Student Name: Alisha Wetter Artifact Title: Vacation Bible School Leader Date: Summers of 2007-2010 Artifact Description:

This artifact contains pictures of me interacting with children from kindergarten through sixth grade during our summer vacation bible school in the summer of 2011. My role was to lead the children around to different events such as games outside, dancing with the children during music time, helping them make and fold blankets that we sent to an orphanage in Cambodia, and explaining Yoda off of Star Wars from our lesson to the children. This opportunity has given me the experience to work with children of various ages and backgrounds and other leaders, assistants, and station leaders. Alignment: This experience aligns with Standard 10: The teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support students learning and well-being. This experience aligns with Standard 10 because when working with children during vacation bible school involves teachers to plan ahead of time. Teachers have to plan on how much space, food, and crafts are needed. We all meet up without the children before starting the days activities and go over any news or advice about what we are supposed to be teaching them. We have to make sure the children understand what they are learning. After the day is over, teachers get to meet some of the childrens parents. It is similar to the old saying, it takes a village to raise a child because as the teacher, you are working with your communitys children and other leaders who are working alongside you.

I am more competent in this standard because I have made the connections that I wasnt able to see before. I also learned that children are being raised in a sense while going to vacation bible school by letting the teachers teach the children about the curriculum and letting them help raise their children. I am also fostering relationships with not only the children, but with the other leaders and parents. UW-Platteville School of Education Knowledge Skill, Disposition Statement Alignment This experience aligns with KS1.d: Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources- The candidate actively seeks materials and resources to enhance instruction by utilizing school and district resources as well as other resources available outside the school/district. In vacation bible school, the teachers try to engage the students in the storyline for the night in order for them to learn from lesson to lesson. In order to do that every day before it starts, leaders have to make sure all the necessary materials are in the bag we carry around that has our schedule and other necessities such as returning projects that the children made the night before. As a result of this experience, I am more competent in KS1.d: Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources because setting up something as big as Vacation Bible School and finding the people to travel every night for a week to teach children the lesson isnt an easy job either for the people directing it or for the people who sign up as crew leaders, helpers, or lab station leaders and finding all the materials to decorate the area or making the food. Secondary KSDs: KSD4.b. Maintaining Accurate Records KSD4.c. Communicating with Families Reflection:

What I learned about teaching/learning: While working as a leader for vacation bible school, I learned many ways to get the children to become engaged in the activities. I also learned while working with the children that I get to know and better understand the childrens parents and the community I which I lived in.

What I learned about myself as a prospective educator: From this experience, I learned that setting goals for the children even in vacation bible school comes in handy when working with many children at the same time. It is also very important that the lessons being taught should coherent and easy to connect to past and future lessons. Knowing all this, I will be able to use these skills in order to better my teaching.