Portfolio Part 1

Portfolio Part One: The Learner and the Learning

Jasmin Pepe

Vermont State University- Castleton Campus

Spring 2024
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Part One: The Learner and Learning

Introduction:

The learning experience is invaluable. Nothing can replace the ability to be able to think

on our own and advance our knowledge. Learning allows us to have higher levels of self-reliance.

Through learning we grow confidence within ourselves and our abilities. As a teacher, it is not

only our responsibility to teach the content needed to succeed to our students, but to also help

them develop their social and emotional skills. Behind every student is a child; and we are not

only trying to help this student to succeed academically but also provide all things necessary for

the child to know that they have someone looking out for them as they grow outside of the

classroom. As these students continue their academic journeys, the goal is for them to have been

taught how to provide themselves with opportunities for success inside and outside the classroom.

In order to do this, the learner must have a positive relationship with learning.

Creating a positive relationship between the learner and learning starts with making

students interested. Learning should be individualized when able to, and should consider what

students might actually want to learn about. Interest leads to more engagement within lessons. By

increasing their attention and allowing room for more critical thinking, learners become more

excited for learning; thus creating a positive relationship between the two. Having these positive

relationships between a learner and learning helps to make sure that students are gaining as much

as possible out of what they are being taught. This means that it’s not only the unit or main

objectives, but also any underlying skills, such as social, emotional, or physical, that are also

intertwined within the lesson. Learning allows for change and adaptability. When a student has a

healthy relationship with learning, and thinks of learning as a fun and exciting thing, it sets them
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up to be lifelong learners. The willingness to always learn something new will expand into their

personal lives and allow them to provide opportunities for themselves.

As a student, one of my favorite projects from school was the opportunity to do a book

report on anything that I wanted. I got to choose any book that was within a range where I was

able to comprehend and read it, and present to my class with a project of my own choice. I could

do a slideshow, a poster, etc; we had all the creative freedom. I was so excited to pick out a book

that interested me and show it to my peers. The ability to incorporate art, another subject I was

passionate about at the time, with my book report had me even more engaged in the process of

creating this report. I felt like my teacher was finally giving me the ability to learn about

something I was interested in. The high priority of engagement I gave towards this project helped

to teach me how to really comprehend and further explore material that I read. High level of

engagement and excitement towards learning helps to not only complete a lesson but also help

students develop further life skills.

As I have worked alongside my mentor teachers, I love to see the one thing they all have

in common is the constant positive reinforcement they provide to each student. Students love to

get involved with their learning as they are constantly being praised for their work. Whether it’s a

high five or a singular m&m, persistent reminders that we are proud of them for working hard

helps to develop this positive relationship with learning even further. Students start to get eager to

learn more. During one of my experiences in the classroom, I watched a teacher adapt a lesson

quickly to fit her classroom better, in the moment. The students were tasked with writing a

paragraph about their favorite pet and why. There was a lot of backlash from her students right

away. Some were upset they had to pick a favorite pet while others were upset that they didn’t

have one. After witnessing how upset they were with the assignment, their teacher had them all
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cross out the prompt at the top and instead replace it with asking what their favorite ice cream

flavor was. While this may seem like a meaningless or simple change, to her students it made all

the difference. They got excited to write about ice cream and all went on to write more than a

paragraph. It was easy to see how this simple attention to detail showed the students how their

teacher heard them and was on their side. The classroom morale was lifted really fast. When

students are feeling supported, they are more likely to develop a positive relationship with

learning.

Performance Criterion 1.1: Candidates use an understanding of learning theory to design

appropriate learning experiences.

Description:

One learning theory that helps to expand learning experiences is motivational theory. This

theory stands on the belief that when students want to obtain and reach goals, they will put forth

more effort in their educational experience. To jumpstart this motivation in students, they first

have to understand that as educators we also value their education and want to help them succeed.

During a lesson at a rural elementary school, I applied the motivational theory towards a

second grade student who struggled to complete their entire worksheet in one time frame.

Together we came up with the idea that the worksheet as a whole was too difficult to focus on.

Together, we broke it up into smaller portions by drawing a line to divide the questions up. After

completion of one section, they would take a small break and I would review the section they

completed. I would then put a smiley face on the section when it was completed correctly. This

small bit of an extrinsic motivation, the smiley face, from myself allowed for this student to keep
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trying to get through the worksheet and allowed them to complete it in the time frame they were

provided with.

Salient Evidence & Analysis

Learning theories give us insight into ways we can promote education and development in

students. One learning theory to consider is the motivational theory. Motivation can be defined as

“an internal state or condition that activates, guides, and maintains or directs behavior”

(Kostelecky and Hoskinson, 2005, p.438). Motivation is important in education as it serves for the

basis of unlocking the ability to learn new things. Students won’t want to learn if things “appear

uninteresting to them or unrelated to their own life experiences and career goals” (Kostelecky and

Hoskinson, 2005, p.438). When we want students to learn, we have to find ways to get them

involved and excited to learn. There are two different types of motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic.

Both can be very beneficial in the classroom setting. Intrinsic motivation comes from within, and

is when students want to do well and learn more for their own personal beliefs or desires.

Extrinsic on the other hand comes from an outside source. This could include a rewards chart, or a

class prize. It is important in the motivational theory to teach “in a way that the students feel

intrinsically satisfied in the classroom” (Kostelecky and Hoskinson, 2005, p.438). While of

course there can be extrinsic motivation as well, we want students to pick up on the belief that

learning is personal to them. Another way to show this belief in the classroom is by “creating a

climate where students want to work hard for someone” (Kostelecky and Hoskinson, 2005,

p.439). When students have a good relationship with their classmates and teacher, learning will

become more natural, and comfortable for them.

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I see this promoted in the classrooms I have observed.

J,P. Observation Notes/ Reflections In the beginning of the year there are a lot of

conversations and demonstrations about expected behaviors and choices. At an urban

intermediate school, I observed a fourth grade teacher who showed the kids what good hallway

behavior consisted of. The teacher first showed unexpected hallway behavior by running,

screaming, and pulling things off the walls. Although it was silly, the students were paying

attention and saw how it felt to witness unexpected behavior. Together as a group, they modeled

expected hallway behavior. By not assuming the students already knew what this was, the teacher

got to create an expectation as a class.

Another example from the fourth grade at an urban intermediate school, students were

paired into groups and made presentations on what it means to be kind, be yourself, and be

responsible. Students got in front of the class to present and even demonstrated some instances of

what it would mean to show these characteristics. In this classroom, if someone makes a bad

decision they are asked ways they can correct it. Teachers intervene when necessary, but in the

classroom they rely a lot on self regulation and self assessments. Students are to determine if they

are making good or bad choices on their own. Teachers are always there to help, but only when

absolutely necessary or when it is asked for. I think that this is so beneficial to allow students the

opportunity to learn to be a good person before entering the world outside of their education.

When doing an internship with kindergarteners at a rural elementary school, my mentor

teacher and I used m&ms as an extrinsic motivation. While it didn’t seem like a lot, students

received one singular m&m if they participated in the discussion. This was also a setting where

students would feel comfortable to give their input. The students and I sat on the carpet together,

and reminded each other that it’s okay to be wrong sometimes because that is how we all learn.
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Every student received an m&m for participating, even if they did not answer correctly. This

builds a relationship with myself and the student. They understand that by receiving an m&m, I

know that they are making a conscious effort to learn.

Reflection:

The motivation theory has a great deal of benefits, and as a teacher I will most definitely

implement it into my future classroom. The first step is to create engaging and interesting

lessons and activities for students. When their interests are peaked, there is a greater chance

they will be motivated to complete what they are assigned. Creating engaging lessons can be as

simple as giving students some authority in the activity, such as picking out what color pencil to

use or what name to give the people in their problems.

I think this theory is most valuable when there is a good mix between extrinsic and

intrinsic motivation being promoted. It is important to set a basis for what students should look

forward to when they complete strenuous or long activities and lessons. I will do this by

working with my students to come up with what warrants individual and whole class rewards,

and what they will be. Working together to create these goals will help them regulate their own

intrinsic motivation. This will also be creating a good foundation to slowly shift into, and

encourage students to use intrinsic motivation. Promoting self-regulation and problem solving

skills is very important in students, and can help transfer over into other areas and skills they are

developing.

Performance Criterion 2.1: Candidates use an understanding of individual differences to

design inclusive learning experiences.

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Description:

As a teacher, working individually with students is incredibly important to figure out the

best way to support their education. Every student learns in an individualized way; one way of

teaching will not reach every student in a classroom. When you decipher what is best for each

student, the best way to incorporate all these needs are through the use of UDL plans. Universal

Design for Learning plans allows for multiple means of representation, engagement, and action

and expression.

One time when implementing UDL plans has benefited an individual student was when I

created a lesson that allowed students to either complete it through a computer or worksheet. The

lesson included filling in a worksheet with vocabulary that was found in an accompanying video.

Students that had trouble with motor skills had the opportunity to type their answers into a

document, rather than write the answers out on a worksheet.

Salient Evidence & Analysis:

No student learns the same way or with the same resources. Learning is very

individualized, depending on each student. UDL planning creates an opportunity to give students

various ways to participate through engagement, representation, and action and expression.

Especially for those who communicate differently from us. In fact, UDL is “focused on designing

learning environments, curriculum, and instruction to ensure maximum accessibility, upfront, for

varied groups of learners” (Rice Doran, 2015, p.2). UDL is created with minimizing barriers to

learning in mind. Actually, “UDL emphasizes instructional design focused from the very

beginning on maximizing accessibility and minimizing barriers to learning while also engaging

and challenging students” (Rice Doran, 2015, p.3). This means that every student will be able to
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participate and get something out of the lesson. Another thing UDL does is “provide a roadmap

for educators to think through the process of identifying barriers to learning and working to

remove them” (Rice Doran, 2015, p.4). UDL creates multiple means of representation,

action/expression, and engagement. The UDL framework relies heavily on equity, which means

diverse cultural students will also have the opportunity to use ideas from their learnings. The

UDL framework works to “prioritize the needs of all students equally and considering the needs

of diverse learners from the first moment of planning. UDL offers a powerful tool for equitable

and responsive instruction” (Rice Doran, 2015, p.4). Especially for bilingual students, UDL helps

them see their diverse cultures as a strength, not a weakness. Rather than suppress their vulture,

UDL gives a chance to incorporate it into learning. The five best practices for this learning

include incorporating multiple and varied options for oral language, providing synonyms and

native language support, using consistent vocabulary, encouraging self-assessment, and designing

lessons to support mastery learning (Rice Doran 2015). These strategies go hand-in-hand with

UDL guidelines and while they are small tips, they can go a long way in making CLD learners

feel accepted and included within the classroom. UDL is not to be confused with low-level

instruction or creating a less educational lesson plan. UDL is instead supposed to provide

accessibility and support for all students, ensuring all learners feel seen and heard.

One example I have from an urban intermediate school is working with a non-verbal child.

In order for them to communicate and answer teachers, the student uses an iPad and sign

language. Through their iPad, they have a keyboard of cues that show what they wish to express,

where they want to go, what they need, etc. They can use their iPad and sign language when

conversing with peers for work or presenting to their class. These adaptations allow them to

participate fully within the lessons and curriculum that has been created by their special educator.
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Another way we incorporate UDL is through the multiple means of representation.

Working with kids, there will be some who struggle with technology or struggle with creating a

poster. A lot of rooms I have been in give plenty of options for how to present work or research

they learn in order for every student to be accounted for and allowed to participate. This helps to

encourage students to not give up, but instead adapt their learning styles if they find they are

struggling or not engaging with what they started with.

I have created a UDL based lesson UDL: Work With Words!.docx for the fourth grade

and taught it in an urban intermediate school. I ensured that there were no barriers to their

learning and that there was a universal equity for all of the students during the lesson. To promote

this, they had the opportunity to express any concerns that they may have had prior to starting the

lesson. They had the ability to maneuver the cards they were working with any way needed and to

stop and ask questions at any time. Also, they got to work on what they thought they needed most

to help promote individualized learning.

Reflection:

Student preferences towards learning will be found in my future classroom through

individual and small group curriculum set up during different times throughout the day. Keeping

record of students’ preferred ways of learning and ways in which they excel will be an important

aspect of creating a classroom environment that allows every student to flourish. Creating lesson

plans though the UDL planning process will give the opportunity for my students to have multiple

means of engagement, representation, and action and expression during every lesson they are

provided with.

Types of activities that will be common in my future classroom will be ones that allow

students a choice of how to complete them. This includes allowing them to choose which
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manipulatives they use, how individual a learning activity will be, and how controlled the

environment they are in will be constructed.

Performance Criterion 3.1: Candidates design learning environments that support

individual learning marked by active engagement.

Description:

Learning environments, or the positive space where students expand their knowledge,
should be an interactive opportunity for individuals to support their education. I believe every
student should be in an atmosphere that can cater to any, and all, of their needs. Every student
should have the chance to improve on their own individual learning, or what they need most.
Classroom environments need to be designed in such a way that promotes active engagement.
Every student should have the chance, confidence, and encouragement to participate and be
engaged in lessons. Not only does engagement support the learning of new content, but it allows
the development of social and communication skills that form the basis of how the child interacts
and perceives the world.

Salient Evidence & Analysis:

In kindergarten there are different routines, activities, and developmental expectations

compared to the rest of the school. Most students at this age/grade are just beginning their
educational journey and may have no prior, formal learning experiences. Instead we have to find
ways to subtly make adaptations to the Multi-Tiered System of Supports, or MTSS, to support
those in kindergarten. MTSS is used in schools to determine necessary instruction, interventions,
and support students need. In addition MTSS also provides educators with information
determining the level of intensity of the support systems students will receive. In tier 1,
“school-wide behavior expectations are essential to Tier 1 universal supports and involve
positively and generally stated language about expected behavior that apply across school
contexts, such as “Be Safe, Be Kind, and Be Helpful” (Steed and Shapland, 2020, p. 136).
Generally, it is easier for students to understand how behavior expectations carry through outside
of the classroom as well. It is unfair if kindergarteners are expected to already know the correct
way to act in a school setting. The school should use Tier 1 with consideration to “the wide range
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of young children’s abilities to meet the school’s behavior expectations and classroom rules”
(Steed and Shapland, 2020, p. 137). Kindergarteners start school with a large variety of
educational backgrounds. Some may have been in a school setting prior to kindergarten while
others may have not. It is important to keep these abilities in mind as precedents are set up for
kindergarten. At tier 2, small group intervention is usually what works best to help a
kindergartener receive extra attention. These small groups are to “prevent low level social
emotional difficulties from worsening” (Steed and Shapland, 2020, p. 141). A small number of
kindergarteners will need tier 3 support, about 12% (Steed and Shapland, 2020). At this age, it is
critical to begin developing appropriate intervention components. This will help start to set them
up with interventions for the rest of their education. Positive reinforcement is critical at this age,
especially at the beginning of the year. Keeping families informed to either implement the same
expectations at home or remind them daily, also helps kindergarteners understand universal
expectations. It also helps to keep visual schedules in the classroom so they know what to expect
on a daily basis. Setting routines, creating a safe engaging atmosphere.

In my experience, a kindergarten teacher I did an internship with in a rural elementary

school had a visual schedule available at all times, with pictures, for students to refer to. It was
updated daily to go along with any new plans to ensure students could prepare themselves for a
different kind of day. At this age, positive reinforcement is critical, which is why individual
m&ms or stickers were handed out for almost every correct answer. Kids stayed engaged and
excited to participate. By determining if any students need intervention in kindergarten, it can set
them up for the rest of their educational careers; rather than figuring this out later when even more
intervention is needed. Another aspect that is important for younger grades is designing an
environment where active engagement is constant. Students should be able to immerse themselves
into their learning environment and experiment in ways that give them some kind of choice.
When this is completed, students are usually much more engaged and interested in what they are
being taught and it becomes easier for them to take these things they are learning and implement
them into things outside of education. Final Lesson Plan

I was put in charge of a couple of students and figuring out ways to work in small groups
in areas that might need intervention. I played small games that promoted individualized learning
needs within these groups. One was a flashcard sort between letters and numbers. After pulling a
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flashcard, students would have to determine if it was either a letter or a number and put it on the
corresponding side on the paper. Another game had the students identifying a picture and working
pronouncing the word correctly. The students and I would review some phonetic ideas and how to
correctly move our mouths to say the words correctly. Some of these students would improve and
eventually be determined to not need interventions anymore. Others made smaller improvements
during my time there. Working towards these smaller, and specific, benchmarks early benefited
these students, and the teachers, as they received the attention and help they needed prior to
developing any more obstacles in their education.

Reflection:
Creating supportive and beneficial learning environments will be a crucial part of what
I do in my future classroom and while student teaching. While I am student teaching in first
grade, I will make sure that I promptly follow their schedule and work with them in order to
prepare them for the day ahead. I will also make sure that I work with students to build
positive relationships. By allowing students to know that I want to work with them and support
them, they will feel more comfortable with their learning. I will also utilize positive
reinforcement with my students. Encouraging students to keep up with the great work they are
doing will allow them to feel supported and also inspire them to continue the hard work they
are completing.

Portfolio Part One Reflection:

The learner and learning is impacted by every experience, lesson, and teacher they
encounter in the classroom. This is why it is so important to have these things be positive. As
student’s begin to develop a relationship with learning, I want it to be beneficial and significant.
As mentioned above, through learning we all grow confidence within ourselves and our abilities.
Becoming a life-long learner is important as it provides us with opportunities for success. I want
to make this just as important for our students as it is to us.

Through the theories we have in mind when we teach, how we create an inclusive
classroom, and the environment we produce we are shaping the idea of learning for our students.
Through showing our students support, we allow them to be more engaged and interactive with
learning. We can show support through inclusion and allowing students to know that we hear their
voice. There is a relationship between positive development and engagement and success. As
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educators, it is our job to keep this positive relationship and pass it along to our students through
every aspect of their education.

In the future, I plan to further my teaching abilities by continuing to create a positive

classroom environment and active engagement. Through the use of UDL planning and
motivational theories, getting students to be eager to learn will be a top priority. I want to be able
to have a plan set in motion that provides students with all the tools and access to learn as much
as they can, to the best of their abilities.
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References:

Kostelecky, K. L., & Hoskinson, M. J. (2005). A “novel” approach to motivating students.(using

literature to interpret theory)(William Glasser’s conditions for learning). Education,
125(3), 438.

Rice Doran, P. (2015). Language Accessibility in the Classroom: How UDL Can Promote Success
for Linguistically Diverse Learners. Exceptionality Education International, 25(3), 1–12.

Steed, E. A., & Shapland, D. (2020). Adapting Social Emotional Multi-Tiered Systems of
Supports for Kindergarten Classrooms. Early Childhood Education Journal, 48(2),
135–146. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-019-00996-8