Standards 5 and 9

In ED 315, I did a lesson on the elements of horror. I chose to provide my self-assessment

for the lesson as my artifact because it outlines my ability to manage a classroom. I also
provided a feedback form I used to evaluate my teaching. To begin, the class did a warmup review of conjunctions. I created a small game on the smart board and I also handed
out worksheets for the students to complete and to refer back to throughout the lesson. I
chose to make the game quick and interactive as the activity was a review aimed to
support all students, but ELL students in particular while reading the story that day. Next,
I very briefly reflected on a previous lesson to refresh their memories for some questions
on a worksheet they were assigned by their teacher (to be completed later in class). After
a discussion on the elements of horror, we began reading using the popcorn method.
Next, I placed students into groups where they worked together to answer comprehension
questions. We then came together as a class to answer the questions. Their exit ticket for
the day was a feedback form.

Standard 5: It is necessary for the teacher to foster a positive learning environment by

effectively managing a classroom. In my self-assessment I addressed the group time I
planned for students. I strategically placed students in heterogeneous groups to best
support their learning. This also helped create a positive learning environment because
students were able to share ideas with the group before the entire class. I found this
helpful for middle school students in particular, as some of them were not confident to
speak during group discussions. The smaller group sizes proved to be less daunting and

provided each student with an opportunity to express his/her opinion.

Standard 9: Teachers must evaluate their own teaching methods to find ways to best
support the needs of her students. During this lesson I was continuously evaluating my
own teaching. For example, in my self-assessment I mention changing the questions
between groups to create a more engaging class wide discussion. I also addressed a time
in my lesson when I tried to go over a worksheet while reading. This proved to be too
distracting for the students and I decided to address the questions before the reading in
the future. The last reflective piece I used that day was a student feedback form. I used
this to assess student interest and comprehension. I then used the feedback to improve
lessons throughout the rest of my field placement.