other teachers and research that
can help manage and engage a classroom.
Speaker Reflection 3
Dr. Rogers presentation Dispositions Introduction encouraged me to see my self as a
professional as a teacher. I feel like many people think of teachers as covered in glitter and glue
reading books and sitting on the floor. Previously when I thought of a professional disposition I
thought of a woman in a business suit. This lecture enlightened me that professionalism goes
beyond what a person wears. This lecture encouraged me to think about who I want to be as a
professional and how the dispositions of my former teachers affected my education.
A persons dispositions are the attitudes, perceptions, and/or beliefs that form the basis of
behavior. The best teachers I had growing up were passionate, engaging, organized and
connected with the students. These all had to do with the teachers attitude and beliefs. All of the

best teachers I had growing up had strong positive dispositions. I think specifically of my 3rd
grade teacher Miss Love. She was so passionate about reading and creative writing that it
inspired me to love reading and writing. She also had a detailed plan each morning. Her attitude
and structure in the classroom created a thriving learning environment. I would want to replicate
her dispositions in my own classroom. Dr. Rogers talked about Marva Collins. She started her
own school, spoke to children like they mattered taught them at high levels, and believed in her
students. This woman embodied a positive and professional disposition. She is another person I
would aspire to model my career after.
When I think about my future classroom I think about who I want to be as a teacher. I
want to be organized, passionate, a good communicator, and really care about my students. All of
these things I want to be point back to a positive disposition. I think that I can embody this
though taking the time to personally get to know my students and their parents, expressing my
passion for learning with them, and taking the time to fully plan and organize my lessons and
classroom.
Dr. Rogers closed the presentation with a quote. Character in a saint means the
disposition of Jesus Christ persistently manifested. I think that this quote encouraged me that in
the midst of professionalism and education it is important as a teacher to show the students
kindness, love, and compassion just as Christ showed us.
Speaker Reflection 4

Dr. Julie Hannahs lecture Assessment Matters: Keeping Assessment in Perspective

highlighted the importance of assessment in a lesson. Dr. Hannah has played a major role in the
revolution of education and assessment in the state of Alabama in the past three years. In her
work she has found that quality assessment comes from getting to know all your students. Dr.
Hannah had a strong vision for children upon graduation and a classroom that encourages
learning without fear of assessment.
When I think about my past experience with assessment, I think I had a fairly good
experience. Every year in my private elementary school we would do pre-SAT testing. The
teachers always stressed to us it was just to test our knowledge, it wouldn't effect our grade, and
it was mainly a way for them to observe our progress and how they were doing as a teacher. In
this type of testing I did well and my scores reflected it. However, the assessments that did count
(especially as I got older) were not as pleasant for me. I had bad test anxiety as a student and the
pressure would affect my performance. If my teachers had really known me as a student, they
could have presented assessment differently to me and I may have been able to take away more
from lessons. Many of my friends at public schools talked about the FCAT, they would talk about
how they have been learning for it all year and if they didn't pass a section they would be
retained. Dr. Hannah clearly stated that practicing for assessment is not effective teaching. I
know as a student this setting would have been detrimental to me.
I agree with Dr. Hannah in her ideas that assessment should be used after a lesson to
assess if they student has hit the learning target. Assessment should be a way for a teacher and
the student to know if the objective has been attained and not a form of punishment for not

understanding a concept. Assessment has the potential to do so much good like give feedback,
provide opportunities, and serve as a teaching opportunity. Dr. Hannah said Assessment when
carried out thoughtfully, is at the heart of teaching.
As a future teacher, I want to stress the importance of assessment but create an
environment where students are free to make mistakes and learn in a way they feel comfortable.
Each student learns differently so I think its important that each student is assessed differently.
Dr. Hannahs lecture inspired me to think about the importance of proper assessment in the
classroom and the benefits it has to offer students when done correctly.
Speaker Reflection 5
Dr. Bluietts lecture Early Literacy Assessment contained a lot of important information
concerning assessment, specifically reading assessment. Her lecture covered topics like what is
developmentally appropriate, the importance of assessment data, the six principles of reading
assessment, the four purposes of reading assessment, predictors of future reading success, and
many more. This lecture was so full of information that I was overwhelmed at first, but now
reflecting on it I realize how much I learned and how I can incorporate this information into my
future classroom.
Assessment is a vital part of the classroom. In the past two weeks I have learned how
important it is. It gives the teacher an idea of how the students are progressing and it also lets the
teacher know how they are doing at their job. However, today Dr. Blueiett pointed out that
assessment data is only valid when it is developmentally appropriate. It wouldn't make sense to

give a 4th grader an assessment regarding phonemic awareness or a preschooler an assessment

on fluency when they cannot even identify letters yet.
Dr. Blueiett also explained the four purposes of reading assessment: outcome
assessments, screening assessments, diagnostic assessments, and progress-monitoring
assessments. When moving towards assessment it is so important to remember what assessment
is meant to accomplish and which type of assessment is useful for the desired data. An
assessment is useless if it does not gather the desired data or accomplish the purpose of
assessment as a whole.
All the information from the lecture today is important as I go to my Trace placement in
the next week and think about my action research project. For that project it will be important to
use assessments that are developmentally appropriate for my third grade class and measure the
specific essential of early reading that I am trying to assess and grow the students in. Using Tier
2: supplemental intervention and tier 3: intensive intervention would be the appropriate RTI
levels in my position at Trace. This lecture gave me more information about assessment and will
be very important within my classroom at trace and my own classroom later on.
Speaker Reflection 6
Dr. Woods lecture Who are Gifted and High-Ability Learners? was very interesting
and gave me a lot of information on a topic I did not have much prior knowledge about. During
this lecture I realized that I had many misconceptions and simply did not have much information
on gifted learners and high achieving students. I now know the difference between a bright high-

achiever and a gifted/talented learner, how to meet the needs of these students, how to identify
gifted and talented students, and how to challenge these students. This seminar had a lot of
information and was somewhat overwhelming, however I feel that I was able to pull out very
important information that I will be able to incorporate into my career.
Previously when I thought about gifted learners in my future class I got very nervous that
I would not be able to provide these students with everything they need to excel. I felt as if I
would have a difficult time catering to the gifted-learners as well as the other students in my
class. After this lecture I feel much more prepared on how to handle high-ability and gifted
learners in my future classroom. I feel encouraged to push these students further and I feel as if I
have been given practical strategies I can use in the classroom with these students. Dr. Wood
explained enrichment and acceleration and how we can use a combination of these strategies to
benefit gifted and talented learners. Enrichment extends the curriculum that is being taught in the
classroom. Acceleration advances the students more rapidly through the curriculum.
Another concept Dr. Wood spoke on was differentiation. Carol Ann Tomlinson said
Differentiation is the key to meeting the needs of all learners, especially those gifted and
advanced students who have moved beyond proficiency. Differentiation is about identifying
how students in a class are different and then assessing how to best teach the group based on
these differences. She gave practical examples of practices for differentiating instruction like pretesting, curriculum compacting, rubrics, flexible grouping, tiered lessons, and many more.
Differentiation is a way that teachers can cater to the needs of students and gives gifted students

the opportunity to progress at a faster pace, let them make choices based on interest, challenge
students, and engage them in meaningful learning.
I now realize that some of the fears and concerns I had about gifted learners came from a
lack of knowledge. I now feel much more prepared to teach to all students in my class including
the gifted and talented learners. I acknowledge that these students will be a challenge like any
other, but I feel comfortable with the resources and strategies available to cater to these students
and create an environment they can excel in.
Speaker Reflection 7
Dr. Cheshires lecture on assessment for for learning highlighted the difference between
formative and summative assessment and how to use assessment in the classroom. Dr. Cheshire
explained to us that assessment can be used for learning, as learning, and an assessment of
learning. One point that really stood out to me that Dr. Cheshire said was that assessment is a
process not the end. When I think about teaching a lesson, I often think that assessment is the end
of the lesson. That kind of thinking is wrong, assessment is the process and the evaluation of the
process is the end of the lesson. Another crucial part of assessment that depends on the teacher is
the feedback. Dr. Cheshire explained that our feedback of assessment must be timely, specific,
and understandable. I think the activity we did was very effective to begin to start interpreting
assessment. I feel like we have learned a lot about what assessment is, but we havent really
learned how to interpret assessment. Dr. Chesires lecture prompted me to begin thinking about
how I will interpret assessment rather just what assessment is and how to give it.

This lecture encouraged me to think further about assessment. When giving an

assessment it is so important for the teacher to understand how to interpret the assessment and
how to give the students proper feedback. Without interpretation assessment is invaluable to both
the teacher and the students. We have learned so much about assessment and all the ways we are
to use assessment, but as teachers if we do not interpret the assessment correctly will not be able
to gain an understanding of what the student is missing and what we need to change about our
own methods of instruction. Dr. Chesires lecture guided me to think deeper about my own
assessments I have given. Although the assessment itself was an important part of my lesson, the
data and my reflection of the lesson I think was the most important because from that I was able
to determine how I did teaching the lesson, what the students missed, and maybe why the
students missed it. This lecture encouraged me to think deeper about the meaning of assessment
as I move further along in the program as I move on to begin teaching my own classroom.
Speaker Reflection 8
Dr. Underbakkes lecture about the importance of literature and childrens chapter books
communicated the importance, excitement, and value of literature to me. He is my cooperating
teacher and so I throughly enjoyed hearing him speak. Everything he said during his lecture was
so passionate it really engaged me and made me feel the same passion for my favorite books that
he felt for his favorite books. Dr. Underbakke and I have many similar opinions on literature.
One point he made throughout the lecture is that the book is always better. Dr. Underbakke said
that he stresses the importance of literature in his classroom everyday by having specific time set
aside to read to the students each day. He says that reading to the students also builds community

in the classroom stating that nothing builds community faster than a shared text. He said
literature has infinite value for students in the class, he stated that books help ask students big
questions about their lives and viewpoints through the critical thinking that the book encourages.
Through this lecture I realized the effect valuing reading as a teacher has on the students
in a class. I want to instill the same passion Dr. Underbakke has for literature in myself and my
future students. The students in Dr. Underbakkes class most likely value literature and enjoy
reading because he communicates to them that reading is important. When Dr. Underbakke
carves out 20 minutes in the busy school day for reading the students see that he thinks that it is
something worth their time.
I am now inspired to find out which books make me passionate about reading and share
those books with my future students. His lecture also highlighted the importance of the reading
file assignments. I can use that file when deciding which books are my favorite and which ones
as worth sharing with my students. When reading childrens books becomes monotonous I want
to be able to remember that one day I may read a book to a student that becomes their favorite
book. Dr. Underbakkes lecture reenergized me about reading and encouraged me to encourage
my students to read and to love to read.
Speaker Reflection 9
The ELL workshop had a lot of information packed into 7 hours over 2 days. Overall I
found the conference very informative and comforting. Prior to the conference I was very
overwhelmed with the idea of having an ELL student in my classroom. I took 3 years of Spanish

in high school and I dont remember very much of it honestly. I also have a difficult time
connecting with the students in my clinical placement that are ELL. It just overwhelms me
thinking that not only do I need to teach them the class content, but English as well. But now, I
honestly feel much more prepared and much more at ease.
The speaker Lori Valtierra highlighted the importance of being prepared and the necessity
of ELL training. In her presentation we examined how students acquire a second language, WDA
sources, the components of academic language, and practical strategies to help EL students
master content. There are 49 different languages in Jefferson county alone and Arabic is the
fastest growing in the area. This statement alone grasped my attention. I started to get more and
more concerned and more and more aware of the need to prepare myself for an ELL student in
the classroom. Valtierra began by explaining the general fundamentals of language aqusistion.
She explained in general students acquire language through their parents talking to them. Voltaire
shared with us how it is so important to work with all four of the language domains listening,
speaking, reading, and writing when working with an ELL student.
The speaker stressed that language acquisition is a process rather than an event. The
process starts with the preproduction or silent period, the early production, speech emergence,
intermediate fluency, and then advanced fluency. The process starts with students just actively
listening and participating with little speech to students engaging in non-cued conversations and
gaining vocabulary and grammar skills. Valtierra explained that is is very important to remember
that all students go through this process at different paces and all begin at the same point in the
process regardless of age. While working with students in this process the speaker explained that

the most effective way to teach is through modeling. Constantly correcting the student is a
mistake because it will cause the student to shut down and the language acquisition process to
shut down as well.
Something that Valtierra explained that really stood out to me and helped me understand
a students language was the iceberg model. The iceberg model states that a students language is
made up of two components: BICS and CALP. BICS stands for basic interpersonal
communication skills. This is a students surface level language. This type of language is often
referred to as play ground language. This type of language develops socially through TV and
movies, peers, retelling events, and context. It takes 1-2 two years for this kind of language to
develop. The second component of language according to the iceberg model is CALP. CALP
stands for cognitive academic language proficiency. CALP is not the academic language, but the
academic practices embedded in the language. This type of language is what makes a child
successful in school. Students are exposed to this kind of language through lectures, written text,
and higher level humor. This type of language puts more pressure on a student. This language
component takes 5 years or more to develop depending on a persons exposure.
Valtierra also shared with us the WIDA English proficiency levels. These levels are very
important when assessing an ELL student because these can be used to help a teacher indicate
how to teach the child. Level 1 and 2 are known as the entering and emerging levels. These two
levels are when a child is just beginning to be exposed to english. Level 3 is the developing level
followed by level 4 explaining and level 5 bridging. The last WIDA level of English proficiency

is level 6 reaching. This level is for when students have a firm grasp on English and are then able
to push themselves further connecting subject areas and other aspects of language.
Both days of the ELL conference were helpful and made me feel a lot more confident
about teaching ELL students. Before this workshop I didn't have knowledge or understanding of
language acquisition or ELL students in general. Valterri shared so much valuable information
with us over the two days. Through this workshop I now feel much more prepared and equipped
to truly help and make a difference in an ELL students academic path.
Speaker Reflection 10
Mrs. Joiners session was beneficial and gave me a lot to think about. During her session she
shared how technology can be integrated into the classroom in a way that is effective and can
help the students further their knowledge. Mrs. Joiner said technology is a tool to enhance the
learning, it is not just for the sake of using technology. In addition to that she said to be careful
that using technology does not become just skill and drill, it must be relevant and meaningful.
She went on to share many resources that can be used to enhance the learning. This really
challenged me to think about where I stand on using technology in the classroom. It also
challenged me to think about when I do integrate technology into the classroom if I am using it
to enhance knowledge or if I am merely using it to check integrating technology off my list of
things to have in my lesson. Mrs. Joiner shared plenty of resources that I feel like could be used
in the class to enhance knowledge.

I believe that it is so important for students to learn how to use technology to enhance
their knowledge. Therefore, I believe that it is the job of the teacher to learn how to use
technology as well. Just like it is the teachers job to teach math, I think it is slowly becoming the
teachers job to teach technology. I think that technology is so useful because it engages students
and prepares students for the careers that are now available in our society. I think that there are
so many helpful resources as teachers we just need to learn how to effectively integrate them into
our classroom. I wrote my issues paper about this topic last year and so I feel very strongly in
favor of technology in the classroom. I love books and pen and paper I just feel like it is
becoming necessary for students to be able to learn how to use technology to benefit their
education. I think the teacher can provide the students the tools to do this and show them how
technology can be used this way. I think Mrs. Joiners session communicated that effectively.