Overview of the Portfolio: how to access the material, about me, and my contact information.

Overview of the Portfolio:

• The following document is a Masters in Teaching Portfolio. It is a collection of my work over the last year with the University of Alaska Southeast and the work I have done with my mentor teacher at Juneau Douglas High School. Under each goal, I have listed information to prove I have met the objectives and requirements of the program. This portfolio is to demonstrate and prove my abilities to be a secondary education teacher.

How to Access the Material:

• You need to be connected to the web to access the material.

• All 9 goals are listed with there various objectives underneath them.You need to scroll down the document to see the listed goals and objectives.

• Embedded in the paragraphs are hyperlinks to the documents that I refer to. All you need to do is click on the link and read the documents.

• On the right side of the blog page there is a column labeled blog archive which will help you move through the documents. If you click on any of the goals it will take you to the goal. Also, there is a column about me and some of my goals, please feel free to check them out.
  

• If at any time you have questions with what you are reading and want to contact me please feel free to e-mail me at julie_heard10@yahoo.com

About me:

• I knew I was destined to be a instructor when I was eight years old. I was teaching my three cousins how kick a soccer ball. I had them all in a line, explaining where to contact their foot to the ball and so on. I have been informally teaching anyone who will listen all my life. I hope to give my special talents to every school I get to teach at. I want to help students develop their own set of boundaries and life skills to lead a healthy, active lives. It will be my gift to the world.
  

• Refer to my resume to look at some of my past job and educational experiences.

My upcoming Future in Teaching:

• My next adventure lies in Unalaska, AK. I have excepted my first Health and Physical Education job there. I will be moving out there late July to start my adventures in a rural community. I could not be more excited about the journey. After all, "Life is all about the journey and the lessons you learn along the way."
  

• Thank you very much for you time viewing my Portfolio Blog

Julie Heard

Goal 1: Teachers articulate, maintain, and develop a philosophy of education that they also demonstrate in practice.

1a. Support their philosophy of education with research-based theory and evidence.

• Refer to my philosophy paper where I am introduced into the world of Dewey, Frier and Hahn. This is where I start to really think about the different philosophy styles and what kind of a teacher I want to evolve into. This paper will give you an insight into my rudimentary teaching philosophy.
  

• Refer to my philosophy paper of the expectations I have for my students. This paper talks about 5 basic concepts that will make me a remarkable teacher in the eyes of the students. It;s important to not only have expectations as a teacher to the school and the curriculum, but its important to have standards for how I want to treat and teach my students.
  

• Refer to my philosophy of education paper where I review the changes I have made on my philosophy as I have been exposed to new ideas over the year. This paper is still an evolving philosophy because everyday I am a learner who is growing and adapting to be the best teacher I can be.

1b. Apply philosophy, beliefs and theory to practice.

• Refer to my lesson plan with link to personal philosophy paper. This paper references my units First Aid I-Movie and Rapping Against Tobacco. I used both of these lesson to demonstrate how I live by my philosophy to create fun, new and exciting lesson for my students. These lesson plans show the difficulty students were asked to preform at as well and the exciting material that was used. To note, the day these projects were presented to the class was a day of laughter and very big smiles.
  

• Refer to my teacher work sample where I describe how I used my philosophy as a teaching tool during the injury prevention unit I taught. The paper describes a style of teaching where I held students to high expectations while I continued to help and believe in them whenever they need a little boost.
  

1c. Abide by a philosophy of education and remain flexible to revising it based on new research and teaching experience.

• Refer to my internship evaluation where my host teachers and UAS adviser evaluate and reflects on my philosophy as a health and physical education teacher. This evaluation will show examples of my philosophy in practice as well as other examples of my philosophy over the course of the school year.

Goal 2: Teachers understand how human development affects and apply that understanding to practice.

2a Identify ways students' developmental levels affect their thinking processes and learning.

• Refer to my teacher work sample where I discuss the different stages of development of my students. This section also includes their emotional stages and what students need to be able to learn.You will also read some of my reflective thoughts where I assess the developmental levels of my students and what I liked and would keep and what I would do differently next time I teach the unit.

• Refer to my Social and Emotional Intelligence Attendance Sheet. This document is used to grade students on their positive risk taking, empathy, listening, and cooperation. If I see a student is doing exceptional in a categorie they get a plus by their name. If a student has forgot to use their listening skills and is continuously talking while another student is sharing or when I am giving instructions, they get a minus. The points add up at the end of the week and they are graded on these life skills.
  

2b. Accommodate differences in how students learn based on knowledge of individual social, emotional and intellectual maturation.

• Refer to my hemisphere paper where I discuss the right and left hemisphere of the brain and how it influences my teaching of different subjects. This paper also talks about different learning styles and what is most useful for student with different dominate learning styles.

• Refer to my Rapping Against Tobacco Lesson where I give the kids an appropriate developmental lesson that will stimulate learning and be creative enough to capture their attention. This lesson will demonstrate my ability to use material that is developmentally appropriate for my students.
  

2c. Appreciate unique thinking processes of learning at different stages of development.

• Refer to my evaluation where my host teacher and I discuss my knowledge of different developmental stages that students go through as a freshmen to a senior in high school. We discuss the appropriateness of health being taught as a freshmen verse a sophomore and what would be more appropriate.
  

Goal 3: Teachers differentiate instruction with respect for individual and cultural characteristics.
3a. Identify strategies for differentiating instruction based on students differences.

• Refer to my multicultural awareness final paper. I wrote this after I completed my multicultural education class at UAS. This paper is a reflection paper about what I learned over the course and how much more aware I was of different types of students who really need you to differential instruction for them. This paper also describes the things I would do next time to make my lesson more dynamic and comprehensive for all students in the class.

• Refer to my student recognition paper. This document highlights a student who stood out in the classroom for me. Every month teachers get to pick one or two outstanding students in their classes to be honers by the principle at a luncheon. The paper is the article I submitted to the assistant principle so one of my students could be recognised.
  

3b. Design instruction that incorporates characteristics of the local community's culture and that is appropriate to students' individual and special needs.

• Refer to my paper developing a research plan. This document is a fake research paper that talks about the nutritional need on students in Juneau as it relates to their academic achievement. This paper demonstrates know how to write a research paper with appropriate controls and methods to make the study reliable and relative.
  

• Refer to my teacher work sample where I talk about the many ways I differentiated instruction for success of my students. The assignments were part of the unit that had a lot of variety and choices to help students complete their projects. Of course, because I was learning, this paper also has a reflective piece where I talk about what I would do different next time.
  

3c. Apply local and Alaska knowledge to the selection of instructional strategies.

• Refer to my lesson plan Native Alaskan Youth Olympic Games, where another Physical education teacher and myself create a comprehensive unit that incorporates traditional Alaskan games like the blanket toss and the seal hop as a fun way to educate my students on Alaska Native history as physical fitness. This lesson is fun and exciting for students.

3d. Appreciate multiple perspectives and value individual differences.

• Refer to my evaluation by my host teacher and myself where a story is told about a bilingual Tongan students who was too afraid to do her assignments because of her fear of writing in English. I noticed something was wrong and asked her to stay after class one day. She told me everything and I gave her the assignment in partial English and partial Tongan. The look on her face when she walked back into the classroom with a beautiful complete project full of pride and joy would have tugged at any one's heart.
  

Goal 4: Teachers possess current academic content and knowledge.

4a. Demonstrates knowledge of the content area taught, including structure of the curriculum, the tools of inquiry, central concepts, and connections to other areas of knowledge.

• Refer to my paper written on my educational experience where I explain my background in health and physical education. This paper also talked about my experiences in sports and coaching as well as my background in my other work experience with Juneau Youth Services where I was a case manager for teens who were dually diagnosed with mental disorders.

• Refer to my research methods paper where I discuss current "hot topics" in health. This paper described what organizations like School Health Education and Center for Disease Control is working on. This paper also discusses a new health curriculum called the 4R Aboriginal Curriculum. I have signed up to take this course in August 2010. Showing my commitment to staying current in the fields I want to teach.
  

• Refer to my evaluation where my host teacher and I went over my current academic content. This document explains my real strengths in the areas of health and physical education as well as some great tips for me before I start a new unit. I was rated a five out of six on academic content, with lots of room to continue my own research to become rich in my field.
  

4b. Connect the content area to other content areas and to practical situations. encountered outside of school.

• Refer to my paper connection of content areas to other content areas. This paper describes the importance of health to students and how it connects to other content areas in the school. The paper describes my knowledge of how I structure units and lessons for optimal learning. The ideal of scaffolding units comes to mind.

• Refer to my paper on transference, this paper talks about the study of the human body and how the information given to the students will transfer into other aspects of there life. It discusses the validity of the unit and how it will be important for secondary education as well as general life knowledge of the human body and how it works.
  

• Refer to my paper on preconception gender selection, its a very new and hot topic in health about the technology. Doctors now can select the gender of a child before its born. This kind of technological advancement is astonishing to comprehend. We are now in the days where we can choose the gender of our children.
  

4c. Commit to professional discourse about content knowledge and student learning of content.

• Refer to my evaluation where my host teacher and I went over my current academic content. This document talks about some of my real strengths in the areas of health and physical education as well as some great tips for me before I start a new unit. I was rated a five out of six on academic content, with lots of room to continue my own resources to become rich in my field.

Goal 5: Teachers facilitate student learning by using assessment to guide planning, instruction, modification of teaching practices.

5a. Understands how to plan for instruction that is based on students needs and curriculum goals.

• Refer to my papers that I wrote in 2b, 3b and 4b. These papers describe how I differentiate instruction and set up lesson plans that are conducive to different developmental stages and learning styles. The papers also explains how the content I teach will be used outside the classroom with a lifetime of real life application tools.

• Refer to my 3 week lesson plan I used for the injury prevention unit. I like to not only use a semester long outline of lesson but I use a mini outline to look at exactly what I want to cover in those three weeks. It helps me plan for guest speakers and days the students might need a computer lab. It's a great way for me to stay organized and make sure I get all activities done on the schedule set for the unit.
  

• Refer to my evaluation where I my host teacher and I look at the different ways I planned out my lessons in order to meet all of my students needs. The evaluation explains how I helped meet the needs of my students even if it went beyond the basic instruction from class.
  

5b. Plan, teach, and assess for optimal student learning.

• Refer to my semester lesson outline where I briefly map out what I plan to teach over the course of the semester I get to spend with my students. I use this document to guide my lessons and use it as a reminder of how short a semester can be if you don't use every class period for something new to build on.

• Refer to Backwards Design lesson on the Seven Mechanisms of Disease. This lesson plan demonstrates I understand backwards planning in an important tool to covering a curriculum. The idea of backwards planning makes sense to me, if you do not understand what you want to teach your student and the take home message will be for them, then how will you pick what assignments and notes to give them.
  

• Refer to my evaluation where my host teacher and myself evaluate my strengths in this area of planning and teaching the lessons that I have created for student learning. The evaluation shows how I met this goal and the objectives that go along with it.

• Refer to my teacher work sample where I demonstrate I could plan, teach and assess student work for the benefits of their learning. The teacher work sample also describes the ways I give feedback to student work after it is handed it. It's always a good mixture of positive feedback and if necessary some constructive feedback.
  

5c. Value assessment and instruction as integrated process.

• Refer to my teacher work sample where I show and demonstrate my abilities to plan a lesson based on the criteria I wanted my students to learn from the unit. In this section I show how I use backward design and scaffolding to plan my units.

Goal 6: Teacher create and manage a stimulating, inclusive and safe learning community in which students take intellectual risks and work independently and collaboratively.

6a. Investigate and use a variety of classroom management techniques to establish and maintain a responsive environment in which all students are able to learn.

• Refer to my paper on classroom management where I talk about ways to manage a classroom. Good classroom management creates a safe learning environment. This paper also talks about other useful classroom management techniques I have learned this year.

• Refer to a game called Snakes in the Grass. This is great preventative classroom management technique to get the kids up and moving. This game is something I use when the kids look a little restless or the other extreme, super board. There is a lot of research out there stating that increased oxygen to the brain helps stimulate learning. That is exactly what this game is designed to do. Please read more to find out the rules and how we play in the classroom.
  

6b. Establish and maintain a positive climate in which students develop self-direction and collaborative skills.

• Refer to my paper on resources of strategies and management where I explain five crucial interactive activities I use to create a safe environment for students to use. This paper also talks about how I update grades to keep students and parents in the loop about their child's assignment. Read more to find out how I use a Socratic Seminar to evoke discussion and collaboration.

• Refer to my test coupons I give out if a student gets an A on a test. This is a great way to encourage the students to study hard and do well on an Exam. If a student gets an A, they are allowed to use the coupon an a free assignment. All they are instructed to do is staple the coupon on whatever assignment they want to turn in without completing. Its a great simple reward system that tells a student I recognized they worked hard and I want to commend them.
  

6c.Commit to ensuring students well being and development of self-regulation and group interaction skills.

• Refer to my evaluation where my host teachers talk and discuss my current skills in this area. Covering the ideas of how important it is that the students know they are welcomed and how important it is to the class that they show up everyday. As important it is that the teacher is present everyday, it's also important that the students knows we are glad when they come into the classroom.
  

Goal 7: Teachers work as partners with parents, families and the community.

7a. Develop a sound, broad-based understanding of students' families and the local community.

• Refer to my teacher work sample where I discuss the different backgrounds of my students. This paper goes into some detail about my students ethnic and socioeconomic status as individuals as well as a discussion on a group level.
  

• Refer to my human sexuality parent newsletter where I briefly explain the last unit taught in Health. It's a friendly letter explaining the different topics that we cover during this unit and encourages parents to ask their students about the topics discussed in class. This letter also explains the understanding if they want to pull their child from class for the week.
  

7b. Communicate effectively with parents and community and incorporate local ways of knowing into decision making about all levels of schooling.

• Refer to parent newsletter a document I sent home at the beginning of the year to initiate contact with parents. The letter welcomes the families to the school and talks about the health curriculum and what is to be expected over the next semester in class.

• Refer to my contact log document were I keep track of the parents interactions I had. This log keeps track of the parents, date, time, and what the conversation was about. It's a great way to keep a running record of the important conversations I have with parents and it's kind of a way to keep myself in check if I tell a parent I will do something. It ensures that I will do what I said I would.
  

• Refer to my family and community communication paper where I talk about how I connect with parents and the useful ways I get in touch with them. This paper discusses different idea I have heard other teachers use to communicate with parents and ones that I like and ones I think could use a little adjustments.
  

7c. Recognize the school as an integral part of the community and value parents as partners promoting student learning.

• Refer to my evaluation document where my host teachers and I talk about my progress over the years and show evidence of how I met this objective of working side my side with parents and students to give the students the best helping hand possible for their success.
  

Goal 8: Teachers develop and maintain professional, moral, ethical attitudes, behaviors, relationship, and habits of mind.

8a. Keep current knowledge of content and teaching practices.

• Refer to section 8b.

8b. Participate in and contribute to the teaching profession.

• Refer to my reflection paper. Where I demonstrate I participated and contributed to the teaching profession. Where I talk about activities I have been a part of during the M.A.T. year. This paper also discusses some of the current things that are happening in the physical education. I also will discuss some of my up and coming trainings I am attending in this summer.
  

• Refer to my volleyball coaching paper where I discuss what it was like to coach this year. It talks about my thoughts on coaching and why I think its important for all teachers in the school to be involved in some extra curricular activity where they get to know students outside of the classroom for an connection on a different level.
  

8c. Communicate effectively with students, colleagues, and supervisors.

• Refer to my evaluation document where it explains how I worked with my colleagues to come up with the best solutions and lessons for my students. This evaluation explains I not only met but exceeded my objectives for this goal.
  

8d. Value professional ethics, democratic principles, collaborative learning communities.

• Refer to my evaluation document where it explains how I worked with my colleagues to come up with the best solutions and lessons for my students. This evaluation explains I not only met but exceeded my objectives for this goal.

• Refer to my Native Olympic Games lesson where another physical education teacher and myself created a fun and challenging unit about Native Olympics. This unit is designed for our students to participate and compete in some of the classic events like the seal hop and blanket toss. Its a great lesson for excitement and some education for the students to learn about Alaska Native culture.
  

Goal 9: Teachers use technology effectively, creatively, and wisely.

9a. Operates computers and other technologies and evaluates their potential and limitations.

• Refer to my Anthro-Tech assignment where I document and evaluate the technology in my host school. This paper is a research paper intended to document what technology is available at Juneau Douglas High School. It is also a guideline to show what technology is available for classroom use at JDHS.

• Refer to my MAT blog where I demonstrate the use of technology in a classroom setting for my Education Technology class. The blog discusses the use of Wikkis, I-movies and GarageBand as an exciting way to incorporate technology into lessons for your students.
  

9b. Integrate technology in planning, instruction, and assessment to support students learning.

• Refer to First Aid I-Movie assignment where students were given a severe first aid scenario and asked to create a vocal script where they give aid to the victim. Students were then asked to take pictures to depict the scene and create and I-Movie to show knowledge and skills.

• Refer to my Suicide Prevention Brochure Project. Where students were asked to create a wellness brochure with Excel Brochure Templates. This project was mostly for the students to use technology to gain an understanding of the warning signs of suicide. Alaska has the highest teen suicide statistics and it is very important that our youth know where resources are for themselves and their friends and families.
  

9c Value technology as a tool for student and teacher lifelong learning.

• Refer to the evaluation where my supervisor and mentor teachers commented on my use of technology in the classroom. The evaluation discusses how much my students enjoyed using the computer to create I-Movies and songs on GarageBand.