WELCOME TO MY SHOWCASE
Here is a showcase of the work I have created during my time at MSU. While attending MSU I had three main goals of areas I wanted to improve in. The first was my true love in education, literacy. My literacy section shows many reviews, analyses, and lesson plans that I would love to share with my fellow educators. My second goal was to improve my instruction in math which is a subject I have never felt strong in. The math section of this showcase shares a website of resources that I have created for myself, and three analyses of the three resources I use most in my classroom. Lastly, I wanted to expand my knowledge of the grade-level curriculum. In this section, you can find essays discussing the curriculum we teach, and even more importantly, the curriculum we don't teach.
Enjoy!
LITERACY
This essay chronicles a semester-long case study of a second grade literacy learner. The student showed significant phonics deficits that were diagnosed and then addressed in this study.
This is an in-depth analysis of the Pioneer Valley Literacy Footprints Guided Reading and Writing curriculum. The analysis describes the curriculum and examines its positive and negative aspects.
Above is a lesson that helps struggling learners master long vowel sounds. Students are introduced to the long vowel sounds and supported while sorted them from short vowel sounds. This is a great lead-up to a lesson on the final e rule of phonics.
Above is a lesson introduces the final e rule of phonics. Now that students are comfortable with the long vowel sounds they can practice turning CVC words into CVCe words.
MATH
This is a website I created to showcase some of my favorite resources for teaching elementary math. The resources range from videos, activities, and games. This is a helpful place to look for supplemental math support.
Above is an in-depth analysis of one of my favorite math resources. Number Rock is a successful Youtube channel that creates catchy tunes that help with math skills. This place value song is sung often in my classroom.
Here is another math resource that I have found a lot of use for. The button will take you to an analysis of the game and what skills it is helpful for reinforcing. This game is a great tool for practicing place value.
This is another analysis of a well-loved resource in my classroom. Students can play Monkey Math as a way to introduce themselves to algebra. This piece goes through the pros and cons of using this resource in your classroom.
CURRICULUM
Above you will find a journal full of my musings and learnings of creativity implementation in the classroom. The journal houses several lesson plan ideas that help students learn knowledge through creative channels.
Mandatory RTI seems to be a controversial piece of curriculum these days, particularly in Michigan. This essay discusses the controversy, the impact it has on our students, and the reasoning behind it.
It is said that the average American curriculum is a mirror to white boys, reflecting themselves in what they learn, and a window to all others. This lesson helps empower all students by finding an important historical figure who mirrors them.
Much of the curriculum learned by students are never explicitly taught by us. Part of the curriculum is the set up of the buildings they are educated in and the usage of resources in these schools. Here is a description of the elementary school I work in and what the setup of our school tells our students implicitly.