John Berger 2/28/2014 SCED 4989 Eportfolio Reflection

The purpose of my eportfolio is to show the education and preparation I have had a Dixie State University for becoming a secondary science teacher. My eportfolio contains a number of things to show my qualifications and other qualities to be an effective educator. The DESERT model shows a variety of examples like assignments I have done in my education classes and videos of time teaching in the classroom.

A web page cannot fully tell my competency, emotional investment and quality, but it should be a good start to tell who I am as a person and educator. Through my eportfolio, I will show that I am a competent, caring, and qualified to be an educator. To be competent, I will be the best example of character as possible to my students. Acting with good, careful judgment is crucial as a teacher as well. Whether it is for classroom management, helping a student one on one, coaching sports, or addressing a student that has come to me with a personal problem, I will use careful, mature judgment that I have learned from my parents and throughout my own education. To be caring, I will again use concepts of caring I have learned in my life. I have been very fortunate to have many good examples of caring people. My parents,

teachers, coaches, church leaders, and other mentors have invested time and effort to me that has helped me, and I look forward to passing that along. To show that I am qualified, I have included my education at Dixie State University with my transcripts and praxis exam score, as well as my basketball history to show that I am a qualified to begin a coaching career as well.

My biographical sketch tells my background of where I came from. In the Diversity section of the DESERT model, there are files showing what I have learned to work with different kinds of students.

The DESERT model shows my qualities in; Diversity (Understand diversity differences, uses culturally responsive curricula, and supports development of English proficiency to meet the needs of all learners). o I will help diverse students learn in my classroom by providing for their needs (if needing additional help or resources), and relating to their culture. Biology is a perfect opportunity to be culturally diverse. Teaching about biology throughout the world is an easy way to relate to students of different cultures. Effective Pedagogy (Create effective and appropriate instruction, uses technology to support and extend learning, and implements multiple assessments to measure learner knowledge and skills).

o I will create assessment and instruction effectively and caringly. Once again, science is a great opportunity. For example, students may gain confidence by learning sciency words that can show them that they can learn words and concepts that appear difficult, but can be fun and interesting. Subject Matter (Demonstrate confidence, subject matter knowledge, uses instructional strategies to engage students in inquiry thinking, and pursues learning to advance professional practice). o I feel that my subject matter knowledge continues to grow. Learning about science and nature is truly endless. There are television programs and opportunities in nature to learn every day. Also, I have had countless leadership opportunities and responsibilities that prepare me for teaching and coaching. Environment (Use classroom management strategies to create physically and emotionally safe environments and encourage cooperative interaction among students). o I will create a classroom environment that is safe, and maximizes student learning. I have passed a lab science safety certification class. I have included in my eportfolio a classroom management plan, which I believe will only improve as I gain experience. My methods may change with experience, but the CMP shows what I plan to do to control the classroom to make it an effective learning environment. Fore example, if the class is noisy and I need to get everyones

attention, I shout hey class, and all the students know to shout back hey yes, and listening. By doing this I get the classes attention in three seconds Reflective (Seek learning experiences as sources of reflection and uses data to reflect and adapt planning and practice). o Reflection and self evaluation is very important to me as a teacher. I find great opportunity in constant assessment in assignments, quizzes, and tests to assess what the students have learned, and what I need to re-teach. Teaching Dispositions (Demonstrate professional teaching dispositions which include; (a) professional relationships and appearance; (b) participation in learning communities; and (c) legal, moral, and ethical conduct with a focus on acceptance and attention to students educational needs). o I will show my professionalism by a number of things. I will dress appropriately, be on time when time is necessary, and conduct myself in a professional manner in everything I do. I believe in respecting all people regardless of age, so I will show respect to my students just like I will show my superiors. I also think that being likeable is an important asset to have by having a positive attitude as much as possible.

My competence and care are partially shown in the videos in the appendix. My qualifications are shown in the appendix with my praxis score and my unofficial transcript. When teaching, I try to ask a lot of questions to pull inquiry from the students. I have recently tried a system of choosing random names to prevent students from not thinking about questions just by not raising their hands. Some students complain, but I think it is more effective than having the same students raise their hands every time. In conclusion, my eportfolio will show my training and current skills to be competent and qualified. I have a passion for education. I enjoy it so much already, and I love the feeling of seeing someone do something that I have taught them. That is also why I am looking forward to coaching basketball as well! I think that as a teacher, I will have the opportunity to help young people more than any other profession on earth, and cannot wait to get started with this wonderful career.