Portfolio Part One

Portfolio Part One

The Learner and the Learning

Kimberly McCarthy

Vermont State University- Castleton Campus

Spring 2024
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Introduction:

The world of education is filled with learners. Students come into school each day with

the goal and expectation of learning something new. And as teachers it is our job to continue

being learners and to develop new ways to distribute the curriculum to the students. There are

several key ways of learning. Some students might be more responsive to hands-on learning

while others may be more visual learners. Similarly, some students might take in the information

better if they hear it while others might learn better if they get to read it themselves. Each student

is different in the way that they prefer to learn. And as teachers, it is our job to learn each

student's learning style so lessons are provided with multiple approaches to ensure that everyone

has equal opportunities for success. A teacher can gather this information by making

observations within their classroom and also by different assessments. If the students are older, a

survey can be given out where the students can advocate for themselves which learning style

works best for them. The teacher can then use this information to plan more accessible lessons.

Throughout all my schooling experiences, my teachers have done a really good job at

making sure each of their lessons covered several of the learning strategies. In high school all of

my core subject teachers would include slides, fill in notes, and videos to each of the lessons.

Another thing that my school as a whole did well was to make sure that students understood the

different types of learning styles and they helped us to figure out which ones worked best for us

so that we could advocate for ourselves and our learning. Guidance counselors would come in

several times a year and talk to us about the different types of learning strategies and give us

surveys to help us figure out our own individual learning preferences. These strategies would be
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kept on in our files so we could track to see if our learning styles changed over time. Through

this I was able to learn that I am both a visual and hands-on learner and benefit from taking

notes.

PC 1.1 Candidates use understanding of learning theory (in areas such as cognitive, linguistic, social
emotional and physical) to design appropriate learning experiences.

Description:

Through many of the classes that I took in college there was an emphasis placed on

learning theories. It is important to be familiar with the different learning theories so that you can

create lessons that will be the most beneficial for your students and meet all of their individual

needs. In a rural elementary school there is a behavioral system set up called the paws where a

class can earn paw or points for behaving well as a class. A third grade teacher was noticing that

her class was not earning a lot of paws and that other classes were well ahead of them in this

area. To keep the students interested and eager to earn paws this teacher adjusted this system.

The students are now able to create personal paws for their own behavior during the core subject

lessons. When a student fills out the sheet of fifty paws they are then able to get a prize. If

everyone in during a lesson earns an individual paw then the whole class gets a paw towards

their class jar. This new adjustment seems to be working so far, and the students are working

hard to not only get individual paws but also class paws. This system works under the

behaviorism theory.

I think that all of the learning theories can be very beneficial in the classroom, but which

one a teacher uses might differ based on each group of students' needs. It can also be beneficial
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in some cases to intertwine some of the different theories with one another depending what the

classroom needs are. During the age of technology I have seen that the Connectionism theory is

growing in popularity among classrooms. Students are learning that they have several resources

that they can go to if they are having trouble in a specific area. The students are able to ask the

teacher or their peers for assistance, but now many classrooms have chromebooks where the

students are able to use online resources to get answers. This theory is important to integrate into

the classroom because so much of the world is now based online. It is important for the students

to know how to use online resources and become comfortable with them because they will need

it in the future.

Theoretical Framework

Students are more likely to participate in classroom activities if something they are

interested in is presented to them. In the article “Aspects of an educational learning theory” by

Bereiter, the following question is raised, “what can learning theory contribute to education?”

There are three levels in which these theories can be laid out. They are the physical level, the

design level, and the intentional level. After much research done by the Ontario Institute for

Studies in Education, there have been several new ideas discovered that challenge the general

theories that are often used within the classroom. One example would be the neglect to

incorporate outside influences into learning. It is important to consider the different backgrounds

of students so that the material that you present to them and the way in which you do so will help

maximize their overall success outside of the classroom. The article Aspects of an educational

learning theory calls this, including the outer world and states the importance of connecting the

outer world with the classroom and avoiding having a hard line that separates the two (Bereiter,

604). Figuring out what works best in the classroom is always going to be an ongoing study
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between both researchers and teachers. It is important for teachers to understand that not all

classrooms are going to look alike. Each classroom is filled with unique students that come with

different learning skills and backgrounds. What might work with one set of students might not

work with another. Keeping this in mind, it is important for teachers to remain flexible with their

teaching strategies as well as keep up to date with new studies that might help guide them to be

the best teachers for their students.

There seems to be more behavioral issues among students today, so it is important for

teachers to have different tools to help those students who might struggle with their behavior still

be successful. This would fall under the behaviorism theory where there are positive

reinforcements for students who meet the expectations of the classroom/lesson. There are several

different ways that teachers can choose to positively reinforce their students' positive behavior.

One example is the paw system that was previously mentioned. Or it can simply just be verbally

acknowledging when a student is doing well. Students will get more out of the school day when

the behavioral issues are met first. Most importantly, systems that help students want to do well

in school will ultimately lead to their overall success.

The different learning theories can help guide teachers in choosing the best approach to

take in their classrooms. As teachers it is important to keep a learning mindset and to be open to

new ideas and theories. Being familiar with the different learning strategies, teachers are able to

incorporate new ideas in their classroom until they find something that works best. Teachers are

then able to share their ideas and findings with other teachers so the growth does not stop at one

teacher, classroom, or school.

Salient Evidence
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I was able to spend a day helping out in a preschool classroom. As you can imagine, the

day of a preschool teacher can be very chaotic. The teacher that I was with always had to make

quick decisions and use problem solving to make sure that the class remained running smoothly.

For example, there was a situation where some of the students completed the work while others

did not. Before the students who were finished had the chance to get up and start distracting their

peers, she pulled them aside and gave them a fun time killer to do while the rest of the students

completed their work. Being in a preschool classroom, there are obviously going to be toys and

games for the students to play with as they are not going to be doing schoolwork all day. The

teacher planned out what she made available to the students based on what their interests were.

For example, she knew that there were several students who would enjoy cars and made sure she

put out some toy cars for them to play with. In addition to the “fun” toys, she also had learning

toys such as puzzles.

Evidence: PC 1.1 Evidence - Google Docs

Critical Reflection

I think that it is very important for a teacher to pay close attention to the needs of each of

their students. Each day a student comes in with different needs and it is up to the teacher to

make sure that they are providing the students with the tools that they need to be successful

every day. Whether that be noticing that the students need a brain break after a long math lesson

or creating an activity with cars since some of the students are interested in cars. A different

preschool teacher that I was with made sure that she kept each of the students' home lives in

mind while determining what she should expect from them that day. For example, one day one of

the students came in and said that they were tired and didn’t get much sleep the night before.
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Knowing that this student has just recently changed who he is living with, the teacher understood

that they are going through challenges at home and may need extra support during school hours.

My goal for my classroom is not to make it generic, but to make it personalized for each of my

students. I want to put high focus on making sure the specific needs of all my students are being

met. I want to be able to consider their needs and interests when developing each of my lesson

plans.

When I was going through school I was classified as having a learning disability and at

times needed extra attention from my teachers. I was fortunate to have this be documented at an

early age and my teachers were able to know which areas I was going to need additional support.

I had a good experience with this and never felt like I was not getting the help that I needed.

With going through this experience as a student myself, my eyes have been opened to look for

signs of when students might need additional support as well. It is hard when you are a solo

teacher trying to meet the needs of a dozen or so students at once. It can be easy to overlook

some of the quiet students who seem to be doing fine on their own. In the third grade class that I

am working in I noticed that there is a student that is very quiet and very rarely asks for

additional support. When working with this student in a small group, I noticed that this student

was struggling with the activity of telling time. And later in the day when checking over his

grammar worksheet, I noticed that he was getting the concept confused. Having such a

demanding class with a lot of outspoken students, this one student seems to be getting lost in the

mix and he does not have the confidence to advocate for himself. My goal is to spend more time

with him and give him more individual attention when I can to make sure that he is getting the

help that he needs and is not getting lost in the crowd.

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PC 2.1 Candidates use an understanding of individual differences to design inclusive learning

experiences.

Description

An inclusive classroom is an environment where students feel not only supported but

have a sense of belonging, identity and are able to learn regardless of their needs. These

environments do not happen by accident and are the conscious efforts of teams of teachers,

paraprofessionals, special educators and other students. When creating the climate of respect,

thoughtfulness and academic excellence, the key to success rests in the techniques, structures and

communication that all students are individual, unique and valued. Historically in American

education, this has not always been the case. There is a long history of treating schools as a

model for preparing people to work in different levels of the work force and with different levels

of education and expectations. A teacher in 2024 not only strives to make a connection between

the content and the child, but to develop their sense of self, curiosity, resiliency and to teach them

lifelong learning skills including critical thinking, problem solving and the ability to collaborate

with others.

Inclusive classrooms create an environment where the students always feel comfortable

and encouraged to grow and succeed. In an inclusive classroom the students would not feel as

though they are missing out on what their peers are doing when they are taken out of the

classroom for other services. A rural elementary school does a good job at this. Each class has a

period of time during each day called WIN (what I need). It is during this time where all the

students who need additional services outside the classroom get the leave and get these needs
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met. There is no new information given to the rest of the class during this time. It is a time where

the teacher can determine what the students need additional practice on and then create a lesson

for them to practice these skills. This system gets a positive reaction from both the students and

the teachers and it is different from what I experienced when I was in elementary school. I was

one of the students that needed additional support and remember being pulled out of the

classroom in the middle of a lesson or activity to get the support that I needed. Although I was

getting the services that I needed, I felt that I was missing out on what the rest of my class was

doing.

Theoretical Framework

Each student has a different way of learning and are at different levels of their education.

It is in the student's best interest that teachers create an inclusive classroom environment that will

address the needs of each individual student. In the article, Diverse Learners in the Classroom:

Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Elementary School Classrooms ( 1995) authors

Schirmer focused on what inclusion should look like for students with disabilities within the

elementary setting.. It is addressed early on that students with disabilities should be included in

general education classrooms whenever it is possible. However, it is also very important for there

to be a support system set up for these students made up of appropriately trained professionals.

Historically speaking, the 1975 Handicapped Children’s Act revolutionized the laws

related to how inclusivity was defined. The Handicapped Children Act stated that children with

disabilities should only be separated from the general classroom when the overall learning of the

students could not be achieved. Inclusion also helps young students at an early age learn how to

work with people that are not like them which improves their ability to work with peers.
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Similarly, in an inclusion classroom, students with disabilities are given the opportunity to

become the best learners they can be, which ultimately sets them up to have a more successful

future. The article put it in perfect words. It states, “Advocates believe that inclusive schools

benefit all children because they do not emphasize disability or inability’; they focus on ability”

(Schirmer, 67).

As beneficial as inclusive classrooms are, there are also challenges. One of the main

struggles that teachers face is how to go about teaching the whole class when there may be

students whose reading levels are several years behind. One strategy that the article suggests is to

try peer tutoring within the classroom. This is when students of different levels are paired or

grouped together to work on a specific assignment. The idea of this method is to have the

students help one another, which then allows the teacher to float around the room and give more

individual attention to the students that need it. While this method may work in some

classrooms, it is definitely not going to work for everyone. Students who are more advanced

might get frustrated having to be paired up with a student who is at a lower level. And students

who are challenged might be intimidated working with students who are at a higher level. When

using this method, it is crucial for teachers to be aware of how the students are reacting and

being flexible to make the necessary adjustments. Like all classrooms, inclusive classrooms are

all about finding the perfect balance so that every student is given the tools that they need to be

successful.

Salient Evidence
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All throughout my school years, I was in inclusive classrooms that had both students at the

current grade level and those who were academically struggling due to having learning

disabilities. Inclusive classrooms can be very beneficial for all the students involved. In inclusive

classrooms students are able to learn from one another despite their academic ability. If done

correctly, I think inclusive classrooms are a great option and should always be the main goal.

In a fifth- grade classroom in a rural school, there was a student that had a severe

disability that prevented him from being at the same academic level as his peers. However, the

teachers all worked to make the classroom as inclusive as possible. This student had his own

desk set up with the other students in the main classroom and he was given the opportunity to

join the rest of the class whenever he felt comfortable. Most of the time when this student did

decide to join the main classroom, he did not participate in the activities that the rest of the class

was doing. Although he was unable to participate due to him not developing at the level that is

needed to participate, he is getting a sense of community by being around and encouraged by his

peers. When this student joined the classroom, he often was content to sit at his desk drawing

while the rest of the class completed the tasks at hand. And with that, the rest of the class treat

him like he is like any other student. When he decided to join the class or decided to leave there

was never a disturbance in the class and none of the students got distracted by his coming or

going. When he chose to join in with the class activities, the rest of the students welcomed in

with open arms. An inclusive classroom worked in this scenario and seemed to be beneficial for

all of the students involved.

Critical Self Reflection

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I think that today, schools are overall more welcoming to students that have disabilities or

are at different learning levels. I think that this makes it easier for teachers to create an inclusive

learning environment for everyone. From my own experiences, I know that I want to focus on

making sure my classroom is welcoming to everyone no matter what their learning needs are.

The fifth-grade classroom that I observed in a rural elementary school had two students with

special needs that were often not present in the classroom but in other rooms in the school

getting the individual attention that they needed. However, every time that either of these

students joined the rest of the class each of the other students would make sure that they included

the other students in the activity they were doing or at least made it a point to acknowledge them.

For example, one of the students would often come into PE. Most of the time he would not

participate in whatever activity the other students were doing, but when he would, the rest of the

class welcomed him into the game with kindness and acceptance. I think this comes from how

the teachers and staff treat each of the students with special needs in the school. All the staff tries

to include them as much as possible and I think the rest of the students see this and want to copy

the positive behaviors. I want to strive to make sure that everyone is treated kindly and as an

equal yet is both challenged and supported with whatever they need to be successful.

Another way you can make sure that you are creating an inclusive environment is by

allowing students to practice different learning strategies throughout a lesson. I did this during a

grammar lesson that I created for a fifth-grade class. The lesson focused on the introduction of

similes and metaphors. I created a slideshow presentation which I had projected on the board

while I taught. First, I introduced what a simile and metaphor was by reading the definition that

was on the slideshow and giving an example. The next step was to introduce the game. For this

game I had students take out their white board materials. A sentence was then projected on the
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board which I read aloud to them. Their task was to determine if the sentence included a simile

or a metaphor and write the corresponding letter on their white board- “s” for simile “m” for

metaphor. Once the game was done I handed out two worksheets where the students were able to

further practice determining simile and metaphors. This one lesson included activities for

students who are visual learners, auditory learners, and hands on learners.

Evidence: PC 2.1 Evidence - Google Docs

Similie vs Metaphor - Google Slides

PC 3.1 Candidates design learning environments that support individual learning marked by
active engagement.

Description

Teachers and schools today are making deliberate choices around creating models not

only for learning, but for active social engagement. Many Vermont schools are adopting PBIS (

Positive Behavior Interventions Supports) programs that help students learn not only how to

learn individually, but how to work together in social, academic and play situations. The goal or

end plan is that as the children grow and learn, they are practicing the communication,

collaboration, problem solving and acceptance of others that will allow them to be supportive

members of any group in society. When schools embrace a plan that uses common language,

shared expectations and support techniques, it enhances the modeling and practicing needed for

students to learn and grow.

Theoretical Framework
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It is important for teachers to create a learning environment that will help each individual

student to succeed. In the article, Effective Classroom Management at the Beginning of the

School Year (1980) authors Emmers et al, emphasized that the first few days, especially the first,

are crucial in determining how the rest of the school year will go. It is important for the teacher

to establish a clear set of rules and expected behaviors of students. This is key for classroom

management for all ages.

When I was in kindergarten at the beginning of the school year we had assigned seats that

the teacher had given us. As the year went on and the whole class got used to the rules and

expectations of the classroom, the teacher gave us the opportunity to choose our own seats.

However, it was made clear that if we continually got distracted by our neighbors our seats

would have to be changed. This was a natural consequence that I ended up facing. I chose to sit

next to my best friend at the time and found it challenging not to talk to her during learning time.

After several reminders from my teacher, our seats had to be moved apart from one another.

Despite being upset that I no longer got to sit next to my best friend I remember my teacher

taking time to fully explain my consequence of getting my desk moved. I don’t think after this

incident I had any more troubles talking to my neighbors during learning time.

A unique way to establish classroom rules is to allow students to put in their own

suggestions. This will help them feel like they are contributing more to the safety and efficiency

of the classroom and are not just given a list of rules they need to follow. It is also important to

give explanations of the rules set in place. For example, if one of my rules is no running inside

the classroom, I can follow that up by explaining that running in a small room such as a

classroom can lead to injuries. It is important not to overload the students with too many rules all

at once. To prevent this, I will try to only talk about the rules that will be applied within the first
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few days. For example, it is not necessary to discuss the rules of winter recess/attire at the start of

the school year when it is still warm outside. In addition, it is also important to constantly remind

the students of the expectations over the first few days. This is especially important for younger

students as it could take them longer to get used to how a classroom works. It is important in the

first few days to remain patient with your students but also establish yourself as the leader of the

classroom.

Salient Evidence

A rural elementary school has just begun a new school wide behavioral system called the

“paws”. Each class can earn up to three paws during each of their specials for the day. They can

earn a paw if they are practicing safety, responsibly, and respect throughout the special. Each

class has the goal of earning one hundred paws in order to win a special prize. When the class

that I was observing reached one hundred paws, they earned a movie day. So, one Friday once

they were done with lunch the class was able to watch a movie that they voted on together. The

jar restarts once the class reaches one hundred paws so they can continue to work on getting

more paws throughout the whole year. I was not present when this new system was first

explained to the students, but so far it seems like they all know what they need to do to earn

these paws and often remind their peers, keeping everyone accountable. One day in art class the

students were not respectful or safe. At the end of the class, the art teacher asked the students

how many paws they thought they deserved for that class. Most of the students put their hands up

and represented with their fingers either one or two. No one thought the class behavior as a

whole deserved all three paws. I was surprised with this response, and when given the

opportunity to explain their reasoning, I agreed with them on why they did not deserve all three

paws. This system will help with some of the behavioral problems that are seen across schools.
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Since this is a school wide challenge, students of all grades can encourage one another to be safe,

respectful, and responsible. The school as a whole has a bucket in which paws are collected.

Each time a class earns one hundred paws, it is transferred into the school jar and the whole

school can work together towards a school-wide prize. This system is a great way to help the

students keep themselves and their classmates accountable for their actions.

Evidence: PC 3.1 chart - Google Docs

Critical Self Reflection

The Paw system really seems to work for this school. It is a fun and effective way to help

students be responsible for their actions as well as help them to keep their peers responsible.

When I was in fifth grade my class had a similar system put in place to help encourage our good

behavior. My teacher would give out tickets when we did something good and we were able to

cash in these tickets for a prize. Both of these systems encourage good behavior and push

students to not only want to earn tickets or paws for themselves, but also to strive to help their

peers earn tickets for themselves as well. Both systems can be very beneficial, and I would like

to incorporate something similar in my classroom. One good thing about this system is that it can

be altered based on the class needs. It can either be set up as a whole class reward or individual

rewards. That decision would be made each year depending on each class's needs and how they

respond to the system.

Portfolio Part One Final Reflection

So far I have learned so much from being in the classrooms. I have been fortunate to

work with several different teachers in various grade levels to gain experience with how to

manage a successful classroom. The biggest take away that I have so far through my experiences
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is the importance of having an inclusive classroom. Having been through learning struggles

myself I understand how challenging it can be for a student who needs additional support and

how important it is to get the support without feeling excluded. Through my experiences with

observing and student teaching I have learned strategies to create an inclusive classroom of my

own using learning theory, knowledge of individual student differences and purposefully

designing a place where all students are safe, invested and able to learn.

Another thing that I have gained from my experiences is learning different ways to

manage a classroom. Not all groups of students are going to want to be in the classroom learning.

There may be several students in the class that have behavioral issues and often act out. With this

it is important to have different tools in order to help limit some behavioral problems and to

encourage positive behaviors. The paw system is effective and I think that in my own classroom

I would like to establish a similar system to get my students excited about meeting the

expectations of the classroom.

Resources

Bereiter, C. (1990). Aspects of an educational learning theory. Review of educational research,

60(4), 603-624.

Emmer, E. T., Evertson, C. M., & Anderson, L. M. (1980). Effective classroom management at

the beginning of the school year. The elementary school journal, 80(5), 219-231.
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Schirmer, B. R., Casbon, J., & Twiss, L. L. (1995). Diverse learners in the classroom:

Inclusion of children with disabilities in elementary school classrooms. The Reading

Teacher, 49(1), 66-68.