Ms. Kenesha Allen's Georgia State University Graduation Portfolio

For students to be successful in the discipline of science, they must learn and correctly use process skills. Process skills are considered basis of scientific methods and should be used throughout all scientific inquiries. The six basic process skills are observation, communication, classification, measurement, inference, and prediction. In my opinion, these six skills are of increasing sophistication, and mastery of one skill is the segue to the next. Observation is the ability to notice significant details. Observation is important because it is often the first process skill used yet it this skill may go unnoticed simply because observing is an innate behavior that many naturally display. Communication is the exchanging of information. Communication is essential because it allows individuals to be knowledge of the ideas, opinions, and feelings that one may have concerning a topic. Classification is vital because this process allows one to establish connections between objects and concepts. Establishing such connections permits a greater chance for the concept to stick with the learner. Measurement is critical because in real world applications of science quantities, units, and time are accounted for in scientific theories, and processes. The skill of inferences is necessary when scientist arrive at certain conclusions based upon clues, discoveries, or data. I believe that the skill of inference is responsible for many of the theories within science. Finally, the skill of prediction is valuable because it teaches one to attempt to foresee certain outcomes based on certain actions.

 

Within a science classroom, I would  students to put each of these processes to use. If I can encourage them to correctly utilize these processes in the classroom, they will revert back to these modes of thinking in other circumstances. I am also preparing student to question the world in which they live. By the time students reach the middle grades, much of that curiosity and desire for exploration of their world that they possessed as a young child has ceased. I want to instill that curiosity in my students once again because through curiosity and exploration, more efficient means, concepts, and theories may be discovered. I want to equip my students with the critical thinking skills that they may need no matter what disciple or career path they choose to take.

 

Challenges in the teaching-learning process that I may encounter include creating and evaluating for standards in the allotted time designated by the county in which I may work. Although I am aware of the need of and significance of learning timelines, I do not believe that all students should be placed within a timeline to learn. For example, in the county that I student teach in, there are frameworks in place for what unit should be taught and how long it should take to teach the unit. Yet after completing a unit and testing students, the county expects for the teacher to go back and reteach any concepts that students have not mastered. While I agree that teachers should reteach concepts, re-teaching would cause teachers to fall behind on their allotted time for the next unit. In order to avoid having to reteach at the end of a unit, as I notice that students don’t comprehend concepts, I would commit to spending more time on them. Yet, that too would lead to falling behind on the time allotted for their next unit.

 

It is possible that all learning styles will be identified in my classrooms. Students may be auditory learners, kinesthetic learners, or visual learners. Some of my students may independent learners and therefore do not need much facilitation from me as their teacher. Others may dependent learners and are in need of either myself or other classmates to aid in some presentation of newly learned material for better emphasis. In order to foster learning for all students demonstrations will be performed, and concepts and instructions will be delivered orally, written, and with the use of visual aids. Also, instruction will be differentiated. Students will work in collaborative groups, technology will be integrated, and they will have an opportunity to create objects and processes that we are discussing. With these creations, they are more invested in the lesson because they are a part of it. Science is a hands-on discipline and can not be mastered by reading information alone.

 

These methods contribute to my goals for my students because being actively involved in their learning will in turn cause them to be more exploratory, it will convey to them that there is more that one way to receive and master information, and it will encourage them to try different approaches to learning. The majority of my students should be transitioning from the concrete operational stage to the formal operational stage of cognitive development. Lessons should appeal to the needs of both students because the students are able to make concrete judgments about observable phenomena. To keep the students engaged that have transitioned out of the operational stage of cognitive development and into the formal operational stage, more challenging questions should be addressed within the lesson. The methods that I will use in my classroom will have a direct relation to the types of students within my classroom.

 

As an educator, I will be informed of how well the goals of my students are being met through formal and informal assessments. To provide a more accurate depiction of my students learning, a variety of assessment types will be integrated within my lessons. Assessment tools will include consensograms, think-tac-toes, multiple-choice questions, essay questions, in class discussions, group presentations, and projects. Consensograms give students the opportunity to reflect on their knowledge and learning before material is taught to them and after. This type of assessment gives students the opportunity to be honest with themselves on what they have mastered or need to work on. Think-tac-toes and assessments similar to such give students choice in how they wish to convey the mastery of their knowledge. These types of assessments assure the student has some aspect of control in learning. Multiple-choice questions allow students to use processes of elimination if they are confused with a problem. Also, having answers visible may be a trigger that some students need to ensure them that their conceptions are correct. Essay questions give students an opportunity to argue their comprehension of concepts. In class discussions and group presentations allow students to work collaboratively in their learning. They can question one another, bounce ideas off of each other, and defend each other’s claims with these types of assessments. Finally, presentations allow student to be creative, teach the class, and reinforce their own knowledge of a topic.

 

These methods align with my teaching goals and teaching methods because all of the assessments can pertain processes skills, the methods can be considered differentiated, and the assessments will appeal to each student’s personal needs. When creating each assessment I as the educator will be sure to align the assessment with content that has been discussed in class. There will be all types of questions that correlate to bloom’s taxonomy. I also plan to make a constant, steady, progression, between bloom’s higher order thinking questions. Diverse learning styles will be accounted for by my differentiation of instruction and assessments.

 

At the middle school age, diversity amongst adolescents is apparent to the adolescents themselves as well as their peers around them. Diversity in the aspect of culture, sexuality, race, gender, religion, social class, and language is important to be explored during the adolescent years because during this time young learners are still developing into the young adults that will one day lead our society. That being said, it is of upmost importance for educators to honor and embrace the aspects of diversity that come along with each of their students. Although all aspects of diversity need to be discussed with discretion within the school setting, it is imperative for educators make the classroom environment safe and to set up an environment of acceptance for all forms of diversity. Yet, educators should keep in mind that the best way to express the acceptance of any form of diversity is to converse these diversities with students whenever the topic needs to be addressed.

 

Addressing diversity in the classroom leads to culturally responsive pedagogy, which is defined as using the cultural knowledge, prior experiences, and performance styles of diverse students to make learning more appropriate and effective for them. As a culturally responsive educator I will continuously be aware that the daily classroom activities should facilitate learning environments that reflect cultural and ethnic diversity while also promoting academic achievement for all. I will strive to expose my students to multiple perspectives and allow them to critically analyze differences between mainstream ideals and those that may be more unconventional. No matter what the divergence is between students in my classroom, I plan to address all forms of diversity with caution and care.

 

My science teaching philosophy puts students in a place of power and control over their learning. My goals for my students are that they be successful in anything they purse using the skills that they acquire through scientific inquiry. In an attempt to grant each of my students’ success, I will cater to their individual needs when it comes to the delivery and assessments of concepts. I want each of my students to approach science learning and any other type of learning with a positive attitude no matter how challenging things may become. I am confident that if I continue to develop my philosophy and if I remain true to my philosophy, educational growth for each of my students is inevitable.