ALVERNO COLLEGE

TEACHER CANDIDATES SELF-ASSESSMENT

Candidate: Shawna Hendrix
Supervisor: Suzann Gardner
Cooperating Teacher: Kelly Patschull
School: James Madison High School
Disability Categories Represented: N/A

Check One: 1st Observation _X__ 2nd Observation ___

Date: October 22, 2015
Number of Students: 36
Grade: 11-12
Subject(s): AP Language Arts
Diverse Student Needs Represented: N/A
Evidence (Candidate)

Planning and Preparation (AEA: Conceptualization/Diagnosis

WTS: 1, 7 DISP: Respect, Responsibility - CEC: 1, 4, 5, 9, 10)

Uses teaching resources and curriculum materials that are

appropriate in representing the ideas and concepts.
Plans instruction appropriate to students stages of development and
learning styles.
Provides opportunities for active engagement, manipulation and
testing of ideas and materials.
Chooses appropriate teaching strategies, learning experiences, and
materials to achieve different instructional purposes and to meet student
needs.
Plans motivational instruction by relating lessons to students
personal interest.

____Inadequate

____Emerging

_X_Proficient

____Distinctive

Respond to:
How did you determine the appropriate standards and objectives?
I was instructed by my Cooperating Teacher to do a lesson on found
poetry. I took a chapter from a book they are reading currently in class to
create a lesson on found poetry. After creating my lesson, I was able to
discover several Common Core Standards that the lesson addresses.
Beyond simply creating their own poems, I wanted students to know some
of the foundations of poetry, such as figurative language and rhyme
scheme. After learning about these techniques and seeing my example, I
asked students to create their own found poem.
How did this lesson fit into the curriculum?
The students in Ms. Patschulls AP Literature class are currently reading
Metamorphosis. In addition, the students have not worked on poetry yet
in the semester, which is a goal that needed to be met. I combined the
poetry lesson into their current reading to create a lesson on found poetry.
Why did you choose the materials? How effective were they?
I chose to do a found poetry lesson based off of the chapter they were
currently reading in Metamorphosis. I did a PowerPoint presentation in
order to have a visual for the students to follow while I presented. After
writing their poems, I allowed the students to write their poem onto a white
piece of paper and decorate it however they like. I tried to incorporate fun
elements into my presentation, such as using the theme song from The
Fresh Prince of Bel Air into my section on rhyme scheme. I believe the
overall presentation was effective, though I would have liked to have been
able to omit many of the types of figurative language that I addressed, as I
did not find them necessary for this lesson.

Classroom Environment (AEA: Coordination/Integrative Interaction

WTS: 2, 3, 5 - DISP: Respect, Responsibility CEC: 2, 3, 5)
Copyright 2014. Alverno College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All rights reserved under U.S., International
and Universal Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in part or whole by any method is prohibited by law.

Evidence (Candidate and Student)

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Evidence (Candidate)

Planning and Preparation (AEA: Conceptualization/Diagnosis

WTS: 1, 7 DISP: Respect, Responsibility - CEC: 1, 4, 5, 9, 10)

Shows respect for the diverse talents of all learners.

Is committed to the expression and use of democratic values in the
classroom.
Organizes, allocates, and manages the resources of time, space,
activities and attention to engage students in productive tasks.
Respects students as individuals with differing personal and family
background and various skills, talents and interests.

____Inadequate

___Emerging

_X__Proficient

____Distinctive

Respond to:
How did you create a positive learning environment?
I can honestly say that I try to create a positive experience for the students
whenever I am at James Madison High School. I do not fully support my
Cooperating Teachers methods of instruction (how far does screaming
really get you?), so instead, I try to act as a positive adult role model for the
students. During my time there I try to connect to the students individually
and get to know them personally. For my specific lesson, I tried to relate to
them by attempting to make poetry fun. I used the theme song from The
Fresh Prince of Bel Air and asked a student to read it aloud. After the first
line, she and another student were both singing it. We then analyzed the
rhyme scheme. Techniques such as these I find to be more beneficial in
getting the overall understanding across than using a boring or dry poem. I
also tried to encourage the students to express themselves through poetry,
by making the argument that poetry doesnt require rules.
How do you feel students felt during the lesson? What is your
evidence?
I feel that the majority of my class enjoyed and understood the lesson. I
did have a few talkers (who were distracted) but overall, most of the
students were paying attention to me as I taught. Comments after the
lesson from students such as I wish you were our teacher were
encouraging.
How did you demonstrate respect for, and rapport with the learners?
As I mentioned above, I have worked to develop a rapport with the
students throughout my time at James Madison High School. I get to know
them personally and tailor instruction toward their interests. For example,
a few weeks ago the students were required to write a childrens book.
One student in the class did not want to participate, so I tried working with
him by asking him what hobbies he had and what interested him outside of
school. After finding out more about him, we came up with a story about a
young basketball player. Building relationships with the students
throughout the semester has helped me to develop a stronger rapport with
the students. In addition, I feel that demonstrating respect for the students
(instead of constantly screaming at them) helps them respect you.
How did you actively engage students? Who responded? Who did
not? Why?
I had the students read some of the PowerPoint out loud. I also tried to
engage them by asking a lot of questions. I asked them what makes a
poem a poem, if poetry has to rhyme, what a rhyme scheme is and if they
can identify one, what figurative language is, and what a found poem is.
Again, I tried to use fun examples of poetry in my lesson.

Copyright 2014. Alverno College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All rights reserved under U.S., International
and Universal Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in part or whole by any method is prohibited by law.

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Evidence (Candidate)

Planning and Preparation (AEA: Conceptualization/Diagnosis

WTS: 1, 7 DISP: Respect, Responsibility - CEC: 1, 4, 5, 9, 10)

What kinds of responses did you give to students responses?

If I thought a response was great, I said, great! If I thought a response
needed more explanation, I questioned it. As the students worked on their
individual poems, I walked around the room and offered feedback to each
of them. I helped them to come up with some lines or helped them to
structure their overall poem, etc.

Evidence Code Definitions:

Inadequate = Unsatisfactory

Emerging = Needs Improvement

Proficient = Satisfactory

Instruction (AEA: Communication, Coordination, Diagnosis,

Integrative Interaction WTS 4, 6, 7 - DISP: Respect, Responsibility,
Communication CEC: 4, 6, 7, 8, 9)

Encourages discussion.
Modifies explanations when necessary to assist students
understanding.
Recognizes the importance of verbal and nonverbal communication.
Is a thoughtful and responsive listener.
Communicates in ways that demonstrate a sensitivity to cultural and
gender differences.
Models appropriate communication strategies in conveying ideas
and information.

Distinctive = Exemplary

Evidence (Candidate and Student)

____Inadequate

____Emerging

_X_Proficient

____Distinctive

Respond to:
How well did your strategies support meeting the lesson
objectives/learning targets?
I think that overall, the lesson met the objectives and learning targets I
centered on. The students were able to learn about some elements of
poetry and construct their own found poems. For instance, when walking
around and working with individual students, I would ask if they employed
a rhyme scheme in their found poem, and if so, what the scheme was.
What went well? What would you change? Why?
The students were able to understand the elements of a poem and
construct their own found poem using chapter 1 of Metamorphosis.
Overall the class was well behaved (with the exception of a few students
who were talking) and participated in the class. They responded to the
questions I asked and met the overall objective. I would change around
my PowerPoint a bit and exclude some of the types of figurative language
in my presentation. I would also try to connect figurative language to the
poem they had to construct (For example, have the students utilize one
form of figurative language in their found poem). Finally, I think I would
practice more of my disciplinary techniques on the students who were
talking during my presentation instead of focus (remain quiet until the class
is quiet, etc.)
How effective were the leveled questions you used?
I believe they were effective. Students were able to tell me what was/was
not a poem, if a poem had to rhyme, what a rhyme scheme was, what a
found poem was, etc. These were all concepts that were new to the

Copyright 2014. Alverno College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All rights reserved under U.S., International
and Universal Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in part or whole by any method is prohibited by law.

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Evidence (Candidate)

Planning and Preparation (AEA: Conceptualization/Diagnosis

WTS: 1, 7 DISP: Respect, Responsibility - CEC: 1, 4, 5, 9, 10)

students.
How did you use the academic language? How well do you think the
students know and understand the academic language? ELL?SPE?
Cite evidence.
We discussed terms such as figurative language, found poetry, and
rhyme scheme, which were all new to most of them. I explained each
term and provided an example. I did not have to any ELL or SPE students
in my class.

Evidence (Candidate and Student)

Assessment (AEA: Diagnosis/Integrative Interaction WTS: 8, 9

DISP: Collaboration, Communication CEC: 1, 5, 8, 9, 10)

Evaluates the effect of class activities on both individuals and the

class as a whole, collecting information through observation of
classroom interactions, questioning, and analysis of student work.
Uses classroom observation and information about students as
sources for evaluating the outcomes of teaching and as a basis for
reflecting on and revising practice.

____Inadequate

____Emerging

_X_Proficient

____Distinctive

Respond to:
How well did your assessment measure students meeting the
objectives?
My assessment was that the students be able to construct their own found
poems using chapter 1 of Metamorphosis. In addition, while walking
around the room, I asked questions such as, What rhyme scheme did you
utilize? What is the theme of your poem? Again, I would have like to
have added a figurative language component to the overall poetry
assignment.
What were your assessment results during and/or after the lesson?
How does this inform you of next learning steps?
This class is a hard class to teach, honestly, but in general, I think most of
the students understood my lesson. I believe that if someone were to ask
these students today what a found poem was, they would be able to tell
you the answer. All of the students were able to complete the assignment
that I asked of them (creating their own found poems).
What would you change about your teaching and/or assessment to
better support or extend students performance?
I would have added a discussion component to the lesson (turn and talk,
etc.) I would have also liked to have made the assessment a little bit more
challenging by adding the figurative language piece to it. However, many
of the students struggled with the simple creation of the found poem, so
adding figurative language into it may have been too tough for them (even
though theyre technically AP students.

Professional Responsibilities (AEA: Communication/Integrative

Interaction WTS: 10 DISP: Responsibility, Collaboration,
Communication CEC: 2, 5, 10)
Copyright 2014. Alverno College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All rights reserved under U.S., International
and Universal Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in part or whole by any method is prohibited by law.

Evidence (Candidate)

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Relates professionally and effectively with the cooperating teacher

and faculty.
Dresses professionally and consistently portrays a professional
demeanor.
Is enthusiastic about teaching.
Seeks out the cooperating teacher to support his/her development
as a learner and a teacher.

Overall Performance: ____Inadequate

____Emerging

__X__Proficient

____Inadequate

____Emerging

_X_Proficient

____Distinctive

Respond to:
Describe your contact with the CT in planning this lesson. (e.g. How far
ahead did you contact her/him? Did you suggest a lesson or use one
already in place? If in place, did you discuss or make any modifications?)
My Cooperating Teacher was aware that I would be teaching about a week
ahead of time. She was the one who said that she wanted me to do a lesson on
found poetry and told me to include both rhyme scheme and figurative language
in it. After creating my PowerPoint presentation and lesson plan, I sent it to her
to review and received her approval.
How did you present yourself as a professional to the students?
The students know me as a professional from working with me throughout the
semester. They know that I am a college graduate with an English degree who
is working on getting my teaching license and my Masters. Therefore, since
day one, they have treated me as a professional. They only refer to me as Ms.
Hendrix, they use me as a resource when they need help, and they value my
knowledge and assistance in their writing projects.
____Distinctive

See below.

On October 22, 2015, I taught a 11-12th grade Language Arts lesson on poetry. I demonstrated the following two of the Wisconsin Teacher
Standards for Licensure and Development: Teachers know the subject they are teaching and Teachers are able to evaluate themselves. I have
studied poetry throughout my educational career as an English major, and studied it further when planning for this lesson. I had never constructed a
found poem before, so I needed to do a little bit of research on that prior to my lesson. After teaching my lesson, I spent a lot of time evaluating what
went right versus what I could have done better. I understand that the students could have benefitted from me slowing down while teaching and
providing a more thorough instruction. For instance, instead of going through the types of figurative language quickly, I could have spent more time
explaining them and coming up with an example as a whole. I also could have been sterner with the students who were talking during my lesson and
utilized techniques such as, Im quiet until the room gets quiet.
Two of the Alverno Graduate Advanced Education Abilities that I demonstrated in my lesson are Conceptualization and Communication.
I was able to demonstrate conceptualization by integrating my knowledge of poetry and Language Arts in order to instruct a lesson on poetry. I was
also able to create my own found poem based off of chapter one of Metamorphosis, the text they are currently reading, in order to demonstrate the
expectations of students. If it werent for my background in English, I would not have been able to effectively communicate the elements of poetry
and come up with several examples. I used communication by providing a PowerPoint, which was both an oral and visual (written) presentation. In
addition and provided examples throughout the lesson to support student learning. I also communicated clearly and accurately and made the goals of
the lesson clear to the students (they were required to construct their own found poems). I tried to make the presentation fun in order to hold their
attention. In the end, I was able to assess my performance in order to set goals for improvement.
Copyright 2014. Alverno College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All rights reserved under U.S., International
and Universal Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in part or whole by any method is prohibited by law.

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I believe that I successfully demonstrated at least five of the Common Core Standards. Literacy.RI.11-12.4 asks students to determine the
meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word
choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, and beautiful. Literacy.L.1112.5 also asks that students be understand figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. Literacy.L.11-12.3 states that
students be able to apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different context, to make effective choices for meaning or
style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. One of the biggest lessons I tried to teach was the way words work in poetry as
opposed to other literary contexts. I also included the theme song of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air in order for students to understand that song lyrcs
are poetry (and to make the lesson more fun). The students were also required to have read chapter one of Metamorphosis prior to my lesson, so
they met CCSS Literacy.SL.11-12.1a, which asks that students come to discussions prepared, having read and researched the material under study.
Finally, students met Literacy.W.11-12.4, as they were able to produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style
are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. The construction of their own found poetry assesses that each student met this criteria.
My lesson fit into Ms. Patschulls curriculum by incorporating the reading material they were studying in the class (Metamorphosis) with a
literacy target she still needed to address (poetry). I was able to get the students to reach several of the Common Core State Standards through this
lesson.

Copyright 2014. Alverno College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All rights reserved under U.S., International
and Universal Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in part or whole by any method is prohibited by law.

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