Elements & Artifacts
Element 2.A
Teachers foster a predictable learning environment characterized by acceptable student behavior and efficient use of time in which each student has a positive, nurturing relationship with caring adults and peers.
Artifact 2.A.1
This video is of my Dance 1 Regular class dancing choreography we learned after our Jazz unit was complete. The focus was to fully embody what we had learned through movement and dance. This class started the year not wanting to dance at all and had poor attendance but as I developed relationships with each of the students and created a secure and safe learning environment, they all took a huge stride when learning this choreography and dancing it all together. Dancing already is extremely vulnerable but especially in a class of students who don't label themselves as "dancers" it was tough for them to find the confidence to just go for it and trust in me and each other. With a supportive environment, good leadership, and efficiently using time in class to develop comfortable learning approaches, the students found confidence in themselves and each other and not only learned this choreography but performed it all together with excitement which was not only huge growth within themselves but growth as a community in the classroom.
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Element 2.B
Teachers demonstrate an awareness of, a commitment to, and respect for multiple aspects of diversity, while working toward common goals as a community of learners.
Artifact 2.B.1
The Dance 1 Regular class has a high population of Spanish speaking students and though I only know minimal Spanish words and phrases, I wanted to make sure all students received the same learning experience whether English was their first language or not. When clicking on this Daily Dance Journal image, you'll see a worksheet I created for our Bob Fosse unit, that has an English and a Spanish option. This is something I did for every Daily Dance Journal slide, worksheet, and captions for documentaries we watched as well. Making sure all students in the classroom have the same opportunity to learn is a huge focus of mine and having everything in English and Spanish really helped support the community made in the classroom. Along with this, dance serves as a universal language in which we can effectively communicate with one another even if we do not speak the same language. So I utilized movement and artistry as a key point of focus even more in this classroom environment. I even have some students come to me after the first week and told me my translations were incorrect so I made sure to use different platforms so my translations were accurate. The students being comfortable enough to tell me the translations were off was a really great sign as they were appreciative but also have trust in me enough to open up about things that were making their learning harder for them which was a huge growth for both the students and myself as an instructor.
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Element 2.C
Teachers engage students as individuals, including those with diverse needs and interests, across a range of ability levels by adapting their teaching for the benefit of all students.
Artifact 2.C.1
This video is from my Dance IFL/SPED class of choreography I taught them as a a part of Arts Week at Greeley Central. This classroom has a diverse group of students from the SPED program that have disabilities that range from cognitive, to behavioral, to verbal, to physical. This class truly showcases that anyone can dance and no matter the disability, I wanted to give them all the same dance experience my other Dance 1 classes were getting just with a different approach. The absolute growth I have seen from every student in this class throughout the semester not only in their dancing but in their emotional and social connection with each other was done by taking my lesson plans and teaching concepts and keeping the foundations while maneuvering the approach. When giving directions and teaching movement, I used physical and verbal cues along with using music, counting, and repetition all at once so that every student had an opportunity to learn at the same time but in the way that is most successful for their understanding.
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Element 2.D
Teachers work collaboratively with the families and/or significant adults for the benefit of students.
Artifact 2.D.1
Studying each students 504 plan and IEP information is imperative to knowing the approach I needed to take for their individual learning but after parent-teacher conferences, one student and her parent opened up to me about information that wasn't written in their 504 but gave me a new insight into why the student was acting the way they were. I was wondering why the student kept taking random breaks and sitting out and not participating with the other students and I wasn't sure how best to support them, but after getting told about a diagnosis, I utilized research to understand it and find new ways to approach their learning for their success. Working collaboratively with the parents, my mentor teacher, and my own research, I was able to develop a better understanding of my students needs from me and the classroom environment which made the rest of the semester extremely successful for them. This also taught me the importance of reaching in all directions to find the best ways to support my students.