DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

Engagement with subject matter has always been one of my biggest strengths as a teacher. I've been interested in history, politics and economics since I was very young and my passion for these subjects is what lead me to teaching.

 

Please see my artifacts from my student teaching classroom and artifacts from my academic courses on the left by clicking on the desired heading.

 

I think I clearly demonstrated engagement and enthusiasm for my discipline for my students. For example, I asked them to post any other questions they had about Rome when we neared the end of the unit and I spent a good amount of time looking up answers and presenting them to my students, clearly showing I found the subject matter engaging and important in all areas.  I am very good at understanding the material I need to present to my class and organizing and connecting that material in ways that make sense to understand. For example, I organized the material in Rome as I discussed Standard Three.  I think I am good at understanding the themes of history in general and how they can be used to examine the particular material being presented.  I investigated instructional materials available at my placement school and available in other places and I think I have largely done a good job at selecting instructing materials and resources for my classroom.  For example, I have used a number of primary sources in the classroom and excerpts from a number of secondary texts as well as images and other classroom materials that present multiple viewpoints and representations.  I attempt to use analogies, metaphors, and other explanations and representatives to convey material to students and help students develop a conceptual understanding.

For example, I found great biographies of Roman leaders of the late republic on a database available at the school library, selected six of the most important leaders, divided the class into groups and with guiding questions had them prepare to present the most important information from these leaders’ biographies to their classmates.  I provided the class with graphic organizers to scaffold their ability to take notes during these presentations.  I am aware of differing viewpoints, theories and methods of inquiry in history and find these important to share with my students.  For example, I spent much time with students discussing the many different possible reasons for the fall of Rome.  As I have discussed previously I am working on a problem solving experience with one of my classes that is designed to be interdisciplinary at its root, developing problem-solving skills that cut across all areas of inquiry.  I also incorporate geography, math and economics into many of my lessons such as working with timelines and understanding how roman currency compares to modern US currency.  I have based much of my classroom practice on thinking of history as problems and attempts at solutions, using the history change frame framework I read about at my placement school.  I have tried to focus on my practice as inquiry based in this regard.  My courses at Brown have been a breadth and depth of social studies/history content knowledge and skills that have been very helpful in my student teaching, including economics, political science, public policy, history, and others.

 

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.