Michigan Department of Education Standards for Entry-Level Teachers
Upon completion of an approved teacher preparation program in Michigan, a person recommended for the Michigan Provisional Certificate should have:
1. An understanding and appreciation of the liberal arts (the humanities, the social sciences, the mathematical and natural sciences, and the arts):
The abilities and skills necessary for effective communication (listening, speaking, writing, and reading);
A knowledge and appreciation of free inquiry in the humanities, the social sciences, the mathematical and natural sciences, and the arts;
A knowledge of the interdependence of the liberal arts and the ability to integrate knowledge from the liberal arts to analyze and synthesize ideas, information, and data;
The ability to discuss and debate the value of education in a free and pluralistic society, particularly the role of intellectual and ethical values;
An understanding of global and international perspectives;
An understanding of and respect for individual differences, including those of culture, race, gender, religion, and ethnicity, as well as humankind's shared heritage and environment;
An ability to understand and respect varying points of view and the influence of one's own and others' ethics and values;
An understanding of the impact of technology and its use for gathering and communicating ideas and information;
An understanding of the Constitutions and histories of the United States and Michigan;
An understanding of the market system for allocating resources;
An understanding of and respect for the role of the individual in a free society, including the importance of individual responsibility and respect for individual rights and values; and
An understanding of the similarities within our culture and their importance to the fabric of American society.
2.A commitment to student learning and achievement, including the understanding and ability to:
Apply knowledge of human growth, development, and learning theory;
Expand cognitive, affective, physical, and social capacities of students for the development of the "whole person;"
Discern the extent to which personal belief systems and values may affect the instructional process, e.g., love of learning; the belief that all students can learn; the belief that all students should be treated equitably; the role of expectations in affecting achievement;
Demonstrate appropriate classroom management and disciplinary techniques to ensure a safe and orderly environment which is conducive to learning;
Plan instruction to accommodate diversity, e.g., cultural, racial, and social diversity;
Plan instruction to accommodate various backgrounds of students;
Use multiple approaches to appropriately assess student abilities and needs to plan instruction;
Create inclusionary environments for students with exceptional needs and abilities; and
Use various kinds of literacy to promote access to knowledge, e.g., numeracy, graphics, printed text, computers, and electronic media.
3. Knowledge of subject matter and pedagogy, including the understanding and ability to:
Create learning environments that promote critical and higher order thinking;
Help students access and use information, technology, and other resources to become independent learners and problem solvers;
Use high expectations for optimal achievement to foster excellence in all students;
d. Practice teaching as both an art and a science;
Integrate and transfer knowledge across subject areas and encourage the same among students;
Engage students in practical activities that demonstrate the relevance, purpose, and function of subject matter; and
Access and use updated information and procedures.
4. The ability to manage and monitor student learning, including the understanding and ability to:
Plan and use different cognitive, affective, and psychomotor strategies to maximize learning and to accommodate differences in the backgrounds, learning styles, aptitudes, interests, levels of maturity and achievement of students;
Use a variety of teaching methodologies and techniques, e.g., lectures, demonstrations, group discussions, cooperative learning, small-group activities and how to assess one's effectiveness in utilizing them;
Involve and work effectively with all support personnel to maximize opportunities for student achievement and success;
Involve and work effectively with parents and/or guardians to maximize opportunities for student achievement and success;
Differentiate between assessment and evaluation procedures and use appropriate procedures; and
Define and accept the legal and ethical responsibilities of teaching, e.g., student retention, corporal punishment, truancy, child abuse, managing conflict, first aid, least restrictive environment, health and communicable diseases.
5. The ability to systematically organize teaching practices and learn from experiences, including the understanding and ability to:
Identify and use current research in both the subject field and in other areas of practice in the profession;
Exercise good judgment in planning and managing time and other resources to attain goals and objectives;
Maximize the use of instructional time by engaging students in meaningful learning experiences;
Demonstrate an understanding of the economic, social, political, legal, and organizational foundations and functions of schools;
Accept teaching as a lifelong learning process and continue efforts to develop and improve;
Interact successfully with other teachers, parents, students, administrators, counselors, and other support personnel to benefit students and to advance one's own professional development;
Discuss and debate the evolution of education and the teacher's role in a changing society; and
Engage in meaningful self-evaluation and reflect on the professional practice of colleagues.
6. Commitment and willingness to participate in learning communities, including the understanding and ability to:
Use community and home resources to enhance school programs;
Design learning activities that involve representatives of volunteer groups, civic and social organizations, and public services agencies;
Demonstrate knowledge of the various communities in which the teacher is a member, including the professional community and local, state, national and international communities;
Involve professional educators, support personnel and other stakeholders in collaborative and cooperative planning, decision-making and implementation, to improve educational systems at all levels; and
Interact with parents to maximize the learning of students at school, home, and in the local community.
7. An ability to use information technology to enhance learning and to enhance personal and professional productivity:
Design, develop, and implement student learning activities that integrate information technology for a variety of student grouping strategies and diverse student populations;
Identify and apply resources for staying current in applications of information technology in education;
Demonstrate knowledge of uses of multi-media, hyper-media, telecommunications, and distance learning to support teaching/learning;
Demonstrate knowledge about instructional management resources that assist in such activities as writing and updating curriculum; creating lesson plans and tests; and promoting, reinforcing, and organizing data regarding student performance;
Use information technologies to support problem solving, data collection, information management, communications, presentations, and decision making including word processing, database management, spreadsheets, and graphic utilities;
Demonstrate knowledge of equitable, ethical, legal, social, physical, and psychological issues concerning use of information technology; and;
Use information technology to enhance continuing professional development as an educator.
Michigan Curriculum Framework Content Standards and Benchmarks:
This is the section that identifies which Content Standards and Benchmarks are being taught during the lesson. List the Strand, Standard, and Benchmark for each one being taught.
Unit Outcome:
State the unit outcome(s) to which this lesson is related. Identify the unit outcome from the KC4 curriculum, local school district documents or State of Michigan standards and benchmarks.
Lesson Outcomes:
Write the behavioral and instructional outcomes for this lesson in clear, concise, powerful statements which indicate exactly what all learners will know, do, and be like when the lesson is completed. Begin these statements with “The Learner Will ...” or “TLW.”
Rationale/Purpose for Lesson:
This is a brief section explaining the importance of students achieving these outcomes and how this is relevant to real life contexts for students.
Assessment:
Show how you will determine and document (both formally and informally) that the outcomes of the lesson were accomplished. How will students demonstrate the skills, knowledge, and attitudes they have learned as a result of this lesson?
Resources/Materials Required:
List everything you will need to teach this lesson and, if possible, wherematerials may be obtained.
Introduction:
Write a brief paragraph outlining how you will introduce this lesson in a way that will engage all learners’ attention and generate a “need to learn” within them. What is the “grabber” you will use to snap their heads around and focus them on the lesson?
This is also a time to activate prior knowledge, do some pre-assessment and inform students of the lesson outcomes and unit standards they will be working on and accomplishing with this lesson.
Procedures:
Describe in detail what you will do to deliver the lesson and what the students will be doing to learn from it.
Procedures must:
Be clearly written, step-by-step processes
Be developmentally appropriate
Contain clear, detailed directions
Be logically organized
Use a multitude of strategies
Keep learners actively involved
Address learning styles, special needs, and cultural diversity
Use questioning techniques designed to increase learner responses
Include modeling - showing an example as you explain
Provide an estimated time frame for each of the activities listed
Guided Study: What additional independent practice will be employed to extend and continue the learning process?
Homework: (when appropriate)
What additional outside activities will be employed to extend and continue the learning process?
Homework is:
- Meaningful work that can ONLY be done at home (classifying foods in the refrigerator as to food groups)
- Practice work that can be done completely independently by the student without the need for help from anyone else.
Closure:
Explain how you will effectively bring this lesson to an end in such a way that learning is moved from short term memory to long term memory. Describe how students will summarize their learning and engage in metacognition to build confidence in their own thinking abilities. How will students reflect emotionally on their learning and make connections to contexts in their own lives? How will you prepare and excite learners for the next step in the learning process? Evaluation and Reflection: (to be completed after the lesson has actually been taught)
Reflect on the experience of the lesson in terms of what you learned about the students and your own teaching performance. What went well? What needs to be changed? What improvements and personal development needs to occur for this lesson to be even more effective the next time?
All portfolios have two dimensions. One dimension is that a portfolio is a product you create and utilize to document your knowledge, skills, and attitudes to present to another person. This portfolio product is often used in a job interview or admission application into an academic program. In this context, your portfolio needs to efficiently and convincingly document your strengths in the most concise way possible. No one has the time to review a long, rambling, “scrapbook”, type of portfolio.
The second dimension of a portfolio is that it is a process. The act of creating a portfolio, deciding what to include, and producing reflective summaries for the non self-explanatory exhibits, demonstrates and promotes self-assessment and self-reflection. Good teachers are reflective people who are adept at self-assessment.
Your education portfolio is a unique and dynamic reflection of you as you prepare for your teaching career. Thus, over the next few years, your portfolio serves two basic functions:
First, it can help you:
Understand the skills, dispositions, and interests you have acquired in the course of your studies.
Reflect on your own learning to identify your personal strengths and areas of growth.
Update documentation of your skill development as you complete courses and participate in additional activities beyond your course work.
Second:
The portfolio should be used for documenting and demonstrating your abilities as an intending teacher. This will be important as you prepare to student teach and begin to interview for a teaching position.
Introduction
Required Portfolio Items:
cover letter/opening statement
resume
Suggested Portfolio Items: personal items (pictures, etc.)
Standard 1
An understanding and appreciation of the liberal arts (the humanities, the social sciences, the mathematical and natural sciences, and the arts)
Required Portfolio Items:
transcript(s)
Suggested Portfolio Items: artifacts from undergraduate coursework
Standard 2
A commitment to student learning and achievement
Required Portfolio Items:
philosophy of education
classroom management plan
Suggested Portfolio Items: artifacts from literacy/reading course(s)
Standard 3
Knowledge of subject matter and pedagogy
Required Portfolio Items:
lesson plans
unit plan
Suggested Portfolio Items: artifacts from methods course(s)
Standard 4
The ability to manage and monitor student learning
Required Portfolio Items:
final evaluation checklists
self-evaluation checklist
letters of recommendation
Suggested Portfolio Items: letters from students, examples of assessments
Standard 5
The ability to systematically organize teaching practices and learn from experiences
Required Portfolio Items: written self-reflection
Suggested Portfolio Items: educational research paper
artifacts from educational foundation course(s)
Creative Response to Conflict (CRC) certificate
Standard 6
Commitment and willingness to participate in learning communities
Required Portfolio Items:
professional organization membership(s)
certificates of attendance from conferences
bulleted list of extracurricular activities/interests
service to community
Suggested Portfolio Items:
artifacts from tutoring/individualized work with students
professional memberships outside education
Standard 7
An ability to use information technology to enhance learning and to enhance personal and professional productivity
***Check your exhibits for confidentiality. If you have used samples of assessments, student work, or anything that has individual names, addresses, phone numbers, school names, teacher names, etc., make sure you remove that information from the exhibit. Permission for use of any student’s pictures must be obtained and documented in writing.
Writing Portfolio Summaries:
Exhibits, assignments, projects, etc. in your portfolio may need a brief, concise, and well-written summary/analysis. This provides reflective elaboration of the evidence you have included that demonstrates your skills, attitudes, and knowledge. It helps the reviewer of your portfolio understand exactly what the exhibit is supposed to show about you and why it was included. Without these kinds of summaries, portfolios tend to be just large scrapbooks that do not necessarily give a complete and accurate picture of who you are and what you can do.
Every summary/analysis must have:
Identification information – your name, name of the exhibit, and date.
Description of the specific skills and/or attitudes this exhibit demonstrates.
Your own self-assessment including strengths, weaknesses, and goals you set for improvement.
Steps for writing an effective portfolio summary/analysis:
1. Include a description of the specific skills, or attitudes this exhibit demonstrates. Explain in some detail what you had to do to complete the assignment, project, or whatever the exhibit is, and how this process proves that you have the skills, attitudes, or knowledge you say you are showing.
2. Showing that you can self-assess is very important. Discuss how you know the quality of the exhibit you include is at a high level. Just saying you got a good grade on a project, for instance, is not adequate because the reviewer does not know exactly what you had to do to earn that grade. Be clear and complete here and include things like criteria lists and rubrics that specifically show what you had to do to produce a quality exhibit.
3. Another important piece of self-assessment is goal setting and knowing realistically what your strengths and weaknesses are. Indicate in your summary what you are especially proud of in this exhibit and what you are going to work on improving.
4. Check for quality. Proofread your summary and seek input from others. Do the spell and grammar checks because a poorly done summary reflects on the quality of the entire exhibit.
5. Check your exhibits for confidentiality. If you have used samples of assessments, student work, or anything that has individual names, addresses, phone numbers, school names, teacher names, etc., make sure you remove that information from the exhibit. Permission for use of any student’s picture must be obtained and documented in writing.
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