EDU695: MAED Capstone week 1

Articles

1. Ash, S. L., & Clayton, P. H. (2004). The articulated learning: An approach to guided reflection and assessment. Innovative Higher Education, 29(2), 137-154. Retrieved from the EBSCOhost database.
2. Minott, M. (2009, Winter). The role of reflection in the differentiated instructional process. College Quarterly, 12(1).  Retrieved from the ERIC database.
3. Phelps, P. H. (2008).  Helping teachers become leaders. The Clearing House, 81( 3), 119-122.  Retrieved from the EBSCOhost database

Discussions
To participate in the following discussions, go to this week's Discussion link in the left navigation.

1. Vision for Teaching and Learning
   
   Teachers have a powerful role in the classroom and larger school community.  School teachers, administrators, and educators/ trainers make hundreds of decisions a day; these decisions affect many people.  As such, it is important for educators to ground their decisions in research and in a vision.  In this course, you will learn how to make data-based decisions based on action research principles and apply many of the principles of your MAED program.  But before you can do that, you must explore, reflect upon, and solidify your own beliefs about teaching and learning, especially for diverse student populations. This vision will continue to evolve and will continually be refined as you gain more experience and practice.  
   
   Read Phelps’ article entitled, "Helping Teachers Become Leaders." Compare his statement with at least two vision statements that you find via a Google search.  In the discussion forum, create your own vision statement.  Phelps provides an example in the article. As Phelps (2008) suggests, go beyond mantras such as “all students can learn.”  The heart of your vision should address an educational dilemma in a diverse learning context.  For example, a possible dilemma in the mantra “all students can learn,” is that there are teachers who believe that some students do not learn which is indicative of a “one size fits all” type of teaching.  Your vision statement will address a problem you see in education and describe how you choose to solve that problem.  Reflect on how your beliefs will influence your classroom practices.   As Phelps indicates, “Formulating one’s vision in writing makes its achievement more likely" (p. 120).
   
   Guided Response: Answer any follow-up questions your instructor may have for you after reading your post.  Read your classmates’ posts and respond to at least three of them. Ask questions that challenge their practices and beliefs.  Ask questions that promote their growth and development.  Comment on how your classmates’ vision statements can help create a thoughtful, diverse community.
2. Role as a Teacher-Leader or Teacher-Researcher?
   
   Read Phelps’ article entitled, "Helping Teachers Become Leaders." In this discussion forum, you will reflect upon your own leadership skills.  
   
   Choose one of these options (You can respond to both and/or synthesize your thinking around both concepts in order to further advance your thinking.):  
   
   Option A:  According to Danielson’s framework (as cited in Phelps, 2008), what are the three areas of teacher-leaders’ influence?  For each area, describe your leadership capacity.  Which area do you see as your strength and why?  Which area is your weakest and why?
   
   Option B:  According to Lieberman and Miller (as cited in Phelps, 2008), what are the three main roles of teacher/educational-leader?  For each role, describe your own leadership capacity.  Which role fits you the best and why?  Which role is most foreign to you and why?
   
   Guided Response:  Answer any follow-up questions your instructor may have for you after reading your post.  Read your classmates’ posts and respond to at least three of them. Add to their reflections by making connections or suggestions.  Share specific examples from your own personal and professional experiences.

Assignment
To complete the following assignment, go to this week's Assignment link in the left navigation.

1. Why Educators Should Do Research
   
   Educators need to conduct research in order to make effective decisions about student learning and student achievement. In addition, teachers must be reflective about their practice in order to make appropriate changes and accommodations, especially for diverse student populations. Complete both parts of this assignment:
   
   Part A:
   Read the following articles about being a reflective practitioner:
1. “The Articulated Learning: An Approach to Guided Reflection and Assessment”
2. “The Role of Reflection in the Differentiated Instructional Process”

Using information you gathered from the articles, provide an analysis of the following questions: What does it mean to be a reflective practitioner? Why should teachers be reflective? How would you describe yourself in regard to being a reflective practitioner?

Part B:
Provide an evaluation of this question from Barth (as cited in the Phelps, 2008): “How much are you prepared to risk of what is familiar, comfortable, safe, and perhaps working well for you, in the name of better education for others?” Reflect on current practices and how you can be a reflective change agent. Think about the following questions: How will you use research to improve your practice in order to facilitate student achievement? What two areas of practice in your educational environment do you think need researching and why?

You must include one scholarly resource in addition to the required articles. The paper must be cited in proper APA formatting and must be three to four pages in length, in addition to the title and reference pages.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.