Standard 1: Mastery and Pedagogical Expertise
Element a: Provide instruction aligned with Colorado Academic Standards, the District's plan of instruction, and the needs of students.
In regards to Element a, I feel very confident that my lessons are aligned with District and State standards. I have been working on a Curriculum Cohort with the Colorado Department of Education for the last two years creating plans that align with the state standards. I am also the World Language Teacher Leader for BVSD and help plan and implement the Professional Development surrounding curriculum. Two years ago I was part of the group that also created our Curriculum Essentials Documents for each level of languages taught. The poster on the left was printed for every teacher in the district and shows our World Language standards which I incorporate into lessons to help meet the needs of students.
CDE Sample Curriculum
BVSD Core Essential Documents
In regards to Element a, I feel very confident that my lessons are aligned with District and State standards. I have been working on a Curriculum Cohort with the Colorado Department of Education for the last two years creating plans that align with the state standards. I am also the World Language Teacher Leader for BVSD and help plan and implement the Professional Development surrounding curriculum. Two years ago I was part of the group that also created our Curriculum Essentials Documents for each level of languages taught. The poster on the left was printed for every teacher in the district and shows our World Language standards which I incorporate into lessons to help meet the needs of students.
CDE Sample Curriculum
BVSD Core Essential Documents
Element b: Demonstrate knowledge of student literacy development in reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
Reading, writing, speaking, and listening are the essential building blocks of language. This is something we work on every unit. In each chapter, I make sure to grade each of these at least once and have started putting each of these skills on each Performance Assessment to help focus on development. Below is an example of a Spanish 2 assessment using all skills.
Reading, writing, speaking, and listening are the essential building blocks of language. This is something we work on every unit. In each chapter, I make sure to grade each of these at least once and have started putting each of these skills on each Performance Assessment to help focus on development. Below is an example of a Spanish 2 assessment using all skills.
Spanish 2 Summative Assessment.pdf | |
File Size: | 401 kb |
File Type: |
Element c: Demonstrate knowledge of Math and how to promote student development in numeracy as appropriate to content and level.
In regards to Element c, I feel that this is something I tie in quite well into the classroom. Students use numeracy and Math in many lessons. We talk costs of objects and conversion of different currencies in Spanish 2. The example to the right was a mini-lesson taught in Spanish 3 about how much rain the Atacama Desert of Chile typically receives and students were asked to do a Math problem figuring out how many years it would take to get the same amount that they received in one rain storm in 1997.
In regards to Element c, I feel that this is something I tie in quite well into the classroom. Students use numeracy and Math in many lessons. We talk costs of objects and conversion of different currencies in Spanish 2. The example to the right was a mini-lesson taught in Spanish 3 about how much rain the Atacama Desert of Chile typically receives and students were asked to do a Math problem figuring out how many years it would take to get the same amount that they received in one rain storm in 1997.
Element d: Demonstrate knowledge of the content, central concepts, appropriate evidence-based instructional practices and specialized character of the discipline being taught.
Last year alone I attended both the CCFLT (Colorado Congress of Foreign Language Teachers) spring conference and the SWCOLT (Southwest Conference of Language Teachers). Both of these conferences provided research-based best practices and provided opportunities to network with other language teachers from the area. I have also attended the ACTFL (American Council of Teacher of Foreign Languages) Conference. At the SWCOLT conference last spring, I paid for an additional seminar on the OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview), which helped me to better understand the language proficiencies that we are using in the District and at the state level. I will attend the CCFLT Conference again in February of 2014.
Last year alone I attended both the CCFLT (Colorado Congress of Foreign Language Teachers) spring conference and the SWCOLT (Southwest Conference of Language Teachers). Both of these conferences provided research-based best practices and provided opportunities to network with other language teachers from the area. I have also attended the ACTFL (American Council of Teacher of Foreign Languages) Conference. At the SWCOLT conference last spring, I paid for an additional seminar on the OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview), which helped me to better understand the language proficiencies that we are using in the District and at the state level. I will attend the CCFLT Conference again in February of 2014.
Element e: Develop lessons that reflect the interconnectedness of content areas/disciplines.
An example of this (though this is something World Language teachers do every minute- we use the language to talk about other disciplines) is our Art unit in Spanish 3. We use Spanish to teach students about art and culture. By the end of the unit students are able to recognize art by many Spanish-speaking artists and are able to analyze works of art in Spanish. The final project for the semester is to analyze one work of art, discuss the biography of the artist, and give a personal reaction or opinion to the art.
An example of this (though this is something World Language teachers do every minute- we use the language to talk about other disciplines) is our Art unit in Spanish 3. We use Spanish to teach students about art and culture. By the end of the unit students are able to recognize art by many Spanish-speaking artists and are able to analyze works of art in Spanish. The final project for the semester is to analyze one work of art, discuss the biography of the artist, and give a personal reaction or opinion to the art.
Element f: Make instruction on content relevant to students and take actions to connect students' background and contextual knowledge with new information being taught.
Students were taught to use superlatives in Spanish. I created a Discussion Board in Schoology where students were to talk about their favorite actors, songs, dances, etc. The had to post thedidsir favorites and respond to classmates in Spanish. This was a fun way to practice the use of superlatives and they enjoyed joining in conversations with their classmates.
Students were taught to use superlatives in Spanish. I created a Discussion Board in Schoology where students were to talk about their favorite actors, songs, dances, etc. The had to post thedidsir favorites and respond to classmates in Spanish. This was a fun way to practice the use of superlatives and they enjoyed joining in conversations with their classmates.