Emma Lowery

Professor Showker
September 21, 2017
SMART Goal Part 1

Step 1: Select
What I can do well as a teacher of science:
o Guide students to hypothesize inquiry. I can do this by planning appropriate
preassessments to gauge where students are at when it comes to what they
know prior to the lesson. I can strategically ask questions to set a trail of bread
crumbs to get students to the answers I am trying to get them to.
o Don't push own opinions on students
o Bring in real life situations and experiences in science to show students that
science is everywhere.* I can challenge myself to incorporate the lessons being
learned in science to keep being brought up in other subjects, i.e. childrens
books incorporating these topics.
o Dont talk to students during science have them up and moving around
regularly
o Prepare lesson plans to lump standards together so lessons are seamless and
have a reason for the order of them
o Switch up groups so students don't get too comfortable with one another and
are socially and cognitively developing at the same time
Step 2: Reflect
Possible things I would like to learn as a teacher of science in order to grow
o How to maintain classroom management during experiments when students get
overly excited and if there are specific reoccurring behavioral problems.
o The balance between experiments and teaching in a classic form
o How to handle the why questions on information that has already been proven
o Specific information on the area around me, wherever that may be
In this case, Virginia in general (Im from New Jersey), and Rockingham
County
One goal to work towards this semester
o Number 1 above: How to maintain classroom management during experiments
and hands on activities when students get overly excited and if there are specific
reoccurring behavioral problems over the length of a school year. Find the
balance of having students participate in experiments provided while also hitting
all of the main points during class instruction. It is important to create variety in
the lessons while still making the time meaningful with the small amount of time
provided in the classroom and not having any manipulatives be a distraction for
them and adding to the takeaway from the lesson.

Step 3: Project
What will you do in and out of the classroom to meet your goal?
 o I will use my minor of Non-Teaching Special Education to work with these
students and meet their specific needs while not sacrificing academics in the
classroom or the overall needs of the class. I will use this prior knowledge and
experience to maintain classroom management. I also believe setting the tone
for the students before an experiment even starts is important so the students
know that these experiments are a privilege, and they can be taught the lesson
without being able to do cool stuff in the classroom.
o As a teacher and according to the syllabus laid out in ELED 432, I believe it is
essential to select, develop, and organize activities that foster attitude, process,
and concept development in appropriate science areas. Before any
experiments can start, it is important to know the class that you are working
with, and specific triggers that may spark various behavioral problems. It is
important to take this information and adapt your lesson plans accordingly to fit
the needs of your students.
What may I use as documentation?
o I plan on using my notes and observations that I take every day at practicum to
use regarding students behavior. I take notes of things that stand out to me, as
well as concerning things I overhear that could potentially trigger sad emotions.
The effectiveness of these lessons can be measured by the students worksheets,
tests, quizzes, exit slips, etc. I believe the enjoyment that students have during
these lessons can be measured by photos (I already have found out that all
students are allowed to have their photo taken in the classroom), and how well
they interact with one another in addition to how much enjoyment they may be
having in that experiment. This can be measured while using a simple checklist,
separate from the assessment given for the topic itself. I think the checklist
hitting on specific actions such as understanding and implementing the tasks in
order, if a student reached for the supplies/tools of the experiment beforehand,
how they responded when they were told not to do that, and to comprehend
the safety issues behind touching supplies without being instructed.
o I can use various group activity assignments used in other lesson plans in other
concentrations of the core curriculum to integrate into my other courses. I
specifically believe Language Arts and Science can work hand in hand when it
comes to reflecting about the assignment or relating the specific lesson the
world around them or area that surrounds them. All of these lessons can be laid
out on my online portfolio, that I update regularly with lessons and reflections.
o I can also use the worksheet attached for my lesson that I am implementing to
see how much the students are able to make connections between the
experiment we make in Virginia and connecting it to other areas of the Earth.
o This goal can be measured in every subject by focusing in on how the behaviors
of students effect the productivity of the assignment. I can compare to see how
much the average amount of students complete during a specific time period,
while taking into consideration the extraneous variables such as IEP plans or
various disabilities. This can be applied to any lesson as it will be documented
after each lesson plan implemented throughout the semester.
Step 4: Affect
All of this information can affect me as a science teacher because nothing is permanent
or stable. It is important to be adaptable and willing to change at a drop of a dime if the
lesson is not beneficial to my students. It is also important to be adapt able in case the
experiment goes wrong, supplies get messed up, or things get dropped through the
cracks. I intend on using my summers to plan out lessons and various projects, and I
have to be willing to adapt this based on my students needs, concerns, and behavioral
issues/habits. I believe this adaptability will make me a better teacher moving forward.