PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ PERFORMANCE OF INSTRUCTIONALLY RELEVANT
VARIATION:
TENSIONS AND BREAKTHROUGHS
By
Paula Frederica Hunt

A DISSERTATION
Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
Special Education
2012

ABSTRACT
PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ PERFORMANCE OF INSTRUCTIONALLY RELEVANT
VARIATION:
TENSIONS AND BREAKTHROUGHS
By:
Paula Frederica Hunt
This dissertation thesis describes a research inquiry that took place at a large Midwestern
University, in the Fall semester of 2009, is comprised of three case studies, and attempts to
respond to the question: “How do prospective teachers perceive, think about, and respond to the
instructionally relevant variation of their students”.
Instructionally Relevant Variation (IRV) is conceptually related to notions of pedagogy,
characteristics of students and the mediating spaces between students and teachers, and indicates
a set of qualities, or markers, that is fluid and all encompassing. IRV is used to represent
competencies and circumstances that impact teaching and learning, while allowing for overlap
and gradation. IRV stands for, not only those qualities that are innate or long-term, but also
circumstances that may be punctual, or of short-duration (including the child’s relationship with
their teacher), and that either provide affordances or prevent learning from occurring if a teacherlead action does not take place.
This study is based on the premise that Three Problems of Practice promote particular
ways of seeing and doing which compel teachers to see narrow categories of children. Thus,
Preservice teachers that are prepared in programs that are steeped within narrow notions of
Multicultural Education, conceptualizations of professionalization based on expertise areas, and
induction practices guided by silent binaries, might have restricted perceptions of children, and
have difficulty identifying IRVs that fall outside of the purview of their pre-conceived

professional lens and, in turn, have restricted ways of seeing and doing which result into
unresolved tensions when attempting to plan and instruct ALL students.
This investigation is based upon three case-studies, and follows three pre-service teachers
in their first semester of the internship year. The participants were followed throughout 14
weeks, both in a graduate course on Literacy and in their internship placements, and while they
planned and instructed students within the context of a literacy unit. All the work produced by
the participants during the semester was gathered and analyzed, and further augmented with
informal conversations, semi-structured interviews, and on-site observations. Because this is an
investigation that delves into discursive practice and discourse-in-practice, an interpretative
analysis method (Holstein, J.A., & Gubrium, F.F., 2011) was used to analyze the context and
transcripts of all oral interactions.
The results of this investigation indicate that while all three participants perceived,
thought about and responded to their students IRVs, their responses (breadth and depth) were
influenced by different conceptualizations of teaching/learning. The argument will be made that
a combined approach to RTI, DI and CRP will allow for the transformation of Problems into
Possibilities of Practice and a change in the ways in which Pre-service teachers stand, see, and
do, thus allowing for a wider perspective into students’ IRVs. By combining these three
pedagogical approaches and creating environments that are based upon the central premises of an
Inquiry as Stance lens, combined with a commitment to teach all students, and a disability
studies framing of normalcy, pre-service teachers will enter the classrooms with a wider set of
tools with which to entangle and breakthrough the tensions associated with teaching ALL
students.

Copyright by
PAULA FREDERICA HUNT
2012

To my parents and husband, for their contagious optimism!

v

ACKNOWLDEGEMENTS
Many people have provided support, encouragement and inspiration along my
professional life. The ones listed here are but a few of those that made this milestone possible:
first and foremost, Dr. Troy Mariage who stayed with me through the program and well beyond
what might be considered the “call of duty”, reading countless drafts and revisions, and always
reminding me that the greatest accomplishment in the life of a teacher is to remain humble and
open to learning from one’s students.
Dr. Carol Sue Englert encouraged me to apply to MSU, and Dr. Susan Peters provided
me with the inspiration to stay the course.
Dr. Tom Bird provided the language, Dr. Cheryl Rosaen pushed for my advancement past
the boundaries of my profession, and Dr. Janine Certo made a perfect stranger feel at home.
Dr. Avner Segall and Dr. Elizabeth Heilman came in at the tail end of the process but
their contributions made this final product much stronger and relevant than the initial drafts.
Over the course of my stay at MSU, I had the privilege to meet and work with many great
teachers, many of whom have encouraged and motivated my own practice. I must thank the
entire crew at Trillium Academy that allowed me in their classrooms, and always accepted both
the researcher and the colleague.
Finally, my deepest gratitude goes to the best pre-service teachers an investigator can ask
for, Lisa, Megan and Cassie. Thank you for sharing of yourselves, doing it with a smile, and
maintaining the deepest conviction that EACH and EVERY child is worth our time and effort.
THANK YOU…

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES ……………………………………………………………………...………. xi
LIST OF FIGURES …………………………………………………………………….………xiii
CHAPTER ONE
PROBLEMS OF PRACTICE ……………………………………………………………………. 1
The Problem and its Significance ……...……………………………………………………. 3
Problem ………………………………………………………………………………….. 3
Significance ……………………………………………………………………….………7
Teacher Preparation in times of change ………………………………..…………… 10
Overview of the Study ……………………………..………………………………..……... 14
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW ……………………………………………………………………… 16
Mapping the Terrain and Identifying Problems of Practice in Teacher Preparation ….…… 16
Foundations ………………………………………………………………………………… 17
Pillar 1 – Inclusive Education ………………………………………………………….. 18
Tracing the roots of Inclusive Education ………………………………...……….…18
A continuum of definitions ………………………………………………………… 20
Working definition of Inclusive Education ……………………………………….…21
The contradictory nature of Inclusive Education ………………………………...… 22
Pillar 2 – Disability Studies …………………………………...……………………….. 23
Pillar 3 – (Not) naming diversity ………………………………………………………. 25
Problems of Practice …………………………………………………………….…………. 28
Problem 1 – Multicultural Education as a narrow field of study …………….………… 29
Demographic Imperative and the Achievement Gap …………………….………… 29
The Achievement Gap and Multicultural Education …………………….………… 31
Problem 2 – The Role of Professionalization in Teacher Preparation …….…………… 32
Problem 3 – Silent Binaries ……………………………………………………………. 35
Expert-Novice ……………………………………………………………………… 36
Theory-Practice ………………………………………………………………….…. 38
Beliefs-Dispositions ………………………………………………………………... 40
Possibilities of Practice …………………………………………………………………….. 42
Instructionally Relevant Variation …………………………………………...……..……… 46
Locating the study – past and present connections …………………………………….. 49
Response-to-Intervention ………………………………………………………………. 53
Differentiated Instruction ………………………………………………………………. 54
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy …………………………………………………………. 56
Recognizing Instructionally Relevant Pedagogy ………………………………………. 57
CHAPTER THREE
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH AS METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH TO STUDYING
TEACHER EDUCATION ………………………………………………………………….…. 60
vii

The Research Questions ………………….…………………………………………………. 60
Main Research Question …………..…………………………………………………… 61
Secondary Research Questions ………………………………………..……………….. 61
Context ………………………..……………………………………………………………. 62
The interns ……………..………………………………………………………………. 62
The program …………………………………………………………………………..…64
The course – LIT 800 ………………………………………………………………..…. 68
Methodology ……………………………………………………………………………..….78
Three Case Studies ……………………………………………………………………... 80
The researcher as Participant-Observer ………….…………………………………….. 81
Constructionist Analytics …………………………………………...…………………. 86
Data Collection ………………………………………………………………………….…. 88
How data was collected …………………………………………………………….….. 88
What data was collected ……………………………………………………………..…. 91
Primary Instruments (Phases 2 and 4) ………………………………….….……… 91
Secondary Instruments …………………………………………………….………. 91
Working with gathered data ……………………………………………………….……….. 91
Validity, Reliability and Relevance………………………………………………...………. 93
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS (LISA) ……………………………………………. 97
Data collected …………………………………………...……………..…………………… 97
Phase 1 – Observation/Participation ………………………………...…..……………... 97
Phase 2 – Development of a Plan ………………..…………………………..……..… 101
Phase 3 – Action/Observation/Action ………..………………………….…....………. 106
Phase 4 – Reflection ……………………….…………………………..…..………….. 115
Cross-cutting themes ……………………………………………………………………… 123
Planning for ALL students …………………………………………………………….124
Differentiating Instruction ……………………………………………………...…….. 127
Notions of Expertise ………………………………………………………………….. 132
CHAPTER FIVE
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS (MEGAN) …………..…………………………… 136
Data collected ……………………………………………………...……………………… 136
Phase 1 – Observation/Participation …………………………………………..……… 137
Phase 2 – Development of a Plan ……………………………………………..……… 140
Phase 3 – Action/Observation/Action ………………………….……………..………. 148
Phase 4 – Reflection ……………………….………………………...…………..….….153
Cross-cutting themes ……………………………………………………………………… 156
Planning for ALL students ……………………………………………………………. 156
Differentiating Instruction …………………...……………………………………….. 158
Notions of Expertise ………………………………………………………………...... 161
CHAPTER SIX
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS (Cassie) ……………………………………….…. 164
Data collected ……………………………………………………...……………………… 164

viii

Phase 1 – Observation/Participation …………………………………….…….……… 164
Phase 2 – Development of a Plan …………………………………………..………… 172
Phase 3 – Action/Observation/Action ……………………………….……..…………. 175
Phase 4 – Reflection …………………………….…………………………..………… 183
Cross-cutting themes ……………………………………………………………….……... 190
Planning for ALL students ……………………………………………………………. 190
Differentiating Instruction ……………………………………………………………. 192
Notions of Expertise …………………………….……………………………………. 194
CHAPTER SEVEN
CAN YOU SAY “INSTRUCTIONALLY RELEVANT VARIATION”? …………...……… 198
Research Questions ………………………………………………………………………. 198
Main Research Question …………………………………………………………….…199
Lisa ………………………………………………………………..…………….… 199
Megan ……………………………………...………………………………………201
Cassie ………………………………………………….………………………….. 203
Secondary Question #1 ………………….…………………………………………..... 205
Secondary Question #2 ………………….………...………………………………..… 206
Problems and Possibilities of Practice ………………………………………………...… 209
Teaching force is incompatible with student demographic …………….………..…… 211
The role of professionalization ………………………………………………….……. 213
Silent binaries ………………………………………………………………….……… 214
How tensions shaped the internship experiences ………………………………………… 220
Lisa ……………………………………………………………………………...…….. 220
Megan …………………………………………………………………………...……. 222
Cassie ……………………………………………………………………...………….. 224
Instructionally Relevant Variation – at the intersection of three pedagogies ……….…… 225
What can we expect interns to do? ………………………………………………………. 230
Implications of the study …………………………………………………………….…… 231
Limitations of the study and future research ………………………………………..…… 234
APPENDICES ………………………………………………………………………….…….. 236
APPENDIX A: LIT 800 Syllabus ………………………………………………………... 237
APPENDIX B: Project One Rubric………………………………………………….…… 249
APPENDIX C: First On-line Assignment (directions)……………………………..…….. 253
APPENDIX D: Five problem areas – Power Point………………………………………. 254
APPENDIX E: Personal Introduction to LIT 800 (transcripts)…………………………....263
APPENDIX F: Informed Consent form…………………………………………………. 269
APPENDIX G: Project Two Rubric…………………………………………………...…..271
APPENDIX H: ACCEL Presentation (transcript)……………………………………..…..278
APPENDIX I: ACCEL Power Point and Graphic Organizers ...………………………… 286
APPENDIX J: Unit Planning Pyramid ………….……………………………….………..288
APPENDIX K: Lesson Planning Pyramid …………..……………………………….……289
APPENDIX L: Project Three Rubric……………………………………………….….…..290
APPENDIX M: Semi-structured Interview Guidelines…………………………….……...296
APPENDIX N: Lisa First On-line Assignment ……………………………………….…..297

ix

APPENDIX O: Lisa Project One……………………………………………………..……299
APPENDIX P: Lisa First Informal conversation…………………………………………..302
APPENDIX Q: Lisa First Semi-structured Interview (transcript)……………………...….303
APPENDIX R: Lisa Project Two …………………………………………………………318
APPENDIX S: Lisa’s Observation……………………………………………………..….327
APPENDIX T: Lisa’s Second informal conversation (obs)……………………………….328
APPENDIX U: Lisa Project Three handout (w/ lesson plans) ……….……………...……333
APPENDIX V : Lisa Project Three Presentation (transcript)………………………….… 346
APPENDIX W : Lisa Final Semi-Structured Interview (transcript)…………………...… 352
APPENDIX X: Lisa Final Unit Plan………………………………………………………363
APPENDIX Y:Megan First Semi-Structured Interview (transcript)………………………373
APPENDIX Z: Megan First On-line Assignment ……………………………………..… 398
APPENDIX AA: Megan Project One…………………………………………………….. 401
APPENDIX AB : Megan First informal conversation…………………………………… 406
APPENDIX AC: Megan Project Two …………………..…………………………….…. 407
APPENDIX AD: Megan Second Informal Conversation ……………… ………….……. 421
APPENDIX AE: Megan Project Three (Draft) . ………………………………………… 433
APPENDIX AF: Megan Final Semi-Structured Interview (transcript)……………………436
APPENDIX AG: Megan Final Unit Plan………………………………………………… 442
APPENDIX AH: Cassie First On-line Assignment ……………………………………… 454
APPENDIX AI: Cassie Project One……………………………………………………… 456
APPENDIX AJ: Cassie First Informal conversation………………………………...…… 463
APPENDIX AK: Cassie First Draft of Unit Plan………………………………………… 464
APPENDIX AL: Cassie Project Two …………………...……………………………..… 476
APPENDIX AM: Cassie First Semi-Structured Interview (transcript) ………………..… 486
APPENDIX AN: Cassie Formal Observation……………………………………….…… 499
APPENDIX AO: Cassie Project Three…………………………………………………… 500
APPENDIX AP: Cassie Project Three Presentation (transcript)…………………………. 508
APPENDIX AQ: Cassie Final Interview (transcript)………………………………….…. 513
APPENDIX AR: Cassie Final Unit Plan…………………………………………….…… 538
BIBLIOGRAPHY ……………………………………….……………………………………. 563

x

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 – Investigation phases and associated environments/artifacts …..…...…………..……. 92
Table 2 – Summary of Cross-Cutting Themes (Chapters Four, Five and Six) ……………...... 210
Table 3 – Grading Rubric …………………………………………………………………..… 243
Table 4 – Tentative Schedule …………………………………………………………………. 246
Table 5 – Unit Overview ……………………………………………………………………… 274
Table 6 – Lesson Overview …………………………………………………………………... 275
Table 7 – Inquiry Two Rubric ………………………………………………………...……… 276
Table 8 - Individual Assessment Analysis ……………………………………………………. 290
Table 9 - Inquiry Three Rubric: Going Public Through Professional Writing ……………….. 294
Table 10 – Lisa Project Two ………………………………………………………………….. 318
Table 11 – Lisa Project Three Handout……………………………………………………….. 333
Table 12 – Lisa Project Three Handout Lesson Plans ………………………………………... 341
Table 13 – Lisa Final Unit Plan ………………………………………………………………. 363
Table 14 – Megan Literacy Resources ………………………………………….…………….. 401
Table 15 – Megan Literacy Schedule ………………………………………………………… 402
Table 16 – Megan Analysis of Programs ……………………………………………………... 404
Table 17 –Unit Plan Outline ………………………………………………………………….. 408
Table 18 – Final Unit Plan ……………………………………………………………………. 443
Table 19 – Literacy Schedule …………...……………………………………………………. 459
Table 20 – Analysis of Literacy Program .……………………………………………………. 459
Table 21 – Cassie Unit Overview …………….………………………………………………. 470
Table 22 – Cassie Project Two Lesson 1 ……………………………………………………... 476

xi

Table 23 – Cassie Project Two Lesson 2 …………...………………………………………… 480
Table 24 – Cassie Project Two Lesson 3 …………...………………………………………… 483
Table 25 – Cassie Final Unit Plan ……...…………...………………………………………… 541
Table 26 – Cassie Lesson 1 …………………………………………………………………… 552
Table 27 – Cassie Lesson 2 …………………………………………………………………… 557
Table 28 – Cassie Lesson 3 …………………………………………………………………… 560

xii

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 – Traditional Teacher Preparation ………..…………………………………………... 28
Figure 2 – Instructionally Relevant Variation ……………………………………………..…. 47
Figure 3 – Tension analysis and possibilities of practice ……...………………..……………. 226
Figure 4 – Unit Planning Pyramid ……………………………………………………………. 288
Figure 5 – Lesson Planning Pyramid …………………………………………………………. 289

xiii

CHAPTER ONE: PROBLEMS OF PRACTICE
The first chapter of this dissertation study titled “Pre-service Teachers’ Performance of
Instructionally Relevant Variation: Tensions and Breakthroughs” starts by introducing the
problem of study and its significance within the broad field of teacher preparation. After
presenting the Problem and the Research Questions that guide this investigation, I will offer a
brief summary of the following chapters in order to provide a roadmap for this work.

Over the last fifty years, the field of teacher education has become fragmented into
specialties and cut into binaries. Teacher preparation no longer focuses exclusively on the three
Rs. The profession has evolved and, within it, territories have been constructed. Prospective
teachers now spend a considerable portion of their time becoming experts in their chosen
specialization, acquiring special discourses, and compartmentalized theories of teaching and
learning. While teacher preparation has become fragmented, the population of students they will
serve have become more and more diverse along race, ethnic, and cultural lines. This diversity
brings with it problems of practice that teacher preparation programs must respond to in order to
address what I define as Instructionally Relevant Variation inherent in diverse students. IRV
includes notions of pedagogy, characteristics of students, and the mediating spaces between
students and teachers, and indicates a set of qualities or markers, that is fluid and all
encompassing. It is this tension between specialized teacher preparation and the problems of
practice inherent in teaching and learning of diverse student populations that is the focus of this
study. Specifically, this study examines the problems of practice inherent in teaching diverse
students in today’s classrooms in order to answer the question, “How do prospective teachers
perceive, think about, and respond to the instructionally relevant variation of their students?”

1

In addition to an interrogation into prospective teachers’ perceptions and responses to
their students’ IRVs, this main research question leads to an analysis of the tensions and
negotiations that must take place when prospective teachers are faced, in many cases for the first
time, with the various dimensions of an educational issue.
These tensions and negotiations will be examined in-depth through an investigation that
also considers two secondary research question: “How is IRV influenced by prospective
teachers conceptualizations of difference? Binaries? Degrees? Overlay?” and “What categories
of difference are absent, acknowledged, and/or dismissed by prospective teachers, and which are
most often considered when responding to IRV”? Ultimately, the combined results of the three
research questions will attempt to not only describe the mechanisms through which prospective
teachers perceive, negotiate, and respond to instructionally relevant variation, but also provide
stake-holders in teacher education with a view of how the prospective teachers create “local
knowledge of practice” (Cochran-Smith, 2009, pg. 95).
Three philosophical pillars underpin this investigation and guide the research study:
Inclusive Education, Disability Studies, and notions of diversity in relation to Multicultural
Education. I use action research as the methodological approach in order to capture the
complexities inherent in the daily planning and practice of 3 pre-service teachers during their
internship placements. This approach offers a way to conceive of what it means to ‘know’ and to
‘act’ in terms of thinking about problems of practice in teacher education, of which I investigate
three: multicultural education, professionalization, and silent binaries.
The findings from this study result in a series of recommendations that might lead into
innovative ways in which to examine how a reflective stance promotes the effective teaching of
ALL students by analyzing and finding ways to negotiate the various tensions, while respecting

2

individual diversity, and bridging compartmentalized specialties in order to recognize and act
upon IRV, for the benefit of all learners.
The Problem and its Significance
Problem
Over the last fifty years the field of education has become fragmented into specialties and
cut into binaries, and teacher preparation no longer focuses exclusively on the three Rs. The
profession has evolved and, within it, territories have been constructed. In turn, territorial
differences have become refined in higher education, where prospective teachers generally spend
a considerable portion of their time becoming experts in their chosen field, acquiring special
discourses, and compartmentalized theories of teaching and learning, that will help define their
professional stances. Thus, special education departments are often separate entities from teacher
education, urban education and multicultural education are often taught by separate groups of
lecturers, and prospective teachers are commonly required to choose between one department or
the other, one field or the other, as if the children they will encounter are, at birth, separated into
distinct categories, and teachers’ specialized knowledges are vital for their (categorical)
existence.
Paradoxically, institutions of higher education stress specialized knowledge, while
preparing teachers for diversity. Thus constrained to choose narrow specialties, teachers learn
one kind of diversity, and specialize in urban education, multicultural education, inclusive
education, or special education (with a variety of sub-specialties aimed at levels of severity or
categorical placements, etc), all of which are offered as self-contained areas of study, which
ultimately restricts the strata of the student body they are prepared to work with.

3

It is within this view of teacher preparation that this study takes place. Its purpose is to
inquire about the spaces for inclusion/exclusion created by prospective teachers (interns) at a top
ranked Midwestern teacher preparation program, as they relate to their perceptions of
instructionally relevant variation in both planning and instructing elementary school children. In
addition, this investigation will also examine the ways in which each of the participants deals
with the tensions created by their interpersonal relationships with those within their collaborative
universes, including how they perceive their roles in relation to their students, colleagues,
collaborative teachers, field supervisors, etc., all of whom may perceive the same issues in
myriad forms which create tensions and necessitate negotiating.
In this study, the term Instructionally Relevant Variation (IRV) represents a purposeful
effort to unbound and problematize the restrictions that circumscribe notions of specialized
knowledge, and suggests a departure from the restrictions of terms such as diversity and
difference. Thus, Instructionally Relevant Variation is conceptually related to notions of
pedagogy, characteristics of students, and the mediating spaces between students and teachers,
and indicates a set of qualities, or markers, that is fluid and all encompassing. In an effort to
bring about dialogue that opens itself to various interpretations and outcomes, and frees itself
from binaries, the term instructionally relevant variation is used to represent competencies and
circumstances that impact teaching and learning, while allowing for overlap and gradation. Thus,
IRV can include race, ethnicity, economic strata, dis/ablity, and other commonly used diversity
markers, but it may also include other more elusive notions of educational obstacles, such as the
child’s health, familial ties and circumstances, or concerns with having students’ most basic
needs met, at any particular point in time. IRV stands for, not only those qualities or markers that
are innate or long-term, but also circumstances that may be punctual or of short duration

4

(including the child’s relationship with their teacher), and that either provide affordances or
prevent learning from occurring if a teacher-lead action does not take place.
Three questions guide this investigation.
The main research question is: “How do the prospective teachers perceive, think about,
and respond to the instructionally relevant variations of their students?” This first question aims
at inquiring into prospective teachers abilities to identify and respond to competencies and
circumstances that might forestall learning from occurring if a teacher does not intervene, such
as when a child comes to school without eating breakfast and may have difficulty completing
assigned tasks.
The prospective teachers participating in this investigation were, at the time of the study,
in the Fall Semester of their fifth year of the program, a program that prepares them to teach
elementary school children in grades Kindergarten through fifth grade, with an additional
integrated elementary teaching major such as Language Arts, Integrated Science, Social Studies,
Mathematics, Early Childhood Education, or Special Education-Learning Disabilities
(approximately 36 additional credits). The year-long post-graduation internship, or fifth year,
guides prospective teachers through the actual progression from prospective to practicing
teacher, and interns are supervised and mentored by both host/cooperating teachers (CT) and
field instructors. Thus, in addition to an interrogation into prospective teachers’ perceptions
regarding their individual work (planning and instruction), the main research question will also
lead into an analysis of the negotiations that must take place when prospective teachers are faced,
in many cases for the first time, with the various dimensions of an educational issue (Noffke &
Brennan, 1991). This question will yield information regarding the prospective teachers
perceived collaborative universes, and their attempts to work inter-disciplinarily with

5

professionals outside of their area of expertise, such as parents, administrators, school nurses,
school social workers, special education teachers, and others.
The two secondary research questions will guide this investigation into finding out in
what ways do prospective teachers conceptualize IRV, and whether there are specific areas
included and/or excluded from those conceptualizations. Thus, the second research question is:
“How is IRV influenced by prospective teachers conceptualizations of “difference”? Binaries?
Degrees? Overlay?” This second research question will help determine if the participant
prospective teachers are able to perceive a specific instructionally relevant variance in overlap
with others (conditions or circumstances), or the degrees to which a specific instructionally
relevant variance would warrant further investigation.
The final research question is: “What “categories of difference” are absent,
acknowledged, and/or dismissed by prospective teachers, and which are most often considered
when responding to IRV?” This question aims at a possible thematic description of perceived
IRVs, and a better understanding of the larger themes the participants in this study consider
relevant within their practice.
Ultimately, the combined results of the three research questions, will attempt to not only
describe the mechanisms through which prospective teachers perceive, negotiate, and respond to
instructionally relevant variation, but also provide stake-holders in teacher education with a
view of how the participants in this study create “local knowledge of practice” (Cochran-Smith,
2009, pg. 95), knowledge that is generated within their local contexts but might include ways on
understanding and interpreting useful and applicable in other contexts. This view of “local
knowledge of practice” (pg. 95) will be provided in the form of a series of suggestions that might
suggest ways in which to continue to promote a reflective stance that facilitates the effective

6

teaching of ALL students, while respecting the individual, and bridging the
compartmentalization of specialties, expert areas, and specific knowledge(s), based upon the
extent to which the participants were capable of recognizing and acting upon this knowledge(s),
for the benefit of all learners.
Significance
The significance of this investigation is directly related to the current design of most
teacher preparation programs (Darling-Hammond, 2006), which emphasize various disciplines
and areas of specialization, leading to a reduced number of Universities offering generalist
endorsements and/or Inclusive Education degrees or certifications1. In fact, the notion of
Inclusive Education, or the education of ALL children, together, in their neighborhood schools,
has emerged fairly recently, and established teacher preparation programs with reputable fields
of study in their programs have traditionally been slow in responding to this new impetus. In
general, legislation such as Brown vs. Board of Education (1954), PL 94-142 (1975), IDEA
(1990) and, more recently, NCLB (2001) and the IDEA Re-Authorization (2004) have had an
effect not only on the preparation of special education teachers but also on the guidelines that
regulate all teacher preparation programs, but not any immediate effect in the ways in which
teachers are prepared to work with ALL students.
The birth of Special Education
The social upheaval experienced in the 1960’s and 1970’s, which lead to racial
integration, and the deinstitutionalization of students with disabilities, is largely responsible for
many of the specialized areas of study in teacher education. Educational specialties such as
1

Syracuse University, Teacher’s College in New York, and University of Madison-Wisconsin
are a few of the Tier I institutions that offer teacher preparation programs especially designed for
Inclusive Education.
7

multicultural and special education originated from the need to respond to the perceived
problems that arouse from policies that required schools to provide education for ALL children.
With the Civil Rights Movement and de-institutionalization of children and adults with
disabilities in the 1960’s, teacher preparation programs shifted their focus and adopted the
specializing trends of the medical community by dividing their programs into what is still known
as General/Regular and Special Education. For the past 25 years these two fields have developed
in parallel, and co-existed to varying degrees in Colleges of Education everywhere, with little (at
times no) intersecting areas. Rhetoric of merging programs, infusing general education programs
with special education content (and vice-versa), and claims of more or less rigorous research
agendas to address this issue, have fueled reforms and controversies in many Universities, large
and small alike. However, with the development of IDEA in 1990, and its re-authorization in
2004, the inclusion of children with disabilities in the general education classroom became a
prominent issue and, with it, the more urgent need to prepare all teachers to work with all
students, regardless of disability. However, while racial desegregation produced several
branches of multicultural education (Banks, 2002), the deinstitutionalization of students with
disabilities produced a separate but parallel branch of education: special education.
Prior to 1974 students with special needs had previously been educated while confined to
medical and psychiatric institutions, far removed from the field of teacher education. However,
in 1965, Congress created the Bureau of Education for the Handicapped, and the early 1970’s are
witness to a series of court cases related to children with disabilities, such as PARC vs.
Pennsylvania (1971), and Mills vs. D.C. Board of Education (1972), which ruled in favor of
children with disabilities and their families, and their right to education. Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act in 1973, and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, further

8

influenced the enactment of PL 94-142, or the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of
1975, which would ultimately guarantee the right of education to children with disabilities,
children until then not educated with their non-disabled peers. “By 1974, most of the legal
protections that characterize special education as we know it today were in place” (Palmaffy,
2001. p.5) and the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA, 1975) mandated that
all children be provided with a “free and appropriate public education” (FAPE) in the “least
restrictive environment”(LRE), henceforth mandating that all children be provided with an
education comparable to that of their non-disabled peers, an education to be provided, to the
largest extent possible, in the general education classroom.
Thus, for the first time in the history of teacher education in the USA, the responsibilities
related to the education of students with disabilities in the general classroom (and presumably by
the general education teacher) were added. Since then, while Public Law 94-142 and its reauthorizations have provided access to general education for many students with disabilities,
many others have experienced pervasive and covert segregation (Heward & Cavanaugh, 2000)
due to the unpreparedness of teachers, as well as the continued belief that students with
disabilities will be better served in specialized institutions, schools or classrooms that can better
cater to their specific needs (Smith, 2004).
In 1990, the original EAHCA mandate was re-authorized with a name change to
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the further recommitment to the original
“Least Restrictive Environment” (LRE) provision. By expanding the array of services to be
provided to children, Congress further implied that compliance with the LRE is not only
expected, it is obligatory and further added the requirement that each State examines the
outcomes of students with disabilities. Again, the obligations of general education teachers are

9

implied, and in 2004, the reauthorization of IDEA (now the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Improvement Act) offered several changes to the initial mandates, among which the
curricular alignment of special education students with that of their non-disabled peers. In an
alignment of 1990’s IDEA with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the re-authorized IDEA
(2004) mandates that the academic goals of students with disabilities must reflect the state
mandated curricular goals of non-disabled students, and further mandates that all students,
without exception, must participate in state-wide assessments, further cementing the need for all
children to have access to, participate in, and progress through the general curriculum. IDEA
2004 mandates that state and local authorities become accountable for the positive outcomes of
all children, or face dire federal consequences (Riester-Wood, 2004; Bejoian & Reid, 2005; Kim
& Sunderman, 2005; Smith, 2005; Turnbull, 2005; Handler, 2006; Nagle, Yunker, Malmgren,
2006; Voltz & Fore, 2006), in an alignment with NCLB’s “Annual Yearly Progress” (NCLB,
2001) requirement, a measure designed to ensure that all schools and students meet equal
academic standards in reading and math by 2013-2014, a measure applied to various sub-groups
of the school population, including students with disabilities (Nagle, Yunker & Malmgren, 2006;
Cawthon, 2007).
Teacher Preparation in times of change
However, none of the legislative directives above have provided the guidance and tools
necessary to optimize teachers’ potential, despite the fact that both IDEA 2004 and NCLB
(2001) require that, in order to support the accountability principle, all teachers be deemed
“highly qualified” (Turnbull, 2005; Smith, 2005; Hyatt, 2007; Robinson, 2011). The highly
qualified requirement (IDEA, 2004) is one of the main alignments between IDEA 1997 and the
NCLB act of 2001, and both maintain the requirement of teaching based on evidence-based

10

practices, while IDEA 2004 delineates obligations for teacher preparation programs, particularly
with respect to the teachers responsible for core subjects (Handler, 2006). However, both policies
are silent regarding the preparation of teachers for ALL students, although their alignment
implies engagement, collaboration and shared responsibility of ALL students by both general
and special education teachers. But, their alignment also creates multiple layers of responsibility
and accountability with regards to teacher preparation (Handler, 2006, Hardman & Dawson,
2008).
Teacher education programs have been charged with addressing many different areas of
need (such as the learning needs of diverse populations, or the impact of globalization on
education) and done so with varied levels of success (GAO, 2009), but the case for the
highlighting of Inclusive Education has not been made systemically, or rigorously. While
specific teacher preparation programs have not prepared teachers adequately for Inclusive
Education (Florian, 2007), the greater national and international impetus towards it has made
more visible the need to prepare teachers to work with ALL students (Kugelmass, 2004;
McKenzie & Santiago, 2005), not only those with disabilities, or those originating from a
perceived disadvantaged group. Therefore, this investigation will address one area of the
preparation of general education teachers, teachers that will, in the near future, be expected to
teach ALL students and, implicitly or explicitly, become Inclusive Educators.
Despite an unyielding policy, and curricular advances, the impetus towards Inclusive
Education (or mainstreaming, as it was initially conceptualized) has impacted teacher education
programs to varying degrees. Even when silent about Inclusive Education, both the NCLB Act
of 2001 and IDEA 2004 require that teacher preparation programs provide the skills needed for
teachers to work with a wide variety of students but, by 2009, this was still not the case across

11

the country. In a study completed by the US Government Accountability Office (2009) not all
teacher preparation programs required training on instructing children with disabilities (or
English language learners) or adequate field experiences and “many programs faced challenges
in providing this training” (GAO-09-573, 2009).
Some Colleges of Education clearly look at Inclusive Education as a passing whim and
maintain the general/special education field separation (Handler, 2006), while others have taken
on a more democratic approach and embraced the philosophy of Inclusive Education in all its
components, modifying and redesigning departments, general practices, curriculums, and
research agendas. Somewhere in the middle we find more cautious and measured approaches
that try to strike a balance between maintaining the “status quo” and reforming Colleges of
Education by “infusing” their general education courses with what is typically assumed to be
specific curricula of special education courses. Such is the case of the teacher preparation
program where this study took place, one of the few in the country with no requirement of a
special education course for general education teachers. The course content being infused, again,
varies among institutions. Some require that all courses address diversity and disabilities, others
pick and choose what content might be of use, in what course. However, the “outcomes of this
high level of teacher education to prepare general education teachers to work with students with
disabilities (…) are not well developed” (Pugach, 2005, p. 552).
While the alignment of NCLB and IDEA 2004 imply engagement, collaboration and
shared responsibility of ALL students, these practices are not established in all schools across the
country, nor do they occur without adequate supports or opportunities for general and special
education teachers to learn how (and experience) to work together with one common goal. While
many teacher preparation programs do require that general education teachers have some

12

exposure to the instruction of students with disabilities, this is usually accomplished in separate
settings and general and special education prospective teachers have little opportunity to share
ideas, learn together, or develop and understanding of the collaborative requirements NCLB and
IDEA 2004 convey (Cooper, Kurtts, Baber & Vallecorsa, 2008; Harvey, Yssel, Bauserman &
Merbel, 2010). Collaborative teaching and engagement that is responsive to all students requires
the development of a complex set of inter-personal skills most pre-service teachers do not have
an opportunity to develop or have modeled (Handler, 2006).
Building on, and extending upon the discussions and tone of the 2010 American
Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) Conference in Atlanta2, this
investigation is timely and relevant in that it addresses the significant need to create dialogue and
inquiry that provides prospective teachers with some of the pedagogical tools necessary to
question the policies that regulate their practices, and to help them, and the institutions where
they are located, to recognize that their active participation in a systemic and paradigmatic
change is required for the successful accomplishment of Inclusive Education. Because the
mechanisms of special education pervade and envelop their practice, and teachers often perceive
their expertise as limited to particularly restrictive knowledge basis, it becomes imperative to
equip prospective teachers with, not only the commitment to become Inclusive Educators, but
also the tools to work on Inclusive Education from the inside out (Florian, in Allan & Slee,
2008).
2

One of AACTE’ Major Forums, entitled “Diversity Frameworks in Teacher Education: Where
Does Special Education Belong?” which included Marleen Pugach, Linda Blanton, Lani Florian,
Marilyn Cochran-Smith, Jacqueline Jordan Irvine, Anna Maria Villegas, and Jane West,
discussed “what it means to make good on the promise of teaching all students” (AACTE 2010
Conference Program, p.66). While all the discussants may be counted as representatives of
various diverse communities and schools of thought, the common thread of the panel was the
need for teacher preparation that targets ALL students.
13

In the 2011 AACTE publication “Preparing General Education Teachers to Improve
Outcomes for Students with Disabilities”, Blanton, Pugach and Florian again outline the need to
address teacher preparation programs in ways that will ensure that classroom teachers are
prepared to educate all students in inclusive classrooms. They envision such programs as those
that prepare teachers who believe that all students belong in their classrooms, who treat all
students as capable learners worthy of being held to high expectations, and who have the skills
and knowledge necessary to meet the instructional needs of all students, embracing diversity in
all its forms.
This need to acknowledge and prepare teachers to work with ALL students further
supports the notion of the individual as multidimensional (King, 1995), and highlights this
investigations’ conceptual departure from an inquiry restricted to special education (or any other
expert field within teacher education), while speaking to the need for a multidisciplinary
approach to research in teacher education. By purposefully attempting to demystify the notion of
special education expertise, this investigation will provide suggestions related to the ways in
which ALL prospective teachers might gain competences and confidence in addressing change
and uncertainty in their work, while assuming responsibility for ALL students and, as a
consequence, learn to successfully address the “double-edged and contradictory nature of
inclusive teacher education” (Allan, 2003, pg.117).
Overview of the Study
In Chapter Two, I will present the literature review completed for this investigation and
will describe the conceptual framework upon which this study is based. This chapter will present
the empirical and philosophical pillars of the research, or the terrain of teacher preparation, as it
relates to the preparation of ALL teachers to work with ALL students.

14

In Chapter Three, I will provide a roadmap for the study and the rationale for the use of
an Action-Research methodology in this investigation. I will describe the setting, the program,
the participants, and my positioning within the study in relation to the participants. Furthermore,
in Chapter Three, I will offer a general description of the collected data, of how it was collected,
and how it was analyzed.
In Chapters Four, Five, and Six, I will present the data collected and analyze it, by
participant. In Chapter Seven, I will present a wrap-up analysis of the combined collected data
centered, on the Research Questions and problems of practice and will conclude with the study’s
limitations, and recommendations for further research.

15

CHAPTER TWO – LITERATURE REVIEW
Mapping the Terrain and Identifying Problems of Practice in Teacher Preparation
In this chapter I will present the literature review completed for this investigation and will
describe the conceptual framework upon which this study is based. This chapter will present the
philosophical and empirical pillars of the research, or the terrain of teacher preparation, as it
relates to the preparation of ALL teachers to work with ALL students. Chapter Two is divided
into four parts.
The first part of this chapter, “Foundations”, examines the larger context upon which this
investigation is based and guides the reader through the necessary journey of understanding the
researcher’s bias and frame of reference. The three philosophical pillars that sustain this
investigation (Inclusive Education, Disability Studies, and what I perceive as a need for an
extended definition of diversity) will be discussed in order to provide a contextual understanding
of what I have identified as characteristics and potentially problematic areas within the terrain of
teacher preparation. This first part, describes some important issues in teacher preparation,
within my personal frame of reference, and attempts to describe my intent as a researcher
investigating across pedagogies, while outlining my position within teacher preparation.
The second part of the chapter “Problems of Practice” examines teacher preparation
through the lens identified in part one and offers a reading into what I perceive are three
“Problems of Practice” in the preparation of teachers to work with ALL students: Multicultural
Education, Professionalization, and Silent Binaries.
In the third part, once the problems of practice have been identified, I will suggest ways
in which the tensions they create can be discussed in alternate ways, ways that might lead into
“Possibilities of Practice”. I will explicate the ways in which existing evidence has lead me to the

16

questions that guide this investigation, and how the search for possible answers to my research
questions can suggest ways in which teacher preparation institutions might gain new insights
from a different perspective, one that has not been previously explored.
Finally, in the fourth part, I will present the argument that there is enough conceptual and
empirical data to open the possibility that, within specific contexts, the preparation of teachers to
identify and respond to “Instructionally Relevant Variation” lies at the intersection of three
existing pedagogies (Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Response to Intervention, and Differentiated
Instruction), and that the adequate identification and response to IRV offers a new perspective
into the preparation of Teachers for ALL students.
Foundations
The first part of this chapter, “Foundations”, examines the larger context upon which this
investigation is based, and guides the reader through an explication of the three philosophical
pillars that sustain it. Inclusive Education, Disability Studies, and what I perceive as a need for
an extension of the traditional definition of diversity, constitute three of the elements of my
personal frame of reference. These three philosophical pillars will be discussed below in order to
provide a contextual understanding of what I have identified as characteristics, and potentially
problematic areas, within the terrain of teacher preparation, as well as provide a explanation for
my departure from a study steeped within the special education field of study (while I am a
doctoral student in special education), and my intentional attempt at embarking upon a study that
offers ways to reconcile understandings across pedagogies and paradigms.
Although the present investigation is situated in a Mid-western teacher preparation
program, the three pillars upon which it is based take on an international character. While
research on Inclusive Education, Disability Studies and studies of diversity abound in the United

17

States, the bulk of the research on Inclusive Education and Disability Studies originated
elsewhere. Therefore, the empirical studies referenced below represent both national and
international explorations, and frame the work described in the following chapters. Each of the
three pillars will be explicated in turn with the purpose of providing a working definition for
“teacher for ALL students”, or an Inclusive Teacher, a main premise of this investigation. A
teacher for ALL students is thus conceptualized as a teacher who is expected to meet the needs of
ALL learners with no exceptions, not necessarily alone, but through collaboration and problem
solving, and by tapping upon multiple resources, with the primary goal of fostering the
development of engaged and contributing democratic citizens.
Pillar 1 - Inclusive Education
Tracing the roots of Inclusive Education
The term Inclusive Education lends itself to multiple meanings and practices depending
on geographic and socio-political context. The term was first used in 1994 in the Salamanca
Statement and Framework for Action (UNESCO) but it was born out of a multitude of transnational initiatives aimed at curtailing the difficulties of extending education to ALL children
around the world, particularly children and youth with disabilities and from disadvantaged
sectors of the population. Its origin can be traced as early as 1964, to four specific Articles of the
United Nations Convention Against Discrimination in Education, which address the prevention
and elimination of discrimination in education, while promoting equal educational opportunity
(Peters, 2007).
In 1966, the concept of free and compulsory education for ALL children (UNESCO) was
further implemented and, in 1971, Article 2 of the Declaration of the Rights of the Mentally
Retarded Persons declares not only the right to equal education for all, but also introduces the

18

“concept of maximum potential” related to disabled persons. In 1975, the crucial international
recognition of the rights of all disabled persons is postulated in the Declaration of Rights of
Disabled Persons (Peters, 2007) and, in 1981, representatives of 103 countries participated in the
writing of the Sundberg Declaration, which stated that the right of education starts in infancy and
should be understood as lifelong learning and training. In the following year, 1982, the World
Programme [sic] of Action Concerning Disabled Persons calls for “focus on ability, not on the
disability of disabled persons” and, in 1989 the Tallinn Guidelines for Action on Human
Resources Development, establish inclusive practices as cost-effective practices, teacher training
provisions, and the recognition of diversity among individuals with disabilities.
In 1990 two distinct international policies, mark the start of a new era with regards to
children with disabilities and issues of inclusion: The Convention of the Rights of the Child
(1990), reaffirms previous policies and makes specific mention of children with disabilities; and
the World Declaration on Education For All (1990), a six-goal framework that supports access to
education to all children around the world and has been subscribed by 191 nation states,
addresses educational access and participation, and introduces the concept of Inclusive Education
as the means to attaining universal education. Furthermore, it declares that each nation state must
find the resources and solutions necessary to ensure not only access but equity as well.
However, it wasn’t until the 1994 World Congress on Special Needs Education in
Salamanca (Spain), which yielded the Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action, that a
piece of policy first brings children with disabilities to the core of educational systems, and
offers a clear outline of systemic reform centered upon Inclusive Education, as the vehicle for the
strategies outlined in Education for All. In the Statement, student abilities and strengths take
center stage, Inclusive Education is defined, and indicators of quality of participation in

19

education are offered. The structures of the Salamanca Statement are further strengthened in the
EFA Framework for Action in 2000 and, most recently, in the 2008 UNESCO Education
Summit.
A Continuum of Definitions
Although UNESCO policies take on trans-national dimensions, it is up to each nation
state to determine the extent to which each policy will be endorsed and enacted, and to create
structural guidelines that take on the character of each nation state, and reflect each nation state’s
own interpretation of the common goals. While, in the USA, Inclusive Education is seldom
mentioned outside the realm of special education discourse, and reflects concerns regarding
access to the curriculum by students with disabilities, the European and Australian/New Zealand
contexts are quite different. In the USA, special education (and Inclusive Education) discourse
has been couched in both the Civil Rights movement and parent rights (Newby, 1980; Fuchs &
Fuchs, 1993; Yell, Rozalski & Drasgow, 2001; Fusarelli, 2004; Smith, 2005; Grant, 2007), the
European concept of Inclusive Education is clearly related to Human Rights and Children’s
Rights issues (Daunt, 1995;Vislie, 2003; Gray, 2007), and the Australian/New Zealand concept
was spurred by concerns with Aboriginal and Maori education, and issues of colonialism
(Ballard, 2003; McPhail & Freeman, 2005; Mitchell, 2005). Therefore, Inclusive Education
means many things to many people along a spectrum of possibilities, and it is difficult to solidify
a definition since so many exist, all of which are embedded in, and reflect, the larger social and
educational paradigms of a particular time and place.
At one end of the spectrum (i.e. Kavale & Forness, 2000) Inclusive Education is confined
to the field of special education and it pertains to access by students with disabilities to the
general education classroom. Inclusive Education is, in this case, limited to a spatial

20

arrangement, and can be measured in degrees. Such is the case of Inclusive Education in the
Unites States, in which a lack of federal definition has conferred an ephemeral and idealist
character to the discussions and practices on Inclusive Education, and has restricted its
movement to the confines of special education.
Mid-way in the spectrum, scholars such as Riddell (2007), place Inclusive Education
discussions on a larger framework of functionalist versus critical paradigms, and contend that the
word inclusion can be used by different people to mean different things without taking into
account “the shifting construction of special education” (p.35).
On the other end of the spectrum, Inclusive Education is presented as a means to a greater
good, that of citizenship in and for democracy (Slee, 2007). Furthermore, this conception of
Inclusive Education is based on the assumption that both special and regular education create and
preserve means of exclusion and must be rejected as inclusive (Slee, 2007).
Working Definition of Inclusive Education
In order to provide a clear understanding of what is meant by Inclusive Education, for the
purposes of this study Inclusive Education takes on its original definition, that of the Salamanca
Statement and Framework for Action (UNESCO, 1994) which, understood as an education
reform initiative, is one that was written having students with special educational needs at the
center of the policy, and extends the notion of “pupil” to mean:
all children regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic
or other conditions. This should include disabled and gifted children, street and
working children, children from remote or nomadic populations, children from
linguistic, ethnic or cultural minorities and children from other disadvantaged or
marginalized areas or groups (pg. 6 – emphasis in original).
The democratic intent of Inclusive Education as defined in the Salamanca Statement, and
represented in the “recognition of the need to work towards ‘schools for all’ – institutions which

21

include everybody, celebrate differences, support learning, and respond to individual needs”
(UNESCO, 1994, p.iii), is central to this investigation. Furthermore, this investigation follows
the steps of the Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action in its declaration of Inclusive
Education as its main philosophical stance: creating schools that are able to serve all children and
a reaffirmation of the right to education as and individual and undeniable right as promoted by
the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, "regardless of individual differences” (pg. vii).
The contradictory nature of Inclusive Education
As can be expected from such a complex array of definitions and understandings,
Inclusive Education is often presented as a contentious notion, one that because it is riddled with
doubt and can take on multiple meanings should not be associated with notions of teaching as
science, or the standardization of teaching (Ornstein, 1995). Particularly since the late 1990’s,
the inclusion debate has developed into a scholarly argument, and while scholars such as Kavale
and Forness (2000) equate the issues surrounding Inclusive Education with ethical and empirical
questions, Gallagher (2001) contends that issues of Inclusion are related to a moral choice: “In
the end, the question of inclusion requires a struggle of conscience through free, open and
informed moral discourse. There is no neutral arbiter, scientific or otherwise, that can obviate our
responsibility to choose” (pg. 651).
Attempting to provide clarity upon the inclusive education debate, Julie Allan (2003)
offered the notion that Inclusive Education requires not only a shift in school systems, but also in
ways of knowing, ways of learning, and ways of working, which involves a process of
negotiating tensions. For this scholar, three major elements get in the way of inclusive practices:
(a) an unyielding special education paradigm; (b) an induction into the teaching profession that
leads new teachers into the belief that special education is the best approach to children’s

22

inherent deficiencies; and, (c) accountability systems that operate on a narrow understanding of
inclusion.
Lani Florian (2007) also considers the notion of dilemmas as related to Inclusive
Education, particularly in relation to the provision of services to children, in that by categorizing
special education children as distinct from others this paradigm creates “the central
dilemma….how to make educational provision available to all children without the shame of
marking some as different or deviant (pg. 13).
Allan’s (2003) suggestion that Inclusive Education requires a change in the ways of
knowing (and doing), in conjunction with Florian’s (2007) suggestion that the ways in which
teachers can teach ALL students without labeling is challenging, laid the conceptual foundation
for this investigation, and led me to my first research question. Thus, an investigation into the
possible answers given by three prospective teachers to the question “How do the prospective
teachers perceive, think about, and respond to the instructionally relevant variations of their
students?” might lead to identifying some of the ways of knowing, doing, and negotiating
through the challenges that should continue to be investigated in order to illuminate the
preparation of teachers to work with ALL students.
Pillar 2 - Disability Studies
As offered above, the Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action has supported the
development of more inclusive policies and practices in many countries across the world,
particularly in democratic nation-states, but it has also led to unrealized promises and failed
reforms (Dyson, 1999; Ainscow, 2003; Ainscow & Cesar, 2006). Because policy alone has
proved, over the years, to be insufficient in promoting the kind of educational reform the
Statement espouses, particularly in countries where a medical-deficit model of special education

23

has been the norm, the present investigation extends the use of its definitions by embracing the
Disability Studies (DS) notion that disability is a political and ideological stance (Bejoian &
Reid, 2005). As a junior scholar with an interest in the ways in which multiple voices might
inform practice in the US, I concur with Bejoian and Reid (2005) and the notion that it is
necessary to open up various venues in which to discuss the political and social dimensions of
disability as suggested by Disability Studies, and consider its stance of discovery, in that to end
oppression and discrimination one must understand the many facets (and uses) of disabilities, as
well as the social meanings being attributed to human variation that construct and maintain the
binaries and continuously marginalize disabled persons (Peters, Johnstone & Ferguson, 2005).
The Disability Studies model used in this investigation as a possible vehicle by which
notions of disability might be interrogated, is suggested as a way in which spaces might be
created in which discussions on how a different notion of dis/ability that might impact the
traditional notions of diversity may be held. This DS model is supported by scholars such as
Peters, Johnstone & Ferguson (2005) who argue that disability should be understood within the
range of human variation. Furthermore, Baglieri and Knopf (2004) contend that discourse
encompasses not only theories but also practical aspects such as attitudes, frames of reference,
chosen modes of communication, and actions, all of which are steeped into social practice. The
reliance upon the medical model in special education, is a discourse that relies on dichotomies in
order to define human variation. Normal does not exist without abnormal, or ability without
disability, and normal is defined by the characteristics or that which is NOT normal. In an
attempt to cross specialties, I have made the choice of conceptualizing this investigation in a way
that might present spaces in which to interrogate alternate ways of knowing (Allan, 2003) by
privileging the alternate discourse of Disability Studies, which problematizes the dichotomies

24

offered by scientific determinist. Scholars in the field of Disability Studies look at difference as
simply a group of characteristics inherent to human variation. Thus, in the field of Disability
Studies, the emphasis is placed not on the differences among people but on the meanings placed
on these differences (Baglieri and Knopf, 2004). Baglieri and Knopf (2004), further describe
Disability Studies as striving to uncover, and eliminate, not individual differences but the
political, social, and cultural barriers to human variation, that prevent access to the social
opportunities that are usually afforded to individuals perceived by scientific determinism as
normal. Consequently, it problematizes the influence of the barriers and social constructs onto
educational practices, such as labeling and categorizing within Special Education, which
promote Othering. For Disability Studies scholars, then, dis/ability and impairment do not reside
in the individual but in the social, political, and cultural barriers of their communities, which
preclude them from active and full participation.
By utilizing the discourse of Disability Studies I hope to be able to open the possible
realm of answers to the three research questions to wider universes of possible answers. In other
words, by offering something additional to the Special Education discourse (which focuses on
the student), and leading participants to wonder about their own assumptions (focusing on the
self) about their teaching and their teaching universe, are prospective teachers able to perceive,
identify and respond to (wide-ranging and less defined) Instructionally Relevant Variations?
Pillar 3 - (Not) Naming Diversity
Until recently, much of the research into the intersecting areas between special education
and diversity, or special education and culture, was the purview of either the special education
field or multicultural education (Pugach & Seidl, 1996, 1998; Day-Vines, 2000; Losen &
Orfield, 2002; McNally, 2003; Obiakor & Utley, 2004; Salend & Duhaney, 2005; Skiba, Poloni-

25

Staudinger, Gallini, Simmons & Feggins-Azziz, 2006; O’Connor & Fernandez, 2006; Zhang &
Benz, 2006), and only occasionally did it cross the inter-disciplinary boundaries onto other fields
of study. By attempting to cross into various specialties and narratives, this investigation will
explore if/how it is possible to provide prospective teachers with broader understandings of the
complexities afforded by the diversity/disability binaries, and if/how these might affect their
planning and instruction.
In the USA, race is at the center of discussions about social relations, and the ways in
which issues of race have been constructed impact all societal aspects. However, as Beth Harry
(2007) reminds us, it is not the biological difference that impacts educational performance but
rather the historical and political status given to the biological differences. Race, disability,
gender, and sexual preference are all markers that, per se, are perfectly acceptable, but become
problematic when particular values are attached. Throughout time and spaces, each marker
becomes permeated with particular moral values that impact how each marker–carrier is
perceived, and the term “diversity” has become a catch-all for social, cultural, or economic
markers, or categories, that carry particular values. As such, it may encompass a variety of –isms,
such as ableism, racism, sexism, and the discourses that construct and enliven these values.
Disability can, then, be seen as an individual feature, a social responsibility, or a political quest
(Reid & Valle, in Kalyanpur & Harry, 2004) but, for the most part, teachers in the USA tend to
think of disability/diversity/difference as an individual trait, one often laden with a deficit
connotation.
This investigation, in particular the two secondary research questions, attempt to explore
the extent to which by defining and naming diversity one gives it character, norms, features,
allowances, and meanings that shape and constrict the ways in which different individuals are

26

capable of perceiving and addressing it. While different definitions generate different policies
and practices in teaching institutions, particular labels and definitions are, in teacher preparation
programs, accepted as given, and are a fundamental part of the theoretical foundation of any
teacher education program. The increased recognition of the US population as becoming more
and more diverse along race, ethnic, and cultural lines has prompted many states to issue teacher
preparation requirements to address this issue (Miller, Strosnider & Dooley, 2002), but teacher
preparation that attends to ample training of teachers to work with children from diverse
backgrounds still requires great effort and meets, at times, with great resistance (Pugach & Seidl,
1996, 1998). Thus, by seeking to answer the question “What “categories of difference” are
absent, acknowledged, and/or dismissed by prospective teachers, and which are most often
considered when responding to IRV?” this study will provide further avenues for the exploration
of the issue of categorical and/or specialized teacher preparation programs.
Both in and out of the field of education the term diversity is most often used to describe
an amorphous group of individuals perceived to have common characteristics that determine
their behaviors and abilities. A few education scholars (i.e. Pugach and Seidl) have, since 1996,
conducted extensive research in the area of intersection between diversity and disability in the
USA, although their work and that of others (Sleeter & Grant, 1988; Kalyanpur & Harry, 1999;
Harry & Klingner, 2006) has been restricted to the area of disproportionality of minority students
within the special education population. Again, while extremely important, their scholarship has
been restricted to particular fields of specialty, that continue to narrow the discussions about
diversity into a few cross-disciplinary possibilities and confound the “diversity-disability
connection” (Pugach & Seidl, 1996, pg. 5). This study, in particular the possible answers to the
question “How is IRV influenced by prospective teachers conceptualizations of “difference”?

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Binaries? Degrees? Overlay?”, might open the discussion and explorations into the ways in
which teacher educators have conceptualized diversity, and the ways in which these
conceptualizations might be impacting the ways in which prospective teachers perceive planning
and instruction.
Problems of Practice
The second part of this chapter, Problems of Practice, examines three aspects of teacher

Figure 1 – Traditional Teacher Preparation
preparation, through the lens identified in Part One, and offers a reading into what I perceive are
three potential Problems of Practice in the preparation of teachers to work with ALL students:

28

Multicultural Education, Professionalization, and Silent Binaries. It will be argued that, in
combination, the three problems of practice promote particular ways of seeing and doing that are
constricted by narrow notions of diversity, and restricted fields of work based on particular ways
of understanding the world. Thus, traditional teacher preparation compels prospective teachers to
see categories of children because prospective teachers identify the IRVs that are filtered
through their own professional lens.
Problem 1 - Multicultural Education as a narrow field of study
Demographic Imperative and the Achievement Gap
Although there seems to be general agreement regarding the increasing diversity of K-12
students, the teacher work force continues to be underprepared to face this challenge (Lombardi
& Hunka, 2001; Stanovich & Jordan, 2002; Laarhoven, Munk, Lynch, Wyland, Dorsch, Zurita,
Bosma & Rouse, 2006). In a review of research into teacher demographics, Zumwalt & Craig
(2006), indicate that although the pool of prospective teachers is now less likely to be exclusively
composed of white candidates, there is still a great need for teachers of color. This argument, that
a more diverse teaching population is necessary to close the achievement gap, is based on the
belief that the presence of teachers of color will counter-balance the presumed negative impact
created by the dominant knowledge(s) and authorities represented by white teachers (Day-Vines,
2000; Banks, 2002). Furthermore, this impetus towards a diverse teaching population is,
arguably, based on the need to teach an increasingly multicultural population by being culturally
aware and responsive to their needs, a pedagogical approach often regarded to be the exclusive
purview of teachers of color (Ladson-Billings, 1995; Sleeter & Thao, 2007; Villegas & Davis,
2007; Brown & Greenwood, 2010). However, Zumwalt & Craig’s (2006) study also indicates
that the existing research with regards to teacher demographics and their impact on student

29

learning is not robust, and that while teachers’ gender has been established as unrelated to
student achievement, the results are mixed with regard to the links between the teacher’s race
and ethnicity, and student achievement. While data on gender and age is readily available, data
on race and ethnicity is the most challenging to gather both in isolation and when compounded
with socio-economic status, gender, etc., and the study’s main finding points to the lack of
research that looks specifically at the impact of particular teacher profiles on student outcomes.
This finding becomes even more pertinent when taking into account that existing research
measures student outcomes by looking exclusively at standardized test scores, and does not
account for other student outcomes. In other words, “little attention has been paid to how the
demographic profile may affect the practice of teaching and how that, in turn, may affect student
achievement” (pg. 143).
Despite the above research difficulties, the issue of the disparities between the student
and teacher populations with regards to race, ethnicity, culture, economic strata, etc., as well as
the achievement disparities among groups of students, the “demographic imperative” (CochranSmith, Davis & Fries, 2004, pg. 931), continues to be prominent in most literature reviews,
research efforts, and teacher education programs in the USA.
Can the demographic imperative be surpassed? Can a typically white, middle-class,
female teacher relate to ALL students, especially those that fall outside of their demographic
group? Is it reasonable to expect a swift and robust change in teacher demographics, one that will
more closely align the profiles of the teacher population to the students? And, even if possible,
will the demographic alignment be sufficient to address the disparities that exist among racial,
gender, social, cultural, language, and ability student groups and close the achievement gap? The
investigation being described in this thesis, attempts to explore ways in which some of these

30

questions might be interrogated, but assumes that teacher preparation programs should not
postpone preparing teachers for ALL students based on the possible positive answers to these
questions.
The Achievement Gap and Multicultural Education
The ways in which the root-causes of the achievement gap are viewed, researched, and
understood have been created by, and continue to contribute to, the philosophical and academic
differences that lie beneath many of the specializations within the field of teacher education.
While Multicultural Education is often viewed as the educational specialty that most cohesively
represents the efforts of creating institutions that aim at equity in education (Banks, 2004), the
field is not without controversy. Both James Banks (1993) and Geneva Gay (1994),
distinguished scholars in the field of multicultural education, agree that, despite the great level of
consensus among Multicultural Education researchers and historians, the field can be understood
from a multitude of perspectives that is reflective of the specialty of each scholar. Therefore, the
issues surrounding racial/ethnic minorities and the achievement gap, as well as all other issues
surrounding education, can be studied from a variety of perspectives. However, researchers such
as Lowenstein (2003) re-conceptualize multicultural education and discuss the issues
surrounding the demographic imperative, from varying perspectives by re-conceptualizing the
ways in which pre-service teachers are exposed to issues of diversity and reframing teachers as
competent and resourceful learners.
The notion of an inadequate teaching force soon to be found incompatible with the
student population it means to serve, is the first problem of practice identified in this
investigation, and I contend that this problem is largely exacerbated by the specific philosophical
parameters that circumscribe its discourse. Thus, by using the discourse of Disability Studies,

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and examining the potential answers to the research questions that guide this study, I hope to be
able to provide guidance towards ways in which to problematize diversity and multicultural
education into broader/varied ways, some of which might guide future research onto paths that
conceive the achievement gap as an asset and not a difficulty to be surpassed.
Problem 2 - The Role of Professionalization in Teacher Preparation
While exploring ways in which to think about teacher preparation for ALL students,
including different ways in which to consider the work of multicultural education scholars, it is
important to acknowledge that a multitude of factors influence the ways in which prospective
teachers perceive, identify, and respond to (the Instructionally Relevant Variation of) their
students. In fact, the division of the field of education into specialties and areas of professional
expertise, which influences the ways in which prospective teachers might be trained to work with
some categories of students, can be traced to as early as the beginning of the 20th century.
According to Lagemann (1997), professionalism and specializations emerged alongside the
advent of the scientific community, which presented itself as the optimal response to the social
malaises of the period. Education scholars and researchers in the late 1800’s found themselves
within a new empirical age, and education departments were established within existing areas of
study such as the arts, sciences, and humanities. By the early 1900’s, educationists were
considered experts within their field and were established as a specialty group now distinct from
other scholars and the departments that had once housed them. Despite gaining ground as a
specialty group, departments of education and educationists would continue to factionalize and
further professionalize into sub-specialties.
The economic and social upheaval of the 1920’s and 1930’s gave way to opposing views
of education (child-centered versus society-centered) and to the emergence of such fields as

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curriculum studies. However, by the 1960’s, the field of education was, once again, being
appropriated by the disciplines that had once dominated their scholarship, which created new
experts often derived from fields of study far removed from education which established new
patterns and knowledge within education. After 1965, the professionalism of education and
specialty divisions, paralleling that of other fields in the arts and sciences, effectively prevented
any inter-disciplinary work to be developed. Relying upon Andrew Abbott’s work3, Lagemann
(1997) contends “professionalization has been a barrier to the effective linking of knowledge and
action in education” (pg. 15). Because particular groups among educationists aspired to the same
professional status that many other groups aspired to, there has been a constant territorial fight
for privileged knowledge. This quest for superiority by various groups, leads to the constant
challenge of bodies of knowledge that constrains professionals within particular fields and,
ultimately, prevents collaboration.
Within the field of policy and administration in education, Skrtic (1995) notes
professionalism is based upon the assumption that the scientific knowledge that serves as the
basis for a given profession is an objective representation of reality. Thus, because professions
are steeped within scientific (and objective) knowledge, professionals are allowed authority and
autonomy under the assumption that their knowledge is used for the common good. Under a
positivist perspective, abuses of authority are addressed in ethical codes, and the assumption is
made that a profession holds an objective view of society that is based upon empirically
observable data, a stance that values neutrality, and “ultimately converges upon the truth about
the world” (pg. 9). On the one hand, when positivism underlies professionalism, the knowledge
3

The System of Professions (Abbott, 1988) – professionalization is a continuous process during
which particular groups vie for control over particular bodies of knowledge, define boundaries,
and retain knowledge that is not available to others outside that particular occupation
33

circumscribed within the profession respects the theory/application/practice hierarchical
relationship and professional induction occurs through a process of socialization in which an
individual is provided access to the body of knowledge, values, rules, and behaviors that underlie
the profession, thus becoming complicit and held accountable for extending this particular body
of knowledge, but also bound by its implicit and explicit regulations. On the other hand, the
subjectivist view of the professions contends that professional knowledge is enveloped within
particular paradigms and, therefore, traditional and based upon conventions. Knowledge that is
bestowed upon an inductee is tacitly accepted, and those new to the profession are seen as
novices that are meant to conform to this set of conventions. Professional knowledge is
contextual, bound by circumstance, and situated in time and space.
Both the positivist and subjective views of professionalism have serious consequences for
the current divisions among general education and the various other specialties offered in
colleges of education across the country. While the positivist view of professionalism implies
that specialty knowledge is empirically sound and, thus, a true view of reality, the subjective
view implies that the knowledge base of the specialties is based upon a contextualized social
construction of reality (Skirtc, 1995). However, regardless of paradigmatic orientation, both
views support the construction of the myths that surrounds the divisions between general
education and specialty areas. The positivist perspective perpetuates the homogenization that
envelopes general education and the assumptions that students from minorities groups require
specialized instruction that only certain professions can confer. Students with special needs can
only be taught by special education students, African American students can only be fully
understood by teachers of color, critically relevant pedagogy targets only students of color, etc.

34

The subjective perspective argues that because all learning is contextualized and bound by social
constructions, the practices and knowledge inherent to the various professions is without merit.
If positivist/subjective were the only two possible approaches to professionalization,
education could easily be compartmentalized into two general perspectives, but that is not the
case. Skrtic (1995) goes on to demonstrate how the social sciences can be dominated by four
different paradigms. Of those, because only the functionalist paradigm sustains professionalism
as described above, a paradigm shift implies new ways of arranging knowledge domains, an
evolving process that requires discussions, negotiations, and appropriations of knowledge, which
take time and effort. This process of shift, or “crisis” (pg. 37), allows for established professions
to analyze, interrogate, and either re-interpret or re-align their initial purposes and, because the
knowledge upon which a profession is based is being questioned, the legitimacy of the
profession must also be questioned.
Is it possible that expertise leads to narrow views of teaching? Do teacher preparation
programs create what I see as the myth of specializations? By examining each of the three
participants in this study and the ways in which they each answer the three research questions, I
hope to be able to explore the tensions presented by Skrtic, and further explore his understanding
of the subjective view of professionalization that contends that a paradigm shift is required if
general education teachers are to feel prepared to teach ALL students.
Problem 3 - Silent Binaries
Specialization and the ways in which professionalization occur in teacher education, are
only two of the issues traditionally left unquestioned in teacher preparation programs. The third
problem of practice revolves around binaries/dichotomies closely associated with the ways in
which prospective teachers are inducted into the profession and set into parameters deemed

35

exclusive to certain specialties: first, the expert-novice dichotomy which dictates the ways in
which teachers are (or not) supervised and accepted by peers; second, the theory-practice
dichotomy that further serves to delineate territories within schools and mark areas of expertise
in all education institutions; third, the beliefs-dispositions dichotomy that perpetuates the notion
that not every teacher is morally capable and/or willing to teach ALL students. I will discuss
each, in turn, below.
Expert-Novice
Carter, Dayle, and Riney in “Expert-Novice: Differences in Teaching” (1995) contend
that the study of the binary expert-novice in teaching has been modeled after studies conducted
in fields such as cognitive psychology, where the distinctions between experts and novices are
clear. The authors note that in education the distinctions are elusive and, therefore, “the image of
teaching expertise that emerges…is sparse and reductionistic…narrows our understanding of
what it means to teach and what knowledge and experiences are required to teach well….(and)
perpetuates the dubious view that only a few teachers ever achieve proficiency” (pg. 266).
However, in the same year, Ornstein argues that the expert-novice binaries can be
associated to studies of teacher effectiveness and that it can be suggested that because experts
and novices perceive, analyze and teach in different ways expert knowledge is
“considered important for building a science of teaching” (p. 281). Later, in a 2001 study,
Mather, Bos, and Babur inquire into the perceptions of both experienced and inexperienced
teachers with regards to early literacy instruction. The authors found that both groups has
insufficient knowledge specific to language, despite their own beliefs regarding their ability to
teach.

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In “How People Learn” (1999), a report commissioned by the National Research Council
that depicts a 2 year study into the science of learning, experts are described as falling into a
pattern of knowledge with 6 key principles, among them the ability to organize knowledge in
ways that is reflective of a deep understanding. From this, it can be extrapolated that one of the
dimensions of expertise is that knowledge is organized around basic concepts relevant for a
profession, which also suggests that the curriculum itself should be thus organized. In turn, this
leads to basic concepts that are circumscribed within a particular domain, and curricula that is,
invariably, circumscribed to the same particular set of possibilities. Thinking is, thus, circular,
and circumscribed to a particular conceptual box.
The dangers of an expert-novice binary are multiple, but two are especially pertinent for
this inquiry (Carter, Doyle & Riney, 1995): (a) the binary implies that novices are not adequately
prepared for the tasks they are expected to complete, and (b) the assumption that development
within a profession is a linear trajectory along time and experience. Furthermore, personal beliefs
regarding expertise affect the degree to which teachers (particularly novices) inquire as to what
they still do not know (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 1999).
By exploring each of the three study participants in isolation, this investigation might be
able to provide avenues in which to explore if the linear relationships described above are
present in prospective teachers at this particular institution. If, in fact, the traditional preparation
of general education teachers which revolves around subject matter (or fields of specialty)
instead of allowing for exploration of knowledge(s), teaches them to seek expert knowledge
when faced with problems they don’t believe they have the pedagogical background to deal with,
then some of these effects should be observable in this study. If general education teachers are,
traditionally, encouraged to defer to the expertise of special education teachers when a student

37

seems to fall outside expected norms, and delegate the work to them, as deemed more capable,
instead of inquiring into what norms dictate these expectations, are these practices going to be
observable in the three participants of this study? Do the study participants rely on collaboration
and knowledge sharing among and across the professions and specialties in order to find answers
to their planning and instructional needs vis-à-vis their students perceived, and identified
Instructionally Relevant Variations?
Theory-Practice
Equally pertinent is the interrogation of the accepted theory–practice binary, and the
associated divisions between researchers-practitioners. Munby and Hutchinson (1998) reported
that pre-service teachers criticized the few connections between theory and practice within their
courses, and that learning to teach is often presented as a skill-set to be acquired, not a theoretical
construct to be understood. As with the expert-novice binary, divisions between theory and
practice (as well as researchers and practitioners) helps to define professions, boundaries, and
hierarchies of knowledge that perpetuate the reductionist view of general education teachers.
However, these divisions are related to different frameworks of learning to teach (Cochran-Smith
& Lytle, 1999), frameworks that are often “ invoked by differently positioned people in order to
explain and justify quite different ideas and approaches to improving teaching and learning” (pg.
251).
To believe that theories, policies, and practices get enacted exactly as prescribed would
be taking on a dogmatic and deterministic view of education. They are appropriated, negotiated,
and enacted in flux, but “individuals desire and seek to act in ways that are likely to be rewarded
and avoid actions likely to be penalized” (Cherryholmes, 1988, pg. 5). Therefore, individuals
who are inducted into a profession tend to act in the ways expected by that specific professional

38

community, and are not prone to inquire outside of the proscribed boundaries of the profession.
Pre-service teaching methodologies vary according to discourse (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1999)
but because teachers are bound by the knowledge base that supports their particular expertise,
they often have limited opportunity for paradigm-crossing and genuine discovery. This
phenomenon is clearly evident in the field of special education, which has historically been
rooted in a medical model that privileges the knowledge bases of psychology and behaviorism.
This deep entrenching within a particular paradigm (functionalist), and its sanctioning within the
education community at large, has effectively proscribed knowledge-base crossing, as evident,
for example, by the lack of constructive dialogue between special educators and educators in the
field of disability studies. For as long as work continues to be distributed according to
specialties, collaboration is un-necessary (Skrtic, 1991) and, despite a common target population
and a possibly complementary discourse, special education professionals are not familiar with
the knowledge-bases of disability studies, multicultural educators, urban educators, bilingual
educators, etc. This lack of reciprocity among the fields indicates, among other things, that
teachers need to be made aware of the limitations of their professions, deliberately introduced to
investigations that are highly relevant to their practices but take them outside of their comfort
zone, and willing to engage in dialogue across knowledge-bases. This way, rather than
discounting their own abilities and looking for others outside of their domain that can answer
their questions, general education teachers can be taught strategies that empower rather than
prohibit their explorations across paradigms.
Possibilities for the future will depend on understanding and surmounting of
professionalization in order to develop more truly equal, genuinely respectful, and
effectively collaborative relationships among the groups most directly involved in the
study and practice of education (Lagemann, 1997, pg. 15).

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In the next chapters I will explore the ways in which the study participants look for answers to
their planning and instruction, and where/how do they negotiate the tensions they perceive within
themselves, their students, and the participants of their immediate collaborative universes.
Beliefs – Dispositions
What leads prospective teachers to ask questions (and search for answers or different
ways) to their perceived problems when planning or instructing? The argument between the
value of beliefs and/or dispositions in teacher preparation is long-standing, and has led to the
entrenchment of teacher preparation programs within particular philosophies and political
stances. Beliefs have been considered to guide what teachers do since the early 1950’s, and are
still held in high regard among many researchers in teacher education. In 2007 beliefs were
defined as “those propositions pertaining to schooling, teaching, learning, and students that
teachers hold to be true” (Bondy et al, pg. 68) and considered to be a good predictor of behavior,
in particular, with regard to personal epistemologies. Because engaging in the act of learning is a
deeply personal and long-term endeavor, prospective teachers easily identify their future role of
teacher with that of being a student. Despite the fact that all individuals draw upon their personal
experiences to create a professional connection, in the case of teachers, this connection is more
problematic than in other professions, because prospective teachers have years of experience, as
students, with various teachers. Therefore, it can be argued that learning to be a teacher is not
only the learning of a new craft but, at times, the transformation of deeply held beliefs (Decker &
Rimm-Kaufman, 2007). While Decker & Rimm-Kaufman (2007) contend that beliefs are
influenced by personality traits, demographic characteristics, and level of education, Wilke and
Losh (2008) demonstrated that classifying prospective teachers by their pedagogical beliefs is
difficult to do because, across disciplines, they “consider a large set of instructional strategies”

40

which are not necessarily indicative of particularly held pedagogical beliefs. For example, while
prospective teachers might be believed to be passive students, lecture time accounted for only
20% of their weekly total planned instructional strategies.
While research into teacher beliefs is an important area of scholarship, the more recent
focus onto the study of teacher dispositions posits the theoretical argument of beliefs versus
dispositions into the more practical aspects of institutions involved in teacher education
programs, namely the issue of teacher quality. However, and despite the long standing dispute
between beliefs and dispositions, the sanction of a policy on dispositions by the National Council
for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) in 2002, effectively created policies within
teacher preparation institutions to determine who has/has not the dispositions necessary to
become a teacher, and defines Professional Dispositions as:
Professional attitudes, values, and beliefs demonstrated through both verbal and
nonverbal behaviors as educators interact with students, families, colleagues, and
communities. These positive behaviors support student learning and development.
NCATE expects institutions to assess professional dispositions based on
observable behaviors in educational settings. The two professional dispositions
that NCATE expects institutions to assess are fairness and the belief that all
students can learn (pg. 89).
Teacher preparation programs that are NCATE certified are obligated to evaluate their teacher
candidates as to the dispositions (behaviors) that are indicative of fairness (commitment) and the
belief that all students can learn. While this is a commendable goal for every teacher preparation
program, its execution is made difficult due to the lack of an operational definition, the lack of
reliable and valid measures (Borko, Liston & Whitcomb, 2007), and the assumption that the
issue of dispositions made pre-service teachers more apt to accept their instructors’ ideologies
(Villegas, 2007). In an age where accountability is the driving force of educational institutions,
these are difficult arguments to overcome.

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In the framework of this study, the tension between beliefs and dispositions is important
in that both notions are limiting, and conceptualized as personal, immutable, and mostly
irreversible. Therefore, I hope to be able to determine if the participants in this study can clearly
identify with one (or the other) end of the belief/dispositions dichotomy binary or, if they use
both (or none) of these notions to justify their planning and instruction.
Possibilities of Practice
The notion of changing the “ways we stand, the ways we see, and the lenses we see
through” (Cochran-Smith and Lytle, 2009, pg. 288) is central to this inquiry’s conceptual
framework. In this third part of Chapter Two, I will address the problems of practice identified
above and suggest ways in which this investigation might open explorations into the ways in
which identified problems of practice might be reframed as Possibilities of Practice.
The three philosophical pillars of this investigation, Inclusive Education, Disability
Studies, and an expanded notion of diversity (or, not-naming diversity), stand upon notions of
life-long learning, collaborative practices, and trans-disciplinary approaches, all of which are
difficult to reconcile with the problems of practice identified above. This investigation is
centered upon discovering whether some of the ways in which these tensions might be analyzed
and reconciled lies in the theoretical assumption that expanding the notions offered by
multicultural education, embracing teacher preparation programs geared towards Inclusive
Education as well as a disability studies framework of dis/ability, and supporting the positive
aspects of change and doubt, can lead prospective teachers to the self-reflective and collaborative
practices inherent to the process of perceiving, identifying and responding to Instructionally
Relevant Variation.

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This investigation is arguing that the first problem of practice, that of a teacher force
forever incompatible with an ever-changing student population, might originate in a particular
way of seeing the world. If this is, in fact, a possible reading of this problem, then, a possible
solution might be to expose prospective teachers to philosophical lenses and other ways of seeing
the world that they are unfamiliar with (IE, DS, not-naming diversity), guide them to deploy
different discourses, and encourage them to be committed to teaching ALL students despite the
demographic imperative.
While multicultural education has forced the broadening of teacher preparation to include
racial and ethnic considerations, this investigation is based on the assumption that multicultural
education alone is insufficient, in its scope, to engage in the preparation of ALL teachers.
Because multicultural education originates from ethnic studies (Banks, 1993) and is most often
associated with African American, Latino, Native American, and Asian scholars, it fails to
present itself as an ALL inclusive vehicle of educational transformation. By narrowing down its
scope into specific racial categories, it fails to study what it excludes, such as the role of white
teachers and white scholars as advocates of multicultural education, and excludes the
experiences of others who do not perceive themselves as a part of specific racial or ethnic
categories and simplifies the understanding or racism (Lei, 2006).
Furthermore, multicultural education has created the notion that some students’ cultures
can be considered an educational hindrance, one that should be acknowledged and remediated
through particular curricula. This study aims at investigating the premise that the opening of
discussion of multicultural education based on the assertion that ALL cultures are valuable assets
to education might be conducive to a further commitment to embrace ALL students. Changing
the ways in which diversities and differences are usually defined, as well as exposing the

43

purposes behind each of its uses, will allow prospective teachers to explore the ways in which
students are prevented from full participation in education, and dispel the notions (even if
elusive) that some children’s cultures are more important than others (so much so that they
require specially prepared teachers), and that some teachers are, because of their cultural
backgrounds, better prepared to teach than others. By varying the frame of reference of the
discussions about multicultural education, teacher preparation programs might enable
prospective teachers to reflect upon their own cultures and accept that they are cultural beings in
non-limiting ways.
Furthermore, this investigation aims at inquiring into the role of professionalization in the
preparation of teachers for ALL students. The second problem of practice might, therefore, be
investigated by inquiring into the possibility that by guiding prospective teachers to examine
their own cultures and its affect upon their teaching (Lei, 2006), teacher preparation programs
can also broaden the discussion of the ways in which prospective teachers become professionals.
By constantly reflecting upon their own cultural lens, teachers can better understand their own
perceptions about teaching, learning, schools, students, relationships, etc. Engaging in
discussions about culture and the roles that particular notions of culture have taken in the
professionalization of teachers, might lead to different ways in which to perceive problems, and
think about the possibility of transformative ways of engaging with the profession.
Equally important in this investigation is the inquiry into ways in which to think about
transforming the identified third problem of practice, and explore ways in which to promote
sustainable teacher education programs that support the preparation of ALL teachers to work
with ALL students as it relates to the often silent, and taken-for-granted notions of expertise, of
power relations among researchers and practitioners, and of moral divisions between beliefs and

44

dispositions. Therefore, this study proposes the analysis of the tensions in the existing teacher
preparation program with the aim to discuss what possibilities might be opened if a teacher
preparation program based on the three philosophical pillars (that would, by extension,
encourage prospective teachers for ALL students to conceive of themselves as constantly
learning, evolving by reflecting upon their experiences, and embracing the notion that,
throughout their life span, they are ever-changing) could be enacted. The findings associated
with the research questions that frame this study might shed some light onto issues of perceived
expertise, both within the participants and across their collaborative universes. This investigation
will attempt to explore whether the prospective teachers efforts to reach expertise hinder/expand
their ability to deal with doubt and uncertainty, prevents/allows them from initiating and
engaging in partnerships with other members of their collaborative universes, and
prevents/allows them from seeking collaborative experiences across disciplines.
According to Bagliery and Knopf (2004), and Larry Cuban (2008), age-graded schools
assume that children all learn the same way and should have the same goals, favoring one set of
values and practices over others, thus privileging a particular group of children. Those who do
not fit these assumed practices are generally deemed abnormal and separated from their peers,
thus creating a subgroup of abnormal students subjected to lower expectations, standards, and
instruction. Counter-intuitively, abnormal students, those that need the highest level of quality
education, are usually subjected to the lowest schools have to offer, thus minimizing already low
chances success. The Disability Studies lens supports the notion of “moral imperative – that
society must work to deconstruct ableism and create a community that recognizes and embraces
all differences” (Stiker, 2002, pg. 526). Bagliery and Knopf (2004) maintain that Inclusive
Education is critical in creating societies that perceive difference as commonplace and

45

acceptable, norms not exceptions. While acknowledging that barriers to full inclusion are
astonishing, they also convey Disability Studies’ commitment to preserving all individuals’
rights to self-determination which cannot be accomplished with the simple placement of ALL
children in general education classes. A change in placement does not imply a change in
attitudes.
Some teacher preparation programs are already attempting to address the issue of teacher
preparation for ALL students. For example, Teacher’s College in New York is one of the many
programs that has engaged in practitioner research and published findings that directly relate to
this subject. Hamre and Oyler (2004, 2006), in collaboration with their prospective teachers,
have written extensively with regards to preparation for inclusion, and described their successes
as well as specific areas in which their students had difficulties envisioning inclusive classrooms.
They tell us that, for the most part, teacher candidates to regular education programs do not have
experiences with people with disabilities that is, in itself, a reflection of the historical exclusion
of people with disabilities from mainstream society. They suggest that it is necessary to “create
collaborative forums for our students to come together in dialogue, sharing and grappling with
their own critical reflection” (pg. 161), design teacher education curriculum that takes into
account the range of experiences of each prospective teacher, and study, in depth, the moral and
ideological commitments of each.
Instructionally Relevant Variation
This investigations’ conceptual framework, based upon the three philosophical pillars
introduced above, and the exploration into a transformative agenda from problems to
possibilities of practice, is intended as the basis of a study that acknowledges that in order to
promote teachers to strive towards more inclusive practices, it is necessary to look at teacher

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preparation as a progressive process (Dyson, 1999) not a final destination. In this final section of
this chapter, I will explicate the ways in which existing empirical evidence has lead me to the
research questions that ground this investigation, and how the search for possible answers to the
research questions can lead teacher preparation institutions to gaining new insights from a
different perspective, one that by combining existing pedagogies, has not been previously
explored. Thus, I will present the argument that there is enough conceptual and empirical data to
open the possibility that, within specific contexts, the preparation of teachers to identify and
respond to Instructionally Relevant Variation lies at the intersection of three existing pedagogies,
and the adequate identification and response to IRV offers a new perspective into the tensions
that surrounds the preparation of Teachers for ALL students.

“Changing the “ways we stand, the ways we see, and the lenses we see through”
(Cochran-Smith and Lytle, 2009, pg. 288)
Figure 2 – Instructionally Relevant Variation
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This investigation proposes to study the spaces/places/intermediaries that occur, for three
prospective teachers at a Mid-western university, how they progress throughout the first semester
of their internship, and how they articulate/negotiate their first interactions with their
collaborative universes. By means of analyzing the data collected by the three research
questions, it is my intention to inquire as to whether the study participants question the status
quo, become familiar with ways in which they can negotiate conflicting philosophies and
practices, and ultimately participate in developing a system that is “premised on innovation and
thus configured as a problem-solving organization that invents new practices for unfamiliar
contingencies” (Skrtic, 1995, pg. 249).
Furthermore, if, as suggested by Oyler and Hamre (2004, 2006), inclusive education
principles and a disability studies framework of dis/ability should permeate all aspects of a
teacher education program, this investigation allows for a discussion regarding what might be
expected of prospective teachers in their fifth year of a teacher preparation program, a program
that does not explicitly discuss multiple and/or conflicting notions of diversity or dis/ability. Can,
as Zeichner (1999) suggests, these prospective teachers know “how to think rather than what to
think” (pg. 20)? And, if so, have they been introduced to broad and varied knowledge(s) and
been given opportunities and incentives to reflect upon and articulate their own thoughts?
The questions raised above, while of a conceptual nature, might be able to be discussed
and examined with the support of empirical data gathered by way of the three research questions.
Thus, the data gathered by the answers to the questions, “How do the prospective teachers
perceive, think about, and respond to the instructionally relevant variations of their students?”,
“How is IRV influenced by prospective teachers conceptualizations of “difference”? Binaries?
Degrees? Overlay?” and “What “categories of difference” are absent, acknowledged, and/or

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dismissed by prospective teachers, and which are most often considered when responding to
IRV?” might constitute a first step into identifying the tensions and issues that might take place
in teacher preparation programs that explore ways to progress towards inclusive practices.
Locating the Study – past and present connections
Between September of 2006 and December of 2007, I conducted a longitudinal study at
the same top-ranked Midwestern University in which the present dissertation study is located.
The initial study, “Infusion Project – a University Prospective Program Needs-Assessment
Project” (Hunt, 2008), took stock of what undergraduate students, and their instructors, perceived
regarding the knowledge(s) they were acquiring in the teacher preparation program (at all levels
in the program, from years 1 to 4), knowledge(s) that I considered a value-added to foundational
knowledge, and essential to Inclusive Educators. The study interrogated how prospective
teachers and their instructors perceived their practice with respect to four specific areas of study:
their knowledge of Disability Studies (i.e. concepts of inclusion and exclusion; theories of
disability; various contexts of disability; causes and consequences of discrimination); their
ability to practice in a diverse field (with diversity identified by markers such as class, race,
ethnicity, ability, gender, etc.), and include students with special education needs effectively; and
their ability to utilize technology as a tool in their own learning and future teaching. The four
variables were believed to, in addition to a strong foundational background, provide a
transformative way to look at the knowledge domain of Inclusive Education and the education of
ALL students.
The data gathered at the time indicated that, at best, less than half of all instructors
considered the courses they taught to be doing a “somewhat” adequate job at preparing students
to work with ALL students, while students reported to be “somewhat” prepared in the areas of

49

Disability Studies and Special Education Needs, and “adequately” prepared in the areas of
Diversity Issues, and Technology Use. Diversity Issues seemed to rank “high” in order of
importance for students, with Special Education Needs being considered of “medium”
importance, and Disability Studies and Technology Use ranking in at “low” importance. Not
surprisingly, this was also the order in which instructors rated themselves as being more or less
well prepared. In this instance, the perceived area of most importance was also perceived as the
area in which they are the most confident, and not necessarily the area that would best prepare
their students for future inclusive practices.
Also not entirely surprising were the answers given by the instructors with regards to who
was responsible for teaching the areas in question. Again, Diversity Issues were reported as their
“own” responsibility (once again, possibly tied to the area of perceived expertise), while
Disability Studies and Special Education Needs were reported as the responsibility of “someone
else”. Furthermore, the survey indicated that learning about and through Technology Use was
perceived as a “personal” responsibility. Paradoxically, the same instructors asserted that the
courses they taught did not provide enough exposure to the areas of Disability Studies,
Technology Use, or Special Education Needs, a finding confirmed by their own reports which
indicated that their time dedicated to these areas occupied between 0 and 10% of all instruction,
while Diversity Issues occupied between 10% and 50% of the instructional time.
The first finding that can be gleaned from the study described above is that, prospective
teachers did not perceive to be minimally prepared to become Inclusive Educators, especially in
the areas of Disability Studies and Special Education Needs. While instructors perceived to be
doing an increasingly better job at preparing their students to become inclusive educators,
prospective teachers did not share this perception.

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From this first finding, a second one, equally important, was deduced: that in order to
properly respond to the needs found in the teacher education program and provide future
Inclusive Teachers with the tools needed for their successful teaching careers, prospective
teachers (and instructors) should participate in the curriculum and course design of the courses
they teach and attend.
However, when searching for research to support or refute the findings from the study
briefly described above, an appraisal of the most recent longitudinal reviews of teacher education
programs (Cochran-Smith & Zeichner, 2005; Darling-Hammond & Bransford, 2005; DarlingHammond, 2006; Cochran-Smith, Feiman-Nemser, McIntyre & Demers, 2008) indicated that,
while studies of teacher education programs usually depict a variety of settings and program
features that range from the standard 4-year programs to alternative approaches, these reviews do
not indicate the level of involvement between the prospective teachers at a teacher education
program and their own program design. Not since the efforts of humanistic education of the
1970’s and 1980’s (Wass and Combs, 1974; Combs, 1981a, 1981b, 1985) have prospective
teachers perceived themselves as integral parts of program and curriculum design and, candidatecentered models (Walsh, 2004) and curriculum renewal efforts (Hammerness, DarlingHammond, Grossman, Rust & Schulman, 2005) that embrace prospective teachers’ direct
involvement, are the exception rather than the rule in teacher preparation programs in the USA.
Furthermore, I identified three other areas of research that led me to believe that a
disconnect between what prospective teachers perceive they need, and what the teacher
preparation programs are providing is common among teacher preparation programs (Ford,
Pugach & Otis-Wilborn, 2001; Lombardi & Hunka, 2001; Henning & Mitchell, 2002;
Kleinhammer-Tramill, 2003; Turner, 2003; Voltz, 2003; Pugach & Blanton, 2007).

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First, students in elementary education teacher preparation programs very early on deem
themselves as inadequately prepared to face the challenges of teaching, particularly teaching
ALL children, a perception that remains largely unchanged throughout their programs
(Monahan, Marino & Miller, 1996; Kirk, 1998; Sprague & Pennell, 2000; Garriott, Miller &
Snyder, 2003; Silverman, 2007).
A second associated research thread acknowledges that there is a persistent divide among
disciplines, specialties, and funds of knowledge that constricts prospective teachers’ perceived
responsibilities to the narrow areas of expertise in which they consider themselves confident
(Stanovich & Jordan, 2002; Bahr, Shaha, Farnsworth, Lewis & Benson, 2003; Hamre & Oyler,
2004; Titone, 2005; Blanton & Pugach, 2007). In other words, as identified in the survey
described above, instructors are confident only in the areas they specialize in and deem all other
areas of discussion the purview of someone else.
Third, prospective teachers perceive that in order to have their needs addressed, teacher
preparation programs need to offer a balance of course work and field experience (Munby &
Hutchinson, 1998; Langone, Malone & Clinton, 1999; Keefe, Rossi, Valenzuela & Howarth,
2000; Little, 2000; Wise, 2000; Gut, Oswald, Leal, Frederiksen & Gustafson, 2003; Smith, Frey
& Tollefson, 2003).
While the issues described above are not new to teacher education research, they are
much more common in the parallel research being conducted with and for children. Therefore,
when thinking about the tensions and issues regarding students from diverse populations,
students at-risk or identified as having a disability, technology use, personal involvement in a
study plan, images or self-worth, learning styles and abilities, and hands-on activities, research is
often separated into studies with/for children and studies with/for teachers. However rich and

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reflective of a variety of frameworks, the research that targets teachers, both pre- and in-service,
is not widely studied or analyzed as one (or a few more encompassing) bodies of inquiry.
While this separation into fields of interest and/or specialty is also present in the study of
children, the last few years have yielded a new tension, one that is being felt across various
domains, and brings a new sense of urgency to the discussions regarding what are the common
themes and threads allowing collaborations, as opposed to what each member of a particular
school might be able to contribute, in isolation. This newly felt tension, Response-toIntervention, represents the initial thread of this investigation and, in combination with two other
existing pedagogies (Differentiated Instruction and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy) will guide
the final analysis of the data collected, by means of the three research questions.
Response-to-Intervention
The notion of Response-to-Intervention (RTI) as a pedagogical tool can be found in both
general and special education literature despite the fact that most scholars conceive of it as a
general education initiative, aimed at improving the achievement of students considered “atrisk”. There are many models of RTI, with slight variations among them. Gerzel-Short and
Wilkins (2009) describe RTI as a group of both academic and behavioral interventions and
strategies, responsive to student needs, and aimed at improving the student’s success rate in the
classroom. At the core, RTI is based upon measures of universal screening and progress
monitoring, in multitier interventions: tier 1 addresses universal screening; tier 2 addresses
students who need targeted intervention; and, tier 3, addresses students that require intensive
and/or individual intervention (differentiated instruction). RTI is often described as a
prevention/intervention model (Orosco & Klingner, 2010) which provides teachers with a
collaborative forum in which there is constant communication among all the partners involved in

53

a students’ life, as well as a constant progress monitoring that requires a “collective team
problem solving” approach (Gerzel-Short & Wilkins, 2009, pg. 109).
While RTI has been embraced by policy-makers and administrators across the country, it
is also viewed as a potential means to disrupt the traditional ways in which students with
disabilities are identified. “Many of the details of RTI implementation still need to be worked
out” (Orosco & Klingner, 2010, pg. 270) but RTI considers the general education classroom as
the main (if not only) site of instruction, and the general education teacher as the catalyst for
particular interventions. However, few teachers understand their role within RTI, and few
teacher education programs include RTI in their prospective teacher preparation programs.
Hawkins and colleagues (2008) argued that despite variations among models, it is urgent
that RTI training be a part of pre-service programs. According to the authors, while prevention
and intervention are not new concepts in teacher preparation, the sequencing of events and datadriven decision making inherent to RTI, as well as the interdisciplinary approach to problemsolving, should be introduced and supported in field experiences.
From the literature review I conducted regarding Response-To-intervention and very
briefly summarized above, one other pedagogy clearly emerged as an area of study that
intersected and/or enhanced RTI’s possibilities: Differentiated Instruction.
Differentiated Instruction
Differentiated instruction (DI) is not new. All teachers differentiate (Levy, 2008) when
they allow a student to take longer to complete an assignment, or when only 8 out of 10 words on
a spelling test are graded. However, with the advent of the special education resource rooms, the
term became associated with special education practices and, in the late 1990’s was again
transformed, this time to encompass a more systematic and rigorous use of strategies that are

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responsive to individual student needs. Through the manipulation of content, process, product,
(Levy, 2008) or a combination, and the tailoring of academic activities to meet individual
interests and needs, DI advocates for a “logical way to achieve the goal of content acquisition”
(Tomlinson, 2008, pg. 27).
Based upon Vygotsky’s principles of social constructivism, and Howard Gardner’s
theory of multiple intelligences (Edwards, Carr & Siegel, 2006), DI is a pedagogical approach
that requires that teachers know their students well, and are committed to teaching ALL students.
It is a process of discovery for both prospective teachers and their students, because it requires
that prospective teachers think of themselves and their students as life-long learners. By
promoting the engagement of teachers with students, and the development of deep relationships,
DI is concerned with not only content mastery but also learning efficacy and ownership
(Tomlinson, 2008).
Baglieri and Knopf (2004) promote the use of DI as a means to teach students to care for
themselves and each other in their community. For them, DI is characterized by: (1) a teacher
created curriculum that is centered around each individual students base-knowledge(s) that
grows with the student; (2) a curriculum that allows students to learn deeply, not in competition
with each other, but in tandem with individual characteristics; (3) teachers understand that
learning is facilitated by deep teacher-student relationships, and how to promote them. Under
this model, teachers are encouraged to discuss and dispel student’s negative attitudes toward
differences, and remove negative societal norms and attitudes. Differentiated Instruction evolved
over time and it no longer serves exclusively the children to whom it was originally intended,
students with special needs, and advocates that all teachers need to learn to distinguish between
differences and problems in order to be able to teach ALL students (Santamaria, 2009).

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Again, as with the emergence of DI while researching RTI, one other pedagogy emerged
as intersecting and potentially enhancing both RTI and DI. According to Santamaria (2009), DI
and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) both engage methodologies targeting students
traditionally marginalized and low achieving. Klingner and Edwards (2006) further contend that
more than a deeper understanding and exposure to RTI models is needed. They argue that there
is a need for an “RTI model for culturally and linguistically diverse students” (pg. 113) that
ensures that the scientifically sound approaches used by RTI are also culturally responsive and
sensitive to the needs of ALL students, as well as an examination of school contexts while
implementing RTI. In short, they argue, “the best instructional practice is based on sound
pedagogical principles implemented thoughtfully and sensitively by a knowledgeable and
reflective teacher who adapts instruction to students’ needs” (pg. 113).
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
While Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) was borne out of multicultural education, it
has the potential to develop well beyond its boundaries because it is understood as a “validating,
comprehensive, multidimensional, empowering, transformative, and emancipator” (Santamaria,
2009, pg. 223) pedagogy. Studies that focus on school/home relationships used a variety of terms
that later coalesced into Culturally Relevant, or Culturally Responsive, which reflects a dynamic
relationship between school and communities (Ladson-Billings, 1995). It is the synergy it
embodies that this investigation appropriates, by suggesting that CRP might be used as a means
to empower prospective teachers to interrogate their own identities as cultural beings, facilitate
reflections that are critical to their practice, and introduce them to the community contexts and
issues in which they will be teaching. Salsbury (2008) is one of the many scholars that argues

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that broad cultural issues are more important to teacher preparation than examinations of their
students’ individual cultures (Salsbury, 2008).
In a 2009 study, Settlage and his colleagues tried to address the issue of preparing
culturally responsive teachers by means of learning about identity development. Their conceptual
framework based on James Gee and Bandura’s concept of self-efficacy asserted that teacher
identity in an on-going process and a much more complicated process that the linear movement
from candidate to teacher. The authors argued that
to be or become a teacher is a continual project of forming and reforming oneself within
an elaborate web of afiliational, institutional, discursive settings and natural
elements...Identity (…) becomes a path that is created as the individual moves from one
event to the next (pg. 105).
While the current investigation does not have the longitudinal scope necessary to follow the
process of teacher-identity development, it does allow for the appraisal into the possible points of
entry for each of the participants of the study, and investigates whether how/if each of the
participants reconsidered their own teacher identities vis-à-vis their school placement culture.
Furthermore, it will allow for an examination into whether the three participants engage in
cultural inquiries, inquiries that might provide prospective teachers with valuable opportunities
to engage critically and reflectively with the unknown. “Even if their personal cultural elements
do not directly tie to those of their students, constructing a general sense of culture gives teacher
candidates the opportunity to reexamine” (Salsbury, 2008, pg. 32) themselves and their own
understanding of teaching.
By taking into account the combined potential, or intersecting points between RTI, DI
and CRP, this investigation might be able to support the discussions surrounding the newly felt
tensions in teacher education.
Recognizing Instructionally Relevant Variation
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Instructionally Relevant Variation (IRV) is conceptually related to notions of knowledge,
pedagogy, characteristics of students, and the mediating spaces between students/teachers, and
represents qualities, competencies, and circumstances that impact teaching and learning. This
investigation proposes that in order to be able to teach ALL students, prospective teachers need
to be able to identify and address Instructionally Relevant Variation (IRV). “Inquiry as Stance”
(Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 2009) was chosen as the foundation for this inquiry into instructionally
relevant variation, and prospective teachers’ perceptions of difference, because its’ most central
dimensions clearly embody the essential paradigm shift that will enable teachers to work with
ALL students.
There are four central dimensions of the construct of inquiry as stance (…): (1) a
perspective on knowledge that rejects the formal knowledge-practical knowledge dualism
(…); (2) an expanded view of practice as the interplay of teaching, learning, and leading
(…); (3) an understanding of practitioner communities as the primary medium or
mechanism for enacting inquiry as stance as a theory of action; and (4) the position that
the overarching purpose of practitioner inquiry is to provide education for a more just and
democratic society (pg. 126).
Thus, this investigation aims at exploring the possibility that an “Inquiry as Stance”
(Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 2009) framework, combined with a Disability Studies framing of
normality and dis/ability (Bagliery and Knopf, 2004), and the fostering of commitments (Gordon
& Combs, 1958) towards the education for ALL students might provide direction when reexamining the necessary philosophical underpinnings of a teacher preparation program for a
New Generation of Teachers for ALL. Furthermore, this investigation aims at exploring the
possibility that the preparation of a New Generation of Teachers for ALL might require the
demystifying of the contemporary pedagogies described above. While there is ample research in
these areas (Cochran-Smith and Lytle, 1999, 2009; Tomlinson, 1999, 2004; Ladson-Billings,
1999, 2006; Howard, 2003; Dykeman, 2006), most has not been done concurrently, and there is

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little data to indicate if/how they relate, or whether they are more meaningful in combination, or
in isolation. The present inquiry will attempt to discuss the tensions presented when combining
these various frameworks and pedagogies, and will attempt to argue that the study of the spaces
where pedagogies intersect, and the dynamic relationships that result from those intersections
(and the particular contexts where they occur) can lead prospective teachers to perceive, think
about, and respond to Instructionally Relevant Variation in ways that better allow them to
identify and remove the barriers that prevent ALL students from learning.

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CHAPTER THREE – QUALITATIVE RESEARCH AS A METHODOLOGICAL
APROACH TO STUDYING TEACHER EDUCATION
Chapter Three is divided into four parts. The first, describes the research questions that
guide this investigation. In the second part, I describe the context in which the investigation took
place, including who the participants are, the structure of the teacher preparation program, and
the structure and content of the course which served as backdrop for many of the contacts with
the participants. The third part, describes the methodology of the study: the chosen mode of
inquiry, and the researcher as participant-observer. Finally, in the fourth part, I explain how the
data was collected, what data was collected, what constituted the artifacts, how I worked with the
data, and also address issues of validity and reliability.
The Research Questions
It was this study’s purpose to study the spaces for inclusion/exclusion created by
prospective teachers (interns) at a top ranked Midwestern teacher preparation program, as they
relate to their perceptions of instructionally relevant variation in both planning and instructing
elementary school children, in order to offer insights and suggestions to prospective general
education teachers and field and course instructors in teacher education programs, with regards
to observed tensions throughout their internship experiences.
These spaces were interrogated in terms of prospective teachers’ perceptions regarding
their individual work, but also the negotiations that took place when taking into account “the
interrelatedness of all dimensions of an educational issue” (Noffke & Brennan, 1991, pg. 193).
In this study, the term Instructionally Relevant Variation (IRV) is conceptually related to
notions of pedagogy, characteristics of students, and the mediating spaces between students and
teachers, and indicates a set of qualities, or markers, that is fluid and all encompassing. In an

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effort to bring about dialogue that opens itself to various interpretations and outcomes and frees
itself from binaries, the use of the term instructionally relevant variation represents
competencies and circumstances that impact teaching and learning, while allowing for overlap
and gradation. Below are the three research questions that guided this inquiry.
Main Research Question
1. How do the prospective teachers perceive, think about, and respond to the instructionally
relevant variations of their students?
The primary question leading this study was aimed at investigating how interns create
“local knowledge” that can be globally applied (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 2009), by inquiring into
their views of perceived instructional relevant variation, in order to identify the ways in which
they are capable of recognizing and acting upon this knowledge. This study inquired into the
interns ability to recognize competencies and circumstances that might forestall learning from
occurring if a teacher does not intervene, such as when a child comes to school without eating
breakfast and may have difficulty completing assigned tasks. It was also important to determine
if interns, as prospective teachers, perceived a specific instructionally relevant variance in
overlap with others (conditions or circumstances), or of a degree that would warrant further
investigation. Because it was assumed that prospective teachers might not be confident in their
own abilities this early in the program, the study also inquired into their perceived collaborative
universes, and their attempts to work inter-disciplinarily with professionals within and outside of
their area of expertise, such as parents, administrators, school nurses, school social workers,
special education teachers, and others.
Secondary Research Questions

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The concept of the individual as multidimensional (King, 1995) highlights this
investigations’ conceptual departure from a special education (or diversity) specific inquiry, and
responds to the need for a multidisciplinary approach to research in teacher education. Therefore,
the two secondary research questions addressed issues of difference as undefined dimensional
markers, within the domain of elementary general education.
1. How is IRV influenced by prospective teachers conceptualizations of “difference”?
Binaries? Degrees? Overlay?
2. What “categories of difference” are absent, acknowledged, and/or dismissed by
prospective teachers, and which are most often considered when responding to IRV?
By way of these two secondary questions, this study attempted to map out the ways in which
prospective teachers conceptualize differences in the classroom. Do they see students as only
Black or White? How do they conceptualize race and ethnicity? Do they conceptualize race and
culture separately or as a part of the same continuum? If a child is considered a special education
student does that category supersede all others? Can they untangle the overlay of race, culture,
gender, ability, and other markers? If they do, can they determine the degrees to which each
student identifies with each marker? The answers to questions such as these allowed for the
categorizing of difference, in order to highlight not only the categories most often considered, but
also the ones most often dismissed, or ignored, in relation to instructionally relevant pedagogy.
Context
The interns
The population to be investigated was restricted to twenty-one (21) prospective teachers
from a top ranked Midwestern teacher preparation program, in their Fall 2009 internship
placements, all attending the same (required) graduate level literacy course. While the

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participants in this action-research inquiry did not recall participating in the previous study
(surveys), which originated some of the inquiry lines of this dissertation, they did complete their
under-graduate work at the same institution, and at the same time at which the surveys took
place.
The study was designed as a single case study with three participants in order to address
potential issues related to insufficient data. By designing the study with three participants, the
researcher attempted to safeguard against morbidity and make as many contacts as possible, thus
expanding the possibility of triangulating data, and providing a comparative analysis (King,
Keohane & Verba, 1994) between the participants.
Twenty-one (21) prospective teachers from the elementary general education pool were
asked to volunteer, and three offered to participate in the study, having as their only form of
compensation a “Certificate of Participation” to be included in their professional portfolio.
Because this investigation centered upon the perceptions of prospective teachers that might, in
their future job placements, be expected to teach ALL students (including students identified as
having special education needs), interns with a major in special education or kinesiology were
excluded from the pool. This ensured that the interns that did volunteer, and later accepted the
invitation to participate, did not have the access to particular knowledge domains, which could
potentially contribute to differences in their perceptions of their students, planning and
instruction. For the same reason, the target population was also restricted to prospective teachers
in the elementary school program, without exposure to either secondary or music/art knowledge
domains, in an effort to ensure the participants’ curricular and pedagogical exposure to
experiences to have been shared among all. However, one of the study participants had a
different knowledge domain originating from her previous preparation in early childhood

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education. Furthermore, the three participants in this inquiry did not complete any special
education courses, since none are required in this teacher preparation program except for those
prospective teachers pursuing a special education degree, and were considered to be
representative of the majority of those surveyed previously because they had been exposed, to a
large degree, to the same curricular demands and possibly the same instructors.
The program
The Elementary-level certification program at the institution where this investigation took
place, certifies teachers to teach all subjects in grades K-5 (K-8 in self-contained classes) and the
subject area corresponding to their teaching major in grades 6-8. In order to progress through the
program, including the internship, candidates must satisfy course work requirements and pass a
State mandated Teacher Certification test. Students must complete one elementary teaching
major (Language Arts, Social Studies, Integrated Science or Mathematics) and can choose to
complete a teaching minor (extra and optional). The institution where this study took place
expects the teacher candidates to complete their program having gained a solid foundation in the
core content areas as well as in their chosen major, and provides them with a fifth-year
internship. The requirements of the elementary certification include:
1. Studies in the Social, Biological and Physical Sciences, Writing, Math (beyond Algebra)
and American Cultures;
2. Professional Education Studies completed with a minimum GPA of 2.5 in:
a. 100 level – Sociological, psychological and anthropological theories about
teaching and learning;
b. 200 level – Schools and social institutions; diversity and inequality; individuals
and groups;

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c. 300 level – Differences among learners; Context and socio-cultural background;
teaching and learning content-specific subjects; literacies;
d.

400 level – Learner diversity and subject matter; enabling learning of subjectspecific content to diverse students;

e. 400 level – Instructional decision-making based on data; professional roles and
responsibilities of teachers;
3. Teaching Major and Minors (Language Arts, Integrated Science, Mathematics or Social
Studies with a minimum of GPA of 2.5);
4. Elementary Planned Year (20 credits);
5. Competency exam – State approved Teacher certification test must be passed;
6. Technology Requirements – in which students are expected to become experts in
pedagogical technology;
7. Bachelor degree (all requirements must be fulfilled and degree conferred);
8. Internship Year – in order to progress towards the internship year, all the above
requirements must be met. However, despite having passed all the requirements above,
students may be denied their internship if, according to institutional standards, they have
failed to meet Professional Criteria which indicates whether they are ready to work and
display the appropriate disposition for their profession. The Professional Criteria used by
the institution is divided into three sets of criteria, each evaluated at various points
throughout the program:
a. Reliability and responsibility – is related to the candidate’s ability to be punctual
with appointments, classes, assignments, and have a clean record with regards to
honesty.

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b. Communication skills and social relations – is related to the candidate’s ability to
demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively and professionally in all
interactions, and respecting personal and professional boundaries.
c. Comfort with and concern for the learning of all children – is related to the
candidate’s ability to engage with children and maintain professional interactions
with all children and adults regardless of their social, cultural and/or economic
backgrounds
9. The internship year consists of the fifth year of the certification program, in which interns
are placed in a selected school, while completing graduate-level course work. During this
fifth year, interns are engaged in co-planning and co-teaching with a collaborating
teacher at their assigned school, and are expected to progressively assume responsibility
for the classroom. The Professional Standards which are used to evaluate the candidates
throughout their Internship Year are aligned with the Program Standards, and include: (a)
Liberal education; (b) Subject matter teaching; (c) Individualized instruction; (d)
Classroom organization; (e) Use of school infra-structure; (f) School networks; (g) Parent
and community involvement; and (h) Teacher as reflective learner. The Internship Year is
divided in 7 segments with different experiences and provided support. In the first
semester – Unit Planning and Instruction (UPI) - the candidates spends 7 weeks learning
about the school, classroom, curriculum and children; in the next 7 weeks the interns will
teach a Unit in collaboration with their host teacher; in the last 3 weeks the interns will
reflect upon their Unit and plan their second semester experience. In the second semester
– Unit Teaching (UT) – the interns will spend the first 3 weeks preparing for teaching;

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the next 3 weeks transitioning into teaching, and the next 6 weeks engaged in teaching
(UT). The last 5 weeks will be spent phasing out of Unit Planning and Instruction.
10. Certification (after completion of all requirements, teacher candidates are eligible to
apply for a provisional teaching license.
As previously mentioned, although all three student volunteers attended the program
outlined above, one of them, Lisa, had exposure to a different knowledge-base because her
bachelors’ degree was in Child Development. Thus, most of the courses she attended during her
initial studies were focused on human development and family studies, with an emphasis on the
education of young children in early childhood education centers, Headstart, kindergartens and
the early years of primary education. This different knowledge-base provided Lisa with an
essentially different way of viewing children, a difference that will be further explored in the
following chapters.
This investigation took place during the fifth year of the Program, the Internship Year, in
the first semester. In the first 7 weeks of the semester the interns learned about the school,
classroom, curriculum and children, and during the second 7 (+3) weeks, planned and taught a
Unit (UPI) in collaboration with their host teacher, and reflected upon their Unit while planning
their second semester experience. One particularly important mention to be made regarding the
teacher preparation program where this study took place is related to the nature of the program
itself. As mentioned above, this is an intensive program of study, one of the few in the country
that include a fifth year dedicated to a practical inquiry. However, this is also one of the few
programs in the country that has chosen to infuse throughout many of the specific knowledges
and skills mentioned throughout this investigation as essential to becoming a teacher for all
students. Thus, throughout the 5 years of study, prospective elementary teachers are not required

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to take courses that explicitly address special education, inclusive education, English as a Second
Language, diagnostic reading, culturally relevant pedagogy, learning disabilities or reading
disabilities.
The graduate course in which many of the contacts took place, was chosen because it was a
literacy-based course, a subject that cuts across all subject areas. In this first semester, the interns
were placed in various schools but clustered around this literacy course (and all their work in the
placements was aimed at a literacy unit). This served a double purpose: one the one hand, the
fact that all three participants attended the same class at the same time allowed for me to easily
follow the progression of the course and be able to lead, brainstorm, and/or design specific
interventions at the points during the planning when they seemed most critical. On the other
hand, attending the same course alongside the interns allowed me to interact with them at
approximately the same points during the semester. With regards to their placements, since
literacy is, in their school districts, taught as a cross-curricular content, observations were not
restricted to particular days/times, which heightened the probability that the researcher could
have an equal number of contact points will each of the three interns. Thus, the three participants
in this study constitute a convenience sample.
The course – LIT 800
The syllabus for LIT 800 (Appendix A) describes the course as a platform to learn how to
teach various subject-matters through literacy, built upon knowledge and experiences from two
previous undergraduate courses, and focusing on comprehension skills, genre, literacy
assessment and discussions through literature. It proposed to investigate “the language events
that students experience in schools to consider when and how they have opportunities to: learn
language (…), learn about language (…), learn through language” (pg.237).

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The three interrelated course goals evolved around seven questions that led the interns to
investigate their own beliefs and values regarding literacy, their vision of a good reader/writer
and responsibilities towards their students learning, the instructional needs, progression, and
assessment of their students throughout the school year, and the interns’ ability to assess and
reflect upon their own instructional effectiveness.
The course called upon the reading of previously used texts, as well as numerous
professional articles, and the text by Keene and Zimmerman, “Mosaic of Thought” (1997). In
this book the authors argue that in order to teach and learn how to actively engage with reading,
thinking aloud might be the single-most important strategy, in that it teaches children how to
develop a metacognitive approach to reading. The authors also argue that high levels of literacy
are essential to students in an age of technology and high-stakes testing, and that comprehension
is meant to enable deeper understandings of text. They further distinguish between surface and
deep structures of comprehension, thinking aloud, and monitoring for meaning via conferencing
with students.
Then, the authors introduce 6 strategies in isolation, and provide an in-depth study of
each, its’ possible applications, and specific classroom suggestions. They are: (1) schema as an
understanding mechanism; (2) teaching all children how to ask questions while reading by using
a variety of pedagogical strategies; (3) becoming an active reader by modeling, through thinkaloud; (4) developing metacognitive opportunities throughout the school year in order to
explicitly model how to develop imagery that will enhance comprehension; (5) discussing the
layering of details and the importance of think-aloud in order to demonstrate to students how to
determine what is primary and/or secondary information.; (6) differentiating between synthesis

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and summary and providing examples of how proficient readers synthesize both during and after
reading (pg. 243).
In the first LIT 800 class of the semester, the students were introduced to the course
outline and the content (via the course syllabi), the university’s web-based platform, and the
course Wiki. The planned activities included a discussion of two articles related to children’s
writing and the students were introduced to their first main project, “Project One”.
The students had been asked to bring to class an artifact meant to be used as writing
prompt and, in class, were asked to talk about, write about, and share their writing within small
groups, as an introduction to the presentation and discussion. The discussion centered on issues
of genre, basic elements, and available resources to teach children about narrative writing. The
students were also provided with handouts, all of which were examples of ways in which to
stimulate, recall, or direct children’s writing.
The 3-page guide for the completion of Project One (Appendix B) asked interns to gather
“information on literacy resources, programs and assessments in your unique context” (pg. 250)
to include: physical and human resources in the classroom, building, district and community
levels, and literacy programs (models, resources, and schedules, as well as the Grade Level
Content Expectations, and how literacy is expanded across the curriculum) and assessments. The
interns were also asked to pinpoint three students whom they wished to investigate (from a
literacy stand-point), collect writing samples from them, and identify additional measures needed
for the entire class.
The second class of the semester took place off-site, and the students were given
directions on a variety of tasks to complete on-line.

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In the first task, the students were asked to reflect on “experiences, questions and/or
concerns you have regarding guiding the writing of students with special needs” (Appendix C)
next, the interns were asked to read an article regarding what writing problems might look like
(what are some effective practices of writing instruction, what are some often used adaptations
done to instruction, materials and expectations of struggling writers, how to tailor instruction to
specific needs, and how to identify road blocks to writing success) (Troia & Graham, 2003), and
view a Power Point presentation (Appendix D) in which 5 problem areas for struggling writers
are identified (developing writing fluency, generating content, organizing structure for
compositions, formulating goals and higher level plans, and revising text and reformulating
goals). The presentation included writing activities that, when completed by the interns,
highlighted some of the difficulty areas, and also ways in which teachers might help each student
advance through the writing process with specific supports. Then, the fourth and final task
(Appendix C) asked the students to “Tell us if/how (in 800-100 words) your thinking has
changed in light of reading (…) article, power point and/or experiences in this module”. The data
gathered in this second week constituted the first data points collected for this study.
In order to prepare for the third class, the students were asked to read three articles. The
first article, described genre as “cultural resources on which writers draw in the process of
writing for particular purposes and in specific situations” (Chapman, 1999, pg. 469), which
implied a shift in the way writing is taught and learned. Based upon Bakhtin’s theory of genre,
and Vygotskys’ theory of the zone of proximal development, the author advocated creating a
community of learners in the classroom, and making the teaching/learning of writing an activity
that evolves across the curriculum, and in which students learn about writing by writing.

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The second article (Cahnmann, 2006) encouraged the use of poetry as a counter-point to
other tasks, as well as promoting an environment to explore and value various home languages
and cultures.
The third article (Kovalcik & Certo, 2007) was geared towards interns placed in K-2
classrooms and read by Lisa. The article described, in detail, a series of poetry mini-lessons and
presented a good guide on how to introduce poetry to young writers.
The fourth article (Berne & Clark, 2008) was intended for those interns placed in grades
3-5, and read by Cassie and Megan. In it, the author described ways in which classroom teachers
can expand their use of poetry in the classroom by exposing their students to various genres and
periods, from traditional to contemporary, adult and children writers, and representations of
various cultures. The author guided the reader through a series of questions to ask when selecting
poetry, as well as the need for carefully selecting the piece that allows for children’s varied
interpretations. The author offered suggestions with regards to selecting classic poetry, as well as
conducting pre-writing activities that provide a connection between the poems being read and a
poetry writing activity. Both Megan and Cassie utilized some of the tips from this article in their
planning.
In class the students participated in a presentation in which Poetry knowledge and writing
strategies/plans were discussed, and tips for poetry selection, unit planning, and projects were
given. The students were also given resources to be used in the classroom.
In order to prepare for the fourth class the students were asked to read the first three
chapters of “Mosaic of Thought” by Keene and Zimmerman (2007). The students were also
asked to audiotape and transcribe a short writing conference with a student and bring the

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transcription to class, to share with a small group of peers, along with the pre and postconference writing sample.
In week 4, I was an active participant/observer in class and I started my interactions with
the entire class by introducing myself, and this investigation (Appendix E). Shortly after I
finished my introduction, the class instructor started the discussion about 1-on-1 student
conferences and after, the students shared the transcript of their 1-on-1 conferences with the
peers in small group. Then, again in large group, everyone contributed to the discussion
regarding the common characteristics of a good 1-on-1 conferences. All three study participants
would plan for and conduct 1-on-1 conferences in their Unit Instruction. The class continued
with a guest speaker who brought in several examples of children’s literature considered to be
written in the genre of expository writing and conducted a discussion based on the Power Point
“Expository Writing”. The speaker led the students through the reading and discussing of several
pieces of children’s expository writing, and then discussed genre features, drafting, and the
organizing of expository writing. Finally, the students were provided with several graphic
organizer handouts and ideas as to when to use each, as well as copies of an article in which the
author offers a 5-point rubric for each of the 6 Traits of Writing to help teachers assess and
evaluate children’s writing according to: (1) Idea development; (2) Organization; (3) Voice; (4)
Sentence Fluency; (5) Word Choice; and (6) Conventions. While none of the study participants
used expository writing in their Unit, all three would use or more of the graphic organizers (or
some variation) offered by the guest speaker.
During this class two students immediately volunteered to participate (Appendix F) in the
study and initiated a conversation about the research. The third student would become involved
in Week 5.

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In order to prepare for week 5, the students were asked to finish reading “Mosaic of
Thought” by Keene and Zimmerman, as well as one of three articles depending on individual
interest. Lisa read an article suggested for all students, which presents a detailed literature review
on many of the issues discussed by Keene and Zimmerman. The authors discussed what
balanced comprehension instruction should include, and provided a visual model that I found
very helpful in extending my understanding of this concept, initially introduced in “Mosaic of
Thought”. Megan and Cassie read an article suggested for students placed in fourth grade
internships in which the authors discussed the benefits of peer-led literature discussion and
offered a potential model for its implementation, a model that Megan would eventually consider
utilizing in her Unit Planning and Instruction.
The plan for this class was for me to make a brief presentation on the research project,
followed by a LIT 800 Instructor-led discussion of comprehension strategies and a review of the
rubric for Project Two (Appendix G), followed by workshop time.
After my presentation class continued with a presentation/discussion regarding
Comprehension Strategies. The LIT 800 Instructor guided a discussion by pointing out some of
the many benefits of Literature-Based Instruction and asked the students what types of
comprehension strategies they saw their Collaborating Teacher use in class. They seemed to be
at a loss as to what she meant by comprehension strategies, and this developed into a
conversation with regards to meta-cognition, think-aloud, and the use of specific comprehension
strategies. The LIT 800 Instructor also demonstrated how some books lend themselves to
teaching particular sets of comprehension strategies and can be used in Literature-Based
Discussions, and then discussed the expectations for Project Two. She went over the salient

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points of the handout and told students that, by October 22, everyone was due a complete
overview of their Unit Planning, 3 Lesson Plans, and 2 assessments.
Finally, the Instructor gave the students the rest of the class period to start working on the
UPI plan, check in with her and each other with regards to their planning, and ask us both
questions either regarding the class, or the unit planning process.
In preparation for class #6, the students were asked to read an article (Liang & Dole,
2006), which posited that despite great impetus and research-based instruction, many teachers
continue to feel unsure about their ability to teach comprehension. The article presented 5
instructional frameworks, all of which are research-based and tested in real classrooms, divided
into 3 major focus areas: (1) understanding the content; (2) learning the process; and (3)
combined framework.
Class 6 was the first of several fully dedicated to workshop. The students were
encouraged to work on the planning of their UPI with same grade-level, or same internship
placement peers, and share ideas, plans, and problems amongst themselves, as well as brainstorm
with the LIT 800 Instructor and me.
By this time in the semester and having spoken to the research participants as well as the
LC 800 instructor, I knew that the Unit Plan and Lesson Plans they were being required to
designed constituted their first attempt at medium and short term planning meant to be put into
practice. While all three participants had, in the recent past, written a Lesson Plan, they were
still far from confident in their skills, even after being given specific instructions and support.
The voiced concerns particularly with regards to the Unit Planning and how each envisioned they
Unit would translate into Lesson Plans with a pre-determined time allocation they could not
change. Therefore, I decided to share with them an article, two graphic organizers, and a lesson

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plan rubric to motivate them as they start thinking about their own first classroom. I gave them
samples of Sobel & Taylor’s (2006) article “Blueprint for the Responsive Classroom” and
Vaughn, Bos, and Schumm’s (2006) “Unit Planning Pyramid” (Appendix J) and “Lesson
Planning Pyramid” (Appendix K).
The article “Blueprint for the Responsive Classroom” (Sobel and Taylor, 2006) discussed
the need for teachers to be reflective and affirming of their students’ needs. The article briefly
summarized the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 and the impetus towards
studies that have concentrated of highlighting teaching that responds to various needs and
backgrounds by means of adapting the environment, grouping, materials, lessons, focus and
motivation, student assessment and behaviors. The article provided a vignette for a tri-level
analysis (school, classroom and teacher) that was highly descriptive of a responsive classroom.
We would, later, encounter one or more of these themes in our discussions and conversations.
Both Pyramids (Unit and Lesson Planning) were included in the text by Vaughn, Bos,
and Schumm’s (2006) “Teaching Exceptional, Diverse, and At-Risk Students in the General
Education Classroom”. They are graphic organizers meant to aid teachers in their planning for
ALL students, both at the unit and the lesson levels. The Unit Planning Pyramid leads the teacher
into thinking about the unit content in broad terms, and determine what are the crucial aspects of
the content, those that all students must learn, as well as secondary content (most students will
learn), and tertiary content (some students will learn). The Pyramid also asks teachers to plan
their unit materials and resources, the instructional strategies and accommodations, and the unit
evaluation procedures. The Lesson Plan Pyramid takes on a similar format to the unit planning
pyramid, but asks for more detailed information such as: in-class and homework assignments,
and lesson agenda. Again, the teacher is prompted to think in terms of ALL students. The Unit

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Planning Pyramid (or parts of it) would be extensively discussed with Lisa throughout the
Planning and Instruction, and was utilized by Cassie at the end of the semester.
As I spoke to Megan and Lisa, I gave them the above items and described both my intent
in giving it to them, and the content of each. I did not talk to Cassie today because she was
deeply involved with her grade-level team. However, I did give her the hand-outs and told her
we would discuss them via e-mail or in person the following week.
Week 7 was held according to a workshop model and in Weeks 8, 9 and 10 the study
participants were in their placements doing Unit Planning and Instruction.
The class in week 11 evolved around data analysis and the discussions prompted by a
Power Point entitled “UPI Debriefing and Data Analysis Workshop” in which the students were
asked to reflect upon what they had learned regarding their focal students, and share their
insights with same grade-level peers. They were also asked to give their peers teaching tips.
Afterwards, the students were asked to report to the entire class with regards to common themes,
experiences, and learning opportunities gleaned from their Unit Planning and Instruction
experiences. The students were guided through a brief presentation regarding data analysis which
asked them to analyze their own data and assessments, possible modes of data organization,
possible modes of reporting data, and what other types of data might be gathered and utilized.
The students were also asked to participate in an “Independent Write” activity that would
serve as the first draft of Project Three (Appendix L), their final class required assignment.
Therefore, the students were first asked to write a summary paragraph about their students’
ability in relation to the planned units, and provide substantiating data to support their findings.
Then, the students were asked to reflect upon their entire classroom in relation to the unit and
what data might be used to substantiate their findings in the form of both ongoing/formative and

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summative assessments. Finally, the students were asked to reflect upon their own learning,
consider how their unit fit with the curriculum (obstacles and successes), and report whether the
unit occurred as planned. The students were also asked to share an anecdotal account about their
teaching unit and use it to inform the audience as to their own topic/issue of interest within the
realm of literacy, and support their choice through a review of the professional literature.
Week 12 class was entirely on-line. The LIT 800 Instructor gave directions as to the
various tasks to be completed, and the first part of Project Three was due. On week 13, the last of
the semester, the interns presented their Literacy Units, in small roundtables, per grade level
and/or unit genre. The interns were expected to play the roles of both presenter and engaged
attendee for 10-minute blocks of time, and use the second part of Project Three drafts to shape
their presentations. The interns were encouraged to present student work, videos, photos, Power
Point presentations, etc., and were strongly encouraged to prompt for and ask questions.
Megan and Lisa both presented their unit at the same time, and I could only observe
Lisa’s unit presentation, followed by Cassie’s, I did not observe Megan’s presentation. I also
conducted Lisa and Cassie’s Final Semi-Structured Interviews and collected their Final Unit
Plans. I met with Megan and conducted her Final Semi-structured Interview in week 14 and also
collected her Final Unit Draft.
Methodology
The methodology utilized in this study was informed by a variety of strategies of inquiry,
and methods of data gathering, analysis and interpretation, all within the realm of qualitative
research. This study is based on three separate case-studies that were analyzed according to the
same three lines of inquiry, and proposes a constructivist analytical interpretation of the data.

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This investigation attempts to respond to a new line of inquiry (Hunt, 2008), as well as
extend the research efforts identified in Chapters One and Two. It was intended as an attempt to
respond ethically to data collected in an earlier effort, which pointed towards the need to enlist
the collaboration of prospective teachers in (their) curriculum design in order to address their
perceived areas of need, as well as investigate ways in which it might be possible to identify and
support the resolution of existing tensions, in order to better prepare prospective teachers to work
with ALL students, and continue to advance de project of Inclusive Education.
Inquiry and practice are interdependent, and learning is an essential part of any
professional life-long experience (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 2007). Because this study assumes
that there is no distinction between theoretical and practical knowledge, it loosely borrows from
participatory research methodology, since this is thought to be the most authentic means to
explore the “the reciprocal, recursive, and symbiotic relationships of research and practice,
analysis and action, inquiry and experience, theorizing and doing, and being researchers and
practitioners” (Kindle loc. 951), as well as the synergy of creating knowledges in-situ,
knowledges that can be applicable to wider contexts (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 2007).
This investigation, which centered upon the daily planning and practice of prospective
teachers while in their internship placements, and the possible role(s) and influence(s) of the
researcher upon their planning and/or practice, required a methodology that would accomplish
more than the simple observation of facts.
One important aspect of practitioner inquiry is the assumption that all the individuals
involved in a particular study have substantial knowledge that is essential to a particular social
situation. This study’s progression and outcomes were dependent upon each of the participants,
and their relationships with their immediate educational dimensions (Noffke & Brennan, 1991),

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including perceptions about our relationships and interactions. Because this study greatly relied
on prospective teachers’ perceptions and reflections of planning and instructing, it was important
to utilize a methodology that would lend itself to the witnessing and recording of their
experiences, the what, how, and why of each issue they faced.
Three Case Studies
The substance of this investigation is centered upon the combined potential of the
description inherent in and across case studies. While recent social scientists (Flyvbjerg, 2011)
might consider a study of three individuals as one single case study (when proper contextual
boundaries are set), this study is purposefully set as three parallel case studies: Lisa, Megan and
Cassie.
In this investigation, what is to be studied (specified in the three research questions) is
deeply connected with an intensive search onto how each individual participant reflects upon
practice, is cognizant of their own strengths and weaknesses in planning and instruction, and can
relate to others within their professional universes. Despite the fact that all three participants
were, at the time of selection, attending the same course and preparing to engage in the same
internship experience, the research questions that guide this study are related to how each
individual participant experiences their internship, and thus attempt to describe the personal
trajectory of each participant, albeit along common lines of inquiry.
Thus, while the study is based upon three research questions that are to be answered by
the collective data of the three case studies, each participant is valued for their own contribution,
their own reality, and their own stance within the internship experience. The data gathered in
each case study will be analyzed individually, and each participant’s contribution acknowledged
as a single unit of study. However, because the research questions aim at the production of

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knowledge applicable to interns and their instructors, the analysis of each case study will be
conducted according to a common thread that runs across all three case studies, and an attempt at
observing common patterns will be made. While generalizing is not an objective of this
investigation, nor would it be possible from three case studies, the perceived value of this study
lies within its ability to contribute to a wider body of knowledge. Summarizing case studies is,
often, not possible or useful, but there is value in each case study as a single unit, and in their
within-case variance (Flyvbjerg, 2011). The value of discovery (and of this study) is not
inherently related to the ability to generalize, but to the process of knowledge production that
occurs when studying phenomena as closely to real-life situations as possible.
The Researcher as Participant-Observer
Cleo Cherryholmes (1988) claimed that “practices do not exist without rules, nor rules
without practices. Knowing rules means knowing how to proceed” (pg. 4). He made the
argument that one cannot talk about discourse and practices in isolation and continuously used
the term association between discourse-practice to stress the falsehood of such a dichotomy.
Based on the premise that “meanings flow back and forth from what is said to what is done, from
ourselves to the world” (pg. 9), this study acknowledges that the knowledges that permeate
practice are ideological (Young, 1989) and professionally limited to constricted areas of
knowledge production (as per Chapters One and Two).
Embarking on an investigation onto prospective teachers’ perceptions and the
pedagogical knowledges they need in order to feeling empowered and committed to the
education of ALL students, required that I, as the main investigator, made transparent the
ideological underpinnings of my research. Because research into Inclusive Education is
ideological (Allan & Slee, 2008, pg. 98), this investigation shares the assumption that a paradigm

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shift and a total reform of the educational system is necessary if ALL students are to be educated,
a shift endorsed by many Inclusive Education scholars. It is, therefore, aligned with the
principles proposed by Hegarty (1998, 2007), Peters (2007), Florian (2007) and others, who
contend that the focus of Inclusive Education is not on particular children but on the structures in
which they are educated. It is further aligned with Thomas Skrtic’s (1995) conceptions of
professionalism and paradigm shifts, as well as the notion of an adhocratic systemic
configuration as a necessary condition for Inclusive Education, all of which are conceptually
situated within notions of democracy (Dahl, 1989), and social justice (Nieto & Bode, 2008), and
is far-removed from the positivist theoretical underpinnings of other social scientists (i.e.
Kavalle, Kauffman, Sasso).
My direct involvement with the participants was intentionally tailored towards an attempt
to demystify the notion of special education expertise. By recommending pedagogies that could
allow prospective teachers to gain competence and confidence in addressing change and
uncertainty in their work, not only with regard to students with disabilities but ALL students, I
attempted to demonstrate that knowledges that are, at times, perceived to be exclusive to those
that are considered experts in special education are, in fact, applicable to ALL students at
particular points in time. I tried to do this both with the large group in those occasions when I
was a course instructor, and with each of the study participants individually.
In week 4, my first in LIT 800, I introduced myself to the entire class as a former
university instructor, a special education teacher, and a native Portuguese with an elementary
education certification from Portugal (Appendix E). I described the salient differences between
internships in Portugal in the USA, and further explained how I became interested in Special
Education. I followed this brief introduction by expanding onto the reasons why I enrolled in the

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M. Ed. in Special Education at another university, and how much experience I’ve had as a
special education teacher since then. I further explained that I considered myself an Inclusionist,
and how this philosophical positioning has affected how I think about teacher education,
especially general education teachers.
Then, I explained that the research I was embarking on did not focus upon special
education, but was an attempted at mapping out the ways in which people that are having their
first experience in school think about differences, of all kinds. I presented my research as a giveand-take partnership, in which I planned for the participants to share with me how they think
about their students and, in turn, I share as much of my expertise as they require or request. I
asked for 3 volunteers with no other background or minor other than general education, and
answered a few questions that clarified how I might help them determine who constitutes their
collaborative universe. I also shared my personal information in case they would like to discuss
the research project in private, and gave each student an “Informed Consent” form (Appendix F).
Throughout my introduction I attempted to make clear that, because I had been a special
education teacher and was still a special education administrator I had experiences with both
special and regular education students and teachers that allowed me to assert that the knowledgebase of special education was applicable to all students. I also reiterated, at several steps in my
introduction that, although I was often perceived as an expert in special education my research
interest was broader and encompassing of all teachers.
During this same Week 4 class, I began to make connections between the material being
presented by the guest speaker and a research project in which I had previously collaborated. I
decided to pull some articles related to this project and share them with the course instructor, and
determine if a short presentation could be conducted. I also decided to bring in a “manila and

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sticky notes” graphic organizer that I had become familiar with at the school I worked at, to
share with the students.
After discussing with the LIT 800 course instructor, I began class on Week 5 by sharing
with the students my previous involvement in the research project that complemented the guest
speaker’s presentation from the previous week. In my presentation (Appendix H), I used a Power
Point (Appendix I), which included samples of some graphic organizers. I started the
presentation by sharing with the students my involvement with the project and leading them into
a 3-minute pair-share activity. I asked the students if they remember learning how to study, who
taught them, and how. It was clear from their input that, for the most part, the students
remembered learning specific skills (such as using flash cards for memorization) but not
everyone learned at the same time, in the same way, or for the same purpose. After they had
shared with their partners and with the entire class, I proceeded to introduce them to the research
project, its origins and main goal: to “improve how students deal with complexity, as well as to
help them to access, develop, and organize information around particular literacy and
disciplinary goals, content, genres and dilemmas” (Appendix I, slide 3). I explained that although
the study was born out of work targeting students with learning disabilities, it was applicable to
all students, a point with which they would agree since they identified many of the strategies
described as having work for them. I stressed the importance of meta-cognitive skills making a
connection between this project and the “Mosaic of Thought” as well as Vygotsky’s Zone of
Proximal Development. I introduced the students to the cognitive strategies and text structures it
targets, as well as the inquiry process it promotes in comprehending and producing expository
text. I highlighted each of the strategies by showing the students the graphic organizers (and

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associated mnemonic devices) that were developed for each, and discussing the many possible
uses of each in an inclusive classroom.
The presentation/discussion became quite animated while discussing the “highlighting”
strategy and the need for teachers to model, via think-aloud, what each strategy entails, which led
to the “fairness conversation” (Appendix H, pg. 283), and the idea that supporting tools are
individualized and maintained while the students need them, regardless of whether or not the
remaining students in the class think it is “fair”. The LIT 800 Instructor then introduced the idea
that there is no equity in education and we both discussed the idea that in issues of fairness, there
is no right/wrong answer but that it is an issue that all teachers will have to deal with eventually.
This would be a topic of further conversation with all three participants, throughout the semester,
and issue they all dealt with very differently (see subsequent chapters). While discussing the
need to teach, explicitly, the meta-cognitive strategies required to predicting and activating prior
knowledge, one of the students didn’t think that a talk-aloud and explicit instruction was
necessary, just the modeling of the activity because students copy teachers’ behaviors. This
comment, said in the most naïve of ways, provoked my own reflection as to the appropriateness
and necessity of a gate-keeping mechanism that helps to determine whether a student is prepared
for the internship, regardless of having completed all required courses. It seemed evident to me
that this student’s comment (not one of the study’s participants) demonstrated a great lack of
understanding with regards to child development, a lack of understanding I did not expect of a
student in the internship year.
After talking informally with several students (the participants in this study and others)
the main focus of my post-class reflections was on the questions the prospective teachers were
not asking. I noted that there is no detail or sophistication to the prospective teachers questions

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with regards to students’ disabilities and they do not seem to be able to distinguish among
disabilities; furthermore, they speak of students in special education as if they constitute one
homogenous group that always behaves the same way, and thus should respond equally to the
same interventions and instruction.
Constructionist Analytics
It is quite clear from the above that I was not an objective investigator. In fact, this
inquiry assumes that, not only is rigorous and judgment-free observation impossible, but it is also
impossible to account for all the influencing constructs that direct observations, since it is
difficult to determine with accuracy what is inside and outside of us (Gallagher, 2001, pg. 640).
This research, and its methodology, is conditioned by human social and cultural values, and
contingent upon my belief that neutrality is a vacuous concept, one that cannot be brought to
bear in the full inclusion debate (Gallagher, 2001).
One way of studying the what, how and why of teacher preparation, is by looking at the
ways in which the study participants created and acted upon knowledges within the boundaries
and constrictions of a social institution that, not only circumscribed their practice, but was also
impacted by their practice. This study attempts to determine not only the ways in which
participants perceive their students, but also the ways in which they act upon that knowledge,
and the relationships necessary to plan and instruct within a space that is socially mediated.
Thus, the notion of “constructive action-in-context” (Holstein & Gubrium, 2011, pg. 342), which
focuses on the dialectic between “discursive practice and discourses-in-practice” (Holstein &
Gubrium, 2011, pg. 346) was found to be one of the strategies that can best describe the
everyday realities of prospective teachers in an internship placement, as well as the conceptual
and ideological tensions they encounter within each placement. Throughout the data analysis of

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each case study, I will not only describe their personal processes of planning and instruction, but
will also attempt to contextualize them within each participant’s social structure.
My ideological positioning is addressed in my direct involvement in the study, both as a
mentor and as an experienced special education teacher, which has the potential to contribute to
the development and implementation of the participants’ lesson plans. My positioning, vis-à-vis
the participants, changed over time as well as the lenses I used to interact with each, and this
shifting impacted the power deferential with each participant at different points throughout the
semester. Furthermore, this shifting in positions was also considered a part of the social action
the participants engaged in. While, at times I observed and concentrated on the description of
events (i.e. looking at lesson plans), other times I attempted to orient the participants’ realities,
by offering comments and guiding discussions into my particular ways of thinking and viewing
the world. By moving “back and forth between discursive practice and discourses-in-practice”
(Holstein & Gubrium, 2011, pg. 347) I attempted to address the dialectic of each of the
participants experiences, while supporting their practice. In the following chapters, the data is
presented within each case study in chronological order. However, my positioning is embedded
throughout the text, and I describe, analyze, and create my own knowledge throughout. There are
many possible reading for each, and across, the case studies. The one in the upcoming chapters is
informed by my own reality, and it is an interpretation of the participants practice through my
analytical lens.
Ultimately, this study attempts to describe the mechanisms through which prospective
teachers perceive, negotiate, and respond to instructionally relevant variation, and promotes a
reflective stance that addresses the effective teaching of ALL students while respecting the
individual. As with all social science research, this study attempts to describe and explain (King,

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Keohane & Verba, 1994), but it is also concerned with maintaining a collaborative and ethical
model (Mockler, 2007). Four guidelines to practitioner research were embedded throughout the
methodological assumptions of this study, which include: ethical processes, procedural
transparency, collaboration, and impact upon practice. Because researching with the institution
one is affiliated with raises ethical questions (Norton, 2007), the guidelines for practitioner
research and the associated limitations of this study will be explored in the last chapter.
Data Collection
How data was collected
The practices described and analyzed in this investigation were observed and recorded in
chronological order. However, there were four distinct points throughout the semester that, due
to their nature and my positionality within the study, can be considered to mark four distinct
phases throughout the investigation. They are described below:
Phase 1: Researcher observation and participation in LIT 800;
Phase 2: Participants developed a Literacy Unit Plan and researcher supported planning
according to perceived or explicit participant needs;
Phase 3: Participants acted upon the plan and researcher observed the effects from
participants’ actions. Discussions between participants and researcher did, in some
instances, lead to change in future actions;
Phase 4: Participants reflected upon the effects of their Unit Plans (with guidance from
the researcher).
This set of phases took place in three separate environments: the Literacy Course 800
(LIT 800), internship placements, and informal settings. Data was gathered with a variety of
instruments and, whenever possible, triangulated across environments; particular instruments

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were used to address the specific needs of each phase within the action/environment, as
described below and in Table 1.
Phases 1 & 2 – Observation/Participation and Development of a Unit Plan (LIT 800)
1. Phases 1 and 2 occurred almost entirely during the researcher’s observations and
participation in LIT 800. During this time, the investigator:
a. provided assistance, per agreement with class instructor, to all class participants;
b. Developed a professional/mentoring relationship with the research participants
and provided intellectual support and pedagogical tools as requested or deemed
appropriate, with regards (but not limited) to issues related to: diversity,
differentiated instruction, response to intervention, culturally relevant pedagogies,
special education legislation and practices, collaboration, and disability studies in
education.
During these structured times, the investigator had an opportunity to observe the ways in
which learning about teaching was facilitated and how the prospective teachers were relating to
the activities that had been structured by the course instructor, and investigated into the areas in
which the prospective teachers found the greatest interest and/or difficulty. Taking into account
the prospective teachers’ perceptions or requests related to their specific interests/needs when
planning their instruction, the investigator was able to suggest and provide pedagogical tools to
aid in the planning (i.e. readings, activities, websites, collaborations). Phase 2 ended with a semistructured interview, which was audio-recorded and later transcribed, coded, and analyzed
around three themes. The First Semi-Structured Interview aimed at guiding the interns through a
reflection upon the Planning of the Unit, and a discussion regarding how the Plan had been
oriented, taking into consideration their entire classroom and their Focal Students.

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Phase 3 – Action/Observation/Action (Internship Placement & LIT 800)
Phase 3 took place in both the prospective teachers’ internship placements and the LIT
800 classroom after UPI. Data gathered during Phase 3 includes various drafts of the UPI Unit
Plans and leading projects, field notes, transcripts of informal conversations, e-mails, and
transcripts of video observations. The first observation was conducted by the investigator, videotaped, and complemented with field notes. This observation occurred during the three weeks of
Unit Planning and Instruction, and at a time mutually agreed upon by the investigator and each
intern. A second video-tape was collected by the intern, at some point during the same three
weeks, but at a time of their own choosing, and used as a second observation. This second
observation was planned with the intention of giving each intern control over what was
observe/document. While the participants had control over the date/time/subject of the first
observation, they did not perceive themselves in control of the teaching. This second observation
was meant to give them an opportunity to choose what I would see and give them also a chance
to show me something different that the first time, if they so choose.
Phase 4 – Reflection (informal setting)
Phase 4 took place after the researcher observed the intern in the internship placement,
and shortly before the end of the semester. This last phase was constituted by a semi-structured
interview which attempted to guide the interns through a self-reflection of the work
accomplished in the previous weeks, the correlations between planning and executing the
instruction, the possible influence of the pedagogical tools offered by the investigator upon the
intern’s design and execution of the plan, and the interns’ overall impressions regarding their
first teaching experience.
What data was collected

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In light of the posed research questions, this study endeavored to promote a collaborative
control of the research between researcher and participants, by allowing the participants to lead
the conversations, ask questions and ask for advice, without being worried that I would, in any
way, grade or qualify their work in any way. Furthermore, by giving them the opportunity of
when and where I would observe them, I further allowed them to choose what I could see. Table
1 summarizes the phases described above, the environment in which each phase took place, and
the artifacts collected in each.
Primary Instruments (Phases 2 and 4)
Interviews provide a means to learn about the ways in which others perceive their own
realities (Anderson, Herr & Nihlen, 1994), and the questions being asked in the semi-structured
interviews evolved around artifacts and occurrences of instructionally relevant variations. The
questions varied depending on whether they were asked in Phase 2 or Phase 4, but clustered
around the eight themes that organized the first two main course assessments (Appendix M).
Secondary Instruments
The data gathered via the primary instruments was complemented by the artifacts
collected throughout the semester, including: the course syllabus, readings, handouts, and other
information provided to the study participants while attending the LIT 800 course.
Working with gathered data
Throughout the semester, I gathered, read, and reflected upon all the course materials, those
given or suggested by the course instructor, as well as those produced by the three study
participants. I attended all classes between weeks 4 and 13, and voice-recorded all the informal
conversations and interviews had with the participants. I gathered and organized chronologically

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all handouts, power points, field notes, interviews, and video-taped observations, as they
occurred.
Phase 1
Observation/Participation

Environment
1. Observation & Participation in LIT
800

Phase 2
Development of a plan

2. Researcher observes and
participates in LIT 800
1. Observation & Participation in LIT
800
2. Researcher and each Participant
develop individual plans (Unit
Planning and Instruction plans)

Phase 3
Action/Observation/Action

3. Semi-structured Interview
1. Internship Placement
2. Observations (one formal and one
informal)

Phase 4
Reflection

1. Semi-structured Interview

Instruments
1. Field Notes
2. Work produced by
participants in LIT 800
1. Field Notes
2. Initial draft of Unit
Planning and Instruction
(UPI) Plan
3. Work produced by
participants in LIT 800
4. Transcript of first
Interview
1. Various drafts of UPI
plan
2. Field Notes
3. Transcripts of
videotaped
observations (2)
1. Transcript of last
Interview

Table 1. Investigation phases and associated environments/artifacts
At the end of the semester, and once I was no longer in communication with the
participants, I transcribed all conversations and interviews in their entirety. The video-taped
observations were not transcribed. They were intended as a means to augment recorded data, and
were found to offer no additional or relevant information.
The data was then organized chronologically, and a narrative of each week was
completed, which included: how the participants were asked to prepare for class, what materials
were distributed, the content and relevance of the discussions held, and the work produced by the
participants both in and out of class. Then, this narrative was further divided into each of three

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participants, irrelevant or repetitive data was removed, and each set of data (Chapters 4, 5 and 6
below) was analyzed individually. Each case study (chapter) is organized is two parts:
1) Data collected – includes a description and analysis of the data collected;
2) Cross-Cutting Themes – includes an analysis of the data collected according to three preconceived thematic areas that represent three domains essential to teachers for ALL
students: their ability to Plan for ALL students, their perceptions and understandings of
Differentiated Instruction and, finally, their notions of fields of expertise and associated
ability to create collaborations with other professionals.
Finally, in Chapter 7, the data from Chapters 4, 5 and 6 was further analyzed to determine:
1) How the overall collected data, both individually (chapters 4, 5 and 6) and collectively
contributed to answering the Research Questions;
2) How each participant perceived and negotiated their first semester of the internship year
in relation to the identified Problems of Practice;
3) How specifically designed discussions aimed at reconciling some of the tensions the
participants encountered throughout the semester might have supported their progression
through Planning and Instructing and facilitated their identification and responses to
Instructionally Relevant Variation.
Validity, Reliability and Relevance
Traditionally, researchers distance themselves from the context and participants of the
research their undertake (Armstrong & Moore, 2004). However, this is a problematic condition
for this investigation because the researcher and the research were deeply entangled. Not only
were the questions of this study designed based upon deeply help personal interests, but also as a
way to contribute to the participants and the researchers’ development of transformative

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practices. This study did not propose to provide clear, unilateral, or objective answers to a
particular query. Because it intended to describe a process, it may be likened to a work in
progress rather than the real deal. It did not set out to make objective claims but rather to work
within the “perspectives of (…) those who are working in contexts in which they themselves are
closely linked with issues and practices relating to inclusion and exclusion” (pg.10).
This study created knowledge that was applied in context but held the potential for more
widespread use, and the validity and generalizability of this study are quite different that those
held by traditional studies (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 2007). Thus, this study can be deemed
relevant within the context of the immediate institution in which it took place, the participants,
their instructors, their internship placements, and the researcher.
Because there is evidence that teachers’ beliefs directly impact student outcomes
(Silverman, 2007) and that in order to feel empowered to work successfully with ALL students
teachers must experience some level of success in the classroom (Giangreco et al., 1993), the
present inquiry assumed that, not only is teacher participation in research critical to their success,
but it should determine the areas of teaching and learning most in need of examination in a
particular context. Here, the notion on “local knowledge of practice [defined as] questions and
issues that arise from a local context…intended to generate knowledge that is useful locally…but
also includes interpretive frameworks and theories of practice that are useful and usable in other
contexts” (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 2009, pg. 95) was particularly helpful, because it highlighted
the means in which it is possible to generate knowledges in-situ, while potentially addressing
various identities without the constriction of space, time, theoretical framework, or particular
ideologies. Therefore, the current investigation focused on investigating a particular area of
research until now vastly left untapped, namely the participation of prospective teachers into

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determining their own lines of inquiry, while addressing four areas previously found to be
relevant to the study of instructionally relevant variation (Hunt, 2008). Thus, this inquiry
proposed the study of the three areas below.
First, by providing supplemental and external support to prospective teachers during their
first semester of internship, I attempted to curtail some of their feelings of inadequacy. While
prospective teachers developed close professional and mentoring relationships with their
Cooperating Teachers and instructors, it was thought to be less threatening for them to discuss
what they might perceive as personal short-comings or areas of difficulty with someone they
perceived as having no direct impact on the successful completion of their courses and/or
internship.
Second, by making the knowledge-base often perceived to be the exclusive purview of
special education professionals, I attempted to demonstrate that: (1) funds of knowledge
constricted within specialty areas (i.e. special education) can very often be extended to all
student populations; (2) reflecting and recognizing areas of strength and weakness within one’s
practice is essential to continued professional growth; (3) collaborative relationships among
various professionals are an essential part of the practice of teaching ALL children.
Finally, and more importantly, this inquiry was an attempt to not only acknowledge three
prospective teachers’ perceived areas of strength and needs in relation to instructionally relevant
variation and find ways to address these, but also to propose systematic ways in which they
might have been encouraged in co-constructing their internship experiences. Cochran-Smith and
Lytle (2007) conceptualize teacher research as “working the dialectic” (pg. 31), a process in
which there is a symbiotic relationship between researcher and practitioner, theory and practice,
doing and observing, questioning and analyzing. By “working the dialectic” (pg. 31) the

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knowledge that is generated by all involved is not encapsulated and made stagnant, but it is made
relevant in other contexts and transformative in a widen dimension. The research upon which
this study is based addresses a dialectical relation between students and institutions, the lack of
symbiotic relations between institutionally accepted practices, and the perceptions of those
immersed in them, both undergraduate students and their course instructors. As such, the
perceptions of undergraduate students and their experiences will make transparent perceived
needs, and respond to the existing “attitudes and beliefs” (Silverman, 2007, pg. 49) of the
prospective teachers in this study, “rather than making assumptions about these” (pg. 49).
The inquiry into prospective teachers’ perceptions regarding instructionally relevant
variation will attempt to create dialogue and inquiry that provides them with some of the
pedagogical tools necessary to question the policies that regulate their practices, and to help them
recognize that their active participation in a systemic and paradigmatic change is required for the
successful accomplishment of Inclusive Education. Because the mechanisms of expert teaching
pervade and envelop teacher education, this study attempted to equip three prospective teachers
with, not only the commitment to become Inclusive Educators, but also the tools to work on
Inclusive Education from the inside out (Florian in Allan & Slee, 2008). By explicitly “working
the dialectic” (Cochran-Smith and Lytle, 2007, pg. 31) and encouraging the participants of this
study to steer our collective inquiry, this study will describe what prospective teachers perceive
are the strengths, weaknesses, and gaps of their program, knowledge-base, and own abilities to
initiate and develop long-standing working relationships with their students, institutions and
communities.

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CHAPTER FOUR - DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS (LISA)
“Events aren’t just things that happen, but the process of things happening” – Lisa
Chapter Four is divided into two main parts. In the first, I will describe the data collected
regarding Lisa throughout the four Phases and analyze it chronologically. Then, in part two, I
will analyze the collected data according to three themes that might make visible the tensions
Lisa felt when working at the intersecting points of RTI, DI and CRP, and are reflective of the
stances associated to her conceptualization of the Possibilities of Practice. They are: (1)
Planning for ALL Students, which investigates how Lisa thought in terms of planning for her
classroom in general, and individual students in particular; (2) Differentiating Instruction, or
Lisa’s willingness and aptitude to plan for students’ perceived needs and strengths; and, (3)
Notions of Expertise, specifically how she viewed herself as teacher, and in relation to other
individuals within her collaborative universe.
Data collected
Lisa’s background knowledge, interest and goals were very different from Megan and
Cassie. She was the only participant of this study interested exclusively in kindergarten, and her
preparation was based upon a child development knowledge-base that would greatly influence
her internship experience. Her internship took place in Kindergarten and, because the school
district in which she was placed only offers half-day Kindergarten, Lisa had two classes, one in
the morning, and one in the afternoon. Lisa would like to continue teaching Kindergarten.
Phase 1 – observation/participation
Lisa started the semester by reflecting upon writing difficulties and instruction. She was
at ease with the writing process but recognized that others have great difficulties and that writing

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instruction is a process that should to be carried out well past the time when children learn to
print. She mentioned that she believed that after learning how to print, her teacher “just assumed
that we all knew how to write, so they stopped with the instruction” (Appendix N, pg. 302) even
though not all of her peers where comfortable with the writing process. In her written reflection,
Lisa noted that although she had experience teaching writing, she had no “experience with the
instruction to students with special needs” (Pg. 302). She commented on a past experience with a
peer whom had trouble generating content matter and what she considers the need to ensure that
young children enjoy writing in order to actually learn the various steps involved in the writing
process. She mentioned two students she had observed at a previous placement, and indicated
that one of the students should have used a typewriter in order to aid with the mechanical aspects
of writing and allow for a less cumbersome process, which indicated her awareness of the
possible uses of assistive technology in the instruction of writing. She further mentioned another
student who would frequently leave his paper blank, and indicated that, in this instance, the
classroom teacher had mishandled the situation by making disparaging remarks about the
spelling, instead of praising the students’ effort, which indicated her preference for positive
reinforcement as a motivator.
Lisa reflected upon the fact that not any one teaching strategy will be applicable to all
students because “their learning styles and individual experiences shape everything” (pg.303),
and added that while many have difficulty with writing this does not mean that they are not
learning, merely that writing is not their most successful way of conveying knowledge and “this
is where differentiation in assessment becomes … important”(pg.303).
In Project One (Appendix O), Lisa identified various literacy models as the preferred
methods in her school and indicated that “other models may be used while the school year

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progresses based on the student’s academic needs” (pg. 304) and noted that they used leveled
readers and Centers as a grouping strategy, and that during Choice Time the students could chose
to write or pick a book from the library which was not, otherwise, available to them. She also
noted that Literacy took most of the instructional time in the classroom and that, with regards to
Writing, there was a “huge range of abilities in the classroom, which the journal allows for” (pg.
305). Finally, Lisa noted that Speaking was the least emphasized skill “probably…we are trying
to get the children to learn classroom norms. They are expected to raise their hands and not blurt
out” (pg.305) their answers.
Project One also included the identification of the three students who would become the
interns’ Focal Students for the remained of the first semester of internship. Lisa identified three
focal students and collected writing samples and field notes related to the students writing
activities.
Lisa described Student 1 as a 5y8m old boy, whom had never practiced the alphabet or
his name, which he could not read, write, or recognize (as a standalone word). Lisa noted that
Student 1 showed no hand dominance and commented: “How do I differentiate my teaching
enough to help…while staying at the same level as his peers? What strategies can I use to help
… as a literacy learner?” (pg. 305). This was the first time that Lisa voiced concerns related to
individualizing instruction while maintaining the pace of the classroom, which would become a
recurrent theme in our conversations.
She described Student 2 is a 5y3m old boy reading at the second grade level. He
struggled with listening, viewing, and writing, and had frequent outbursts during those activities
because he fully understands letter/sound relationships, he struggles with writing words
because he knows that spelling a word phonetically isn’t always the correct way to spell
it. I would like to learn how to help …get past his issues with spelling perfection and help
him love writing (pg. 306).
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She further described Student 3 as a quiet 5y9m old girl, who did not always chose to
participant in the activities. Student 3 had some word knowledge, such as her own first and last
name, “mommy”, and her mother’s first name.
Two weeks later, during our first informal conversation (APPENDIX P) with this
investigator, Lisa would again describe her three Focus Students. At this time she was just
beginning to think about the instruction she was supposed to plan for the 3 weeks of Unit
Planning and Instruction (UPI) and, although she needed to plan with her Collaborating Teacher
(CT), she wanted to plan a unit related to comprehension strategies. She was worried about
having two classes, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, which yielded a high number of
students and a lot of information to process. This was also the first time that Lisa acknowledged
me as a potential resource, in that she thought she had a lot of students whom she perceived as
students with difficulties, and she wanted to pick my brain regarding possible solutions.
At the time of this conversation, our first informal one, Lisa was obviously very careful
when choosing the words with which to describe her students, and showed me samples of work
of the three focal students, as needed, to reiterate her assumptions. She started by talking about
Student 2 who was, according to her, in the gifted and talented category. The student could write
and read well, knew all numbers, letters, and sounds, although he had only been in school for a
few months. Lisa said that the only difficulty he had with writing stemmed from him knowing
that some words were not written the way they sound, and he did not want to write them wrong.
We then spoke only briefly about the other two students: Student 3, whom both Lisa and her CT
expected to be at appropriate grade level and age; and, Student 1, the one that she was the most
concerned about. Lisa said that a lot of her students are like him, very young, and with no
previous school history. She showed me some of his work, some of his initial assessments, and
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said that he “knew nothing”, and she could not observe any school-related knowledge during her
guided observation. She reiterated that he “knew nothing”, did not know what was the proper
way to hold the book, how to hold it, didn’t know when to flip the page, didn’t recognize the end
of the book, didn’t recognize the beginning of the book, and didn’t recognize any letters or
sounds. When asked if he was on grade-level in any other subject matter, Lisa said that he could
recognize numbers, but quickly dismissed both my question and her answer with a continued
expression of concern about his literacy progress.
Phase 2 – development of a plan
Lisa’s first Semi-Structured Interview (APPENDIX Q) took place during week 6. We
started with her description of the Unit planning she was working on, which consisted of an
author study (Ezra Jack Keats), focusing on text-to-text and text-to-self connections, as well as
setting and character studies. She was planning on having the students do their own books
modeled after Keats’ book “Snowy Day”, and also work on characters and settings by using
three different Keats books which could be used to demonstrate linkages, since the characters
and settings where the same in all three books. Lisa thought, and I agreed, that by making sure
that each new book connected to the previous one but introduced a new idea, this would be a
great strategy to teach sequencing while familiarizing the students with the concepts of character
and setting.
Lisa wanted the final lesson to be focused on events, “what important things happen, how
can we tell…what three things can they think of that happen in the book” (pg. 309), and was
considering the use of student journals at the start of each day as a refresher and a way to activate
prior knowledge, as well as a writing activity tied to each book, but was concerned that this
writing activity would not occur as an “authentic” (pg. 309) event. Lisa was also planning on

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using the audio version of one of the books to activate their listening skills by asking the students
to draw the story they hear before actually looking at the pictures in the book. Furthermore, we
also discussed using a short video of “Snowy Day” later on in the unit, in order to activate their
memory and try to link all the books together because, as she explained, the video might
also help some students…because sometimes some of the children are just not used to
reading books, having books read to them. What are they used to? They’re used to
watching TV…so maybe they may also better understand the book with the supplemental
– do you think? (pg. 310).
We also discussed the need to use language that is accessible to the particular age with which she
is working, and how Lisa should start each day by recapping the previous days’ work and
vocabulary learned. I reminded Lisa of the need to give the students daily reminders of the
themes and the vocabulary being used, as well as the need to offer more strategies than rote
memorization.
We further discussed the use of a graphic organizer as a pre-writing activity before they
developed their own books, and Lisa’s plan to make a tri-bar T-chart that the students would fill
out with first event, next, and last, either in pictures or words. Then she would conference with
each child and scribe a sentence to match each image/word that they could use in the book. She
said:
this is where I also want your help…I need them to have some sort of organizer or like
graphic organizer, pre-write to create the book, because obviously if I just give them the
stuff and say do it, I don’t think I’d get the best – the best that they could do (pg. 311).
However, Lisa’s request for my “help” was in the form of an expected agreement that a T-chart
was a good idea, as opposed to a brainstorm into other possible tasks or strategies.
At the time of our interview it was clear that Lisa had put a great deal of thought into the
sequencing of the Unit, and into the possible activities that would best take advantage of each of
the stories and the goal for each day. She knew each story line well, had a clear outline for each
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day of instruction, and clear goals as far as the instructions of the various comprehension skills
she wanted to highlight. It was an ambitious plan, one that not only included new comprehension
skills but also specific vocabulary and Lisa was excited with the possibility of her students being
able to work at very high standards. She noted that although her expectations with regards to the
two classes (morning and afternoon) had not always been the same due to the morning class
include a high number of students considered at-risk, she had been wrong in the past and found
that she was not giving the morning class “enough credit” (pg. 312). I mentioned that maybe the
afternoon class was tired and thus needing more guidance to which Lisa replied, “more than half
of my a.m. class students are at risk…one has an IEP for autism” (pg. 313). This comment,
indicated a clear tension in Lisa’s reflections because, on the one hand, she was using her
information regarding the possible “categories” of students in her class and equating a “label”
with perceived abilities, but on the other hand her own interactions with her students were
guiding her into a different hypothesis.
Because Lisa shared concerns with regards to the planning for the Unit and was
wondering if she should have two different units, one for each class, I introduced her to the Unit
Planning Pyramid and explained that it could help her think in terms of planning the same
curricula for different ability levels (and, thus, two classes). However, as initially identified,
planning for individual students while maintaining the integrity of the class and of her
expectations, was a source of great tension for Lisa. She recognized the importance to plan
according to each child’s needs and wondered if it was fair to plan equally for both classes when
children came from different socio-economic backgrounds, but had great concerns about when
and how to individualize instruction without “watering” down the content or lowering her

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expectations. She was struggling to find ways in which to reconcile the idea of maintaining
adequate expectations for all students, while changing the required tasks and said,
I don’t want to change expectations for children – they can do it… I’m not saying that
these students won’t be able to do it and these will, but at the same time it’s just… tough
for me (pg. 314).
We discussed that, in the Unit Planning Pyramid, the starting and ending points are the same for
both classes but the subtleties of the discussion could account for the individual differences
among the children, and I said:
when you’re doing your text-to-self connections and you talk about a snowy day, chances
are that you may have a PM kid that talks about snowboarding in Colorado … and then
you have an AM kid that talks about not being able to go to school cause they don’t have
shoes”(pg. 315)
to which she replied “that’s just crazy to me” (pg. 315), indicating that she might not have
considered such disparities possible among the two classes.
We also discussed a specific student in her class who was reportedly diagnosed autistic
but did not have a full diagnosis and was receiving services for speech and language. She had
reviewed the current IEP, which did not include suggestions for classroom support, and she had
asked the speech and language pathologist what she could do to become better educated about
autism, and was told “that’s not your responsibility…we have people in the district who are paid
to help” (pg. 317). However, Lisa was adamant that it was her “responsibility – she’s a part of
our classroom …we need help and it’s their job to come in and teach us ways that we can” (pg.
317), and said “she gets pulled out for speech, she gets pulled out for ELL, she’s also English
language learner” (pg. 318) which was an indication of her frustration. She perceived a great lack
of support from the speech and language pathologist towards her and her CT but was invested in
making sure she could provide the best possible education for this child. Lisa’s interactions with
this student had led her to believe that the services being provided where not sufficient or
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adequate for the needs of the student, however she did not voice her opinion to the SLP or her
cooperating teacher. Lisa was aware that autistic children can demonstrate a large range of
ability levels but, with regards to this particular students she said,” from my experiences working
with her, it’s – it’ll definitely require a certain amount of, um, differentiation” (pg. 318).
These discussions lead me into an introduction to the Lesson Planning Pyramid and how
this tool could be used to aid in planning for individualization of instruction, preferably after the
Unit Planning had been drafted. Lisa needed support with what she considered the middle of a
particular lesson, or “how to get them … from what they did in their pre-write…and how I can
get that to translate into their book” (pg. 319) and we discussed some ways in which the Lesson
Planning Pyramid could help her lay out various ways in which to accomplish this depending on
each students engagement with the activity. We discussed the Lesson Planning Rubric as well as
two articles I provided for her reference, and also talked about the need to create assignments
that include all 5 senses in order to target all types of learners. When discussing multiple
mediums, which Lisa was very interested in, she said
I had one question … I guess because you do have the knowledge in special
education…using technology in the classroom is always a good thing, right? (…)
Because I was wondering – we just had the smart board put into our classroom…And so
I’m thinking about … about ways that I can use the technology… if it’s something that
helps (pg. 321).
Finally, we discussed some of the institutional practices in the school where she was
placed (particularly Kindergarten), practices that she identified has being responsible for
segregating students according to perceived needs (i.e. transportation) and how these are directly
related to socio-economic factors. She was very perceptive of her students’ needs and
knowledgeable about their backgrounds and, when I asked her if diversity in a classroom was a
hindrance or a value-added, she said:

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I wish that it … I think that everyone could benefit if with the … cohesiveness …so it’s
not just kids from this side of town and this side of town. (…) I know it happens every
year, and that’s how it’s always been done (pg. 322),
which reflected her knowledge of systemic constraints, as well as her understanding that some
institutional practices did not always produce the most valuable outcomes. Lisa understands the
logistical choices that, in this case, produce the segregation between the students in the morning
and afternoon classes, and was able to rationalize the outcomes. Lisa also mentioned that the
home visits she had conducted at previous placements had been an important part of her work,
and a way to show her students “Okay, I care about you kids…it’s important to me that I go to
your house” (pg. 322), but she had not been able to do home visits in her current internship.
Lisa’s Project Two, the first draft of the Unit Plan (Appendix R) was, has she had
previously planned, designed around the instruction of comprehension skills and aligned with
two Grade Level Content Expectations in the area of reading. The Unit Plan was centered on 2
objectives, the first related to text-to-self and text-to-text connections, and the second related to
identifying setting, characters, and events in a story. The main assessment for the Unit was the
creation, by each child, of their own book.
This first draft included the outlines for 10 Lesson Plans. Lisa planned to be able to
determine if the students made text-to-self connections and included character, setting, and event
in their stories. Lisa’s Unit and Lesson Plans were well thought out and detailed. She was
planning on modifying as needed, from one day to the next, depending on how the children were
reacting to instruction. As a general Unit Plan, Lisa’s first effort was very good, even if she did
not plan any accommodations or individualized instruction.
Phase 3 – action/observation/action

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On November 2 at 9:45 a.m. this investigator started Lisa’s Observation. I arrived when
Lisa was having a 3-way conference with her Cooperating Teacher and her Field Supervisor. The
classroom was large, clean, and airy, and filled with materials (Appendix S). The right side of
the classroom had storage space, sinks, tables and chairs, and two bathrooms. The left side of the
room had a large storage area that divides the classroom from the playroom. The classroom itself
had 2 black boards, 1 smart board, a teacher computer area, and several small-size tables and
chairs. The carpet on the floor delineated a sitting area in front of a reading chair and several
easels. On the far side of the room, on the right, a door leads directly to the playground. The
entire classroom looked like it had originally been designed as a two-classroom setting, with
common areas.
Around 10 a.m., the children came in from Physical Education class, quietly walking
down the hallway. Lisa was seated in the reading chair and the children sat on the floor in front
of her as they came in, requiring very little prompting or re-direction. Once all the children were
seated, she started the lesson by recalling last weeks’ story and text-to-self connections, and
explaining what the setting in a story is. Then, she continued by introducing “Whistle for
Willie”, the story she would be reading, while prompting for student participation by asking
questions with regards to the setting of the story. After reading the story, Lisa gave directions for
a group assignment, selected work partners, and directed the children to the tasks. She asked
each group to draw and make a group poster of the things they saw in the story that characterize
the setting of the story. She used the book as needed throughout the task, to help a few of the
students with prompting and recalling information.
During the break between morning and afternoon classes I spoke with Lisa’s planning
and instruction (Appendix T). She was perfectly at ease in the classroom, and really excited that

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most students were engaged and making real text-to-self connections either in writing or orally,
and the pictures they were creating were equally rich and connected to the content. However, she
was also worried about the amount of students that were missing class. Most of the ones absent
were students to whom she had planned accommodations and/or different tasks (not included in
her Unit or Lesson Plans) and she was wondering how much difference that would have made in
her instruction. She was also concerned about what to do when the children came back to school,
because some of them would be more than one week behind. We talked a bit about what she
could do to plan for contingencies like this, either altering assessment tools and rubrics, or
simply not exposing the children to portions of the curriculum (since it is a spiral curriculum and
the children will again be exposed to the same content). We also talked about the disadvantages
of having children pulled out, either to receive support services, or to receive one-on-one support
with another teacher. Lisa was concerned that while some students seemed to benefit from
support services, they might be put at a disadvantage in the classroom due to the instruction they
were missing.
Lisa continued to be distressed over the difficulty she was experiencing in keeping all her
students on the same instructional pace. She asked me for suggestions as to what to do regarding
planning and instructing students that are often absent. She said
I was … kind of wondering, cause they missed some of last week – or at least the girls,
they missed one day of last week, I guess it wasn’t that drastic. But, well that’s just a
generic question, is … what do you do when they’re absent, you know? (…) But, I
mean… maybe that’s just like a moral dilemma that all teachers have (pg. 333).
When asked how much parent support she felt she had, particularly regarding students that were
often absent she replied that, for the most part, the students that were absent received no
academic support at home.

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We also discussed a couple of the students she was concerned about, namely a girl who is
very quiet and does not always participate. The student is receiving speech and language services
as well as ESL support, but Lisa thought she was listening and even participating in class before
going home due to illness, and did not think the difficulties stemmed from a speech/language
barrier because the student’s engagement varied according to her interest in the task. Clearly,
Lisa had been observing her students very carefully and trying to make her own assumptions as
to their abilities and interests, but had not been able to (or comfortable with) share her insights
with the speech/language therapist.
The fact that she had so many students absent and/or being pulled out for specials was
another issue of concern for Lisa. While she understood that some students are being pulled out
for services they need, she questioned her ability in instructing them because
“they’re missing everything in here… and I guess I know that that’s just a dilemma that
all teachers deal with … how do you serve all your students the same way when they
have (…) different needs (…) but that is bothering me, cause I’m thinking how do I get –
how do I get them caught up to their peers” (pg. 334).
However, while she worried about this issue, she was also willing to work through possible
solutions and was thinking about using one of the Centers as a way to group students that had
been absent and review the material they had missed. I suggested that she could review her
planning for the past week, particularly what the students missed, in order to determine what
portions of the curriculum were critical for continuity and to ensure the students could follow the
remaining instruction upon their return. Then, with regards to assessing them, she could either
alter the assessment, or alter the rubric that guided the assessment. I also cautioned Lisa to the
fact that, although there were two teachers in the classroom and one can try to get students
caught up while the other does the main curricular instruction (as she suggested), the students
that are working on getting caught up would be, again, missing the instruction that the other
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teacher is doing. So, the choices should be weighed against what the critical information that
needs to be taught. Again, I mentioned the Unit Planning Pyramid as a means to evaluate content
and determine level of important of certain concepts and tasks within larger units of study.
Finally we talked about the differences between the morning and afternoon classes, and
how she was anticipating that “the morning class might need more… support with the final
assessment” (pg. 335) although she also thought that it was not always possible to predict how
the students would perform.
In Lisa’s Project Three (Appendix U), she described Student 1, as “probably the lowest
in our morning classroom. He doesn’t have any experience with literacy prior to school” (pg.
336) but had begun to make text-to-self and text-to-text connections “at a basic level” (pg. 336).
He had also started identifying character and events, but “his development of setting doesn’t
occur frequently in his work” (pg. 336). Student 1 was absent during text-to-self connection
instruction, but had demonstrated knowledge of this concept in the summative assessment.
However, Lisa noted that she is “not altogether sure if he knows that he is doing it” (pg. 336),
and I sensed a certain reluctance in giving credit to her students’ successes. Student 1’s pictures
used to assess his knowledge of character were full of details despite his immature fine motor
skills, and although he did not participate in the discussions related to events, “his three events of
the story are very cohesive, including what happens first, second and last” (pg. 337). Lisa also
noted that “he cannot recognize most letters, let alone write them. Taking the stress out of a
lesson which doesn’t necessary focus on writing, but includes it, may support him. He enjoyed
creating the book and he seemed proud, not nervous” (pg. 337).
Lisa’s observations regarding Student 2 started with the comment he “is our strongest
reader in both classrooms. He loves being read new books, becoming engrossed in the story.

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Despite this (…) classroom behavior is impulsive and immature. Although he is a strong reader
he struggles with writing” (pg. 337). He was able to make text-to-self and text-to-text
connections and used setting, character, and event “when he chooses” (pg. 338). Lisa said that
although he showed that he was able to sequence events, in his summative assessment, events
did not progress smoothly. Lisa also said “although he has knowledge of events, I wouldn’t say
that it is necessarily mature” (pg. 338). The same could be seen regarding settings and characters.
Although he was able to demonstrate knowledge throughout the Unit, he did not perform “as
well” (pg. 338) in the assessment. Furthermore, Lisa noted that he “is beginning to grow more
comfortable with writing, although sometimes he refuses. (…) I am sure he can apply all of the
concepts, however his compliance and ability to follow direction sometimes interferes” (pg.
338), and Lisa further mentioned that Student 2’s parents were concerned that he was not being
sufficiently challenged in the classroom but she contended that his
inability to follow direction presents a large problem. We will extend the exercises once
we can see that he understands, however his immaturity sometimes prevents us from
getting that far…I would only recommend extensions pending Q’s ability to follow
direction. He is very smart, but not the smartest child in our class, considering maturity.
We aren’t able to tell when he understands something or whether he just doesn’t want to
do something (pg. 339).
Regarding the last of her three focus students, Student 3, Lisa said that at the start of the
school year she “was about average among the students…[but] was absent for almost the entire
unit. The only lesson and assessment that I was able to get was the summative assessment” (pg.
4). This student created a text-to-self and a text-to-text connection in her assessment but did not
demonstrate knowledge of these concepts at any other time, and she “never discussed characters,
events, or settings” (pg. 339). In addition, the characters in her book were “not very developed”
(pg. 339). Lisa said, “at the start of the year, [Student 3] was average among my students. With
her high increase of absences, she is now among the lowest” (pg. 340). Regarding
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recommendations for further instruction, Lisa noted that Student 3’s instruction should be
“comprehensive” (pg. 339) due to her high number of absences, and that “everything … taught
in the unit will need to be re-taught at some point …create some kind of spiraling lesson…
which continues to bring up certain concepts” (pg. 339).
When reflecting upon the Unit in general, Lisa noted that she
wanted to emphasize the use of technology…have several children with special needs and
… knew that reading a book and writing in a journal just wasn’t going to cut it. Some of
the resources … were SmartBoard, book on DVD, book on CD, movie, interactive
sequencing cards, class sets of books, and murals. There is a direct correlation between
the success of a lesson and the increase use of technology (pg. 340).
However, Lisa also noted that the use of technology did not produce the same effect with the
morning and afternoon classes.
Lisa further commented on the academic differences among her students and noted that
while she had a few students reading and writing at second grade level, half of her students
didn’t “have knowledge of a sound/alphabet relationship and have such underdeveloped fine
motor skills that they struggle writing their name (pg. 341). Again, although aware of the various
levels of ability in both her classes, Lisa noted that she “didn’t want to differentiate on the
content of the lesson, nor the actual form of assessment… refused to change expectations, as I
believe all of my children are very capable of learning and showing what they learned” (pg. 341).
However, she decided to use technology throughout the Unit, as well as “a variety of assessment
tools” (pg. 341), to account for student variation. She said,
“all of the students included the concepts that were discussed in class. Some of the higher
level students included more mature aspects of the concepts…pictures and language were
more detailed on some students, than on the others. However, it didn’t appear that any of
the students seemed that they weren’t challenged enough or too much. They seemed
proud about the work they have done” (pg. 342).

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With regards to the outlet that Lisa decided to use for “Part B” she said that she decided to write
an article to The Reading Teacher journal because she was “blown away” (pg. 341) by the
performance of her “lower level students” (pg. 343) because
“the work that they created was similar in many ways to the students in the class… that
are very high, but perhaps in less mature ways…research that I have found and from my
help from Paula has supported using different techniques, specifically multimedia of
different types” (pg. 343).
While Lisa “refused to change expectations” (pg. 341) and acknowledged that her “lower level
students” (pg. 343) created work of equal quality to remaining students, Lisa would continue to
perceive her two classes (a.m. and p.m.) as differently-abled.
In week 13, Lisa did her Unit Presentation (Appendix V) in a round-table format with
two other interns, in which she provided them a handout with copies of six of her lesson plans,
one for each book used. The handout that included her justification for using three “different
types of multimedia to supplement book reading” (pg. 351) such as viewing “the book being read
on a DVD. Text of the book was on the bottom of the screen…children listened…two wholeclass readings of the book using a class set” (pg. 351). She also depicted the three children who
were the most at risk at the start of the unit. Lisa concluded the handout by describing the
progress each of the three students made throughout the unit, such as sharing text-to-self
connections, depicting characters with details, and adding details of character, event and setting
in their final assessment.
The six lesson plans that Lisa provided for her peers included the objectives, materials
procedures and approximate time for each event, as well as assessment and Academic, Social
and Linguistic Support (ASLS) for each day. The ASLS included in the Lesson Plans (some of
which are highlighted below) were included after the Unit Instruction had been completed. They
are evidence that although Lisa did not plan for extensive ASLS, she did recognize that some
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were needed and should be included in the Lesson Plans for future implementation. Her first
ASLS for said “all children despite individual differences will have one common connection
with this book. The students who may have difficulties creating a connection otherwise will
have one ‘given’ to them” (pg. 343) and the second ASLS reiterated that self-to-text connections
should be previously discussed in order to give “the students who may have difficulties creating
a connection an opportunity, while allows for the others to begin making connections on their
own” (pg. 343). This was a particularly important addition to ASLS because it was derived from
Lisa’s recognition (due to instructional difficulties) that some students are not able to relate to
content in the ways originally planned, which can have a stalling effect on the progression
through a succession of tasks, particularly with large group instruction. Lisa also noted the
importance of constant assessment of work in order to gain “feedback to help the student’s with
their connections. It also lets me know what they want to write, even if I can’t understand or
read it myself” (pg. 345), and commented that “constructing art as a group is a way of
assessment that we haven’t done yet. Some of the children… show interest more often when the
activity involved art” (pg. 346). When describing a sequencing activity with picture cards, the
ASLS noted that “cards are labeled with pictures and words. Some children may only work on
three or four cards when ordering sequentially. Other children may want all six cards to fully
sequence the entire book” (pg. 347), which was a direct response to some of Lisa’s concerns and
plans to start implementing strategies directed to students that were not being sufficiently
challenged. Finally, she concluded with two notations. First that
nothing is more important than a bond between a reader and a book. Some of the children
in our class have never read books, nor had books read to them outside of school. The
document camera will help the children with specific concepts of print (left to right, up
and down, etc.) (pg. 348)

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and, second, that “instead of writing down connections, the children will begin to share. They
are more confident sharing with friends than writing thoughts” (pg. 348).
Lisa started her round-table (Appendix S) by explaining how her three focal students
influenced her choices of materials and why she wanted to use multimedia to explore multiple
means of learning. She started by talking about two of the children who, at the start of the year
were considered behind in comparison to most other students. These students were receiving
services and support from a variety of individuals but, “during a regular day of school they
probably would have raised their hand to share once” (pg. 350), so Lisa “decided to do some
different types of multimedia and see how… they would change” (pg. 351).
Lisa explained how she used each of the stories; how she introduced them and had
children make text-to-self connections, or recognize characters and settings in a story. She also
talked about how, despite her expectations, her lowest student was able to stay engaged,
participate and produce work that demonstrated a high level of comprehension and application of
new knowledge. She said: “I was most impressed with this. He is our lowest, THE lowest, the
absolute lowest…in the class and, his books…was full of text-to-self connections” (pg. 352). She
acknowledged his success and its connection to her use of technology, and said
unlike his classmates, his story is cohesive. His flows in a very mature way, so, he has
this! And, I… see a connection … because if I look at the other activities that they did,
that we did that did not include multimedia, they didn’t participate as much (pg. 352).
Lisa showed her peers some of the students’ books and explained the process of making
the books by using their own words and drawings, and how she helped them with the pre-writing
activities.
Phase 4 – reflection

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We started Lisa’s Final Semi-Structured interview (Appendix W) by discussing how
much her instruction had changed from her planning and she said that, because of a death in the
family, her CT was absent for 2 weeks and she was given the choice to substitute teach and be
lead teacher right after her unit instruction. Lisa noted that being “thrown into the lead teaching
position during that time” (pg. 355) occurred in
perfect timing because I felt really confident after guided lead teaching. Everything went
smoothly…my language arts lesson, I couldn’t expect anything to go better. Math had a
couple of things that I tweaked, or I would tweak and change but … then I had to start
subbing and doing all, like all this prep and all these things” (pg. 355),
but considered it a bit of a “reality check” (pg. 355) having to do all the planning, and handling
all the parent interactions. When asked if she thought she learned anything in those two weeks
that otherwise she might not have had an opportunity to learn, Lisa said that it gave her an
opportunity to develop parent relationships and dispelled some of her concerns about the
expectations for the following semester:
when next semester comes around, I’m gonna be able to do it. (…) there’s no doubt in
my mind… it was kind of scary … before, … the idea of… I’m gonna be taking over this
class… but I did take over it for … two-and-a-half weeks…it’ll be fine (pg. 356).
While this had been an unexpected situation, Lisa had taken full advantage of it and was clearly
confident in her ability to successfully complete her Guided Lead Teaching in the upcoming
semester.
We then discussed her three initial focal students (although, by now, she had broaden her
focus to five students) as well as the difficulties she encountered with one student in particular,
who was frequently absent. Student 3, whom Lisa described as “average” on Phase 1, was absent
throughout most of her Unit instruction. Lisa’s perception of the student changed from “average”
and seemingly not in need of remediation (or an investigative approach), to “now among the
lowest” (pg. 340) by week 12, despite the fact that the student did not receive any instruction,
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and was only able to participate in the last portion of the Unit, the summative assessment. While
Lisa acknowledged lack of instruction, she assessed the student on content she had no exposure
to, which demonstrated a clear lack of understanding of the relationship between instruction and
assessment. Lisa reached an artificial and, perhaps, erroneous conclusion regarding the student’s
ability, and her ranking within the class, and possibly enhanced the student’s feelings of
frustration while being asked questions about content she is unfamiliar with. As with her
difficulties reconciling class and individual instruction, this was an instance where Lisa was
trying to reconcile what she perceived as expected from a teacher (assessment) and what should
be done vis-à-vis her students.
Lisa also spoke about another of her focal students (Student 2) whom had progressed
through the Unit instruction has expected, although throughout the semester Lisa’s focus with
regards to this student changed from academic to behavioral concerns. Student 2 was described
as working at the second grade level but with “issues with spelling perfection” (Appendix O, pg.
306), which would now be disregarded, while the most critical issues were described as
impulsive and immature behaviors such as only completing assignments “when he chooses” (pg.
338) , “sometimes refusing” (pg. 338) , and not being “necessarily mature” (pg. 338). Lisa’s
stance towards this student changed, from her investigative approach at the start of the semester,
to a discipline-oriented stance by week 12. Despite her acknowledgement of the students’
standing as Gifted and Talented, and the students’ parents concerns that their child was not being
sufficiently challenged in class (which could partially explain the behaviors he was displaying),
Lisa remained reluctant to accommodate his instruction. While she was able to verbalize his need
for literacy instruction responsive to his reading level, and a need for “extensions” of his
assignments, she was clearly at odds with this issue and would go on to say “I would only

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recommend extensions pending [student 2’s] ability to follow directions. He is very smart, but
not the smartest child in our class, considering maturity” (pg. 339). Lisa would again raise the
issue of how to provide academically challenging but developmentally appropriate tasks to her
students, and noted that she planned on considering different ways to address students that need
to be academically challenged, especially because she “know[s] several of the kids are getting
bored” (pg. 358).
Lisa then spoke of a third student (Student 1) whom she had been unsure of regarding his
academic progress. At this point Lisa said
it was kind of like you had that – wasn’t it the triangle? No…the pyramid … what you
want everyone to know, what you want – what you think some will know … and so I was
thinking that maybe he’d get some things, maybe. But when I saw what he was capable
of during this lesson … he also has very poor attendance, and so he wasn’t there for half
of these… it was more than what I had expected (pg. 357).
Throughout this investigation Lisa spoke of Student 1, “the lowest”, as deficient in a variety of
skills, all of which Lisa expects her students to have before entering Kindergarten. She would
continuously refer to him as “low”, “the lowest”, or “the absolute lowest”, even while describing
how successful he had been throughout her Unit, with comments such as “has began to make
text-to-self and text-to-text connections”, “events of the story are very cohesive”, and
acknowledging that “he knows his numbers”. Furthermore, not only does she not acknowledge
his success throughout her instruction, she deems his fine motor skills improvement a result of
the support of the at-risk aids that work with him 3 times per week, and not her instruction.
When asked how she was going to differentiate instruction after Christmas break, Lisa
said that she had discussed it with her field instructor and realized that she had been focusing on
the students that had the most difficulties with content and that she wanted to start focusing on
those who had not been challenged for whom her

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attempt at differentiating wasn’t successful … I need to think about a different way, like
what things can I do that will challenge them (…) I saw improvement with them but I
think I could have stretched them more… because what they did was kind of like what
everyone else did. (pg. 357).
While I was glad to hear, from Lisa, that she recognized the need to plan for both high and low
achieving students, her mention of her discussion with her Field Instructor was further evidence
that she conceptualized my expertise as limited to a narrow and specific area of knowledge
because, although planning for ALL students, at all points in the spectrum of academic
achievement, had been discussed at length in all our discussions, this advice only became
relevant to her when voiced by her Field Instructor whom she obviously perceived at a different
level of expertise from me.
Lisa planned on addressing issues related to differentiation and determine “what
strategies or what things can I do to… really help them… and I know several of the kids are
getting bored … especially because I have a lot that are reading at second grade level” (pg. 358).
She noted that her CT has used different strategies with a particular student, that she has imitated
and noted that “he just got this smile on his face, like… this is fun being challenged. And that
really made me think … I need to do more for them” (pg. 358). However, Lisa also expressed
difficulty planning for a student who academically is at a higher level than the others but “in the
classroom setting, he’s very immature compared to all of his friends” (pg. 358). We discussed
ways in which she might be able to accommodate his tasks, including talking to the librarian and
discussing possibilities with her CT. Lisa said that, when at the library, the students are restricted
to sets of books chosen by their teachers and she thinks that this particular student should be
reading something that is not included in the reserved items. Lisa considered allowing him to
have access to higher reading level books

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maybe pending the fact that he doesn’t blurt out all the time, or …he doesn’t do some of
the things that we always talk about with him… is it bad to maybe have…these higher
level books pending that you follow these expectations …to me … it sounds like a good
idea, but … it’s a behavior management, but it almost seems like a discipline, too, you
know, like, oh you weren’t good so you aren’t gonna get the books, but that doesn’t seem
fair to me at all at the same time (pg. 358).
Lisa distinguished 3 groups of children, in morning and afternoon classes, the distinction
being made according to academic ability. When I asked her how she characterized her low
achieving group she replied that they had
“specific characteristics that … affect the rest… their experience…are coming with no
concepts of print without knowing how to hold the pencil… and because they lack all of
these experiences or ideas that their classmates have (…) they are less confident to share
in class (…) They are less confident in their work …and most of the times … because
they’re not as confident … they just, well, I don’t want to say turn off, but not even want
to … participate. (…) I’d say a lot of them could really benefit from a year of preschool
beforehand” (pg. 360).
Not surprisingly, Lisa thought that the area in which she struggled the most and needed
the most support was in differentiation and was unsure of her skills and what it meant to
differentiate. While she viewed differentiated instruction as a set of skills and an ongoing
process, she also wondered “how is differentiating the same for each (…) year … learning those
skills – it might be easier for me to apply them” (pg. 360), which further highlighted a set of
tensions she had not reconciled.
She was very confident regarding her ability to develop relationship with parents but,
when asked “do you think that you can teach every kid?” (pg. 361), she said:
There’s that hypothetical child who…the CT couldn’t teach. Who couldn’t affect, but the
difference is that she didn’t have that relationship with him. He confided in me and he
confided in the other … students who cared about him and cared why he wasn’t
performing like he was supposed to be. (…) I will I teach them by maybe modeling …
what it means to be compassionate …teaching is just, you know, it’s more than just
Social Studies and Science – and especially in kindergarten…they’re watching what you
do. They’re learning what it’s like to be in school…maybe they don’t know what a
setting is … but they can see me and they know how I interact with people and maybe
that’s a model…to how they should be interacting (pg. 361).
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Lisa’s comment was very insightful and, again, she demonstrated that she was very attuned to
hers students needs and expectations and was taking her responsibility as a role model very
seriously.
I asked Lisa if she had thought about planning for contingences such as absences, and if
she had considered how her teaching would differ if she had full-day kindergarten next year.
With double the time, would she slow down the instruction or enrich it, to which she replied that
she would like to slow down instruction. When asked in the afternoon class was slower, Lisa said
that they were slower because they were more detail oriented even though they were quicker to
follow directions.
Overall, Lisa’s perceptions of her students changed throughout the Semester, but were
not always acknowledged in a positive way, since she had such conflicting thoughts about
individual versus class instruction. Lisa acknowledged her students strengths and needs, but was
not able to resolve the tensions regarding instructional needs which impaired her ability to utilize
each of the children’s accomplishments as potential starting points for further instruction.
Throughout the semester, Lisa saw herself as a helper, and talked of herself as someone that
wants to “help” her students, which implied that she perceived her students as needing
remediation. While she knew her students well, she often thought about them as having difficulty
progressing through stages of development, which was, clearly, a reflection of her knowledge of
child development.
Lisa’s Final Unit Plan (Appendix X) was based upon the first draft completed in
October but with additional sections, such as considerations included in “Part A: Project Three”.
The first Unit Assessment now reads:

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After reading each book, the children will collaboratively work with partners on an art,
game, or discussion task, or complete a worksheet, focusing on the specific focus of the
lesson. While making connections with settings, the children will work together to
construct the setting of the story. They will also use sequencing cards to better
understand the events of a story. The children will draw and write when studying about
character and text-to-self connections (pg. 366).
The outline of Lesson Plans still includes 10 lessons, although Day 2 now includes
specific directions on how to use the SmartBoard, and Day 3 includes directions to watch the
story on DVD, both references to multi-media use. Days 4, 5, 6, and 7 remained as originally
planned. Day 8 which was originally dedicated to both pre-write and first draft is, in the revised
draft, dedicated to watching the reading of Snowy Day on DVD, followed by whole class and
individual instruction on the pre-write activity and a review of the pre-write intended to
determine “what areas need attention the following day” (pg. 367). Day 9 now includes the
completion of the student’s books as well as Writers Conferences. In the final draft, Day 10 is
entitled “Author Celebration” and includes the sharing of the children’s books with each other
and with their families.
The detailed Lesson Plan for Day 5 remained unchanged. Lisa added her own reflections
as to the learning that occurred and shared the difficulties she encountered, and cautioned that it
might be difficult for kindergartners to listen to a story without visual support because ”without
the ability to focus on something, the children struggled with listening, were irritable, and almost
uncomfortable…next time, I might use this method beforehand…I feel like it is important, but
they still need scaffolding” (pg. 372).
The lesson Plan for Day 8 also remained as initially planned, with the addition of an
example on how to describe event sequencing. When reflecting upon this particular lesson, Lisa
noted that all children learned how to use a pre-write activity and that “even kindergarteners can
use literacy concepts…as long as they are presented in a developmentally appropriate way” (pg.
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369). On the ASLS section Lisa noted the students that had been absent most often were also the
ones who struggled with the pre-writing activities. Lisa thought that re-teaching, while necessary
for absentees “would be better if all children were doing it together, so it would be meaningful
(pg. 370).
The Lesson Plan for Day 9 was also enhanced. Lisa noted that it was difficult for the
children to write sentences and illustrate the book at the same time and that having the book
pages ready before illustrating might be more effective. In the reflection section of Day 9, Lisa
noted that the UPI lead her to conclude that “there are certain strategies that I can use as a
teacher that will get all students, regardless of ability, involved and at an equal level…[but] the
activities were spread out to a point that I think some of the children lost the excitement and
pride that they once felt (pg. 374). She further said
several of the students included events that were not cohesive to their story… Some just
didn’t provide segue ways from one event to another. Next time…I would talk more
about events. Events aren’t just things that happen, but the process of things happening
(pg. 374).
Throughout the semester, Lisa’s overall plan and goal changed very little, and the
changes cannot be directly attributed to my influence, either through the explicit suggestions, or
implicit guidance created by our interactions. However, Lisa was able to not only reflect upon
her difficulties and successes but also give advice and suggestions for improvement. Her Unit
Plan became more defined and augmented throughout the semester, but the essence of her plan
(goals, objectives, methodology, outlined and detailed lesson plans), as well as the main tensions
observed, remained unresolved throughout the Semester.
Cross-cutting Themes

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The opening quote in this chapter, “Events aren’t just things that happen, but the process
of things happening” (Appendix X, pg. 374), summarizes Lisa’s experiences and learning
throughout the Semester in that Lisa’s words, as she intended them in relation to her students,
can also describe the difficulties in her own learning. While Lisa was able to help her students
develop the sense of chronological progression of a story, she was not able to recognize this
same organic progression within her own practice, and maintained the original course of action
(Plan) despite multiple absences by multiple students in both her classes. While she was able to
identify the “things that happen” for each student, she was not able to respond to the “process of
things happening” (pg. 374), or adapt her planning and instruction to these processes.
Furthermore, while Lisa did plan “things that happen”, she was not able to identify and utilize
the support given, or her own reflections, in the “process of things happening”, which prevented
her from responding adequately to the Instructionally Relevant Variation of her students.
In the pages below, the data collected throughout the Semester will be analyzed
according to the three themes that might make visible the tensions felt by prospective teachers
when working at the intersecting points of RTI, DI and CRP. They are: (1) Planning for ALL
Students, which investigates how Lisa thought in terms of planning for their classroom in
general, and individual students in particular; (2) Differentiating Instruction, or Lisa’s
willingness and aptitude to plan for students’ perceived needs and strengths; and, (3) Notions of
Expertise, specifically how Lisa viewed herself as teachers, and in relation to other individuals
within her collaborative universe.
Planning for ALL students
Lisa’s planning of the Unit suffered little changes throughout the Semester because,
although she recognized differences among her students, she did not acknowledge these

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differences as important starting points for individual or small group instruction and, thus, did
not address them in her planning, or as progressing overtime.
Lisa’s perceptions of her focus students remained largely unchanged throughout this
investigation, and she did not demonstrate, in actions, that she was applying her knowledge of
child development, or the knowledge about her own students, in planning and/or instructing
them, and there is little evidence that Lisa considered the developmental stage of individual
children in her classes. While she knew her students well, she often thought about them in terms
of permanence at specific stages of development. This particular view of the children in her
class, clearly a reflection of her knowledge of child development, might have not allowed her to
envision herself as someone with the ability to lead progression (a socio-constructivist notion), or
an agent of progression from stage to stage. It is also possible that this developmental perspective
lead Lisa to see children in particular “categories” (or stages) which did not enable her to
conceptualize the whole child.
Lisa’s initial planning was very clearly outlined and based upon the perceived
developmental stages of kindergarten children. However, Lisa attempted to fit the children
within her plan, rather than plan according to the children. Despite recognizing that her a.m. and
p.m. groups were quite different, and that her a.m. class required more support than the p.m. in
order to complete her planned tasks, Lisa was not able to resolve the tensions she experiences
regarding varying instruction according to individual needs and her position would not change
throughout the Semester despite her constant acknowledgement that she could not “make a
broad, generalized lesson...need to focus specifically on who…are the kids in my class” (pg.
316). In other words, Lisa struggled with what she perceived developmentally appropriate for her
students and the larger and much different picture she was beginning to see emerge in her

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classes. Lisa struggled with conceptualizing, altering, and making flexible and adaptable plans
responsive to the whole child, and noted that this was because, in the past, she had experienced
instances in which multiple planning had forced her to “not give(ing) enough credit” (pg. 312) to
her most problematic group of students, and she did not want to incur in the same error.
Throughout this investigation, Lisa occasionally referred to what her three focus students
were able to do, but did not acknowledge these occurrences as demonstrations of areas of
strength, nor did she utilize them as starting points for further instruction. She provided ALL
children with a wide variety of tasks and mediums in order to, reportedly, address their various
learning styles, and integrated technology as a means to addressing the needs of students with
special needs, but did not include any student-specific comments and/or notes in her Unit Plan.
Lisa was adamant that she “didn’t want to differentiate on the content of the lesson, nor the
actual form of assessment” (pg. 340) because she “refused to change expectations” (pg. 341) for
her students, and often made an implicit or explicit connection between differentiation and
lowered expectations.
Lisa struggled with planning for ALL students, as well as planning for the students she
considered low despite her genuine concerns and deep reflection upon the various planning
possibilities. We often discussed the need for instructional planning to be flexible enough to
account for prolonged absences, daily absences, and partial absences, including those times when
students are pulled out from their classrooms in order to receive a variety of specialized or
support services, but she was unable to resolve this tension, one that she viewed as “a moral
dilemma that all teachers have” (pg. 333).
Thus, despite a great deal of introspection and discussions, as well as Lisa’s
acknowledgement throughout the Semester of her need to address individual needs, she was not

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able to suitably resolve the tensions she encountered related to the core philosophical stances that
might have allowed her to plan for both her classes while addressing individual needs and
strengths at the same time.
Differentiating Instruction
Although Lisa commented on issues related to individual student needs throughout the
Semester, and we frequently discussed ways in which information about individual students can
be used to inform planning and instruction, Lisa was, throughout the Semester, ambivalent as to
what the concept of Differentiated Instruction entails, its value, and applicability and unable to
reconcile the need she saw to differentiate and her deep-held beliefs that by differentiating she
would be lowering the standards she had set for her students. Despite her commitment to
“know[ing]… students” (Appendix Q, pg. 312), Lisa did not differentiate assignments and tasks
based upon individual students’ needs or strengths and, her Unit Final assessment piece makes
no distinction between the children’s ability to imitate and apply knowledge (a fundamental
differentiating step within developmental stages).
Lisa’s knowledge of her students as individual children was often demonstrated, but
Lisa’s perceptions of her students remained largely unchanged even when faced with, and
verbally acknowledging, various individual accomplishments. Since the beginning of the
Semester, Lisa described her focus students as the lowest, in the gifted category and average, and
spoke of other children as diagnosed autistic and not getting anything at home. The ways in
which she described her students remained largely unchanged as the Semester progressed. In
Project One Lisa attributed questions to two of her focus student profiles, questions that were
meant to guide her inquiry into the best ways to plan for and instruct those two students.
Although this was a partial requirement of this assignment, Lisa did not include a question in

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Student 3’s profile, the average student, which led me to believe that, because this student was
perceived as average, Lisa did not deem it necessary to determine ways in which planning and
instruction could be tailored to this students’ strengths and needs, possibly due to Lisa’s belief
that students with perceived areas of need (Students 1 and 2) required an investigative stance
leading to remediation [thus, her vision of herself as a helper, but students that are “average” are
able to respond to the general instruction that she was planning for the whole class.
Although, throughout the Semester, Lisa referred of Student 1 as having academic
difficulties, in her planning, Lisa did not mention possible accommodations designed specifically
for him. Student 2, who had initially been described as “gifted and talented” but with difficulties
with spelling due to wanting to be able to spell all words accurately, was later described as
impulsive and immature and only completing assignments “when he chooses” and “sometimes
refusing”(pg. 338). Lisa’s stance towards this student changed, from her investigative approach
at the start of the semester, to a discipline-oriented stance by week 12, and Lisa remained
reluctant to accommodate his instruction although she was able to verbalize his need for literacy
instruction that responds to his reading level, although by the end of the Semester, Lisa noted
that she needed to start considering different ways in which to plan for students that “are getting
bored” (pg. 358). Student 3, who Lisa had initially described as average was, by week 12,
considered “among the lowest” (pg. 340) due to absences. Lisa’s description of Student 3 as
“among the lowest” (pg. 340) was made despite the fact that this student was absent all
throughout her Unit instruction, and yet was required to participate in the assessment portion of
the unit. Lisa also referred to other students as “really low” (pg. 359) such as those students
entering school “with no concept of print” (pg. 359) and “lack[ing] all of these experiences that
their classmates have” (pg. 359).

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With regards to students that were in attendance but pulled out for a variety of services
Lisa was clearly conflicted regarding her ability to “get them caught up to their peers” (Appendix
AD, pg. 334). She said “they’re missing everything in here… and I guess I know that that’s just a
dilemma that all teachers deal with … how do you serve all your students the same way when
they have (…) different needs” (pg. 334), which led me to believe that, while Lisa knows that
this is a common dilemma among teachers, it is one she thinks she should solve on her own. One
of the ways in which she attempted to address the needs of “several children with special needs”
(pg. 340) was by emphasizing the use of technology and various mediums throughout her unit.
Lisa’s planning evolved around research that suggests “there is a direct correlation between the
success of a lesson and the increase use of technology” (pg. 340) and with the goal of
“activat[ing] all learning types” (pg 340), which was an issue we discussed very early in the
semester, but one that I had emphasized as pertinent for ALL students, not just those perceived
as having special needs. Lisa focused on a perceived connection between the field of special
education and the use of technology, despite my attempt to have her consider technology’s use
more broadly.
Throughout the entire Semester Lisa noted (verbally and in writing) that it is important
for teachers to know their students in order to better be able to determine what strategies work
best for what child. However, in her planning and instruction, Lisa was not able to resolve the
tension created by her observations and her expectations to hold all students to a similar set of
expectations. Instead, she provided all children with a variety of tasks, none of which were
tailored to particular learning styles or background knowledges and, therefore, her Unit plan did
not include any particular supports or accommodations designed to target particular students
and/or skills.

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Lisa did make reference to what I perceived as her own understanding of the concept of
differentiating. For example, she planned on examining students’ work in order to plan
subsequent tasks. She noted that she would allow children to use their own personal experiences
and planned to hold individual conferences to scribe and support their creation of their own
books. Lisa used art as a response to students’ interest, and allowed students to choose the level
of difficulty of some of the tasks she proposed. However, there was no targeted planning for
student with particular strengths and needs.
Therefore, Lisa did not modify or differentiate her instruction based on her knowledge of
individual students. When offered the Unit and Lesson Planning Pyramids, Lisa commented that
she was not sure of the fairness inherent in making plans for particular groups of children, plans
that would embody different sets of expectations for each group, and she would not make any
further mention to either the Unit or Lesson Planning Pyramids until the end of the Semester.
During the de-briefing that followed her observation, we again discussed the differences between
her a.m. and p.m. classes, at which point Lisa agreed that the a.m. class might require more
support than the p.m., and she might have to modify the summative assessment she was planning
on using. However, she again reiterated that it is not always possible to predict how particular
students would behave and react to instruction, and a modified assessment piece was not
included in the final Unit Plan. In Project Three, Lisa continued to stress that her students’
abilities are not all at the same level and that “the children vary in socioeconomic status, English
Language learning, and race” (Appendix U, pg. 340), and explained why she “didn’t want to
differentiate on the content of the lesson, nor the actual form of assessment” (pg. 340). She said
that she “refused to change expectations” (pg. 341), linking differentiation with lowered
expectations, and thus perceiving that her integrity as a teacher was maintained if she did not

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differentiate, because she “believe[s] all of my children are very capable of learning and showing
what they learned” (pg. 341). She further stressed her views on using a differentiating tool such
as a Unit or Lesson Pyramid during our last interview. When reflecting upon the
accomplishments of Student 1, Lisa mentioned that the pyramid had led her to think that he
might only be able to complete some of the assignments during her Unit instruction, but she
“saw what he was capable of during this lesson…more than…expected” (pg. 357), which
seemed to justify her position of not considering necessary to provide individualized instruction.
This stance led me to believe that Lisa considered her stance regarding differentiation based
upon individual student needs as a point of professional integrity which, when combined with the
few instances when there was acknowledgement of student accomplishments, serves to
strengthen her stance of helper, and her view of the students with identified needs in need of
remediation.
Furthermore, Lisa wondered if she was ever going to be able to learn how to differentiate
instruction, and seemed to think of differentiation as a set of established but elusive skills that
can be applied to a group of students with certain characteristics. Referring to Differentiated
Instruction Lisa wondered “will I ever get it?” (pg. 360), since she considered learning to
differentiate an “ongoing process” (pg. 360). Lisa further noted that she is “not gonna have the
same set of kids” (pg. 360) every year, and again questioned her ability to learn “those skills”
(pg. 360) because “how is differentiation the same for each (…) year?” (pg. 360), while at the
same time conceding that “it might be easier … to apply them…maybe. I don’t know” (pg. 360).
Lisa also commented on what she considered teacher “dilemmas”, particularly related to
questions regarding differentiation. When discussing how to address the needs of students that
are constantly absent or are pulled out from the classroom in order to receive additional services,

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Lisa said “that’s just a dilemma that all teachers deal with…how do you serve all your students
the same way when they have (…) different needs” (Appendix T, pg. 334), which indicates that
Lisa was operating from the principle that she should be able to plan and provide one type of
instruction so that it would reach all children and encompass all their needs , in order to “serve
all your students the same way” (pg. 334), a concept difficult to reconcile with the notion of
differentiated instruction.
One of the ways in which Lisa attempted to design instruction for ALL students was by
emphasizing the use of technology and various mediums. However, again, ambivalent views are
evident. On the one hand, Lisa conceptualized the need for a technology-rich environment upon
research that linked the success of students identified as students with special education needs
and the use of particular technologies. On the other hand, Lisa decided to utilize a technologyrich environment as a whole-class accommodation, and a means to enhance ALL learning.
Notions of expertise
Throughout the Semester, Lisa seldom referred to herself as a teacher, and often spoke
about her role in the classroom as someone who wants to help her students, as opposed to
someone that teaches by leading and was, at times, clearly doubtful of her own abilities in order
to “get [students] caught up to their peers” (pg. 334). She was conflicted with issues for which
she did not have an immediate solutions and which she characterized as “a moral dilemma that
all teachers have” (pg. 333) or “just a dilemma that all teachers deal with” (pg. 334), and was
unable to reconcile various views of problems of practice. Furthermore, Lisa often expressed
concern and dismay with the lack of pre-kindergarten skills many students presented, and often
remarked as to the background knowledge some students came to her class with, which she
considered inadequate and indicative of a lack of parental involvement. Thus, Lisa’s view of

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parents as knowledgeable contributors (experts) to their child’s education was distorted by her
own assumptions as to their personal involvement (or lack of) in their children’s lives.
Lisa also had great difficulty with identifying and working with members of her
collaborative universe, particularly those not in her immediate surroundings. On the one hand,
Lisa’s relationship with me was guided by her perceptions of what special education expertise is,
and not by what I tried to convey in words, supporting documents, and practical terms. On the
other hand, Lisa was often reluctant to follow expert advice given by special education service
providers, parents, and myself.
Upon my request for participants to this study Lisa approached me wanting to volunteer
to be a participant but concerned that, because she had a background in child development, I
might not be able to accept her. Because I did not consider this to be a ruling-out factor, I was
very happy to have her as a participant in the study. Throughout the Semester, Lisa often spoke
about her experience with young children, both in and out of university-sponsored field
experiences, and was seemingly confident of her knowledge with regards to child development,
and often gave advice to her LIT 800 peers placed in kindergarten. Her appropriation of a
developmental perspective as the fundamental stance for a kindergarten teacher was, perhaps, her
greatest hindrance in planning and for all students.
Although in her first project Lisa did not identify anyone in her collaborative universe,
she did attempt to develop consultative and/or collaborative relationships with experts, despite
holding a conflicting view of the success of various experts working with her students. Again,
Lisa clearly struggled with specific tensions regarding expertise. On the one hand, Lisa believed
in the impact particular individuals had on the progression of her students through specific
knowledge development. However, she did not consider them as potential collaborators in her

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teaching at large. Maybe because her one initial attempt at working with the SLP in her school
was not successful, at no point did she consider asking for other individuals’ advice on how to
ameliorate some of the planning or instructional difficulties she identified with the students that
received support services.
Interestingly, although Lisa saw my domain of expertise clearly marked as special
education (despite my attempts to the contrary), she did not ask for my suggestions regarding her
special education students, considering the ways in which she had been dismissed by the SLP
while asking for support, and becoming adamant that “it’s our responsibility (…) she’s a part of
our classroom…we need help and it’s their job to come in and teach us ways that we can”
(Appendix Q, pg. 317). Furthermore, despite my efforts to emphasize teaching for ALL students,
and Lisa’s commitment to doing so, she viewed herself as an outsider to the process of educating
students that were served on a pull-out model, due to not being consulted as to the
appropriateness of the services and/or times at which the services occurred. In fact, Lisa deferred
her responsibility towards students with special needs to someone whom she viewed as an expert
despite little proof that the child’s well-being was the primary concern, and regardless of my
insistence that she had an equal responsibility towards all her students.
Throughout this study, I took great care to present myself as an experienced special
education teacher but one who considered special education knowledge as pertinent to the
education of ALL students. However, Lisa based her Unit Planning upon the use of technology
and various mediums of delivering content and twice made explicit connections between me (as
a special education expert) and the inclusion of specific technologies within her planning. Lisa’s
perception of my role was guided more by her own expectations of special education expertise
than by our own interactions. Throughout the Semester, I attempted to guide our conversations

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towards the planning and instructional aspects of teaching ALL students, including how to
generalize from particular accommodations usually deemed within the special education domain
for more general applications. However, Lisa did on several occasions refer to me as an expert in
special education with comments such as “because you do have the knowledge in special
education” (Appendix Q, 320). Notably, although Lisa clearly struggled with behavior
management techniques, particularly with regards to Student 2, she never mentioned her
difficulties in our conversations, or asked for my advice. Is it possible that Lisa’s perception of
special education expertise does not include specific knowledge of classroom management? Or,
did Lisa simply assume that because Student 2 was considered Gifted and Talented he did not
fall into the purview of my special education expertise? She did not discuss with me the use of
her research regarding the use of technology in the classroom even though she equated a special
education expert (me) as someone with knowledge in technology, and did not heed any of my
suggestions to differentiate instruction for students above grade-level but acknowledged these
suggestions as valuable and worth pursuing when made by her Field Instructor.
In summary, the data collected throughout the Semester indicates that, with regards to
notions of expertise, Lisa had difficulty reconciling her expectations and perceptions as to what
experts do, and the type of collaborative/consultative relationships that can and should be
developed in order to ensure ALL students reach their maximum potential.

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CHAPTER FIVE – DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS (MEGAN)
“They were the heart of the teaching and learning” – Megan
Chapter Five is divided into two main parts. In the first, I will describe the data collected
regarding Megan throughout the four Phases of the Semester and analyze it chronologically.
Then, in part two, I will analyze the collected data according to three themes that might make
visible the tensions Megan felt when working at the intersecting points of RTI, DI and CRP, and
are reflective of the stances associated to her conceptualizations of Possibilities of Practice. They
are: (1) Planning for ALL Students, which investigates how Megan thought in terms of planning
for her classroom in general, and individual students in particular; (2) Differentiating Instruction,
or Megan’s willingness and aptitude to plan for students’ perceived needs and strengths; and, (3)
Notions of Expertise, specifically how she viewed herself as a teacher, and in relation to other
individuals within her collaborative universe.
Data collected
Megan is an enthusiastic young woman, full with “a million ideas, things we’re talking
about in class and things that I just know are best practices” (Appendix,Y, pg.389), but “late
every day for everything” (pg.390). Megan showed the ability to self-reflect and be critical of her
own work, while taking equal ownership of triumphs and missteps, and was committed to this
investigation soon after I asked for volunteers to participate.
Of the three participants, Megan was the only one placed in an urban school, in fourth
grade, and also the only participant expected to follow closely prescribed curricular and
instructional guidelines mandated by the school district in which she was placed. Megan also
started her Unit Instruction one week earlier than the other two participants, but finished at the

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same time, due to the fact that the students in her class did not have a Literacy block scheduled
every day of the week.
Phase 1 – observation/participation
Megan started the semester by reflecting upon difficulties in writing instruction. She
expressed concerns with regards to difficulties in writing particularly as they extend to all
subjects, and noted that students that have writing difficulties are, at times, perceived as not
knowing the content. She said she did not know how to support students with handwriting
difficulties, and that one of the students in her internship placement was “diagnosed with
Dyslexia, but often writes a lot and easily (…) I would have thought that writing would be a
challenge for him too … seems like I need to learn more about Dyslexia” (Appendix Z,pg. 401).
Upon review of a Power Point which modeled possible writing difficulties, Megan
commented on its value and said that it made her more sensitive to students’ needs, and aware
about how memory affects writing. Megan felt that she knew little about writing instruction and
was pleased to have some direction as to how to help students with handwriting difficulties and
was curious as to the availability of assistive technology in her school and how some tools might
be deployed as writing aids. Her reading and assignments thus far had made her aware to the
need to make writing tasks authentic; and (2) the potential value of describing cognitive
strategies as opposed to making assumptions. Because of this she was planning on attempting to
build a supportive environment during writer’s workshop, while modeling her own writing and
think critically about spelling instruction. Megan also expressed the need to educate herself about
dyslexia in order to be “better prepared to assist the student in my class” (pg. 401).
Megan’s Project One (Appendix AA), which asked her to provide context with regards to
her internship placement included her identification of the librarian and Intervention Specialist as

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potential members of her collaborative universe, as well as a variety of physical resources. She
also mentioned that although the school had a varied supply of curriculum-aligned resources,
teachers had the flexibility to plan lessons however they wished, within the boundaries of the
curriculum. She would go on to note, with some surprise that “the emphasis is on ‘spelling
skills’…not on memorization” (pg. 404).
In this project, Megan also identified the literacy activities and time spent on each, and
noted that only on the “rare occasions students read out loud” (pg. 405) which would be
something she would address in her Unit Planning. She further noted students seldom engaged in
peer-led discussions and that organized discussions (school principal) occurred only once a
week.
Megan then described her three identified focal students. She took on an investigative
role throughout the Action Plan with regards to her students and, the first time she described her
students, she briefly presented each of their profiles along with guiding questions that could,
potentially, lead the tailoring of instruction for her three focus students.
Student 1 was described as having been diagnosed with Dyslexia two weeks into the new
school year. Megan noted that she was certain he would make a great case study and was
enthusiastic about being able to work with him. She said “I want to make reading and writing
more enjoyable for him, and also learn strategies to support his literacy learning” (pg. 407) and
had six questions guiding her inquiry: (1) “How can I peak … interest in reading and writing?”
(pg. 407); (2) “What topics and genres interest him?” (pg. 407); (3) “How can …confidence in
his abilities be increased?” (pg. 407); (4) Which specific reading and writing skills need the most
improvement?” (pg. 407); (5) What are strategies to use to improve his decoding skills?” (pg.
407); and (6) “What are strategies to use to improve his handwriting?” (pg. 407).

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Megan described Student 2 as a female with handwriting difficulties. She noted that she
had poor letter formation and took longer than average to write, producing very short pieces.
This student had set for herself an annual goal to improve her writing, to which Megan reacted
by saying “I want to help her achieve that goal and help her make writing a more natural and less
frustrating process for her” (pg. 407). Megan’s guiding questions with regards to Student 2 were:
(1) “What are strategies to use to improve her handwriting?” (pg. 407) ; (2) How aware is…of
her own poor handwriting?” (pg. 407); and, (3) “Are there other skills and/or cognitive
procedures to improve?” (pg. 407).
Student 3, another female, was described as “pretty much an ‘average’, smart student’”
(pg. 407), with seemingly no academic or behavior difficulties. However, despite her description
of the student as average, Megan wanted to “make sure that we, as instructors, do not forget to
challenge her” (pg. 407). The guiding questions with regards to Student 3 were: (1)”Even though
X doesn’t struggle, what are her weak points?”; (2) “How can we address and remedy her weak
points?”; (3) How can we assure that she doesn’t lose interest in books, due to being too easy?”;
(4) Can … be utilized to help her peers?”; and, (5) How can she improve her handwriting?”. (pg.
407).
In addition to identifying the above three students as those she would focus on, Megan
would extend her investigation to other students. In fact, most of her time, energy, inquiries, and
pointed reflections were geared towards Student 4, whom she described as “behaviorally the
most challenging student, he’s not diagnosed with anything, but he doesn’t respect (…) very
much, he doesn’t follow instructions, he wanders around the room” (Appendix Y, pg. 385).
Megan’s comments above denoted a concern with finding opportunities in which students were

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being asked to learn in deep and meaningful ways, a stance she would carry throughout the
semester.
During our first informal conversation (Appendix AB), Megan told me that she was very
interested in participating in this study, because she saw it as a great learning opportunity and
immediately started describing one of her focal students (Student 1) who had been diagnosed
with dyslexia, but who no one knew what to do with. She relayed that she had been told two
different accounts regarding this student and there were conflicting reports as to how the
student’s special education eligibility testing had been planned. She was confused by the
conflicting accounts and concerned that, in the meantime, the student was not being provided
with appropriate instruction. When I asked, Megan said that she had talked to the special
education teacher in the building, but that since the special education teacher was new to the
school, she had no background information about the student. It was clear in this short exchange
that Megan was not only concerned about the students but had taken a few steps towards
gathering information she thought might be helpful. In light of this, we briefly discussed her
responsibilities towards this student, vis-à-vis his perceived needs and lack of special education
support and Megan, while very willing to work individually with Student 1 was afraid that she
did not have the necessary skills to provide specialized instruction.
Phase 2 – development of a plan
Two week later, I conducted Megan’s first semi-structured interview (Appendix Y). We
started by discussing her Unit Planning and Instruction, particularly the fact that she was starting
one week ahead of the other two participants, and was feeling that she could use a bit more time
to plan. Because she had not started writing her plan, we were not able to discuss her first Unit
Planning draft and our session took on a brainstorming format, during which Megan took down

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notes as we spoke. This would be the format of almost all our meetings and, by this time in, it
was clear to me that Megan tended to write down everything she found interesting, important to
remember, or potentially useful, and she constantly carried around a note book in which she
archived thoughts, ideas, reminders, etc.
We started her interview by discussing the specific lesson plans needed and the pacing
guide mandated by the school district, and how she might be able to teach about Myths, Legends,
and Tall Tales by following the guidelines, while still planning as required by her teacher
education program. Megan was stressed about her ability to negotiate through the constraints
imposed by both the school district and her program, and further concerned by the pressure her
CT had communicated related to the fact that “in the past … [the unit she would be teaching
was] kind of dry…and she was hoping that I would make it more exciting so the kids care” (pg.
2). Megan was planning on giving the students several books that depicted the genre in order to
allow them to choose what to read while immersing them within the theme. She wanted to give
her students as much freedom as possible and said “I don’t want to limit them …we have a lot of
kids that struggle with reading and writing (…); I don’t want to overwhelm them, and I also want
them to be able to appreciate the story” (pg. 376), and was planning on giving them Post-It notes
to jot down ideas about setting/character/event, as they read.
We discussed how best to plan for 10 days of UPI and how she should be cautious and
aware of time, to allow for unforeseen events. We also discussed issues of continuity during the
unit because Megan would not be able to use writer’s workshop on Thursdays and Fridays and
the students would have a 5-day gap between activities (from Wednesday until Monday of the
following week) which was an issue she worried about, although she had already thought about a
couple of activities to use as attention-getters during those 5 days, as well as summary charts to

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be used to activate prior knowledge on Mondays. Megan said that, because discussions in class
were not generally encouraged, she wanted to have the students communicate in a variety of
formats by asking them “show me or tell me, and that can be with words or drawings” (pg. 377).
At the time of the interview, Megan had a good idea of what she wanted the Unit and
some of the Lessons to look like, but did not have a draft of either, although she only had 36
hours left in which to finish and send it to the LIT 800 Instructor. Time management would be an
issue of concern thought the semester and, although the calendar had not been completely agreed
upon between her and her CT, she had several lists of items to incorporate in the Plan. Megan
was concerned with the fact that she should be more organized and further along in the Planning
process but seemed to be evaluating her ideas and choosing which she could try in the UPI. By
her own admission, she was always late for everything and had set up the improvement of her
time-management skills as her yearly goal.
At this time, I introduced Megan to the Unit Planning Pyramid by describing it as a tool
to aid with planning, and upon looking at it she said: “I never thought about that not all students
might learn everything” (pg. 380). We discussed the need to determine with certainty what the
core of the unit should be and told Megan that the Pyramid could aid in thinking about specific
student/activity matches and she agreed that student accommodations should vary by activity. I
also briefly introduced the Lesson Plan Rubric and two articles as having been “written by
people in the special education field, (but) they are for everyone” (pg. 382). I described planning
by using a “cupcake” allegory, in which the cake portion should be the first 2/3 of her lesson (the
most important portion of the lesson) and the frosting, would simply be the embellishment of the
main content, what she might not be able to attend to due to time restrictions or students’ lack of
focus.

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Megan had already conducted a pre-assessment regarding Myths, Legends and Tall
Tales and had a good idea of where she wanted to start and what themes she needed to include in
her planning. She wanted to design her lessons around particular patterns to encourage the
students to participate and activate prior knowledge within a safe zone, while guiding them onto
new themes and concepts. She was planning on having her students work in groups, starting with
something familiar and then branch out to unfamiliar stories and legends, asking students to use
both words and pictures to express their knowledge, and then circle back to the pre-assessment
by allowing students to self-assess as well as assess her own work. Throughout the Action Plan,
Megan’s commitment to having the students “generate characteristics of myth and legends (…)
rather than… it’s in this lesson (…) I want them to be the ones producing (…) most everything”
(pg. 384) was clear, and the driving force behind her planning.
We then did a run-through of each day that Megan had to plan for, and how she
envisioned each activity to occur. She thought students would work well in their groups because
“the teacher was really thoughtful when she planned out the groups for me” (pg. 382), and again
mentioned that she had asked the students to complete the pre-assessment activity in various
ways by saying “tell me in words or pictures” (pg.383). However, because she was not specific
in the writing instructions, most students had written their answers instead of drawing, something
she wanted to remedy in the future.
We also talked about reading with purpose, and constructing her unit plan around certain
patterns that would ensure all the lessons were cohesive. By reading their pre-assessments, she
knew that she needed to address sports legends and contemporary fantasies such as the
“Twilight” trilogy, but she wanted the students to “generate characteristics of myth and legends”
(pg. 384). By having the students generate the lists and revise their own pre-assessments, she

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would be generating an assessment and, if a student failed to revise something that was incorrect
it would be an indication that she “didn’t do my job” (pg. 385). This was the first time that
Megan spoke of an assessment, and I was surprised and pleased to hear her talk about an
assessment in such a sophisticated way, describing it as a tool for herself, rather than a grading
tool.
Megan showed me the pre-assessment of the student that had been diagnosed dyslexic, as
well as a sample of work from one other student (Student 4) who had a great deal of behavioral
difficulties and who she believed was testing her limits. According to Megan “he’s behaviorally
the most challenging student, he’s not diagnosed with anything, but he doesn’t respect (…) very
much, he doesn’t follow instructions, he wanders around the room” (pg. 385). She was clearly
distressed and described the student as someone who thought he needed to defend himself from
everything, all the time, and would not take responsibility for his actions. Furthermore, she said
“he’s – the student that I struggle with the most by far out of any of them” (pg. 386). She was
frustrated and unsure as to what to do although she had been considering different approaches.
Not surprisingly, she had started keeping a journal of their interactions and had realized that he
had a very good relationship with her CT because she would give him choices and jobs, while
ignoring certain behaviors, but Megan clearly doubted her ability to control his behavior. She
said that the teachers she had observed in the past had an authoritative presence in the classroom
and she was beginning to behave in that way with him although this strategy was not successful,
and she wanted to model her CT and “ picks her battles (…) I think that’s what works” (pg. 387).
We discussed this particular student at length, on several occasions, and brainstormed
strategies that Megan could implement but, throughout her plan, there is no evidence that
specific accommodations and/or supports were implemented, even thought we discussed them

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and Megan agreed to continue trying to find ways in which to build a positive relationship with
him. She was worried about the effect the student’s behavior was having on the rest of the class,
and spoke about the reward system that her CT has adopted which “isn’t how I plan to do my
classroom at all” (pg. 387) but was something she had to comply with. While she was very
willing to learn and experiment with various approaches while following the already established
classroom guidelines, she was also very aware that the ways in which she conceptualized herself
as a teacher differed from her internship experiences, and she would struggle with finding a
balance between what she perceive as her role has a teacher and what others expected of her.
With regards to the Unit content, Megan was very candid about her own difficulties with
the content she was supposed to teach, and spoke about how much studying she had done in
order to feel confident when speaking about Myths and Legends. We discussed how to set up a
pattern within each lesson, a way of differentiating between a myth and a legend, how to
approach the possible cultural connections implicit in each of the myths she chose for the
students, and how to encourage the students to participate and activate their knowledge.
The interview continued with Megan describing an Autism Workshop she had attended
and how thrilled she was that the workshop had been organized and presented by a variety of
professionals (para-pros, special and general education teachers, psychologists, etc.) all of whom
provided various perspectives on the same topic. We talked about what to look for in an
Individualized Educational Plan and how the goals written for each student should guide the
instruction, discussed appropriate means of assessing the unit, and how assessment tools should
be designed in order to accommodate needs. Megan was vacillating between giving the students
a traditional written test about Myths and Legends (which seemed to be expected of her) or
asking them to write their own and, in that way, assess their learning about each. Her internship

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colleagues had “been discussing whether or not we want to give them like a written assessment
at the end” (pg. 393), and Megan’s rational for wanting to give them an assessment was that she
considered a written test proof that she “taught them something and then they learned”. She was
surprised at her own about-face and said that she was usually “anti-test” (pg. 393), but was now
considering that tests might be a good way to should that learning had occurred. We also
discussed the importance of modeling what is being asked of them, doing a think aloud, and
using more than two modalities for information sharing and accessing.
Finally, Megan circled back to her initial reflection and said that she was still having
difficulty distinguishing between students that had difficulty with the writing process and
students that had difficulty thinking about the writing. We discussed the need to have a
conversation with the students and openly ask them what type of difficulty they were struggling
with instead of guessing, which she agreed with and we also discussed incorporating video into
the Unit to provide students with a visual representation of what they are studying.
Megan’s Project Two, the first draft of the Unit Plan (Appendix AC), was based upon the
goal of “exposure of, appreciation for, and identification of key traits of myths, legends, and tall
tales” (pg. 409). The unit was aligned with 7 Grade Level Content Expectations and included 7
Content Objectives and 7 Attitudes and Process Intentions. The Content Objectives for the Unit
were related to students being able to explain the purpose of Myths, Legends and Tall Tales,
learning how to identify their setting, character traits, and narrative forms, identify symbolism in
the real world, and be able to identify and create similes and exaggerated descriptions. Students
were expected to be able to apply the character traits, similes, and exaggerated descriptions to a
tall tale character, and generate criteria for writing their own myth or legend, based on the key
traits shared by all of them, in the form of a book, picture book, or graphic novel. Finally,

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students were expected to create their own myth or legend. The Attitude and Process Intentions
for the Unit were related to gaining appreciation for various cultures, while working with each
other when gathering information and editing their work. Megan’s Unit Plan also included a
brief description of 4 main assessment pieces and 12 days of Lesson Plan Outlines. Her chosen
assessment pieces reflected her concern over making sure that all students were assessed in ways
in which they might be successful, and in more than one way. They included drawing as an
expression of character traits, the creation on a myth or legend with appropriate characteristics,
an assessment that could be written, oral or a performance, and the revision of the individual preassessments.
Megan planned to look for the outcome of the Unit, but also to look for how each student
performed throughout each lesson. In her planning she included all that she had noted was
missing from they usual day, things like reading aloud in pairs, discussions in both small and
large groups, revisions of previous work individually and in group, additions to class-generated
lists and posters, drawings and expressions of understanding in multiple mediums. The detailed
Lesson plans included Academic, Social and Linguistic Support (ASLS) both for all students in
the class as well as a few students identified with special needs. Megan’s ASLS specified some
of the ways in which student support had been built into the planning but such as ”They choose
to work individually or with someone else, which text to read, or to listen to me read” (pg. 413)
which she would continue to use throughout the semester. She also included the paraprofessional that was assigned to two of her students as a built-in accommodation but with few
specifications as to what her role might entail. While Megan was clearly focused on providing a
variety of tasks and choices to her students, she left it up to them to decide which tasks and
how/when to use them and her ASLS lacked targeted focus on particular students on levels of

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need. The working groups, while set up heterogeneously, were to be managed by the students
and again without scaffolding or guided leadership on her part. She included visual supports,
video, read-aloud, pair-share, transcription opportunities and directions such as “show me with
words or drawings” (pg. 418) but without explaining whom the accommodations were intended
to or with what purpose. Furthermore, for students identified as having IEPs, the only built-in
accommodation was for them to work without any time restrictions, which may or may not have
been necessary. Thus, while making specific accommodations according to students’ needs,
Megan failed to adequately support their learning. Although Megan’s final draft of the Unit Plan
underwent substantial changes in the ways in which the tasks and activities were laid out,
Megan’s fundamental goals, the ways she used to engage her students, and the level of
ownership she attempted to sustain, remained unchanged.
Phase 3 – action/observation/action
Because it was not possible to secure permission from Megan’s internship placement to
do an observation, it was not possible to triangulate her reported data with an observation.
However, we did hold a second semi-structure interview (Appendix AD) at the end of week 7.
At this time, Megan had started her Unit instruction and, when asked how her first week
was going, Megan said that UPI was going well but not according to her original plan. She was
surprised that she had “planned way too much for each lesson” (pg. 419) despite our previous
conversation and my cautions, and had decided to eliminate the last five days of planning, which
were dedicated to a large writing project in which each student was going to write their own
Myth or Tall Tale, and decided it would be best to shorten the writing assignment and spread it
out throughout the remaining weeks. She had changed the way in which she would introduce the
lessons every day, by “start[ing] with here’s the questions that we’re gonna explore. (…) a lot of

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them are wondering about what I was planning to do to the next day anyways” (pg. 420) and she
was making changes to her Unit Plan draft in order to accommodate time constraints and the
student’s reading levels. However, her initial goal to empower students by giving them
ownership of the work produced did not change and, in some ways, was enhanced: “I’m hoping
it’ll … give them a feeling of their guiding class” (pg. 420). Megan changed the way in which
she was introducing each lesson with a clear vision into what the theme would be, and included
what students were “wondering” about at the end of each class. Megan was careful to look for
what students were doing throughout each day and how these could be used in class to further
make their experiences as authentic as possible, and was enthusiastic about the way in which her
students were responding to her plan and was adjusting activities in order to give them “a feeling
of … guiding class” (pg. 420). The “wondering” poster also served for Megan to gauge her own
teaching daily, by checking on the questions that were left unanswered. Then, the questions left
unanswered would be the starting point for the lesson on the following day.
Megan was surprised at how slowly students read and how this was affecting her
planning. She was pleased that some strategies were proving useful, and also about using their
ideas to prompt new activities, and as she was summarizing her experience, she was still
reflecting about ownership and was still looking for ways to enhance their sense of participation
and ownership in future projects by making changes to
provide time for the students to browse each other’s thoughts … as well as more time and
instruction to browse each others’ wonderings… incorporate more think-pair-share
moments to encourage more students to participate in our class discussions. I would keep
all students work in a … packet so they would see all of their hard work at the end of the
unit (pg. 433).
Megan realized that even unstructured explorations should be guided and/or modeled in
order for the students to know what was being asked of them. However, this was an insight that

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she would have great difficulty following through, as she would continue to allow the students to
chose, without prompting, the accommodations they felt would be most helpful to each.
In addition to discussing her Planning and on-going instruction, we spoke about one
student that she has great concerns about. She said that he was “just one kid out of 22 and he just
messes up everything (…) he doesn’t listen to what I say, ever… half the time he doesn’t even
listen to what my CT says, but … she’s better at not letting it phase her, you know” (pg. 422),
and was concerned with her own ability to maintain control of the behaviors in her classroom,
both individually and as a class. She went on to say that she “need[ed] to learn to just kind of let
it go (…) still don’t know which battles to fight and which battles to let go, (…) I’m picking the
wrong battles or too many or not enough” (pg. 422). Megan was having difficulty determining
what type of discipline to implement, especially since finding out that holding the student from
recess (which was something she has tried) seemed to have no consequence, particularly because
the student had admitted that he did not want to go to recess. We brainstormed a couple of
strategies she could try (time outs, special time with her, jobs and responsibilities, etc.) and also
talked about the need for her to come up with a specific plan for this student. Megan also
mentioned that there had been situations between her and this particular student that could have
been handled in different, and more successful ways, and was weary of the ways in which she
was being lead (by the school principal and the para-pro) towards behavior management methods
she did not think were appropriate foe her. Megan was concerned regarding the consequences of
the student’s behavior for her class but also about the student himself, and said, “I think I don’t
know what to say when he says I don’t care. (…) I don’t know what to say. I’m sad that you
don’t care?” (pg. 425) to which I replied that it was important that she tried to get to the real
reason why he doesn’t care by talking to him. She further realized that the student enjoyed the

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time he was allowed to spend with the kindergarten students and we spoke about using what he
liked as a reward for good behavior, instead of punishing bad behavior. However she was
concerned that rewarding him would send the wrong message to the rest of his peers, and was
further concerned that the other students in the class were antagonizing him. Megan thought he
might be trying to attract attention in whatever ways he could. There had been an occasion when
she ignored his misbehavior and only called on him to participate in class when he raised his
hand, and the student himself commented “that’s why I started raising my hand because then you
would listen to me and when I was blurting out you wouldn’t listen to me” (pg. 427), for which
she felt gratified.
We also discussed the fact that Megan had two students in her class who had been
diagnosed autistic and who had a para-pro working with them, with whom Megan was trying to
establish a relationship with by asking for feedback regarding her teaching in relation to those
two students’ needs. She thought that one of the students with autism was imitating other
students’ misbehaviors, despite what she was taught at the autism workshop she attended, which
proved yet another cause for confusion and doubts about her own abilities. She had tried to work
with him and develop a secret communication code with him, which he completely disregarded
and, again, I suggested that she talk to the student and find out from him what he is trying to get,
what he thought would be an effective mechanism of communication with her, and how to stop
his misbehavior.
Megan started her draft of Project Three (Appendix AE) by summarizing her thoughts
regarding her focal students. She described Student 1 as someone who “consistently struggles
with literacy… recently diagnosed with dyslexia and has been assessed to read at a first-grade
level… reading is a struggle for him … evident across all subjects…has a negative opinion

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toward reading” (pg. 431). Megan had given all students the option of reading in a small group,
with her support, instead of individual silent sustained reading and thought that this modification
could have benefited him although he did not choose to do it. While this was clearly an occasion
where a targeted accommodation and teacher-lead intervention could have been attempted,
Megan missed the opportunity of scaffolding the student’s learning due to her preoccupation
with student choice. Student 1 was given the final formal assessment twice, once with no
modification in which he scored 11 out of 26 points, and again, administered orally, in which he
score 17 out of 25. From both assessments Megan concluded that he “knows the content but
struggles with comprehending the text on the test and/or expressing his thoughts on paper…not
surprising, considering his diagnoses” (pg. 431) but Megan did not identify this occurrence and
his different performance on the assessment as an indication that she should have balanced
student-choice with teacher-lead accommodations.
Student 2 scored 28 out of 24 points on the final assessment, demonstrating “great
understanding of the origin of myths, and answering the more difficult extra credit short answer
section” (pg. 431) and Megan concluded by saying that “ the biggest issue to keep in mind … is
how to keep her challenged. There were likely times when she was bored or found the work too
easy” (pg. 432).
With regards to Student 3, Megan commented that she “often demonstrates writing skills
below grade level” (pg. 432) and it was “often hard to discern whether or not [she] understood
the concepts when looking at her limited amount of writing” (pg. 432). Student 3 scored 21 out
of 24 points on the final assessment, and Megan added that she “was one of two students who
opted to read with me on the couch (…) benefited her and eliminated the barrier of decoding for

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her (…) she was particularly engaged during the create-a-tall-tale character activity” (pg. 2)
again emphasizing that it had been the student’s choice as to which reading task to complete.
When reflecting upon the entire class performance during the Unit, Megan said that she
“was surprised by the range of achievement and attitudes [and] what some students responded as
their favorite, others responded as their least favorite…the class as a whole really enjoyed
activities that involved art, videos, and creating a product” (pg. 432). Megan noted that the
average test score on the final assessment was 22.18 points but that “the range was 15-29,
representing a wide range of performance” (pg. 432). Furthermore, Megan noted
a key focal point during this unit was that the students often generated the knowledge.
They were the heart of the teaching and learning… shared their existing knowledge as
well as new emerging thoughts … while my role was often to prompt and guide, rather
than tell (pg. 432),
which had been her purpose all along. While Megan’s goal to have her students guide the
instruction was very successful, it is unclear whether individual success was achieved, and she
would continue to develop strategies such as “incorporate more think-pair-share moments to
encourage more students to participate in our class discussions” (pg. 433) to engage all her
students, but with no particular students in mind or guided instruction.
Phase 4 – reflection
Megan started her Final Semi-structured Interview by describing her UPI experience
(Appendix AF) and noting that she hoped that her quiet voice and easy personality would
influence her students to act likewise. I noted that it seemed effective to give directions and
move away for the students allowing them to follow through, but cautioned her to make sure that
once she moved away they were, in fact, following through, to which she replied, “I don’t think I
have eyes in the back of my head yet and I want them” (pg. 434).

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Megan was able to identify her own areas of difficulty, and set goals for herself, although
it is not clear from the data gathered whether or not she was successful at meeting those goals.
When asked what she would do differently given the chance, Megan noted that she would make
some changes but mostly in “little things” (pg. 434), and continued by saying
“I’m proud of the fact that …I’m really analytical of myself and my teaching, so I think it’s
going to make me better” (pg. 434). She was most pleased with the fact that “they could make
connections … outside of literacy time, to the unit that I was teaching – I think it’s huge – and so
if I were to change something it would be to encourage more of that” (pg. 434) but wished that
she had been able to guide them to find Myths and Legends books and materials outside of
classroom time/space because once the teaching unit was over they neglected to make
connections to the learning. We discussed ways in which she might be able to circle back and
talk about Myths and Legends again, such as during a new “genre study … maybe there will be a
lot of parallels” (pg. 435). Megan was critical of the plays acted during the Tall Tales portion of
the unit, and thought that it was because she had not set
expectations at the beginning. They had never really done them before, and so I think I
should have showed them how do you practice a play, how do you act your part, … how
do you become your character, …what kind of voice are you going to use – I just didn’t
ever explain that cause I guess I assumed they’d know how and they didn’t (pg. 435).
She noted that she would do a play again, particularly because the students really enjoyed it and
asked to do another one, but she “would have set it up …spent a lot more time setting it up and
practicing” (pg. 435) which was a good indication that Megan was aware, even if after the fact,
that guided teaching was necessary. Megan recognized that she was starting to engage in more
collaboration with some of the other interns placed in her school and they were all realizing that
“in the future we want to do more brainstorming together” (pg. 435),

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although she noted that this collaboration would have been difficult at the start of the internship
because at that time “we were all freaking out, and so we just focused on ourselves” (pg. 435).
When asked about her entire class, and who were the students she had the greatest
difficulties with, Megan said that behavior issues were the most difficult to attend to and that her
attempted strategies were not always helpful. While discussing classroom management in
general, Megan said that classroom management was “a huge balancing act” (pg. 437), one she
was still working on because she wanted to “make sure that they know that I’m the teacher and
I’m the one that if I say it’s not okay, then it’s not okay (pg. 437). Megan had observed other
teachers (besides her CT) and had good examples of strategies to try, and we discussed the need
for clear consequences for specific behaviors. She was conflicted as to whether to try strategies
she had seen in other places or simply follow the lead of her CT and school and this was a
tension that would remain unresolved throughout her experience.
Megan also expressed concern over two students who were “really high achievers… I
also have to think about how to make sure they are not bored” (pg. 438) and we discussed the
possibility of giving students like these individual projects and challenging work via
differentiating instruction. Megan demonstrated a great ability to be reflective about her practice,
and constantly connected her student’s learning to her actions, what she had planned,
accomplished, and how to enhance their learning experiences but had difficulty identifying when
to give choices and when to engage in structured, guided, and student- targeted instruction.
Megan’s Final Draft of Unit Plan (Appendix AG) underwent substantial changes in that
she removed all Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs) related to writing, and based her
entire Unit upon the original 4 reading GLCEs. This change might have been related to Megan’s
initial concerns that she did not feel confident in her ability to engage in writing instruction, and

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her concerns that writing difficulties might prevent students from demonstration their knowledge
of particular content. The assessment portion of the Unit Plan also suffered revisions but these
still did not include targeted instruction or scaffolding. On each of the Lessons, Megan added a
“Look For” section, which highlighted the form of assessment of each lesson. Megan’s Final
Draft of the Unit Plan also included 3 detailed Lesson Plans. The Lesson Plan for Day 1 suffered
few changes but the detailed Lesson Plan for Day 2 was entirely new and focused on the key
traits of myths and legends. The Assessment portion of Day 3 included observation of behaviors
throughout the lesson as well as work completion and a note to “read the wonderings poster to
gain insight into their thoughts and inform future instruction” (pg. 447).
Cross-Cutting Themes
Overall, Megan’s enthusiastic and caring personality came through in her planning and
teaching, and she stayed true to her main goal of keeping her students as “the heart of the
teaching and learning” (Appendix AE, pg. 432). However, in her haste to remain true to her goal
and despite her deep knowledge of her students, their abilities, strengths and weaknesses, there is
no evidence in her Unit Planning of differentiated instruction having been a substantial part of
her planning and/or instruction. Thus, while her students were “the heart of the teaching and
learning” (Appendix AE, pg. 432) they were also largely responsible for recognizing and
responding to their own Instructionally Relevant Variations.
Planning for all students
Megan’s ever-present goal to empower her students and allow them to guide her planning
and instruction resulted in her Unit Planning and Instruction suffering many changes, all of
which were guided by her knowledge of her students’ interests and abilities, her commitment to
allow students to, as much as possible, guide instruction, and by her commitment to instruct ALL
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students. Megan’s goal to empower her students by allowing them to generate knowledge, steer
her daily planning and instruction, and evaluate her own practice, lead her to design her lessons
around patterns to encourage participation, activate prior knowledge within a safe zone, and then
move onto unfamiliar themes and concepts. Megan empowered the students to not only guide her
planning and instruction but also evaluate themselves and her instruction. She looked for what
students were doing and how their own learning could be used in future instruction, guiding
authentic instruction and assessment, and was well aware of the various reading and writing
ability levels within the classroom.
When we discussed the Unit and Lesson pyramids Megan noted that she had “never
thought about that not all students might learn everything” (pg. 380) and noted that student
accommodations should have to vary by task. Megan planned instruction for ALL students but
made not accommodations for any student in particular, despite having a good grasp on her
students’ strengths and weaknesses. She considered individual behaviors and their impact on
both the student exhibiting the behaviors and his peers, and was able to reflect upon the general
and the specific aspects on instruction, but her planning/instruction did not always reveal this.
Megan constantly connected her student’s learning to her actions, plans, daily
accomplishments and learning opportunities and revised her daily plans to include her student’s
inputs and interests, allowing them to guide her instruction. Despite the fact that Megan planned
a varied package of accommodations, all of which were initially planned based on each
individual student’s Instructionally Relevant Variation, her responses were not intentional and/or
purposeful and were, instead, left up to each of the student’s own ability to recognize their own
needs. Megan’s goal to empower her students by allowing them to generate knowledge, steer her
daily planning and instruction, and evaluate her own practice, is well documented throughout the

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data gathered along the Semester. She described her unit’s “key focal point…the students often
generated the knowledge. They were the heart of the teaching and learning…shared their existing
knowledge as well as new emerging thoughts…while my role was often to prompt and guide,
rather than tell” (Appendix AE, pg. 432).
Differentiating Instruction
In her commitment to plan for ALL students, Megan conceptualized Differentiated
Instruction as a group of varied accommodations designed purposefully for some students but
that, due to their potential to enhance learning, could be extended to ALL students if they chose
to use them. Throughout the Unit Planning and Instruction there is little evidence that Megan
understood the difference between the times when students can be given a choice to use an
accommodation, and the times when she should be purposeful as to what accommodations
should be offered to whom.
Megan was cognizant of the need to design instruction to enable ALL students to
participate in the learning process, but her lesson plans did not include accommodations for
particular students. Megan started her inquiry into her focus students by identifying their areas of
strength and weaknesses and included a series of guiding questions for each of the three focus
students, questions that were indicative of both her students and her own future learning. Some
of the questions were illustrative of her ability to reflect not only upon particular students, but
also reflect upon her own need to investigate ways in which she might address her students’
needs. Furthermore, Megan included questions to guide her inquiry of all three students, even
though Student 3 had been described as a “pretty much ‘average’, smart student” (pg. 407),
which indicates that although she did not anticipate taking on a remedial approach to Student 3’s
learning, she acknowledged that the student had areas of strength that should be tapped into in

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order to further develop an individualized approach to her learning. However, none of these
considerations were further addressed in the planning and instruction of her UPI Unit, and there
is no evidence that specific accommodations and/or supports were implemented.
Megan also considered the learning of students other than her focus students, both
academically and behaviorally. She addressed the needs of students that tended to work faster
than the majority of their peers, but without targeting specific students. Megan also considered
ways in which to respond constructively to disrupting students and ways in which to address
their needs and the needs of students being impacted by the disruptive behaviors. Furthermore,
Megan’s Unit Plan included directions as to the para-professional that usually worked with the
students identified as eligible for special education services but, other than indicating their
presence, made no other remarks as to their involvement in the teaching and learning, or how the
IEP goals and objectives were going to be addressed. Thus, despite having identified students
who required instruction tailored to their specific needs, being aware of a few students with
special needs and IEPs, and acknowledging that she had “never thought about not all students
might learn everything” (Appendix AB, pg. 380), Megan did not show evidence, in her Planning,
of tailoring her instruction to address individual student needs.
Megan addressed differences in ability levels by designing accommodations and supports
that would be included throughout the Unit, as well as instances where students were given
choices and opportunities to tailor their own instruction to meet their interests. Megan also
addressed the needs of students that progressed easier or quicker through the assigned tasks, but
without targeting specific students and or tasks. She often used directions such as “show me or
tell me” (pg. 377) or “use words or drawings” (pg. 377) but, because they were given as oral
instructions, these different modalities were not always seen by the students as potential

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opportunities to maximize personal preference. With both accommodations/supports and choice,
Megan allowed students to exercise their own discretion as to if/when/where to utilize either,
since their were explicitly designed for the potential used by ALL students, and it is impossible
to determine if the students that she was trying to target with the designed accommodations and
choices did, in fact, utilize them and thus maximize their learning as intended.
While she often considered individual students and their particular needs, Megan’s Unit
included only instances of accommodations and supports designed to be used by ALL students,
where students were given choices and opportunities to tailor their own instruction, but at their
own discretion without any evidence that the students could, in fact, chose their most appropriate
level of reading/writing, that Megan knew which students could successfully read which pieces,
or that Megan instructed the students in how to make appropriate task choices.
Megan also included strategies such as “Use of pair work will allow students to use each
other as a resource for ideas. The pairs are also thoughtfully constructed to match students with
peers they can cooperate with and avoid behavioral concerns” and, “students are encouraged to
share with the class during the discussion by first browsing the poster individually, and also
sharing ideas with a partner” (AppendixAG, pg. 445), but there is no evidence that Megan
instructed the students in how to make appropriate task choices, or that she taught her students
how to work cooperatively in order to ensure the success of all pair/group members. Thus,
throughout the Unit, it was unclear if/how Megan made the students aware of the supports she
included, if she instructed them as to the appropriate times when to use them, or if she instructed
particular students as to what supports to use. Therefore, despite Megan’s commitment to teach
ALL students and her knowledge of each student, there is no evidence of Differentiated
Instruction having played a substantial role in her instruction. However, while Megan’s

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conceptual design was flawed, she began to consider ways in which Differentiated Instruction
could be incorporated into her instruction.
Notions of Expertise
In her quest to allow students to lead instruction and, at the same time attempting to
differentiate instruction, Megan was forced to identify her own areas of difficulty. She did,
throughout the Semester, mention people and circumstances that had affected her planning and
teaching, and learned from the members of her identified collaborative universe, but spent a great
deal of time reflecting upon her own strengths and difficulties and analyzing the ways in which
she could learn from those around her and improve her instruction.
Since our first meeting, Megan constantly carried a notebook and pencil. She took notes,
jotted down ideas, and consulted various lists she had started gathering as far back as high
school, and most of the conversations she initiated and issues we discussed were reflected on her
Unit Plan. Megan is soft spoken but enthusiastic, and tried to model all her classroom behaviors
after her Cooperating Teacher, even in those instances in which she did not agree with a
particular methodology. She reflected upon her own philosophy of teaching and compared it to
her Cooperating Teachers’ and constantly referred to ideas that she would like to eventually
implement in her own classroom, or others she did not think matched her teaching style. Megan
was inquisitive and always willing to talk to anyone who might have any insight into her
students, and saw herself as constantly changing, improving and becoming a better professional.
Megan was a bit unsure of herself, as it is common for prospective teachers in their
internship placement, but her doubts usually conveyed her insecurity with her own image or
expertise as a classroom teacher, and her own assessment which led her to include ways in which
her students could evaluate her teaching and give her feedback. As early as during our first

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interview, Megan commented that she was vacillating between having the students assessed via a
test at the end of the unit, or by asking them to write their own myth, and was worried that by
asking them to take a test she was not being true to herself and her own previous perceptions
regarding teaching and learning. Megan was very candid about her own difficulties and
insecurities regarding the content, and remained unsure as to how to distinguish between
difficulties in writing and difficulties expressing thoughts through writing.
Megan’s greatest area of difficulty throughout the Semester was related to behavior
management. She spent a great deal of time working with Student 4, and talking to both her
cooperating teacher and myself, brainstorming ideas as to how to best control his disruptive
behaviors, but was unsuccessful when trying to collaborate with the principal, and stage a
conversation with this particular student. While this behavioral intervention was unsuccessful,
this was not due to her lack of experience but to the fact that the administrator did not consider
her an equal partner, and undermined her role as the classroom teacher. In turn, this event further
compounded her self-doubts with regards to behavior management, doubts she was not able to
overcome. Despite the fact that Megan self-reflected and utilized every available resource, there
is no evidence in her planning or instruction that any particular accommodations or supports
were planned for this. Thus, while Megan conveyed her need, willingness, and execution of
classroom and behavior management that she learned from others, it is unclear if her modeling
was appropriate and relevant to her context.
With regards to her students with Individualized Educational Plans, on the one hand,
Megan felt unsure as to the boundaries and role differences between herself and the paraprofessional designated to work with three of her students. While she considered her an excellent
source of information and often asked for her input, she also delegated all the accommodations

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of her Unit Plan with notations such as “For two students with special needs, there is a parapro in
the classroom. She will be available to keep the students on track and help guide…” (Appendix
AF, pg. 413). On the other hand, Megan was very excited about having been given the
opportunity to attend an Autism workshop offered to all the teachers in her district, and
commented on the fact that the workshop itself had an unusual set-up in that it was interdisciplinary and delivered by a variety of experts, from pediatricians to teachers, psychologists,
para-professionals, parents, etc.
Megan approached the notion of expert, as an open category that included various people
in various professional roles whom she could learn from (including her students), and often used
our time together as opportunities to brainstorm, ask, and answer questions with an experienced
teacher but she did not give any indication that she perceived me as a special education expert.

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CHAPTER SIX: DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS - CASSIE
“There are some students that need more than other students”- Cassie
Chapter Six is divided into two main parts. In the first, I will describe the data collected
regarding Cassie throughout the four Phases of the Semester and analyze it chronologically.
Then, in part two, I will analyze the collected data according to three themes that might make
visible the tensions Cassie felt when working at the intersecting points of RTI, DI and CRP, and
are reflective of the stances associated to her conceptualizations of Possibilities of Practice. They
are: (1) Planning for ALL Students, which investigates how Cassie thought in terms of planning
for her classroom in general, and individual students in particular; (2) Differentiating Instruction,
or Cassie’s willingness and aptitude to plan for students’ perceived needs and strengths; and, (3)
Notions of Expertise, specifically how she viewed herself as a teacher, and in relation to other
individuals within her collaborative universe.
Data Collected
Cassie is a confident young woman, who was placed in a fourth grade classroom in an
affluent, suburban elementary school. Cassie was always prepared ahead of time, and showed a
positive outlook on all her experiences, as well as the ability to self-reflect and critically analyze
her planning and instruction, making the necessary changes and adjustments to ensure student
success. Cassie had a particular interest in teaching Science and Math, and showed her
commitment to this investigation very early in the semester.
Phase 1 – observation/participation
Cassie started the semester by reflecting upon a previous observation of writer’s
workshop. Instead of asking questions, or expressing concerns about working with students with
special needs, Cassie depicted the positive aspects of that experience, such as student buy-into

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the writing process, opportunities to individualize instruction and work in small groups or
individually, student ownership of work, free time to write, time to read their stories to class,
etc., and would, in her planning, use each of the above aspects of writer’s workshop. Once she
completed the required Power Point that described several possible writing difficulties, she
discussed the connection between working memory and lower and higher thinking order tasks,
and indicated a newly developed value for the teaching of handwriting and spelling to young
writers in connection to motivation and positive attitudes, while relaying previous experiences
with a student with dyspraxia and how difficult writing was for him despite an active
imagination and complex oral language skills. Finally, Cassie talked about needing to “focus on
fewer, more specific skills, modeling the processes and giving the students an opportunity to
develop the different aspects over time” (Appendix AH, pg. 450).
In Cassie’s Project One (Appendix AI) she identified 13 physical resources for literacy
instruction including notes and/or comments that were descriptive of the perceived value of each
resource, such as “norm is that you can pull items from lower grade levels, but you cannot use
items that are labeled for higher-grade level” (pg. 451), and noted, Under the Library heading,
that this is where she could find “The Gifted and Talented Resources” (pg. 451). Cassie
identified 15 individuals as members of her potential collaborative universe, and an additional
category of “Parents”, and again added notes and/or comments that were descriptive of the
perceived value of each resource. Cassie identified the Reading Consultant, the Media-Tech
Specialist, the At-Risk Reading Consultant, the At-Risk Math Consultant (who worked with one
of the students in Cassie’s class), the School Psychologist, and the ELL teacher who “works on
developing English skills with new ELL students…three students … will get pulled out during
Science for her services” (pg. 452). Cassie further identified the School Counselor, the Resource

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Room Teacher who “works with students with learning disabilities that qualifies for her
services” (pg. 452), and her Field Coordinator who would be an “outstanding mentor…will also
be observing us in action each week giving feedback and positive reinforcement” (pg. 453). By
taking the time and effort needed to describe the individuals in her collaborative universe, Cassie
indicated her willingness and expectation that her internship (if not her future teaching) would be
stronger if she took a team approach.
Under Literacy Instructional Models Cassie identified, among others, the spelling
program and noted “I am enjoying this differentiated approach, ensuring that students of all
levels are being pushed to learn as many new words as possible” (pg. 454). Cassie also identified
the activities regularly scheduled Monday through Friday, and made comments and offered
suggestions regarding the existing schedule. Under the Reading category Cassie commented that
“independent reading time is rare and not consistent” (pg. 454), “reading with a partner does not
occur” (pg. 454) and “small group reading or discussions do not occur” (pg. 454), which she
would address in her planning. Under the Writing category, Cassie noted “students do not
complete journals, with free time to write with a given prompt or free choice” (pg. 455), and
“there is very little writing completed where student choose their topic or genre” (pg. 455) which
she would also attempt to address in her planning. Finally, when making general comments,
Cassie noted “maintaining a more consistent schedule of times would benefit the students and
literacy program. I would like to start offering more time for partner and small group
discussions… peer editing … author’s chair …dramatics and art.” (pg. 456). Then, Cassie
identified her three focal students.
Student 1 was identified as female, a special education student identified under the
Hearing Impaired category, also identified as At-Risk in reading & math, and receiving Speech

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and Language services. Cassie reported that Student 1’s father was concerned with the lack of a
maternal influence and Cassie’s first concern was: “How can I get her caught up when she is out
of the room?” (pg. 456).
Student 2 was identified as male, and had “Handle with Care” forms filled out by his
parents concerning needs in the areas of organization and writing (connecting thoughts). This
student’s self-chosen goals were to focus on main ideas when writing, and to begin classes and
lessons earlier than his peers and Cassie said: “I am really interested with making a connection
with him and working on his academic goal… graphic organizers for writing, and giving him …
a rubric with clear expectations that he can refer to will be very beneficial (pg. 456).
Student 3 was also male, labeled “Gifted and Talented” (pg. 456), who excelled with
hands-on activities, problem solving, math, and reading but, although verbally articulate, and had
extreme difficulty and exhibited distress with writing activities despite being a successful writer
when the task involved a favorite subject (such as animals). Cassie said:
I have thought about acting as a scribe for some pre-writes or first drafts, or introducing
the use of a voice recorder to allow him to get some ideas out without the stress of
physically writing. (…) I want him to gain confidence with writing and improve his
overall moral and willingness to give it a try (pg. 456).
In general, Cassie noted that writing samples would be collected throughout the year, and
that different types of writing in the classroom and across the curriculum would take place for all
students. Cassie further identified 6 different standardized assessments required by the school
and, with regards to self-assessments, Cassie noted that these “ask questions related to their highs
and lows of school, attitude and participation in the classroom…In other words they are very
aware of what they are doing well with and areas of improvement” (pg. 456).
In our first informal conversation (Appendix AJ), we briefly discussed her Unit Planning
and Instruction (UPI) draft. She said that she wanted to e-mail me her plan because she needed
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feedback, was already far ahead on her planning, and had all of her lesson plans laid out and full
of activities. She requested that I look at her lesson plans, look for a logical sequence of events
and see if she was over-stretching herself. She thought she might have too much detail, and had
cut the plan into blocks of time, and specified when each block of time was supposed to occur,
although she was unsure if the activities could be completed in the allotted times. Cassie
requested my suggestions in a very direct and specific way, and had a very clear idea of where
she might need guidance. All the suggestions I offered were considered, and utilized within the
unit, either in the specific times/places indicated, or at other times throughout the Action Plan.
Part of her plan was to have the students plan and hold a “Poetry Café”, and she wanted
to know if this was something she should take on, or if it was something the students could
organize themselves. We spoke a little bit about many teachers tending to try to retain control of
their classrooms, and I told her that I thought it was great that she actually gave some ownership
to her students and was willing to let them take initiative and responsibility. Cassie also
mentioned, briefly, who her three focal students were, and that her plan included some
differentiated instruction. However, she would like for me to look at the planned
accommodations and counsel her on their appropriateness.
After class, Cassie e-mailed me her First draft of the Unit Plan (Appendix AK), with a
request for feedback. Cassie was the only participant who requested specific feedback on the UPI
before having a final draft completed and turned in to the LIT 800 instructor. She was eager to
learn (from everyone) and I was left with the impression that she was not overly concerned with
the grade she would receive on this particular assignment (or the course in general) but, rather,
interested in having a plan that would result in a successful instructional experience. The UPI
draft she e-mailed me was in bullet-point format, with a rough guide of what each of the 14 days

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was going to look like, and an additional two sections, one on Reading and one on
Differentiation.
The Reading section of the plan made reference to the specific times throughout the 11
days when the students would have reading time. The Differentiation section of the Unit Plan
Draft included notes indicating that the Unit Plan was going to be shared with the Resource
Room Teacher as well as the At-Risk Reading Teacher, to which I commented that she should
start thinking about what the ‘bare bones’ of the unit are and what is the least accepted from
students to still get a passing grade, as a prelude to the Unit and Lesson Planning Pyramids I
would later provide. Three days later, I provided Cassie with copies of the Unit and Lesson
Planning Pyramids, although we did not have time to discuss them then. Interestingly, although
we had a very abbreviated dialogue about the Planning Pyramids, Cassie not only utilized them
throughout the UPI, but also embraced the conceptual framework that supports them, making it
the centerpiece of her Project Three.
The Reading section further included a set of activities to be implemented with Gifted
and Talented students, what their Orange Folders (the folders they took from the regular class to
the resource room) would include, and a division of the class into four distinct groups. Under the
Orange Folders section I commented to break down unit into 2 or 3 sections because it might be
easier for some students; pacing and milestones are important; and, under Teacher Writing
Conference Feedback form I suggested that she base it on rubric.
Cassie’s Project Two- Second Draft of the Unit Plan (Appendix AL), “Where I’m From
– Genre Study: Poetry” consisted of a literacy Unit Plan with the topic “genre study of poetry
with a ‘Where I’m From’ theme” (pg. 473), designed to expose students to poetry while reading,
writing, and discussing. The Unit Goal was “for students to broaden their exposure and

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enjoyment of poetry. To write an outstanding Where I’m From poem, in which they are proud”
(pg. 464). The unit was aligned with 8 Grade Level Content Expectations (3 in reading, 3 in
writing, 1 in listening/viewing, and 1 in speaking) and was comprised of Knowledge (5) and
Capacity (4) Objectives as well as 5 Attitude Intentions. The Knowledge Objectives targeted
discussions, readings and authorship of poems as well as pre-writing, writing and editing
components of the writing process, and the Capacity Objectives targeted student learning of the
“5 Pieces of Poetry” (pg. 464), readings and responses to author and learning about “tools or
successful self-strategies to organize thoughts in writing” (pg.4). The Attitude Intentions were
described as:
Each student will read and seek poetry that they are interested in with enthusiasm (…)
Each student will listen to others and participate in sharing ideas and responses to
discussions and readings of poetry in a whole class format (…) Each student will work
cooperatively in pairs and groups to read, discuss and respond to poetry (…) Each student
will set a personal goal for writing (…) Each student will complete all tasks according to
his or her abilities (pg. 465).
The most striking piece of Cassie’s opening of the first draft of the UPI, was her intentional use,
of the word “each” at the start of each statement. This would continue throughout the Semester,
and was reflective of Cassie’s preoccupation with planning for each of her students. While she
would continuously demonstrate a great deal of preoccupation with planning for ALL students,
she would also address EACH student individually, and attempt to meet each of her students ate
their individual level of achievement.
The plan also included the outline of 13 days of Lesson Plans and, in all instances
addressed what she had identified in Project One as areas of weakness. Cassie ended the Unit
Plan with a section on differentiation that noted that lesson preparation needed to include specific
items regarding students with disabilities, as well as Gifted and Talented students. She noted:

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Share Unit Plan with Mrs. X (Resource Teacher) and Mrs. Y (Book Club Teacher AtRisk Reading). *Pull out schedule; plan things to send/ specifics to work on when they
leave, and way for them to join when they return. Be mindful of grouping (pg. 472),
and included notes on extension activities, particularly for students labeled as Gifted and
Talented or those who simply finished assigned tasks early. The extension activities were related
to poetry and writing as well as investigations into types of poetry Cassie would not have a
chance to share during the lessons.
Cassie’s Unit Plan also included extensive notes under the “Academic, Social and
Linguistic Support” (ASLS) which referenced time management and teacher collaboration, and
targeted specific student needs:
MS and AK will be out of the room from 2:30-3:00. I will have contacted Mrs. Z
[Resource Room Teacher] about what they will be missing, and ask her to talk with the
two about poetry. What is unique about poetry? What do they like about poetry. Can
start to discuss 5 Pieces of Poetry (focus on one or two to start). (Introduced in the
lesson, will give copy of these to Mrs. Z before the lesson) Read some poetry together
and discuss. “Picture in their heads” and the feelings/ thoughts that they get from the
poem (pg. 474),
“I will have MS and AK choose 2-3 books each before they leave to take along with them” (pg.
475)”, “make a copy of the 5 Pieces of Poetry for MS and AK to go in their writing folders” (pg.
475), “AK back to the classroom, 3:00-3:30 MS to Book Club”, “contact Mrs. H to see if MS can
read poetry with someone during her time in Book Club and discuss the ‘picture in her head’ that
she gets from the poems” (pg. 475), and “walk around and monitor all students, stand near
groups that are not on task to encourage them to focus and read” (pg. 476). Out of the three
participants Cassie was the only one to offer detailed and specific reminders and suggestions as
to how to include her students in all the planned activities, whether they were in her classroom or
elsewhere. The ASLS sections of the Lesson Plans included ways in which to maximize her
students’ engagement in the activity by stacking a deck of cards to ensure proper pairing of

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students, having students paired up with those they felt comfortable with while switching pairs
that are unproductive, and “walk around and remind groups going off task of the questions to
address. Listen to their discussions, and support the understanding of what the author is saying
to determine the topic category” (pg. 479).
Phase 2 – development of a plan
Cassie’s Phase Two of the Action Plan, marked by our first semi-structured interview
(Appendix AM), took place one week later than the other two participants. Although she had
already turned in her first draft of the UPI, Cassie was still trying to piece together the various
lesson plan ideas she had, and was focusing on the GLECs and trying to organize her Unit
around those. We spoke about the main goal of the unit, which was for the students to be
involved in “the process of writing one really strong poem that they’re proud of at the end” (pg.
1), and producing a piece that was writer-centered and reinforced the idea that home means
different things to different people. Cassie planned on doing a pre-assessment with the students
and have them develop an individual goal for their work, which would be a comparative piece of
the post-assessment.
We spoke about how much her planning had changed in the past 2 weeks, because she
had cut a lot of her initial ideas to account for time restraints (which I had cautioned her for) as
well as “meshing with my CT on how things are – when things can even be going on” (pg. 484).
She had cut the public sharing initially planned (Poetry Café) and turned it into a fourth/second
grade sharing instead, which she believed might impact their motivation throughout the Unit.
She said “that’s what I’m kind of struggling with, too, because I feel like my original idea, there
was a lot of motivation for that” (pg. 485). However, instead of dwelling on a change of plan she
had not anticipated, she immediately planned how to compensate, by conveying

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enthusiasm … great reading…great examples…really making all the mini-lessons
engaging and exciting and trying… some more dramatics… artistic…just kind of pulling
in some different things that I maybe wouldn’t have done but I could do now on a smaller
scale” (pg. 485),
and demonstrating a great ability to adapt to unforeseen circumstances. Cassie would be able to,
throughout the Semester, change her planning on various occasions, and include or substitute
tasks and activities “in the moment” (Appendix AQ, pg. 516). She also had to adjust the ways in
which she would be able to conference individually with students, as well as the readingresponding and the individual work she had planned to do with each student, focusing on voice
in poetry reading.
Then we discussed some of her students and how her knowledge about each was
impacting her planning. Because the entire class had been working on poetry since August,
Cassie knew that “they enjoy it, they enjoy presenting…that they’re willing to get up in front of
the class and memorize a poem and that they’re willing and able to …recite it” (pg. 486).
Further, she noted that she was surprised that, although at different levels, all students were
engaged with presenting and reading poetry aloud. Cassie talked about the ways in which she
chose to have the students work on a task that was somewhat unstructured as a counterpoint to
the test-taking practice they have done, and had a solid perspective of what the students liked and
could do, especially when she lead them to activities they usually did not engage in.
After, we discussed her three focal students. Cassie spoke about a student with a hearing
impairment (Student 1) who had difficulties to work with rhyme and rhythm, but she was
confident this would not be an area of difficulty because the student liked the theme of the
poems. Further, Cassie had started having mini-conferences with this student prior to writing,
and felt that discussing and scribing for the student as needed were successful strategies that
could compensate for difficulties. We also spoke about the fact that this student was constantly
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removed from the classroom to attend a variety of services and how this could impact the
planning needed. Finally, we spoke about another of her focal students (Student 3) who had great
difficulty with the writing process, particularly the mechanical aspects of writing, which had an
extreme impact upon his behaviors in the classroom. When I suggested the use of a recorder for
the student (as she had initially planned) to use is voice instead of his writing to complete the
assignment, Cassie was reluctant to do so because this had the potential to make the student
stand out in class and become a target of his peers. Cassie was concerned that this student was
being noticed and picked on when he cried during writing assignments, and she did not want to
add to the stress he was under. It was interesting to see that in the intervening weeks, between
her Project One and now, she had considered this possibility and its possible consequences. I
asked if she had spoken to the students directly about this issue, which she had not, and then I
stressed that Cassie could develop an alternate plan that would help Student 3, as well as the
proper functioning of the rest of the class. We discussed the modeling needed for an assignment
such as this, which Cassie was planning on doing, as well as graphic organizers, and
accommodations needed for each student.
Cassie spoke of Student 2 as someone with difficulty with organization, and she was
hoping that the graphic organizer would help him with organizing his thoughts. We talked about
how she could manage the classroom while doing individual conferences, because “that is
something new, having the teachers sit with a group of people at one time and other people
working without that” (pg. 490), and the value of giving students a rubric for the large
assignments.
We then discussed her collaborative universe within her school, and how she was
planning to collaborate with the resource room teacher to ensure smooth transitions and

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continuity. Cassie had been collaborating with her CT, and her mother (who is a teacher), as well
as with LIT 800 peers also working on poetry units, and she had started doubting herself and her
plan because her plan was, according to her, quite different from her LIT 800 peers. I tried to
helped her put her work in perspective, considering the unit goals, the GLECs, and the entire
fourth grade curriculum, and also in terms of her own class, and suggested she should not worry
about comparing herself to others. Cassie relayed that in elementary school she did not enjoy
learning about poetry (which had been taught the way some of her peers were planning to do it),
and that she wanted to make her students’ experiences different from her own (thus her planning
around one large piece as opposed to various). Overall our conversation went very much the way
it would be throughout the semester, with Cassie asking questions that she would, in the course
of the conversation, answer herself.
Phase 3 – action/observation/action
I completed Cassie’s formal observation (Appendix AN) in her internship placement on
November second. Because it was cold outside, the students were having recess indoors when I
arrived. The classroom was divided into 6 pods, with a mix of boys and girls in each. The plan
was for the students to have a 50-minute block of writing time, followed by 15 minutes of
discussion about similes and metaphors, and a visit to the Book Fair at the school’s library.
Cassie worked throughout the 30-minute break, preparing for class while I set up the
video camera. She also helped one of the students who was working at one of the computers on a
writing piece. Cassie is soft spoken and started class by having one of the students share pictures
with the rest of the class, part of an autobiographical on-going project. She then initiated Poetry
Workshop with a brief discussion of the work accomplished previously, and directing the
students to work on their “Where I’m From” poem graphic organizers. For the next 40 minutes

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students worked independently on their poems, and Cassie conferred with each of them,
independently, talking about their progress. She answered questions as students came to her and,
in other cases, approached students she had not spoken with. Throughout, she managed to send
groups of students to the library, keep track of who was in and out of the classroom, and control
the noise and activity level of the classroom without ever addressing it (or any students) directly.
I found it curious that even when her CT left the classroom, there was no change in the “mood”
of the group, and no behavior management issues came up, as they sometimes do when the
teacher “in-charge” leaves the room.
Next, Cassie engaged the students on a poetry discussion by reviewing which of the “5
Stars of Poetry” they had already discussed, and introducing “similes and metaphors” as the new
content to be learned. She led the students through a lively discussion and dramatization of both
similes and metaphors, and showed them examples of each in a variety of poetry formats. The
final 10 minutes of class where dedicated to the students own poems, and to having them try to
find imagery within each poem that could be enhanced by the use of either a simile or a
metaphor.
The written portion of Cassie’s Project Three (Appendix AO) was divided into 3 parts.
First, Cassie started by making comments about the progress she observed in Student 1, and
specified how she had collaborated with the resource room teacher and how, between the two of
them, managed to keep the student on par with the rest of the class, enabling her to complete the
entire unit while moving between the general and resource rooms. Despite the inconsistent
pattern throughout the literacy Unit, Cassie thought that Student 1 had made “great strides in
terms of literacy and confidence” (pg. 497) and enjoyed reading in pairs, Two Voice poems,

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writing and vocabulary development. Cassie noted that she “did an excellent job in this unit,
improving and maturing overall as a student” (pg. 497).
Cassie also commented on Student 3, a student who had been identified as Gifted and
Talented but who had serious difficulties with writing assignments. Cassie said that she “was
most nervous about the reaction and motivation with” (pg. 498) him and had offered to scribe for
him but, after the first assignment, and once the students were able to choose the topic they
would like to write about, Student 3 was engaged with the Unit. Cassie said that once she
analyzed the pre and post assessments she believed that “Student 3 had a much better attitude
towards poetry and hopefully writing at large, and Cassie was very pleased with his progress and
engagement throughout.
Cassie described Student 2, as someone who had, at the start of the year, difficulty doing
his writing within a given topic or in an organized way. Because of his interest in sports, Cassie
“directed him to a great book of sports poems on the first day that he really enjoyed” (pg. 498)
and he was engaged and highly productive throughout the Unit. Cassie thought “the format of
poetry, that naturally uses fewer words and lines…was able to see it all to organize his poems.
Often times the poem set that organization for him” (pg. 498) and she “hope[d] that focusing on
describing something, or expressing and idea effectively in poetry will carry over to other
writing genres and activities” (pg. 498). Finally, Cassie also noted great improvement in his
ability to speak in front of his peers and making eye contact, and she noted a “rewarding
discover” ( pg. 4) when reviewing the pre and post-tests which revealed that Student 2 went from
feeling “nervous” about poetry to feeling “calm” (pg. 498). Cassie constantly reflected upon her
planning and instruction and adjusted both as needed to respond to student’s need, both the needs
of the classroom as a whole, and the needs of individual students. With no apparent effort, Cassie

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constantly looked for ways in which to probe into her students’ learning, likes and dislikes, and
made use of all possible information including the students’ self-assessments, to design
instruction.
Second, she provided a “whole class analysis” (pg. 501) that started with sharing the four
questions the students were asked to answer in the Pre-Assessment activity, and how she created
a poem (Wordle) using the words they gave in their responses, as the introduction to the Unit.
Then she commented on the Post-Assessments that asked the students the same questions as the
Pre-Assessment, and said that
many recognized the questions, but rather than recalling their original ideas, gave
responses that illustrated their new understanding and opinions of poetry…it seems as
though the language of poetry is sticking with the students, and the overall feeling is of
enjoyment and interest…a few students even articulated some of the “5 Starts of Poetry”
in their final responses (pg. 508).
Cassie also included a reflection upon what she had learned about planning and preparing
and “found that it was fun to teach” (pg. 503). She said that one of her students commented on
her smile and “it felt great to ‘get caught’ really enjoying what you are doing so much that it
shows on your face” (pg. 503). She briefly mentioned that she added, improved, and found better
examples along the three weeks of the UPI, particularly as special occasions came up in which
students could practice writing a letter, in context. Cassie enjoyed the individual conferences she
was able to hold with all her students, which gave her an opportunity to learn about the
“seemingly simple things that makes these kids ‘tick’” (pg. 503) but recognized that she was
only able to hold conferences because there was another teacher in the classroom. She was also
pleased to know that one of her students had written a poem as part of an assignment for another
teacher/subject, and some of her students continued to check poetry books out from the library.

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Finally, Cassie noted that having the opportunity to be a substitute teacher for her CT
(and effectively the only teacher in the classroom, much like Lisa) had aided in her transition
into the role of teacher, and she “saw that the planning and preparations for the unit paid off”
(pg. 509). She “found that students work at different paces, and you have to be flexible with what
all can and will accomplish” (pg. 509) and that she “had to have additional activities for the
students to do” (pg. 509). Cassie also said that she needed to learn more about assessments, how
to monitor and track learning throughout the year, how to improve her rubrics and what not to
factor into a grade.
Third, Cassie explained why she decided to immerse the students within on type of
poetry and explore it in depth, as opposed to what her LIT 800 peers were doing and mentioned
that it had been important to share
a common language, providing and reading examples of topics of interest, and
introducing the students to the real world of poetry through relation to music, examples
from the internet and welcoming a guest poet into the school were huge in effective
methods used. It was all about knowing your students interests and finding examples that
they were going to learn from and enjoy. These were the moments that the students talked
about the most and engaged in when they had that personal connection (pg. 508).
Despite all the work she had done, when discussing the success of her Unit, Cassie gave
credit to the fact that students were allowed to enter the “real world of poetry” (pg. 508) but also
to the fact that “it was all about knowing…students interests and finding examples that they are
going to learn from and enjoy” (pg. 508). Cassie spoke about “prepare for it all…think in
advance about what you might need to cut, or something that could be expanded on based on
time” (pg. 509), and adjusted her planning and her instruction as needed to respond to students’
needs, both individually and as a classroom, and planned on “listen to the students more…in the
moment” (pg. 516) in order to be able to change plans as needed. Cassie tried to envision and
anticipate areas of difficulty within each lesson and, on occasion, planned for what to do if
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“students are stuck” (pg. 509) or “students say they are done” (pg. 509). At this point in the
internship Cassie was feeling more comfortable with her planning and becoming more aware of
unexpected circumstances that she could take advantage of and include in her plans.
She though that she over-planned and “often felt rushed” (pg. 509) and planned to, in the future,
simplify her lessons or add longer Literacy blocks within the daily schedule and suggested:
“prepare for it all and be mindful of time. Think in advance about what you might need to cut, or
something that could be expanded on based on time (pg. 509).
Cassie created a blog to document her unit and explained it in round-table (Appendix
AP), page by page, showing the progression of the work throughout the entire unit. She named
her presentation “Poetry Genre Study” and said that the main goal of her work was “meeting the
diverse needs and interests of all learners in the classroom through planning and assessment”
(pg. 511). The handout she created to give to her peers included the big ideas of the Unit
(assessment, developing a common language with the students, and differentiation) as well as a
picture of the Unit Planning Pyramid in the first page. The second page had the pre and post
assessment, and the third page had the “5 Stars of Poetry”. The next page had a list of 7
questions for the students to complete in order to organize their thoughts for the “Where I’m
From” poem, and the rubric for the poem (final assessment). Finally Cassie included two
examples of extension activities. While we had spent a lot of our time together discussing
planning for all and for each student, and had briefly brainstormed around the Unit and Lesson
Planning Pyramids, I was surprised to see how much impact our conversations had had to her
overall planning and instruction. Her blog, not only described in great length some of the things
we had discussed but Cassie, while explaining each of its components to her peers, also

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demonstrated a great understanding of how each of our discussions was connected and had
enriched her experience and that of her students.
While presenting her work in the round-table (Appendix AP), Cassie explained how she
used student-generated responses to guide her planning by asking students to fill out a simple
questionnaire, as suggested by one of the other study participants. By giving them the
questionnaire on Friday, Cassie had the entire weekend to plan how to introduce the Unit and tap
into a variety of resources to generate her planning, materials, and assessments. With the help of
the librarian, she was able to gather poetry books that matched all of her students’ areas of
interest, and also create a poem out of the words they used in the pre-assessment. Cassie was
clearly proud of having been able to create a personal connection between each student’s
interests and poetry.
Cassie also explained how she paired students for the activities in day 2, and how she
manipulated the drawing of names to ensure that some of the pairs of students where productive,
and took into account the students’ individual needs. Cassie also told her peers about motivating
her students, and explained how she intervened with some of the students that were not able to
get started with the pre-write or had difficulty organizing ideas. Cassie also spoke about “Logic
the Poet”, a visiting poet to the fourth graders in the school, who taught them how to write haiku
poems. This event (the unforeseen visit of a poet, Logic, to the elementary school, and the
chance to meet him, learn from him, and ultimately collaborate with him) created another change
“in the moment” (pg. 516). Cassie explained how she made changes mid-way through the Unit,
in order to provide opportunities for the students to respond to “Logic the Poet’s” invitation to
write haiku poems that he would later publish in a book. She was pleased that the plan changes
had allowed the students to freely write with the goal of publishing, but also learned about the

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power of motivation and realized that “even if you couldn’t have someone come in, just saying
I’m gonna make a book out of these… that is motivator enough just to get them to submit their
poems” (pg. 513). She described how, throughout the unit, she encouraged the students who
finished their assignments quickly to write haiku poems to send to Logic, and how she used his
visit as a prompt to teach them to write friendly letter, which she considered “a good opportunity
to have… authentic, something to write for” (pg. 514).
She then related the work the entire class did and how she made it public via two bulletin
boards, and also commented on keeping close communication with the resource room teacher.
She said:
one of my focal students …spends a lot of time outside of the classroom, so one piece
was really talking to the resource teacher before the unit, letting her know what we were
doing, and then finding times that I could send things down with her, to either finish up,
or that she could work on a piece …on the first day, when I did the “5 Stars”, I gave her
one of these, and gave some examples of books that fit their interests and reading ability
… I just said ‘Can you really talk about heart and mind’ and ‘says things in special ways’
… and so … they focused on two things…that was really helpful (pg. 513).
Cassie spoke about conducting individual writing conferences with her students, with the
help of her CT, and how she tried to keep all the students working and engaged in the unit, even
those that worked faster and needed extension activities.
Finally, Cassie used the pre-assessment questionnaire as a post-assessment, and spoke of
the levels of engagement of her students using the language of the Unit Planning Pyramid:
looking at what all students were, accomplished during the unit, what some students
…went above and beyond, or… different things that they were doing, and then a few
students that I’m actually seeing continue checking out poetry books and writing poetry
(pg. 515).
Cassie also commented on how she was surprised to observe a student generalizing the content
from the Poetry Unit to an activity in Social Studies:

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this Michigan poem was … one of those Ah-Ah moments, cause I was slipping through
‘cause they do social students in another classroom, and they have this assessment piece
of a Michigan brochure, and this student included this … he wasn’t asked to do it, but he
did … that’s cool. It shows that carry-over…Yeah, I didn’t expect… what a great way to
share more information on Michigan. I mean, it just fit (pg. 515).
Phase 4 – reflection
On week 13, I conducted Cassie’s Final semi-structured interview (Appendix AQ) .
Cassie started by explaining that she had chosen to do blog to make public her Project Three
work because of assessment and “differentiation … especially cause we’re working on it… I’ve
learned a lot through the process” (pg. 516), these themes had been a great part of what our
engagement with each other had been about, and she wanted to share it. Cassie said she decided
to share it throughout the unit presentation instead of in a separate block because it happened
“naturally…it kind of came as the unit progressed” (pg. 516).
When asked how different her planning was for the implementation, Cassie said that
although she had a plan, “once… in the moment” (pg. 516) she adjusted in order to
accommodate students’ input and cooperation, which she could not have planned for, and noted
that she made changes as “this person isn’t getting this or this person needs this extra piece and
oh can I use this student…what I really found a lot is that students were so willing to work with
other students” (pg. 516). Although she did not say how much of the original plan she had
maintained, she explained that “different option-opportunities came up that … kind of overrided
what I was thinking or had more value to the students (…) It was kind of the appropriate thing to
do (pg. 3). Furthermore, Cassie also mentioned collaborating with the two other LIT 800 interns
placed in fourth grade in the same school, some planned, and some “in the moment” (pg. 516)
and mentioned doing a lot of planning with the input from the Resource Room teacher: “talking
to her…this is what the class is doing… what was the best way to make it work for these two

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students and what really should … I stress before they leave to go to you” (pg. 517), as well as
the librarian with “different things that she was recommending or different books for students”,
and summed up her relationships with various school staff with “definitely a lot of
communication” (pg. 517).
When asked about her future planning, and whether she intended on continuing to write
detailed plans as the one she has been asked to do for LIT 800, Cassie said that some pieces were
becoming more natural to her (GLECs, objectives, student outcomes) and “maybe I am over
preparing a little bit, but I’m prepared and that’s what is important to me right now” (pg. 518).
She added that she was “learning to ... listen to the students more … in the moment” (pg. 518)
and changing the plans as needed. It was interesting to see how Cassie’s involvement with her
students would, overtime, transform her attitude towards teaching from planned, structured, and
with all eventualities covered, to a less structured but highly student-responsive perspective.
Cassie described planning as “starting with what it is that I’m supposed to be teaching and then
finding ways to make it work for everybody” (pg. 518). She explained how she took into
consideration several aspects of her classroom, such as students that have difficulty focusing on
tasks for long periods of time and how was in and out of the classroom at the time of instruction.
She was definitely aware that planning, while important, needed to be flexible if she intended to
be able to reach all students.
We briefly discussed the need to plan for the essential portion of the content that
everyone needs to learn and Cassie explained that her focus changed throughout the semester
from planning for the “lower students or those students pulled out” (pg. 519) to planning for the
4 or 5 students that get ahead of everyone and consistently produce great work. When asked
“how many categories of kids do you have” (pg. 519) within the context of planning instruction,

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Cassie responded in terms of reading ability. She said that she had around 5 different groups, all
at different reading ability levels, and she was beginning to think about the best ways to group
students, “giving them sort of a choice but at the same time …making sure that each person had
a book that was at their reading level” (pg. 520).
When asked to "identify one student in your class that you feel that you have left out”
(pg. 520), Cassie expressed concerns about one student in particular: “There’s one student ... her
behavior and her…disrespect is really hard for me to get … past it but she is probably one of the
ones that’s in the most need of instruction and… attention” (pg. 520). When I asked her if this
was the student that “keeps you up at night?” (pg. 520) Cassie replied that there was an
additional student she was concerned about, again an issue with the “separation of behavior and
academic” (pg. 521), which seemed to be the area in which Cassie had the greatest difficulties. I
asked Cassie if “classroom management is the most difficult thing” (pg. 521) but she thought she
was pretty good, but still needed reminders “to just constantly be walking around and pulling
them back in…when students are disengaged or not where they’re supposed to be” (pg. 521).
She went on to say “what keeps me up (…) making sure to make that time to go back and
connect with those students that are doing the right thing (…) everybody needs – everybody can
go further and go higher” (pg. 521).
Cassie was concerned that most of her energy was being directed at students that needed
constant re-direction to remain on task, and we discussed being conscious about time
management and choosing whom/when/why to talk to and re-direct, and how to make sure that
all students were engaged in the activities (called on, eye-contact, hand on shoulder, personal
space proximity, etc.) and how to do this in an effective but non-threatening way. Cassie said
that after the school principal observed her, the one comment she had was regarding

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“proximity… she noticed …I was calling on students kind of right… where I was standing… in
that front” (pg. 522).
Finally, Cassie also commented on the relationship she had with her Field Instructor and
the impact of that relationship on her teaching. At this time Cassie was dealing with some of the
stress of the internship by making lists that organized what she needed to focus on, one day at a
time. She admitted that she felt
extra stress … when I do have to type up that lesson because my field instructor is
coming in and needs that… formal lesson plan… cause I feel like a lot of times … I’m
being watched but … it’s not necessarily like a team… it’s like I’m just watched and
getting critiqued but I don’t really get feedback and so …I feel like I’m pleasing- trying
to please other people … when … I need my focus to be on the students more (pg. 524).
When I asked her if, in some instances in which she needed support that her CT was not able to
provide, she could ask for the support of her Field Instructor, Cassie said that she was
considering the need to ask for more pointed and targeted comments besides “I’m doing a very
good job” (pg. 530). Cassie noted that our relationship was based on truthful and non-threatening
feedback, and elaborated by saying
I can really ask you… am I doing a good job … with meeting the needs of all the
students, but … I’m not hearing it from anywhere else… are there specific things that I
can be doing (pg. 528),
which highlighted her need for the opportunity to ask for, and receive, constructive feedback
with regards to her students. Our conversations often touched upon questions, doubts, and
alternate ways of planning and doing. However, Cassie often used these conversations as
brainstorming events, in which she would both ask and answer her own questions, even when in
a convoluted monologue. Throughout the semester, Cassie was eager for support, comments,
ideas, and suggestions, and the above comments were a good illustration of my perceived need
for teacher education programs to consider prospective teachers’ input in the design of their own

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experiences, and allow them to provide guidance into the observations they will find most
valuable.
When asked if she has “an equal responsibility for everybody” (pg. 526) in her class,
Cassie said: “I’ve never thought about that question” (pg. 526). She would go on to say that
although she wanted to be equally responsible for all students she was aware that “there are some
students that need more than other students… emotionally and academically” (pg. 526) which
she was trying to address.
I then asked Cassie if she thought she is equally responsible for a student with a disability
and, referring to one of her students who had a hearing impairment I said “you spend a great deal
of work and a great deal of time planning for her” (pg. 526) to which she replied “is that like a
good thing or a bad thing” (pg. 26)? When I prompted her with “You tell me…” (pg. 526) she
replied:
the definition of fair is what’s the best for every student kind of thing… what every
student needs, so, I feel like some need more than others, so I would say then yes,
sometimes other people need – need me more than others (pg. 526),
which was a direct reference to my introduction to the LIT 800 class and the ensuing discussion
about “fairness”.
When asked about “who in your building can help you with your students” (pg. 527),
Cassie had a good grasp of her potential collaborative universe in her school and mentioned all
the staff members involved with one of the students we had discussed.
We discussed students’ expectations of their teachers with regarding to setting rules,
pace, and mood in the classroom, and Cassie thought that many of the difficulties she had
regarding how to manage some of her students were shared by her CT (not necessarily related to
her lack of experience) and she noted that “I almost feel like we’re both at the same point with a

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few students” (pg. 529), and continued with “I can’t really – sometimes look to her for the
answer because she’s struggling with the same thing that I’m struggling with” (pg. 529).
We discussed some ways to manage behavior, setting clear expectations for the entire
classroom and being consistent with both rewards and consequences, and also discussed
switching her focal students at the end of the semester to include others students that now seem
to be much more important: “attention I had to give before … with the student with the hearing
impairment and stuff, maybe now … some of those things are coming more naturally and I can
kind of focus [on others]” (pg. 532). Cassie had held a meeting with a parent on the previous
night, and felt that this was a student she should focus on and needed to figure out if there were
“things that I can do to help” (pg. 533). When I asked if she had spoken to the resource room
teacher, Cassie said “no, cause she doesn’t see him. He was off … this year when they made
budget cuts so he’s not going there any more” (pg. 534). I suggested that she should look at his
cumulative file and even talk to some of his teachers from years past, to find out what had
worked with them and what she might be able to replicate in her classroom, but her comment
about the Resource Room Teacher lead me to believe that Cassie felt that her relationship with
the Resource Room teacher was restricted to the students they had in common, and she had not
necessarily thought about the Resource Room Teacher as an expert she could tap into for the
benefit of all her students (unlike me).
Finally, we discussed the fact that Cassie was confused as to how the next semester
internship would be organized. She was concerned that all interns were going to rotate when
teaching Social Studies and Science and said: “I want to make sure that I’m getting the full
experience” (pg. 540). I found it distressing that the only time I saw her enthusiasm deflate

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regarding her internship was when she expressed worry about the logistical details of her
program that was causing her undue concern and pressure.
Cassie’s Final Draft of the Unit Plan (Appendix AR) reflected the changes done on
daily routines and lesson plans and also included artifacts, as well as data generated for Project
Three, and the Unit Goal was changed to include the students’ exposure and enjoyment of
poetry. The planning now included all the tasks designed around Logik -the Poet – visit and the
Assessment section of the Unit was based upon the pre and post assessment activities used.
Cassie also explained in detail how she utilized the grading rubric, as explained how she had recreated her rubric that had initially been intended as a guide, to become a grading tool. However,
she was not entirely pleased with the grading parameters and explained that she should have
separated behaviors from content learning. Again, without prompting, Cassie was able to
differentiate her instruction, including her grading, which denoted a great understanding of the
connections between teaching and grading based on what is taught.
Cassie included a section on Differentiation in which she detailed accommodations and
modifications made for her three focal students. The first section described differentiation
targeting specific work for two students, and the collaborative work Cassie did with the resource
room teacher. Cassie had placed a great deal of effort and time into her planning for students that
would complete some of the work in the Resource Room, and was pleased to have been able to
keep them working along side their peers so that they would always feel a part of her class upon
returning from the Resource Room.
Despite starting her Guided Lead Teaching Unit Plan well ahead of time, Cassie’s
planning suffered various changes throughout the Semester. The changes addressed time
constraints and activities related to the holidays, but also addressed occasions of authentic, and

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“in the moment” (Appendix AQ, pg. 518) teaching. Each of the documented changes augmented
students learning in some way, both collectively, and individually.
Throughout her planning, none of the students was ever excluded from a task, or given an
expectation different from those of their peers. However, the planning and instruction of the Unit
included instances of differentiation in the classroom as well as instances of collaboration
between Cassie and the Resource Room teacher in order to address Students 1, 2 and 3 particular
strengths and needs. On most occasions, Cassie wrote joint accommodations and/or notes, and
also included instances in which the accommodations could/should be extended to students other
than her focus students.
Cross-cutting Themes
Cassie was aware that “everybody needs [attention] – everybody can go further and go
higher and go, you know, keep going” (Appendix AQ, pg. 521) but that “there are some students
that need more than other students” (pg. 526), and planned accordingly by looking at the
strengths and weaknesses of each student, and planning extensive individualized instruction that
went beyond the required accommodations for her focus students. Furthermore, her planning of
individualized instruction often included students to whom a particular accommodation could be
extended, in order to enhance their participation or completion of particular tasks.
Planning for all students
Cassie’s planning of UPI suffered many changes based upon her knowledge of each of
her students, as well as her knowledge of all her students. Cassie was able to use her knowledge
about each student to create opportunities in which each student had the ability to be successful,
individually, in small group, in large group, and as a participant in whole classroom activities.

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Cassie made many changes to her UPI in order to provide opportunities for students to
respond to a visiting poet’s invitation to write haiku poems that he would later publish in a book,
and was pleased that the plan changes had allowed the students to freely write with the goal of
publishing, while responding to an unplanned motivation. Cassie reflected upon her unit plan in
order to address some of our discussions surrounding the bare bones of the unit and, without
much prompting or discussion, not only utilized but embraced the conceptual framework that
supports the Unit and Lesson Planning Pyramids. Cassie would make this conceptual framework,
and the language it affords, the centerpiece of her final project, as well as cornerstone of the
public analysis of her unit. She was well aware of her students’ knowledge about themselves,
their individual goals for the year, and their level of enjoyment regarding poetry, and utilized
their pre-assessment to gain “great insight into what…students knew and felt…took the
responses to what they wanted to learn into account in the unit” (Appendix AR, pg. 550). Cassie
also planned in ways that responded to the needs she had identified in Project One at the start of
the Semester, and recognized that the active learning environment she was creating would
require and active and involved guidance and management style, which she addressed by
including reminders for herself within the Unit Plan. Cassie was conscious of the need to address
learning styles and how this could be accomplished by utilizing strategies and methods discussed
throughout LIT 800, such as “thinking aloud” (pg. 463) and “graphic organizers” (pg. 456), as
well as rubrics.
Cassie’s commitment to teach “each student” (pg. 473) never wavered and she was
committed to ensuring that “each student” (pg. 473) was successful. She planned for the entire
classroom as well as individual students and planned extensions to the students that had been
identified as Gifted and Talented, but did not restrict them to those particular students, choosing

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instead to include them in her plan as “extension packet available for all students to look over
and try out” (pg. 473). Her focus changed throughout the Semester from planning for the “lowest
students or those students pulled out” (pg. 519) to planning for the 4 or 5 students that were
constantly ahead and producing good work. However, Cassie noted that these students were not
the ones originally identified as Gifted and Talented, and planned accordingly.
Differentiating Instruction
Cassie’s UPI included a section on Differentiated Instruction even before her direct
involvement in this investigation. Our conversations with regards to students’ needs and
Differentiated Instruction, served to augment her planning and make her reflections and
subsequent changes in instruction more purposeful but, her commitment to creating learning
opportunities for each student, was well established before the start of this investigation. The
Differentiated Instruction section of Cassie’s plan included not only accommodations and task
supports, but also indicated the students that would most benefit from them at what points during
the instruction. Cassie utilized every piece of information she could gather about her students to
inform her teaching strategies, and tried to learn as much as possible about the “seemingly
simple things that make these kids tick” (pg. 503).
Cassie developed a deep understanding of Differentiated Instruction throughout the
Semester and conveyed this understanding as something that happened “naturally…as the unit
progressed” (pg. 516). She “found that students work at different paces, and you have to
flexible” (pg. 516) as well as being lead to think “a great deal about were each student …[is] in
the process” (pg.516), and constantly reflected upon her planning and instruction and adjusted
both as needed to respond to student’s need, both the needs of the classroom as a whole, and the
needs of individual students.

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Cassie identified particular questions that would guide her investigation into her focus
students and tried to learn as much information about each as possible. During our last interview,
Cassie was able to speak about each of her focus students with regards to their academic
abilities, their personal likes/dislikes, and the ways in which her planning and/or
accommodations had taken this knowledge into account. Cassie committed herself to planning
and instructing “each student” (pg. 464) and her commitment never wavered. She was
determined to differentiate her instruction as needed, and targeted both students with identified
areas of weakness as well as those that constantly worked faster and easier than their peers.
Although she started her planning with the emphasis on addressing the needs of the students that
had been identified as Gifted and Talented, Cassie soon started reflecting upon ways to extend
particular accommodations to other students regardless of category or qualifier, and often used
both “each student” (pg. 464) and “all students” (pg. 463) within her writing. Cassie was also
very aware that the ways in which some students had been described and what she was observing
daily where not always matching notions, and that it was important that her observations (and not
pre-conceived notions) guide her instruction.
Cassie was explicit in the ways in which she paired students or grouped them according
to task outcome, and manipulated the environment and seemingly random tasks in order to
ensure the student’s motivation and self-confidence remained intact while increasing their
chances for success: “giving them sort of a choice but at the same time…making sure that each
person has a book that was at their reading level” (pg. 520). Cassie often talked about several of
the students in her class, but when asked if she had an equal responsibility towards every student
Cassie indicated “there are some students that need more than other students” (pg. 526) and
embraced the notion that “fair is what’s the best for each student…what every student needs”

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(pg. 526). Her attention shifted throughout the Semester as students demonstrated the need for
more or less support in certain situations and at certain times. She often considered various
means to reach a particular goal, and even when doubtful of the effectiveness of certain
accommodations Cassie planned on utilizing the strategies, as suggested. Cassie did not exclude
any students from any tasks or activities planned, and did not lower her expectations in order to
ensure success. She investigated, probed, conversed, and reflected with and about her students
and utilized every piece of information she could gather, as well as all the people within her
collaborative universe, to inform her planning and instruction. Thus, Cassie was able to not only
conceptualized appropriate responses to Instructionally Relevant Variation but was also able to
plan for and instruct with the support of Differentiated Instruction.
Notions of Expertise
Out of the three participants, Cassie was the only one that identified her collaborative
universe in relation to what each member had to offer to her teaching, or her students’ learning.
For the most part, Cassie viewed the members of her collaborative universe not necessarily as
experts but as equal team members.
Throughout the Semester, Cassie was very sensitive to how many people she could
identify as collaborative partners and always thought about her team partners as individuals that
could contribute to either her development as a teacher, or directly as contributors to her
students’ progress. Although she considered how much she could learn from each of her
collaborative universe members, Cassie did not perceive them as people she needed to defer to.
On her first LIT 800 project Cassie identified 11 individuals who could contribute to her
internship experience either directly with her or with her students, and her planning and
instruction was purposeful and mindful of their possible contributions.

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Throughout her Unit Plan, Cassie often spoke of the collaborative relationships she
developed with the Resource Room Teacher, her Cooperating Teacher, her LIT 800 peers placed
in the same school, and myself. Since the very first draft of the Unit, Cassie planned on sharing
her plan with both the Resource Room teacher and the At-Risk Reading Teacher in order to, not
only get feedback as to the layout of the unit, but also enlist their support in delivering and
supporting instruction to the students they had in common.
Cassie was clearly very proud of the relationship she initiated and maintained with the
Resource Room teacher, and often spoke of how well they had worked in collaboration,
managing to maintain the two students they had in common on par with the rest of the class,
regardless of the amount of time each student was pulled out for services in the resource room.
Cassie often described instances in terms of partnership that focused on student engagement, but
also took into account what the Resource Room teacher was planning and doing, and finding
“the best way to make it work for these two students” (pg. 517). Unfortunately Cassie’s
relationship with the Resource Room teacher was restricted to the interactions that evolved
around particular students, and Cassie did not consider the Resource Room Teacher’s potential
expertise outside of these interactions.
Cassie modeled a lot of her instruction on her Cooperating Teacher although she felt that
she was often encouraged to make her own choices, and recognized that a part of her planning
(individual student conferences) would not have been so easily accomplished if it had not been
for the help of her Cooperating Teacher. She thought her CT had been extremely helpful when
analyzing the schedule of classes and who was being pulled out at any one time in order to rearrange when necessary, but also felt that there were times when she could not count on her CT

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to provide advice or guidance because many of the difficulties she was feeling where shared by
her CT.
Cassie considered her relationships with her LIT 800 peers as valuable collaborations
although she did, at times, feel as if she was not always planning and instructing as they were.
She did, at one point, question her planning as compared to that of some of her peers but
remained steadfast as to her own planning because she “wanted to work more on the process of
developing one and kind of weaving different things within that one” (pg. 491) as opposed to
planning around the development of several different poetry pieces. Although she did not always
feel as if she was working exactly like everyone else, Cassie gave and received extensive
suggestions to/from her peers and, by the end of the Semester was considering ways in which to
extend their collaborations.
Upon analyzing the collected data I can best describe my relationship with Cassie as
guided mentorship. Cassie often requested my comments, opinions, and specific input on a
variety of issues, not necessarily related to special education. She requested that I look at her
Unit Plan but guided my analysis by telling me what to look for, or what areas she was least sure
of, and also requested my opinion as to the appropriateness of the accommodations and
differentiation she was considering. All the suggestions I offered were considered and utilized
within the unit, and even when she did not necessarily agree with an idea or did not see its
immediate applicability, Cassie was always willing to try any given idea, and embraced the
conceptual framework that supports the Unit and Lesson Pyramids I introduced her to. Cassie
noted that our relationship was based on truthful and non-threatening feedback saying “I can
really ask you…I’m not hearing it from anywhere else” (pg. 528), which emphasized the need
for interns and mentors to develop opportunities in which interns are free to ask for, and receive,

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constructive feedback with regards to their instruction, perhaps without the burden of being
assessed for a grade. For us, these opportunities frequently took on the form of brainstorming
sessions in which Cassie freely asked questions and often found her own answers without my
specific direction.
In contrast, Cassie’s perceptions and relationship with her Field Instructor deteriorated
throughout the Semester. While Cassie’s initial comments regarding her Field Instructor had
been related to her expectation that he would become an “outstanding mentor…will also be
observing us in action each week giving feedback and positive reinforcement” (pg. 453), by the
end of the Semester she admitted that maybe she should be asking him specific questions and
guide him towards the areas in which she felt she lacked feedback (which was the approach she
had clearly taken with me). While Cassie was able to approach her relationships within her
collaborative universe from a team perspective, this approach did not extend to her Field
Instructor. However this difference was not due to perceived notions of expertise but related to
the fact that this was the one individual from who she received the least amount of useful
feedback.

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CHAPTER SEVEN – CAN YOU SAY “INSTRUCTIONALLY RELEVANT
VARIATION”?
In this final chapter the data collected and analyzed in Chapters 4, 5 and 6 will be
compared and further analyzed in order to shed light upon the tensions found in this study. Thus,
in this chapter, I will address the following:
1.

Did the overall data, both individually and collectively, contribute to answering
the Research Questions?

2.

How did each participant perceive and negotiate their first semester of the
internship year in relation to the identified Problems of Practice?

3.

Did tensions emerge (through open coding of data) that influenced how each
participant perceive and negotiate the first semester of their internship year?

4.

In light of the analysis above, how can prospective teachers be supported in
their identification and responses to Instructionally Relevant Variation?

I will end the chapter with the possible implications of this study, its limitations, and
suggested future research directions.
Research Questions
In this section, the data collected in Chapters 4, 5, and 6 was analyzed in order to
determine how each participant contributed to each of the Research Questions this inquiry was
based upon and, in turn, profile each of the study participants as it relates to Instructionally
Relevant Variation (IRV). Instructionally Relevant Variation was conceptualized as related to
notions of pedagogy, characteristics of students, and the mediating spaces between students and
teachers, and indicates a set of qualities, or markers, that is fluid and all encompassing. It
represents competencies and circumstances that impact teaching and learning, while allowing for
overlap and gradation.
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Main Research Question
How do the interns perceive, think about, and respond to the instructionally relevant variations
of their students?
To varying degrees, all three participants perceived and thought about IRV. However,
what influenced their perceptions, and thus their responses, was derived from different
conceptions of teaching, related to their different expectations with regards to their own teaching,
and equally related to their own ability to think about their teaching, while teaching. Their
perceptions and responses to IRV were constrained by the varying tensions they felt throughout
the semester and the level to which these tensions were unresolved.
Lisa
While Lisa was confident of her knowledge-base in child development and able to
articulate the ways in which children vary within a classroom according to race, ethnicity,
gender, socio-economic background, and academic proficiency, this categorical approach to
variation was related to what she expected to see, and not necessarily related to what she actually
experienced in her own classroom. Lisa was able to identify the variation within her focus
students and a few other students whom she wanted to help, not by identifying each child’s
individual traits and/or developmental stages, but by fitting them within pre-assumed categories
that, in her case, would remain static and restrictive through the Semester. Thus, all three focus
students were identified by age, gender, and academic ability, and additional distinctive
categories were added to each, such as fine motor skills (Student 1), behavior (Student 2), and
demeanor/participation (Student 3). The identifying categories Lisa utilized at the start of the
Semester to categorize her focus students, were related to perceived difficulty areas and did not

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change throughout, and restricted not only the ways in which she related with her students, but
also her perceptions of success with regards to each.
Consequently, throughout the semester, Lisa struggled to resolve the tensions related to
her core developmental philosophical stance that she had appropriated throughout her program,
and she viewed as essential, and a whole-child approach that might have allowed her to address
her students’ needs and strengths in different ways. Lisa tended to think about her students
categorically (at particular stages of development) and viewed Student 1 as a child who entered
Kindergarten academically behind his peers and with difficulties with fine motor skills. Even
when faced with his many successes throughout the semester, Lisa continued to perceive, think
about, and respond to Student 1 as an academically low student who required a remediation
approach, and who was only able to improve his fine motor skills due to the “help” of an aid who
worked individually with him three times per week. While she acknowledged this student’s
strengths, she did not respond to, or utilize a more holistic view of this student to plan his
instruction.
Lisa thought about Student 2 as a Gifted and Talented child, who exhibited behavior
difficulties with writing tasks, and who would only respond and participate when he decided to
do so. In this case, despite having an accurate perception of the individuality of strengths and
needs that characterized Student 2, Lisa refused to acknowledge and respond to the need to
address the inter-related academic and behavioral issues that uniquely characterized Student 2 all
throughout the semester.
Finally, Lisa’s perceptions of Student 3, changed through the semester, from a quiet girl
who did not always participate in class to a student “among the lowest” (pg. 340) due to
absences. Thus, despite lack of instruction, Lisa’s response to Student 3’s most critical IRV, the

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high number of absences and her consequent lack of instruction throughout the UPI, was clearly
influenced by what she perceived as her duty as a teacher (to assess), as opposed to modified
instruction.
Thus, Lisa perceived of her students as fitting into pre-conceived categories or stages,
stages that she expected to see them progress through in order to observe academic growth.
These categories would restrict the ways in which she thought about the children, and would also
prevent Lisa from responding appropriately to the strengths and needs of each child. Lisa’s
conceptualization of Instructionally Relevant Variations was restricted to a developmental
knowledge-base, a conceptual framework she envisioned essential to her pre-conceived notions
of teaching and learning in kindergarten.
Megan
Megan held a very positive outlook of her students throughout the semester, even when
identifying their areas of academic need. Megan did not identify her students according to any of
the categories Lisa used, except academic characteristics, and approached her relationships with
her students from an investigative stance, identifying each student’s areas of difficulty, and
potential strengths. Thus, while identifying their most immediate IRVs, she also identified the
ways in which she might be able to respond to them.
Megan initially described Student 1 in the way in which he had been described to her, a
student who had been diagnosed with Dyslexia but who did not qualify for special education
services. She perceived and thought about this student as someone who needed to experience
enjoyment when reading and writing, while learning “strategies to support his literacy learning”
(pg. 407), and the ways in which she planned to respond to his IRV where directly related to his

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individual needs: how to incite interest in reading and develop confidence, how to utilize his own
interests to guide his instruction, and what skills need to be addressed first.
Megan identified Student 2 by her difficulty with handwriting and again thought about
her student in relationship to the possible response to her identified IRV: adequate strategies to
address area of difficulty, students’ self-awareness of difficulty, and the possible relationship
between difficulties in writing and difficulties in expressing thoughts in writing, an issue that
Megan had expressed concerns about.
Then, Megan identified Student 3 as an “average, smart student” but maintained her
investigative approach because she “want[ed] to make sure that…instructors do not forget to
challenge her” (pg. 407). Thus, Megan planned to further investigate into possible areas of
growth that had, so far, not been identified or strategized about. While she identified Student 3
by her perceived strength (“average, smart”) she also acknowledged through her continued
investigative approach that her knowledge of this student was incomplete and therefore she
needed to continue learning about her individual IRVs.
Unfortunately, although Megan perceived, thought about, and planned on responding to
each of her students unique and individual academic needs (the identified IRVs) there is no data
to confirm whether Megan responded to IRV in the ways she intended. Megan’s conceptual
framework of teaching and learning was one based on knowledge of the whole-child, a
constructivist view of learners, made evident by her ability to carefully observe her students.
However, in her eagerness to allow her students to guide their own learning, Megan did not
succeed in identifying the ways and times when learning should be lead, guided, and scaffolded.
Because Megan extended all the planned individual responses to IRVs to ALL the students in her
class, and there is no data to substantiate whether she continued to monitor the ways in which her

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responses affected (or not) the students to whom they had been specifically designed, it is
difficult to assert with any degree of certainty whether or not her planned responses were
adequate and/or impacted her students’ Instructionally Relevant Variations. She did not attend to
the critical aspects of direct and explicit instruction and did not support her students in becoming
self-regulated learners.
In summary, Megan was able to think about her students as having both areas of strength
and areas of need, while immediately inquiring into the ways in which she might be able to tap
into each. Megan was able to perceive, think about, and conceive responses to Instructionally
Relevant Variation in a seamless continuum, but existing data does not indicate whether she was
able to successfully execute her responses.
Cassie
Like Megan, Cassie maintained a very positive outlook of her students throughout the
semester and approached her planning and teaching from an investigative perspective.
Furthermore, out of the three study participants, Cassie was the only one who provided data that
substantiates the connections she made between the ways in which she perceived and thought
about her students’ IRVs, and the ways in which she responded to it. Like Lisa, Cassie identified
her students by gender and academic ability (as reported to her), as it related to academic areas of
difficulty. However, Cassie demonstrated, throughout the semester, how her perceptions about
her students changed due to their accomplishments and progressions through the UPI. Like
Megan, Cassie spent a great deal of her time observing her students and planning in response to
their needs and interests.
Cassie initially identified Student 1 as having an Hearing Impairment, with identified
difficulties in the areas of reading, math, and interpersonal relationships. Cassie’s perceptions of

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Student 1, and possible instructional responses to IRV, were directed towards maximizing the
classroom environment, and the student’s time in the classroom. Perhaps unconsciously, Cassie
did plan accommodations directed not at the impairment but at the immediate environment, a
way of doing that is in direct relationship with a Disability Studies philosophy. Cassie’s
responses to Student 1’s IRV were guided and adjusted, as needed, by the student’s development
and involvement with the Poetry Unit, as well as the student’s accomplishments in both her
general and special education settings.
Cassie initially identified Student 2 as his parents had reported, with “Handle with Care”
forms, and the student’s self-identified areas of need: being able to organize his thoughts in
writing, and starting/finishing assignments in a timely manner. However, her own perceptions of
the student, as well as her responses to IRV, changed in that they were more complete, and
related to his own interests, shyness, and confidence as the semester progressed.
The label of “Gifted and Talented” was used to initially identify Student 3. Cassie
reported that this was the student she initially perceived as having the most difficulties, and also
the one whom she was most concerned about regarding his successful completion of the Poetry
Unit. However, her perceptions of this student changed immediately upon the start of the unit,
due to her appropriate address of his areas of interest, which allowed him the freedom to read,
write, and complete the Poetry Unit within a theme that he felt confident in (sports and animals),
thus developing his confidence and willingness to work through his areas of difficulty without
exhibiting distress.
Throughout the Semester, Cassie constantly monitored herself, both her perceptions and
her responses to perceptions and IRVs, and purposefully modified her planning and instruction in
order to respond to each of the students’ IRVs. The data collected indicates that Cassie was able

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to acknowledge the ways in which the focus students were described to her, but maintain an
inquisitive approach towards her students, which allowed her to constantly observe, think about,
analyze, and appropriately respond to the perceived Instructionally Relevant Variation of each of
her students, regardless of her initial assessment of each, or the ways in which they had been
described to her. The data collected further substantiates that, through the semester, Cassie was
able to consider the ways in which her focus students were initially identified, while allowing
herself to make her own judgments which, ultimately, impacted the ways in which she responded
to IRV by adjusting her planning and instruction.
Secondary Question #1
How is IRV influenced by prospective teachers conceptualizations of “difference”? Binaries?
Degrees? Overlay?
There is no data to indicate that Lisa, Megan, or Cassie considered how various
Instructionally Relevant Variations might overlay and produce conditions that require multiple
approaches in order to create adequate responses. On all occasions, the study participants
perceived difference, or IRV, as single identifiable conditions or circumstances. However, Lisa
conceptualized difference as static categories (academic progress, and parent involvement),
while both Megan and Cassie conceptualized difference, or IRV, as fluid and malleable,
conditions and/or circumstances than could, given a proper response, be addressed.
Lisa conceptualized academic difference as a ranking mechanism that placed children in
the “low”, “average”, or “gifted category”. These categories were often used to describe a child,
although they were based on only one particular set of skills. Thus, for Lisa, the “low” (letter
recognition) student was “low” throughout the semester regardless of academic success, the
“gifted category” (2 grade levels above in reading ability) student was “gifted” regardless of a

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decline on academic and behavioral success, and only the “average” ranking sustained change, a
decline from “average” to “low”, despite a lack of instruction in which to base that
determination. Lisa often spoke about the students whose parents guide homework, volunteer,
pick up/drop off, and are “involved”, as opposed to those children who are not getting anything
at home and thus perceived parent involvement as a defined binary of have/have not instead of a
set of conditions on a continuum.
Megan and Cassie both perceived difference along varied continuums, with varying
degrees of impact upon the children’s IRVs. However, the ways in which they responded to
these variations also differed. While Megan created a set of possible responses to various IRVs
that could be used by any child at any time, Cassie was methodic and purposeful in her
responses, which implies a more sophisticated view of the individuality of each difference.
Secondary Question #2
What “categories of difference” are absent, acknowledged, and/or dismissed by prospective
teachers, and which are most often considered when responding to IRV?
The three study participants were eloquent and descriptive when speaking about their
students. While at the start of the investigation I felt reluctance from their part in describing their
students, possibly due to our unfamiliar relationships and various cautions regarding issues of
confidentiality, soon their descriptions were full of details, colorful, and anecdotal in nature. We
spent most of our time together brainstorming and working through specific classroom problems,
or discussing content progression, and methods of delivery. However, while most of the studentrelated discussions evolved around particular Instructionally Relevant Variations, and despite the
participants’ broad knowledge of diversity issues (due, in part, to specific knowledge-bases they
had been exposed to in their courses prior to LIT 800), the most often acknowledged category of

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difference by the three study participants, as it related to their focus students, was academic
ability.
Possibly because the course content was focused upon literacy and literacy instruction,
the three study participants initially categorized their students according to their literacy ability.
They utilized ranking within a particular skill (reading or writing), areas of difficulty and/or
strength as determined by reports, self-reports and assessments and, to a certain extent, their
interests within a particular skill set.
Closely connected to literacy, was the participants’ use of dis/ability labels and/or special
education eligibilities. While there is no data to substantiate that the participants had specific and
accurate evidence of their students’ dis/abilities as traditionally acknowledged in their schools
(i.e. IEPs, 504 Plans, medical documentations, etc.), they utilized whatever information they had
gathered, mostly in reported form to, not necessarily describe each student, but to distinguish one
student from another. While they often mentioned students by their eligibility categories (autism,
deaf, gifted and talented, etc.), there is no evidence to suggest that: (1) they had substantial
knowledge about the characteristics of each of the dis/abilities that name the categories; (2) that
they understood the range of individualities within each category; (3) that they understood the
instructional implications of each of the dis/abilities, with the exception of Cassie with regards to
Student 1; (4) that each specific label guided the planned instruction.
More importantly, there is no data to indicate that their perceptions of each of their
students was clouded by the stigma and misinformation often associated with each of the
dis/abilities, and it can be surmised that all three participants, while they did not necessarily
dismiss their knowledge of their students’ dis/abilities, they did not make what characteristics
they could associate with it, the center of their planning and instructional focus, even when

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carefully thought out, planned for, and documented. Throughout the semester the participants
were able to perceive, acknowledge, but move past their students’ dis/abilities to recognize and
respond to their individual IRVs, irrespective of dis/ability.
The one category of difference that provoked the most preoccupation, reflection, and
response attempts, were perceptions related to behavioral issues. Although Lisa, Megan, and
Cassie perceived behavioral issues in distinct ways, this was a category of difference they all
acknowledged and attempted (with varying degrees of success) to respond to. Surprisingly,
although they all struggled with particular behavior difficulties with particular students, when
asked about their perceived abilities regarding classroom and behavior management, all three
participants perceived themselves as fairly successful. Thus, all three participants perceived
tensions related to behavior as student-directed and intrinsic, personally related to each of their
students, and not as possibly related to their own ways of managing a classroom as a whole.
Furthermore, while two of the participants also identified their students according to
gender, they did not, at any point, perceive it as a possible origin of Instructionally Relevant
Variation. Also, although the participants mentioned race, ethnicity, culture, and socio-economic
status as factors that affect instruction and education in general, none of them indicated either of
those markers as IRVs. While Lisa often mentioned the lack of parent involvement in relation to
some of her students, she seemed to consider this a category of difference that goes beyond the
realm of what teachers have control over, and dismissed it as something she had to simply
accept.
In summary, to varying degrees, all three participants perceived and thought about
Instructionally Relevant Variation. However, what influenced their perceptions, and thus their
responses, was derived from different conceptions of teaching, related to their different

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expectations with regards to their own teaching, and equally related to their own ability to think
about their teaching, while teaching.
Lisa, who conceptualized herself as a helper and an expert in child development, thought
about her students as owning particular skill sets that defined them and hindered their
progression through learning and was, thus, unable to respond adequately to their IRVs. Megan,
who conceptualized herself as someone who facilitates learning by creating a classroom guided
by student interests, conceptualized difference from the stand point of academic interest, which
allowed her students to feel a sense of ownership of their own learning. Finally, Cassie, who saw
herself as a team-member, conceptualized difference as fluid and malleable, an asset to teaching
and learning, and was able to maintain an open mind, collaborate with other professionals, and
teach “in the moment”, thus maximizing her students Instructionally Relevant Variations.
Problems and Possibilities of Practice
The table below summarizes the data gathered in Chapters Four, Five and Six as it related
to the participants planning and instruction, how their actions through the UPI shed light upon
the three problems of practice identified in Chapter Two (planning for all students,
differentiating instruction, and notions of expertise) and, whether or not this investigation (and
investigator) had an impact upon the participants UPI.
The UPIs and the participants’ progression through the semester were impacted by the
knowledge that each gathered with regards to their students, and the planning and instruction
done reflects various ability levels to reflect upon the gathered knowledge, and various ways of
working through and resolving the tensions encountered at all levels of planning and instruction.

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Lisa
Didn’t change

Planning

Megan
Changed to respond to
students’ guidance,
but maintained goal

Changed to respond to
teaching “in the moment”,
maintained goal, and
augmented student learning

Tensions felt
1.
regarding planning
for ALL were
unresolved.
Tensions between
developmental
knowledge-base 2.
prevented
differentiated
instruction despite
great knowledge of
students.
Very tense
relationships w/
perceived experts in3.
collaborative
universe.

Empowered students 1.
to guide planning and
changed instruction to
respond to student’s
interests and
2.
questions.
Committed to teach 3.
ALL students,
provided
accommodations but
failed to guide
instruction or target
individualized
instruction.
Able to identify her
own areas of difficulty
but unable to resolve
tensions between what
she perceived should
be done and what she
was expected to do.
Researcher was a
sounding board and
brainstorming partner;
many suggestions
accepted and
integrated in both
planning and
instruction. Researcher
unable to support
resolution of tensions.

Concerned with planning for
ALL and EACH student,
adapted instruction according
to unexpected circumstances.
Differentiated instruction was
at the center of the unit.
Was able to capitalize on
identified collaborative
universe.

and
Instruction
Problems of
1.
Practice
2.

3.

Investigation Work w/ researcher
did not have
demonstrable
Impact
influence on
planning or
instruction, despite
acknowledgement of
tensions. Researcher
unable to support
resolution of
tensions.

Cassie

Researcher augmented initial
purpose, extended developing
planning and instruction, and
provided new language and
conceptual framework.

Table 2 – Summary of Cross-Cutting Themes (Chapter Four, Five, and Six)

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Thus, while all three participants considered Differentiated Instruction as a large part of their
planning and instruction, they each conceptualized it in very different ways that, in turn,
impacted the ways in which they responded to Instructionally Relevant Variation,
resulting in very different teaching(s). The UPIs of the three participants were also impacted by
the collaborative approach that each engaged in with members of their collaborative universe, as
well as their concepts of expert. The three study participants approached their collaborative
universes, their need to support, and their concepts of expertise in very different ways, that had a
great impact on the ways in which they responded to Instructionally Relevant Variation.
Teaching force is incompatible with student demographic
The first problem of practice identified in Chapter Two is related to the traditional
approach to multicultural education as the vehicle through which the demographic imperative
and achievement gap might be addressed. Thus, issues related to the “strikingly different racial,
cultural, and linguistic profiles of the nation’s students and teaching populations” (CochranSmith, Davis & Fries, 2004, pg. 933) continue to fuel the field of multicultural education and the
divisions among general and multicultural teacher educators, further perpetuating the notion that
general education teachers are not multicultural teachers, and vice-versa. While multicultural
education has began to shed light upon and bring awareness to the issues surrounding the
achievement gaps between racial/ethnic minorities and white students, it has restricted the field
to specific demographic subgroups, thus restricting the multitude of possibilities to addressing
the demographic imperative to a specific set of solutions. Furthermore, because most scholars in
the field of multicultural education deem white pre-service teachers as a “monolithic and
deficient group of learners” (Lowenstein, 2003, pg. 187), prospective teachers are being educated
in a climate that does not inspire confidence in their own skills to deal with (a particular
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definition of) diversity, unless they have sufficient exposure to issues directly related to
multiculturalism, which creates conditions that support a narrow view of deficiencies that are
directly associated with particular racial/ethnic minority groups.
Throughout this investigation, the participants did not, at any time, make evident
concerns related to the achievement gap, particularly with regards to the demographic
imperative. While all three participants struggled with confidence in their own skills to deal with
ALL their students, they did not perceive their difficulties or conceptualizations of diversity
around notions of racial, ethnic, or cultural demographic groups. However, it should not be
assumed that their conceptualizations of diversity did not include biases that were left unspoken.
Because discussing racial/ethnic/cultural issues is often a source of discomfort, and because the
researcher is often perceived as from a different culture, it is possible that the study participants
avoided speaking of categories of difference that could have been perceived, by the investigator,
as problematic.
From the gathered data it can be assumed that all three participants were able to relate to
and design instruction for their collective classes, demonstrating that it is possible for white,
female, middle-class, prospective teachers to envision ways in which they can work with
students across ALL demographic groups, not just those which are demographically or culturally
aligned to them, and contribute to a re-conceptualization of “teacher candidates as competent
learners who bring rich resources to their learning” (Lowenstein, 2003, pg. 187). Furthermore, all
three participants were able to conceptualize the problems associated with the achievement gap
within larger notions of “equity and justice” (Lee, 2004, pg. 25), and discussed their students
within notions of equality, adequacy, and reciprocity. For example, Cassie designed her Unit
around the students’ schedules and the possible collaborative opportunities, aiming to equalize

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her student’s educational opportunities. Megan designed her instruction around accommodations
that were made available to ALL students, thus providing all students with the opportunities to
achieve at their highest possible level of competency. And Lisa often spoke of the disparities
between her morning and afternoon classes as directly related to issues of reciprocity, because
the children had been divided according to the parent’s ability to transport the children by car (as
opposed to having to rely on school provided transportation) which she equated with the
economic standing of each family.
The Role of Professionalization
The second problem of practice explored in Chapter Two is related to the divisions of the
field of education into specialties and areas of expertise, evidenced since the beginning of the
20th century, and their role in the professionalization of teachers. According to Lagemann
(1997), this division has promoted a territorial fight for privileged knowledge(s) among the
professions, which, in turn, constrains professionals within their own fields and prevents
collaboration. Within this context, and with regards to the preparation of teachers, the
collaboration necessary for the development of a knowledge-base that prepares ALL teacher to
work with ALL students, has been prevented from flourishing, and various expertise have
emerged to respond to those needs that are seen as falling outside of the “scientific knowledge
that underwrites [established] professional practices and discourses” (Skrtic, 1995, pg. 5).
While teacher preparation programs tend to have deeply entrenched philosophies that
permeate the design and goal of their programs, no single view of professionalism is dominant in
the social sciences. However, the functionalist paradigm that sustains a positivist view of
professionalization, has dominated education, and supported the myths that surround the
divisions between general education and various other specialties, and the assumptions that

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students from various categories of difference require expert instruction that only certain
professionals can confer. Maintaining this paradigm, while the three study participants
verbalized their need to be able to teach ALL students, they also often accepted, the expert
knowledge(s) of those they worked with. They might have, at times, questioned their working
relationships with the various experts, and might have had various ways of conceptualizing,
initiating, or maintaining their collaborative relationships, but none dismissed expert
knowledge(s) as without merit (which would have indicated a subjective perspective), perhaps
because their “professional induction demands complete acceptance of the professions received
knowledge on faith” (Skrtic, 1995, pg. 19). Thus, it can be assumed that Lisa, Megan, and
Cassie, while considering various ways of providing instruction to most or ALL students,
negotiated their roles within the practice of the schools where they were placed. While they are
very different individuals, with different ways of thinking about themselves in their roles as
future teachers, they all found ways of dealing successfully with the issues related to expertise,
and its impact on professionalism and induction.
Silent Binaries
From the start of the semester, Lisa was able to verbalize “what it means to teach and
what knowledge and experiences are required to teach well” (Carter, Doyle, & Riney, 1995, pg.
266) and often commented on the “dubious view that only a few teachers ever achieve
proficiency” (pg. 266), notions deeply connected with the silent expert/novice binary. More than
any other study participant, Lisa presented with a “disparity between the teacher’s beliefs that
[she] should know how to teach…and [her] level of preparedness for this task” (Mather, Bos, &
Babur, 2001, pg. 478) which ran contrary to her perception that her knowledge of child
development would aid in her instruction of kindergarten students. Because Lisa’s knowledge

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was circumscribed to this particular domain, her curricula was also circumscribed to a particular
set of possibilities which prevented her from being able to envision her students as multi-faceted
individuals, or re-conceptualize her instruction in different ways. Her “beliefs about what it
means to be an expert … affect[ed] the degree to which …[she] explicitly search[ed] for what
…[she] don’t know and take steps to improve the situation” (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking,
1999, pg. 36). Regardless of her perceptions of herself as a child development expert, Lisa
appropriated the expert/novice binary and accepted the fact that she, as a novice, was
“inadequate with respect to the core tasks” (Carter, Doyle, & Riney, 1995, pg. 266), and assumed
that her own development as a professional was a “linear function of expertise” (pg. 266). Thus,
her ambivalence towards differentiating instruction and her conviction that she would only be
able to attain certain knowledges with the passing of time.
Both Megan and Cassie approached the silent binaries from different perspectives, with
very different results. With her ever-present notebook and constant need to brainstorm, Megan
saw herself as a learner and someone who was able and willing to learn from everyone, including
her students. While she considered herself a novice, she constantly searched for
better/other/different ways of teaching and reaching her students, never doubting her ability to
plan and/or instruct at a higher level, and constantly planned on what to do when in her own
classroom. The only area in which Megan allowed herself to hesitate and question her own
judgment was with regards to issues of behavior management, and only in circumstances in
which she felt she should defer to more experienced teachers/administrators, the experts on a
particular subject/student. However, many of the instances in which Megan deferred to others,
were also instances in which self-examination and discussion regarding expertise ensued.

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Cassie took, yet, a different approach and response to the silent binaries. Like Megan,
Cassie did not question her own ability to teach and often looked for varied ways of planning
and/or instructing. However, while Megan took on a learn now to apply later approach, Cassie
saw it as a real opportunity to learn, practice, evaluate, and improve upon. This, combined with
her approach to teaching as a collaborative enterprise, indicated that Cassie was, at least in part,
able to recognize the silent binaries of the paradigm that supports her program, reflect upon
them, and then find ways to be successful within them, without compromising her own
conception of teaching.
As posited in Chapter Two, the traditional preparation of general education teachers
which revolves around subject matter or fields of specialty, instead of allowing for exploration of
knowledge, confines it, by circumscribing prospective teachers within the boundaries of other
professionals, and teaching them to seek expert knowledge with problems they don’t believe they
have the pedagogical background to deal with. While all the study participants looked for expert
knowledge to support their practice, the ways in which they initiated these relationships, and the
ways in which they envisioned themselves within these relationships, determined the outcome of
the collaboration, and ultimately their ability to teach ALL students. Thus, although their own
notions of their expertise varied, to some extent, the three study participants saw themselves as
novices with regards to special education, and they all engaged in expert/novice binary
relationships with those they perceived as special education experts. However, the outcomes of
these relationships were very different. Lisa and Megan attempted to engage in collaborative
relationships but approached them as novices, in which they assumed deferential positions within
the expert/novice binary, and relinquished power over their actions. As a result, Lisa was
dismissed as someone completely outside of the realm of professionals capable of working with

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a child with Autism, and Megan was relegated to a position of behavior monitor, one with
nothing to offer regarding her student’s behavior plan. They were both tacitly encouraged to
defer to the expertise of the special education and/or behavior professionals of their school, and
implicitly shown the demarcations of their profession, and their standing as novices. On the other
hand, Cassie approached her collaborative relationship with the resource room teacher and
reading specialist as an equal partner, one willing to take the first step towards working in a true
partnership, with the goal of providing the best possible education to her students. As a result,
Cassie was able to initiate, develop, and maintain a professional relationship with the experts in
her building, and enhance her students’ learning as well as her own.
A parallel and mutually reinforcing binary is that of the theory/practice divide. Both
binaries lead to “radically different conceptions of teacher learning” (Cochran-Smith & Lytle,
1999, pg. 249) and “are invoked by differently positioned people in order to explain and justify
quite different ideas and approaches to improving teaching and learning” (pg. 251). Therefore,
individuals who are inducted into a profession tend to act in the ways expected by that specific
professional community, which, in turn, operate in mutually reinforcing ways.
Again, Lisa presented the case in which this deleterious cycle is most evident in that,
despite the difficulties she experienced, she constantly received high praise from both her
Collaborating Teacher and her Field Supervisor. Although Lisa was unable to identify and take
into account each individual student’s strengths and needs, the praise she received further
reinforced her perceptions of self and of her abilities as a teacher, and allowed her unresolved
tensions to persist. Although in a different way, Megan also attempted to act in the ways
expected by her professional community, by deferring to her CT, the school principal, and even
the special education para-professional, whom she envisioned as experts in the field. However,
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Megan was slightly resistant to some of the ways in which she found herself being implicitly
guided, making suggestions and trying different approaches that were not always well accepted,
which might have contributed to her lack of confidence in her own expertise. Finally, Cassie,
whom adopted an investigative stance towards her students, and an open-mind towards all means
of gathering information about ALL her students, was clearly able to blur the lines between the
expert/novice binary and embrace the possibilities of paradigm crossing.
Finally, the beliefs/dispositions binary is a silent binary in professional induction, more
recently made evident with the widespread sanction of policies regarding dispositions such as
those espoused by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) in
2002. Thus, many teacher preparation programs have been compelled to ignore the 1950’s notion
that beliefs, “those propositions pertaining to schooling, teaching, learning, and students that
teachers hold to be true” (Bondy et al, 2007, pg. 68), guide what teachers do, and instead
embrace the notion of “professional dispositions” (NCATE, 2002, pg. 12). Although the
institution where this investigation took place is not NCATE certified, the discussions between
the two fields that posit dispositions versus the notion that beliefs are considered to be “a
stronger predictor of behavior than knowledge” (Bondy et al, 2007, pg. 68) exist, however silent.
Thus, the persistently silent belief/disposition binary still exists, and may implicitly be reduced to
a set of directives that tend to agree with the NCATE (2002) definition of “professional
dispositions” (pg. 12) as “professional attitudes, values, and beliefs” (pg. 89), running the danger
of subsuming the argument within another binary, that of who has/has not the dispositions
necessary to be a teacher. Again, the binary is posited in silent terms, since prospective teachers
are often not made aware of a lack of operational definition, or reliable and valid measures

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(Borko, Liston & Whitcomb, 2007), and left “vulnerable to the imposition of their professors’
ideological viewpoints” (Villegas, 2007, pg. 370).
The beliefs/dispositions binary is most often acknowledged when students are in field
experiences. In this instance, while Megan did not comment on the supervision done by her field
instructor, Lisa and Cassie had very different interactions with their field instructor (which
happened to be the same individual), and different views of their own practice, vis-à-vis his
observations. While neither of them made any reference to either beliefs or dispositions, they
both perceived that the in-situ observations made by their field instructor were partially
constructed around this binary, and crucial for the successful completion of their internship.
Because this binary was not made explicit, and no guidelines were given as to the expected
behaviors and/or dispositions, the interns in this investigation viewed the occasions in which
their field instructor observed them very differently.
While Megan did not comment on the observations and/or feedback received from her
field instructor, Lisa started receiving very positive feedback from her field instructor early in the
semester, and was told by her CT that she was probably the best intern they had ever had. On the
other end of the spectrum, Cassie, who had the same field instructor, felt stressed and rushed
every time she was observed, and confided that she did not receive useful and/or targeted
feedback. While the three prospective teachers believed that it was their responsibility to teach
ALL students, only Lisa received the expert (CT and Field Instructor) feedback that
communicated that she had the “professional dispositions” (NCATE, 2002, pg. 12) necessary to
be a good teacher. Paradoxically, and despite the lack of relevant or positive feedback, Megan
and Cassie were able to plan student-centered Units. Their belief that they could/should teach
ALL students and Cassie’s commitment to ALL and EACH of her students were the defining

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factors in their success, despite a lack of rigorous feedback, or a positive perception of their
“professional dispositions” (NCATE, 2002, pg. 12) vis-à-vis their field instructor.
How tensions shaped the internship experiences
The internship experiences of the three study participants were further influenced by their
attempts to negotiate tensions that were not clearly identified in the a-priori analysis. All three
participants struggled with understanding, negotiating, and reconciling different tensions found
in their internship experiences, tensions that would greatly influence their thinking about
teaching, the ways in which they perceived, identified and responded to Instructionally Relevant
Variation, and their daily instruction.
Lisa
Throughout the semester Lisa struggled with two tensions that influenced her entire
internship.
On the one hand, what Lisa considered her greatest advantage, her core knowledge of
child development, would hinder how she perceived her students, how she planned their
instruction, and how she reconciled what she observed in the classroom, with what she expected
to observe. Throughout her initial preparation, which was largely focused on a fundamentally
developmental approach to children, Lisa became used to looking at children through the lens of
developmental (categorical) stages. This lens led Lisa to think that she could perceive her
students, identify and plan her instruction according to her ability to identify individual students
that could, at certain points in time, be profiled according to expected characteristics usually
found within particular developmental levels, and levels that follow a pre-determined
progression. Thus, Lisa expected her role as kindergarten teacher to be one of observer and
helper or children, guiding them through their progression along stages of development.

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However, and maybe because Lisa was a detailed observer of children, she often noticed the
instances where the observed children’s behaviors did not coincide with what she expected to see
in a particular developmental level, either because their progression through the expected
characteristics (and levels) was not linear, or because they might have been at different
developmental stages depending on what aspects of their school lives she observed. Thus, this
first tension between what Lisa expected to see (thought her child development lens) and what
she actually observed (a more holistic child development that is not linear or progressive),
created a tension that impacted the ways in which she was able to see her students as having
individualized needs and strengths that should be addressed, regardless of their expected
developmental level.
On the other hand, Lisa’s deeply held belief of what she considered to be the fair in the
classroom also influenced her ability to plan for the individual needs of her students. While none
of the study participants had any formal instruction in differentiated instruction, they all spoke
with varying levels of confidence and knowledge about the need for every teacher to know how
to differentiate instruction as a means to address students’ individual needs and strengths.
However, Lisa was the only study participant who struggled to reconcile what she understood as
“differentiated instruction” and her sense of fairness in the classroom. Maybe because she did
not have a clear understanding of “differentiated instruction”, she considered individualized
instruction as instances of possible unethical behavior on her part. She struggled with the tension
felt between not wanting to “change expectations for children” (Appendix Q, pg. 314) and the
importance to respond to each child’s need or strength. She further struggled with the tensions
she observed between the two groups of children she had (morning and afternoon classes), and
the groups’ progressions through the planned curriculum. Again, due to her perceived sense of

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fairness (fairness between groups), she was reluctant to consider addressing the curriculum in
two different ways by planning differently for each group.
In both instances, Lisa struggled with tensions associated with her expectations regarding
what her students would look like, how they would behave, and how they would progress
through their child development stages (which constituted her pre-conceived notions of herself as
a teacher), and what she was observing in the classroom. While she received extremely positive
feedback from both her CT and her field instruction supervisor, and felt very comfortable in her
role of prospective teacher, the tensions she struggled with where not addressed and she often
dismissed them as possible characteristics of a prospective teacher’s developmental stages. As an
observer with the benefit of hindsight, it is clear to me that Lisa struggled with tensions
surrounding concepts that I would have expected a prospective teacher in their internship year to
have previously negotiated: firstly, how to maintain a balance between an individual and a
holistic view of children; secondly, how to reconcile her own notions of practice with what many
teacher educators would consider best-practices (i.e. differentiated instruction).
Megan
While Lisa’s tensions were related to her perceptions of what a teacher should be,
Megan’s tensions appeared to be related to what type of teacher she wanted to become. Megan’s
approach to her internship was one of discovery for future application. She wanted to learn as
much as possible and decide what would eventually become a part of her practice, and was
comfortable with the idea that she would not use all she would learn during the internship in her
future classroom. However, the greatest difficulties Megan encountered throughout the semester
had little to do with her own choices of planning or instructing, and were directly related to

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classroom management issues and institutional practices that she was suddenly faced with and
had not previously considered.
While Megan had previous exposure to classroom management as a subject matter in
some of her courses, her internship experience provided her with the opportunity to experience
an environment where classroom management structures were often unclear and inconsistent,
and largely dependent on the student and circumstance. Furthermore, while Megan had a very
clear plan of how she wanted to give her students ownership of the content, she had not
considered classroom and behavior management to the same extent. Thus, when faced with a
classroom dynamic that included having to manage a few students with disruptive behaviors,
Megan struggled with tensions related to needing to reconcile the ways in which she would have
liked to be able to manage the classroom and the behaviors, and the ways in which her CT did
both. Megan considered behavior management a deeply personal engagement with her students
and often commented that, her personality was very different than her CT and therefore her
future behavior management would be very different than what was being observed. Throughout
the semester, Megan was not supported in asserting herself in the classroom, and was unsure as
to the behavior guidance she was expected to provide. Furthermore, Megan was unsure has to
how she fit within the school environment, and within the institutional discipline structures.
Overall, while her internship provided Megan with many opportunities in which to think
about and try to negotiate the tensions she felt related to classroom and behavior management,
these same tensions were not addressed during the internship, by either her CT or her internship
supervisor. Megan perceived her CT as a teacher who was comfortable within an institutional
structure that was mutually supportive of her classroom practices, but could not envision herself
holding the same expectations, rules and consequences in her future classroom. Thus, throughout

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her internship experience, Megan was faced with unresolved tensions related to how to manage
her future classroom while preserving the integrity of her personality and identity, as well as how
to find a common ground between the classroom she envisioned for herself and the institutional
norms of the schools where she will teach in the future.
Cassie
Cassie was very confident in her skills as a prospective teacher and very eager to put into
practice all that she had learned. Perhaps because her parents were both education professionals
(a middle-school administrator and a teacher), Cassie seemed to be more at ease than both Lisa
and Megan when considering her internship experience. Cassie though constantly and broadly
about how her students influenced her planning and instruction and, throughout the semester, we
never discussed administrative issues related to schools, difficulties among professionals, or
issues related to the ethos of schools. Cassie was solely focused on the practical aspects of her
classroom and her practice.
Besides (or perhaps because of) her great preoccupation with each of her students,
Cassie’s unresolved tensions evolved around behavior management, specifically how to ensure
that she was, in fact, giving her attention to all students equally. She expressed concern over the
fact that most of her energy went into re-directing students who were off-task, those who were in
her immediate vicinity, or those who exhibited attention-getting behaviors. It was important for
her to have a daily personal connection which each of her students and she struggled with finding
ways to accomplish this. She was aware that this was not an issue of time management but,
instead, an issue of both classroom and behavior management, and thus struggled with
reconciling her expectations of herself and her daily practice. While Cassie thought that, for the
most part, she was being very successful with regards to classroom and behavior management,

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she thought that was at the expense of a few students with whom she did not connect as deeply.
She mentioned that, at times, she would became absorbed by a few of her students and would
realize that she had gone a whole day without “make[ing] the time to go back and connect with
those students who are doing the right thing” (Appendix AQ, pg. 521).
Overall, the three study participants experienced their internships in very different ways.
The ways in which they envisioned themselves as future teachers were very different, and the
ways in which they experienced their internships were mediated by different tensions and
unresolved issues.
Instructionally Relevant Variation – at the intersection of three pedagogies
The potential tipping point for the design of relevant responses to the Instructionally
Relevant Variations identified by the study participants are offered here. This tipping point can
be found at the intersecting point of three existing pedagogies that mutually influence each other
but have, thus far, been studied and understood as individual areas of expertise. This intersecting
space/place where more complete responses to IRVs are possible, can be conceptualized within a
teacher preparation by weaving Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP), Response To Intervention
(RTI), and Differentiated Instruction (DI) as emerging pedagogies that mutually influence each
other, are cross disciplinary, and require a stance of collaborative inquiry.
While there is ample research regarding the conceptualizations and/or potential
utilizations of CRP, RTI, and DI, most efforts have been done in isolation, even if concurrently,
but without the study into the ways in which each of these pedagogies informs the others. This
study indicates that if CRP, RTI and DI had been a part of the interns’ preparation in visible,
explicit, and combined ways within an “inquiry-as-stance”/disability studies framework, they

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could have supported varied and multidisciplinary ways in which to better responded to IRVs,
and conceptualized possibilities of practice.

Figure 3 – Tension Analysis and Possibilities of Practice
While each of the above mentioned pedagogies has received varying levels of attention
from federal, state, and local institutions, their core concepts are often disseminated with
variations and, among the three participants in this study, CRP, DI, and RTI were present at
varying levels of understanding. Of the three, only the notion of Differentiated Instruction (DI)
was frequently referenced, although none of the three study participants agreed on a basic
working definition. Furthermore, CRP and RTI were concepts that, according to the collected
data, had not been explicitly discussed as pedagogical tools. However, the data also indicates that
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all three of these pedagogies could have easily been made evident, and each study participant
could have been given a wider set of tools with which to initiate explorations into varied ways in
which to negotiate through the tensions they felt along the semester.
Furthermore, because the conceptual frameworks of each pedagogy were not well
understood, the interns held the notion that both RTI and CRP are concepts better left to the
experts. In addition, the experiences of these three students highlight the difficulties they had in
defining, understanding, planning, and instructing students while utilizing the principles of DI.
The experiences of these three interns further suggests that a clear understanding of
Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, endorsed by Gloria Ladson-Billings (1995) as a “dynamic and
synergistic relationship between home/community culture and school culture” (pg. 467), might
have been of great benefit to them, but to Lisa in particular. Although she was able to verbally
identify her students as members of their school community, she was also very aware of the need
to develop strong ties between herself, the families, and her students’ home communities.
However, because she was not able to study the school/home relationships that so broadly and
deeply influence the kindergarten experience, Lisa did not interrogate her own identity as a
cultural being, vis-à-vis her students. Consequently, her reflective practices were restricted by
the narrow identities (as she understood them) of her students, and did not extend past the
institutional frameworks she was able to identify. Like Lisa, Megan was aware of the
“synergistic relationship” (Ladson-Billings, 1995, pg. 467) between home/community/culture
but, while Lisa often made reference to parents who were unwilling/unable to participate in this
relationship, Megan was not able to conceptualize it within the confines of the internship
experience. Finally, Cassie based her UPI upon the completion of a unit of work that naturally
required and expected the building of bridges between the student and the family, and the

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student/family and the school. By building her entire unit upon a deeply personal piece of poetry,
Cassie developed a “framework of learning as a process of identity development” (Settlage et al,
2009, pg. 103) both for herself and for her students, and provided them with a “validating,
comprehensive, multidimensional, empowering, transformative, and emancipator[y]”
(Santamaria, 2009, pg.223) pedagogy which stands at the heart of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy.
Closely related to the notion of validating, transformative and emancipatory practices is
the dual principle of RTI/DI. Both RTI, which is becoming widely spread throughout the country
and fully endorsed by the federal government, and DI, a more recently systematized and rigorous
set of strategies endorsed as capable of responding to individual student needs, are based on the
assumption that teachers must know their students well, and have an equal responsibility towards
ALL students in their school communities.
While RTI is often simply viewed as a group of academic and behavioral interventions
and strategies aimed at improving the student’s success rate in the classroom, it is based on four
assumptions that could have supported the resolution of the tensions felt by the interns. First,
because RTI considers the general education classroom as the main (if not only) site of
instruction, and the general education teacher (in collaboration with others) the catalyst for
particular interventions, it has the potential to disrupt the traditional ways in which students are
identified At-risk, Title I, or disabled, RTI team meetings could have provided a good starting
point for a discussion about students and allowed Lisa and Megan to bridge between the special
and regular education paradigms. Second, RTI is responsive to student needs, which could have
directed the interns to examine the ways in which they identified, analyzed, and responded to
IRV. Third, RTI requires that teachers be involved in collaborative ways and develop methods of
constant communication among all partners involved in a students’ life, which is supportive of

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an “inquiry as stance” approach. And finally, because it is based on the constant progress
monitoring of both individual students, groups of students, and schools, it requires a “collective
team problem solving” (Gerzel-Short & Wilkins, 2009, pg. 109) approach, and the ability to
Differentiate Instruction.
According to Tomlinson (2008), DI advocates for a “logical way to achieve the goal of
content acquisition” (pg. 27) through the manipulation of content, process and product (Levy,
2008). Although initially associated with the field of special education, in the late 1990’s, DI
became synonymous with a systematic and rigorous use of strategies that is responsive to student
needs. Because it is based upon a process of discovery and adjusting to constant change, it
requires that teachers think of themselves as constantly learning, alongside their students.
Differentiated Instruction is further based on a “synergistic relationship” (Ladson-Billings, 1995,
pg. 467) because it promotes the development of deep relationships between teachers and
students in order to promote “student efficacy and ownership of learning” (Tomlinson, 2008, pg.
30). Furthermore, as proposed by Santamaria (2009) DI and CRP are both “designed to provide
support for groups of students who have been historically unsuccessful in mainstream education
classrooms” (pg. 216).
In summary, the experiences of the three students in this investigation suggest that CRP,
RTI & DI, are pedagogies that mutually influence each other, can be made more effective and
far-reaching when conceptualized around the notion of a “moral imperative” (Stiker, 2002, pg.
526), that requires the commitment to teach ALL students, and can be used to envision the
possibilities of practice that lead to the further development of teachers for ALL. The three
students in this investigation, while they each had particular understandings of RTI, DI, and

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CRP, had not fully and explicitly discussed each of these pedagogies and were not able to fully
utilize each and/or their intersections in identifying IRV.
What can we expect interns to do?
What can we expect interns to do? According to the experiences of the three interns in
this study, we can expect quite a lot. While all three interns had varied experiences, perceived
and responded to their students’ IRVs differently, and negotiated the tensions of their internships
in different ways, they were equally successful in their first planning and instruction endeavors.
Their combined experiences show that interns (or, at least, these three interns) take their
future responsibilities as teachers, role models, and mentors very seriously. That they can (and
do) think deeply about their teaching, about how others teach, and about how those observations
influence their thinking about their own teaching. Interns can (and do) think deeply about their
own learning processes, and how these are reflected upon their students’ learning.
The three interns in this study were vigilant in their learning! They were active watchers
of children, who thought intensely and constantly about their students and how to teach them,
cared for them, guided them, mentored them. But they were also watchers of the adults they
were supposed to use as barometers for their own practice.
Interns made judgments about children and their families, about other teachers,
administrators, supervisors, cooperating teachers and researches. But, most of all, interns made
judgments about themselves. They struggled to manage new environments, and to learn to teach
while being assessed. They learned and taught while trying to negotiate their own tensions
between what they expected teaching to be, how there were experiencing it, and what they
anticipated it will become in their own classrooms.

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Interns question what we, teacher educators, often assume is a best practice, they
conceive classrooms where students, not teachers, guide instruction, and they go beyond the goal
of teaching ALL students, demanding that they teach EACH student.
So, what can we expect interns to do? We can expect interns to be able to take all they
have learned about teaching, reflect upon it and, as was the case in this study, go beyond the
practical limitations of their learning. The interns in this study were able to deepen their own
knowledge-base(s) about teaching, and looked for ways in which to extend beyond the
limitations of their learning.
While the research upon what are the essential skills for inclusive teachers (i.e. Blanton,
Pugach & Florian, 2011; Harvey, Yssel, Bauserman & Merbler, 2010) points towards explicit
instruction about special education and holding high expectations for all students, providing field
experiences across disciplines, providing collaboration across teaching majors, providing
opportunities to practice co-teaching, etc., these experiences were not available to the interns in
this study. They had limited or no exposure to students with disabilities or special education
classrooms, and had never collaborated with their fellow peers in a special education major.
Therefore, they should not have been expected to be able to reflect upon the best ways to teach
students with special education needs. They should not have been expected to know who, within
their collaborative universes, could best support their practice by collaborating in and outside of
the classroom. They should not have been expected to look for and request support for their
teaching from other professionals. They should not have been expected to be able to read and
Individualized Educational Plan and differentiate their instruction accordingly. However,
although they should not have been expected to do any of these things, they managed to do them

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all. They were able to deal with the complexity and tensions of their internship even without the
scaffolding that each of them identified as potentially beneficial.
Implications of the study
Having delved deeply in three teachers’ practices and their attempts to identify and
respond to IRVs, four implications can be drawn. These implications might shed some light onto
what teacher educators can look for in their prospective teachers and how to support their growth
towards becoming teachers for ALL.
First, it is important that teachers learn how to perceive, identify and respond to their
students’ IRVs and, as the data shows, this is a process that requires modeling and scaffolding.
Therefore, the first implication of this study is that, much like prospective teachers needed to
learn more about their students IRVs, teacher educators also need to find ways in which to
perceive, identify and respond to the IRVs of their students, the prospective teachers. All
learners, regardless of their trajectory along a learning curve, have needs and strengths that are
inherently personal and guide their learning. For prospective teachers, the process of learning is
made more difficult since they are developing teaching identities against the backdrop of years of
witnessing teaching. They are familiar with themselves as students, and have internalized the
methods and pedagogies that have worked for them. This makes the process of learning to teach
an arduous process, fraught with tensions. One suggestion derived from my observations of these
three interns is that they would have benefited from working collaboratively in tightly knit
groups, along the program, perhaps with the support of instructors assigned long-term. This way
it would be possible for instructors to get to know their prospective teachers on an individual
basis, and address their individual strengths and needs by providing opportunities in which they

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could look deeply (and address) at the tension among various assumptions about learners,
teaching/learning, development, culture, and schools as transformative institutions.
Second, within a closely-knit group of prospective teachers, discussion would take center
stage, particularly those directly related to teacher identity. Small groups are propitious to open
and frank discussions, as well as knowledge-creation and allow for opportunities that are difficult
to enact in large classes. Prospective teachers could be guided towards discussions geared
towards the various binaries associated within their practice, and the many ways in which
knowledge bases are deployed (and their associated intentions). Furthermore, within small
groups it would be easier to build upon their knowledge-bases and embrace discussions leading
to the identification of tensions, as well as an easier acknowledgement of their concerns as
valuable and genuine.
The third implication of this study is related to the need to de-mystify notions of
disability and the associated expertise(s) created alongside narrow views of diversity. As
evidenced in this study, the prospective teacher’s conceptualizations of diversity were, on the
one hand, wider than those espoused by multicultural education and, on the other hand, restricted
by an unidentified knowledge about special education. Race, culture and ethnicity were
completely (and surprisingly) absent from this study, which might suggest that issues of diversity
need to be explored in wider contexts and outside of the realm of multicultural expertise. Equally
important is the need to present disability as one of the many facets of human variation and,
again, outside of particular fields of expertise. While the participants in this study all made
specific references to students with disabilities, their ascribed labels and potential learning needs,
they did not have the knowledge base usually associated with special education teachers. Not
only did they assumed that they did not know any of the teaching strategies that are usually

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deployed for students with their particular needs, they were often prevented for learning from
those they viewed as experts. This is an example of the need to provide content that is relevant
for ALL students, not particular categories of students.
The fourth and final implication of this study is a natural extension of the above:
prospective teachers should witness and participate in the construction of the dialectic of
teaching, without the constraints of evaluations. Perhaps by offering experiences in environments
similar to the internship, the interns in this study would have been able to negotiate through some
of the tensions they felt related to the ethos of school. Interns could experience, well ahead of
their internship, the collaborative team-approaches required for the process of identifying and
responding to students IRVs, and become familiar with the negotiations required for planning
and instruction that is responsive to all students.
Limitations of the study and future research
There are three main limitations to this study. While the last can be addressed in future
research, the first two below should be understood only within the boundaries of the study.
First, my own perceptions of the participants and their progressions through the semester
(my perception, identification and response to their IRVs) was influenced by what I was looking
for and might have prevented me from seeing past what, for readers, might be clearly evident.
Because I set up this study with three a-priori themes of analysis, other readings of the data are
possible.
Second, in my quest to document how/if participants identified and responded to IRVs, I
refrained from openly influencing the ways in which they responded to the IRVs they did
identify. In a future study, the researcher could perhaps look into ways to participate more
actively and document her/his contribution.

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Lastly, not only did I use very narrow conceptualizations of RTI, DI, and CRP (looking
only at what I considered the more salient aspects of each, vis-à-vis this investigation), but I did
not openly discuss either approach with the study participants. Future research might take this
aspect into consideration and, not only openly conceptualize and communicate how RTI, DI and
CRP might guide teaching, but also look at the intersecting points between them and delve
deeply within this area. Future research avenues might also look at ways in which to extend the
study longitudinally, looking at the entire internship experience with a follow up after the first
year upon graduation.

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APPENDICES

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APPENDIX A: Lit 800 Syllabus
The Internship Year - Fall 2009, Section 1
Course Syllabus
Course Overview
Welcome to LIT 800: Reflection and Inquiry Into Teaching Practice I! Congratulations on your
arrival to the internship year. I look forward to working with you this semester. This course
accompanies the internship’s school-based experiences and is intended to help you learn about
the teaching of diverse academic subjects through the lens of literacy. The course content
focuses primarily on writing in the genres (narrative, exposition and poetry),
comprehension instruction, literature-based discussion models, and literacy assessment.
Since learning literacy is a primary responsibility of students, and since we use literacy to learn
throughout our lives, we do not think of literacy as itself a “school subject.” Rather it is
foundational to all other school learning in such subjects as language arts, literature, science,
mathematics, social studies, and so forth. Although the ways that literacy affords learning in
various school subjects and across the elementary school grade varies, as teachers of elementary
and/or middle school students, we are all deeply concerned with literacy.
Throughout your learning experiences in TE 301 and TE 401/2, you examined the concept of
literacy from multiple perspectives— what students develop and learn when they develop and
learn literacy; what we should teach when we teach literacy; the range of literacies present in
today’s society; instructional models, methods and resources for teaching literacy; and building
inclusive learning communities that support literacy development. In this course we will build
on those experiences in a number of ways. We will investigate the language events that students
experience in schools to consider when and how they have opportunities to:
•
Learn language: “doing” language through talking, listening, reading, writing and
viewing
•
Learn about language: exploring how language functions and the conventions that are
used to communicate
•
Learn through language: using reading, writing, speaking, listening and viewing as a
tool to explore concepts and ideas and to learn about or critique our world.4
We will also consider whether and how these three language components are “balanced” across
language events and ways in which the balance that exists provides meaningful learning
opportunities. This exploration involves understanding how literacy curriculum, instruction and
assessment all work together. Guiding these investigations are core beliefs—supported by
theory, research and practice—that we as educators hold about the purpose of education, the role
of the teacher, the goals and needs of learners, and their responsibility to teach all learners.

4

See Halliday, M. (1980). Three aspects of children’s language development: Learning
language, learning through language, learning about language. In Y. Goodman, M. H. Jaussler
& D. Strickland (Eds.), Oral and Written Language Development Research, pp. 7-19. Urbana,
IL: National Council of Teachers of English.
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•
Dual obligations: Literacy teachers have the dual obligation of teaching all children in
(1) age appropriate ways and with age appropriate text; and (2) at their individual instructional
levels with instructional guidance.
•
Literate Communities: Literacy education helps to create citizens who can sustain a
democratic society in which there is social justice. Literacy teachers likewise create socially just
and educationally sound literate classroom communities in which whole class, small group, and
individualized instruction all play a part in learning to read and write for authentic purposes.
•
Ownership and Responsibility: We teach students, not programs. Teachers are not
merely receivers of programs; they take ownership of and responsibility for programmatic
curriculum, instruction, and assessment within their classrooms and across the grades within
their school.
•
Common Professional Language: As professionals, we work together to develop a
curriculum that leads all the students in our school to become good readers/writers. We seek a
common language for openly talking about our practice—its elements and its problems.
As outlined below, as we will work together in the course, we will discuss the meaning of these
core beliefs as well as the beliefs individuals hold that influence their ideas about literacy
teaching and learning.
Course Goals and Central Questions
Goals for the course span three interrelated areas that are all intended to help you work toward
the MSU Teacher Preparation Program Standards. To work toward these goals, we will
investigate seven CENTRAL QUESTIONS and continuously tie them to your experiences in
your school and classroom, to your planning and teaching during guided lead teaching, and to the
reading, writing, speaking, listening and viewing you do within our class.
Goal #1: Articulating and Defending Your Vision of Literacy and Goals for Students as
Literacy Learners
Core beliefs are deeply held values or ideas. Professionals must work continuously to clarify,
articulate, think critically about and defend core beliefs—their own, and those of others involved
in the educational process. It is out of the sharing of beliefs, the negotiation of meaning within,
across, and even in the face of differences in them that we create democratic society.
In this course you will identify individual and group core beliefs about literacy and their
connection to curricular, instructional and assessment decisions. In reflecting on, discussing,
writing about, and comparing core beliefs about literacy and students as literacy learners, and
considering the ideas discussed in professional literature, you will make explicit the things you
stand for as an educator. We will learn about how our beliefs, made explicit, enable us to think
critically about what we do, the choices we make, and the values we hold. It permits us to make
our positions public, open them to review, and use them to take a pro-active stance on our
professional learning and our practice.
Central questions related to Goal #1 are:
•
What are my core beliefs and values about literacy?
•
What is my vision of a good reader/writer when she/he finishes my grade and
progresses through school?
Goal #2: Understanding the Connections Among Literacy Curriculum, Instruction and
Assessment
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There is a close relationship among curriculum, instruction and assessment that influences the
quality of learning experiences that are made available to students. The main content we will
focus on in TE 802 include reading comprehension, writing, and assessment in order to deepen
your knowledge in those areas. In addition, you will familiarize yourself with the literacy
curriculum, instruction and assessment materials in your unique context. You will also learn to
use multiple, appropriate, and alternative forms of assessment in order to know your students
well. This knowledge will enable you to use resources appropriately to design, organize,
differentiate and teach a unit of literacy instruction that meets the multiple needs of your
students. You and your Collaborating Teacher will negotiate the target area in literacy that will
be the focus of your unit.
Central questions related to Goal #2 are:
•
What do my students already know and what do they need to learn in their progress
toward becoming a good reader/writer?
•
What are my instructional and curricular responsibilities to help my students reach
their goals?
•
How do I assess what students know, what they need to learn, what they have
learned?
Goal #3: Using Data Analysis, Reflection and Writing to Contribute to Your Own and Others’
Professional Learning
Interns are not expected to have a fully developed and refined practice as literacy teachers,
particularly in the middle of their intern year. As reflected in MSU’s Teacher Preparation
Program Standard 8, you will learn to demonstrate your ability to reflect on and improve your
teaching to show that you are making steady progress toward refining a practice that engages
students in meaningful learning. You will use the information you gathered throughout your
guided lead teaching (from formal, standardized and informal assessments, conversations with
each student, work samples and anecdotal observations) to interpret assessment information and
summarize what you know about students as literacy learners relative to your unit teaching.
These interpretations will help you reflect on your practice (e.g., teaching, your students’
learning, and ways you would revise and improve your teaching in the future) in order to write
about your practice in a form suitable for professional publication.
Central questions related to Goal #3 are:
•
How do I assess my instructional effectiveness?
•
How do I use data, reflection and writing to plan for and promote my professional
learning as a literacy educator?
Course Principles
This course should help you to maximize learning from your experiences of literacy teaching in
various content areas and among diverse students. Your school and classroom experiences
should in turn enrich the course experience. This is a Master’s level course. As such, it requires
you to take more responsibility for your learning from class activities, written assignments, and
course readings than in the past. The course also aims to reflect good “Professional
Development” or continuing education for the working teacher, in that it grounds your course
activities, assignments, and readings in your classroom and school practice. The following
principles will guide our work together in the course:
•
Work in the course and in the field are mutually supportive;
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•
We must work together to learn as individuals and as part of a school faculty;
•
The course is organized in the form of group and individual inquiry activities that connect
to, support, and provide a context for learning from your lead teaching of literacy this semester;
•
As a class we will share experiences from the field but will also create our own
community in class within which we will simulate the experience of a school faculty working on
standards-based literacy instruction.
My role is to encourage each of you to become thoughtful educators. I see my role as being
multifaceted: a teacher, a coach, and a facilitator who both listens to and questions you. I see
my role as challenging you to pull all of your experiences and knowledge together in order to
produce plans, units, and organizational tools to improve your own instruction. I hope we are
able to problem solve together! In addition to office hours, individual meetings, and impromptu
after-class conversations, I check my email at least twice a day, and I will respond to questions
and concerns within 24 hours Monday-Friday. Please feel free to run lessons by me and let me
assist you in locating materials and resources. Part of what makes your teacher preparation
program a standout at MSU’s College of Education is having access to faculty during your
internship. I hope not only to be your instructor in this course, but to be an additional network
and resource for you long-term---as you apply for first jobs, and as you enter your first year of
teaching and beyond. Your role is no longer as “student” but as teacher and problem solver. The
inquiries in this class are not designed as assignments for you to complete and forget about.
Rather, they are a series of activities designed for you to experience what it is like to be a
reflective teacher- one who actively investigates his or her own teaching and uses data to target
areas for improvement.
Required Text
Keene, E. O. & Zimmerman, S. (1997). Mosaic of Thought: Teaching Comprehension in a
Reader’s Workshop. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
The following texts from prior course work will also be valuable resources for you:
The New Brunswick Group (D. Strickland, C. Snow, P. Griffin, M. S. Burns, P. McNamara)
(2002). Preparing our teachers: Opportunities for better reading instruction. Washington, DC:
Joseph Henry Press.
Chang, M. L. (2004). Classroom management in photographs. New York: Scholastic.
Dow, R. S., & Baer, G. T. (2006). Self-paced phonics: A text for educators (4th ed.). New York:
Prentice Hall.
New Standards Primary Literacy Committee (2004). Reading and writing grade by grade:
Primary literacy standards for kindergarten through third grade. Washington, DC: National
Center for Education and the Economy.
1) Tompkins, G. E. (2006). Literacy for the 21st Century: A Balanced Approach, Fourth Edition.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Merrill, Prentice-Hall.
2) Gibbons, P. (2002). Scaffolding Language, Scaffolding Learning: Teaching Second Language
Learners in the Mainstream Classroom. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. ISBN: 0-325-00366.
3) Weinstein & Mignano, Elementary Classroom Management, 4th edition.
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Course Technology
In traversing reading, writing, listening, speaking and representing, at times we’ll use technology
for our own purposes in this course--- as both professional students and teachers of young
people. Below is how I see our technology uses unfolding in this course, although they may
change to reflect our growing needs and preferences.
Laptops: You are a professional and are encouraged to bring your laptop to class as we’ll be
drafting text in class frequently. Additionally, please feel free to bring it to archive and access
your assignments and to take notes. If you do not own a laptop, but would like to use one during
the class, please let me know. Of course, paper and pen also welcome. Consistent with
expectations for participation, we will all respect and be present with each other in this course;
thus, sending and checking email, searching the Web, or reading or completing tasks other than
those at hand in the course are not permitted and such activities will affect your participation
grade. Additionally, cell phones should be turned off and put away during class. Problem solve
how you might incorporate technology into your assignments in this course to the greatest extent
possible at your site and as appropriate to the assignment (as always, technology should not drive
instruction but vice versa). Please use me, your Field Instructor, and/or your CT for suggestions
and guidance. We have excellent technology resources and support persons at the Center for
Teaching and Technology to help you.
Electronic Mail and ANGEL: MSU Email and the ANGEL course management system will be
used in this course. Read your MSU email and check the ANGEL site between class sessions.
Our ANGEL site will be a storehouse (syllabus, calendar, course materials, Powerpoints,
articles, written assignments) and communication/discussion center (In addition to Email, I
have created an Intern Lounge (discussion forum) on our course ANGEL site for you to stay
connected with your colleagues across the grades, schools and school districts. You should feel
free to use this site to pose questions to each other. When posting on the discussion forum, be
mindful of the tenets of confidentiality (described below). There is also a General TE 802
Questions Discussion Forum. If you have a question about the course, please ask it here. Others
in the class often may have the same question. I will check this and respond to this M-F along
with my email. Prior to emailing me individually with a question, please check the General TE
802 Questions Discussion Forum. Of course, there are sometimes questions that you wish to ask
me and me alone, and do feel comfortable to do so.
Wiki: A password-protected Literacy Intern Wiki will be used during this course. I’ve started
a wiki for us to upload and share resources, websites, lesson plans, rubrics and so forth
(literacyinterns.pbwiki.com)(password: TBA). This will evolve over the course of the semester
and my wish is for you to access it beyond the course. We’ll draw on the help of those in the
Center for Teaching and Technology and each other to create a wiki that we are motivated to
visit.
Professional Development Time: Per the policy requirements described in the Internship
Handbook, interns have up to three hours per week per MSU course (6 hours total) for
professional development time (only during weeks when we have class sessions). Many
activities may take place in the internship classroom, while others may take place somewhere in
the school, at another school, or in the community. You must discuss in advance with your CTs
the plans for using professional development time so that there is ample notice. The following
contain general suggestions for use of this opportunity, and other suggestions will be given
throughout the semester.
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Prior to Lead Teaching
Study curriculum materials and
documents
Investigate literacy resources for lead
teaching
Identify needs of special education
students and/or ELL students and
explore resource support
Meet and discuss ongoing inquiry work
with colleagues in your building

After Lead Teaching
Visit another classroom or school to explore
alternative approaches to literacy instruction
Analyze artifacts collected during lead
teaching for your professional portfolio
Meet and discuss ongoing inquiry work with
colleagues in your building

Course Evaluation and Expectations
Your final grade for the semester will be based on class and school participation (including
attendance) and written projects. The written projects are designed to improve your practice, but
are ideal artifacts to include in a portfolio for your job search. Previous interns have told me that
they drew from the language they used in their written projects assignments to answer questions
in interviews with school personnel and principals. All written projects must be completed
satisfactorily to receive a passing grade in this course. The work in this course--directly linked
to the work you are doing in schools and resulting in products you can include in your
professional portfolio---includes thoughtful intersection of five inquiry projects, all of which we
will complete or begin in our course sessions. You will be expected to work on these projects
outside of class (independently) as well. These projects flow along and build throughout the
semester, setting the stage for you to fully engage in teacher research in the area of language arts
Overview of the Three Projects
The Projects are linked and inter-dependent, reflecting an aspect of the work of teaching. All
have the following features:
1) They involve work in and out of class;
2) They require both collaborative and individual effort;
3) They are sequenced and organized to create a professional community in our class;
4) They provide context, support, and opportunities for lesson design, teaching of the lessons,
and analysis of and reflection upon that teaching;
5) Taken together the three inquiries are a sequence of teacher action research intended to
investigate local practice in your own teaching and in the learning of your students;
6) They produce public documentation of your practice that serves as evidence of your own
learning in the course and an example of your work as an intern to be used in your portfolio and
for other purposes.
Detailed versions of the three projects will be posted on Angel.

Project (1) MY INTERNSHIP CONTEXT (10 points)

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Inquiry Focus: What do I need to know about my community, school district, school and
classroom? What curriculum, instruction and assessment materials are available in my teaching
context in order to plan instruction that is responsive to my students’ learning needs?
Product: Your own notes and records organized in a way that is useful to you as a professional
Project (2) TRY SOMETHING NEW: THE LITERACY UNIT PLAN (40 points)
Inquiry Focus: How will I/we design our curriculum and instruction so that students learn
what they need in order to become good literacy learners? How do I select and/or create
appropriate assessments so that I have evidence that my students have learned?
Products: Unit Overview, Daily Lesson Plans, Assessment Plan
Project (3) GOING PUBLIC THROUGH PROFESSIONAL WRITING (30 points)
Inquiry Focus: How can data analysis, reflection on my practice, and writing contribute to my
own and others’ professional learning?
Product: Written piece suitable for publication for a local or global audience.
Note: Since course and field experiences compliment each other, you may collect information
data for your inquiries during the professional development time allotted at your school site, but
only if negotiated in advance with your cooperating teacher. A more detailed description and
rubric will be distributed for the above inquiries well in advance of the due dates.
Course Assessment & Grading
Your grade in this course is based on a total of 100 points:
• Participation:
20 points
• Inquiry One:
10 points
• Inquiry Two:
40 points
• Inquiry Three: 30 points
General grading expectations for the quality of your work are as follows:
Course GPA General Description of Quality
95-100 4.0 Outstanding, exemplary work. Uses and integrates readings, classroom
pts.
discussions, and teaching experiences (where appropriate) to inform the
writing/activity. Meets all the requirements of the assignment, is deeply
thoughtful, and provides many details and examples to support the assignment.
No errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling.
90-94 3.5 High quality work. Uses many readings, classroom discussions, and teaching
pts.
experiences (where appropriate) to inform the writing/activity. Meets all the
requirements of the assignment, is thoughtful, and provides some details and
examples to support ideas. Very few errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling.
Table 3 - Grading Rubric

Table 3 (cont’d).
85-89
pts.

3.0

Good quality work, performing at expected level for this course. Uses some
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readings, classroom discussions, and teaching experiences (where appropriate)
to inform the writing/activity. Meets all the requirements of the assignment,
shows attempt to engage with purposes of assignment, provides some details

80-84
pts.

2.5

Work below expected level of quality for the TE program. Makes vague
references or inappropriate references to relevant readings, class discussions,
and teaching experiences to inform writing/assignment. Does not meet all
requirements of assignment. Limited attempt to engage with purposes of
assignment, few details and examples to support ideas. Many errors in
grammar, punctuation, spelling.
75-79 2.0 Significantly below expected level of quality. Shows little evidence of
pts.
having read course readings, of uses of classroom discussions, or of internship
experiences. Meets few of the requirements of the assignment. Significantly
below expected level of quality.
Table 3 - Grading Rubric
Course Expectations & Policies
Attendance: You must attend all course sessions as listed on the syllabus. Regular on-time
attendance and full participation in class is critical to learning. Of course, illness and other
emergencies cannot be avoided. If you are unable to attend a class session, you must call or email
me in advance. A pattern of arriving late and leaving early is regarded as an absence. In
accordance with the Teacher Preparation Program’s Professional Conduct Policy, attendance and
punctuality in class meetings and field experiences are critical to your success in this course and
in the Program. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the policy that is in your
Team Handbook (and on the web: http://edweb3.educ.msu.edu/infostu/infostu/conductpolicy.htm ). I reserve the right to adjust your grade as
a response to absences or excessive tardiness. In the case of recurring absences or tardiness, your
Team Coordinator will be notified and you may be required to attend a meeting regarding your
attendance. More than two absences in class may result in a failing grade for the course.
Turning in Assigned Work: Assignments are due as indicated on the course schedule.
Conflicts with an assignment deadline should be discussed and resolved before the
assignment’s due date. If you are absent on the day an assignment is due and do not make
other arrangements to get the assignment to me, it will be considered late. I reserve the right to
deduct points from late assignments.
Collaboration: You may co-plan your Guided Lead Teaching Unit and lessons with another
intern at your grade level. This allowance mirrors what practicing teachers often do. If you elect
to do so, you would each still turn in separate written products. Additionally, you should attach a
log with activities, dates and times describing outlining the tasks each person completed. Lastly,
you should submit a one-page memo on what the collaborative process was like.
Confidentiality: Your school setting and experiences are an important part of your learning and
you will be discussing them in this course. Just as teachers are expected to respect the privacy
and dignity of the children and families with whom they work, so you are expected to use
discretion. In casual conversations or social situations, do not relate stories from classrooms or
schools that may be embarrassing to teachers or students or that include sensitive information
about a child or family. When discussing classroom situations in class, do so carefully.
Information of a sensitive nature, including the names of students, should never be shared in
class. As well, we need to be respectful and thankful to the collaborating teachers, who have
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generously opened up their teaching practices to you. While it is important to learn how to
analyze and critique our own teaching practices and those of others, we also need to make an
effort to understand the complexity of the decisions that teachers make and the reasons for
making decisions that we might disagree with. Mask the name of a student on any written or
visual work shared in class or used in an assignment. When discussing teaching practice you
have observed in your internship, be mindful of maintaining a tone of professional courtesy. The
confidentiality of the children and their families must be maintained at all times.
Photographs, Videotapes, Audio Tapes: Always ask permission of the classroom teacher to make
photographs, videotapes, or audiotapes of students. Occasionally there are circumstances that
require a student’s whereabouts to be kept secret and photographs may not be allowed. Some
schools and districts require written permission from parents/guardians for taking any
photographs, videotapes, or audiotapes. Be sure to check with the classroom teacher on what is
needed.
Religious Holidays: According to university policy, no one will be penalized for missing class due
to a religious holiday. However, please notify me ahead of time so that I will know why you are
absent, and we can make arrangements for you to make up missed work.
Incomplete Grades: It is MSU policy that when special or unusual circumstances occur, the
instructor may postpone assignment of the student’s final grade in a course by use of an IIncomplete. The I-Incomplete may be given only when: The student (a) has completed at
least 12 weeks of the semester, but is unable to complete the class work because of illness or
other compelling reason; and (b) has done satisfactory work in the course; and (c) in the
instructor’s judgment can complete the required work without repeating the course.
Academic Honesty and Integrity: I assume that each student is honest and that all course work
and examinations represent the student’s own work. Violations of the academic integrity policy
such as cheating, plagiarism, selling course assignments or academic fraud are grounds for
academic action and/or disciplinary sanction as described in the university’s student conduct
code. Incidents of plagiarism are taken very seriously and will be pursued. You are strongly
cautioned not to copy any text verbatim on class projects without using appropriate quotations
and source citations. Note that all material obtained from the Internet must be properly credited
with the URL and date retrieved. For University regulations on academic dishonesty and
plagiarism, refer to: http://www.vps.msu.edu/SpLife/rule32.htm
Regarding Handicaps: Students who have special needs and require accommodations in testing or
aspects of course-taking should speak to me as soon as possible. You can also request
information and support by calling the Office of Programs for Handicapped Students at 353-9642
or accessing the website at http://www.msu.edu/unit/ophs/.
Counseling Center: We all may face situations and problems that we find difficult to deal with by
ourselves. LAET’s instructors or cluster leaders may be able to help. MSU also has an Office of
Student Affairs and Services, with a Counseling Center, for which the phone number is 355-8270.
The Center is at 207 Student Services Building.
Alcohol and Illegal Drugs: The University Drug and Alcohol Policy will be enforced. This
policy prohibits the possession or use of illegal drugs and alcoholic beverages in classes and field
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placements. Students are expected to be free of the influence of such substances in classes and
field placements.
Writing Center: Teachers are models and coaches of writing for their students, and must
communicate effectively in writing with colleagues, parents, and others. For those reasons,
interns are expected to write effectively and conventionally. If you need more help in meeting
those expectations than you can get from me or your colleagues, try the College’s
Date

Topics and Professional Development
Activities

Sept
10

GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND
THE COURSE: Demo/Walk of ANGEL,
syllabus, Wiki; Leading into Genre Writing
through Oral Discourse and Artifacts
NARRATIVE WRITING
HOW CHILDREN CHANGE AS WRITERS
Students submit their short stories, their own
“solved Mysteries of Harris Burdick”
http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/davidc/6c_files/docum
ents/mysteries/divmysteries.htm
INQUIRY 1- My Internship Context
Sept. SUPPORTING WRITING DEVELOPMENT OF
17
STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Sept. HOW DOES GENRE INFLUENCE WRITING
24
INSTRUCTION?
READING, WRITING AND TEACHING
POETRY

Readings and/or Assignments
Due
Bring in an artifact that has a
certain significance for you---for
any reason. . . something that
stirs up a memory or moment that
you may want to write about.

Peruse current issue of Language
Arts; Read Troia, G. & Graham,
S. (2003). Complete online
reading and writing by 9:00pm
All read Chapman (1999) and
Cahnmann (2006) articles.
Cahnmann is in your copy of
Language Arts. Grades K-2
interns read:Kovalcik, B., &
Certo, J.L. (2007).
Grades 3-5 interns read: Certo,
J.L. (2004).
PROJECT DUE:
My Internship Context

Table 4 - Tentative Schedule
Table 4 (cont’d)
Oct. 1

EXPOSITORY WRITING
WRITING IN THE CONTENT AREA
WRITING CONFERENCES
Looking ahead to Guided Lead Teaching (The
Literacy Unit Plan)

246

Read Keene and Zimmerman-Chapters
1-3 - Audiotape and transcribe a short
writing conference with a student. Bring
a transcript of the conference, and his or
her pre- and post-writing sample.

Oct. 8

COMPREHENSION INSTRUCTION
LITERATURE-BASED DISCUSSION MODELS:
IMPLEMENTATION AND ASSESSMENT
-What we know about reading comprehension
-How to scaffold and support students’ discussions of
text
GEARING UP FOR GUIDED LEAD TEACHING
What to Try “New” in Guided Lead Teaching
THINK-ALOUD OF A LITERACY UNIT PLAN

Finish Keene and Zimmerman.
Choose 1 article on reading
comprehension or facilitating
discussions: McIntyre (2007) Story
discussion in the prim. grades:
Balancing authenticity and explicit
teaching; Berne & Clark (2008)
Focusing Literature Discussion Groups
on Comp. Strategies; Read Duke &
Pearson (2002) Effective Practices

Stahl
Oct. 15

LITERATURE-BASED DISCUSSION MODELS:
Try out some of the strategies presented
IMPLEMENTATION AND ASSESSMENT
in Keene and Zimmerman and come
Issues in reading motivation and engagement
prepared to class to discuss them.
*Oct. 20 is NCTE’s National Day on Writing:
Work on Literacy Unit Plans
http://www.ncte.org/dayonwriting
Skim Boyd-Bardstone (2004)
WORK ON UNIT PLANS
Oct. 22
30-MINUTE SMALL-GROUP MEETINGS with
PROJECT DUEpeers and Janine for Feedback on Literacy Unit Plan; Advanced Draft of Try Something
Use remaining morning for working on your unit plan, New: The Literacy Unit Plan
tech support, gathering materials, visiting library,
perusing additional books and teacher resources from
my library, etc.
Oct.29Nov.12 Guided Lead Teaching- Class Does Not Meet
Janine and Justin visit schools
Stay connected to each other and Janine via the Intern Lounge and/or email
Nov. 19
ANALYSIS OF STUDENT ARTIFACTS AND
Write a paragraph for each focus student
DATA FROM LITERACY UNIT PLAN
in which you summarize what you know
s/he can do in relation to your Literacy
Unit Plan. Bring artifacts to class from
your teaching that help you determine
what students learned.
Table 4 - Tentative Schedule
Table 4 (Cont’d)
Nov.
19

ANALYSIS OF STUDENT ARTIFACTS AND
DATA FROM LITERACY UNIT PLAN

Write a paragraph for each focus
student in which you summarize
what you know s/he can do in
relation to your Literacy Unit
Plan. Bring artifacts to class from
your teaching that help you
determine what students learned.
Nov.26
Thanksgiving Holiday
Dec. 3 TEACHERS AS WRITERS WORKSHOP
PROJECT DUE247

Revision of Try Something New:
The Literacy Unit Plan
This is an example of a
“Teaching Tips” article from The
Reading Teacher:
Read Fischbaugh (2004) Using
Book Talks to Promote High
Level Questioning Skills
Work on Professional Writing
PROJECT DUE MONDAYDEC. 14 Professional Writing

Dec.
LITERACY INTERN CONFERENCE
10
Table 4 - Tentative Schedule

APPENDIX B: Project One Rubric
Project One: My Internship Context
What do I need to know about my community, school district, school and classroom? What
curriculum, instruction and assessment materials are available in my teaching context classroom
in order to plan instruction that is responsive to my students’ learning needs?
Overview
A key part of developing one’s professional practice is developing a useful approach to learning
about curriculum and instruction and organizing information so it is readily accessible as you plan
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and teach. This project is designed to support you as you learn about your internship context, get
to know the students in your classroom as literacy learners, and plan for guided lead teaching.
For this project, you will be responsible for gathering information on literacy resources, programs
and assessments in your unique context. You are encouraged to work with a peer in your same
school and grade level and to talk with your CT about this. You must keep your own meticulous
notes and records and organizing them in a way that is useful to you as a professional. You might
decide to keep a loose-leaf notebook or a series of electronic files with documents containing a
combination of texts or charts, or you might decide to develop a wholly electronic resource (such
as a website or wiki). The form and format you use to organize your information are up to you!
These materials will be helpful to you as you progress into the internship and prepare for guided
lead teaching. You will bring this project to class and share your findings with your colleagues.
Your participation in this project will be 10 points, based on whether you complete the activities
on time, bring your information in an organized form to class. Remember that it is important to
share your ideas thoughtfully with colleagues, and support your colleagues’ learning.
Literacy Resources
Think of a resource as a source of information, support or expertise. Find out about the resources
at your disposal in the classroom, building, district, and community. This part of your inquiry
will involve talking to your CT and contacting other professionals in the building, as well as
finding out about district and community resources. Provide information about both physical
resources (e.g., book sets, posters, storage options, technology hardware and software, computer
labs, “book” rooms) and human resources (e.g., librarian, reading consultant, community
members). Be creative in your thinking and add to your list throughout the year as you learn
about new options.
For each item you list, provide the following information:
•
What/Who is the resource?
•
Where is it/he/she located?
•
How can you access the resource?
•
How can this resource be used/helpful in a variety of grade levels and subject matters?
Literacy Program(s) in the Classroom
A program particularly focuses on learning curriculum, which often collectively describes the
teaching, learning, and assessment materials available to you and your students. Literacy
programs are a large part of literacy instruction in today’s classrooms. While you are responsible
for fulfilling district and building expectations, it is important to remember that you teach
students, not programs. For this reason, you need to analyze and understand the literacy
program(s) used in your classroom and ensure that you are meeting both the demands of the
program and the needs of your students. Again, this is an excellent opportunity for a critical
conversation with your CT and relevant others.
Include the following information in your summary:
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a. Instructional Models:
•Identify the instructional models used in your classroom and describe how they work (e.g.,
guided reading, book club, literature circles, reading/writing workshop). Name any programs
and/or resources affiliated with those models.
•What other grades in your school use the instructional models listed?
b. Instructional Resources: What are the main programs and resources used for literacy
instruction in your classroom (e.g., basal reader, leveled book sets, centers, classroom library,
writing corner, spelling program)?
c. Literacy Schedule:
•Outline a weekly schedule that illustrates when/where literacy is taught (or include a longer time
period if a one week schedule does not fully represent your program)
•Indicate approximately how much time is spent for each component of the literacy program.
d. Analysis of Literacy Program(s): Michigan’s Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs)
outline the content that should be included in the curriculum at each grade level in four broad
areas: Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening & Viewing.
•Download the GLCEs for your grade level. Consider the content outlined for your grade level in
each of the four areas and the literacy schedule for a typical week in your classroom. Create a
chart that indicates the topic area(s) that receive the most and least emphasis in a typical week,
and indicate when during a typical week students have opportunities to learn that content.
Topic areas that receive the most emphasis in a typical week and indicate when during a typical
week students have opportunities to learn that content
Topic areas that receive the least emphasis in a typical week and indicate when during a typical
week students have opportunities to learn that content
Reading
Writing
Speaking
Listening & Viewing
•For any topic areas that you find to be under-represented in the literacy program, brainstorm
ideas regarding how it could be addressed as part of the existing program.
e. Literacy Across the Curriculum: For each subject area below, indicate whether and how
reading, writing, speaking, listening, representing & viewing are incorporated:
•
Science
•
Social studies
•
Mathematics

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Literacy Assessments
Just as children are naturally curious about the world around them, teachers are naturally curious
about the students they teach. They want to know all about the students’ home background,
interests, prior experiences, skills, and so on because it helps them design instruction that is
responsive to the learners in their classrooms. Gather assessment information that will help you
make instructional decisions and develop lesson plans that appropriately scaffold your students’
learning.
1) To begin your pre-assessment process, you will identify three students whose literacy
development you will investigate. This will help you get an idea of the range of literacy
development among students in your chosen target area. Think about the range of characteristics
present in your classroom—ability, special needs, language variation, socio-economic or cultural
variation—and which of these you have already noticed in the early weeks of your internship.
Talk with your CT about what s/he has been noticing about individuals in your class. Take notes
about each child in which you explain why you selected him/her and what you want to learn
about this child as a literacy learner; develop questions that relate specifically to the child’s
characteristics (e.g., If the student is an English language learner, what, in particular, is important
for you to learn in relation to your target area?).
2) Collect one or more writing samples from your focus students and bring them to class. We
will examine them in grade level groups during class.
3) Based on the Chapman (1999) article, take notes on the different types of writing all students
in your classroom engage in throughout the school day:
•
classroom workplace
•
across the curriculum
•
in language arts
Identify Additional Assessments: Now that you have learned about your focus students through
taking anecdotal records and studied writing samples, you are ready to round out your
understanding of them by collecting additional information.
Specifically, find out:
• What literacy measures are required in your school and your grade level?
• What standardized measures (e.g., Qualitative Reading Inventory [QRI], running record) are
being used to assess students in your classroom?)
• What types of conferences and/or observations of performances serve as assessments?
• Who are key resource people who can help you understand your focus students as literacy
learners?

251

252

APPENDIX C: First On-line assignment (directions)
Part A

Start here: Tell us (in a paragraph or two) what experiences, questions, and/or concerns you have
regarding guiding the writing of students with special needs.

Part B

Tell us if/how (in 800-1000 words) your thinking has changed in light of reading the Troia
article, Powerpoint and/or experiences in this module.

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APPENDIX D: Five Problem Areas – Power Point
Slide 1
Struggling Writers
Guest Instructor:
For individual use only. Please do not copy or redistribute.
Slide 2
Structure and overview of Struggling Writers Module
• Generally, the presentation will advance from slide to slide on its own
– You can use the buttons to the right to pause or navigate through the presentation.
• Many writing strategies are referred to throughout the presentation. These strategies are
further explained in the Appendix at the end of the presentation.
• Outline of presentation – Five problem areas for struggling writers – Assistive technology –
Other resources – Appendix
Slide 3
As a writer, I want to effectively convey my intended message...
• Juggle multiple goals (low-level and high-level)
• Monitor and regulate writing strategies and skills
– Plan what (content) and how (form) I’m going to write
– Consider my audience
– Chose the most appropriate words and sentence structures
– Organize a coherent composition – Revise previously written text to more closely match my
intended message
• Throughout my writing process, I must remain attentive and motivated!
Slide 4
Examples of writing skills
• Low-level writing skills
– Handwriting and spelling
– Sentence construction (e.g., capitalization, punctuation, subject-verb agreement)
– Vocabulary (words used in composition)
• High-level or higher order writing skills – Planning - Revising – Organization and coherence
Slide 5
Five Problems for Writers
• Developing writing fluency • Generating content • Organizing structure for compositions •
Formulating goals and higher level plans • Revising text and reformulating goals
Slide 6
Developing writing fluency
• Rapid formation of letters and words (handwriting)
• Automatic retrieval of how to spell words
• Knowledge of correct punctuation, capitalization, and sentence syntactic (e.g., grammar) rules
• Efficient word and idea retrieval
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Slide 7
Developing fluency in mechanical aspects of writing
• Students who have poor writing fluency may exhibit the following characteristics:
– Composition • Many spelling errors • Overly large or cramped handwriting • Poor
capitalization, punctuation, and/or sentence syntax • Fewer words written • Few or simple
ideas • Simple or less diverse vocabulary • Many repeated ideas
– Behavior or skills • Slow or illegible handwriting • Difficulty getting started • “I don’t know
what to write!”
• Difficulties with any of the above can significantly interfere with higher order composing
processes
Slide 8
Writing Activities
• Next, I present three writing activities that emphasize the importance of developing writing
fluency
• For these activities, you will need a writing utensil (pen or pencil, not keyboard!) and paper
• The slides are automatically timed, so you do not need to advance through the slides.
• You will be presented with a writing topic and directions for writing.
• You will have a few seconds to read and understand your task before the writing activity
begins.
• Each writing activity lasts for 3 minutes. Once you are directed to stop, cease writing
immediately. You do not need to complete your sentence or thought.
Slide 9
Activity #1
Write for 3 minutes about your ideal summer vacation.
Slide 10
Start
Slide 11
Stop
Slide 12
Activity #2
• Write for 3 minutes about your favorite winter activity.
– Use your non-dominant hand to write
• Don’t forget about the NEW punctuation and capitalization rules:
– Place a comma after every fifth word – Capitalize every seventh word – Place a period
after every verb
Slide 13
Start
Slide 14
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Stop
Slide 15
Activity #3
• Write for 3 minutes about a favorite memory involving family or friends.
• Every one syllable noun must be changed to a 2+ syllable noun
– Instead of: One day I went to visit a friend. – Write: One afternoon I went to visit an
acquaintance. – Pronouns do not have to be changed.
Slide 16
Start
Slide 17
Stop
Slide 18
Reflecting on the activities
• Count and record the number of words you wrote for each writing sample
• Which sample had the highest number of words? the lowest?
• Which sample was the most difficult? Why? • Using your cognitive resources...
– What were you thinking about during each writing activity?
– In each activity, were you using your cognitive resources to attend to more low-level or highlevel skills?
– How did this affect the quality of each writing task?
Slide 19
Summarizing the importance of writing fluency
• What is working memory?
• Automatization of low-level writing skills frees up working memory and other cognitive
resources so that the writer can attend to higher order writing processes
• Experiences from the writing activities
Slide 20
Strategies for helping students improve the mechanical aspects of writing
• Teach handwriting AND keyboarding (when students are old enough) skills
• Characteristics of effective handwriting instruction; emphasize:
– correct grasp
– paper positioning
– letter formation and spacing
– comparing a letter with other letters, tracing letters, copying letters, and writing letters from
memory
– judicious review and feedback once a letter form is acquired
– self-monitoring and evaluation of performance
Slide 21
Characteristics of effective spelling instruction
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• Spelling instruction should emphasize
– words that are already used and misspelled by children
– those words most likely to be used in their writing
– common orthographic patterns
– word study techniques
– application of spelling knowledge through analogy
– proofing
– external aids
– weekly pretests and posttests of spelling lists that include pattern words, self-selected words,
and frequently misspelled words
- study of only those words that are missed on pretests
Slide 22
Resources to learn more about writing fluency
• Many articles on spelling – http://www.readingrockets.org/article/c43/
• Why handwriting is still important – http://www.newsweek.com/id/67956?GT1=10547
• Effective handwriting instruction (struggling students-elementary)
– http://kc.vanderbilt.edu/casl/casl2.pdf • Effective spelling instruction (struggling studentselementary) – http://kc.vanderbilt.edu/casl/casl9.pdf
Slide 23
Generating content
• Students may – Have difficulty generating ideas – Have trouble selecting topics – Lack
strategies for producing content
• These students tend to
– Complain they don’t know what to write about
– Write about the same topics over and over
– Produce short compositions with familiar/simple and repetitive vocabulary and ideas
Slide 24
Helping students with generating content
• Prompt students to write more – Have students set goals for the amount written, and have
them track their progress – Appendix
• Use planning supports to generate content, ideas, and vocabulary before writing
– Appendix
• Support and scaffold how to – Brainstorm ideas and content
– Select an appropriate topic – Write outside of comfort zone
Slide 25
Organizing structure for compositions
• Students may
– Lack strategies for organizing text
– Lack understanding of recurring text patterns or structures
• These students tend to – Have poorly organized and incoherent
compositions – Skip from topic to topic in their writing – Omit text structure elements in writing

257

Slide 26
Helping students learn organization structure of writing
• Use planning supports to organize content and ideas before writing
– Appendix
• Use revising supports to ensure a coherent organization structure in future revisions
– Appendix • Link text structures in reading and writing
Slide 27
Formulating goals and higher level plans
• Students may – Lack consideration of goals or purpose of writing task
– Lack the ability to select relevant ideas to meet goals – Lack planning and prewriting
strategies – Be unaware of audience or audience needs
• These students tend to
– Engage in little or no advanced planning
– Structure their prewriting or planning as first draft writing
– Ignore the formulation, prioritization, or modification of writing goals
– Ignore audience considerations while writing
Slide 28
• Advanced plan is first draft
Slide 29
• Teach students planning and prewriting strategies
– Appendix • Encourage students to set goals for their writing
– Appendix • Write for a variety of authentic audiences
– Explicitly teach and discuss audience considerations • Write for a variety of authentic
purposes
Slide 30
Strategies to improve content generation, understanding of organizational structures, advanced
planning, and goal setting
– Explicitly teach and discuss the goals and purposes of writing
• Narrative – WWW, What = 2, How = 2
– Story grammar map
– – SPACE LAUNCH
• Expository
– POWER
– DARE TO DEFEND
– – TREE
Slide 31
Revising text and reformulating goals
• Students may
– Lack strategies for revising text
– Have trouble detecting mismatches between intended ideas and written ideas

258

– Have limited ability to evaluate text from the reader’s perspective – Lack ability to change
goals as needed
• These students tend to – Emphasize mechanics over content when revising – Change words
rather than considering overall composition – Ignore coherence and organization problems
when revising – Skip revising altogether!
Slide 32
Strategies for helping students with revising text
COPS
SCAN
COLA (expository and persuasive text)
SEARCH
C-D-O
Slide 33
Assistive Technology in Writing
Slide 34
Guiding principles for assistive technology (Zabala, 1992)
1. The primary goal of assistive technology is the enhancement of capabilities and the removal
of barriers to performance.
2. Assistive technology can be a barrier.
3. Assistive technology may be applicable to all disability groups and in all phases of
education.
4. Assistive technology is related to function, rather than to a specific disability.
5. The least complex intervention needed to remove barriers to performance should be a first
consideration.
6. Assessment and intervention form a continuous, dynamic process.
7. Systematic problem analysis and solving are essential.
8. Assistive technology does not eliminate the need for instruction in social and academic skills.
9. A team approach is required. 10. Careful planning and instruction reduce assistive
technology abandonment
1. http://www.cenmi.org/uploaded/2004/APR/21368183837_AbandonAT.pdf
Slide 35
More on AT
• Assistive technology writing tools: – http://www.schwablearning.org/articles.aspx?r=1084 –
http://www.cited.org/index.aspx?page_id=108
• AT ideas for writing – http://www.pluk.org/Pubs/AT_ideas_106k.pdf
• Microsoft Word tools – http://www.cenmi.org/MITS/uploaded/2006/MAR/
7292572923_DiffMSW.pdf
– http://www.cenmi.org/uploaded/2004/APR/ 21322623841_MSWordTools.pdf
Slide 36
Other Internet Resources
• Several articles about struggling writers
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– http://www.readingrockets.org/article/c37/
– http://www.k8accesscenter.org/index.php/category/ language-arts/writing/
• Strategy for teaching expository essays –
http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/pow/chalcycle.htm
• Self-regulated Strategy Development (many genres)
http://kc.vanderbilt.edu/casl/srsd.html
Slide 37
Parting thoughts...
• Struggling writers often are unable to demonstrate what they know. At the secondary level,
many struggling writers cannot convey their learning and knowledge through writing, but it
doesn’t mean they haven’t learned!
• Struggling writers often lack motivation. Writing is difficult; therefore, they don’t write much,
and their writing skills fail to improve at an expected rate.
• Identifying the underlying cause or causes of writing difficulties is the first step to helping
struggling writers.
Slide 38
The end!
Questions, comments, or ideas? Please feel free to contact me at ....
Slide 39
Appendix
• Strategies referred to earlier are listed alphabetically
• Included strategies – C-D-O – COLA – COPS – DARE TO DEFEND – POWER – SCAN
– SEARCH – SPACE LAUNCH – Story grammar map – TREE – WWW, What=2,How=2
Slide 40
C-D-O
Slide 41
COLA
Slide 42
COPS
• Capitalization: First names and proper nouns
• Overall appearance: Check handwriting and neatness
• Punctuation: End punctuation and within sentence punctuation
• Spelling: Identify words that may be misspelled
Slide 43
DARE TO DEFEND
Slide 44
POWER
• Plan • Organize • Write • Edit • Revise
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• For examples of think sheets (and many other great adaptations for writing, see:
http://www.k8accesscenter.org/accessinaction/ documents/EARLYwritingADAPTATIONS.pdf
Slide 45
SCAN (persuasive text)
• Steps
– Read your composition
– Find the sentence that tells what you believe-Is it what you believe?
– Add two more reasons why you believe it
• SCAN each sentence – Does it make sense? – Is it connected to my belief? – Can I add
more? – Note errors
• Make your changes
Slide 46
SEARCH
Slide 47
Space Launch
Slide 48
Space Launch (cont)
Slide 49
Score Card for Story
Slide 50
Story Grammar Map
Setting (Characters, Time, Place)
Problem
Response
Outcome
Conclusion
Slide 51
TREE (Persuasive writing)
• Topic sentence: Tell what you believe
• Reasons: Three or more
• Examples: Why do I believe this? Will my readers believe this?
• Ending: Wrap it up! • View sample lessons for how to teach
TREE within a SRSD model:
– http://kc.vanderbilt.edu/casl/powtree.html
Slide 52
WWW What=2, How=2
• Who are the main characters?
• Where does the story take place?
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When does the story take place?
What do the main characters want to do?
What happens next?
How does the story end?
How does the main character feel?
View sample lessons for how to teach WWW, What=2, How=2 within a SRSD model:
http://kc.vanderbilt.edu/casl/powwww.html

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APPENDIX E: Personal Introduction to LIT 800 (transcript)
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We have, joining us today, Paula Hunt. This is Paula, who is a doctoral student in
Special Education and she is towards her last year
Well, this will be my last year
and looking at doing her dissertation. What I find interesting about Paula, and I really
like, is I’m very interested in problems of new teachers and how the people in their lives
work to be responsive to their problems, whether a field instructor, or a cooperative
teacher, or a course instructor, she has a very similar interest but in the context of
differentiation and special education. And also, Paula, like myself, spends a lot of time in
schools so we have had some interesting conversations. And so, what I have asked Paula
to do, in light of the Special Education module that you will participated in a few weeks
ago, I thought it would be helpful, and it would work in the context of talking about
Expository Writing, to have her come in and actually share with you some really cool
research that is going on right here at MSU with Carol Sue Englert, Cindy Okolo and
others related to the ACCEL project which, in a sense combines differentiation, the field
of special education, with expository writing. So, I think that what she’s gonna share with
you, hum, you might get some ideas to translate into your practice, hum, certainly this
year and all of the kids will be involved in reading and writings exposition so it should be
useful. And then Paula is going to actually see if there are a few of you, she’s going to be
working with us and joining us in class, which I love. I love having other colleagues in
the room with me, teaching because I think it makes it a little bit more exciting for me,
but also for you to hear a different voice . Hum, she’s gonna see if there are a few of you
interested in working a little bit more closely with her, with her research. So, Paula, it
seems like it is yours, the first half-hour or so. Welcome, thank you for coming.
Thank you! Thank you very much! This is very cool. I, hum, I have not been on campus
for about a year now, and I certainly miss being around new teachers, because I think of
all you guys as new teachers, hum, I’ve taught TE 250 for 3 semesters which I am sure
most of you have taken, I have also taught CEP 240 which is the special education
introductory course, so I am very, very pleased to be back to a room full of novice
teachers. This is very, very cool. I, hum, I was born and raised in Portugal, I guess you
guys can tell I have an accent, which I cannot hear but everyone else seems to hear. I
lived in Portugal until I was 25 years old, and my initial teacher certification was actually
done in Portugal. Teacher certification in Europe is totally different that in the United
States; we start with Practicum, or internship in our second semester, and then we are
supposed to intern across K-12. So regardless of whatever grade level we go into, we
have to intern in the grade before and the grade after. So because I was going to, my
interest was Visual Arts so that was my initial certification, and I was interested in
teaching seventh and eigth grade, I actually interned in every grade level from
Kindergarten through seventh grade, and then I interned in ninth grade because that was
the year after mine. In Portugal, at the time, when I was going through school, hum, there
were no kids with disabilities. I mean, as far as I knew, they didn’t exist, because they
were not in schools. I never saw them. I mean, I had neighbors that, hum, I had two kid
neighbors that had Down’s Syndrome, so I knew that children with disabilities existed, I
just didn’t see them at my school. There was no such thing as Special education. We
didn’t talk about it, we didn’t learn about it, we didn’t learn any of the intricacies of
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teaching children with difficulties. When I moved to the United States, and I moved to
the United States because I came on vacation and met my husband, and ended up moving
to the United States, I decided that since I had to go back to school, because out of my
entire certification I only, they would only give me the equivalency of a bachelors degree,
I thought “If I have to go back to school, I’ll go into Special Ed”. Because it was
something that was entirely different for me. I knew that those kids were out there
somewhere. I mean, they had to be somewhere. They were my neighbors and so I knew
they had to be going to school somewhere, so I went into special education and my entire
idea was that, kids with special needs were in special schools because that was where
they belonged. And that those special schools actually had everything that they needed to
be able to teach these kids. Well, as things turned out I have been teaching 16, almost 17
years and I have gone 180 degrees. I have taught in 6 different states in the United States,
I have taught everything K through twelve in special education, from resource room
which is probably the most current setting, up to residential programming which means
that a kid is actually in a residential facility somewhere, and it’s my firm belief that every
teacher can teach every kid. In my department I am what many people here in the College
of Ed, in the special education department call an inclusionist, which is something that
we don’t necessarily talk about very much, but a full inclusionist is someone that believes
that every child has a place in a regular neighborhood school, so that there is absolutely
no need to have a child with a disability in a segregated setting. So having done my 180
degrees, when I first came to MSU, I figured that my place would be in the special
education department. And so my degree is from Special education. Again, I was wrong,
yet again, which I am by now getting used to, (laughs) and I decided that I was going to
focus on general education teachers, because that is really my interest; it’s how is that
you all, once you become teachers, and you have a child with a disability in your
classroom, and you will have one, there’s no way around that, how is it that you manage
to do the work that you are expected to considering that most of you have no experience
in special ed., you have no experiences with children with differences and you are not
taught specifically how to put that all together. It doesn’t matter, it doesn’t make a
difference. I mean, is there really some type of training that everybody needs to have, to
be able to teach children with disabilities. So that is the interest of my research. Hum, I
am, Hum, beginning my fifth year, I want to be done, (laughs) I will be done, eventually,
so the only think that I have left to do is my field work. Ha, my dissertation work evolves
around, not necessarily about special education, but it evolves around difference because
I think that a lot of the knowledge that we ask teachers initially (…) is not necessarily the
knowledge you need to have to work with children with disabilities but it is to work with
kids that somehow fall outside of the norm of your classroom, whatever that norm is. So
it doesn’t necessarily have to be the child that has a physical or mental disability, it can
just be the kid that, doesn’t look like the rest of the kids in your classroom, either because
he is on the high end or because he is on the low end. Either because they are, they have
fallen off the boat, you guys know what that is right? When you have a kid that has fallen
off the boat? The kid that comes to your classroom that knows nothing about English and
yet you have a fourth grader that all he speaks is French in your classroom, that has never
been to an American school and, all of a sudden, guess what: they’re your kids. So I am
not necessarily interested in what it is that you guys think about special education, even
thought that is supposedly my expertise, because that is what I have taught, it is what I
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have done for the last 16 years, and I think that a lot of what we learn in special education
is applicable across the board. The same way that I think that what we all learn about
general education is applicable to all kids. It’s just a question of making your brain work
that way. So what I am interested in finding out is, how is it that people that are having
their first experience in a school think about differences! Of all kinds. I am not going to
tell you what a difference is. It is up for you to find out. What it is that makes a difference
for you, for your classroom, and for your kids. So I know that you are looking at three
focal students, each one of you, right? So one of my first questions would be: why did
you pick the kids that you picked? I mean, how do you go about making that choice, of
having those 3 focal students that you have? So, really my research, and the point of my
research at which I would need your help, would be for me to get a – it would be – kinda
off making you a deal: I come here, I’m here with you all, I will, hum, engage in the
conversations that you’re having, and I will partake of whatever knowledge I have that
you think you might need; on the other hand, the three people that I would need to
participate in my research would give me access to, hum, their work, the work that you
do here, and the work that goes on inside your head. So, I, I am interested in knowing
how it is that you guys think about the things you think about, how is it that you go about
making the choices that you make; so let’s suppose that you are in a fourth grade
classroom and you have 25 kids. Once you start planning, your guided lead teaching, how
is it that you make the choices that you make. Sometimes we make choices that we have
no explanation for, other than “My CT told me to”, and then you may just find that what
you planned for and what you actually did in the classroom was totally different, and
what is it that made you make that move. There’s no right or wrong. There just is no right
or wrong in teaching. There is, however, a way in which we each think about teaching. I
would hope that by the end of my dissertation, what I have, would be, a little glimpse into
how people in their first semester of internship think, and hopefully that would help me,
field instructors, to maneuver around you to make sure that( …….) are not
insurmountable. Because I think that many times we see problems, we as field instructors
for example, see problems where you guys don’t see them, and you might just be able to
do something that you didn’t expect to do you, and we’ll be going “ Oh, I didn’t think
about that” because we’re used to thinking about the problems and not about the
solutions. All right? So, I have a consent for you guys to read through and, what I will do
is that I am on your Angel list of members, so I will give you the Informed Consent and
then I hope that does of you that are interested and would like to know more, can ask me
questions, today at break or after, and you can e-mail me and let me know if you have
questions, if you have concerns, hum, I don’t think that the portion of my, hum, intrusion
in your course would be giving you more work; hum, I think it will be quite interesting to
see how your heads function but, that is my interest not necessarily your interest. I do,
however, plan on working with those 3 people quite closely when you all are doing your
planning for your guided lead teaching. So if you have students that have specific needs,
hum, those are things that hopefully, having been in the field for 16 years, I would be
able to kinda help you maneuver through those. Do you have questions for me?
Comments?
(39:25) Well, I was, I don’t know if this is what your work is like or not but we’re a
school that prides itself on having, what is it, having kids from 50 countries, so we have,
we have a very diverse school. Ha, and so we embrace that, however, I have seen, I am
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kindergarten, and we have a couple of students that are right of the boat, hum, no English,
and no formal schooling, they’ve never been to school, this is their first experience. I
have not seen a whole lot of support for those students, and they are pulled for their
english classes like once a week (…) I just feel like they are being lost, you know (…)
and I feel like maybe what we’re doing instead of teaching (…) and when I try to talk to
him, he doesn’t understand me, he doesn’t speak any English, so it’s very difficult.
Hum, hum…
Do you want to say something?
The first couple of weeks is all fantastic so I (…) supported or not (…)
(…)
they’ve been told
yeah, but in order to participate (…)
(3 voices over each other)
I just, I guess my, my question would be, if you were not an intern, and you did not have
a CT, and you had no one to talk to, how would you go about managing?
And yeah, you know, that’s hard because the schools I’m used to being in there’s always
been an aide, in other words there was always two of us, and our school (…) yeah, you’re
the only person in the room with 25 kids.
And so then what do you do?
Hum, I believe that what I would do (…) have him sit by the teacher’s aide (…) he just
kinda follows along (…) I always thought they would have an aide. I don’t know if that
would help or hurt, I don’t know.
I don’t know! I mean you are the only person that is able to make that determination. Do
I think it’s a good idea? Yeah, but it may just as well not work. I am interested in finding
out how is it that you got to that point when you decided you needed a teacher’s aide, and
then how is it that you decide whether or not that’s working, and if it is not working, then
what do you do?
Right
There is also an entire set of institutional supports, which I think is what that you’re
talking about, that you do have in some schools and in some schools you don’t have, and
yet you don’t stop being a teacher because of that.
Right.
So how is it that you, first of all, learn what those supports are, whether or not they are
there; do you guys even know who the special ed. teacher is in your building?
Yeah
Do you know whether or not you have an ESL person in your building? Do you know
who the Title 1 person is? Do you know any of that? So when you walk into this
building, and you have this room full of kids, do you know what your support system is?
And I know that we talk a lot, in teacher education we talk a lot about collaboration, and
collaborative teaching, and finding out who your team is, what if you have a school
where you don’t have a team? You have a team of 1? And if you have a team of 1 then
what? The work is still there. You still have to find a way of doing the work. And do you
see yourself as a child advocate, as opposed to someone that just gives them worksheets,
then you have to set up your own system. These are things you do learn how to do
throughout the years but these are things that only work if you stay in the same school for
the entire time. Because if you are like me, and move 6 times in 16 years, one system in
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one place does not help you at all somewhere else. Or if you are in a school that has a
high rate of turn-over of staff, the people you are working with this year and not the
people that are with you next year. The way in which you make those choices is what I
am interested in. Truly, I am interested in how your brain works. Go ahead.
How are you going to select? Say you have nine
9 people?
Yeah
Toss a coin.
OK
My only criteria for this study is that I would like for the people that volunteer to NOT
have any experience either is special education or in kinesiology. That would be my only
criteria because I would like to be able to talk to people that have not had their brains
turned onto a certain way of doing things. That would be my only criteria. Besides that, I
don’t care what school you’re at, I don’t care how you do the things that you do, because
I truly believe that teachers can take all forms and we have, I work in a school in Taylor,
I am their special needs coordinator, we have 53 people on staff, I think, hum, we have 7
new teachers this year, 5 of which are first year teachers, and those five first year teachers
are all, they all come from very different places, in the ways they think about teaching.
So what I do with one person in one room is entirely different from what I do with
another person in another room. So, although you all are in the same place in your
program, I (…) So my only criteria for this would be that I would have no one with a
special education background. Hum, they idea would be that I would help you guys
through your planning, when I’m here, or via e-mail, or via phone, I would have 2
interviews, one right before you do your guided lead teaching and one before the end of
the semester just to know how it is that, how the guided lead teaching went, and 2 video
tapes: one that I would do of your guided lead teaching, and one that you would do
yourself, whenever you want to do it, however you wanna do it. SO those are the things I
would need from you. From me, the only thing I cannot give you is money. (laughs) First,
because I don’t have any, and second because the University wouldn’t let me. But,
besides that, my support is there for you.
Paula, just to clarify, the main focus of your dissertation is on understanding how, and the
process of teaching.
Absolutely
But if I chose to work with you and be a participant in your dissertation, would there also
be times where you would bring to me, actually, new ideas, new resources, new
instructional tools that I might not have asked and that, that other interns at MSU might
not have access to,
Absolutely
And then we could make a decision, have a conversation with you about it all, because
yes, it is complex, there is no one best system, but I also think that it is really helpful, you
are such a wealth of knowledge, to see a range or research-based strategies
Absolutely
and then, based on the student, the intern can pick and choose. That feels very
empowering.
It is all about their own interest.
So you don’t feel like it’s (…).
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So if we have someone that has, whose problem is that they speak no English, and then
we have someone who is a wheelchair and a respirator, and someone who, apparently,
has no difference whatsoever but for some reason you just cannot reach, those are 3 very
different students and 3 very different situations. I think that we tend to talk a lot about
things with big names, and pieces of research with big names, like differentiated
instruction, and response to intervention, and we make it sound like, these are really
complicated systems that only a very few number of people have access to and when you
break it down, these are done everyday in teaching, and everyone needs to be doing, and
should be doing, and everyone should learn how to do, we just give it a really fancyshmancy name so that we can have this whole body of research (…). This research can
be brought into the classroom, and it is a lot of what you guys already do here, you just
don’t necessarily are thinking in terms of students with differences. I read your posts,
from week 2
Week 2?
Yeah, on special education, and it is always really interesting to me to see how people
think about students with special needs because students with special needs are just
students; and so the one, the one picture in my mind was that, even though you all
mentioned problems of teaching writing, problems of writing for students with special
needs, that, those snippets that you gave in your postings, could have been any student
that doesn’t like to write, not necessarily a student with disabilities. I mean, you all like to
write, so to you it is something that comes very naturally and very easy but just because
you like to do it doesn’t mean that you can teach it; or it doesn’t mean that you can make
a kid that doesn’t like it, actually do it. So it really doesn’t matter if it is a kid with a
disability or not. It matters that he can’t write or that he doesn’t wanna write. In which
case, I mean, you can put whatever label you want on it, you can call it whatever you
want but the kid is still not gonna write if you don’t know how to get him there. It’s the
demystifying of the label. It’s the taking away the names we put on things, and just
looking at what is. (…)
So what is the next step then, the consent?
The consent form. The next step is that I will visit with you today, I’ll let you guys think
it over, ask me questions at break or at the end of class today, either take the consent
home with you if you need to think about it or if you just want to jump right in, I’m ready
to go. Because I am gonna get done. (laughs)
No pressure!
No pressure for me! Seriously, this is just a pleasure, to be here. I think that you guys are
gonna have a great time in your guided lead teaching, and it’s gonna be fun! I love
working with teachers so, you’ll get used to that!
Thank you Paula! It’s great to have you here. (51:23)

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Appendix F: Informed Consent Form
A study on the impact of instructionally relevant variation in the preparation of a new generation
of teachers: Teachers for ALL
Informed Consent
Principal Investigator: Paula Frederica Hunt
Contact Information: 408 S. Huron St., Ypsilanti, MI. 48197; (734) 635-3516;
Department Information: Michigan State University, College of Education, Department of
Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education; Dissertation Chair: Dr. Susan Peters
Please read the following thoroughly before agreeing to participate in this study
You are being asked to participate in a dissertation action-research study. This study is being
conducted by Paula Frederica Hunt, a doctoral candidate in the Counseling, Educational
Psychology and Special Education Department. You have been asked to participate in this study
because you are a prospective teacher in elementary general education at Michigan State
University, in your internship year.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to inquire into the spaces for inclusion/exclusion you
create, as they relate to the perceptions of instructionally relevant variation in both planning and
instructing. Instructionally relevant variations represent competencies and circumstance that
impact teaching and learning, and are critical in the preparation of Inclusive Educators.
Objective: The objective of the study is to offer insights and suggestions to interns, field
instructors, and Teacher Education program design teams.
Study Design: The risks associated with this study are minimal. There are no physical or
psychological risks associated with this study. You are being asked to participate in an actionresearch study that has the potential to impact the work you do this semester. One important
aspect of this study is the assumption that you have significantly important knowledge that is
essential to your own learning. This study will attempt to document how you produce that
knowledge. Therefore, this study’s progression and outcomes will depend on you and your
relationship and interactions with the researcher and the other study participants.
Risks: The risks associated with your participation in this study are the associated time
commitment. You are being asked to provide the researcher with:
access to (or copies of) all the written work produced in TE 802; permission to use all e-mail
correspondence between you; Furthermore, the researcher will conduct:
2 interviews - one before your guided lead teaching and one shortly before the end of the
semester, both to be audio-recorded;
2 observations of your guided lead teaching – both video-taped - one conducted by the researcher
and one by yourself;
Benefits: The benefits associated with the research are of two types:
Individual
Because the researcher will attend almost all TE 802 classes, you will have a chance to develop a
mentoring relationship with an experienced special education teacher, in addition to your
relationship with your course instructor;
Part of the research design is the creation of opportunities for you to request assistance/tools
from the researcher, tools that will be tailored to your specific areas of interest.
Universal
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Results from this study will provide the Teacher Education program at MSU with insights and
recommendations regarding how interns perceive, think about, and respond to instructionally
relevant variation. These recommendations may be utilized when designing a program of
Inclusive Educators, or to enhance the already existing courses.
Compensation: Throughout the study you will be provided with advice and pedagogical tools
to aid the planning and implementation of your Guided Lead Teaching. The pedagogical tools
will be tailored to your specific areas of interest, and provided directly to you by the researcher.
Upon completion of the study you will receive a “Certificate of Participation in ActionResearch” that you might include in your professional portfolio.
Voluntary participation: Please understand that your participation in this study is completely
voluntary. Your decision whether or not to participate will in no way affect your current or
future relationship with the researcher, your university, your school, your school's dean, its
faculty, staff, or fellow students. You have the right to withdraw from this study at any time
without penalty.
Confidentiality: It is anticipated that information from this study will be used in journal
publications, briefs, presentations, and other communication media. Information will be
presented in aggregated format so as not to identify your individual information. Furthermore,
information about you will be kept confidential to the maximum extent allowable by law through
the use of pseudonyms. Records and all interview/observation data will be kept confidential, and
will be kept for five years in a password-protected external hard-drive that is not connected to the
internet or any electronic network. The researcher, your TE 802 instructor, and the collaborating
teacher at your placement are the only individuals that know of your participation in the study.
However the researcher is the ONLY person with access to the data gathered throughout the
study.
If you have any questions or would like additional information about this study, please contact
the Principal Investigator, Paula Frederica Hunt at (734) 635-3516 or huntpaul@msu.edu, or the
Responsible Investigator, Dr. Susan Peters at (517) 432-1283 or speters@msu.edu.
If you have a question or concerns about your role and rights as a research participant, or would
like to register a complaint about this study, you may do so anonymously by contacting the MSU
Human Research Protection Program at (517) 355-2180 or e-mail irb@msu.edu.
Your signature below means that you voluntarily agree to participate in this study and you will
be given a copy of this consent to keep.
Signature
_______________________________
Date ___________________
This consent form was approved by the Social Science/Behavioral/Educational Institutional
Review Board (SIRB) at Michigan State University. Approved on___________ and valid
through _________________. IRB # _______________

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APPENDIX G: Project Two Rubric
TE 802 Project Two:
Designing for Learning
How will I/we design our curriculum and instruction so that students learn what they
need in order to become good literacy learners? How do I select and/or create appropriate
assessments so that I have evidence that my students have learned?
Overview
Discuss with your CT which portion of the literacy curriculum you will teach during guided lead
teaching. You are encouraged to select a portion of the curriculum that will enable you to try
something that is new to you (e.g., a particular approach to teaching such as conducting minilessons and conferences during readers/writers workshop; or facilitating discussion of children’s
literature during a thematic unit; or lessons that focus on the reading support that is provided
during content area instruction; or learning to teach a specific comprehension strategy as part of
guided reading).
Talk with your CT about your idea and locate resources that will help you plan for your teaching.
Think about these questions as you move forward. . .
• How will teaching in this target area contribute to your own professional learning?
• What resources do you have to work with this target area?
• What additional resources do you need to obtain?
• How will you pre-assess your focus students in your target area?
Now you are ready to design a series of lessons that we will refer to as a “unit.” The purpose of
this project is to guide and support you as you design, enact, assess, and reflect on your guided
lead teaching. Although the planning process is often presented as very organized and linear,
designing a unit is frequently an iterative process where teachers cycle back and forth as they
think about several questions, such as those listed below, and begin to make instructional
decisions. Think about or take notes on the following as you brainstorm ideas for your unit:
• What are my goals for the unit?
• What prior knowledge, skills and experiences do students bring to this unit that I can
build upon?
• What do I want students to be able to do by the end of the unit and what will they need to
know/learn to accomplish that?
• How will I know what students learn from the unit?
• What activities and resources are available to support my students’ learning?
• How will I make my expectations clear and scaffold my students’ learning?
• What will I need to do to facilitate learning and manage the various activities?
• How can I provide guided practice and independent practice prior to assessing students’
learning?
• What classroom norms are in place that will help my students participate and learn?
• What supports do individuals in my class need to participate fully and maximize their
learning?
• How can I differentiate the content, process, products and/or learning environment to
make accommodations for diverse learners?

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Teachers also need to develop written plans that outline the instructional decisions they make.
This process helps them articulate and refine their thinking, share ideas with colleagues for
feedback, revise their plans, and increase coherence.
The written requirements for this inquiry are organized into two parts
• Part A: Teaching Overview
• Part B: Daily Lesson Plans
• Part C: Unit Assessment Plan
Part A: Design a Teaching Overview
Design an overview for your unit that illustrates the big picture of your unit and sketches out the
broad details in a sequence of lessons. Include the following information in your Teaching
Overview chart (see p. 4 below):
• Determine your broad goals for the unit by identifying which of your previous Grade
Level Content Expectations (GLCEs) you will work toward. Keep in mind that these will
represent the domain you are working toward (reading, writing, speaking, listening or
viewing) and the level of proficiency you are working toward at your grade level.
• Develop a small, well chosen set of objectives that are attainable by the end of a 10lesson sequence. Your objectives should address the following characteristics and be
numbered so you can easily list them in your summary:
o Performance: States what a learner is expected to be able to do
o Conditions: Describes the conditions under which a student is able to do or
perform the task
o Criterion: If possible, clarifies how well the student must perform the task in
order for the performance to be acceptable
• Provide a summary of a two-week (or 10 day) lesson sequence that will help your
students meet your objectives for the unit. For each lesson on your chart, include the
following information:
o Date
o Lesson Objective #
o Instructional Format (e.g., a mini-lesson followed by small group activity; writing
conference; guided reading group)
o Ongoing assessment (What will you look for as you teach, and how will you use
that information to plan your next lesson?)
Part B: Develop Daily Lesson Plans
You will hand in for instructor feedback a set of daily lesson plans for three consecutive lessons
from your unit. (You will write complete plans for all of your lessons, which will be reviewed by
your field instructor and/or CT.) The overview and 3 daily lesson plans are due electronically at
least one week prior to teaching them during October/November. Talk with your course
instructor in advance if you need to follow a different time line. Feedback on these drafts will be
provided prior to the teaching of your lessons. It is expected that you will revise your three
consecutive lessons plans based on the feedback provided by course instructors, field instructors,
CTs, etc. After teaching the lessons and reflecting on how they went, you will also make notes on
your plans regarding what you would do differently in the future and why you think these
changes would improve learning opportunities for your students. You will turn the revised lesson
plans after guided lead teaching.

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Include the following elements in all lesson plans (please see the attached suggested template for
use in your planning) and write them in OUTLINE form (bullets or numbered items) so they are
easy to refer to as you are getting ready to teach and useful to you during your teaching:
1. Objective # this lesson focuses on
2. Materials – both for teacher and students
3. Estimated length of lesson
4. Opening – Used to preview the lesson, activate prior knowledge, pre-assess, build common
experiences, and/or motivate.
5. Procedures – Detailed description of the steps in the main body of your lesson. Please use
bullets or numbered items. Include words like instruct, model, demonstrate, scaffold, fade,
practice, apply. The format should be easy to refer to as you prepare for teaching and as you
teach your daily lessons, and provide a place for you to remind yourself of questions you
want to ask, important information you want to be sure to emphasize, and so on.
6. Social, academic, and linguistic support – Consider all diverse learners in your classroom
(ESL, special education, ADD, gifted, etc.). Include specific accommodations you plan to
make for your three focus students. For information regarding a range of ways to
differentiate instruction, access “Designing Lessons for Diverse Learners” in our course
pack.
7. Assessment – Make sure this matches both your objective(s) and the procedures.
• For most daily plans you will identify “ongoing” assessments that will help you gauge
the students’ learning as you implement the lesson plan and once the lesson is completed.
Specifically, identify what you will look for and how you will use what you are learning
to inform your next steps.
• You will also indicate which day(s) you will implement any assessments that will help you
determine if your students meet your unit objectives.
8. Closing – Used to draw conclusions, synthesize, review, or summarize what has been learned
in this lesson. Students benefit greatly from a quick focus on what they just learned at the
end of each lesson and when they are involved in constructing the closing (versus the teacher
telling them what was covered).
9. Reflection—Take notes on what students learned and which students struggled with the
lesson. When and how will you re-teach the material to these students? This information will
need to be included in Inquiry Three.
Please include any instructional or assessment materials necessary to support my understanding
of the plan (i.e. sample worksheets, assessments, artifacts, adaptations, re-teaching).
Part C: Make a Unit Assessment Plan: Focal Students and Whole Class
All through your unit, you are formally and informally assessing students’ learning. Talk to your
CT about ways to assess what your whole class will learn from your unit. You may even have
alternative assessments for your focal students. Write a 2-paragraph description of how you will
assess your unit and append it to your lesson plans.
• See the ASSIST website designed for beginning teachers, particularly the sections on:
• Knowing Students as Readers and Writers:
http://assist.educ.msu.edu/ASSIST/classroom/teaches_content/ES_lang_arts/kno
wstudrewr.html
• additional information about assessments:
http://assist.educ.msu.edu/ASSIST/classroom/assesses_learning/index.htm

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Consider additional ways to collect data, including the following,
• Formal and informal assessments such as running records and other tools
available through the M. Lit. Progress Profile (MLPP) and school resources
• Work samples and classroom artifacts
• Writing and/or reading conferences
• Field notes from observations of children
• Note-taking
• Drawing classroom diagrams
• Interviews
• Surveys
• Sociograms
• Audiotape/videotape
• Other data sources that relate to your target area
Remember to collect and save your work and the work of your students to analyze after
Guided Lead Teaching!
•

Teaching Overview
Name: ____________________________________ Grade Level: _________________
School: ____________________________________ CT: ________________________
Describe your target area for guided lead teaching:
List the main Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs) that this unit will work toward:
(e.g., R.WS.01.04: use structural cues to recognize one-syllable words, blends, and consonant
digraphs).
List a small set of well chosen Objectives for the unit. Label each objective with a number so
you can easily list the objective(s) for each day in the table below (e.g., Students will use “sl”
sounds to read words such as slow, slope)
List the main assessment(s) you will use to determine if your students meet your unit objectives
Mon. 10/26/09
Tues. 10/27/09
Wed. 10/28/09
Thurs. 10/29/09
Fri. 10/30/09
Objective #
Obj #
Obj #
Obj #
Obj #
Instructional
Instr. Format
Instr. Format
Instr. Format
Instr. Format
Format (e.g.,
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
mini-lesson
Assessment
Assessment
Assessment
Assessment
followed by
small group
activity)
Ongoing
Assessment
(What will you
look for as you
teach and how
will you use that
information to
plan your next
lesson?)
Table 5 – Unit Overview

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Table 5 (Cont’d)
Mon. 11/2/09
Obj #
Instr. Format
Ongoing
Assessment

Tues. 11/3/09
Obj #
Instr. Format
Ongoing
Assessment

Wed. 11/4/09
Obj #
Instr. Format
Ongoing
Assessment

Thurs. 11/5/09
Obj #
Instr. Format
Ongoing
Assessment

Fri. 11/6/09
Obj #
Instr. Format
Ongoing
Assessment

Table 5 – Unit Overview

Outline for a Daily Lesson Plan
Date:
Objectives for today’s lesson:
Materials & supplies needed:
Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event
• Introduction to the lesson (What will I say to help
children understand the purpose of the lesson? How will
I help them make connections to prior lessons or
experiences? How will I motivate them to become
engaged in the lesson?) (_ minutes)
• OUTLINE of key events during the lesson (Include
specific details about how I will begin and end activities;
what discussion questions I will use; how I will help
children understand behavior expectations during the
lesson; when/how I will distribute supplies and
materials) (___ minutes)
• Closing summary for the lesson (How will I bring
closure to the lesson and help children reflect on their
experiences? How will I help them make connections to
prior lessons or prepare for future experiences? What
kind of feedback do I want from them at this time?) (___
minutes)
• Transition to next learning activity
Assessment (How will I gauge the students’ learning as I
implement the lesson plan and once the lesson is
completed? Specifically, what will I look for? How will I
use what I am learning to inform my next steps)
Reflection (What did students learn? What did I learn
about teaching literacy? What went well? What would I do
differently next time?)
Table 6 – Lesson Outline

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Academic, Social and
Linguistic Support during
each event

Academic, Social, and
Linguistic Support during
assessment
(Which students struggled
with the material? How will I
reteach these students)

Inquiry Two Rubric:
Designing for Learning (40 points)
Expectations for Quality

Format (1 points)
GLCEs are aligned with the unit
goals.
Assessment for unit objectives is
listed.
Chart illustrates 2 weeks (or 10
days) of a sequence of lessons.
Each lesson on the overview
includes the following:
Date
Lesson Objective
Instructional Format
Ongoing Assessment
Lesson Objectives (3 points)
Aligned with GLCEs
State what students will learn and be
able to do in relation to the GLCEs
(not the activity the students will be
doing as part of the lesson)
Match instructional needs as
determined by pre-assessments

Yes/No

Sequence (3 points)
Individual lessons are organized to
build toward students achieving the
unit objectives.
Ongoing Assessment(s) (3 points)
Designed to gauge student learning
as lesson is implemented and
completed
Useful for informing next steps as
you are teaching
Table 7 – Inquiry Two Rubric

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Below Expected
Quality Range

Good Quality
Range

High Quality
Range

10 points

Outstanding
Exemplary Range

Teaching Overview

Comments

Table 7 (Cont’d)
Lesson Plans
30 points
Format & Due Dates
(2 point)
Lesson plans contain all of the
required elements as described on
the assignment sheet.
Three consecutive plans are
submitted on time: electronically,
one week before teaching.
Content (draft plans) (10 points)
Content of lesson plans are “well
developed drafts” that reflect
thorough attention to the required
elements.
Professional voice; correct spelling
and grammar are used
Rethinking the Plan (revised plans)
(10 points)
Plans are thoughtfully revised based
on feedback
Notes are made regarding what you
would do differently in the future
and why you think these changes
would improve learning
opportunities for your students.
Assessment Plan
(8 points)
Is aligned with unit goals and
objectives
Provides information about each
students’ learning in relation to the
unit objective(s)

Yes/No

Table 7 – Inquiry Two Rubric

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APPENDIX H: ACCEL Presentation (transcript)
PH

OK, so last week when you had the speaker come in she was talking to you guys about
expository writing. And, ha, has I was listening to her going through what is expository
writing and how much of it we do, I just kept thinking that we have all of this great
research and all of these great resources in our building that most people really do not
know about. Although literacy is so far removed from what my interests were when I first
started my dissertation and when I started my work, it just so happened that when I
started attending MSU that’s where the money was, which meant that the literacy project
was actually paying for my assistantship for the first year. Which meant that I actually
landed on an awesome project without having any idea whatsoever what the project was
all about. And the project’s name is ACCEL; now, throughout the college, if you guys
hear people talking about it you might hear ACCELerate but I will walk you through it in
a minute. What I thought was so awesome about the project when I first started working
was that I had never really thought about how people learn to study. I just had never
thought about it. I mean, I learned to study by writing notes down, and I would write the
same notes, over, and over, and over again until they were committed to memory; half of
the time I had no idea what I was writing, but I was writing! But I also know that there is
a lot of other people that don’t learn the same way. So, for just a couple of minutes I
would like for you guys at your tables to discuss if you remember how to study. Did
anybody actually teach you how to study? Did somebody physically show you what do
you do when you study? And, if they did, who were they? And what was it that they
taught you? So, just briefly, talk about it at your tables (2:08).
(3:44) Go ahead and take one more minute and let someone else share.
(4:40) All right, are you guys ready to share? Anybody? Somebody? Yes…
S1
Ha, I remember that the first time I really, like, recall making flash-cards was for High
school Spanish.
PH
OK. High School Spanish. So we have high school. Yes…
S2
Hum, we were just talking about how, at least for me it seems like, every year we had to
do something differently because of the teacher, depending on how, like, they tested you,
sometimes they would test you for like, general ideas, sometimes for dates, and you, like,
went off, like, your first test of that class, at least that’s how I was and then you’re like,
oh, that’s how they set it up, and then you study…whatever that was
PH
What grade do you think that was?
S2
Probably HS.
PH
HS, Cool.
S2
Middle or High School.
PH
OK. So you connected your study habits to your, hum, testing, and your testing skills.
OK. Anybody else? Yes….
S3
We were just talking too about, we remember that it was around fourth grade, when it
was actually a lesson you had to take on how to take notes and that we actually had to
follow cause they make you do like the 1, or a,b,c, d, or whatever, and we were all saying
that we had all developed our own systems but the main overall thing we were trying to
get, was the main idea and then you put in ….so that was one way of organizing.
PH
So, fourth grade, perhaps.

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Probably around middle school we started getting, like, study guides, so that’s how I
learned how to start studying.
By following the study guides. So you stopped looking, necessarily at the chapter, for
example, and started studying from looking at the study guide. OK. Yes…
I thought I just liked to try a bunch of different ways. I think as though studying for
different things is going to be different, depending on what you’re studying; like, in what
Veronica says that she feels that she is still learning how we study because now we have
new challenges and we have to study in different ways and that kinda stuff, so I think that
it is a learning process, so I don’t think I was ever, like, able to say “this is how you do
it”, I think,
OK
Adapt to the situation
Do you remember, about what grade, what age, you became aware of studying?
I think it was when I started taking notes, like, probably middle school
Middle school. OK. Go ahead
I just remember that one of the first things I ever had to study was for a spelling test
which was probably second grade, and that was just, you know, straight memorization
Right
From then on it was always, depending on what I was studying, memorization, just
repeatedly going over the facts.
Do you remember if everyone pretty much studied the same way for a spelling test?
I can’t really recall. We were all pretty decent spellers. I didn’t have to spend much time
studying but…
OK. OK. So what I am hearing you say is that somehow you learned how to study, not
very clear how that is done, everybody does it a little differently; and I don’t know if you
guys have ever been in a class, hum, for example a history class in which you have 3
pages of notes and the teacher tells you “I want you to highlight the most important
things”, and then you have one person whose paper is entirely yellow, all throughout
(laughs) and then you have the other person who has, like, two things? (laughs) and
you’re looking at their paper going “Oh, I only have two things and she has all of that, so
that must be the stuff that is important?” Because we don’t really, I mean, we are not
really taught how to highlight, right?
I was going to say that my fifth grade teacher actually taught us what to highlight.
Oh, that’s good.
I still remember because she was like, “all right class I am going to tell you, there is only
one think….. but when you highlight everything in your page it looks like highlight
diarrhea”.
(Laughs….) That is funny!
(Talking and showing Power Point regarding ACCEL – Appendix I)
So…ACCEL. The entire purpose behind ACCEL has to do with students with learning
disabilities. I want you just for a moment to put that off of your mind because there is,
there is a lot of research that says learning, students with learning disabilities are not the
only students who have learning disabilities. In other words, every students at some point
in their life, needs some guidance and some support in their academic work. So although
this is research that was born out of an interest of a group of special education teachers
and special education students, that is not necessarily the only purpose of the research.
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All right? So, the goal is to improve the way how students deal with information
complexity. So it is to actually teach students how to take a piece of expository writing
and wring out of it the most important stuff. So out of those paragraphs of jargon, out of
those pages, and pages, and pages of information, what is really important? And how do
you connect with the text in order to get the information that is important. And you guys
don’t have to take notes on any of this because all of this will be up on Angel. So the idea
was to offer support, with expository reading and writing and one of the things that you
need to know is that reading and writing components are always together, so they never
look at just writing, or just reading, they always look at the two things together, and
cognitive supports. So, ACCEL features are divided into three parts, three sets of
features: the first one are cognitive strategies, which have to do with actually instructing
students on specific strategies for specific text. It has to do with thinking. Metacognitive
processes. Do you guys know what metacognitive is?
That is basically “Mosaic of thought”.
Yea, there we go, thinking about thinking. How is that I get there? Thinking aloud, that
sort of thing. And then bridging the gap between what a student can do alone and what
they can do with technical assistance. Have you guys hear about ZPD?
Zone of proximal development?
Right! So, it is to help students to manage to go from that point where they cannot do a
thing alone to the point where they can actually do it with the support of a piece of
technology, and I use technology very loosely because another person can be a piece of
technology. So, the cognitive strategies, they divided them into instructional targets. In
other words, they divided what it is that students need to know, according to these
categories. So, sometimes we read to access knowledge, sometimes we read to gather
hypothesis, sometimes we read to organize information, so there’s a variety of strategies
that we use, that we do not think about, but we employ them depending on whatever it is
that the activity calls upon. The text structures, again, it has to do with informational text,
hum. Special education students with learning disabilities, and I would say many students
in general, have a hard time understanding text structure. So if I was to pick up this book,
and just read through it, just look at it, this is all text. All text. But if I had a science book
that has text and pictures, I would know that those pictures in those pages were related to
the reading, and so even if I couldn’t read I could look at the pictures. And then if I have
text, and pictures and diagrams, even if I couldn’t read, I would look at the diagrams and
at the pictures, and I would at least get an idea about it. Most people in this room knows
how to do this, most students with a learning disability do not know how to do this
automatically. They have to be taught what specific portions of a text, tell them what, and
how to use them. Which is really the entire idea behind ACCEL. So then what they did is
that they designed, hum, pictures of structured themes that are to be used in class,
explicitly, depending on whatever it is that each one of the students or which one of the
activities is asking them to do. So, obviously as you can see, if you are writing a piece of
text as an explanation of a phenomena you are going to write it very differently than if
you are going to try to convince somebody about the importance of the phenomena. We
would know how to do those things automatically; students with learning disabilities do
not recognize that there are different types of writing for different purposes. They have to
be taught explicitly how those things are done. And then, finally, the inquiry process, so
when you are reading a piece of expository writing and you are taking out the
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information that it gives you and then you have to convert that information into a piece of
writing, how do you go about organizing those ideas that you have. So, there’s a variety
of ways: you can do a Venn diagram, you can do a word chart, you can do a variety
ofthings; but how do you know which one of those things serves what purpose? And so
there are the three stands of ACCEL: are strategy, structure, and application. So there is
expository reading and writing that is specific to a unit, this, the first portion of the
research was at Holt Middle School. seventh and eigth graders. The teachers that
accepted to be a part of the research project, they were actually social studies and science
teachers, and they were taught how to teach their students the specific strategies. What
they have come to find out is that even some of the teachers did not know how to teach
their students the strategies needed to read the text that they deal with everyday. Because
they would give a student a science chapter and they would say “for the next 20 minutes
go ahead and highlight everything that is important”. If you don’t teach how to highlight,
the kids don’t necessarily know how to highlight, right? If you have a science
experiment, and you have a variety of materials that you need for your experiment, and
then you are going to write it up, you have a list of things but how do you put that list of
things into a piece text? It’s just bullet points. If you want to convert that into a
persuasion piece, how do you do that? Many teachers did not know how to teach their
students how to do that. It is assumed that when students get to seventh or eigth grade
there are a specific set of skills that you already have. You cannot make that assumption
with students with learning disabilities. I would argue that you cannot make that
assumption at any time, or that at least that you shouldn’t make that assumption at any
time. So the next portion of ACCEL, and this was a very, very quick review, and I want
to show you some of the tools, the next portion of ACCEL is called ACCELerate, which
is actually all that I am going to show you in old-school overheads, in a website. And it’s
a website that the Holt students involved in the research project have access to, and they
can, hum, they have a log in and a password, and the system will actually prompt them
through all of the tools that they need to be able to read a piece of expository writing, and
then convert it into text.
But this is only available to the students that are participating in the study?
Yeah.
Not everyone?
Not yet.
(trying to turn off Power point screen and turn on over-head projector)
(19:10) (Appendix I) So this is just a very quick show of some of the tools that they have
and all of these tools would be up on a website, or all directly on single overheads, and so
the student would go around the circle, starting on Plan It, this would be after reading a
block of expository writing, they would plan the outline, they would highlight the
reading, they would take notes on the highlights, all of these steps need to be explicitly
taught so the teacher would actually be doing it at the same time that the students are
doing it, and they would be doing it in front of the class, so there would be an overhead
projector, and they would all have the same piece of text and she would all be going
through the same entire piece of information and helping them to see how those pieces all
come together.
I have a question.
Yes
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OK, so like with the highlight one, it highlights it for you?
No
OK, so I’m thinking what, what if the student wants to highlight, thinks it’s important,
you know what I mean?
Right, but if I am up here, I am the teacher and you have the same piece of writing that I
have in front of me that I have, and I am highlighting it, and I am using metacognitive
strategies, so if I’m doing a think-aloud, that would be one of the ways of showing my
students what is important, and what is not important. You were going to say something?
You said it.
I said it?
Yea, I mean, with a lot of this they can make connections to what they read, in the
Mosaic text. I mean, that model of highlighting is showing students how to note
the most important information.
Right
And the teacher is thinking out-loud, modeling his or her thinking, and then the student
tries it out.
So this kind of diagram, which is very well known, that everyone has see at some point in
their life, if you give this kind of diagram to a student that has difficulty with expository
writing, to them it is a blank piece of paper. Unless you actually show them what goes
where, and then how those things go together.
And, you know, can you put that back on? What is so interesting, Gary Troia and I have
talked about this, in the Lucy Caulkin units of study, not always but often times, this is
the piece that’s missing. (…) It is really taking a whole block where you take your time
as a teacher to model it, show it, sometimes you need to do it twice with multiple text and
then kids give it a try so, yeah, that can’t be underscored.
One of the interesting parts of this, one of the interesting parts of the project, was to have
the fairness conversation. Do you guys know what it is? The fairness conversation? No?
When the teachers at Holt were first approached, and this was probably 7 or 8 years ago,
when they were first approached with the project, the idea is that the students are given
these tools, and those tools never disappear unless the student chooses to not use them,
which really means that, if you have a sheet of notes, you can take it with you to a test.
Because that is your supporting tool. So the strategic tools they are being given are tools
that stay with the students for their entire school year, if they need them. And one of the
questions that the teachers had at the beginning of the project was, well, that’s not fair. Is
it fair? I mean if I was, if we, l in this room, if you were going to have a quiz and I would
allow 2 of you to have notes, would that be fair?
no
No?
it depends on how you define fairness, I mean, if it is equity,…
What’s your name?
N*%&^
N*%&^, what do you use your glasses for?
To see.
To see close or far?
Far

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Far away? So N*%&^ uses his glasses to see far away. If I put him in a car and I tell him
to give me his glasses…..would you guys want to be on the road with him? Probably not,
Sorry! I wouldn’t either.
They don’t trust me.
(Laughs) Fairness! It is something that you all need to start thinking about. And I am sure
that we will discuss it again. Yes.
Hum, I don’t understand the comparison. Cause didn’t everyone have a chance to have
notes?
Not if they don’t need them.
Well, but I would have a chance to have notes.
Hum, hum.
You have a chance to have glasses but don’t need them.
Yeah
So, yeah, so I guess the question is who is getting to use these notes and who isn’t.
You said only two people could use notes, but in the study they let everyone use notes,
anyone who wanted to.
everyone who needed to, and everyone who wanted to,
Both
they could use the notes
Well that’s a whole different ball of wax.
That’s fair.
How is that a different ball of wax if I am teaching science seventh grade in this room,
and all of my students have notes, and there’s a teacher in the room next to me, teaching
the same science curriculum, the same grade level, and none of her kids have notes?
Oh!
Oh!
well that’s different too. Where they allowed to have notes?
Nope.
That’s not fair.
That’s not fair to whom?
To the students that don’t have notes.
To actually both groups.
To everyone.
Right. The other ones are using a crutch, whether they need it or not, they can’t go
through life with a crutch and the other one’s are getting … not having them, so
But if you need glasses at some point you’re gonna have to have your glasses because
you can’t do anything without them.
True.
Well, what is the point of a test? It’s to see if the kids know the information. So…
Do you need it to see if the kids know the information?
No, so why would you ever do it at all?
There is no right or wrong answer to this, but it is something that you guys need to start
thinking about. Because if you have a classroom of 30 students, and 2 of them cannot
memorize their spelling words, CANNOT memorize their spelling words, are you going
to allow them to NOT take their spelling test? And who is that fair to?

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So what is the point of taking a spelling test if they have the words right in front of them?
I mean…
I don’t know…
There’s no point.
So you’re going to give them a zero on the spelling test?
I would just have, I mean, if it was that bad they would have an IEP probably that would
say that so-and-so cannot…
It would say that they don’t have to take the spelling test?
No, it would say that they don’t have memorization skills and they would just have words
they could refer to as their personal dictionary, and they would not need to take the
spelling test.
How do you grade that?
You don’t.
You don’t? So that student wouldn’t have a grade at the end of the school year? They
would still have to take the MEAP.
Well spelling….just….
Just think about it! There is no, I mean, to me there is a right and a wrong answer, but
that doesn’t necessarily mean that my right answer and my wrong answer are the same as
yours. So, is just something for you guys to think about.
And if you have an articulated answer now for it, backed by reasons that are going to help
you meet your instructional goals, I think you’re OK. Because the idea that equity is (…)
There really isn’t equity in education. You know, equity is so over-used. There’s equity
in the terms that you want all students to gain access. I love that special ed. is about
access. You want all students to have access, to the curriculum, and to learning, and it
might mean different tools, different materials, but, hum, it might not mean the same for
everybody.
There’s this really great quote that says “Fair is not that everyone gets everything equally;
fair is that everyone gets what they need.”
And I was thinking that it is interesting to watch how your students react to their peers
doing different work. Anecdotally they don’t comment.
No
So
It is really not the kid that makes the big deal
….kids have an internal sense that, ok, Martha, Martha can’t copy from the board quickly
enough so that’s why Miss P gives her the notes ahead of class. But no one says “that’s
not fair I need notes”. It’s fascinating.
Yeah
You know, nobody says, the kids don’t say “that’s not fair”.
I think that the older we get the more we have a much more shrewd sense of what we
perceive as justice; kids really don’t think about it in the same ways. Hum…
(Appendix I) Hum, main idea, categories and details. The one thing that you see here that
you usually don’t see in a diagram like that, is that you have the mnemonic of the side. So
you don’t have to rely on your memory to know what to do. You have just a little thing,
on the side that tells you what to do. And even though it doesn’t seem like to make a big
difference, it actually does for someone that gets stumped, and then get a blank piece of
paper in front of them and go “what was I supposed to do here again?”
284

JC
PH
PH
PH
S11
PH
S11
PH

S12
PH
S12
JC
PH
JC
PH

JC
PH
JC
PH
JC
PH

That’s cool. Can you read that aloud for us in the back, Paula?
It says “MAPS, what are the Main idea categories, Add related details that support the
category, Put down the main ideas and details of the map and then Self-check by asking
questions”.
(Appendix I) On this one you have “What is the Organization, what are the categories
and what are the details?”
(Appendix I) And then they’re also given something like this. This would be for their
writing: what is it that you are being graded at? What is it that your teacher is looking
for? Very simple rubric. It doesn’t have to be a big, elaborate, 30 pages of directions.
…rubric, would you say that, if you were doing a unit, every activity has its own rubric?
Every activity that you’re grading.
OK
Every activity that you’re grading you should have a rubric for. Kids have the right to
know what it is that they’re being graded on. (…) This is supposed to be used in thematic
units, so these were units that would have 3 to 4 weeks of work, and so throughout those
4 weeks you actually go through all of the strategies in a natural environment, so as
you’re reading you teach them how to highlight, once you highlight you teach them how
to take notes, once you’re done with taking notes you teach them how to organize them,
so it’s a very progressive and a very organic process. Questions? Comments? The project
is still in existence in the College of Ed, hum, three professors, Troy Mariage, Cindy
Okolo, and Carol Sue Englert, all of them from the special ed. department, and it
is still in existence at Holt Middle School, the only difference is that now instead of being
the paper version, they are actually trying to implement the on-line version. Ha, once it
gets off the ground, hopefully it will be something that will disseminate through other
schools, at least in Michigan, you would hope. All right? Yes…
So at this point that website is not available.
The website is there but it does not let you log in yet. So, once you get the power points,
if you click on the link it will take you to the website, but the website all it shows you is
the front page and it tells you that the site is under construction.
OK
Paula could you give me those overheads to give to my administrative secretary so they
can be available on Angel for them?
Yeah. I can scan them and put them up.
Lovely. Thank you so much.
Questions? Comments? No? I don’t work in the project anymore. I only worked in the
project for the first year but, I try to remain attached and know what I is that is going on
in there just because I think the work is very, very worthwhile. All right? And I do
advertise for them.
This work is presented globally.
Yes.
And it’s really made an impact. It is in a lot of the top education journals, and I think that
those graphic organizers, they would use.
The graphic organizers will definitely be up on Angel, all right?
OK, folks…can we transition?
Yeah, absolutely.

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APPENDIX I: ACCEL Power Point and Graphic Organizers
Slide 1 - Project ACCEL
Accelerating Comprehension and Composition in Expository Literacy
žPrincipal Investigators: Carol Sue Englert, Cindy Okolo and Troy Mariage
žMSU – CEPSE – Special Education
Slide 2
Pair-Share (3min)
Do you remember learning HOW TO study?
Who taught you?
How did they teach you?
žSlide 3
ACCEL - Goal
ž“improve how students deal with informational content complexity, as well as to help
them to access, develop, and organize information around particular literacy and
disciplinary goals, content, genres and dilemmas”
Slide 4
ž“offers support …with expository reading and writing, content area learning, and
informational literacy”
žExamines the efficacy of cognitive supports and tools for students with LD/BD
žSlide 5
ACCEL – features - Cognitive Strategies
*Strategy instruction can positively influence the reading and writing performance of
students
*Foster strategic and metacognitive processes while in the act of comprehending or
generating expository text
*Bridge the gap between what a student can do alone and what they can do with technical
assistance (ZPD)
*It is critical that cognitive strategy instruction target learning-to-learn strategies
Accessing background knowledge; Generating hypothesis; Organizing
information; Comprehension; Inference; Summarizing; Self-questioning;
Monitoring performance
žSlide 6
ACCEL – features - Text Structures
ž
Importance of structural features of informational text to aid understating and recall
ž
Sp. Ed. – lack of awareness of common text structures that might help them arrange,
comprehend and generate topical material
ž
Mapping tools correspond to the common text structure schemes that underlie
expository text
Problem/solution; Explanation; Persuasion; Sequence; Compare/contrast;
enumeration
žSlide 7
ACCEL – features - Inquiry Process
ž
Tools that support an inquiry-based approach in the comprehension and production of
expository text
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Guides to apply strategies related to a multi-pronged inquiry approach to learning
expository content
Plan It; Read It/Map It; Note It; Respond to It; Map It; Report It
*“All notes, databases, reports, and summaries can be made publicly available in order to
promote shared knowledge and the development of a literacy community that respects
and advances students’ roles as knowledge producers and technology experts”
ž

žSlide 8
ACCEL - Three Strands
1. Strategy – expository reading and writing strategy instruction
2. Structure – text structure instruction and mapping
3. Strategy Application – generalization training in inquiry units and disciplinary-based
informational texts
ž
ž
ž
žSlide 9
What is next?
ACCELerate - http://accel.educ.msu.edu/site/default.php
ž

APPENDIX J: Unit Planning Pyramid Handout

287

Figure 4 – Unit Planning Pyramid

APPENDIX K: Lesson Planning Pyramid Handout

288

Figure 5 – Lesson Planning Pyramid
APPENDIX L: Project Three Rubric

289

Project Three: Going Public Through Professional Writing
Overview
Professional organizations such as the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), the
International Reading Association (IRA), and the Michigan Council of Teachers of English
(MCTE) provide many types of support for educators, such as professional conferences,
teaching resources, research updates, professional development opportunities, professional
networking, and more. These groups also rely on educators who represent all career stages and
who participate in a variety of educational roles to contribute to the organization. You can do
this in a number of ways—by writing a piece for one of the publications sponsored by NCTE,
IRA or MCTE that targets a practitioner audience, or developing a presentation for a
professional conference or another audience, or developing a written piece to include in your
professional portfolio. This final project is an opportunity for you to analyze data, reflect on
your practice, draw on the professional literature to write about your practice in a form suitable
for a professional audience, and get feedback from your colleagues on your ideas and how you
express them.
Part A: Draft of the Teacher Narrative: What Did My Students Learn? What Did I Learn?
STEP 1: Throughout guided lead teaching, you have gathered information (from formal,
standardized and informal assessments, conversations with each student, work samples and
anecdotal observations). The next step is to reflect on practice and to interpret assessment
information and summarize what you know about students as literacy learners relative to your
unit. To begin, analyze the assessments you collected on your focal students and your whole
class. Write a paragraph for each focus student in which you summarize what you know s/he
can do as a reader, writer, speaker, listener and viewer in relation to your target area for your
guided lead teaching. Be sure to include examples of data collected to support your claims. If it
is helpful to you, complete the Individual Assessment Analysis to help you craft your
paragraphs.
Individual Assessment Analysis
Student Name: ______________________Grade Level: ________________________
List the GLCEs that represent your broad
goals for your unit:

List statements that best describe your focus
student in the target area relevant to your
unit:
Describe the progress the focus student made toward the GLCEs and the data that
supports your claims:
List the unit objectives for your unit, describe the progress made, and evidence that
supports your claims (e.g., ongoing assessment, summative assessment):
Table 8 – Individual Assessment Analysis

Table 8 (Cont’d)

290

Additional observations about this student relevant to literacy learning:
Given the evidence of student learning, what recommendations do you have regarding
instructional adaptations or differentiation of instruction to help this student progress? On
what evidence do you base these recommendations?
What recommendations do you have for next steps in literacy learning for this student?
What do you need to keep in mind for future planning to ensure success for this student?
Table 8 – Individual Assessment Analysis
STEP 2: You also assessed the full class during guided lead teaching either formally (as in a
post-instruction assessment) and/or informally (observations, interviews, observational rubrics
or checklists, work samples). So, write an additional paragraph or two in which you point
out some trends in your class as a whole, and what those trends suggest about the range of
learners in your classroom and what you will need to keep in mind as you plan for literacy
instruction for the whole class across the remainder of the school year. You could show this
information via a chart, graph, or percentages of scores (or other). You might even include
some quotes or field notes you took. You could also write about examples of student work or
other artifacts on which the conclusions (and include excerpts or copies of the artifacts).
STEP 3: Finally, select a part of your language arts unit that you want to further reflect on
and analyze, and write a focused 3-4 page compelling narrative that provides an account of
the events and insights you have about them. Address the questions listed below in any order
that makes for a coherent, cohesive narrative that is convincing and has a clear focus.
1.
2.
3.
•
•
•

What is a ‘big idea’ about literacy or a literacy topic/issue that is important to you, and
why is it significant?
What professional literature (readings from TE 802 or prior literacy courses such as TE
301 or TE 401/2) is relevant to your ‘big idea’ or literacy topic/issue? Explain how this
literature elaborates or provides a rationale for what you did in your LA unit?
Consider the following questions and include details about the ones that are relevant to
your topic:
To what extent did you take on the role(s) you envisioned for yourself as a
teacher?
What went well during your teaching and in what ways was this was connected to your
planning?
Consider the instructional context in which you are learning to teach literacy and how
that may have influenced your teaching experiences and opportunities for professional
learning during guided lead teaching.

Review your notes from Project 1 regarding the literacy resources and programs available to
you, and think about what part of your curriculum your literacy unit fit within (e.g.,
guided reading program, daily five, writing workshop, book club).
o
To what extent were you were expected to follow a scripted curriculum, or add your own
ideas to a curriculum that already exists, or create a unit that is entirely new? What was
unproblematic and/or challenging about planning a unit in this context? What obstacles
did you face? How did you overcome them?
291

•
o
o
•
•






Also review the ideas you discussed in your reflections on your three lessons for Project
2 (what your students learned, what you learned, what you would do differently), and
think about your unit as a whole.
Did the unit proceed as you expected? Why or why not?
What do you still need to learn about teaching in this target area and about teaching
literacy in general?
What did your full-class assessments tell you about your own effectiveness as an
instructor? To what extent were you able to address broad goals and your specific unit
objectives?
What did full-class assessment data tell you about HOW you taught and WHAT methods
you used?
What appeared to be effective and what did not?
What do your assessments tell you about your chosen instructional methods? What
information do you not have that you would like to have?
How well did your choice of learning materials and activities support students’ learning
of your stated objectives?
How well did you manage your teaching time? Was pacing appropriate for student
learning? What classroom management lessons did you learn?
How well did your questions and facilitation of discussion encourage student
participation and response?

Part B: An Authentic Product
Now that you have finished your guided lead teaching, and you are reflecting on your practice
(e.g., teaching, your students’ learning, and ways you would revise and improve your teaching
in the future), you likely have some important things to say to others in the profession, as
evidenced in the teacher narrative you crafted for Part A. Keep in mind that ‘going public’
about your teaching does not mean you have to present yourself as a master teacher or hero!
Some of the most interesting pieces about teaching feature issues, problems or challenges that
teachers face, how they are attempting to address them, and new insights gained from their
reflections. There are two areas to consider in developing a written piece suitable for a
professional publication or presentation:
What message do I want to communicate to other professionals or community members
about my teaching practice? What key issue, challenge, or tension do I want to discuss and
what new insights can I share about my practice?
•
Which professional outlet is the best place (in terms of format, content, audience) to
express my ideas (e.g., publication, presentation, portfolio piece)?
This is your choice. That is, you will need to explore the publication and presentation outlets to
see what types of ideas others have written about, the forms in which they express their
ideas, and the writing style and voice used. Below are seven options for you to consider
and explore in relation to form (what format is required), content (what type of message
the outlet emphasizes), and audience. In many choices below, your teacher narrative from
Part A will work as “clay” that will provide the basis of your professional piece.
•
Submit a lesson plan or series of lesson plans to the Read-Write-Think website,
sponsored by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers
of English. All of the lessons on the website are of top quality and based on NCTE and
•

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IRA’s Standards for the English Language Arts. Submissions must be written in a format
(template provided) that includes: lesson plan title; abstract; overview; grade band;
estimated lesson time; standards; from theory to practice; student objectives; instructional
plan; student assessment/reflections.
http://readwritethink.ncte.org/authors/index.asp
•
Submit “Tips for Teachers” to The Reading Teacher, published by the International
Reading Association. Teaching Tips, which are 1,500 to 2,500 words in length (about 5-8
pages, double spaced), focus on a single, research-based application for improving literacy
that can be readily implemented by readers.
http://www.reading.org/General/Publications/index/the_reading_teacher.aspx
•
Submit a short article to the Language Arts Journal of Michigan, published by the
Michigan Council of Teachers of English. The LAJM publishes articles that discuss issues,
theory-based practice, and research in the teaching and learning of the language arts at all
levels, kindergarten through college. Manuscripts should be 4-12 pages in length, doublespaced.
http://mienglishteacher.ning.com/page/publications-2
•
Submit a short article to Talking Points, published by the National Council of Teachers
of English. Talking Points provides a forum for parents, classroom teachers, and
researchers to reflect about literacy and learning. Submissions are invited from
professionals across the educational spectrum, including classroom teachers, teacher
educators, researchers, and educational advocates/activists. Manuscripts should be no more
than 15 pages in length (standard margins, double spaced).
http://www.ncte.org/journals/tp/write
•
Submit a proposal to the Michigan Reading Association for a presentation at the 2011
annual conference. The MRA asks you to fill out a brief form indicating your area of
primary interest, presentation title, and a 60-word abstract. If you choose this option, you
are also required to develop a full Power Point presentation (with a minimum of 10 slides)
and full notes indicating what you will say about each slide. The 2011 proposals are due
sometime in September of 2010 and the conference itself will be held in Grand Rapids in
March 2011.
http://www.michiganreading.org/cms/index.php
•
Develop a presentation suitable for an audience of teacher colleagues, school or
district administrators, or family/community members. You are required to include a
60-word abstract and a full Power Point presentation (with a minimum of 10 slides) and
full notes indicating what you will say about each slide.
•
Develop an item to include in your professional portfolio. As part of your internship,
you will be creating a professional portfolio, a collection of carefully selected artifacts and
written commentary that represent your progress and accomplishments in learning to teach.
Use the work you did with your unit plan and your teacher narrative to develop a portfolio
item that represents your reflection and analysis of some aspect of your literacy teaching.
You may construct your item in hard copy format or use an on-line format such as a wiki,
website, or a ning. For example, you might decide to represent one or more of the
following:
•
How did I support student learning? What evidence do I have that it made a difference?
What would I do in the future if I taught this unit again?

293

How did I differentiate instruction? What would I do in the future if I taught this unit
again?
•
How does my unit show my understanding of literacy and meaningful literacy instruction?
What are important areas for further learning?
What makes the portfolio item a bit different from the rough draft teacher narrative that you
wrote is that you should have several, varied artifacts from your unit teaching and write
commentary that explains your thinking and your learning. The following are examples of
the types of artifacts you could include:
•
Overview of unit goals and instructional plan that represent teaching for understanding and
learning community development
•
List of resources used
•
Sample lesson plans
•
Assessment tools
•
Evaluation of student learning
•
Evidence of meeting individual students' needs
•
Photographs of class projects or displays, discussions, bulletin boards
•
Sample student work
•
Self-evaluation
•
Feedback from colleagues on teaching
DUE: December 14- Authentic product (Part B) due to certo@msu.edu as an electronic
attachment by noon. Be sure that your writing option is clearly indicated on the first page (e.g.,
name of journal, type of presentation and audience) so I know what outlet you are writing for.
•

•
•
•
•
•

Writing Process
Comments
(10 points)
Teacher Narrative Draft
Draft material competed on time and shared
with colleagues
Yes/No
Constructive feedback provided to peers
Format
Followed publication requirements and
Yes/No
format
Writing Process
Draft material shared with peers for feedback
Constructive feedback provided to peers
Yes/No
Table 9 - Inquiry Three Rubric: Going Public Through Professional Writing

Table 9 (Cont’d)
Expectations for Quality
294

Below
Expected
Quality
Range

Good Quality
Range

High Quality
Range

Outstanding
Exemplary
Range

Written Product
(20 points)

Topic/Issue Statement (5 points))
Topic/issue is clearly stated
Importance/significance of topic is
made clear
Sufficient information about teaching
context provided
Topic/Issue Statement (5 points))
Topic/issue is clearly stated
Importance/significance of topic is
made clear
Sufficient information about teaching
context provided
Rationale (5 points)
Clear rationale for ideas is provided
Appropriate and sufficient professional
literature is used to explain and support
ideas
Evidence of Student Learning (5
points)*
Specific examples from teaching
provided
Evidence of student learning is
provided
Reflection and analysis go beyond
describing what happened
Writing Quality (5 points)
Piece is well organized, coherent, and
engaging
Professional voice used
Correct spelling and grammar are used
Table 9 - Inquiry Three Rubric: Going Public Through Professional Writing

APPENDIX M: Semi-Structured Interview Guidelines
295

Philosophical Stance
• What ideas did you draw on to develop this teaching unit?
• What are your instructional objectives for this teaching unit?
General Planning
• How did you develop this lesson? What steps did you take?
• What resources did you use?
• How did you make choices concerning content, instructional methods?
• What difficulties did you encounter and how did you address them?
Target
• Describe your target area for guided lead teaching.
• Which GLCEs will you work toward?
• What are your goals for the unit?
Materials
• What information about your students did you use to develop your lesson plans?
• What activities and resources are available to support your students’ learning?
• What materials did you use?
• Did you make your own materials? Why?
Procedure
• What expectations do you have for your students?
• How does your lesson plan address these expectations?
• What classroom norms are in place that will help your students participate and learn?
Student Support
• Describe your plan for addressing the needs of individual students, including your focus
students.
Assessment
• What are your plans for assessment? How will you use this information?
Collaboration
• Who did you ask for assistance in planning this teaching unit?
• How did they assist you?

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APPENDIX N: Lisa First on-line Assignment
Part A
Assuming!
Writing was easy for me. It wasn’t until my fiancée asked for help with a midterm paper several
years ago that I realized that is wasn’t easy for everyone. “Nichole, when did you learn that? We
went to the same elementary, middle and high schools. Seriously, what teacher taught you how
to write?” I realized at that point that no-one really taught me how to write. In fact, I believe that
after learning how to print my letters and then cursive, my teachers just assumed that we all
knew how to write, so they stopped with the instruction. Obviously, this assumption was wrong,
as Shane sat staring at me looking more confused than ever. Now I have some experience
teaching writing, but no experience with the instruction to students with special needs. I really
hope that this online module can help give me answers for the questions that I will no doubt have
in the future.
Part B
Instead of teaching me new things, the module made me understand more about past
situations. In High School, there was this kid who would always write his non-fiction, fiction,
persuasive speeches, informative speeches, biographies, and poetry about his favorite thing in the
world: FOOTBALL! Every time I peer-edited, or had to listen to a speech…you could put
money on the fact that it would be about football! Our teachers would ask him to expand his
writing, but regardless it would always come back in the same topic. After looking at the
modules, I realize that this is because he had trouble generating content matter. At an early level,
for example for the children in my placement course, I don’t see a problem if they keep it to a
specific topic if they are struggling. Truthfully, like Janine said in class last week, “the best way
to prepare our students for writing in middle school and high school is just to let them write.
Write as much as possible and make it an enjoyable experience for the students because they
need to love to write”. By putting pressure on them at an early age, I think it makes the children
not want to write because they don’t have any positive experiences with it. However, perhaps in
upper elementary and older, I think that it would be great to conference with the child to help
generate content for them to write about. An area that was talked about in the PowerPoint was
revising text and formulating goals. I believe this will only occur if the students have genuine
interest in what they are completing, including a desire to write as well as a topic of interest.
I feel so passionately about it because in my 400 level placement, my CT stressed the
mechanics and “neatness” of writing with her second grade students. Although a percentage of
the students were completely capable to write a few sentences to formulate a paragraph, we had
many students who had difficulties. One student in particular struggled with the actual act of
writing. His printing looked similar to that of a kindergartener. Like in the PowerPoint, his
underlying problem with writing was due to his inability to physically write. He tensed up when
asked to write for any activity. When interacting with him, he spoke very fluidly and with
excitement. I remember reflecting that he would be such a great writer if he typed on a computer.
But, at the same time, while his classmates practiced their handwriting, the boy barely write a
paragraph as he would be asked to re-write it to look neater. Another student in the classroom
had special needs. It was challenging to get him to participate, as many of my lessons that I
implemented included some aspects of writing in them. He would frequently leave the paper
blank. He did this until the last lesson I implemented. In this lesson, I taught the children songs
297

have lyrics, which tell a story. As an assessment, the children selected a song (from Hannah
Montana or Camp Rock), looked at the small sample of lyrics, then write a sentence and draw a
picture of the story they thought the song told. This boy LOVE Disney shows. Without help, he
wrote, “she (Hannah Montana) iza selebrdy. No 1 nos”. Although I was more than happy with
this response form him, the CT made a comment about his spelling. I was bothered because this
was a chance to make him love writing and by focusing on the spelling of a 7 old, I felt like she
was squelching his opportunity.
The three activities that we did were stressful. In the second one, I was so consumed with
the mechanical parts of the writing that I was unable to really write anything. In addition, what I
did write didn’t really make any sense. I felt frustrated. As I participated in these activities, I was
also bothered as I sat writing in an unusually loud Biggby. So not only could I not get the
mechanics, but I couldn’t even think of the correct way to write as I could only hear the people
next to me talking and laughing over an afternoon coffee. But technically, many of the students
who struggle with writing may also struggle with focusing in class over the voices of their
classmates.
The most POWERFUL thing that wasn’t explicitly stated in the module but that I took
from it was that there are any amount of strategies that one can use to help their student. Perhaps
one of the strategies doesn’t work. I have witnesses teachers abandon my classmates when their
strategy for teaching doesn’t work with them. However as we know, no two children are exactly
alike. Their learning styles and individual experiences shape everything. Therefore, no one
strategy will work with every student. Dr. Ollinghouse suggests many strategies for students,
regardless of what part of writing they are struggling with. The most powerful think that was
explicitly said in the module was that students have difficulties demonstrating what they know in
written form. Just because they can’t convey their learning or knowledge in writing doesn’t mean
that they didn’t learn anything (Ollinghouse). This is where differentiation in assessment
becomes even more important.

298

APPENDIX O: Lisa Project One
Project One
Literacy Programs in the Classroom
A)
Instructional Models
The instructional models that I have seen in the classroom so far include literature-based
discussion, and some guided reading. The other grades in the school that participate in them
include all of the grades. Other models may be used while the school year progresses based on
the student’s academic needs.
B)
Instructional Resources
BASAL Readers: I haven’t seen this used yet, but am aware that they are available and can be
used in our classroom. The school uses the Harcourt books, which are available in the closet in
the at risk room.
Leveled Book Sets: The school has many leveled readers provided. They can be found in the
parent lounge on the shelves, organized by level. However, in the kindergarten room there are
many sets of leveled readers in the reading center. They are labeled and include a large range of
levels.
Handwriting Without Tears: The teacher follow the Handwriting Without Tears program when
teaching writing. There is a resource book available in the shelf by the children’s reading area,
which includes many worksheets. Essentially, all letters of the alphabet placed in groups based
on similar traits, not alphabetical order. For example, E, T, P, R, I, D, F, H, L, and M are taught
together because they will start off with a big line down. Since all letters start at the top, these
letters also include a “frog jump,” in order to get from the top to the bottom.
In the classroom, we will be starting centers sometime in October. During choice time, the
children can work at the writing center, but otherwise it isn’t available to the students. The
children have a large classroom library to look at, which is also only open during choice time. In
addition, there is a book nook where the children can look at books, also during choice time.
C)
Literacy Schedule
Literacy is not taught at a consistent time daily. In our kindergarten, we have both a morning
and afternoon class, which lasts for three hours. During this time, most of what we do is literacy
instruction of some kind. If it isn’t explicitly written on the calendar as reading, writing, or
Language Arts, the lesson will usually include some part of literacy instruction.
D)
Analysis of Literacy Programs
For the most part, we do a TON of literacy in the classroom. I ordered the parts from things I see
the most, to those I see the least.
1.
Listening and Viewing is done the most currently in our class. We do this so much right
now because the students are given a lot of instructions as to how to be a kindergartener. The
students do a lot of listening, with constant focus on active listening. They are just beginning to
learn how to listen, so I’m assuming we will continue it this way until they understand what it
means to be an active listener.
2.
Reading is done many times during the day. They are read at least one book a day and in
many cases it is more than one. During choice time, they get to select books to look at
themselves. Sometimes during transitions the children are given a basket of books to look at
while other classmates are finishing up on work. In addition, most of the literacy activities
across the curriculum include reading of some kind.
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3.
Writing is done daily. Twice a week, the children write in their journals. Right now they
are writing anything they want. Many choose to draw pictures of what they are writing. Others
are writing complete sentences. There is a huge range of abilities in the classroom, which the
journal allows for. The students also practice handwriting at least twice a week, using
Handwriting Without Tears. There is a writing area that the children can choose from during
choice time. Also, the children practice writing their first (and depending the child’s ability last)
names.
4.
Speaking probably gets the least emphasis during the week. This is because right now we
are trying to get the children to learn classroom norms. They are expected to raise their hands
and not blurt out.
E)
Literacy Across the Curriculum
Science: I haven’t seen science in the classroom yet.
Social Studies: I haven’t really seen social studies in the classroom yet. Although we have just
developed a strong curriculum with the other Okemos Schools, we haven’t used any of them yet.
We had had health lessons, focusing on hand washing and healthy foods. However, I have
taught these lessons. The students participate in the health lessons by listening to me speak.
They also answer questions and ask questions. They haven’t done any reading, however I have
written down the children’s thoughts using a T-Chart on the dry erase board.
Math: The students have done a few math lessons. The first was to find a classmate with the
same size paper as them. Another was to work in pairs and tap your partner on the leg. The
child then had to tell how many times they were tapped. In both of these lessons, the students
had to speak to each other. They had to ask questions and give answers. However, the lessons
are so brief that the children didn’t anything else. Most recently, the children were read the
book/song, “Five Little Ducks.” The CT started with a 5 on the board and as every duck left, she
crossed on the number and asked the students which once comes next. Once we got to the part
that there were no little ducks, she asked the students what math word we use to describe none.
A couple students realized that we would call it zero. Then she explained the importance of
zero, especially in place value, as if we didn’t have zeros we couldn’t say we have been in school
10 days, rather one.
Literacy Assessments
A)
Identify and describe 3 focus children. What do you want to learn about them as a literacy
learner?
J is a 5 year and 8 month old boy. Mom admitted to CT that she had been so busy with her other
children, that J has never practiced the alphabet or even his name. Child doesn’t recognize his
name. On 9/23/09, all of the names on the absent side of the board had been moved to the I am
here side except his. When we told him to move his name to show that he is here, J tried to
move another child’s name from the I am here side. He wasn’t even able to identify his name
when it was the only one on the board. He also cannot write his name, or anything else. The
students are all asked to write the date in their journals. J drew circles and circles. He has not
decided between his right and left hand preference yet. A question that I have for helping J is
how to I differentiate my teaching enough to help J, while staying at the same level as his peers?
What strategies can I use to help J as a literacy learner?
Q: Q is a 5 year and 3 month old boy. He reads at a second grade level. However, he struggles
with viewing/listening. He is always blurting out, which appears to be more behavioral. He also
is unable to write much. Because he fully understands letter/sound relationships, he struggles
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with writing words because he knows that spelling a word phonetically isn’t always the correct
way to spell it. I would like to learn how to help Q get past his issues with spelling perfection
and help him love writing.
T: T is a 5 year and 9 month old girl. T doesn’t stand out as particularly high or low. She is
very quiet and frequently chooses not to raise her hand to participate in group discussions.
While working individually with T, she illustrated a picture of her and her mom, labeling, “(Her
name)” and “Mommy.” Therefore, she has some word knowledge. T also can write her name
with ease. She struggles, but is capable at writing her last name.
B)
Collect writing samples.
C)
Take notes on different types of writing all students engage in the classroom workplace,
across the curriculum, and in language arts.
The biggest emphasis on writing for our students is writing their names. The students practice
their names during art activities. During the friendship flowers, the students wrote their names
on petals, then shared their petals with friends. While making a school bus, the children wrote
their names on the bus. During a language arts activity, the students were asked to write their
names like Chrysanthemum from the book. They decorated their names “fancy” like
Chrysanthemum did. The students are asked twice a week to write in their journals for their
warm-up time. They are asked to write the date and then write/draw anything else, while the
teacher will transcribe their thoughts if necessary. During choice time, the writing table is an
option. During handwriting time, the students use chalk slates to practice, while using strategies
like wet, dry, try.
D)
Identify Additional Assessments
During the first week of school, all kindergarten students are pulled out of the classroom by Sally
Heisler, our school’s literacy teacher. The students are given a sound and letter recognition
assessment. In addition, they are given a Mary Clay general knowledge survey, testing to see if
the child knows that books are read left to right, front to back, etc. This assessment helps give
the reading consultants, as well as my CT and I, an understanding at where the children are and if
they will need ongoing support. My focus students results for this assessment are attached!

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APPENDIX P: Lisa First Informal Conversation (Transcript)
(GLT) She was a little hesitant but she said that yes, she kind of had a plan, she needed to talk to
her CT about it. She wanted to do something about comprehension strategies. She said that she
has two kindergartens, she has an a.m. and a p.m., so she has a lot of kids and a lot of
information to process, and she says that she really needs to pick my brain because she has a lot
of kids who she perceives are kids with difficulties. It was interesting to see that the way in
which she talks about it; she is very, very careful in using words to describe the kids. She showed
me work of the three focal students she has. One of her students is, according to her, in the gifted
and talented category. He is in kindergarten, this is October, and he can write and read pretty
well, knows all his numbers, knows all his letters and sounds. The only difficulty he has with
writing is that he gets stressed out because he knows that some of the words are not written the
way we hear them phonetically, so he does not want to write them wrong.
She kind of just skimmed over the other two students: one who seems to be a kid they
expect to be at his grade level and at age appropriate; and then the third kid she talked about, I
think it’s the kid that hse is the most concerned about, because she said a lot of her kids are like
that, they are very young and they are also kids with no previous school history. She also showed
me some of his work, some of his initial assessment, and she said that he knew nothing. She
could not see anything on her guided observation; he knew nothing. He did not know which way
the book was up, how, didn’t know when to flip the page, didn’t know the end of the book,
didn’t know the beginning of the book, no letters, no sounds, he did know his numbers but then,
she told me about an episode in which the boy needed to be able to flip his name from one end of
the chart to another but he could not even recognize his name. So, she is really, really worried
about him.

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APPENDIX Q: Lisa First Semi-Structured Interview (Transcript)
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Okay. So I haven’t filled out my overview yet, but I kind of – like I started writing one of
my lessons.
Okay.
What I’m – I had told you that I was thinking about going with, um, an author study
doing text-to-text to text to solve connections (.21??). I also decided to add in, um,
studying characters and events –
All right.
- to start writing about that. Um, and I decided to focus my author study on Ezra Jack
Keats.
All right.
Um, so, my vision, I guess, is that at the – like while we’re doing it, the kids will like –
I’m not – well I haven’t – I’m not sure what they’ll do after each mini-lesson, but my –
my hope for the end is that the last book that we’ll talk about is the Snowy Day.
Um-hm.
So first, the kids will have their own copies and we’ll go and do, like we’ll do a class read
of it –
Um-hm.
And then, um, after that point, um, we’ll talk about the different (1.23) that they make
and then we’ll start talking about how we can take the connections that we have made
and the events and use that to create our own Snowy Day so each child will have Tom’s
Snowy Day, or and what is necessary to make the book.
Okay.
So, to like, the lesson ideas like an introduction to Ezra I was thinking about Over in the
Meadow, and then text to self, text to self – to start practice doing the text to self, and
then doing lessons – other things with those things, but I just haven’t
You haven’t worked through that yet.
No.
Okay.
Introduction to studying characters – well, start talking about studying characters (2.09)
with this and then, um, then go into Peter’s Chair because they have similar, like they
have the same characters, and they have all their things in there so then they can start
doing text to text connection –
Okay.
- the fact that Peter is in both of these books, and that there’s other things that happen that
are similar.
Okay. Is there a third book with the same characters and the same (2.39)?
I need to go through them. I’ve – I just, um, these are the books that I have knowledge of
off-hand, and I went through – I went to the library’s website for my home town and I
reserved, I don’t know, 40 books –
Oh my God.
- including twenty of The Snow Day, so that each kid could have their version of it.
That’s a very good idea. Yeah.
And um, and so basically any book, even that I wasn’t familiar with, I just checked it out
so that when I go home this weekend I’m gonna have a huge pile of books to sift through.
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Because what I was thinking is when you go – I’m – this is kindergarten, right?
Um-hm.
Settings, characters and events in one chunk might be too much. But if you have three
books –
And one focus on setting, one focus on character and one – okay.
Because then, and then you could still do the text to text from number 4 to number 5 –
Um-hm.
- and then from number 5 to number 6, and then you could do it all together at the end of
the third book –
Um-hm.
- so you do one book with just setting, one with just characters, one with just events,
connecting in between and then connecting all three of them.
Okay. Yeah, I’m not – I know that there’s another one with Peter as like the character,
but I’m just not sure which one, so I’ll have to sift through all those books that I have
waiting for me.
Just something for you to think about, that all those three things in one mini-lesson –
Could it like – what it would also probably, like, make each part maybe seem less
important if I’m just cramming them all together in one lesson, too, so at least maybe
setting will have some importance and then – okay.
Um, the other – the other way that you might want to think of it is out of those three
things, which one is the most important. So that you will start there and then if your class
derails, you’ve done the most important part of it.
Okay. Well, for what I want the final lesson to be, I think it’s gonna be events –
Um-hm.
- what important things happen, how can we tell, or at least what – what three things can
they think of that happens in the book –
Okay.
- like at the start, beginning, middle and end.
That makes sense.
Um, okay, well I’ll look at that then. Then I was thinking – I have the, um, just the audio
version of Goggles, and so I was maybe having them work with the characters to
develop, like – what do you – like after listening to it, draw a picture of what you think
this character looks like. What do you think – and then maybe we go look at the book
afterwards or –
That’s a great idea. I like that. Like that a lot.
Um, and then I’m starting this – well I started making the lesson plan up is like my – the
starting The Snowy – cause this is almost like a project within the unit – have their books,
read through, we talk – I’m thinking that at this time, we’ll go and we’ll talk about the –
then we’re gonna talk about text to self, and text to text while we read it.
Okay.
Then maybe they can draw a picture – what text to self connections draw in your journal
or write a – draw a picture of you or someone – something that you made the connection
with, in like a journal or something. I was – in my head I was imagining some kind of
journal, but I want it to be like authentic at the same time, so I’m – I’m not sure.
Okay.

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I didn’t – like if, oh, we’re gonna write in our journal after reading this one, I didn’t think
that was like the best, but I also want something to refresh their mind so that they can –
What do they – do they usually write in their journals in the morning?
Twice a week.
Twice a week. Because that could be a refresher, was to bring it back to journal every
day.
Um-hm. Now usually it’s twice a week, but, I mean –
I mean, writing does not have to be, um, writing does not have to be strictly journaling.
Um-hm. And that’s what I was thinking, is I don’t have to make it strictly that, so what
other ways can I – at least in particular with this, because we’re reading the book on this
day, and we’re talking about, like I said, the text to self maybe – maybe the text to text
connections –
Okay.
The next day I have like, it’s on DVD, like it’s like 10 minutes long I think, and when I
play that as soon as they come in and we start, just to recap like what was The Snow Day
about, so they – it’s fresh in their minds and they’re gonna, um, since it was so long ago.
A day is like forever (7.32).
Right – right.
And so, watch that to refresh it, and maybe it will also like – it may also help some
students – I’m not sure if – I don’t even know if this would make sense, because
sometimes some of the children are just not used to reading books, having books read to
them. What are they used to? They’re used to watching TV. They’re used to – that’s what
they do – they watch TV. So maybe they may also better understand the book with the
supplemental – do you think?
As many media –
Um-hm.
- as many different media as you can possibly come up with, that would be my
suggestion.
Okay.
Even because, if you have – so when you think about, um, if you were to divide your
classroom into the kids that are visual learners, the kids that are auditory learners, and the
kids that are kinesthetic learners –
Um-hm.
- and you assume that you have one-third of each, the kids that are visual, that don’t rely
on listening to the story or not used to having the story read to them, watching it on video
would be great.
And then – and so I thought that that would also help, and it would also give a recap for
all children even –
Absolutely, absolutely.
- um, at that point I was thinking about introducing that we will be creating this book,
um, well first I think what I did was I talked about the settings, character and then events,
then I think I phrased the question as like, okay, could this happen at Okemos? Could –
you’re saying that the setting is a someplace snowy. Could this be Okemos?
Does it snow in Okemos?

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Does it snow in Okemos. And then, um, the event – so this boy’s at home, he’s going
and he’s playing outside and it’s – it doesn’t look like he has school, so these are the
events. Could this happen to you? Do you think that – do you play outside in the snow?
Um-hm.
And then talk about characters, like this isn’t – this isn’t you in the book, but could you
do these things?
Right. Right.
And then, um, after talking about those three things, and then – and this is where I also
want your help from – I want – because if I tell – I need them to have some sort of
organizer or like graphic organizer, pre-write to create the book, because obviously if I
just give them the stuff and say go at it, I don’t think I’d get the best – the best that they
could do –
Um-hm.
- I don’t think I’d get their personal best. So, I said in here that before we start the book,
we’re gonna do something important that good writers always do – a pre-write and a prewrite helps you organize your thoughts so you know exactly what to write about. So I
was kind of visualizing like a three – like a T-chart but like a column, a column, a column
–
Yeah.
One, two, three. And then – and have that written on there and say, and this is one spot I
want you to draw a picture or write in words what happens first in your story. What
happens next in your story – what is the last thing that happens in your story?
Um-hm.
And then the students that just drew the pictures or I’ll walk – like during this time while
they’re think – and I said also, we don’t rush through pre-writes, we think slowly about
what exactly we want to include, so take your time. Um, we don’t rush – we would rush –
we wouldn’t rush through this type of thing. And it’ll help remind you when we write our
book tomorrow. And so, I’d go through while they’re working, walk each student who
didn’t write, and say, tell me what happens first in your story – what is this picture of?
And then I’ll write it down there to help them remember.
Um-hm. How many kids do you have?
I have 19.
In the morning, and then –
Nineteen in the afternoon.
And you’re going to do this twice?
Yes.
So you’re going to do the exact same unit with the morning kids and the afternoon kids?
Um-hm.
Okay. All right. Um, The only – without ever having been in the classroom, and not
having observed –
Um-hm.
- um, my only worry is that the language you’re using is literary language that I am not
entirely sure that they’re going to understand you.
Um-hm.
So when you talk about characters, I know what it is, you know what it is, but does a
kindergartener know what it is?
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Do you think that by introducing as vocabulary in the lessons before that –
Um-hm.
- like, oh, characters – what is a character? And then talk about oh the characters are the
people in the story. That may be a – like by this point I would be able to use those, or
should I – or just like do a reminder like, oh characters –
Do a reminder –
Okay.
- or do a poster.
Okay.
Do a visual – that a character is the person.
Okay.
Just have them – memory is not – relying on memory is not going to capture the majority
of your students –
Um-hm.
- so you need to come up with ways of repeating the same things and then repeating the
language that you are trying to introduce.
Um-hm.
So using it, um, you know, remember when we talked about characters? Characters are
the people.
Um-hm, Definitely.
You need to keep bringing it back to something that they know.
Um-hm. Well, and also, the characters in their book – the character – well they could add
more, but will be about – it’ll be because it’s so in Snowy Day, unless they want – but
I’m pretty – I’m pretty confident that most of the students will want to write about
themselves.
Yeah.
I’m pretty confident. Maybe they’ll have their brother or their mom with them on the
Snowy Day, but –
Right – but it’s mostly about them.
But, it’s mostly about them. They’re aocentric (sp) at that point –
Absolutely.
- and it’s so – I brought this to my CT and told her about what I was visualizing – um,
and she said that she feels that our students – that it will – it could – like we could do this.
Okay.
Um, but you’re – I was concerned about – because afternoon class I’m pretty sure that I
can come up with this, but I’m always hesitant about the morning class, about – because
it will just – I will need a lot of – but here’s the thing, though. I always say that – I always
say that the morning class will need more guidance, more differentiation, more this and
that. But then when I say that, it turned out that the afternoon class needs it and the AM
class I’m not giving enough credit to. So that’s always how it happens.
It has a lot to do with your expectations.
Um-hm. Like – so but like I always – I’ll like do, I’ll make up all these plans of this
differentiation goals for the morning class and then they get it – first, like, that day
they’re all on top of their game and they get it that day. And then I go to the afternoon
and they are just like – it’s –
Tired.
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Um-hm. So I mean –
See, if I have to guess, I would say that your afternoon group would be worse than your
morning group, because your afternoon group is tired. They’ve been doing stuff all
morning.
Well, um –
It’s nap time.
Half – more than half of my AM class students are at risk. Um, one has an IEP for –
autism.
How is your, uh, other student? Your dyslexic boy?
He,um, I’m not – he is, um, I think tell mom might – is probably working on some things
with him.
Um-hm.
His name is getting a lot better. His, um, it’s just his desire and his focus now.
Yeah.
I mean, I – he’s still not the same spot as everyone else should be, nor does he know his
letters, his numbers, most prior – anything, but he’s – he is beginning to write his name –
Yeah.
- and that’s a huge improvement.
Yeah. You need to take it one day at a time. You know this? Have you ever seen this in
your 400 level classes?
No.
Okay.
I’m – like no, I haven’t.
Okay. This is a unit planning (17.09). It is something that we tend to, um, suggest to
people that are considering doing differentiation within their classrooms, okay? What
you’re gonna do is that you’re going to think about your entire classroom. So this is a unit
planning, okay?
Um-hm.
You’re gonna think about your entire classroom – you’re gonna focus on all the kids that
you have. And then you’re going to try to answer this questions: what all students should
learn, which really is your primary goal for your unit –
Um-hm.
- what most students will learn, which means that not all of them are going to get there;
and then what some students will learn, and your some students are the ones that fall at
both ends.
Um-hm.
Both the ones that you have to plan for – differentiation because they’re not gonna be
able to keep up with you –
Um-hm.
- and the students that are so much more far ahead than the other kids in your class that
you’re gonna have to pick up the pace for them.
Um-hm.
Okay? So when you are thinking about your unit, it would be helpful for you to start
jotting stuff down as you go through. So for example, when you were talking about you
want them to learn text to self, text to text, settings, characters and events.
Um-hm.
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Are those five things something that you want all of your students to know?
Yes.
Okay. So that would have to go here.
I think what I would want the level – I think the levels of how in depth it would go is how
I would change it is done.
Okay. So you’re main goal for your class is the same for everybody. You have – you
want everyone in your class to learn those five things.
Yep.
Which means that you are going to have to plan at the high end and the low end and
everything in between.
Um-hm. And – it’s – what I just – what I wonder about is I’m doing this and just like
how you have asked am I doing for the morning and the afternoon –
Um-hm.
- and everything we talk about we’ve learned is you have to – you know your students.
Um-hm.
So I’m – what I wonder is is it fair for my CT for me to create like a list of – like to make
the unit – to make this and consider – and just assume that we can get this class and this
class disregarding where book (20.12), because they’re so different.
Um-hm.
They’re completely different from each other. I mean, the – the morning – well, the
classes are divided based on um, location, so where they live –
Um-hm.
- so I – a lot of our morning class come from lower socio-economics, um, and some don’t
– like I found out last week that my twin girls who we have such problems with, like we
keep working with them, I didn’t know that they had a dying sister, but they don’t have a
stove at their house, they don’t have – and I guess – I guess I shouldn’t have assumed, but
I’m thinking over in Okemos – like Okemos is right – it’s – and I found out they didn’t
have a stove at their house. And then I’m with like these afternoon children and last week
was school pictures, and half of my girls showed up in Ug boots.
Um-hm.
And it’s just – I mean, that’s the standard for the afternoon because that’s the
neighborhood they live in, and it’s the standard for the morning, because – I mean, and so
it’s –
What do you think?
Like –
Should you have the same unit?
I wonder if – maybe not the – like I think the unit itself – like I’m not – I don’t want to
change expectations for children, cause I know what – they can do it.
Um-hm.
Like I’m not saying that these students won’t be able to do it and these will, but at the
same time it’s just –
So where tough for me.
- where in your unit would you be accounting for that difference? So you – the way I
understand it, you know that there is a distinct difference between your AM and your
PM.
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Um-hm.
They come from different places. More than likely they act in different ways.
Um-hm.
They have different experience – different life experiences.
Um-hm.
Where within your unit would you account for that? If you don’t want to change your
expectations, right?
Yeah, because –
Because they’re – they’re you’re assuming that they’re capable.
Um-hm.
Your starting point and your ending point are the same. Is you’re stuck in the middle that
you’re going to have to adjust. So out of those five things that you had, text to self, text
to text, events, characters and setting, if they’re doing Tim’s Snowy Day, or Paula’s
Snowy Day, right?
Um-hm.
Where are you gonna change it? Where – where do you going to see the changes
between your AM and your PM? Because when you do your text to text connections,
you’re gonna connect amongst the 7 or 8 books that you have –
Um-hm.
- you’re gonna use the same books in the AM and in the PM –
Yeah.
- right?
Yes.
But when you’re doing your text-to-self connections and you talk about a snowy day,
chances are that you may have a PM kid that talks about snowboarding in Colorado –
Um-hm. (23.50)
- and then you have an AM kid that talks about not being able to go to school cause they
don’t have shoes.
Um-hm. That’s just – that’s just crazy to me.
You need to think about that.
Um-hm.
You definitely need to consider your choices of text to self, because what they give you
in those connections is going to –
- determine –
- determine how you do the rest of your unit.
Um-hm. I’m like, (24.27) – I don’t – like I was thinking the apartment one – I made it
text to self because I thought, well I know a lot of my morning children live in
apartments.
Um-hm.
So they will be able to make the connect – and then – so that would be the connection,
it’s, oh, I live in an apartment, maybe there’s someone who lives in my building that’s
like the neighbor –
Um-hm.
- in there, text to self for the afternoon – I don’t live in an apartment, I live in a house, I
live in –

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There you go. See, you’re already – you already have them. You already – you are
already thinking about them.
Um-hm.
What I – what I – what might be a good idea for you, make your lesson plan color coded
–
Okay.
- and make it –
- consider it –
- make your basic all black, make your AM red and your PM blue so that when you’re
thinking about the activities that you want to do with them and when you’re thinking
about the cues you want to give them, you give them appropriate cues.
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense to me – just – because I can’t make a broad, generalized
lesson, I need to focus specifically on –
Who you have.
- who – my kids – who are the kids in my class.
Absolutely. Teach to who you have in front of you. You don’t teach to the paper, you
don’t teach to your CT, you teach to whomever is in front of you.
And, well, so anyway, I wanted the – like the – they start to think about – I changed it,
it’s not gonna be creation of a book, I thought that was way too much – just the
discussion of the – like brainstorming and the –
Um-hm.
- and the um, pre-write Okay.
- and then work on a book, and I would like an additional day for them to read their
books outloud to each other –
Oh, that would be awesome.
- to share.
That would be awesome. Yeah. Definitely.
And it’s like they’re a published author.
Yeah.
But –
Because really, that’s the whole circle. That’s a good idea – a great idea, yeah. Yeah,
yeah, yeah.
So –
And if it – so what if it’s ten days. What does your CT say about it? She give you another
day?
Of course. She’s flexible.
That’s cool.
But it’s –
That looks good.
And, I mean, the only – the only other concerns that I would have would be, um, I think
specifically with, um, in the morning with, um, our student that, um, is autistic –
Um-hm. How much – is it a he or a she?
A she.
A she?

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And – well, she was – she was recommended because she was in the, um, in a program
within the school district last year for like a – I can’t remember what the title of it was,
but – and they recommended that she stay one more year before she goes into the public
schools, and mom and day said, no, I really want – kindergarten is a year that would be
great for her. So she’s in there, but she has an IEP from the last school she was in. But
when I said autistic, that’s – the IEP doesn’t say that. Mom and dad haven’t gotten her
tested yet.
What does the AB say?
The IEP – well, that’s a mess, too. We – my CT and I tried to go through the IEP and
look at it and it’s all over the place. Like it really is, like, isn’t like cohesive and like we
can’t like – we really couldn’t use it in our classroom the way that it is. So we’re –
they’re gonna – I think they’re coming up with something for her soon, because we
expressed our concern to – both of the specials teachers are really concerned because – in
gym, she’s very sensitive to loud noises and when she – when he plays the music loudly,
he’ll – she kind of falls to the ground to go like this and it’s starting to become dangerous
for her and the other children – they could get tripped – she could get tripped on, she
could – so like, I mean, a lot of the students, or a lot of the teachers are starting to get
concerned, so we have, um, her occupational therapist, and we have the, um, speech –
Speech and language pathologist.
Um-hm. We – together they’re coming up with something for her – like a planned – and
like a –
Where’s her special ed teacher?
That’s we have – we have, but it’s just – I’m not sure where the disconnect is, and neither
is – like because the speech and language therapist, she came in and she was talking to
us on Monday while the kids were in a special, and because my CT (30.15) in an e-mail
to her that said, you know, um, cause I think they’re close – they’re friends – and like
I’m just – I’m just looking to you, do you know if there’s like a class I could take or if
there’s things that I can do, and that day, she came running down and she said yes, there
are, but that’s not your responsibility. She said, your responsibility – like we have people
in the District who are paid to help you – to help – like they – I’m not sure why there’s
this disconnect between like –
You really should take the time to find out.
Okay. And –
It is not your responsIt’s our responsibility –
Let me back up.
- teacher to – to work with – she’s a part of our classroom, but it’s – I feel like it’s – we –
it’s the responsibility of like it’s – we need help and it’s their job to come in and teach us
ways that we can – but at the same time, we need to You need to figure out who that special ed person is.
Well, I –
Because she may not even know that this kid is in your classroom.
I think the whole school – I’m pretty sure that – I’ll have the talk tomorrow, cause I’m
just – I’m just like – we still don’t know what we need to do, and that’s – that’s my
biggest point is that she gets pulled out for speech, she gets pulled out for ELL, she’s also

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English language learner, um, she gets pulled out for, um, occu- no, she comes in for
occupational therapy –
Um-hm.
- but she’s never gets pulled out for –
Resource room or special ed or anything –
Actually none of – we haven’t – our at-risk counselors and all of our people – they have
been put on hold since (32.30) the MIEP, so we’ve had none – over half of our kids have
tested at risk for – like for language arts, or they haven’t come in yet.
Hmm.
So, supposedly they’re gonna start next week –
That’s what MIEP does.
- um-hm –
Brings everything to a standstill. You need to find out who your special ed person is in
your building. And you need – because she’s supposed to be a part of your team.
Um-hm.
And if nothing else, they can give you suggestions on what to do. Now here’s the thing
about autism, autistic children – they can be from the very low functional to the very high
functional.
Yes. I have many – I have several family members who They may not have any difficulties that could (33.19).
Um-hm.
So you may be worrying about something that there’s no reason to worry about.
It – just - I think just from my experiences working with her, it’s – it’ll definitely require
a certain amount of, um, differentiation – a certain amount of a lot of things that – just
because she and – I’m not sure – it’s –
Let me show you this.
Okay.
This – the idea with this is the same as the unit planning, but it’s the lesson planning.
Okay.
Okay? What I would do here would be, inside of my perimeter, I would put the names of
the kids that will learn – that I think are going to learn everything.
Okay.
And then here I would put the names of the kids that I think are only going to learn most.
And then if here I would put the names of the kids that I know I am going to have
difficulties with that are on the low end or on the high end, and start drawing out
strategies. Start thinking about if this happens, I will do this. If this happens, I will do
this. Arm yourself with strategies to help these kids stay with you –
Um-hm.
- throughout your lessons.
Okay.
Because if you let them fall behind or if you let them go too far ahead of you, it’s going
to mess up your entire cadence of your class.
Um-hm.
So you need to be teaching to your whole group, but you also need to be teaching to these
kids up here.
Um-hm.
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You know what I mean?
Yeah, definitely.
But while you think about those things, it would be beneficial for you to design your
entire lesson first. At least your entire outline so that then you can start plugging in the
places where you think you’re going to have the hardest time with.
Okay.
How many lessons – which are the lessons you are going to write in detail, do you
already know?
Um, right now I have this – the – watching the DVD and then the brainstorming of the,
um – I kinda think – I was thinking this one, just because it’s different from all the rest,
so I want to make sure that –
They’ll listen to (36.01) for you.
Yeah, and then the – um, but I mean, I don’t know. What do you – do you recommend –
like I – like I almost think that they need support – not only do they need support right
here, but they might – they’ll need support in the completed, like the making of the book,
or I mean –
Where do you need support? Where – what do you think it’s gonna be the hardest part for
you?
I’m confident in this –
Say number one –
- all of these, 1 through 4 –
1 through 4, okay.
Um, well if we add the extra one, I’ll be even more – I think I’ll be even more confident –
how we said that we were gonna focus each one.
Um-hm, yeah?
So really what I think I need the most focus in is the end of the lesson.
The last three?
- at the last bit, but the – or at least for sure this one, now that I’m thinking about it, I do
need how to – I need support on how to get them to take from what they did in their prewrite, which is something that they’re not – the pre-write idea is something that they’ve
never seen before or done before, and how I can get that to translate into their book.
Their own book?
Yes. And, um, actually I probably – and then the other one I’m not sure which one I’m
gonna go ahead and do. Maybe the Goggles one. ButThat would be fun.
These are the two that I’m most concerned with what I do that helps them.
Watch the video and discuss –
Um-hm.
Okay. Um, yeah, I don’t know how you are used to writing, but I think it would be
helpful to see it laid out before you go into the detail of writing into another level.
Um-hm. Okay.
Just because you may change your mind halfway through it and then you would have
already wasted a lot of time and a lot of energy.
Definitely. And that’s – I was kind of waiting to go ahead and do the overview until I
spoke with you and until I saw the books, because (38.41) familiar with these books but I

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want to make sure that what I’m doing is the best thing for the lesson, for the kids, for the
–
Yeah. Where are you going – where do you live at?
Um, up by Saginaw.
So you’re going home this weekend?
Um-hm.
Okay. If there is something that you cannot find, e-mail me and let me know, I’ll learn in
(38.59).
Okay.
Cause we have tons of stuff.
Thanks.
And I’ll look – I’ll look for you.
I mean, I just – I – I’m happy but (39.09) feel like that’s two key parts of comprehension
– the parts of the story, like the events, setting and characters, and the text to self, text to
text, and I think that it’s – I’m happy about how cohesive it is, so it’s not gonna be
choppy for the kids, I don’t think.
I think it looks very good.
I’m just – I’m –
Lay it out.
Yep, I need to lay it out. Cause I think it could be really cool, but I’m really –
I think you’re very brave for teaching kindergarten. I need to have people that understand
me when I’m teaching anything – I couldn’t teach kindergarten for the life of me.
There’s no way, so, yeah, I mean, if you can pull this off, kudos to you. Not because it’s
complicated, but because it’s a really hard grade level. I mean, these kids are not even
used to school, for God’s sake.
No, they’re not, but they’re – they’re great.
That’s great. So lay it out and then just send it to me whenever you’re ready –
Okay.
- and I’ll just send it back to you. We can go like that for a while.
All right. I’m pretty sure I’m gonna go to town on this this weekend, so it’s –
Yeah. All right.
Thanks. That’s – gotta make sure I write that down for the –
These other two articles, they’re – this might be applicable to you. This one has to do
with comprehension strategies, but they’re more for upper grades –
Upper grade levels.
- and it’s a variety of strategies that you can use from, um, peer tutoring to special ed,
regular ed, regular ed, I mean there’s a variety of things that you can try – you can try out
through. So this is a unit planning pyramid. This would help you think about your entire
unit in a way of what is it that you need, and what is it that you have your holes. This is a
lesson, and this is a unit Rubrick that would help you think in terms of the diversity of
your classroom.
Okay. Um, where I had one question is, is it – I guess because you do have the
knowledge in special education, and – is it – using technology in the classroom is always
a good thing, right?
Yes.

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Because I was wondering – we just had the smart board put into our classroom. I’ve been
using that a lot. Yes. It’s awesome. It’s awesome. And so I’m thinking about – I’m also
thinking about ways that I can use the technology, and so like when I talk about the – like
the setting, the characters and events, having the kids using that and doing – so I mean,
not just another area that I’m really – that I want to use the technology if it’s something
that helps.
Use as much as you can.
Okay.
Little kids are very visual, very hands-on, so having them sitting down and just listening
to you it’s going to be very difficult for them.
Um-hm.
Anything that you can do that only involves dancing, singing, walking around the room,
getting their hands dirty, that kind of stuff, they’ll be happy with.
Okay.
Make snowmen – out of shaving cream.
That would be cool.
I used to teach spelling with shaving cream.
Um-hm. I’ve – we’re gonna do – I’m doing shaving cream and sandpaper and a couple of
other things for numbers to practice with the numbers.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that’s a great idea.
During my – in my math unit, that is.
Yeah. That’s cool.
Okay.
Yes? Of course. Let me go get my water.
Thanks for your help.
Yep, anytime. Just e-mail me whenever you need me to look at anything or if you get
stuck somewhere. If you get stuck and you just need somebody to talk through it, call
me.
Okay. And I really like the idea of color coding, so these are questions, but go ahead.
Because especially when you’re teaching text to self, it’s pretty important to consider
what theirself is and not just what a generic self would be.
And never assume that they have been read to.
Um-hm.
Never assume that they actually know what it is that they are talking about.
Um-hm.
Because what is a usual experience for you may not be a usual experience for them. That
should be very interesting. That is a dissertation work in itself. Seriously, I mean thinking
about how your AM and your PM kindergarten differ –
They’re so different.
That is a dissertation work in itself.
What I’m curious about is how does first grade happen? When they take this class that’s
been – just like – I mean, the two differences, split them – put them together and then
split em up in half so one goes in this – like – and then especially Okemos is closing two
schools next year. So schools – some of the kids from Central – Central are coming to
Okemos. So that’s also, not also these cohesive, but then there’s all these other kids that
are getting put into here, like –
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Um-hm.
I’m just –
Is it a problem?
Is it a problem to, oh, to put them together?
Do you think that the more diverse – diversity you have, is it a problem? Is it a hindrance,
or is it a value-added –
No, but I’m just – I – I think that it’s abs – like I wish that it was like that it was – I wish
that the – I think that everyone could benefit if with the – like with the cohesiveness and
with it, so it’s not just kids from this side of town and this side of town, like I think first
grade should be – I mean, it’s interesting – it’ll be interesting to see, I mean, I know it
happens every year, and that’s how it’s always been done (45.45) –
Oh, that that’s how it’s always been done?
Yes.
Interesting.
But it’s just –
So why is it that they divided in kindergarten? Does it have to do with a bus route or
something?
Um-hm. Because after – morning kids will have buses – they get picked up with a bus
and they get dropped off the bus. PM class doesn’t have busing. Parents have to drop
them off and pick them up. So, I mean, a parent that works during the day, they can’t
drop off their kid at noon and they can’t pick them up at 2, you know? So, like I mean, all
of my parents that pick up their kids after school, it’s 3:30, this huge group of moms that
is just like huddling by the door, waiting for their kids to come out, I mean, it’s – during
the morning class, we offer parent pickup. Like there’s parent pickup, but only one,
sometimes two children get picked up by parents in the morning. Everyone else is bused.
Somewhere.
Somewhere?
Somewhere, right. So –
Interesting to find out where that somewhere is.
And – we used – in my other experiences that I’ve had, we’ve done home visits, we’ve
done everything, and so – I told my CT, I’m like it would be really cool to – I mean, that
way you know your students more, you know the families more, she said she used to do it
when she had just one class, like second grade. She said once they – now that it’s AM
and PM, she said it’s just way too difficult to – like but I still think that it’s valuable –
For the kids.
Yeah, I still think it’s valuable to maybe, I mean, not all do it right at the beginning of the
year, but if like –
Throughout the school year just going in and visiting? Yeah.
Okay, I care about you kids. I – I – it’s important to me that I go to your house –
There’s another visitation study right there. What are you waiting on?
I know. Maybe I should just start typing.
Still writing. All right. You have my e-mail –
Yes.
- and you have my phone number?
I think I do.
I’ll get you a card.
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APPENDIX R: Lisa Project Two
Teaching Overview
Name: Lisa

Grade Level: Kindergarten

School: Bennett Woods CT: Kathleen Eyia

Target area for guided lead teaching: Comprehension
List the main Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs) that this unit will work toward:
R.CM.00.01 begin to make text-to-self and text-to-text connections and comparisons
by activating prior knowledge and connecting personal knowledge and experience to
ideas in text through oral and written responses.
R.NT.00.03 discuss setting, characters, and events in narrative text.
List a small set of well chosen Objectives for the unit. Label each objective with a number so
you can easily list the objective(s) for each day in the table below.
While reading any text, the children will naturally use their own use personal experiences to
reflect and make text-to-text and text-to-self connections.
Given any narrative text, the children will accurately identify setting, characters, and events.
List the main assessment(s) you will use to determine if your students meet your unit
objectives
After reading each book, the children will participate in an assortment of activities, focusing
on the specific focus of the lesson.
At the end of the unit, the children will be author and illustrator of their own (small) book.
Using dominant characteristics from the books read in class, the children will construct their
own version of the Snowy Day. In their book, the children will use the text-to-self
connections to make it different from Keats. The book must include setting, character, and
event.
Mon. 10/26/09

Tues. 10/27/09

Jennie’s Hat
Objective #1
Whole class
book discussion
followed by
individual art
activity
Are the children
beginning to
share text-self
connections?

Wed. 10/28/09

Thurs. 10/29/09

Apt. 3 (PM, AM
on Tues.)
Obj #1
Digital Story,
followed by
whole group
SmartBoard
question
Are most
children making
text-self
connections

Pet Show
Obj #1
Whole class
book discussion,
followed by
journal entry
Children are
confidently
making text-self
connections.

Table 10 – Lisa Project Two

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Fri. 10/30/09

Table 10 (Cont’d)
Mon. 11/2/09

Tues. 11/3/09

Wed. 11/4/09

Thurs. 11/5/09

Fri. 11/6/09
Peter’s Chair
(Event)
Obj #2
Whole group
book discussion,
followed by pair
game
Are the children
identifying
events
sequentially?

Wed. 11/11/09

Goggles
(Character)
Obj #1&2
Individual work
from table,
followed by
whole class book
discussion
Did the children
make the text to
text connection
of Peter? Do
they identify
more than one
character?
Thurs. 11/12/09
Completion of
the book
Obj #1 and 2
Brief instruction
and then
individual work
from desks,
writers
conferencing
throughout
How well are the
children
following
guidelines of
setting,
character, event,
while using text
to self
connections?

Children share
their own books
with classmates

Whistle for
Willy (Setting)
Obj #2
Whole group
book discussion
followed by
small group
activity
How easily did
the children
identify the
setting?

Mon. 11/9/09

Tues. 11/10/09

Individually
reading The
Snowy Day
Obj #1
Whole class
guided reading
Are the children
using text-toself and text- to
text connections
naturally?

Watch the DVD
and begin prewrite (PM, Tues.
for AM)
Obj #1 and 2
Movie, followed
by brief whole
class instruction,
and individual
work
After reviewing
the children’s
pre-write, what
areas need
attention the
following day?

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Fri. 11/13/09

Table 10 (Cont’d)
Outline for a Daily Lesson Plan

Date: 11/10/09

Objectives for today’s lesson:
While reading any text, the children will naturally use their own use personal experiences to
reflect and make text-to-text and text-to-self connections.
Materials & supplies needed:
The Snowy Day DVD, The Snowy Day, SmartBoard (with a copy of the pre-write page), 20
copies of the pre-write page, blank copy of the children’s book to show as an example, 20
pencils.
Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event
Academic, Social and
Linguistic Support
• Introduction to the lesson
during each event
We will start the lesson with the children sitting on the carpet near the
SmartBoard screen. “Yesterday we read The Snowy Day and you
The movie itself is an
made a text to self connection with the text. Today, we are expand on academic and linguistic
the book. In order for the book to be fresh in your head, we are going support for the children
to watch The Snowy Day as a movie. While watching it, I want you to who struggled through
think about what happens at the beginning, in the middle, and at the
our group reading of
end.” At this time, I’m going to play the movie for the children to
the Snowy Day.
watch.
The movie is relatively short, taking about 10 minutes.
• OUTLINE of key events during the lesson
After the movie has finished, I will change the screen from displaying
the movie to displaying a smart board presentation. “Who can tell me
what happened in the beginning? What about the middle? What was
the last thing that happened in the movie and the book?” I will record
everything on the SmartBoard, using a three columned chart. This
will be the same chart as the children will use for the pre-write. (5
minutes) “We have made text-to-self connections and we have talked
about the three parts of the book: setting, characters, and events. Plus,
we have been studying about Ezra Jack Keats. Now we are going to
take everything that we have learned and put it together. You are
going to become the author and the illustrator of your very own
Snowy Day book. Each book will have a cover like this, which says,
“(Name)’s Snowy Day,” which is the title. Before we start the book,
we are going to do something important that good writers ALWAYS
DO: a pre-write.
Table 10 – Lisa Project Two

320

I will have a copy of
the Snowy Day with me
at my stool. This way,
if the children need
help we can reference
the book.

Table 10 (Cont’d)
A pre-write helps you organize all of your thoughts so that you know
exactly what you want to write about. Usually we don’t rush through
a pre-write, rather working slowly while thinking what exactly we
want to include. This is the paper that we will use for our pre-write.
So just like you did with me on the SmartBoard chart, on this prewrite the box with the #1 means what happens first in your story. The
#2 box will be what happens in the middle, and the 3 box will be what
happens last. You can draw a picture for each part, or write the words
just like we did together. While you work, I will walk around and you
can tell me what is happening in the picture so that I can write it down
so we remember it for tomorrow, when we create our books. Will your
book be exactly like Ezra Jack Keats? No, because you are taking
your text-to-self connections. Your main character won’t be Peter, but
instead you! There will be parts that are similar to his book. For
example, some of the events will be the same because your story will
be about your snowy day (5 minutes).”
At this time, I will dismiss the children to their desks to begin
working. Pre-write sheets will already be placed on children’s desks
before the lesson. While working, I will roam the classroom with Mrs.
Eyia and we will record the children’s thoughts on their pre-write (20
minutes).
Closing summary for the lesson
Boys and girls, while you finish up on your work I want to remind you
that today was just the pre-write. Tomorrow, you will take your prewrite and use it to prepare your book. After you have completed your
book, you will get to share it with your classmates (1 minute).
• Transition to next learning activity
When I see that your table is ready, I will call your name and you can
bring your paper to me, then line up for recess.
Assessment
Did the children construct a story using the pre-write, with 3 events
and using a text-to-self connection to make the story about
themselves?
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I will keep our
brainstormed chart on
the SmartBoard to
remind the children.
While the children
work, Mrs. Eyia and I
will walk around to
record their thoughts.
Children who can write
by themselves can just
explain their thoughts.
Academic, Social, and
Linguistic Support
during assessment

Table 10 (Cont’d)

Reflection (What did students learn? What did I learn about teaching
literacy? What went well? What would I do differently next time?)

Outline for a Daily Lesson Plan

Children are not
responsible for writing
in words the
connection, rather
demonstrating in
picture form. It is the
teacher’s responsibility
to record the thoughts
of the students during a
short “conference”
time. Those who can
write the connection
may do so.
(Which students
struggled with the
material? How will I
reteach these students)
Date: 11/5/09

Objectives for today’s lesson:
While reading any text, the children will naturally use their own use personal experiences to
reflect and make text-to-text and text-to-self connections.
Given any narrative text, the children will accurately identify setting, characters, and events.
Materials & supplies needed: Goggles, Goggles on CD, computer, paper for the children to
draw picture on, crayons, dry-erase board and markers.
Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event
• Introduction to the lesson
“Who has a favorite cartoon or person on television?” Invite a couple
children to share. “These people on television that you like are also
called characters. There are many characters in most stories. Today
while we read another Keats book we are going to focus on character
in particular (2 minutes).
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Academic, Social and
Linguistic Support
during each event
While drawing the
pictures, I will
conference with
students whose pictures
are difficult for me to
visualize and ask them

Table 10 (Cont’d)
• OUTLINE of key events during the lesson
Remember how we read the book, Me First, and I asked you all to
picture in your head what the sandwich looks like. This time, we are
going to listen to the story Goggles on tape, and I want you to focus on
the main character. The main character in a book is the person who is
in it the most. Our main character in this book wears the “Goggles.”
What does the book say he looks like? Is he wearing anything? After
the book is read to us, I will give each of you a piece of paper to draw
what he looks like. Remember, everyone needs to listen quietly so
that we can all hear the story.” At this time I will play the book over
the speaker system (5 minutes).
“Alright, now I will pass out the paper. Remember to write your name
at the top. Then, work on the picture, adding detail when you are
done, until I ask you to stop.” Children will work on this for 5
minutes.
When I call your name, push your chair in, bring your picture over to
me, and sit down (1 minute).
At this point, I read Goggles out loud using the book and showing the
pictures, reflecting the similarities that I see from the children’s
pictures to the book pictures. (5 minutes)
Who are the characters in the book, who is the main one? What do we
know about the main character? What does he look like? Do we
know anything else? Are there any other characters, besides the main
one?” I will record all of the thoughts of the children on the dry erase
board. If the children don’t naturally suggest that the main character
of the book is Peter, the same character from Whistle for Willy, I will
ask the children, “Is there anything in this book that is the same as
yesterday’s book?” If the children don’t respond that Peter is in both
books, I will make the text-to –text connection by saying, “Well I
know in Whistle for Willy, Peter was the main character. In this book,
Peter is also the main character. I’m making a text to text connection.
This means that instead of connection from my life and making a textto-self connection, I’m making a connection to another Keats book.
(10 minutes)
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to tell me about it. In
addition, children can
answer the question,
“Tell me what you
know about Peter in
Goggles? What is he
wearing? What do you
think he looks like.”

Table 10 (Cont’d)
• Closing summary for the lesson
Many of the books that Keats writes, she uses Peter as a main
character. Peter might be in the next couple books that we will read in
class. Explain to the children that I will be posting the Goggles
pictures in the classroom so that we will be reminded of the book.
• Transition to next learning activity
Assessment
Some children will raise their hand to participate in discussion while I
ask what we know about the characters, which shows that they
understand the role of the character. I’m also interested in what they
draw after listening to the book the first time. If they draw a picture
that looks somewhat similar to the character in the book, I will know
that not only do they understand character, but also that they
comprehended the book from just listening alone.
Reflection (What did students learn? What did I learn about teaching
literacy? What went well? What would I do differently next time?)

Academic, Social, and
Linguistic Support
during assessment

(Which students
struggled with the
material? How will I
reteach these students)

Outline for a Daily Lesson Plan
Date: 11/11/09
Objectives for today’s lesson:
While reading any text, the children will naturally use their own use personal experiences to
reflect and make text-to-text and text-to-self connections.
Given any narrative text, the children will accurately identify setting, characters, and events.
Materials & supplies needed: Blank books, copies of The Snowy Day, children’s pre-write from
the day before, colored pencils
Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event
Academic, Social and
• Introduction to the lesson
Linguistic Support
Children start by sitting on the carpet. “Yesterday we started to do
during each event
planning for making our own book. We used a pre-write paper, like
this, to help organize our thoughts and come up with a new story.
Today, we are going to take all of the work that we have done in our
pre-write and begin writing our book. (2 minutes)
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Table 10 (Cont’d)
OUTLINE of key events during the lesson
A book always has a setting, characters, and an event. We know our
character, because it will be each one of you. Your setting will
probably be in Okemos, or at your house. Our brainstorm helped us
take the event and break it down into what happened in the beginning,
the middle, and then end, which we wrote in our pre-write. When we
get our book, the pre-write will really help us. Whatever we wrote in
the 1 column of our pre-write, we can put onto page 1 of our book.
Column 2 pictures can be put on page 2, and the same with page 3.
Sometimes when we do things in class, Mrs. Eyia and I suggest that
you really work hard to do your personal best. This is very true for
our books. Do you think that when Ezra Jack Keats wrote any of his
books that he rushed through them, without doing his personal best?
The pictures in his books are neat and have a lot of detail, just as yours
will be. When books are finished, they are published, which means
they are printed, put together, and sold to people to read. Yours will
be put together, and maybe laminated, but instead of selling them, you
will read to your classmates and read to your parents when the books
are sent home. Mrs. Eyia and I will be around to write words on your
page if you need help. Pictures won’t be done in crayons, rather
colored pencils so that your pictures will be very neat. When you are
finished, raise your hand and I will give you a book cover. The cover
of books are always done last, because they should be about whatever
you wrote in your book.

If student’s want, pages
4 and 5 will be
available for students
who want to extend
their book.

Before we start, What should go on page 1? What should go on page
2? What should go on page 3? If you have any questions, raise your
hand. It is very important that you work quietly, as your friends are
Some of the children
working to do their personal bests that it is distracting when the person will be fully able to
next to you is talking.”
write their own
sentences in their
At this point, I will dismiss the children to their desks individually.
books. A majority will
Pages 1-3 will be sitting on the tables for the children, as well as the
not be able to, which is
box of colored pencils. (10 minutes)
why we will be
completing writer
The children will work independently for around 25 minutes to
conferences so that the
construct their books. Mrs. Eyia and I will be walking around the
students can tell us
classroom, to write the words on the books for students who need it.
what they want written.
• Closing summary for the lesson
On Friday, we will have a book reading, in which you can share your
book with the class if you want.
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Table 10 (Cont’d)
Assessment (How will I gauge the students’ learning as I implement
the lesson plan and once the lesson is completed? Specifically, what
will I look for? How will I use what I am learning to inform my next
steps)
Specifically, I will be looking for some text-to-self connections in the
children’s book or in the conversation with the children. Does the
child have a character, setting, and an event?
Reflection (What did students learn? What did I learn about teaching
literacy? What went well? What would I do differently next time?)
Table 10 – Lisa Project Two

326

Academic, Social, and
Linguistic Support
during assessment

(Which students
struggled with the
material? How will I
reteach these students)

APPENDIX S: Lisa’s Observation
1. Praised children for being quiet and immediately sit on the floor, ready for the next task.
2. Asked the kids if they remembered who the author was from last week (Keats) and then asked
if they remembered what they had spoken about, written notes about and practiced with: text-toself connections.
3. Introduced this weeks’ focus when studying the parts of a story: events, settings and
characters. Asked what settings were and no one knew. She introduced it as the place where a
story happens and gave the example of her own classroom. Introduced the book “Whistle for
Willie” as the story that will help them talk about setting.
4. Read the title and asked the kids to look at the pictures and raise their hands as the see a
setting or a change in settings.
5. Started reading the story. Read the first page and stopped to point out to the kids the
illustrations that made her believe the setting was outdoors: a street lamp, and flowers. Read
pages 2 and 3 and showed them the illustration. Pointed out the building and the yellow colors
that resembled the sun. Read one more page, talked about the character being dizzy and
dismissed two of the children to go with the speech therapist. Read two more pages, showed the
pictures and read one more page, showing pictures. Read one more page and showed the kids the
illustration that showed Willie was in front of a barber shop. Read two more pages and because
some kids had their hands up she said it was an indication that there was a change in setting. She
then prompted some students as to what the pictures showed that indicated something had
changed (Willie had his fathers’ hat on). Read two more pages, and showed illustrations and then
two more pages, and two more. Read two more, two more, and then two more. Two more pages.
Some of the kids were, like Willie, trying to whistle and, at the end of the story Nichole
commented that with them trying to whistle, they were trying to make a text-to-self connection.
6. Started discussing how some kids were noticing settings and setting-changes and what pictures
7. Started setting groups of children, reminded them of what the task entailed, gave positive
reinforcement to each child and or group as they initiated the task, and constantly walk around
the group, going from group to group, giving further directions, helping them to get organized,
and prompting. Nichole also talked to each child and used the book for prompting and
understanding, as needed, asking about what each was doing, how it related to setting, etc.
8. Asked the kids to finish the last detail and sit on the carpet so they can move on to the next
task and, (32:50) started conducting a discussion about each poster. Each child was expected to
tell one thing they drew to make the setting.
9. Asked the students to turn around and started transitioning to a math activity.

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APPENDIX T: Lisa’s Second Informal Conversation (transcript)
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So tell me how’s it going?
Good.
Yeah?
Good. This unit, the (13) unit is very fun so far.
Cool.
Everything we’ve done is – let me – let me grab something. Like, when we were doing
text to self connections, like only because it was so meaningful, like the topic, like the Pet
Show book is – the text to self connection they’re making and like, they were writing
their own set – most of the kids who never write sentences were writing sentences for us,
like, I like cats, I like dogs, and if not, they were telling me about it, so I think (1.21) –
telling me about um – a dog –
She can’t write her name?
Um, she can sometimes. Sometimes. Um, kitten, my mom walks my cat.
Ah, that’s cute.
And like guinea pig. Are you finished? All right, you can get your snack and take it
outside. And then I had a pet but it died. All right ***, when – you can go outside, take
you snack out and just leave it right on your – right on the table, and I’ll take the apple
tree assessment. Thank you. So I mean, like the text to self connections worked great.
They’re definitely getting it.
I – yeah, they were, and then um, today, they had some great setting pictures. Did you see
some of those pictures?
Um-hm.
They’re so cute – it’s – no it doesn’t – they – I’m feeling good but at the same time, it’s –
the – we’re missing so many kids –
Um-hm.
- and the kids who I would do a lot of my differentiation on, they’re not here right now.
So what would my lesson be like with that, would they have gotten it? Would – what are
they missing? Like, one, two, well and one of them left during – she was – she went
home sick –
In the morning?
Yep. So she was one I focus on a lot. The other two more behavioral –
Um-hm?
- I actually imagine that they would be fine, because they’ve had such growth –
Yeah.
- but, you know –
So what is your plan when they come back?
I don’t know. I don’t know what – because I thought my – one, I don’t know when
they’re coming back, like the – twin girls, they were – they’ve been sick since last week.
Wow.
Like, they didn’t come to our Halloween party because they were sick. But – and if she’s
sick, if she’s just starting to get sick, the one who left today, that puts her out a couple of
days, but I mean, the good thing for me, I knew that she had the idea because she
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participated in large group by saying – or in our discussion – there’s buildings outside
and there’s a light. She was participating more than some of the others were, so, which is
really – and she, lots of times, she, when she participates it’s like just – if she raises her
hand to say something, it’s not usually about what we’re talking about, but today it was.
Yeah.
It really was, and so that’s really –
She was with you.
Um-hm. And –
She was definitely with you.
- because we always worry about is she just playing the role as a listener, or is she
listening.
Yeah.
And there’s actually been, like, our – the speech language pathologist said that, like oh,
I’m not – she said oh I don’t even know if she understands like – when we say things or
do things – I asked her a question and she didn’t – well, I didn’t ask, the – the speech and
language – she said I asked her something and she – she didn’t respond, and I’m
wondering if she even has the English to – but with her in particular it’s on and off. It’s
when you have her interested, you know, when you have her interested, I mean, like any
kid – if you’re interested in it, and so it’s – I don’t think it’s language.
Yeah.
I don’t think it’s a matter of English.
So are all of your – is she in English as a second language? Oh, she is?
Um, yep. Mom speaks – mom and dad speak Mandarin at home? I’m not sure. I can’t
think.
But you guys have ESL services at school?
Um-hm. Yep, and she – they – she has all the um, people who come and work with her.
Yeah. So all of your focus students are out? All three of them?
Um, no. Um, One is in the afternoon, the other was here. And actually, like, I um –
Was I the boy that you talked – that you held back –
Two are in the afternoon. No, that wasn’t, but he – um, he’s needed to be talked to. Um,
but, uh, no, two are in the afternoon.
Yeah.
One is in the morning.
And that’s the one that went home?
No, that’s not even her.
Oh, that’s somebody else?
The boy that was sitting right here?
Yes.
That is the one who – no name – identification –
Yeah.
He’s changed a lot.
He’s the one that you took the book to to show him when you – when they were drawing
the setting you picked up the book and you told –
Yeah, I think so.
- you showed him the pictures from the book? Okay, yeah. Yeah.
Yep. So, um –
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The children seem to have, I mean, seem to be totally at ease with you. It’s just like,
you’re the teacher in the classroom. There is no – I, I was expecting, you know, them to
look to the classroom teacher to actually look for the classroom management from her
and stuff, and I mean, half the time they couldn’t even care if she was in the room or not,
which is awesome.
Um-hm. No, it’s been – it’s been pretty easy transition,
Have you had any problems with parents, or anything?
Um, I haven’t personally.
Yeah.
We have issues with parents Right.
- but not with me personally.
But not you? How can I help you?
What would you sugg- you asked what is my plan for when they come back.
Um-hm. Do you have a plan for when they come back? Do you think you need to have a
plan for when they come back?
I just – like I feel like they’re missing – like they’ve missed things –
Um-hm.
And, um, I mean that’s what I was like kind of wondering, cause they missed some of last
week – or at least the girls, they missed one day of last week, I guess it wasn’t that
drastic. But, well that’s just a generic question, is like what do you do when they’re
absent, you know? Because morning class wasn’t absent last week. Last week afternoon
class was gone. Last week and the week before because of all the sickness.
Um-hm.
Morning class is now starting to get the whatever it is. And hopefully it doesn’t wipe out
the class like it did the afternoon. But, I mean, I mean maybe that’s just like a moral
dilemma that all teachers have.
Um-hm. Do you, um, do you send anything home?
We do, and we send newsletters and we send work, and we send, like and I give them
like tips on what maybe, will support their learning of math and of language arts. But,
specifically, at least with the twin girls that are absent, there’s not – they’re not gonna get
anything at home. I mean, that’s just, we know it. What they get is here.
So I mean, I guess my suggestion would be to go back through your planning from last
week and from the week before, and lay out what each of the children that were gone
missed.
Um-hm.
And then once you kind of have a layout of what – what content they missed, then you
need to figure out what is the critical portion of that content –
Um-hm.
- in order for them to be able to come in and pick up with the rest of the children.
Especially because the final assessment – I mean, or – or also not only to write that, but I
mean, in the final assessment, which is to write their – make their own Snowy Day book,
it is – like I’m expecting these things out of them. Well, I need to at least identify that
they didn’t have the instruction that the rest of –
Absolutely.
- their friends had.
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Absolutely.
And so –
So then you have two choices. You either alter the assessment for them, or you alter your
Rubrick of the assessment.
Um-hm.
But you need to remember that that entire chunk that they’re missing – if it is not
provided to them –
Eventually they’re never gonna get it.
Right.
Yep.
So, I mean, in here you have the advantage of having two people in the room, and you
can be working with half the classroom and then the other half can be working with your
CT and you can kind of make up for that, but whatever time they are with the CT then
they’re missing on what you’re doing with the rest of the class. So trying to catch them
up it’s always a – it’s a two-edged sword.
Yep.
Because if you’re trying to catch them up on something they’re missing –
Which is –
missing out on what you’re doing.
Which is just exactly when they get – when the children, especially in the morning who
need the extra support, and who get pulled out, they’re getting pulled out because they
need the assistance in writing their names, they need assistance on doing letter
recognition, but at the same time, they’re missing everything in here, and I guess – and I
guess I know that that’s just a dilemma that all teachers deal with – how do you get that
with – like, how do you serve all your students the same way when they have –
Right.
- different needs, different – I mean, they’re getting pulled out if they’re doing this, if
they – if they are missing a day of school because they’re sick, that’s a – I mean, that’s a
simple differentiation that I never, I mean –
Um-hm.
- but that it was bothering me, cause I’m thinking how do I get – how do I get them
caught up to their peers.
Yeah. I think that the first thing you need to do is that you need to list out what it was that
they missed.
Um-hm.
And then you need to identify the critical portions of what they missed.
And I was even thinking just in this conversation maybe making – we have centers on
Wednesdays – so maybe making one of the centers to talk about –
What they missed.
Um-hm – like to be, uh, like a recapper, like a – let’s talk about the setting again, let’s
learn more, let’s talk more about setting, and then that will be the introductory lesson for
the ones who missed it and it will be supplementary for all the other –
Yeah. Yeah, that’s a good idea.
Because that way they get the one-on-one and they get the – but –
That’s a good idea. Um, I will send you some stuff on accommodations, because it has
some ideas on how to accommodate the lesson itself –
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Um-hm.
- but then it also has some ideas about accommodating the assessment portions of it.
Okay.
So maybe that will give you some ideas as to, I mean, you can very well modify your
assignment Um-hm.
- your assessment portion.
Yeah.
And just make sure that, you know, your assessing a child and not assessing, uh, whether
or not they were here, or whether or not they were absent.
Um-hm.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
It’s always a good idea to have a backup plan just in case, I mean, you have how many
kids? Nineteen kids?
Um-hm.
If you have half of your classroom gone, what are you gonna do? Are you gonna stay
with your plan?
Um-hm. And that’s what – and that’s what –when the afternoon class was absent a couple
weeks ago, it was – we put off all, like all of our plans and all of our, um, well and which
it actually worked out fine because the morning class needs more, um, like the work
needs to be more in depth with them –
Um-hm.
And so, um, it – it worked out that way. We could just – we practiced some things in the
morning class and in the afternoon we just talked about like we did – I don’t want – like
we didn’t go into any content.
Yeah. So is your morning and your afternoon plans still on par? You’re still doing the
same things in the morning that you’re doing in the afternoon? Good. How long do you
think that you can manage to do that?
Next week I bet things will change.
Why?
Is it? Um, I think the morning class might need more, um, support with the final
assessment.
Yeah. Yeah. It will be interesting how that goes.
Yeah. So we’ll have to –
You play it by ear.
Um-hm. I mean, that’s all – because I can go in and say that the morning class will need
more support and the afternoon class struggled with this – but substantially in comparison
to the morning class. So it’s like – I - you can’t predict that.
Yeah. You know, I have to tell you that – you know, having a morning group and an
afternoon group is a lot of work, but it’s a great research study in itself –
Um-hm.
- because the comparison that you get from one group to the other.

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APPENDIX U: Lisa Project Three Handout (w/ Lesson Plans)
Individual Assessment Analysis
Student Name: J
Grade Level: Kindergarten
List the GLCEs that represent your broad goals
List statements that best describe your focus
for your unit:
student in the target area relevant to your
R.CM.00.01 begin to make text-to-self and textunit: As a literacy learner, J is probably the
to-text connections and comparisons
lowest in our morning classroom. He
by activating prior knowledge and connecting
doesn’t have any experience with literacy
personal knowledge and experience to
prior to school (ex. Not holding a pencil, no
ideas in text through oral and written responses.
hand dominance, doesn’t identify name,
R.NT.00.03 discuss setting, characters, and
doesn’t hold a book the correct way or know
events in narrative text.
how to open it).
Describe the progress the focus student made toward the GLCEs and the data that supports your
claims:
At a basic level, J has begun making text to self and text to text connections. This is evident in
his summative assessment, where he uses both throughout the text. He has begun to discuss
characters and synchronize events, however his development of setting doesn’t occur frequently
in his work.
List the unit objectives for your unit, describe the progress made, and evidence that supports
your claims (e.g., ongoing assessment, summative assessment):
Objectives:
1) While reading any text, the children will naturally use their own use personal experiences
to reflect and make text-to-text and text-to-self connections.
2) Given any narrative text, the children will accurately identify setting, characters, and
events.
• Text to Self Connections: J was absent during the week focusing on Text to Self
Connections. Therefore, he didn’t have any formal instruction on what it was like the
other children had. However, when looking at his summative assessment, J constructed a
cohesive Snowy Day story, which came directly from his life on a snowy day: “Me and
my brother are ice-skating. He is scared. He went to sit with my mom. We went inside
to get water and food.” J identified that Willie the dog was in more than one of Keats
story. I feel like J is making both text to self connections and text to self. However, I’m
not altogether sure if he knows that he is doing it.
• Character, Setting, and Event: Considering that J’s fine motor skills are very immature
(his first experience with a crayon, pencil, etc. was the first day of school), his picture of
the character in Goggles has many details. J added goggles to the face of the character.
He also added two other significant characters from the story, a friend Archie and a mean
big boy. The details used make me believe that he has an understanding of character.
When learning about event, J didn’t participate in conversation. However, in the
summative assessment, his three events of the story are very cohesive, including what
happens first, second and last. During the lesson on setting, J did some coloring, mostly
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Table 11 (Cont’d)
mostly imitating what his group mates did. In his summative assessment, the only glimpse of
setting takes place on the second page, where we see some snow. Therefore, I believe that
setting is the area that J is the least knowledgeable in and could use additional support.
Additional observations about this student relevant to literacy learning:
J’s work stands out in the class due to his lack of fine motor skills. At the start of the semester,
he couldn’t identify his name between two choices. I believe that the varied activities helped,
but in general he is making huge strides with his three times a week support from at-risk aids.
He is more active in class and appears to enjoy most of what we do. I don’t believe that I would
have seen these results had the lesson been a month earlier.
Given the evidence of student learning, what recommendations do you have regarding
instructional adaptations or differentiation of instruction to help this student progress? On what
evidence do you base these recommendations?
J’s fine motor skills still need a lot of support. In addition, he cannot recognize most letter, let
alone write them. Taking the stress out of a lesson which doesn’t necessary focus on writing, but
includes it, may support him. He enjoyed creating the book and he seemed proud, not nervous!
What recommendations do you have for next steps in literacy learning for this student? What do
you need to keep in mind for future planning to ensure success for this student?
J’s knowledge of all objectives is very minimal. He knew some, but I wouldn’t say that he uses
any of the concepts regularly in work outside of the unit. With J in particular, providing MANY
experiences will help him regularly use the ideas and show the relevance outside of the Keats
Unit.
Individual Assessment Analysis
Student Name: Q

Grade Level: Kindergarten

List the GLCEs that represent your broad goals
for your unit:
R.CM.00.01 begin to make text-to-self and
text-to-text connections and comparisons
by activating prior knowledge and connecting
personal knowledge and experience to
ideas in text through oral and written
responses.
R.NT.00.03 discuss setting, characters, and
events in narrative text.
Table 11 – Lisa Project Three Handout

List statements that best describe your focus
student in the target area relevant to your unit:

334

•

Q is our strongest reader in both
classrooms. He loves being read new
books, becoming engrossed in the
story. Despite this, Q’s classroom
behavior is impulsive and immature.
Although he is a strong reader, he
struggles with writing.

Table 11 (Cont’d)
Describe the progress the focus student made toward the GLCEs and the data that supports your
claims:
Q is confidently making text to self and text to text connections in the context of the unit. He
will use setting, characters, and event when he chooses. (See data below)
List the unit objectives for your unit, describe the progress made, and evidence that supports
your claims (e.g., ongoing assessment, summative assessment):
Objectives:
1) While reading any text, the children will naturally use their own use personal
experiences to reflect and make text-to-text and text-to-self connections.
2) Given any narrative text, the children will accurately identify setting, characters, and
events.
•

Text to Self Connections: During all lessons, Q made many text to self connections. In a
paper following the story pet show, Q wrote that, “My cat loks lik that!” This was
followed by a picture of his cat. He made many text to text connection, also reflecting
when Peter was in a book as the main character. He also used both types of connections
in his Snowy Day book. Not only did Q make text to self connections about having a
snowball fight with his dad and enjoying some hot chocolate afterwards, but he also
included some text to text connections. Similar to Peter, Q’s first page begins with, “I
wake up and it is snowy outside.” Q has demonstrated his knowledge of this objective
frequently and his skills have matured.

•
Character, Setting, and Event: Q quickly and accurately finished sequencing setting while
reading, “Peter’s Chair.” However, in his story, the events didn’t segway smoothly. Therefore,
although he has knowledge of events, I wouldn’t say that it is necessarily mature. As for setting
and character, Q included many aspects of it in his story. However in the formative assessments,
he didn’t do as well. His Goggles character lacked detail, with the biggest detail missing which
was wearing of goggles on his face. While constructing a setting, Q added aspects of setting
which were outside of the setting from Whistle for Willie. For example, Q added a Dairy Farm
and a Gate to the City, which although is part of a city, isn’t a part of Peter’s city. With Q, I am
sure he can apply all of the concepts, however is compliance and ability to follow direction
sometimes interferes.
Additional observations about this student relevant to literacy learning:
Q is beginning to grow more comfortable with writing, although sometimes he refuses.
Given the evidence of student learning, what recommendations do you have regarding
instructional adaptations or differentiation of instruction to help this student progress? On what
evidence do you base these recommendations?
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Table 11 (Cont’d)
Q’s parents are concerned that he might not be challenged enough in the classroom. However,
Q’s inability to follow direction presents a large problem. We will extend the exercises once we
can see that he understands, however his immaturity sometimes prevents us from getting that far.
For this unit, I would only recommend extensions pending Q’s ability to follow direction. He is
very smart, but not the smartest child in our class, considering maturity. We aren’t able to tell
when he understands something or whether he just doesn’t want to do something.
What recommendations do you have for next steps in literacy learning for this student? What do
you need to keep in mind for future planning to ensure success for this student?
Staying consistent with Q will be the best strategy, expressing that when he participates with the
group, we will extend the lesson.
Individual Assessment Analysis
Student Name: T

Grade Level: Kindergarten

List the GLCEs that represent your broad goals List statements that best describe your focus
for your unit:
student in the target area relevant to your unit:
R.CM.00.01 begin to make text-to-self and
• When the school year began, T was
text-to-text connections and comparisons
about average among the students. She
by activating prior knowledge and connecting
is very quiet, seldom speaking out loud
personal knowledge and experience to
to participate. T was absent for almost
ideas in text through oral and written
the entire unit. The only lesson and
responses.
assessment that I was able to get was
R.NT.00.03 discuss setting, characters, and
the summative assessment, her Snowy
events in narrative text.
Day book.
Describe the progress the focus student made toward the GLCEs and the data that supports your
claims:
• Although T created a text to self connection in her Snowy Day book, she hasn’t shown us
any other examples of this knowledge. This is the same with text to text. In addition, T
has never discussed characters, events, or settings. I’m not sure that T has any more
knowledge than she did in the beginning.
List the unit objectives for your unit, describe the progress made, and evidence that supports
your claims (e.g., ongoing assessment, summative assessment):
Objectives:
1) While reading any text, the children will naturally use their own use personal
experiences to reflect and make text-to-text and text-to-self connections.
2) Given any narrative text, the children will accurately identify setting, characters, and
events.
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Table 11 (Cont’d)
•

•

Text to self/text connections: T made a text to self connection, by writing about her
adventures on a snowy day. However, she did not suggest or share a text to text
connection. I am not sure if she had enough experiences with Ezra Jack Keats books to
construct a connection.
Character, Setting, and Event: T’s characters are not very developed. Her illustrations
on the summative assessment were the same on every page. There is a picture of her and
a picture of her sister. The setting doesn’t change, as she was unable to come up with
one. The event is lacking an ending: T and her sister go outside. They make snow
angels. They throw snowballs.

Additional observations about this student relevant to literacy learning:
At the start of the year, T was average among her students. With her high increase of absences,
she is now among the lowest.
Given the evidence of student learning, what recommendations do you have regarding
instructional adaptations or differentiation of instruction to help this student progress? On what
evidence do you base these recommendations?
T has been absent a lot so far this year. Based on her inconsistent attendance, I would
recommend that any instruction has to be comprehensive for her. The best thing would be for
her to come to school. I tried to combine all objectives into a brief writers conference for her.
She was able to come up with some things, but in all her story is still lacking.
What recommendations do you have for next steps in literacy learning for this student? What do
you need to keep in mind for future planning to ensure success for this student?
I believe that everything that I taught in the unit will need to be retaught at some point to T. For
future planning, it might make since to create some kind of spiraling lesson. Similar to the
EveryDay Math text we use, which continues to bring up certain concepts, if I teach text to self
connections in a way that spirals rather than is focused on for a week, I will have a better chance
of reaching her!
Table 11 – Lisa Project Three Handout
STEP 2:
While planning this unit, I wanted to emphasize the use of technology. I have several
children with special needs and I knew that reading a book and writing in a journal just wasn’t
going to cut it. Some of the resources I used were SmartBoard, book on DVD, book on CD,
movie, interactive sequencing cards, class sets of books, and murals. There is a direct correlation
between the success of a lesson and the increase use of technology. Child T’s recall of the
Snowy Day was minimal until the movie. Afterwards, she was able to create text to self
connection and even tell me about the events in the story, which is something that she has never
done.
On the same note, technology didn’t always create the same response. The Goggles
lesson was to meant help the children develop a sense of character. The children listened to a
story on a CD and then took what they heard and drew a picture of that character. I played the
CD from the computer. In the AM class, the entire group of children turned their bodies towards
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the computer. On the screen, they could see the screen saver like screen from Windows Media
Player. They all sat, entranced and staring at this black screen with moving ribbon like lines.
Although it seemed weird, over 80% of the children drew a picture accurate to the book’s
description. Peter was wearing goggles. They included other characters like his friend Archie,
dog Willie, and big boys who are trying to steal the goggles. Many children drew Peter’s face as
scared. However, in the PM class, I decided that it was too weird to just stare at the screen.
Instead, I turned the monitor off. I had children facing me and I asked them to close their eyes
and picture the story in their heads. There response was completely unlike the AM class. They
were moving, fidgeting, whispering, and laying down. When Mrs. Eyia came in midway
through the lesson, several children looked at her with the expression of, “Do you see what she is
making us do?” After hearing the story, none of the children were able to draw Peter with any of
the same details. Not a single student put goggles on Peter’s face. They didn’t draw his friends
either. They drew a boy by a house, on a baseball field, etc. Some drew a picture of themselves.
I was blown away between the two completely different responses to the story. After speaking
with my CT, I believe that even though it was completely unrelated, the children in the AM has
something to focus on. If the PM children had the monitor, or even me reading the book, they
could focus on something. The children did not have the experience of relying on only once
sense, hearing, while blocking out the others.
STEP 3:
At first, discovering that I had most of the symptoms of Swine Flu seemed to be more of
a problem, rather than a positive event. I was left in my apartment, without any human
interaction for an entire week. I was at the point where I couldn’t sleep anymore, without the
assistance of any drowsy medicine. By some miracle, I was given a sense of ambition and began
working on the literacy unit plan. I planned the unit as a three week author study on Ezra Jack
Keats, focusing on the comprehension skills of text to self/text connections and three
characteristics of a story: setting, character, and event.
Although I am sure that all classes have children who are at different levels academically.
However, I know that the children in my class are for the most part, on polar opposite sides of
the spectrum. Close to half of my 37 students are reading. At least 5 of them are reading at a
second grade level. These students are also writing sentences or brief phrases sounding out
words. The other half don’t have knowledge of a sound/alphabet relationship and have such
underdeveloped fine motor skills that they struggle writing their name. The children vary in
socioeconomic status, English language learning, and race. I didn’t want to differentiate on the
content of the lesson, nor the actual form of assessment. Yet, I refused to change expectations,
as I believe all of my children are very capable of learning and showing what they learned. I
wanted to construct a lesson that put all of my children at or at around the same area. I chose to
incorporate several aspects of technology, including SmartBoard, book on CD, book read on
DVD, and book as a movie on DVD. I also chose to use a variety of assessment tools:
• Children’s verbal responses in whole group and individual sharing
• A written/picture of a text to self connection
• Sequencing cards of an event
• Picture of story’s character
• Group work creation of setting as a mural
• Pre-write and construction of the students Snowy Day book

338

When the lesson began, I felt very prepared for the unit. The first week was focused on text to
self connections. In Apt. 3, the children practiced the connections by completing a classroom
graph to find out where more students live; in an apartment or a house. After watching Pet
Show, the children displayed their own text to self connections by drawing and/or writing on a
paper. The children had the choice between writing, drawing, or both. I conference with every
child while working to write a memo on those who didn’t write their connection. The text to self
connections from the student while reading the Pet Show were very meaningful. All of the
children were inspired to write about their pets or the animals they like, but don’t have at home.
All of the children who were in attendance that day had completed this assessment with some
sort of text to self connection.
The following week we began the three parts of a story: character, event, and setting. The
children also learn about text to text connections during this time, as when learning about the
characters in a story, the children noticed the reappearance of several main characters in Keats
books. The children worked in groups to create the setting from the story Whistle for Willie in
the form of a mural. The children used details directly from the book that imitated the setting
from the book. For example, using a stop sign, stop light, and large buildings made the setting as
a city, rather than a neighborhood. I put high and lower level students in groups and afterwards,
each student shared with the entire class something that they did. For characters, I had the
children listen to Goggles on CD and draw a picture of the main characters using details from the
story. The appearance of goggles on the main character’s face was an important detail that most
of the children in the morning class included. In the last activity, event sequencing was used in
the book Peter’s Chair. The children listened to the book and using cards, determined what
things happened first, next, and in the middle. The children all sequenced in pairs up to six
cards/events. The students then took turns retelling the story using cards.
The last week revolved around the use of the Snowy Day. The Snowy Day served as a
summative assessment, taking all of the concepts learned in the previous weeks and applying
them into the creation of a book. The children’s first experience with the The Snowy Day was on
the first day of the week, when the children each had a copy and we read the book together as a
group, two times. The children shared in their table groups examples of text to self and text to
text connections. The following day, we watched the Snowy Day movie. The children learned
how to use a pre-write and then began constructing their own Snowy Day book. The pre-write
was made so that the children could just write what happens first, second, and last. The children
used a pre-write like the following:
1
2
3
The children filled out their pre-write, writing either words or pictures, or both based on
ability. I walked around, conferencing with each child while the others words in order to record
the children’s thoughts. Those children who wanted more to write about were given an extra
page in the pre-write. I then took the pre-write and typed out the children’s language and put it
into the papers of the book. The following day, the children used their pre-write and began
illustrating their books, while completing mini-conferences. All of the students included the
concepts that were discussed in class. Some of the higher level students included more mature
aspects of the concepts, for example events were cohesive and flowed on some, rather than being
choppy. Pictures and language were more detailed on some students, than on the others.
However, it didn’t appear that any of the students seemed that they weren’t challenged enough or
too much. They seemed proud about the work they have done. The unit concluded with an
author’s celebration where all the students shared their book with classmates and parents.
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Part B: During the unit, I used 3 different types of multimedia to supplement book reading
• Pet Show – After reading the Ezra Jack Keats book, the children viewed the book being
read on a DVD*. Text of the book was on the bottom of the screen. Children then
demonstrated text to self connections made with the book by drawing and/or writing it on
paper.
• Goggles – Children listened to the book over the sound system on CD*. The children
practiced knowledge of character by using descriptions from reading to draw the main
character in the book.
• The Snowy Day – We did two whole-class readings of the book using a class set*. The
following day, we watched the story in movie style on DVD.
*All items were checked out from the public library
When tested at the beginning of the year, the three children who were most at risk were LE, LO
and J. All three boys are five years old and African American. None of the boys came to school
with fine motor skills, so unable to complete any written responses or drawings. They had no
knowledge of sight words, as they could not even recognize their own name. The boys also did
not have any concept of print (reading left to right, top to bottom, turn right page, and show me
the title page). ON most days, none of these three will raise their hand to participate during any
subject lesson. J was the lowest, never participating in reading or language arts activities.
Research:
Verhallen, Marla J. A. J., Adriana G. Bus, and Maria T. de Jong (2002). The Promise of
Multimedia Stories for Kindergarten Children at Risk. Journal of Educational Psychology, 98,
410-419
“Multimedia storybooks may provide a better framework than static picture storybooks for
understanding stories and remembering linguistic information from these stories. Multimedia
representations, particularly those commensurate with the events of the story, may add new
content to messages that help children to construct meaning and provide additional means to
attain new knowledge about a story. Furthermore, film representations and sounds may add new
dimensions to the means that these children employ to attain understanding of the language. In
addition to multimedia features as tools to derive the meaning of unknown words, we expect
indirect effects through a raised story comprehension that enables children to use contextual cues
effectively”.
Results:
• The children each shared a text to self connection from Pet Show, using the connection
that “I have a pet” or “I like animals”;
• Despite poor fine motor skills, all three boys showed the main character of Goggles with
a pair of goggles on his face. Some added extra details to the character and included other
main characters, like Willie the dog and the Big Boys.
• In the final assessment in creating a Snowy Day book, all three boys incorporated text to
self connections, while adding details of character, event, and setting. Events in J’s story
are flow cohesive and are much more mature than many higher level classmates are.

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Jenny’s Hat
Date: __________________________
Objectives for today’s lesson: While reading any text, the children will naturally use their own
personal experiences to reflect and make text-to-text and text-to-self connections.
Materials and Supplies Needed: Markers, Stickers, glue sticks, poster board, Jennie’s Hat
Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event
Introduction to the lesson
For the next three weeks, we are going to begin something called an
author study. An author study is when you read many books written
by the same person. The author we are going to focus on is Ezra Jack
Keats. Not only did he write a lot of books, but he illustrated each
book, or drew the pictures. When we read his books, we are going to
focus on certain thinks, like making connections from one book to
another. This is called making a text to text connection. We are also
going to learn about the 3 parts of every book. In the first book that
we are going to read, Jennie’s Hat, we will focus on making
connections to the book from our life. This is called making a text to
self connection (2 minutes)

ASLS during each event

OUTLINE of key events during the lesson
Begin reading Jennie’s Hat. Explain that if they make a connection,
to keep it in their heads so that they can share it later. Model making
text to self connections, for example seeing a woman wearing a hat
made me think of the page with the women at church. Ask the
children if they made any connections (5 minutes)
Explain that even if they didn’t make any connections they will have
an opportunity to. At the end of the story, Jennie made her own hat.
Her hat was large, with many things on it. Tell the children that they
will be making their own hat. Using stickers, glue sticks and other
items, the children will decorate a piece of poster board which will be
turned into a hat. Show the children an example. Remind them to
write their names (2 minutes). When they are done, we will set them
out to dry. Give the children around 10 minutes to construct their hats
at their tables.
Closing summary for the lesson
You all finished making a hat just like Jennie. You each have a text to
self connection with the book now. This week we will focus on text
to self connections in Ezra Jack Keats books, so you will have many
more opportunities to practice this skill. Once the hats dry, you will
get to take them home and tell your parents that you made a hat, just
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341

All children, despite
individual differences
will have one common
connection with this
book. The students who
may have difficulties
creating a connection
otherwise will have one
“given” to them.

Table 12 (Cont’d)
like Jennie (1 minute)
Assessment
Given the same mutual experience as the main character, are the
children beginning to understand the concept of a text to self
connection?
Apt. 3
Date: __________________________
Objectives for today’s lesson: While reading any text, the children will naturally use their own
personal experiences to reflect and make text-to-text and text-to-self connections.
Materials and Supplies Needed: Apt. 3, Smart Board
Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event

ASLS during each event

Introduction to the lesson
Does anyone remember the name of the author that we are having an
author study about? His name is Ezra Jack Keats and today we are
going to focus again on making text to self connections (1 minute)
Outline of Key events during the lesson
The book we are going to read today is called Apt. 3, Can anyone tell
me what an apartment is? Is an apartment different from a house? Do
you live in an apartment or a house? Before we read the story, I want
everyone to come up to the Smart Board, one at a time, and mark
whether you live in an apartment or a house. Well, it looks like some
students live in apartments, while others live in houses. So when we
read the book, we can make a text to self connection that “I live in an
apartment” or “I don’t live in an apartment, but I do have neighbors”
(10 minutes)
Read the book out loud. Model making text to self connections (5
minutes).
After the book is finished, ask the children if they made any other
connections that they would like to share (3 minutes)
Closing summary for the lesson
You have been practicing making text to self connection, which is
great because that is what good readers do! We will keep practicing
these connections!
Table 12 - Lisa Project Three Handout Lesson Plans
342

Similar to the last
lesson, all children
despite individual
differences will have
one common connection
with this book, which
we will be discussed
before the lesson. This
gives the students who
may have difficulties
creating a connection an
opportunity, while
allows for the others to
begin making
connections on their
own.

Table 12 (Cont’d)
Assessment
Once again, text to self connections are being modeled for the
children. Are they sharing the connections out loud?
Pet Show
Date: ____________________________
Objectives for today’s lesson: While reading any text, the children will naturally use their own
personal experiences to reflect and make text-to-text and text-to-self connections.
Materials and Supplies Needed: Pet Show, Smart Board, 20 response papers
Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event
Introduction to the Lesson
Outline of Key Events During the Lesson
Instead of me reading the book out loud for all of you, I’m going to
play it on a program instead. So listen carefully and watch the Smart
Board screen. Using the online program of Story Book, the children
will read Pet Show. (7 minutes)
Because you have been practicing making text to self connections, I
want you to think carefully of a connection that you made to the
book. Do you have a pet? Have you been to a pet show? Do you
know other things about the book? Think carefully and then I want
you to write about it on this piece of paper. During this time I will
walk around the classroom and ask the children to tell me about what
they are writing.
Closing Summary for the lesson
This is the last book that we are going to focus specifically on text to
self connections. Next week we are going to learn about the 3 parts of
a story: characters, setting, and event. However, it is important that
you continue to make these connections in everything that you read.
Assessment
Did the children make a text to self connection on the paper, or when
communicating with me while writing on the paper?
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343

ASLS during each event

I want to use different
types of technology to
activate all learning
types (audio, visual,
etc.). I feel like
presenting the books this
way may engage more
students.
Immediately seeing
children’s work will
give me feedback to
help the student’s with
their connections. It also
lets me know what they
want to write, even if I
can’t understand or read
it myself.

Table 12 (Cont’d)
Whistle for Willie
Date: ____________________________
Objectives for today’s lesson: Given any narrative text, the children will accurately identify
setting, character and events.
Materials and Supplies Needed: Whistle for Willie,5 large pieces of bulletin paper, pictures
from the book, dry erase board and markers, crayons
Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event
Introduction of the lesson
What did we talk about last week? When we read the stories this
week, we will still think a lot about text to self connections, but we
will start to talk about other things also. This week we will focus on
the three parts of a story: setting, characters, and event. The first one
we will talk about today is setting (1 minute)

ASLS during each event

OUTLINE of key events during the lesson
The setting of a story is where it takes place. So if someone wrote a
story about the Sunshine Children, where would our setting be? Some
stories have many settings, as it takes place in many areas. In the
story Whistle for Willie, there are a couple of different settings.
While we read, think about the settings. Are the settings different
rooms in a house, different places, or all the same? Sometimes the
authors tell us about a setting in words written on a page. Sometimes
it gives us clues by the pictures. If you think there is a change in
setting, raise your hand and tell us about it (2 minutes). Read the
book. When the children notice a change in setting, record their
thought on the dry erase board (7 minutes).
You have told me about different settings. Now I want you to show
me. At each table, there will be this huge piece of paper. On the paper
is a picture of Peter from the story. Use the book, or just look at what
is in the picture and I want you to work together as a group to draw
the setting. It should be a setting from the story. What happens when
your friend starts to draw a building right where you want a traffic
light? Should you cross it out? That is a put down. The paper is very
large, so that everyone can add something without running out of
space. When you are finished, we will share them with the class (10
minutes).
Closing summary for the lesson
Each group will bring their picture up to the front of the class, show
the setting they drew, and then tell us about it (5 minutes).
Table 12 - Lisa Project Three Handout Lesson Plans
344

Constructing art as a
group is a way of
assessment that we
haven’t done yet. Some
of the children,
particularly J and H
show interest more often
when the activity
involved art.

Table 12 (Cont’d)
Assessment
Did the children select a setting from a story? Did they work
together?
Peter’s Chair
Date: ____________________________
Objectives for today’s lesson: Given any narrative text, the children will accurately identify
setting, character and events.
Materials and Supplies Needed: Event cards for Peter’s Chair, Peter’s Chair
Introduction of the lesson
We have already talked about characters and setting. The third part of
the stories is the event. An event is what happens. We have practiced
this in the past by talking about what happened in the beginning,
middle and end of a story. Every story has a beginning, middle and
end. The events in the book we are reading today, Peter’s Chair, will
inspire many text to self connections with you. So think carefully
while we read about what is happening.
OUTLINE of key events during the lesson
Read the book Peter’s Chair. Summarize and repeat what happened
on a page, or ask a child to explain what happened in their words.
After the story is over, ask the children to repeat what happened in
the story. Show the children the index cards. Explain that they will
work together in partners to try to put the cards together like they
were in the story. Show how to order them. What card/thing
happened first? What happened next? If they finish the first 4 cards,
they can raise their hand and we will give them 2 more. What would
happen if the cards were out of order?
Closing summary for the lesson
Have children put their cards on a desk. An event is very important in
a story. If there weren’t events, nothing would happen in a book. We
will continue talking about events next week, while we finish up the
unit on Keats.
Assessment
Did the children line up cards sequentially, recording the events?
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Cards are labeled with
pictures and words.
Some children may only
work on three or four
cards when ordering
sequentially. Other
children may want all
six cards to fully
sequence the entire
book.

Change the amount of
event cards to include

Table 12 (Cont’d)
The Snowy Day
Date: ____________________________
Objectives for today’s lesson: While reading any text, the children will naturally use their own
personal experiences to reflect and make text-to-text and text-to-self connections.
Materials and Supplies Needed: 20 copies of The Snowy Day
Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event
ASLS during each event
Introduction to the lesson
Out of all Ezra Jack Keats books that we have read so far, which one
has been your favorite? Boys and girls, today we are going to read my
favorite, The Snowy day. This was Keats first book that he wrote (2
minutes).
OUTLINE of key events during the lesson
But as you can tell, we aren’t sitting down on the carpet like we have
before for reading. Instead you are sitting at your desks. This is
because like we have done with our alphabet books, we are going to
read this book together as a group. Each of you will get a copy of the
book. We will read the book together, one page at a time. If you need
help remembering where we are in the book, just look up at the
document camera and notice where my finger is at. Remember to use
your pointer finger to follow along. The first time we read the book,
everyone should listen and follow along. The second time, I want the
children to read out loud with me (10 minutes)
After we read it once, we will read it one more time. Then, I will tell
the children, “Tell the person next to you one text to self connection
that you made with the book. Tell the person next to you one text to
text connection with another Keats book: character, event, setting.
Then, tell the person next to you your favorite part of the book” (5
minutes).
Closing summary for the lesson
Explain that we will be focusing on this book for the rest of the week.
Tell the children that while I walk around and pick up the books, they
can look at the pictures while they wait (3 minutes).
Assessment
Are they naturally making the text to self and text to text
connections? Are they using vocabulary like character, event, and
setting, or if not are they describing it?
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Nothing is more
important than a bond
between a reader and a
book. Some of the
children in our class
have never read books,
nor had books read to
them outside of school.
The document camera
will help the children
with specific concepts of
print (left to right, up
and down, etc.)
Instead of writing down
connections, the children
will begin to share. They
are confident sharing
with friends than writing
thoughts.

APPENDIX V: Lisa Project Three Presentation (transcript)
Lisa is in grade-level group, with two other students, sharing her unit
L
Well, I can do mine
S1
Yeah, yours was the one that was, like, perfect.
L
No.
S1
After us, us, lame interns.
L
No, I the thing is, I’m gonna talk about my unit, and, like, the, like, my handout is about
my Part B, I just had to talk about that since I had already kinda talked about my unit
with you all, hum, I’m gonna turn that so I can turn my computer off.
L
Hum, OK, so I wanted to use different types of technologies in my unit because, hum,
well, there was research which I put on here also, but specifically multimedia, hum, so
my students, morning class in particular, what I’m gonna do for Part B is I’m going to
focus on three children, they were the three lowest, hum, based on testing the first week
of school, hum, and like they had, they were unable to write, to identify their name, and
between two they couldn’t pick out which name was theirs. They were unable to hold,
like they never picked up a pencil before, so they asked how do I do this. So they didn’t
have hand dominance yet. They, during our assessment when we said, you know, “how
do I start a book? Show me how you hold a book”, they had no idea how, no concepts of
print, they didn’t, so, definitely no left to right, they didn’t even know how to open a
book, and how, so I
S2
Are these young kids, or?
L
No, no, and they weren’t the youngest ones in our class either. They weren’t the youngest
ones in our class either Hum, so I wanna talk about them because (…) never participate
S3
…go to school?
L
No.
S1
You’re kidding. They have older brothers and sisters?
L
hum, hum.
S1
I take it, no pre-school, then.
S2
…say that they had no prior educational experiences?
L
Hum, those, two of them did. They went, I think, the went to Kindergarten Readiness. I
don’t know how long, but mom said that they did go for a little bit.
PH
Really?
S2
Is that like a head-star?
L
Hum, hum, it’s, hum, Okemos they have it, it’s called Kindergarten Readiness. Hum, a
bunch, a bunch of my kids did, that’s where. But, they went to that but I don’t think they
were consistent in attendance, based on busing, you know like you don’t get busing
S1
Right, right
L
So I, I would be skeptical to see how much they actually went. But, hum, so I focused on
them because they just, like they have, they have so many tutors coming in, at-risk aids,
like, my CT has some old retired friends coming in and working with them on Fridays,
S1
Wow
L
Like, we are really working hard with those children in particular, so, hum, during a
regular day of school they probably would have raised their hand to share once. They will
talk to us during recess, and during lunch.
S2
Are they buddies? Do they hang out together?
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Two of them are brothers.
Oh, twins?
Yeah, two of them are brothers, so, yeah, they kinda of hang out with each other but, not
really
Well, twins that’s a whole other dynamic right there, too.
yea, but they, hum, but everything was so similar so that’s why I focused on them. So,
hum, anyway, hum, like I said they would never participate so I decided to do some
different types of multimedia and see how, hum, they would change things for the bookpet show, it was a picture of the book with the words written right on the bottom. And is
basically just like the book but with words on the bottom and it was read out loud, like
we had, it was a CD, hum, that I bought from Amazon for $4 and it like, it was a bunch
of Jack Keets’ books. So that one just said the words. Like the characters and stuff it was
pretty much just the book. Hum, “Goggles” was just a reading of the book on CD, that
played, hum, out loud for them.
And then did you hold the book and do it, or they just listen?
Hum, during that time they just listen and then they also, like, it was done separate so
they had two exposures, and then for the “Snowy Day” it was actually, it was from the
book, it was like the “Pet Show”, it was from the book but the characters moved, so it
was more movie-like, so I kinda thought that was three different types and, hum, going
through the boys assessments they participate, during my unit, they participated more
than I had ever seen them participate.
Really?
Hum, getting the first thing, the Pet Show, hum, connection with most of the children’s
connection with “I have a dog” or “I like pets”, he drew his dog (pointing to an example),
granted you can tell his fine motor skills aren’t up to par, hum, but he explained to me
what his connection was.
That’s him and is dog?
That’s him and his dog.
What’s this?
L
And that’s, hum, there was, this one also had a dog, I think right here but the
copier doesn’t show.
Ok
these are the brothers.
Oh, OK!
So, hum, that’s him and then, hum, the dog was over here, and then, hum, the other boy
was absent cause their attendance is still kinda inconsistent, and that’s Goggles, the main
thing I wanted was that the main character, when they showed me the main character, he
was wearing goggles. Any other supplemental things, you were right. Hum, my p.m.
class, very few of them actually showed the goggles. All three of these boys showed me
goggles on the main characters.
They are in the p.m.?
No, this is the morning. This one showed (pointing to another example) me three of the
main characters.
Wow.

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This one (pointing to a third example) also showed me the main characters and had the
goggles. Will, or Peter, the big boys, and then Willy was, Willy the dog was right over
here. So they showed me three.
And this was your main focus.
Yeah! And, I can’t even, like I said, even though their work is very immature and the fact
that their fine motor skills aren’t where they should be, they’re doing it. And then, the
final assessment, hum, the books, which I don’t have one of their books but I have all of
them reading their books, I was most impressed with this. He is our lowest, THE lowest,
the absolute lowest, hum, in the class and, his books, not only does he, they were
assessed on character, event, and setting, hum, and text-to-self and text-to-text
connections, it was full of text-to-self connections, hum, me and my brother ice skating,
he is scared, so he drew the characters.
…type of thing?
That’s what we’re doing, yeah.
OK, I got it.
And then, hum, he went to sit with my mom, he drew the setting, snow in the
background, and he went to get water and eat. So unlike his classmates, his story is
cohesive. His flows in a very mature way, so, he has this! And, I, like, I, like, see a
connection between, the, the, because if I look at the other activities that they did, that we
did that did not include multimedia, they didn’t participate as much.
So!
So…
So is that because they watch a lot of TV and can connect with the TV, or?
That was one of the things, is that, in the research it said that, hum, hum, they are better at
remembering if, like, during multimedia story books, they, like, are better at
understanding, remembering, comprehension, hum, they (…) by representation that they
might not usually be able to, hum, and, hum, they can use like, and a lot of the article that
I read did say it’s because the television. They are so used to television, like, that is
something that they are comfortable with; maybe reading books isn’t something that
they’re comfortable with.
This is kinda sad, but true, yeah.
There’s also, you also have a difference between auditory and visual memory.
hum, hum
that if all you’re doing is reading out loud, and they don’t have auditory memory, is just
going right over their heads. They hear, but they don’t listen. But if you have both, the
story both auditory and then you have the visual connections to it, even if their auditory
memory is not good, their visual memory might be.
Hum, hum. Well and I kinda thought about that but then I did just, hum, when they did
this (points to examples), they….
Just hearing it…
I just, I didn’t read the book before this
hum, hum
So they did just have the auditory.
Yeah, they just heard it, yeah.
So how does he know that they wear goggles?

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Well he found a pair of goggles, that is the main premise in the story, is that he is with his
friend and he finds a pair of motorcycle goggles, and he puts them on, and the big boys
are coming after him, because they want the goggles.
So you didn’t show them the book?
Not for this, no.
So, so they have to know what goggles are.
(…) goggles.
We talked about what, like, we mentioned
You mean the vocabulary.
I told them the book. I said “This is the book ‘Goggles’, does anyone know what goggles
are?” and someone said “well I wear goggles when I go swimming”.
(….)
Yeah, and I said “can you tell me what they look like?” and they’re like “you just put
them around your head” and I says “so are they like my glasses?” and they said “no,
because there’s usually a strap that goes around”. But that’s all the discussion that came
from that. We just said “you are going to listen to this book called Goggles”, and that’s
what…
Hum, hum. So, if they had never seen a pair of goggles before, they would have no way
of knowing what goggles were, other than the explanation that you guys did
hum, hum
previous to reading the story.
hum, hum. But, at the same time, I think that the children who didn’t add the goggles, I
know that they’ve had experience with them. Like, these children I would doubt them
having experiences with goggles, like, would
swimming with them, or
I kinda, I would kinda doubt that. But they took, like, cause they said in the the story that
he put the goggles on his eyes and that, like, there were those descriptions
hum, hum,
I, I don’t know.
Looking back on the unit now, do you think like, would you do it differently? Do you
think that you would have more of a discussion based on what goggles are, what they’re
used for, you know, before you read the book, or even after you read the book? Do you
think that kinda thing (….)
Did you have a picture of goggles? Did you show the cover of the book?
No.
oh, so you just said we’re gonna read a book (…)
I did show them the cover but there’s a picture of the main character and I put a sticky
note on top of it, because I didn’t want, yeah, because the point was to see if they could
take what they heard and see if they could draw something
hum, hum
but they were also familiar with Peter as the main character because they’ve already read
several of his books,
right
and when they hear the book Peter they go “well I know what Peter looks like”. Several
of them depict him as an African-American boy, hum, when they hear the word “Willy”,

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they loved Willy the dog. Oh, my word, so they knew “I’m going to draw a picture of
Willy right now” because they (…)
So they were doing this as they were listening?
No, they drew it after.
OK.
But, so I just, I’m kinda interested to see, like, because I was blown away by their, their
work, when going throught them, like, talking with them and, to know how, how well
they did in this lesson but before it was just, so, I mean that was just, that was just what I
think, about using more technology and using more (…) I have them reading, but I don’t
know if you want to see them. Their books, they’re cute.
And you have a class set of the “Snowy Day”?
No that’s why I put asterisk, I went to, I checked out 20 copies of “Snowy Day” from my
local public library.
They had 20 copies of it?
Well they went into all of the different ones and grabbed…
For you? That was nice.
So, hum, yeah, that was fun.
When you did these stories, hum, I remember you talking about, hum, these before, hum,
That’s cute.
So, first you had them fill out that sheet, right?
Yeah, their re-write.
You did three sections?
What did they freak out about?
And then once you did that, then you go and type this out for them?
They gave me, yeah they told me what their pre-write was going to be like
And did you run around like a chicken with her head cut off?
Ok, so you, you wrote it down, and then you gave them these books with the words
already on it? And then they had to go back and draw the pictures? Did any of them
forget what they had written about?
I did it pretty close, so it was like back-to-back.
OK. Because I was just wondering if when they sat down, they actually, you know, draw
the pictures in their books or they were like…
Well, no, they had their pre-writes sitting right by them, and I said “if you forget you can
use what you wrote, find 1 and look for page 1 and you can put everything there on the
page”. And that seems to kind of
Cause I really like this idea
I do too
I would like to do something like this with the (…) but I’m just trying to figure out the
logistics. I’m really impressed with this.

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APPENDIX W: Lisa Final Semi-Structured Interview (transcript)
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So really this is just a wrap-up. Um, No one is going to read this, no one is going to have
any access to it. I just want to know how your first semester went, pretty much, just, you
know, tell me whatever it is that you want me to know about both your students and your
planning, so, from the very first time that we met and we talked about your plan –
Um-hm?
- until the very last day of your instruction, how much did your plan change?
Well, something huge happened during the last – or during this semester, that is I
consider it huge, um, the – like the first or second week of November, um, my CT’s
brother passed away, and she had to go to Pennsylvania and – for his showing, because
he had just moved there, and then she had to come back to Lansing and plan another
funeral and plan everything – it was her younger brother who she was incredibly close
with, so she took a total of two weeks off of school, and I was thrown into the lead
teaching position during that time, which, I like – all the teachers in the school kept
coming up to me and saying, how are you doing? How’s it going? It was immediately
following guide – guided lead teaching, I think, you know. And so, I felt pretty – it was
probably perfect timing because I felt really confident after guided lead teaching.
Everything went smoothly, um, my – my language arts lesson, I couldn’t expect anything
to go better. Math had a couple of things that I tweaked, or I would tweak and change,
but – so, I – then I had to start subbing and doing all, like all this prep and all these things
for her, which she gave me the choice of whether I wanted a sub to come in and do that,
but she had so much going on and like, no, I’ll just do everything, I got it, don’t worry.
Um-hm.
But – so, that really was kind of like a reality check I thought – like not a reality check,
but like during that week, because I didn’t have her there to help, I was staying til 7:00 at
night at the school, um, the – Joe, the custodian, he’s like, Lisa, you better get out of here,
like, go home, like, well, I can’t cause there’s just so much to do, so – and those two
weeks were great. I loved it, I loved being with the kids, I loved it, cause it was almost
like it was my classroom, which I mean, Kathleen, my CT, she does so much to try and
make it, you know, like my classroom, but it’s – it’s – in the big scope of things, it is
hers, because when I’m teaching, I’m thinking about what I’m doing, like what norms I
have to follow with the kids that are what she wants, and I’m doing all these things that –
but during those couple weeks, it was like, oh, this is my – this is my class – this is, I’m
the teacher of this class and that was – I had the – because the language arts lesson went
so well, we decided to do an author celebration, which I sent you that e-mail about –
Yeah.
- um, and I invited all the parents in, and that was during that time that she was gone. I
had the – like we had already planned that, and then that happened –
Um-hm.
- and she’s like, just keep planning, keep doing it if you want to, so I did, and it was –
Do you think it was a valuable experience? Do you think that you learned anything
different in those two weeks that you would not have otherwise learned if she had always
been there with you?
Um, for sure, I did a lot of, um, I had a lot of, um, parent interactions that I hadn’t had
before. Um, like I – during my student teaching last year at the child development lab, I
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did that, like I really – that was one of my big things that I was always trying to get
parents involved, and parents doing stuff, but I kind of – because I was somewhat away,
like, during, like – timely enough to guided lead teaching and guided lead teaching, I was
kind of like – I was still kind of a step away from the – I guess what I had then, um, the
parents were coming to me, the parents were e-mailing me – I was communicating to get
parent volunteers for centers – I was doing all of this like, there was a problem with a
girl, um, who – she said that – she came home and told mom that she had some bullying
and so I had to step in and do all that, so that in itself is so valuable –
Um-hm.
- and knowing that – I think what’s even better is just knowing that when next - like when
next semester comes around, I’m gonna be able to do it.
Um-hm.
There’s no – there’s no doubt in my mind, I mean, it was kind of scary like before, like
the idea of, oh I gotta – I’m gonna be taking over this class, and I’m gonna – but I did
take over it for a week and a – like, well, it was two-and-a-half weeks, two weeks –
Yeah.
Yeah. It was the – it was the end of one week, a full week and then the beginning part of
Thanksgiving weekend – or week, the week before that. So, like, I’m gonna – it’ll be
fine.
You’re gonna be fine.
Yeah.
Yeah. So, I heard you talk a lot today about, um, your three students, those three students
that you targeted?
And those three students are not my – were not my focus – well, one of them was my
focus student –
Oh really?
Um, I was going through, um, and doing all my assess – like looking through my
assessments on my focus students, one of them, um, she was um, she’s very brittle and
like, like – her mom is really nervous that she’s gonna get sick. So her mom - she’s been
out for like over twenty days. She was out for most of my guided lead teaching, because
that was during the time that everyone was sick, they were worried about H1N1, they
were doing all that, so, mom had her out the whole time so I had no – no – I didn’t have
any assessments, I didn’t’ have any data on her –
Um-hm.
- so, and – but I did her have her final – like the, um, the Snowy Day book, and it was
obvious that she hadn’t been there cause she didn’t have any setting development, any –
the events were completely random, the characters weren’t – there wasn’t any like
development of the characters, so, I mean – but that was expected cause she didn’t have
any of the formal instruction. Um, the other one was just about as – like it went like
normally and I was like – and the fact that it kind of went how I expected, he did what he
– what I was hoping, he had what the goals would be. But the one who I talked about in
here, I didn’t know – I wasn’t sure he was gonna get those goals, like I was hoping. It
was kind of like you had that – wasn’t it the triangle? No –
The pyramid?
- yeah, the pyramid of the, um, what you want everyone to know, what you want – what
you think some will know and what you – so – and so I was thinking that maybe he’d get
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some things, maybe. But when I saw what he was capable of during this lesson – and
then I looked to check, but the other two – well, the other boys that I talked about in there
– and there’s actually a third boy who I would have put into that collaboration, but he was
all – he also has very poor attendance, and so he wasn’t there for half of these –
Yeah.
- so, but like even his development through that – I thought, you know, I’m just gonna
focus on them for this, I think –
Um-hm.
- because that was – it was more than what I had expected.
Yeah. So now you have three students that you focused on for that particular – for your
Part B –
Um-hm.
- and you have two others that were already your focal students. So you have three, but
one of them is the same Um-hm.
- right?
Yeah.
So now you have five kids.
Now I have five kids.
Five kids. So the next time that you plan a unit, how are you going to differentiate your
instruction? Are you going to differentiate for your three focal? For the five that you
know can be all over the place? For your entire class? For none of them?
Um, actually was talking about this with my field instructor yesterday, because, um, next
time – I spent this lesson really focusing on my lower students who are predominantly in
my morning class – I really focused on them and what I can do to help them, and even
though it was, um, it was good for – like I saw improvements for just about anyone in the
– like, they got the information, they were able to apply what we had talked about – I
want to – I need to – I need to extend activities – I want – I want to start differentiating
more for my higher level students. I realized during this lesson that, yeah, I gave um, I
gave some of the kids extra pages to write in their Snowy Day book, and I did a couple,
like, but even the higher level students who I – like they didn’t take those extra pages.
You know, they were like, no, I’ll just do these three, it’s fine.
So what does that tell you?
I don’t think I’m – I don’t think, well that – that attempt at differentiating wasn’t
successful and I – because I – I don’t think – I need to think about a different way, like
what things can I do that will challenge them. Maybe it was just that the book was – those
extra two pages, that wasn’t challenging, that just added more to the book.
Yeah.
And it was – and they – ii had them write their – like write their story out in their prewrite and get like, start to do all of that, and I mean, some of them did – I was just
thinking how – like I saw a little – I saw improvement with them but I think I could have
stretched them more.
Um-hm.
Because what they did was kind of like what everyone else did.
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And so that’s like what I’m kind of thinking about for next semester. What strategies or
what things can I do to, um, really help them. And I didn’t really – I never – I mean I
thought about it, but the other day, my CT, we have these little books like, My A Book,
and A – this is an alligator. This is a apple. And we do those for every, um, letter, as like
a warm-up, and I know several of the kids are getting bored with that, especially because
I have a lot that are reading at second grade level, and it’s just like, kind of ridiculous, but
my CT, she came up to the – I watched her, she came up to this boy in part- one of my
focus students, she came up to him, flipped it over like this, she said – and it was – the
letter was G. She goes – and she said, spell goat. Spell goat for me. And so he smiled and
he spelled goat. And they were like, spell whatever the other G word was. And, um, and
then she asked one more, and then she said, all right. Now you can keep – you can keep
studying you book or whatever, and so the next week when it happened, like it was – I
read with him and had kind of seen what she did, and so I gave him a couple words and
then afterwards, I said, tell me another G-word. How do you spell that one? And like he
just got this smile on his face, like, like I am – like, oh, this – that’s this is fun being
challenged. And that really made me think – I – I need to do more for them but at the –
like it’s tough for me to say, oh he’s – he’s higher level, he’s higher – he reads at second
grade level. Yes, he’s got very good comprehension skills, but in the classroom setting,
he’s very immature compared to all of his friends. He’s very – and so it was always kind
of tough for me to say, like, to think that I need to – I don’t know.
Can you plan for both?
Well, like both of the – the low and the high?
The – the – no, both, both the fact that he’s immature, but that he has very high
comprehension. I mean, your planning is going to have to consider both.
Well, and that’s – and I was thinking about that the other day, because we went to the
library and the kids are restricted – the kindergarten kids are restricted to these two
shelves that they can choose from. And, um, that – this boy, he’s like – he was kind of
looking at the other books and the librarian said, oh, stay over here, and he said, I am a
good reader, though. And she goes, yeah, I know you are, but I want you to look over
there. So, my CT wasn’t in there right then, so I walked right over to the librarian and I
said, when do you usually – like when do kindergartners usually get the okay to go over
to the other side? And she said, well, it’s up – it’s completely up to the teacher. It’s up –
it’s up to the teacher, whatever you want, then I’ll start facilitating that. Because he like
walked up, he’s like I’m gonna find a book that I can – that maybe I’ll – my baby sister
will like and I’ll read it to her. And so, like right then I walked over and like – because I –
he needs to be challenged and these picture book aren’t doing it, and I was thinking – but
I don’t – I thought that, you know, maybe pending the fact that he doesn’t blurt out all the
time, or he doesn’t do like a couple of – like he doesn’t do some of the things that we
always talk about with him, like would it – is it bad to maybe have, oh, you’ll get to go
into the library and choose good – like these higher level books pending that you follow
these expectations –
Um-hm.
- like is that – to me it’s – like it sounds like a good idea, but it’s – I almost think it’s like
a mana- it’s a behavior management, but it almost seems like a discipline, too, you know,
like, oh you weren’t good so you aren’t gonna get the books, but that doesn’t seem fair to
me at all at the same time.
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So how are you going to manage?
I – well, first thing I’m gonna do is I need to talk to my CT because she wasn’t in there
when I was talking to Rosemary, the librarian. I want to see what her thoughts are, I
think.
Um-hm.
Because I haven’t had that chance. But –
So looking at the picture of the kids that you have on your computer, how many kids did
you have in there? Is that your – both your morning and your afternoon?
Um-hm.
Okay. So altogether how many kids do you have, approximately?
I have 37, and – well, now 36, cause one left us yesterday.
Okay. So you have 36 kids AM and PM?
Um-hm.
How many distinct groups of kids do you think you have altogether? If you were to put
your kids like in buckets, categories?
Like I have a handful of really low –
Okay a handful is –
Um, in the category of really low, I’d say about 8 or 9. Eight. Eight?
Um-hm.
Um, I’ve got some, I’d say I have 3 really high –
Um-hm.
Really high. And then probably 12 high –
Um-hm. And so when you say high and you say really high, what does – what does that
mean? So when you say that you have 3 that are really high, what jumps to mind?
The really high students, they are reading second grade level –
Um-hm.
- they have compren – they are comprehending that whey are reading –
Um-hm.
- they are writing sentences, complete thoughts –
Um-hm.
- and they are participating in class –
Okay.
- raising their hand and participating.
So the handful that are really low, are they really low because of specific characteristics,
or is it really low altogether? Um –
I – um, I would say specific characteristics that make – that affect the rest. Like, um, their
– their experience? Their – their that are coming with no concepts of print without
knowing how to hold the pencil, without – and because they lack all of these experiences
or ideas that their classmates have –
Um-hm?
- they are less confident to share in class?
Um-hm?
They are less confident in their work –
Um-hm.

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- and most of the times they – or lots of times they just – because they’re not as confident
and know – like, they just, well, I don’t want to say turn off, but not even want to parlike not participate, not –
Would you say that they are not school ready?
I’d say a lot of them could really benefit from a year of preschool beforehand.
Yeah. I hear that a lot this year. What do you think that you need to learn next semester?
What is the one area – out of everything that you’ve done, what is the one thing which
you can honestly say I need some work here.
One thing.
Tell me a couple of things.
Um, I don’t really – there’s a lot of things that I know I have a deficit in, and uh, I don’t
know if there’s –
Okay, so – so –
Cause I don’t think that there’s – I would just say there just isn’t – there isn’t one or two
that I feel like, wow, I’m really not there, um, but I need – like just continuing the
differentiation, that process, is this – this huge thing that I just – will I ever get it? Will I
ever – because I think it’s an ongoing process as a – as a teacher, like, I mean, you’re not
gonna have the same set of kids, so how can – how is differentiating the same for each –
Maybe that’s why they call it differentiated year – exactly. No, exactly. But like, like learning those skills – it might be easier for me
to apply them,um, maybe. I don’t know. Um –
So – so if you have to think in terms of expertise and novice, being an expert and being a
– because now you are an expert, because not only you’ve done your guided lead
teaching, but you also did two weeks of sink or swim, right?
Yep.
And there’s a lot of other people that are in a kindergarten class that have an AM and PM
that it’s their first year in the classroom, that they did not have their experience. So for
example, those two other peers that you had in your group just a little while ago
downstairs –
Um-hm.
- that did not even have the experience or have the ability to plan their own unit –
Um-hm.
- okay? What areas – what are the areas in which you feel that you are strong and the
areas in which you think that you still need work? So, in comparison to them, for
example?
Um, strong – may – relationships.
Um-hm.
I – I have – I feel I have a great relationship with my CT. She is – she’s great and she is
always very supportive. A big relationship with my kids – there’s so many of them, but
at the same time, it’s like, I mean, like I have two twin girls who – they have such
behavioral problems, or they did a lot like towards the beginning, and it’s gradually
getting better, but – their home life just isn’t very good. We adopted their family for
Christmas because they didn’t have anything, and it’s, like it’s almost like I’m – I worry
sometimes that I’m even too – I have too strong of a connection or relationship with those
girls, because I’m just thinking to myself, uh, like, Kathleen, my CT, and I said, oh, I’ll
take – I’ll take one of them and you can take the other, cause their twins, and we’ll just –
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it’ll be okay. We’ll – we can manage it. But, um, with my – I would definitely say with
my kids, and just from those two weeks experience with teaching, um, full-time, I think I
have a pretty good relationship with my parents, also. Even before that they knew – they
knew that when Kathleen sent out that e-mail explaining the situation, um, I think they
knew that their kids were in good and safe hands –
Um-hm.
- because there were no concerns – the only – the only things that parents said to me is
maybe mid-way through the week, how are you holding up? Are you exhausted? Are
you – like I had a parent bring – bring me lunch one day. I just want to make sure that
you’re – that you’re eating well. So, I mean, just, um, I think and that’s what I’m really
gonna strive for next semester, especially when I get into lead teaching. I want – I want
the parents in my class to know that I’m a good teacher, or I am but I’m gonna – I will
become a great teacher one day, and that, um, and that I love their kids and that I’m
always thinking about how to help them.
Um-hm. Do you think that you can teach every kid?
Teach like – like affect some kid, or like have some sort of effect on them, or – what –
teach – because –
Do you think that you will always be able to reach every kid you have in your classroom?
There’s like that. There’s that hypothetical child who in my head that – but, I mean, I felt
during 401 and 402, I felt like I might have had one of those – that child – like, that child
who didn’t – who the CT couldn’t teach. Who couldn’t affect, but the difference is that
she didn’t have that relationship with him. He confided in me and he confided in the
other 401 and 402 students who cared about him and cared why he wasn’t performing
like he was supposed to be.
Um-hm.
I–
So – so do you think that it’s your responsibility to teach every child that you have in
your classroom?
Yes. Like – I – are they all gonna take away that I taught that they know what an event
is? Maybe not. From what I can tell, they seem to get events, but, will I teach them, um,
will I teach them by maybe modeling what a – what it means to be compassionate or
what it means to be – well, you think teaching is just, you know, it’s more than just
Social Studies and Science, it’s – and especially in kindergarten, they’re not really
watching – like, they might not be watching or listening to what you’re saying, they’re
watching what you do. They’re learning what it’s like to be in school. They’re learning
what it’s like. So, in my class, I know that maybe they aren’t taking – maybe they don’t
know what a setting is –
Um-hm.
- maybe they don’t know that a T-number is 10 plus another digit, they know - but they
can see me and they know how I interact with people and maybe that’s a model to what –
Yeah.
- to how they should be interacting, and so many, like, like informal, like teaching
moments or teaching things that I – I have no idea what they’re observing from me or
taking from me.
Um-hm. Teachable moments.

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Yeah. I have no idea what they’re taking – like, do they – but I think that, I mean, the
way I carry myself, I’m hoping that they at least – and like the care I have for them, like
when they are so, like, just for example, the Snowy Day books, they were – they were
proud of them, you could tell cause they have their smile, but I just like overdid it, like I
was just – in a good way – you wrote those books – oh, my word – oh we’re gonna
practice, and we’re gonna have your parents come and we’re gonna – and I want you to
read to this person and this person, and – I was – do you know that most kindergarteners
– they don’t write books, but you just wrote a book! And, so like, they may have felt
proud, but by smiling, but like, when they read those books out loud to like, the videos I
took, you can just see some of them, they’re just like – and even with the quiet ones – I
had one who was, who wouldn’t say – like who doesn’t say too much, but he’s reading a
book and he’s like – his book, and he said, me and Andrea went outside to play in the
snow. Do you know who Andrea is? Andrea is my little sister. And she – and I turned the
page and then, this is – and me and mom and Andrea went inside, and he looked over at
his mom, mom, see, this is you, you’re the big one right here.
That’s cool.
But they were just like so –
Proud.
- so proud, and maybe even if just from that Ezra Jack Keats unit, if they could just feel
that they are capable of doing stuff, which is why I’m so – I’ve really am affected by
these three because they’re – I’ve never seen them with that pride – never.
Yeah. Yeah.
And, like, they were proud.
Yeah. Do you know – did you have a student in either one – either the morning or the
afternoon that you felt that you did not do enough to include them in the entire unit? Is
there – is there the one student that you - you have in the back of your mind that you can
say you need to do more for?
For this unit? There are, well, in the back of head, I know that there are two children in
particular, one in the morning and one afternoon that I really want to do more for.
Um-hm.
They’re, um, I, like I – but for this unit, the – the,um, the increase of absences due to that
time of year, which is something I was gonna deal with, but, like, because that was just a
snapshot into like the year, into, I mean – they – I don’t know, it’s – I wouldn’t say – I
wouldn’t say that I didn’t include one of them more than the – like, those two children, I
think I used them – I did a lot with them, but at the same time, one of them would be
absent, or one of them, like frequently, and so, I mean, that’s just – it’s just difficult in
that situation because it’s – like, the one in the afternoon, I know that I’ve always – I
keep working with her all the time, trying to – trying to push her, trying to – and it’s now
starting to kind of, um, between me and my CT and the ELL teacher and the two at-risk
aides that come in, we’re starting to see that maybe there’s some growth recently –
Um-hm.
- that she’s maybe – might be starting to click with her, maybe. But, um, the other, the –
like a lot of the – a lot of this stuff that I use, that we talked about, like creating the visual
and the – like having a visual – like I did involve my morning child to have more, like I
worried that I don’t consider enough. I did all this planning for her in my head, like, oh

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well, you know, I think a lot of them would benefit but I think she would benefit the
most.
Um-hm.
And she was absent for a lot of it – for most of these experiences she was absent, and so
that was frustrating for me –
Um-hm.
- because she – she was able to – we read the Snowy Day book, but she didn’t get that
other experience and so when we did the book – this book with her, it was – it didn’t – it
didn’t – it wasn’t as successful as I thought it was going to be.
So it wasn’t as successful with one of them, but look at the other two that you got.
Um-hm, yeah.
Right?
Um-hm.
So it wasn’t necessarily wasted time in making their planning –
Yeah.
- it’s just that you didn’t see the result where you expected it Um-hm.
- but it’s still there.
It is there.
It is still there.
Um-hm.
And you know, when you have a student absent, there’s very little that you can do –
Yeah.
- about that, and I remember – I know that this is something that bothers you because this
is something we talked about before –
Um-hm.
- how do you –
Well then in my - keep up with the kids that are not there?
- in my class it’s like, they’re only there for three hours a day. So we’re literally
cramming everything in that we can. Like, I was talking to – when I talked to the other
kindergarten interns, they’re saying that they’re working for this amount of time on this
thing and that there’s all this extra time that they’re not even doing anything, and that,
and I’m thinking like – and then they say, oh but we haven’t talked about this, or we – we
don’t worry – we don’t do – we don’t do hand – we’ve never talked – we’ve never talked
about handwriting. And I’m thinking, we’re just cramming all these things for these kids
in those three hours we have with them, and –
What are you gonna do when you have all day kindergarten?
When I’m in an all day kindergarten, or when –
When you are the teacher next year, the year after that, when instead of having a half day
kindergarten you have a full day kindergarten?
I–
What are you gonna do?
That will be – because I was used to full day things, and doing – I know full day, um, full
day day, like in a daycare, I’ve been with kindergarten age kids and I’ve done, like I had
second grade full day, um, and last – during last year, and, I mean, I know that I’d
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probably – I know it’d go slow for the all day people, because they’re just five years old,
they can’t – like they come home from our half- our three hours and they are tired. Every
parent says, oh my word, like they go to sleep afterwards, they’re just exhausted, because
we’re exhausted too. But, I – I don’t – I mean, I – obviously I’m gonna slow it down for
when I teach full day or if I teach full day, it has to be slowed down, but like –
Does it have to be slowed down or does it have to be enriched? Which one would you
prefer?
One or the other? Well, I just –
Would it have to be one or the other, I mean, it could be a combination of both –
It would – I would say it would have to slow down in some ways, because the way we
come at them with, like, there is never a minute where they’re sitting and not doing
something, because there’s always – we’re always moving, we’re like – the bad thing is,
is that during our warm-ups we have every day, it’s, oh we’re gonna give you about one
more minute, we’re – the PM class, there’s several girls in the afternoon class who,
they’re like really about their – about details and if it has any coloring to do with it, they
– a couple of parents were a little upset, you know, my daughter is saying you’re not
giving her enough time to color. And, oh, well it was just the warm-up and we – we sent
it home so that she could finish it at home if she really wanted to color, and –
So your PM group is slower than your AM?
They’re more about the details –
Yeah.
- they’re more detail oriented –
Um-hm
- so they = they’ll color slower, and they’ll – and they’ll – they’re so different, those two
groups.
Are you – are you teaching the same thing at the same time, same day? So if you are
teaching letter H in the morning, are you teaching the letter H in the afternoon?
Um-hm.
Pretty much at the same time?
Yep, and it makes – luckily it makes up, because, um, for – even though the afternoon
class is slower based on details, they follow directions quicker and they – it takes, um,
they do like, - they’re for the most part, the afternoon class is very high – like high level –
Um-hm.
- and so, like they do things, but then the afternoon class, even though they don’t – they
aren’t as detail oriented, like the – they still do their work, but it does take – it does take
longer to – if, like we’re doing a – like the Menorrah we did, they’re – the cutting, like
that’s a skill that lots of them don’t have, and like following the directions that, oh after I
do these I have to go over here and get three more? Or four more? And like –
Yeah.
- that’s – so it makes up in the long run.
Yeah.
In fact, usually the – if anything, we usually have the PM class finishing things sooner.
Sooner?
Um-hm.
That’s great. I wish you good luck.
Thank you.
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And I – I am going to be around – I’m not leaving anywhere, at least until the summer, so
if there is any time you ever need any feedback, if you have any questions, if you need
any materials, anything, you have my e-mail, you have my phone number. If you ever – if
you have a problem with a kid, you don’t know what to do, you want me to come up and
observe, let me know.
Okay.
Okay? I’m gonna be working full time, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t come up hereUm-hm.
- I won’t be able to come up here every week, but, you know –
Um-hm.
- I’ll be able to come up.
Okay.
All right? And once the dissertation is written, I’ll let you know.
All right. I hope I – I gave you some things –
You did give me –
- to write –
- you did give me quite a lot because, um, first of all, kindergarten wasn’t something that
I was thinking of. Um, the fact that you have an AM and a PM is very interesting to me,
like I told you, I think that it’s a research project –
Um-hm.
- in itself. And it’s always amazing to me how, um, grown up kindergartens are.
Yeah, they –
They can do quite a bit.
Um-hm.
They do more than I expected them to do. So –
Um-hm.
Um –
I know my CT says that, um, the kids haven’t changed, so it’s the expectations we put on
them that have changed, for some, whatever reason it is.
Yeah, yeah. You know, when I went to school, ninth grade was all you were expected to
do. Now you finish twelve grade and it’s not enough Um-hm.
- right? I remember that, you know, going to college was not the general expectation.
Um-hm. Yeah.
You could find a job, you could get married, stay home with the kids –
Um-hm.
- and now everybody goes to college.
Now it’s bachelor’s degree isn’t enough, it’s –
Right. Right. So, all right. Thank you.

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APPENDIX X: Lisa Final Unit Plan
Teaching Overview
Name: Lisa

Grade Level: Kindergarten

School: Bennett Woods

CT: Kathleen Eyia

Target area for guided lead teaching: Comprehension
List the main Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs) that this unit will work toward:
R.CM.00.01 begin to make text-to-self and text-to-text connections and comparisons
by activating prior knowledge and connecting personal knowledge and experience to
ideas in text through oral and written responses.
R.NT.00.03 discuss setting, characters, and events in narrative text.
List a small set of well chosen Objectives for the unit. Label each objective with a number so
you can easily list the objective(s) for each day in the table below.
3) While reading any text, the children will naturally use their own use personal experiences to
reflect and make text-to-text and text-to-self connections.
4) Given any narrative text, the children will accurately identify setting, characters, and events.

•

•

List the main assessment(s) you will use to determine if your students meet your unit objectives
After reading each book, the children will collaboratively work with partners on an art, game, or
discussion task, or complete a worksheet, focusing on the specific focus of the lesson. While
making connections with settings, the children will work together to construct the setting of the
story. They will also use sequencing cards to better understand the events of a story. The
children will draw and write when studying about character and text to self connections
At the end of the unit, the children will be author and illustrator of their own (small) book. Using
dominant characteristics from the books read in class, the children will construct their own
version of the Snowy Day. In their book, the children will use the text-to-self connections to
make it different from Keats. The book must include setting, character, and event.
Mon.
Tues.
• Letter to Amy
• Objective #1
• Whole class book
discussion
followed by
writing, using
genre of letter
• Are the children
beginning to share
text-self
connections?

•
•
•

•

Wed.
Apt. 3 (PM, AM •
on Tues.)
•
Obj #1
•
SmartBoard
prompting
question (Where •
do we live?),
followed by
reading of book
Are most children
making text-self
connections

Table 13 – Lisa Final Unit Plan

363

Thurs.
Fri.
Pet Show
Obj #1
Watch story on
DVD, followed by
journal entry
Children are
confidently
making text-self
connections

Table 13 (Cont’d)
•
•
•

•

•
•
•
•

Mon.
Tues.
Whistle for Willy
(Setting)
Obj #2
Whole group
book discussion
followed by small
group activity
How easily did
the children
identify the
setting?

Wed.

Thurs.
Fri.
Goggles
• Peter’s Chair
(Character)
(Event)
• Obj #1&2
• Obj #2
• Individual work • Whole group
from table,
book discussion,
followed by
followed by pair
whole class book game
discussion
• Are the children
• Did the children identifying events
make the text to
sequentially?
text connection of
Peter? Do they
identify more
than one
character?
Mon.
Tues.
Wed.
Thurs.
Fri.
Individually
• Watch the DVD• Completion of the
• Author
reading The
and begin prebook
Celebration!
Snowy Day
write
• Obj #1 and 2
• Children share
Obj #1
• Obj #1 and 2 • Brief instruction
their own books
Whole class
• Movie, followed and then
with family and
guided reading
by brief whole
individual work
classmates
Are the children class instruction, from desks,
using text-to-self and individual
writers
and text- to text
work
conferencing
connections
• After reviewing
throughout
naturally?
the children’s pre- How well are the
•
write, what areas children
need attention the following
following day?
guidelines of
setting, character,
event, while using
text to self
connections?
Outline for a Daily Lesson Plan
Date: 11/10/09
Objectives for today’s lesson:
1)
While reading any text, the children will naturally use their own use personal experiences
to either reflect orally or in written form to make text-to-text and text-to-self connections.
•

Table 13 – Lisa Final Unit Plan

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Table 13 (Cont’d)
Materials & supplies needed:
The Snowy Day DVD, The Snowy Day, SmartBoard (with a copy of the pre-write page), 20
copies of the pre-write page, blank copy of the children’s book to show as an example, 20
pencils.
Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event
• Introduction to the lesson
We will start the lesson with the children sitting on the carpet near
the SmartBoard screen. “Yesterday we read The Snowy Day and
you made a text to self connection with the text. Today, we are
going to expand on the book. In order for the book to be fresh in
your head, we are going to watch The Snowy Day as a movie.
While watching it, I want you to think about what happens at the
beginning, in the middle, and at the end.” At this time, I’m going to
play the movie for the children to watch.
The movie is relatively short, taking about 10 minutes.
• OUTLINE of key events during the lesson
After the movie has finished, I will change the screen from
displaying the movie to displaying a smart board presentation.
“Who can tell me what happened in the beginning? What about the
middle? What was the last thing that happened in the movie and
the book?” I will record everything on the SmartBoard, using a
three columned chart. This will be the same chart as the children
will use for the pre-write. (5 minutes) “We have made text to self
connections and we have talked about the three parts of the book:
setting, characters, and events. Plus, we have been studying about
Ezra Jack Keats. Now we are going to take everything that we have
learned and put it together. You are going to become the author
and the illustrator of your very own Snowy Day book. Each book
will have a cover like this, which says, “(Name)’s Snowy Day,”
which is the title. Before we start the book, we are going to do
something important that good writers ALWAYS DO: a pre-write.
A pre-write helps you organize all of your thoughts so that you
know exactly what you want to write about. Usually we don’t rush
through a pre-write, rather working slowly while thinking what
exactly we want to include. This is the paper that we will use for
our pre-write. So just like you did with me on the SmartBoard
chart, on this pre-write the box with the #1 means what happens
first in your story.
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Academic, Social and
Linguistic Support during
each event
The movie itself is an
academic and linguistic
support for the children
who struggled through our
group reading of the
Snowy Day. The
technology will help to
engage all students in
equal ways.

I will have a copy of the
Snowy Day with me at my
stool. This way, if the
children need help we can
reference the book.

Table 13 (Cont’d)
The #2 box will be what happens in the middle, and the 3 box will
be what happens last. You can draw a picture for each part, or
write the words just like we did together. So for example, on my
ideal snowy day, the first thing that happens is that I wake up and
the TV says the school is closed. I will write “No School” so that I
will remember and draw a picture of the TV. The next thing that
will happen is that I go skiing. Here is me on a mountain and I will
write the words, “Ski.” The last thing that will happen is that I go
home and drink some hot chocolate. Here is the cup and I will
write out “hot chocolate.” This way, when I get ready to write my
story, I can use my pre-write to help me remember.

I will keep our
brainstormed chart on the
SmartBoard to remind the
children.
While the children work,
Mrs. Eyia and I will walk
around to record their
thoughts. Children who
can write by themselves
can just explain their
thoughts.

While you work, I will walk around and you can tell me what is
happening in the picture so that I can write it down so we remember
it for tomorrow, when we create our books. Will your book be
exactly like Ezra Jack Keats? No, because you are taking your text
to self connections. Your main character will not be Peter, but
instead you! There will be parts that are similar to his book. For
example, some of the events will be the same because your story
will be about your snowy day (5 minutes).”
At this time, I will dismiss the children to their desks to begin
working. Pre-write sheets will already be placed on children’s
desks before the lesson. While working, I will roam the classroom
with Mrs. Eyia and we will record the children’s thoughts on their
pre-write (20 minutes).
• Closing summary for the lesson
Boys and girls, while you finish up on your work I want to remind
you that today was just the pre-write. Tomorrow, you will take
your pre-write and use it to prepare your book. After you have
completed your book, you will get to share it with your classmates
(1 minute).
• Transition to next learning activity
When I see that your table is ready, I will call your name and you
can bring your paper to me, then line up for recess.
Assessment
Did the children construct a story using the pre-write, with 3 events
and using a text-to self connection to make the story about
themselves?
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Academic, Social, and
Linguistic Support during
assessment

Table 13 (Cont’d)

Reflection (What did students learn? What did I learn about
teaching literacy? What went well? What would I do differently
next time?)
Although it was in basic form, the children all learned how to use a
pre-write when writing stories. I wasn’t sure how well it would
work, but I realized that even kindergarteners can use literacy
concepts like a pre-write to help them, as long as they are presented
in a developmentally appropriate way. I was alone on the day of
the pre-writes, so it was my responsibility to have mini-conferences
with each student. It was difficult recording everything on paper,
while enforcing classroom management. Next time, I will use a
recorder with every child. This way, it seems less rushed and I will
get the exact expression stated by the child on the pre-write.

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Children are not
responsible for writing in
words the connection,
rather demonstrating in
picture form. It is the
teacher’s responsibility to
record the thoughts of the
students during a short
“conference” time. Those
who can write the
connection may do so.
(Which students struggled
with the material? How
will I reteach these
students)
None of the children
struggled with the prewrite on the day we did it.
The children who
struggled with it were
those students who were
absent. We had many
absences during the unit,
as the flu outbreak really
hit the kindergarten class.
I wouldn’t reteach until
we have another whole
classroom time. I feel like
the importance of
reteaching would be better
if all children were doing
it together, so it would be
meaningful. I would
present the material the
same way, because when
doing it that way everyone
seemed to get it. When
individualizing it, plus
omitting the movie, the
children definitely
struggled!

Table 13 (Cont’d)
Outline for a Daily Lesson Plan
Date: 11/5/09
Objectives for today’s lesson:
1) While reading any text, the children will naturally use their own use personal experiences
to reflect and make text-to-text and text-to-self connections.
2) Given any narrative text, the children will accurately identify setting, characters, and
events.
Materials & supplies needed: Goggles, Goggles on CD, computer, paper for the children to
draw picture on, crayons, dry-erase board and markers.
Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event
• Introduction to the lesson
“Who has a favorite cartoon or person on television?” Invite a
couple children to share. “These people on television that you
like are also called characters. There are many characters in
most stories. Today while we read another Keats book we are
going to focus on character in particular (2 minutes).

Academic, Social and
Linguistic Support during
each event

While drawing the
pictures, I will conference
with students whose
pictures are difficult for
me to visualize and ask
OUTLINE of key events during the lesson
them to tell me about it.
Remember how we read the book, Me First, and I asked you all to In addition, children can
picture in your head what the sandwich looks like. This time,
answer the question, “Tell
we are going to listen to the story Goggles on tape, and I want
me what you know about
you to focus on the main character. The main character in a
Peter in Goggles? What is
book is the person who is in it the most. Our main character in
he wearing? What do you
this book wears the “Goggles.” What does the book say he
think he looks like.”
looks like? Is he wearing anything? After the book is read to
us, I will give each of you a piece of paper to draw what he
looks like. Remember, everyone needs to listen quietly so that
we can all hear the story.” At this time I will play the book over
the speaker system (5 minutes).
“Alright, now I will pass out the paper. Remember to write your
name at the top. Then, work on the picture, adding detail when
you are done, until I ask you to stop.” Children will work on
this for 5 minutes.
When I call your name, push your chair in, bring your picture
over to me, and sit down (1 minute).
At this point, I read Goggles out loud using the book and showing
the pictures, reflecting the similarities that I see from the
children’s pictures to the book pictures. (5 minutes)
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Table 13 (Cont’d)
Who are the characters in the book, who is the main one? What
do we know about the main character? What does he look like?
Do we know anything else? Are there any other characters,
besides the main one?” I will record all of the thoughts of the
children on the dry erase board. If the children don’t naturally
suggest that the main character of the book is Peter, the same
character from Whistle for Willy, I will ask the children, “Is
there anything in this book that is the same as yesterday’s
book?” If the children don’t respond that Peter is in both books,
I will make the text-to –text connection by saying, “Well I
know in Whistle for Willy, Peter was the main character. In this
book, Peter is also the main character. I’m making a text to text
connection. This means that instead of connection from my life
and making a text to self connection, I’m making a connection
to another Keats book. (10 minutes)
• Closing summary for the lesson
Many of the books that Keats writes, she uses Peter as a main
character. Peter might be in the next couple books that we will
read in class. Explain to the children that I will be posting the
Goggles pictures in the classroom so that we will be reminded
of the book.
• Transition to next learning activity
These pictures are fantastic. We will learn more about parts of a
story next time. There are three parts and character is just one of
them.
Assessment
Academic, Social, and
Some children will raise their hand to participate in discussion Linguistic Support during
while I ask what we know about the characters, which shows that assessment
they understand the role of the character. I’m also interested in
what they draw after listening to the book. If they draw a picture
that looks somewhat similar to the character in the book, I will
know that not only do they understand character, but also that they
comprehended the book from just listening alone.
Reflection (What did students learn? What did I learn about (Which students struggled
teaching literacy? What went well? What would I do differently with the material? How
next time?)
will I reteach these
students)
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Table 13 (Cont’d)
The students learned more about Peter as one of Keats’ main
characters. They learned that reading books takes many different
forms. I learned that listening alone is very difficult for my
kindergarteners. When Window’s Media Player showed the
screensaver like screen on the computer, my entire AM class stared
at the screen and listened intently. Their work shows this.
However, I turned the screen off in the PM class. Without the
ability to focus on something, the children struggled with listening,
were irritable, and almost uncomfortable. Their work also shows
this. Next time, I might use this method before hand, of listening
by itself. I feel like it is important, but they still need scaffolding.

My entire PM class
struggled with the lesson.
Their lack of focus with
only one sense (hearing)
was almost unbearable for
them. When I retaught the
lesson, I used a stick
figure on the dry erase
board. I told the children
that this is Peter. I asked
them what details I could
use to help add to his
character. Although I
didn’t at this time, I might
supplement that reading
with me reading the book
but not showing the
pictures (which I didn’t
do).

Outline for a Daily Lesson Plan
Date: 11/11/09
Objectives for today’s lesson:
1) While reading any text, the children will naturally use their own use personal experiences
to reflect in the form of pictures and make text-to-text and text-to-self connections.
2) Given any narrative text, the children will accurately identify setting, characters, and
events.
Materials & supplies needed: Blank books, copies of The Snowy Day, children’s pre-write
from the day before, colored pencils
Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event
Academic, Social and
• Introduction to the lesson
Linguistic Support during
Children start by sitting on the carpet. “Yesterday we started to do each event
planning for making our own book. We used a pre-write paper, like
this, to help organize our thoughts and come up with a new story.
Today, we are going to take all of the work that we have done in
our pre-write and begin writing our book. (2 minutes)
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Table 13 (Cont’d)
OUTLINE of key events during the lesson
A book always has a setting, characters, and an event. We know
our character, because it will be each one of you. Your setting will
probably be in Okemos, or at your house. Our brainstorm helped us
take the event and break it down into what happened in the
beginning, the middle, and then end, which we wrote in our prewrite. When we get our book, the pre-write will really help us.
Whatever we wrote in the 1 column of our pre-write, we can put
onto page 1 of our book. Column 2 pictures can be put on page 2,
and the same with page 3. I already typed everything that you said
in your pre-write and put it on your pages. Sometimes when we do
things in class, Mrs. Eyia and I suggest that you really work hard to
do your personal best. This is very true for our books. Do you
think that when Ezra Jack Keats wrote any of his books that he
rushed through them, without doing his personal best? The pictures
in his books are neat and have a lot of detail, just as yours will be.
When books are finished, they are published, which means they are
printed, put together, and sold to people to read. Yours will be put
together, but instead of selling them, you will read to your
classmates and parents at the author celebration. Pictures won’t be
done in crayons, rather colored pencils so that your pictures will be
very neat.
Before we start, What should go on page 1? What should go on
page 2? What should go on page 3? If you have any questions,
raise your hand. It is very important that you work quietly, as your
friends are working to do their personal bests that it is distracting
when the person next to you is talking.”
At this point, I will dismiss the children to their desks individually.
Pages 1-3 will be sitting on the tables for the children, as well as the
box of colored pencils. (10 minutes)
The children will work independently for around 25 minutes to
construct their books. Mrs. Eyia and I will be walking around the
classroom helping the students.
• Closing summary for the lesson
On Friday, we will have a book reading, in which you can share
your book with the class if you want.
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371

If student’s want, pages 4
and 5 will be available for
students who want to
extend their book.

The task of writing
sentences, following the
pre-write, and illustrating
a book at the same time is
very difficult. In order for
the children to focus on
doing their best
illustrations, the words
will already be typed and
ready for the students.

Table 13 (Cont’d)
Assessment (How will I gauge the students’ learning as I
implement the lesson plan and once the lesson is completed?
Specifically, what will I look for? How will I use what I am
learning to inform my next steps)
Specifically, I will be looking for some text to self connections in
the children’s book. Does the child have a character, setting, and an
event?

Academic, Social, and
Linguistic Support during
assessment
Text to self connections,
character, setting, and
event can be illustrated in
conversation with the
children if pictures are
difficult to understand.

Reflection (What did students learn? What did I learn about
teaching literacy? What went well? What would I do differently
next time?)
The students learned that they are authors and illustrators. More
importantly, they felt proud of their work. The creation of the
stories was such a joy, that we wanted to celebrate them even more
by adding an author celebration at the end of the unit, inviting
parents and family in. I learned that there are certain strategies that
I can use as a teacher that will get all students, regardless of ability,
involved and at an equal level. Typing the text in the book out was
definitely a helpful strategy. Next time, I would make sure that I
was able to do the pre-write and the story creation back to back. I
would then plan the author celebration on the following Friday.
The activities were spread out to a point that I think some of the
children lost the excitement and pride that they once felt.

(Which students struggled
with the material? How
will I reteach these
students)
Several of the students
included events that were
not cohesive to their story.
At an extreme level, they
went from being at school,
to swimming in a pool, to
making snow angels
outside. Some just didn’t
provide segways from one
event to another. Next
time, I think I would talk
more about events.
Events aren’t just things
that happen, but the
process of things
happening. In The Snowy
Day, Peter didn’t go from
playing outside to sleeping
in his bed. His mom took
off his wet socks, he told
her about his adventures
and he thought about them
in the bathtub.

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APPENDIX Y: Megan First Semi-Structured Interview (transcript)
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I did decide what I’m gonna teach, um, (.07), so I’m trying to reorder things.
Okay. So what have you got going on?
Well, so basically, I’m teaching Myths and Legends, fourth grade –
Okay.
- um, it’s – they’re doing a genre – throughout the year they study different genres, so it’s
one of the genres that they have to study, and so, East Lansing Public Schools provided
them with this binder that had lesson plans in it. Um, and basically what I’m doing is
dissecting the binder –
Okay.
- and then putting it together my own way.
All right.
So So, this is kind of like a curriculum –
Yeah.
- pacing guide sort of thing?
Yes. And then I have specific lesson plan – (.50 – fades out)
Okay.
So basically I’m trying to teach – get all these plans but I’m not necessarily teaching (.55)
–
Okay. That sounds good.
So – I’m kind of stuck right now.
Are you starting and ending or are you picking up?
I’m starting and ending.
Starting and ending –
Yep.
Okay.
And – so there’s Myths and Legends and Tall Tales, so it’s kind of two different things
(1.11) together – um, my CT, Renae, that’s her name, she suggested that in the past it was
kind of dry, uh she said that in the past lessons (1.31) were kind of dry and not that
exciting and so she was hoping that I would make it more exciting so the kids care. And
she’s also said that I guess the curriculum that they give that has all of these graphic
organizers in it –
Oh cool.
- she said can be useful but she said that I don’t necessarily have to use them –
Okay.
- so that’s kind of the basic (1.51).
And no other advice? Pretty much just go for it?
Yes.
All right.
I kind of told her that I wanted a lot of freedom to do my own thing and she’s like do it.
Oh, that’s cool.
(2.02)
Okay. So, uh, have you picked a couple of Myth and Legends or –

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I actually picked a lot. Um, I don’t know which ones, so the first couple of days I
remember one, who was it that was in our class – this class – doing – talking about nonfiction? She said the best way to teach a genre is to immerse kids in it right away.
Yes.
And so I checked out from our school library maybe like 30 different Myths and Legends
–
Okay –
- and so on the first day I’m debating on (2.29 – 2.31) five and six on each table kind of
like we had in here, and so (2.33) oh, just browse through those, pick one you want to
read, read it and just jot down what you notice about the purpose of the story, the setting
and the characters –
Um-hm.
- and then they’ll all share together and then from that we’ll generate a list of these other
purposes for (2.48-2.49) so this is a setting, this is a character –
Okay. Are you going to give them a, um, like a form in which to do this –
I was thinking they have used sticky notes a lot –
Uh-huh?
- and so I don’t know – I always go back and forth between – I don’t want to limit them
by giving them – if this is what (3.09) and some of them, we have a lot of kids who
struggle with reading and writing –
Um-hm.
- so I think – I don’t want to overwhelm them, and I also want them to be able to
appreciate the story so they’re not just sitting there just (3.22 – 3.24)
Okay.
- experience the story too – so my thought was I’ll just have them before they start
reading to pull out three sticky notes, label one setting, label one purpose, label one
characters, and as you are reading just jot down things that (3.35) about them.
Um-hm. One of my teachers does a very cool thing.
Um-hm?
(3.40) – a manilla folder, open, three different color sticky notes –
Okay.
- one color for purpose, one color for setting, one color for, uh, characters –
Okay. Oh, I’ve been looking for this notebook. I thought I left it at the school. It was my
birthday yesterday, they made me cards.
Aw, cute. See?
They’re so cute.
It pays to be a teacher.
Yes, it does, especially (4.19)
Piece of cake? Is that a slice of cake?
Yeah.
Yeah. This award goes to Nicole Lewis for being the best intern. Aw, cute. Annabelle
***?
Yeah.
Very cute.
I still don’t know how to pronounce all their last names.
You turned –
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I turned 22.
22?
I’m really – I’m like the youngest person in my grade –
She wasn’t sure.
- I know. I mean, (4.51) I told her.
So, instead of having them list –
I was gonna say, um, what I’ve been trying to do a lot is just saying, show me or tell me,
and that can be with words or drawings sometime –
Yeah –
(5.09)
Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Okay.
But then in – do one per sticky note.
Okay.
So that – so – so if they –
And they could even just keep it on that page –
Right, and then if they’re wrong –
Yeah –
- instead of having to erase it or cross it off or whatever, they just take it out and move it
somewhere.
Okay. So I don’t know what to call this activity – browsing – so I’m gonna – keep those.
That’s the color coded stickies. Okay.
And then something that might not have any purpose for you for this particular activity
but then what she does is that she usually uses the sticky notes for them to study
vocabulary –
Oh –
- and then before a test or a quiz, she lets them pick out the five stickies that they have the
hardest time with and take those to the quiz with them. So if they have like 20, if they
have 20 vocabulary words for Science, for example –
Um-hm?
- and they study for a week, they can pick five out of the 20, and it will be like their
cheat-sheet.
Um-hm.
I thought it was a good idea. I’ve never seen it done before. And it’s very colorful, you
know. Kids love sticky notes.
I do too.
I mean, I love sticky notes.
And I’m (6.48) my birthday and I was like (6.50-6.52) sticky notes. Yeay. Okay.
Okay. So where were you? So the browsing, setting, purpose and characters, right?
How do want – do you want to start with a overview of the whole unit or go (7.04) –
Do you have it? Do you already have it?
No. I haven’t typed up anything yet. I just have ideas on paper and –
Just talk me through it then.
Okay. So, I took (7.20) conflict that I had to teach, and I just tried mapping it of the
schedule –
Okay.
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- this is the draft of it right now? It’s tricky because I don’t really know if I’m gonna be
teaching on this day or not, it’s a half day? So my teacher has been saying she doesn’t
know what the plan is yet, so I just actually just e-mailed her to ask her if she’s figured
that out yet.
Um-hm.
So that’s a challenge right now. (7.38) I’m stuck. But so, basically –
Plan for not.
That’s what I was gonna try to do, yeah.
Plan for not –
Yeah.
- because then what that does is that if you get crammed here –
You can move it, yeah, that makes sense. Yeah.
You know, it’s really something that I shouldn’t be advising you on, but don’t overextend
yourself.
Yeah.
I mean, if you’re supposed to be teaching two weeks, ten classes, right? Don’t do more
than what you need to do. Because it never happens in the time that we planned it to –
Yeah.
- ever.
Yeah. Okay.
And just plan something that you could do with them that is related to it but that it could
be an extension activity.
Yeah.
Just in case all of a sudden you have an extra half-an-hour.
Um, I also made myself a checklist of things I want to try to keep in mind as I’m
planning.
Um-hm.
I have like a million ideas (8.53) things we’re talking about in class and things that I just
know are best practice –
Okay.
- (8.56) so that’s what this is. Um, and so I think it’s helpful but I just feel like there’s a
more (9.01) trying to do. So that makes me feel better. Um they don’t – they actually
don’t have (9.08) on Thursday or Friday –
Right.
- um, I don’t have a lesson plan with me. Um, Thursday they have writer’s workshop but
that (9.23), so they are writing and reading but not – not allotted for the Myths and
Legends for them.
So they’re writing and reading on Thursday and Fridays unrelated to –
Yes, yes, exactly.
So whatever you do on Wednesday, you don’t go back to it again until Monday?
Yeah.
Oh, that’s a bummer.
Yeah. One thing that I’m hoping to do, if we have enough time, is at the end of every
lesson – I’ve always wanted to do this – um, to say, oh let’s pretend that John isn’t here
today. What are the three most important things that we learned so that we can catch John

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up on Monday? So it’s just a purpose for summarizing the lesson. And then pull that out
the next day.
That’s a good idea.
Okay.
That’s a very good idea.
Cause then when you say, oh what are doing today, nobody cares.
Right. Yet, you need to – you need an activity that connects it –
Yeah.
- to your Wednesday. You need a connectdor.
Yeah. Um, and then I think what I’m planning to do throughout the whole unit is just
have a area – paper on the wall or whatever, that says Our Class Wonderings about
Myths and Legends and Tall Tales, and then at the end of every lesson they’ll just have
one minute to jot something that they’re still thinking about in their heads down on a
sticky note and stick it up there –
Cool.
- and then that’ll just be a running thread throughout the whole unit. Um, and then they’ll
also have time – er, be suggested that they read each others wonderings and respond to
them –
Um-hm.
- um we kind of (10.44) in another college class of mine, so, oh, you know, if you think
you have an answer or –
Yeah.
- (10.49) just stick to that sticky note so then it’s just –
Something else you might consider as a connector is to going back to your stickies at the
beginning of every class and see if there’s anything that popped up in the meantime.
Yeah, yeah, (11.08).
Yeah.
Yeah. Um, I think during the first four days – three days of Myths of Legends um, three
days for Tall Tales and then they’re gonna be writing their own myth and legend and I
might give them the option to have tall tales, I still can’t decide.
Um-hm. You need to decide.
Yeah, like today.
Yeah.
Like right now.
You need to decide.
Yeah.
You need to have your –
Plan.
Not necessarily plan, but you need to have it in your head how is it that you want this
thing to look like.
Yeah. I know I’m gonna give them the option of producing it onto three different kinds of
paper.
Um-hm.
Um, one will just be lines, so it ‘s just for writing. One will be lined on the bottom half,
picture on the top half, like drawing –
Um-hm.
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- and one will be comic strip.
Um-hm.
So they can choose whatever form they want to express their story in –
Um-hm.
- um –
So if you come up with 25 comic strips and two stories are you okay with that?
Yeah.
Okay. So those are the kind of choices you need to make – you need to start deciding on.
Let me show you. This is what I brought for you guys. And this is something that you
might have already seen (12.19) level process.
No.
No?
I’ve seen –
This is a unit planning pyramid and it is just to help you with your entire unit.
I never thought about that not all students might learn everything.
See? You learn something new every day.
It sounds like –
Usually when you plan on teaching, you’re planning on – you plan for that one student
that you have in your head. But then you have all these other kids.
Yeah.
Right? So when you’re thinking about your unit –
Um-hm.
- you need to think about what all students should learn, that is your absolute minimum to
make sure that every single student in your classroom has a passing grade.
Yeah.
This is what most of your students will learn, which means that it’s the kind of work that
you could get most of your students to do a B on.
Okay.
Some students who learn, this is probably the most important part of your pyramid,
because it’s both your low students and your high functioning students. How are you
going to keep your gifted and talented students engaged in your unit, so that they’re not
bored out of their minds –
Yeah.
- and how are you going to make sure that your low achieving students can keep up with
you. Does that make sense?
Yeah, it does.
Okay. Now, this is the unit planning pyramid. This is the lesson pyramid.
Okay.
I would use this one in a different format, and here what I would do is that you – I would
go through my entire class list, think about each one of the kids that you have –
Um-hm.
- where do they go? Where did they fall on the pyramid.
But I think it comes in one aspect.
For the unit you’re teaching –
(14.27) I think it depends on what the activity is –
Right.
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- if it’s reading, and then it’s – it would be a different pyramid than writing –
Absolutely. So you need to place them where you think that they are going to be because
for these kids that are up here, you’re gonna have to make accommodations, at both ends.
Um-hm.
So you need to decide whatever it is that those accommodations are going to be. Does
that make sense?
Yeah, it does.
Okay. This is a um, unit planning Rubrick, so if you’re thinking about in terms of
targeting your classroom instruction to all of your students, these are things that you
should have included in your planning unit.
Yeah. Can I have a copy of these?
This is for you.
Okay. Cool.
This is for you. And I also got you two articles. One is more general on responsive
classroom and it has to do with how to make your classroom welcoming to all students
that you have, okay?
Did I tell you I went to an autism workshop on Friday Oh, you did?
- with the other interns at my building.
How was it?
It was so good.
Was it?
We start – yeah, it was really, really good. I loved everything. We started really general,
what is autism(15.47) disorder –
Um-hm.
- (15.49) and then they planned up strategies using (15.52) and it was cool because there
were gen ed teachers there, para-pros there, special ed teachers there, interns there – and
it was kind of an intimate setting so we were all able to bounce ideas off of each other –
Yeah?
- you know? And so Oh, that’s awesome.
- it was really cool. (16.05) oh, you know, I’ve seen para-pros do that and (16.06) you
know what I mean, kind of thing –
That’s very cool. That doesn’t happen very often.
Yeah, that’s what I’ve heard, so –
Yeah. That is a very, very good setting to go to – it’s a good workshop to go to.
Yeah, yeah. It was –
Because otherwise, what happens is that you just hear it from a – a group of specialists
that –
Right, right. And they even said people who (16.27) we don’t always have that – you
know, like they don’t know who’s gonna come –
Yeah.
- this is the perfect mix of people to come –
That’s cool. This one is on comprehension strategies and it has a variety of strategies that
you can use with your students and it tells you how to set it up. It has, um, what the major

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focus is, how much preparation does it require, what is your unit format, the kind of short
or long time, daily the class – the daily lesson, and the lesson plans.
Okay. What are these here?
Oh, those are the names of the strategies –
Oh.
- so SRE is Scaffold of Reading Experience, Questioning and Authoring, so then it gives
you each one of the strategies and what they are mostly used for.
Okay.
And although these are strategies – and of course, these two articles were written by
people in the special education field, they are for everyone. I mean, these are not specific
to children with disabilities by any means. And I know I keep saying the same thing, but
once you get the experience of teaching your own classroom, you’ll see what I mean,
because the more than likely the kids you will have the most difficulty with are not your
special ed kids, all right? So that’s for you.
Thank you.
So do you want to walk through it? Do you want to talk about it? Do want me to leave
you alone? What do you want to do?
Um, let’s walk through it –
Okay.
- cause maybe it’ll help me organize my ideas (18.04)
Sounds good.
Okay, so the first day is basically (18.09) Myths and Legends –
Okay.
- so I think for the first – for the hook I’m gonna turn off the lights, close your eyes,
pretend you’re like a Native American living like years and years, many years ago before
they knew, you know, like, why the moon – what the moon is. You know –
Um-hm.
- what would you – how would you explain why there’s like a big glowing thing up in the
sky, you know what I mean? (18.26) hard to explain whatever it is. And then, well, like
that – that’s why myths and legends were created because people were trying to explain
the things around them that they didn’t know what they were. Now we have science that
explains a lot of that. But, you know –
Um-hm.
- so it comes up for purpose –
Okay.
- and um, I love seeing (18.42) –
Uh-huh, I do too.
I like to do it all the time, so I’m planning on doing that a lot.
Okay. Are they in groups or are they seated individually?
We’re seated in groups of four.
Okay. That’s cool.
Um, and the teacher was really thoughtful when she planned out the groups for me, so –
Okay.
- they work really well. Um, and so then –
How long do you think that’s gonna last you?
Two minutes, three minutes. That’s just really short.
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Okay.
And then quick sharing. And then, um, I decided – I did a pre-assessment, um, on
Monday, um I just said tell me everything you know about myths, tell me everything you
know about legends, and then on the back of this paper list myths and legends that you
know.
Um-hm.
Um, I – when I passed that out to them I explained you can tell me in words or pictures –
Yeah.
- now I wish that I would have written it on here, cause I think some kids, they missed
that.
Yeah.
And so almost everybody wrote. The next time I would teach that, um –
That’s a good lesson learned.
Yeah, yeah.
Giving direction in more than two modalities.
Yeah, yeah. And so, um, this is actually really interesting. I thought this one was pretty
(19.49), a legend is an old person that has like a talent that he’s really good at (19.52)
played in sports – I mean, you know, like a baseball legend.
Yeah. That’s cool.
(19.56) baseball legend.
Ah – Pele and Renaldo. How cool is that.
Yeah, so now I want to make sure to address why we do we call people who are good at
sports legends Yeah.
- you know what I mean? What’s the connection there.
That’s very cool.
So –
See, that – that is not at all what I would have even –
I know.
- thought about.
I know. And I also noticed if they did list legends, a lot of them just said I don’t know, I
don’t know, I don’t know. And if they did list any, a lot of them listed (20.17) Dunes, I
think that’s –
Okay.
- a (20.19) legend that a lot of them have heard before.Um-hm.
So I’m planning on starting with that. So that’s what I’m gonna read them the first day,
cause I want to start with something they’re familiar with.
Um-hm.
And then branch out into more and more unfamiliar is what I’m thinking. Does that make
– is there –
Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah. Always start with something that they’re familiar with.
Okay, that’s what –
Absolutely.
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- I thinking. Okay, that’s what I thought, too.
Yeah, yeah.
Um, so –
So go through all of their responses and see what – what kind of patterns you have there.
Yeah. I noticed a lot of people listed things from fantasy, like –
Um-hm.
- monsters and werewolves and vampires –
Um-hm.
- and that isn’t really a part of it, but it can be related. It’s like fantasy – I don’t know, so
that’s –
You need to work that out.
- the only thing that I haven’t worked out is how to address that. So I want to have it – I
want to spend time to address how are myths and legends related to fantasy genre, you
know. One girl, she kept saying Twilight, Twilight, Twilight, is myths and legends but
it’s not. So I want to make sure to address that, you knowUm-hm.
- so I think my plan is as we move through this week we’ll slowly generate – the class
will generate characteristics of myths and legends –
Um-hm.
- rather than, I mean, it’s in this lesson, I could just put it up there on an overhead, but
who cares. So, you know –
Um-hm.
- I want them to be the one producing –
Yeah.
- most everything. Um –
So are you going to – at what point are you going to talk about tall tales? Later on?
I was not gonna even bring it up until the next day.
Okay. That’s good.
Okay.
All right.
So I – yeah –
Yeah, you don’t want to throw too much stuff at them.
Overwhelm, yeah.
Yeah.
So I think on the last day it would be kind of interesting if we went back to this and said,
oh, some of you guys – or maybe I shouldn’t even say that. Cause some people think that,
you know, Twilight is a myth or legend. Well, here’s the requirements for the myth and
legend that you guys came up with. Does it fit? Is it a myth and legend?
Give it back to them.
Oh, yeah.
Give it back to them, tell them – give it back to each one of them, and tell them if you
want to change anything –
Yeah.
- do it in a different color.
Yeah.
Use a different color pencil 382

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Yeah.
- if you want to change anything.
Yeah.
Because this – this girl that said I don’t know –
Now she could say (22.25)
- by then she should know.
And that could be an assessment –
And if she tells you that she doesn’t know –
Then I know that I didn’t do my job.
Could be.
Or that she didn’t whatever. There was a –
There’s –
something –
something (22.37), absolutely. Do this as your first assessment.
Okay.
How cool is that? No and no.
This is the dyslexic –
Upside down no.
This is the dyslexic boy that I told you about.
Um-hm.
And you can see on the back he just drew, okay – (22.56) I was trying to figure out how
to address everything that they listed and talk about whether it is a myth or a legend, but
that takes up – I don’t think we have time for that, so –
Yeah.
- I’m (23.04). I’m gonna maybe share it with your – table with it, or something –
Yeah, you could do it that way.
Yeah?
You could do it that way.
Okay.
Monster is myth. Let it – oh this was, uh –
This was another um – he – usually he can do fine writing, um, he’s behaviorally the
most challenging student, he’s not diagnosed with anything, but he doesn’t respect
(23.31) very much, he doesn’t follow instructions, he wanders around the room while
everyone else is sitting –
Um-hm.
- um, and so I passed this out and he just happened to be wandering around by my desk
again as usual, and so he could – he said I don’t know anything, (23.44) I don’t know
anything. Um, but then just – so this was sitting on the table and so he started saying, so I
said oh, are you sure? And he said, well maybe (23.51) , I said to him do you mind if I
write that down for you? So then I – I just recorded what he was saying.
You scribed with it?
Yeah.
That’s good.
So it was kind of –
That’s a good idea.
Yeah. So I even –
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He started –
- said to him –
writing something, it is a legend that people –
I don’t know (24.04) I should have asked him about that –
- it is a legend that people –
I don’t know.
Yeah. And probably writing in highlighter, not a very good choice, either.
Yeah, that was another thing. I just said to him, I can’t read that, so –
Why do you think he wrote it in highlighter?
To test me.
You think?
Yeah.
Yeah.
I – he’s my – the student that I struggle with the most by far out of any of them.
Why is that?
He just – just with the not listening thing, you know, he’ll just – so one day he’s out in
the hall by himself and I saw him that he was just kind of scribbling on the locker, so I
said you know, that’s vandalism, you know, and told him not to do it So he takes his
pencil and he’s holding it this close to the locker looking at me to see if I’m gonna tell
him (24.47) –
Yeah.
- you know what I mean?
Yeah.
So –
So what are you gonna do?
I’ve kind of been trying different approaches all year –
Um-hm.
- with him. I actually just started keeping a journal of like interactions with him and what
works and what doesn’t work, and then I got really busy and kind of stopped writing in
the journal –
Yeah?
- I’m hoping to get to that. Um, pretty much the only adult in the building, well the adult
in the building that he respects the most is my CT. She’s really made a relationship with
him.
Um-hm.
They have conversations almost daily –
So what – what it is that works for her?
Choice.
Yeah.
Choice.
Give him a job.
Yeah, that too. And I’ve been noticing that more and more lately, actually yesterday, it
was his job to do the mailboxes and he just got (25.27) –
Yeah. Give him a job, keep him busy.
Yeah.
Uh, when he does that locker thing?
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Yeah?
Just ignore him.
Because like –
I know it’s really hard to ignore, it’s the hardest –
It’s like that ‘s what my CT does, Renae, and I can’t believe she has so much patience, I
think of myself as a really patient person and I just want to strangle him sometimes Yeah?
- because um –
Just walk away.
It’s – teachers that I’ve seen in the past, they’ve been all about, you know, students like
that you need to tell them right now who’s boss, you know what I mean?
Um-hm.
And so I think that’s how I can (26.02) right away, if he moves out of his seat, I need to
let him know that expect him to be in his seat all the time –
Yeah?
- and Renae is much more – she picks her battles –
Yeah.
- and I think that’s what works. And a lot of the other kids, I think, can – you know, it
affects the whole class (26.17) –
Of course it does.
- some of the rest of the class is saying (26.18) is out of his seat. You know what I mean?
And –
Because the rest of the class is waiting to see what you’re gonna do.
Right, yeah. Exactly. And I’ve heard – my teacher does a reward system with stars for
each table. That isn’t how I plan to do my classroom at all, but –
Um-hm.
- but, um, and so, I know at the beginning the kids at (26.37) table were worried that they
wouldn’t ever get stars because of him, so she’s made sure to address um, that won’t be
the case, the class won’t get punished for his behavior.
Um-hm.
Actually on the first day at school, a dad came up to me and said, um, I’m worried that,
you know, my daughter is in his class, because last year he would – he would act out and
the whole class would have to stay in for recess, you know what I mean?
Mm.
And so I know that some of the other kids don’t like him very much, he’s always –
Yeah.
- fighting, you know what I mean?
Yeah.
So it’s – it’s just – there’s multiple layers of problems, I think.
Right, right.
So –
Yeah, try the ignoring –
Yeah.
- and just do what your CT does, because obviously it’s working for her.
Yeah. Yeah, I’m glad that she’s able to work with him so well and so I’m kind of trying
to learn from her.
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Yeah.
Yeah.
I don’t know that much about myths. Legends aren’t really true. That’s right.
I realize that for myself, I didn’t have a solid understanding of myths and legends –
Yeah.
- what the difference is, so I’ve spent a lot time trying to figure that out for myself. I think
it’s harder – they’re really related, it’s hard to say which is a myth and which one is a
legend.
The legend is Michigan, and that’s it. Yeah, that’s why I was asking you when are you
going to introduce –
Tall tales? Yeah.
- tall tales, because you need to make sure that you have both to really nail down before
you move on.
Okay. Yeah.
Are you going to talk about, um, urban legends?
That’s when I think I’m planning on bringing up – I think it’ll just be here some ways
that people use the word myths and legends today –
Um-hm.
- Do you guys have any ideas? I don’t – the only thing I could think about was a sports
legend, urban legends, mythbusters –
Um-hm.
(28.30)
Um-hm, called mythbusters, yeah.
So I think, um, and then I think that it’ll just be a quick discussion of why – why we use
those words in that way.
Um-hm. Okay. This looks great. See, you have a half of your assessment done already.
What else is there?
Yeah. So, I think every day, the kind of flow of the lesson will be I’ll read a story to the
whole class, (29.04) I think they don’t get read to as much as they should, I don’t think.
Okay.
So, that was another thing that Renae said, I forgot to tell you that, um, she said just
expose them as much as possible. I think that the main goal is exposure.
Yeah.
So, um –
You gonna – you gonna read them a myth or a legend every day?
I think so, I’m gonna read one –
Yeah.
- every day at the beginning, that’ll help start – um, I’m gonna try to – I know I want to
do a pre-reading activity, so they can get them activate their (29.32) and all that –
Um-hm.
I don’t know what that will be yet, but I’m planning –
Right.
- on doing something that’s quick and easy.
Right.
Um, and then read the story, and then not just for the sake of reading it, but every day it’ll
be purpose-related to whatever the – whatever the (29.51) does –
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Um-hm.
- but as I’m reading, be thinking about, you know, the plot and the resolution, and then
for the rest of the lesson talk about plot and resolution Right. Right.
- or whatever it is.
Yeah.
Um, and then there’ll be some sort of activity, whether it’s me teaching or a group work
or whatever, um, and then the – and then the sticky note, what am I still learning about
myths and legends.
Yeah. So you’re gonna do that every day?
Yes.
Yeah. That sounds good. So you need to put that at the top of your planning sequence –
Okay.
- as a pattern that you construct upon –
Okay.
- every day.
I should say every day except for the days that they’re writing. Once they get into writing
their own –
Yeah.
- those will be a different (30.32) –
Right, right.
- for the teaching.
For the teaching parts, so you need to make that as the core of your planning and then just
fill in around it.
Okay.
And you really, really, really need to start putting this stuff down.
Yeah. Like today. I have to turn it in to my CT and Jenny in tomorrow, so –
Oh, you do?
Yeah. So I’ll be up late tonight. Um, another thing that I want to do is – so all myths and
legends are based in cultures – different places from – they have an origin around the
world. So I want to have a big world map and every time I read a book or the kids read a
book, we’ll pin it on the map –
Yeah.
- to make those –
With a pushpin?
Um-hm.
That’s cool.
Um, that was my original thought.
Yeah.
That and a book, but I think it’ll be really cool.
What about a – is this gonna be around Halloween?
Yeah. I hadn’t thought about that. Incorporate that.
I mean, at what other time of the year do you even – are you even allowed to pretend to
be a mythological person? Or to represent –
(31.54)
Yeah.
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You can be a –
It’s perfect.
- myth or a legend for Halloween this year, we can start picking one –
Right.
How would you decorate yourself to look like that person?
But by then, they have to have had enough exposure to it to figure out what a myth is.
By then we’ll be on Tall Tales already.
Yeah.
There is – I wish I – I wish we had more time. There isn’t enough time ever.
There isn’t enough time ever.
Yeah, I know.
But just you wait until you have your own classroom. Then you really not gonna have
enough time.
And I – yeah – I think I do everything in lists so I can think about things forever, and I
plan –
There’s nothing wrong with that.
And so I think – I always – I’m late every day for everything, so –
That’s not good.
So I don’t know – I’m just bad with time. I’m bad – I never know what time it is.
Time management.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I never know what time it is (32.47)
You really, really need to work on it –
Yeah.
- as a teacher, you definitely need to work –
I haven’t this year. I even made the first day, it was my idea, we made little name cards,
and then we put – decorate it with things about yourself or goals for yourself, so my
example I had a clock on it.
Oh, that’s cool.
I (33.03) to not be late anymore.
Yeah. Yeah. Because in teaching, everything happens –
(33.10) time. Yeah.
Yeah. And if you – you need to make sure that you have – so you have like a cupcake?
Yeah?
You have a cupcake – this is your lesson, see, if you have 45 minutes, these are your 45
minutes. Your lesson lasts 30, you have 15 minutes of frosting. Cause if you don’t get to
the frosting, you still got your main lesson done. If you run out of time –
Yeah. That makes sense.
You need to have your core stuff packed in the beginning and the middle of your lesson.
Yeah.
Even because it’s hard for kids to sustain attention for that long, so you need to pack it at
the beginning of the lesson as opposed to the end of the lesson.
Makes sense.
So what time do you have to turn it in tomorrow?
Um, no time, just –
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No? Do you want to e-mail it to me?
- as soon as possible. Yeah. What’s your e-mail?
Uh, send
Yeah. it to huntpaul@msu.
I think I already have it but (34.30)

N

Another thing I’m planning on doing while they’re reading – they’re doing individual
reading, I’m gonna say you can read with a partner, you can by yourself, and if you’d
rather read with me, I’ll be sitting at the back couch reading this legend if you want to
(34.47) –
That too. Awesome idea. I bet you that you’re gonna have kids that will come to you
every day.
Yeah, I bet I do. There are, yeah. I’ll probably (34.56) so
Yeah.
And I’m gonna try to make sure – so on the first two days, I think I’ve spent the most
(35.02) on the first two days cause they’re first. Um –
Which ones are you going to do your lessons on? Cause you have to be lessons that you
have to generate your (35.12) on –
Yeah. I don’t know yet.
Are you just gonna write all of them and pick the three?
Um-hm.
Cause you have to write all of them for your CT? Yeah. You might as well.
Yeah. Probably – I don’t know yet.
Okay. Culture, compare –
But say you want to emphasize – this is something that – tell them it’s not cultural – I
found as I was browsing in our library at Marble, and I found this book called
Moontellers, and it has 12 short – really short myths, I’m just – thank you –
(35.56) – oh that one.
Twelve really short myths and they’re all about the moon and –
Oh, cool.
- and how high the moon looks like it is – they’re that short. This is the whole thing.
Oh, that ‘s great.
And then they have really pretty pictures that didn’t come out well (36.08) –
Yeah.
So, um, I think in pairs, they’ll read one of the short myths – I like them, they’re – they’re
easy to understand and accessible, so I like that about them too.
Uh-huh.
Um, so they’ll read them and then – I don’t know, share with the whole class or just share
with your small group, but something just to emphasize that different cultures tend to
come up with different ways to view the world, basically.
Um-hm.
And – in the form of myths. And then the very last one is Astronomers (36.37) scientific
reason that we don’t look now, and (36.40) this one, I thought that was cool how they
included this too. So –
(36.46) for United States, India –
(36.49) for these too.

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Do you have, uh, can you have them do a search online?
Um, yeah. Computer – there’s only one computer in the classroom, so –
Okay, so now –
(37.03).
- can you take them to the library?
Yes, and we already to have one day allotted for – yeah. Everyone said the library. I
didn’t think about using that for them at all. Cause Tuesday they’ll have extra library
time, so that’s just when I’m gonna say if you want your story to be typed, you can –
Use – do it now.
- do it now. Yeah. I’m sure that they’ll stay.
Yeah. That looks great.
Okay. Thank you.
Now you just have to put it on paper.
Yeah. Like now. Um –
What do you think?
I’m thinking of things to ask you while I have you here.
Yes. Do you have a list of things you want to ask me?
No, I should have. I didn’t think to do that and I should have. So the boy who is autistic, I
have his IEP. I – I should refer to his IEP a lot, right?
Yes.
He –
You should refer to the goals and you should refer to the accommodations.
They’re both at a – goals –
Oh do you have an IEP (38.22)?
It’s not as good (38.24).
Yeah.
I have – for some of them I have –
It’s good enough. It’s good enough. It’s – whatever – it’s whatever the teacher gets.
Okay. So you’re in goals –
Yeah. Complete general education, language arts, math or – special accommodation for
the casting, adult support available for transitions, thought processing of social situations,
so that’s really not –
So it’s not academic?
No. AI consultant, nothing you can do there. OT consult, nothing, sensory support
strategies, nope.
Oh, writing –
Written assignments accommodated using visuals for changes in routine, movement,
support for peer activity, yeah. So – just pair him up.
Okay.
Pair him up with one of your responsible students. Use a visual schedule and the graphic
organizer.
Yeah. Okay. What do you think –
Graphic organizers you can use with everybody.
That’s what I was gonna say. I think for writing Myths and Legends, I’m gonna either
find or make kind of something that will walk them through the process, choosing all that
–
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Yes.
- okay, and then give it to everyone?
I would give it to everyone.
And then I think I’m gonna say I’m not – I’m not ever gonna collect it.
Right.
So if you don’t – you don’t need to make it perfect. But it’ll just –
It’s for you.
- help (39.4.6). Okay. Okay.
It’s for you, it’s not for me, so make it the way that it’s –
- (39.52) to you. Okay.
Yeah.
Um –
By telling them that you’re never going to collect it, you might run the risk that some of
them won’t do it.
So just say it will help you? Okay.
In your head you know you’re not going to collect it –
Um-hm.
- or you know you’re – or at least you’re not going to grade it.
Um-hm. Okay. We still – I kind of need to be on the same page with the other fourth
grade interns.
Are they doing the exact same unit?
Exact same unit.
All right.
They’re following the binder more closely.
Okay.
Um, we’ve been discussing whether or not we want to give them like a written
assessment at the end –
Okay.
- writing their own myths and legends will kind of test that not – I think the more I think
about it, I do want to have something –
Okay. Why do you – why do you think you need that?
Partly for my own records to prove to myself –
Prove to yourself –
- that I taught them something and then they learned.
Okay, does it have to be a test?
No, it does not. No, yeah. Usually I’m so anti-test, but then now that I’m thinking about
it, I think I want to –
We’re always anti-test until we’re teachers ourselves.
Really? And then –
Yeah.
- all of a sudden I was like, how do I know they learned it or not?
Yeah.
Because –
How are you going to know if they learned?
Yeah.
Aren’t they going to write their own myth?
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Yeah, but I’m thinking for tall tales, cause I don’t –
Okay.
- (41.13) writing tall tales, so what they need to learn about tall tales is – what they need
to learn about tall tales – they need to learn that um, they’re grounded in history but not
particularly true. I’m gonna be focusing on similies – no, exaggeration, yeah similies to
exaggeration cause they –
Okay.
- exaggerate everything.
Okay.
And so I was thinking it might be kind of fun if they have tall tales at their table and we
give them a magnifiying glass then on their similie, go on a similie hunt –
Um-hm.
- find some similies in you book.
Yeah. That’s a good idea.
Mark it with something, you know what I mean?
Yeah.
Um –
Again –
- but I don’t know how to assess that. I don’t know –
- that’s another time that you could use your color-coded sticky notes.
Yeah.
Use one color for similies and one color for exaggerate –
Yeah.
Make a poster. Have them make a poster.
Yeah.
It doesn’t have to be a test.
Yeah. The – what this unit has is – here’s the worksheet (42.25) – so here’s an example –
Um-hm.
- (42.32) the best picture in your mind is comparison of (42.32) so then they’re writing
their own. So maybe – maybe they can write their – I don’t – I don’t want them to do the
worksheet, but maybe they could write their own.
Um-hm. Have them write their own.
Yeah.
Make it a –
Maybe give them some starters, suggestion starters –
Yeah.
This lesson is so boring that –
Or write your own.
Yeah.
You write your own and then show them.
Yeah.
Get big posterboard, and write your own together with them and let them see – talk
through the process that you’re using to write it.
Yeah.
Do – do a think-aloud.

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Next I think this tells them to write it, but I don’t think there’s anything you’d have
showing them – er, teaching them how to write it –
Yeah.
- is just write it. Some of them won’t know how.
No.
Yeah.
Um, another thing that you might want to consider for some of the students that you have
that have the hardest um, difficulty with writing, is to give them um a worksheet with
writing prompts. Give them a starter –
Yeah.
- so make it like a three paragraph thing but with a first sentence and a middle sentence
and then an ending sentence, to get them to think in terms of that’s the –
I’m still having a hard time –
- story, it has three parts.
- knowing which students struggle with handwriting and which students struggle with
thinking through the writing. It’s hard to tell.
Sometimes it is, yeah. Have you asked them?
No.
Why not?
I don’t know, I haven’t thought about it.
You don’t have to discover everything.
Yeah.
I mean, it – teaching is a discovery process –
Yeah, I can ask them –
- but you can ask them. They’ll tell you.
Yeah.
If the kid will tell you I can’t write, it’s very different than –
I don’t know.
- telling you I don’t know what to write.
Yeah. Yeah.
If you want to send it to me before you send it to Jeannie I’ll keep an eye on e-mail.
Okay. That sounds good. Thank you. Um, I’ll just write this down. Where would you go?
Ask (45.09) – okay.
What else do you want to know?
I think I just had an idea.
You did?
Maybe if when they’re writing their own similies and exaggerations (45.30) with me, as a
prompt I could give them one of the illustrations from one of the tall tales –
Yeah. Yep. Try to give them things in two different – at least two different ways.
Okay.
So if you’re writing something down, tell them what you’re writing.
Um-hm.
If you are reading the story, show them – show them what the story is. Can you find a
video?
I have one of them, and then I couldn’t find (46.05).
But that would be important.
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Yeah, yeah. I found in our school library, there are two different tall tale videos, they’re
both a half-an-hour. Because that was another – yeah – (46.22 – 47.22 -instructions from
another speaker). I love having you here to talk about this.
Any time.
I think –
That’s what I’m here for.
- it’s helping me talk about it. I –
I love seeing how teachers have –
I started – started just like throughout the whole year, any time I have an idea, I have, you
know, this running document –
Um-hm.
- of just ideas and so (47.44 – 56.45 – discussion with whole group off record)
All right?
All right.
Go home.
I think I’m gonna stay for a bit.
Yeah? You need to get your stuff done.
I don’t work well at my apartment, I usually go over to (56.55), but I just – I mean I think
I’m gonna go straight over to the library.
Think about um, big picture –
Big –
Big.
Yeah.
I can tell that you’re a detail girl –
Yeah.
Think big. Take it from here – take it from here to breaking this down into one sheet per
day –
Yeah.
- and then filling in –
Yeah.
- with your detail. And this is a great idea.
Okay.
Do one card per day because you can move them around.
And then cross the – this actually makes sense (57.33) –
Yeah.
Yeah.
Sticky notes.
Yeah, yeah. (57.40).
Yeah.
Um, do you know by chance where it’s possible to find a big map of the world?
I have a big map of the world.
Really?
A paper one. You can have it.
Thanks.
I can bring it to you next week. I used to collect the maps that came in the National
Geographic magazine –
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Oh. How big is it? Like wall Oh no, it’s uh, probably I don’t know – 4 or 5 feet by 2 or 3 feet.
Oh, cool.
Okay.
That’s perfect.
I’ll bring it.
Do you think – could I pick that up from you before next week? Where – oh, you live far
away.
P
I live in Ann Arbor.
N
Oh, yeah, never mind.
P
You can.
N
Yeah, that’s really not gonna happen.
P
Where do you live at? Do you live around here?
N
Yeah. I walk.
P
Yeah. Um, I could put it in the mail for you.
N
Yeah.
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I could put it in an envelope.
N
Do you know – do you know of a teacher’s store around Lansing to find – I need a big
map of the world, and Paula has one at her house, but I need it by Monday.
P
You need it this Monday?
(discussion with another person)
P
They should have it at a teacher supply store. Right? I don’t know then.
(More discussion about finding a teacher supply store – book store)
N
Cause I would say, if not, I can just project it from, you know, like on the screen. But I
wanted something that like a tangible thing I can keep afterwards. I mean, it’s not (59.47)
–
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Yeah.
N
Yeah.
P
I could put it in the mail to you tomorrow morning, but it’s not gonna get to you by
Monday.
N
Yeah.
(More discussion with other party)
P
The old fashioned classrooms that had them all rolled up on top – (1.00 )
N
I was gonna ask, where did you get this?
P
I got it um Office Max.
N
Are they expensive?
P
$50 bucks.
N
Oh.
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It’s a school expense, tax deductible.
N
It’s really nice.
P
I take it everywhere with me.
N
Yeah.
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Do you have a cell phone?
N
Yes.
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That records?
N
Records, yeah, yeah.
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And actually your computer –
That’s what I was gonna say.
- records it too.
- but it won’t record, you know, the whole class, since I think it would be cool when
they’re having small group talk –
Yeah.
- to just stick this in the middle of the table when they’re still all talking (1.01)
Oh, for something like that you can find them cheaper than this.
Really?
Yeah. And you can find the old-fashioned ones with the tape –
Oh, yeah.
- instead of being digital, being tape, and those are –
Really cheap?
Yeah. Those are fairly cheap.
Yeah?
Yeah. I would consider showing them a video.
Okay.
Give them another medium – definitely consider showing them a video somewhere in
there.
Yeah.
Or if you don’t want to go through the trouble of getting a video and a TV and all that
stuff –
We have online, yeah. I actually, yeah. I actually searched online for that –
- can you, uh, does your computer do wireless in your classroom?
Yes.
There you go.
Um, we actually have our – the computer in the classroom is hooked up to the screen,
you know, like here –
Um-hm.
So if it was on that computer then it would, you know, just be big on the screen, which is
cool.
You-Tube.
Yeah. Okay.
All right?
Thank you.
Yeah. Any time. E-mail me –
Anything else –
- too if you want my –
- you need from be before next week? Anything?
No. I just want to know how your head works.
Okay.
I am going to ask you guys eventually to give me all of your writing work. Like whatever
work you have – no, whatever work you’ve turned in to –
Okay.
- Jeannine.
Okay.
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So if you think of it, just e-mail it to me.
Okay. What I may keep is copies of student work, do you want that as well?
No.
No?
No. Um, and then I want to schedule my videotaping and my interview with you guys.
Okay.
Do you know what your weeks are gonna look like?
Yeah.
Let me go get my calendar. (1.02 – 1.03) Do you have to do a video recording of yourself
for class? For your portfolio?
I don’t know. I probably will anyways.
All right. So before you start teaching, and that is on what day?
That’s on Monday –
The 19?
Yeah. That’s –
This month?
Yeah.
It is this month then. No.
Yeah. That’s why I’m freaking out. So, I mean, I could do this today – I’m not – I don’t
need to go anywhere right now.
You don’t have to go anywhere right now?
No, or if you’re not ready, I could meet you over the weekend, too. I’m going to the
football game on Saturday, but Sunday (1.04) –
That’s important stuff.
Yeah.
Yeah, we could do it on Sunday.
Okay.
We could definitely do it on Sunday.
Okay.
Do you not have breakfast? Do you want to have lunch?
I have –
I could feed you.
Really?
Yeah.
Awesome. Lunch sounds good.
Lunch sounds good? What time?
One.
1:00. Where do you want to meet? Do you want to meet in the International Center here?
Or do you want to meet off campus?
Is off campus okay?
Fine.
The International Center is so loud and crowded –
Yeah.
- well, maybe not on a Sunday, but still – what about –
You tell me.
Have you ever been to Grand River Coffee?
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Where – where is that?
It’s on Michigan right past where – no it’s on Grand River. Duh, that’s the name. It’s
right past where –
Tell me the name of it. It’s Grand River Coffee?
Grand River Coffee. I’m trying to think now if they have actual lunch, though. You
know, I don’t think they do.
No?
No.
Okay.
I mean, it’s like frozen sandwiches, but – I don’t know. Um, do you like Cosi on Grand
River?
Yeah, we can do Cosi.
Is that okay?
Yeah.
Okay.
Cosi on Grand River it is. You want to give me your phone number so I can call you just
in case?
Yes. 616-450-1318.
Perfect. All right. So then we’ll talk about your planning. By then it should be done,
right?
Yes, it will be done.
Cool. Sounds good.
Okay.
Maybe go to –
Besides you videotaping, do you want to talk about that – er not yet?
Um, we’ll talk about it on Sunday.
On Sunday, okay.
Cause by then you’ll have a better idea of what you’re doing.
Yeah, that’s true.
Right?
Yes.

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APPENDIX Z: Megan First on-line Assignment
Part A
Wondering about writing
The first thing that came to mind when I read the task for this post was the difficulty that come
with learning across ALL subjects when a student struggles with writing. Writing is a very
convenient way to express one’s thoughts and knowledge about any subject matter and is a
common form of assessment, so students who are not effective at writing may be seen as not
knowing the information at all. This could obviously be a potential problem for some students,
but I’m not sure how to improve the problem. I’ve heard of allowing students to express their
ideas through drawings instead of writing, but that might not always be possible. Besides, what if
a student also lacks drawing skills? So I guess that students who struggle with writing will be at a
disadvantage across all subjects.
Another concern is that I don’t know much about helping students to improve handwriting skills.
I know that some students with special needs that I have worked with have had poor penmanship
or have had to put a lot of effort into forming letters, and I know that this lowers the amount of
cognitive energy available to thinking about the actual content of their writing. So, I would love
to help students become faster and neater and the actual process of writing words, but I’m not
sure how – practice as much as possible? What about worksheets simply for the sake of
improving handwriting? Usually I am not a big fan of worksheets but this is one situation where
I could see them being useful.
A recent experience I’ve had that made me wonder about writing is with one of the fourthgraders in my classroom. He has struggled with reading and was just diagnosed with Dyslexia
but often writes a lot and easily. With my limited knowledge about Dyslexia, I would have
thought that writing would be a challenge for him too, so that surprised me – seems like I need to
learn more about Dyslexia!
Part B
Firstly, I enjoyed the module very much. I had never completed a power point with voice
recording before and found it to be more engaging and memorable than expected. I think the
biggest impact this module has had on me is just by experiencing how difficult writing can be for
struggling writers! I think that hearing and reading about something is beneficial, but then
actually experiencing it (as in the writing activities) s much more powerful and insightful. I think
I now have a better understanding of the frustration that students in my class may be
experiencing, and I ma sure that this understanding will make me more sensitive to their needs.
As far as the five main areas that were listed as likely concerns for struggling writers, I
can’t say that any of them were a surprise to me. However, I knew very little about actual
strategies that could help remedy these concerns. I appreciate how she categorized the strategies
by the issue that they deal with and made many notes to remember for use in the classroom! I
was glad that she addressed the issue of how to improve handwriting because that was something
that I expressed in my pre-module paragraph. I had never thought much about teaching paper
positioning and pencil grasp. I had also never thought about setting goals for how much a student
writes within a given time. I am a big fan of goal-setting and assessing so I really like that idea.
Along those lines, I liked the idea of teaching students to review and monitor their own
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handwriting. I want to encourage my students to become more meta-cognitive about their
knowledge and behavior, so why not include handwriting as well!
Another point that stuck with me from the module is that assistive technologies must be
used with care. I can see how easy it would be to get caught up in a new fad and not pause to
consider the drawbacks along with the benefits of the new technology. This also made me
curious to find out what technologies are used in the resource room in the school I’m placed at,
how they work, and how they are used to help the students.
Something that was surprising to me was the issue of how memory affects writing ability.
It makes sense now that the relationship is explained, but before the module I would have never
thought of that as something to take into consideration. I was left wondering if there are any
ways to improve one’s short-term memory or if it is fixed.
A common thread that I found between the module and the Troia article is that both
emphasized the need for the writing tasks to be authentic. This, to me, is a huge factor in
determining how motivated students are to write. I would like to learn more about possible
authentic assignments that could be given to students. Writing letters to a politician and pieces
for the school newspaper are common suggestions, but what are some other ideas? Another
common thread I discovered was describing the importance of teaching cognitive procedures, not
just the physical procedures. I think that sometimes teachers assume that students know how to
brainstorm, plan, or assess a piece of writing, and that is not always the case. Making these
procedures or “trains of thought” visible could help students learn how to accomplish those
things. In fact, I think that is true of all subjects. I plan to keep this in mind as I observe and plan
lessons for my classroom this year.
After reading the article by Troia and completing the module, these are the things that I
plan to implement in my classroom right now. Soon we will begin “writers workshop” four days
per week in my class, so this is the perfect time to think about these issues. First, I will work to
build a positive environment during the writer’s workshop and especially during sharing of
writing. This is already established pretty well in the classroom so it shouldn’t be that difficult, I
will simply remind students to carry over the practice treating others and their ideas with respect
to the subject of writing as well. Secondly, I will model my own cognitive processes to the whole
class; this will benefit everyone in the class, including those who struggle with writing. Thirdly, I
will think more critically about teaching spelling. Rather than simply giving my students lists of
words to memorize, I will try to draw words from their own mistakes, their readings, o sets of
related words. Once again, I think that this practice will help everyone in the class.
One parting comment is that I still don’t know much about dyslexia – this is something
that I want to educate myself about so that I am better prepared to assist the student in my class
with dyslexia!

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APPENDIX AA: Megan Project One
Literacy Context at
Marble Elementary
East Lansing Public Schools
Mrs. V’s fourth Grade Class
September 2009
by Megan
Resource
“Librarian”

Location
Library

Library Books

Library

Computers

Library

Book Sets

Book Room

During weekly
library time
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DRA Kits

Book Room

Check Out

Writing Prompt
Resource Books
“Intervention
Specialist”

Book Room

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Book Room

Appointment
or email

Tape recorders Classroom

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Meet during lib
time weekly, email,
or appointment
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Calkins PD

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Table 14 - Megan Literacy Resources
Literacy Programs
Instructional Models
Writer’s Workshop: Lucy Calkins
401

How Helpful
Can get materials
from other schools, knowledgeable about books.
Wide selection, students or
teachers can check out, use
for research projects.
Students can use to type
finished writing pieces.
Leveled by grade and level,
good for group readings.
Can use for additional
assessment of students’
reading ability.
Get ideas for students’
writing.
Collaborate ideas for
implementing interventions
for struggling readers.
Students can record
themselves reading a book or
a writing piece.
District-wide professional
development throughout
Oct. on implementing
Calkins writing.
Large supply of books,
books on tape, and movies.

Students use the writing process of brainstorming ideas, selecting an idea to expand on, write a
draft, revise and edit, and produce a final piece. Mini-lessons are taught throughout the year to
teach strategies such as “zooming in.”
Genre Study Units
Students study different genres of texts. GLCE-aligned resources that have accumulated over the
years are provided by East Lansing School District. Though teachers are recommended to teach
using these resources, they make design lessons however they want as long as they cover the
GLCEs. Many different methods of instruction are utilized, including guided reading, literature
circles, and book clubs.
Weekly Spelling: Sitton Spelling
The emphasis is on ‘spelling skills’ (such as short and long vowels), not on memorization.
Students are given 5 preview words on Monday, then take a test with 20 words and a skills
portion on Friday. One weekly homework assignment is included. Words studied are common
words.
Advanced Spelling: Wordly Wise
Students who prove to consistently score very high on the Sitton Splelling tests will use this
program instead. The focus is on vocabulary and context clues. The words are drawn from
common grade-level standardized tests, literature, and textbooks.
Independent Reading
Students chose books from class library, bring from home, or check out from the school library,
and read silently to themselves. They may sit on the couch or floor if they choose.
Read Aloud
The instructor reads part of a chapter book aloud to the class while they listen.
Instructional Resources
· Lucy Calkins books
· Sitton Spelling
· Genre study unit materials
· Wordly Wise Vocabulary
Component
Spelling Practice

30 min

Reader's Workshop

40 min

Writer's Workshop

50 min

Read Aloud

10 min

Total

Monday

Time Spent

130 min

Table 15 – Megan Literacy Schedule

402

Table 15 (Cont’d)
Tuesday

Kindergarten Buddies

50 min

Reader's Workshop

40 min

Writer's Workshop

30 min

Read Aloud

10 min

Total

130 min

Library

30 min

Reader's Workshop

40 min

Writer's Workshop

50 min

Total

120 min

Writer's Workshop

50 min

Read Aloud

10 min

Total

60 min

Spelling Test

30 min

Read Aloud

10 min

Total

40 min

Weekly Total

480 min = 8 hours

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Table 15 – Megan Literacy Schedule
Literacy Across the Curriculum
Social Studies: A lot of reading and writing is involved all year. Weekly, the students are
expected to read news articles or view news reports then write factual questions pertaining to the
news story.
Science: A lot of reading is also included in the science curriculum. The students also complete
short research reports on scientific topics.
Math: Limited amount of reading and writing is included. The extent of a writing assignment is
usually not more than a few sentences. Also, students are not expected to discuss with each
other very much.
Community Learning Time: A new program implemented this year, all the fourth-graders meet
in the media center once a week for an hour of instruction with the principal. The content is
usually character-building topics, such as ways to be courteous, and the methods are usually

403

listening and speaking in a class discussion, then writing your ideas in a notebook. Ideas are
then usually shared.
Most
Emphasized

When

Least
Emphasized

Reading

When

Fluency

The rare
occasions
students read
out loud

Writing Process

Writer’s
workshop, 4
days/week

Grammar Usage

Maybe during
editing in the
process

Discourse

Literacy Circles
and book club

Conventions

Book reports

Conventions

Attending to
presenters or
lecture

Narrative Text

Through most of
the genre study

Writing

Speaking
Listening/viewing

Response

Genre Study

Table 16 – Megan Analysis of Programs
Literacy Assessment
Leroy
I knew I wanted to choose Leroy right away because it was clear on the first day that he
struggled in reading and writing. His formation of letters is slow and he makes frequent spelling
errors, even on “basic” words. He has not shown much interest in reading or writing, no matter
what the topic is. It seems that sometimes he does not begin an assignment because he has not
read the directions. Two weeks into school, he was diagnosed with Dyslexia. I want to make
reading and writing more enjoyable for him, and also learn strategies to support his literacy
learning.
Guiding Questions:
How can I peak Leroy’s interest in reading and writing?
What topics and genres interest him?
How can Leroy’s confidence in his abilities be increased?
Which specific reading and writing skills need the most improvement?
What are strategies to use to improve his decoding skills?
What are strategies to use to improve his handwriting?
Laura
At first glance, Laura’s handwriting is poor. Her letter formation is slow and sloppy. It takes her
a longer-than-average amount of time to transcribe text. It is hard to tell if she has other
concerns, such as organization, because most of her writing pieces are so short. However,
instead of feeling defeated, Laura listed “writing” as one of the two goals she set for herself at
404

the beginning of the year. I want to help her achieve that goal and help make writing a more
natural and less frustrating process for her.
Guiding Questions:
What are strategies to use to improve her handwriting?
How aware is Laura of her own poor handwriting?
Are there other skills and/or cognitive procedures to improve?
Liz
Liz is pretty much an “average, smart student.” She stays focused during work time and
completes her assignments neatly and on time. She usually scores well, and treats others with
respect. Since she does not cause behavior problems or struggle with literacy, I want to make
sure that we as instructors do not forget to challenge her. I also want to assess in which specific
skills in literacy Liz needs the most improvement.
Guiding Questions:
Even though Liz doesn’t struggle, what are her weak points?
How can we address and remedy her weak points?
How can we assure that she doesn’t lose interest in books, due to being too easy?
Can Liz be utilized to help her peers?
How can she improve her handwriting?

405

APPENDIX AB: Megan First Informal Conversation
I spoke briefly with Megan. She said that GLT is going well (she started this week) but not
according to the plan she had set out. She has not had a chance to video-tape herself and school
is out today and tomorrow due to the H1N1 Flu.
She was surprised that she had over-planned and had too many activities laid out for each
day. So, instead of giving the students the last 4 or 5 days to write a myth or legend, she is going
to lay the content throughout all 10 days and have the students write a little bit each day, as they
go along.
We talked about assessment and having a quiz at the end of the unit (written and oral) as
well as activating knowledge everyday by using phrases the students themselves write/say during
their explorations of myths and legends. The “wondering” poster will also serve for Nicole to
gauge her own teaching daily but checking on the questions that students still have unanswered.
Nicole was also surprised at how slow students read and how that will affect her
planning, as well as the fact that explorations must be guided and/or modeled in order for the
students to know what is being asked of them.
One of her students, a boy with some oppositional/defiant and attention-getting behaviors
is really testing her and Nicole is having a hard time with that. With both the student himself and
the kind of example she is giving the rest of the class. We brainstormed a couple of strategies she
should try (time outs, special time with her, jobs and responsibilities, etc.) and also talked about
the consequences of sending kids to the office and how to set up your own classroom
management strategies to ensure a smooth school year from day one.

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APPENDIX AC: Megan Project Two
Unit Overview
Name: Megan Grade Level: 4th School:
Elementary CT:
Unit Goal: Exposure of, appreciation for, and identification of key traits of myths, legends,
and tall tales. Grade Level Content Expectations that this unit will work toward:
R.NT.04.01 describe the shared human experience depicted in classic, multicultural, and
contemporary literature recognized for quality and literary merit. R.NT.04.02 identify and
describe the structure, elements, and purpose of a variety of narrative genre including poetry,
myths, legends, fantasy, and adventure.
R.NT.04.04 explain how authors use literary devices (including flash-forward and flashback) to
depict time, setting, conflicts, and resolutions, and to enhance the plot and create suspense.
R.CM.04.03 explain relationships among themes, ideas, and characters within and across texts to
create a deeper understanding by categorizing and classifying, comparing and contrasting, or
drawing parallels across time and culture.
W.GN.04.01 write a cohesive narrative piece such as a myth, legend, fantasy, or adventure
creating relationships among setting, characters, theme, and plot. W.PR.04.01 set a purpose,
consider audience, and replicate authors’ styles and patterns when writing a narrative or
informational piece.
W.PR.04.02 apply a variety of pre-writing strategies for both narrative and informational writing
(e.g., graphic organizers such as maps, webs, Venn diagrams) in order to generate, sequence, and
structure ideas (e.g., plot, setting, conflicts/resolutions, definition/description, or chronological
sequence).
Content Objectives for the unit:
1: Students will be able to explain the purpose and origin of myths, legends, and tall tales, across
all cultures. 2: Students will be able to identify the setting, character traits, and narrative form of
myths, legends, & tall tales. 3: Students will be able to identify symbolism in the real world and
in myths and legends. 4: Students will be able to identify and create similes and exaggerated
descriptions. 5: Students will be able to apply the character traits, similes, and exaggerated
descriptions to a tall tale character. 6: Students will be able to generate criteria for writing own
myth or legend, based on the key traits characteristics shared by all of them. 7: Students will be
able to create own myth or legend in the form of a book, picture book or graphic novel, which
demonstrates knowledge of the characteristics of the genre.
Attitude and Process Intentions for this unit:
1: Students will be able to gain appreciation for the variety of cultures around the world. 2:
Students will be able to view each other as resources of information. 3: Students will be able to
provide each other with constructive feedback of myth or legend draft. 4: Students will be able to
link and apply knowledge of myth, legend, and tall tale content to the real world. 5: Students will
be able to revise and reflect on their current knowledge about myths, legends, and tall tales. 6:
Students will be able to express their curiosities and the thoughts that they are still wondering
about. 7: Students will be able to summarize stories and lessons by identifying the main points.
Main assessments used to determine if your students meet your unit objectives:
1. Drawing of tall tale character with appropriate character traits, simile, and exaggerated
description. 2. Creating a myth or legend with appropriate setting, characters, structure, and
purpose. 3. Performance on cumulative written or oral assessment (test) on content objectives. 4.
Individual revision of pre-assessment responses.
407

Mon. 10/19/09
• Obj #1, 2
• Intro: Imagine that lived
before science explained
world – how would you?
• Read aloud of Legend of
Sleeping Bear by Wargin,
focusing on purpose and
setting, then students read
choice text individually or
in pairs.
• Mini-lesson on purpose
and characteristics of
myths and legends, to
generate a class list.
• Daily closing –
summarizing main points
of lesson on document,
post a card with name of
stories read to location of
origin on world map, then
students write and post
“wonderings” on sticky
note, and browse each
others’.
• I will look for students
notes on the
characteristics, and
contribution during
discussion.

Tue. 10/20/09
• Obj # 1, 2
• Read summary points
from yesterday’s lesson.
• Warm up – how can you
explain the sun and moon?
• Read aloud of Why the
Sun and Moon Live in the
Sky by Nevin, focusing on
purpose, setting,
characters, and structure.
• Play telephone to
demonstrate that things
change as retold.
• Students read short myths
about the moon in pairs,
recording the
characteristics on Myth
Worksheet.
• Students share a summary
of their moon myth in
small groups.
• Whole class discussion
about how different
cultures produce different
myths, but still share
common traits.
• Daily closing –
summarizing main points
of lesson on document,
post a card with name of
stories read to location of
origin on world map, then
students write and post
“wonderings” on sticky
note, and browse each
others’.
• I will look for recording
and comments about genre
characteristics and
observations of cultures.

Table 17 – Unit Plan Outline

408

Wed. 10/21/09
• Obj # 3
• Read summary points
from yesterday’s lesson.
• Warm up – view photos of
sculptures of Pandora,
write symbols you can
think of.
• Read aloud of Pandora
from Read and
Understand.
• Mini-lesson on symbols,
then students match cards
with common symbols in
pairs.
• Teacher re-reads Pandora
while students highlight
symbols they come to.
Conversation about the
symbols in Pandora.
• Students add predicted
meaning to cards of
symbols commonly found
in myths.
• Students revise their
responses on their preassessment.
• Daily closing –
summarizing main points
of lesson on document,
post a card with name of
stories read to location of
origin on world map, then
students write and post
“wonderings” on sticky
note, and browse each
others’.
• I will look for responses
during lesson,
performance during
symbol matching activity,
and revised preassessment.

Table 17 (Cont’d)
Mon. 10/26/09
• Obj # 1, 2
• Intro: Imagine that you are
pioneer – how would you
get hope for surviving
nature?
• Read aloud of Paul
Bunyan by Kellogg,
focusing on structure of
story, character traits
(show drawings).
• If time allows, read
another tall tale.
• Through discussion, class
generates list of common
traits of tall tale heroes.
• Daily closing –
summarizing main points
of lesson on document,
post a card with name of
stories read to location of
origin on world map, then
students write and post
“wonderings” on sticky
note, and browse each
others’.
• I will look for thoughtful
responses on paper and in
discussion.

Tue. 10/27/09 (half day)
• Obj # 1, 2
• Warm up activity.
• Read summary points
from yesterday’s lesson.
• Volunteer students
perform Febold
Feboldson read-aloud
play.
• Class charts Febold’s
charac If time allows,
show Captain Stormalong
clip on youtube.
• Daily closing –
summarizing main points
of lesson on document,
post a card with name of
stories read to location of
origin on world map, then
students write and post
“wonderings” on sticky
note, and browse each
others’.
• I will look for correct
identification of his
character traits.

Wed. 10/28/09
• Obj # 1, 2, 5
• Warm up activity.
• Read summary points
from yesterday’s lesson.
• Read Thunder Rose by
Nelson, focusing on
structure and character
traits.
Show Pecos Bill video clip
from youtube, character traits.
• Individually, students
choose tall tale hero to
draw, showing off their
traits. They also include
words to describe the
character. Trait chart
available for support.
• Daily closing –
summarizing main points
of lesson on document,
post a card with name of
stories read to location of
origin on world map, then
charting students write
and post “wonderings” on
sticky note, and browse
each others’.
• I will look for accurate
and expressive drawings.
•

Table 17 – Unit Plan Outline

409

(note: Morning task “If
you were going to be a
myth, legend, or tall tale
for Halloween, who would
you be? Show me in
words or drawings what
your costume would look
like.)

Table 17 (Cont’d)
Mon. 11/2/09
• Obj # 4, 5
• Warm up activity.
• Read summary points
from previous lesson.
• Read beginning of Davy
Crockett, while students
highlight examples of
hyperbole on their copies.
• Short discussion of
purpose of hyperbole
(humor, makes them
heroes, etc.)
• Students complete short
worksheet to make own
hyperboles about
themselves.
• Reread the beginning of
Davy Crockett, while
students highlight similes
in the text.
• Short discussion of
purpose of similes (humor,
visualize, etc.) Students
complete short worksheet
to make similes about
themselves.
• Students write a hyperbole
and a simile about the
character that they drew,
and attach to drawing.
• If time allows, I will read
character traits and
descriptions from students
work, asking students to
“Guess Who” I am.
• Daily closing –
summarizing main points
of lesson on document,
post a card with name of
stories read to location of
origin on world map, then
students write and post “
Table 17 – Unit Plan Outline

Tue. 11/3/09
• Obj # 6
• Show zebra myth drawing
to remind students of myth
Class brainstorms ideas
traits, and Buffalo Woman
drawing to remind
students of legend traits.
• Introduce task of writing
myth or legend –
requirements, format
(book, picture book or
graphic novel), audience
(other classes in the
school, peers) worksheets
to help guide thinking.
Show examples and have
class evaluate.
• for stories, sharing ideas
from optional homework
assignment.
• In Short time to share
progress with neighbor.
• I will look for
collaboration, and
demonstration of
knowledge of traits.
• Individual work session.

410

Wed. 11/4/09
• Obj # 7
• Instr. Format
• Review goals for personal
myth or legend.
• Individual work session,
while I conference with
students.
• Short time to share
progress with neighbor.
• I will look for
demonstration of genre
traits in their writing.

Table 17 (Cont’d)
• wonderings” on sticky
note, and browse each
others’.
• I will look for correct
phrases highlighted,
creativity on worksheet,
and expression on
character descriptions.
Mon. 11/9/09
• Obj # 7
• Review goals of personal
myth or legend.
• Individual work session.
• Once students are done
with first draft, they will
meet with a partner for a
peer editing conference.
Students will provide
constructive feedback.
• Then students will return
to their piece to revise and
edit.
• I will continue individual
conferences.
• I will look for
collaboration, quality of
feedback, and traits of
genre in writing.

•

Tue. 11/10/09
• Obj # 7
• Review goals of personal
myth or legend.
• Individual work session.
Students will continue to
edit and revise their piece.
• Once ready to produce
final copy, students will
have choice of handwriting or typing.
• Students will tag their
myth or legend on world
map.
• Students who finish early
will read myths and
legends of choice, tagging
them on the map.
• I will look for
collaborations and
evidence of knowledge of
genre characteristics in
writing.

Wed. 11/11/09
• Obj # 2, 7
• Sharing of completed
stories: each students will
have one minute to read
the beginning of their
myth. Quiet applause for
each student.
• Administer individual
assessment. For Part 2 of
assessment, students
choose to complete written
or orally. May use stories
and books in the room as a
resource.
• While some students
complete silent written
assessment, I will conduct
oral assessments in the
hallway. Once students are
complete, they will
complete as short rating to
evaluate my teaching, then
read quietly at their desk.
• I will look for pride and
excitement during the
share session. I will use a
rubric to assess and give
feedback for the formal
assessments (written and
oral).

Table 17– Unit Plan Outline
Lesson 1: Introduction to and Features of Myths and Legends
Date: 10-19-09

Estimated length: 40 minutes
411

Objectives for today’s lesson:
1: Students will be able to explain the purpose and origin of myths, legends, and tall tales,
across
all cultures.
2: Students will be able to identify the setting, character traits, and narrative form of myths,
legends,
and tall tales.
Materials for students:
Variety of myths and legends (picture books and copied texts)
Sticky notes
Story name card
Materials for teacher:
Legend of the Sleeping Bear by Wargin
Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by dePaola
Sticky notes
Document camera and computer
Key traits chart (for sticky notes)
Entrance directions on screen

Materials for classroom:
Wonderings poster
World map

Entrance directions – Screen reads “Wash up, get your snack, and be ready in your seat.
Silently browse the books at your table while you eat snack today.”
Introduction – Set purpose of creating myths (2 min)
• I turn off lights for kids to imagine. “Imagine that you live a long time ago. Scientists
haven’t discovered much about how the world works yet. When you look up at the night
sky, you see bright shining lights. You see the plants grow and change. You see the sun
moving across the sky. You see animals that look and act differently. You see different
forms of land, like mountains and lakes. What do you think about those things? How do
you explain them? If you don’t know the scientific reason, how do you think those things
were made? How do you make sense of the world?” Students have 20 seconds to
respond to neighbor.
Whole class read-aloud (14 min)
• Students move to sit on the floor. I introduce book, Legend of the Sleeping Bear, as a
book that explains one of those things. “While I’m reading, listen for the purpose of the
story, the setting, and the characters.” (write headings on doc cam.)
• Read the picture book.
• “What did you think?” (quick responses)
“What is the purpose of this story? What does it do?” (responses  explain how dunes
form.
record on doc cam.)
“What is the setting? Where? When?” (responses  long long ago, in MI. record on
doc cam).
412

“Who are the characters? What are they like?” (responses  talking bears. record on
doc cam).
• Read the introduction of book, emphasizing oral retelling and grounded in truth but not
necessarily true.
Explore texts to find key traits (14 minutes)
• Explain task – “There are about 30 myths and legends in this room to explore. When I
tell you to, you will return to your seat and choose a story at your table to read. While
reading, be thinking about the purpose of the story – what does it do? the setting – where
and when? and the characters – who are they? Then we’ll all share what we found, so
we can figure out what the things are that make a story a myth or a legend. To help you
remember your thoughts, jot down what you notice on a sticky note.” (model, then
instruct to work individually or in responsible pairs. Also may choose to read Legend of
the Indian Paintbrush on couch with me.) Ask student to rephrase directions, then direct
them back to seats to work.
• Students will work individually or in pairs. I will first ensure that all students are on task,
then read a book with the students who choose to listen rather than read. If students
finish early, they are to continue reading myths and legends of their choice.
Class collaboration (5 min)
• Students post their stickies under the appropriate heading on the chart. I read excerpts
from each column, directing the students to think about commonalities. Through thinkpair-share, we will produce a class list of the key traits, which I will record on the doc
cam in their language. Anticipated list:
o Purposes of Myths and Legends
Explain landform
Explain how the world or something in nature was created
Explain the appearance of animals
Describe someone who did something memorable
Explain the history of something
o Settings of Myths and Legends
A really long time ago, maybe before the world was created
Different places around the world
o Character Traits in Myths and Legends
Talking animals
Things from nature in human form (personification)
People from different cultures
Gods and goddesses
Closing – Review, mapping, and thinking about more (5 min)
• I ask students what they would say if someone who was absent asked “what did you learn
in language arts yesterday?” Demonstrate how this is a summary of the lesson. Record
under title What we learned about myths and legends on Oct 19 on document camera.
• Direct students to complete two things 1) write name of story they read on a little
notecard, and tape it on the country it originates from on the world map. 2) Write down

413

•

something they are still wondering about on a sticky, and post it on the wonderings
poster.
Excuse students to lunch, asking them to place their book on my desk on the way out.

Accommodations and Support
• Much support is built into the lesson for all students. They choose to work individually
or with someone else, which text to read, or to listen to me read. The texts available
represent a variety of difficulties and lengths. Students also have the option to switch
texts if they change their mind after beginning to read. This will work to meet the needs
of all students in the classroom, including the three focal students.
• For two students with special needs, there is a parapro in the classroom. She will be
available to keep students on track and help guide their thinking and reading.
Assessment
• I will be monitor students responses in whole class and small group conversations,
looking for understanding of knowledge and misconceptions.
• I will read the responses on the stickies for accuracy
• I will read the wonderings poster to gain insight into their thoughts and inform future
instruction.
Lesson 2: Myths and Legends Come from Many Cultures But Share Same Traits
Date: 10-20-09

Estimated length: 40 minutes

Objectives for today’s lesson:
1: Students will be able to explain the purpose and origin of myths, legends, and tall tales,
across all
cultures.
2: Students will be able to identify the setting, character traits, and narrative form of myths,
legends,
and tall tales.
Materials for students:
Copies of myths from Moontellers by Moroney
Myth Worksheet
Clipboards
Materials for teacher:
Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky by Dayrell
“Fires Wild Dance” in Zamani by Nevin
Summary of previous lesson
Document camera and computer
Entrance directions on screen

Materials for classroom:
Wonderings poster
World map

Entrance Directions – Screen reads “Wash up, get your snack, and be ready in your seat. Think
silently about how you might explain to someone why the moon and the sun are in the sky, and
414

why the moon does what it does. Once you have some ideas, you may read silently until we are
ready to begin.”
Introduction – Review and share (2 min)
• I ask students to read the summary of yesterday’s lesson aloud with me.
• Students have 2 minutes to share their thoughts about the sun and the moon with their
neighbor.
Whole class read-aloud (14 min)
• Students move to sit on the floor. I introduce book, Why the Sun and the Moon Live in
the Sky, as a book that explains one of those things. “This is a story from Africa. While
I’m reading, listen for the purpose of the story, the setting, and the characters.”
• Read the picture book.
• “What did you think?” (quick responses)
“What is the purpose of this story? What does it explain?” (responses  explain how
moon and
sun went to sky. record on doc moon myth worksheet.)
“What is the setting? Where? When?” (responses  long long ago, maybe in Africa.
record).
“Who are the characters? What are they like?” (responses  elements in human form.
record).
• Read the end of book, emphasizing oral retelling. If time allows, play telephone to
demonstrate.
• Mention how also has a problem and solution, like all narrative texts.
Paired reading and sharing of moon myths (13 minutes)
• Explain task – “In groups of two, you will read one of these 11 myths. Your partner will
be your writer’s workshop partner. You may decide how to read it – together, alternate
lines, one person volunteers to do reading. Then you’ll share your myth with another
group. To help you remember the key traits in your myth, fill out the Myth Worksheet
with your partner while you read. (model). It may help to read your myth twice. Choose
one person to be the recorder of information, and one person to be the reporter who will
report their myth to others. Once your pair feels that you have a solid understanding of
your myth, raise your hands and I will help you find another pair that is ready to share.
When you share, give them a summary of your myth. What is it about? Make sure to
include the key traits you wrote on the Myth Worksheet. Then, second half of the page is
background information about the culture that the myth came from – it’s interesting, but
we won’t have time to read it in class today. You have about 10 minutes to read your
myth and share with another group.” Ask student to rephrase directions, then direct them
to find their partner and pick up worksheets and clipboards.
• As students work, I will circulate the classroom and listen to student comments. I will
direct pairs to collaborate once they have read their own myth. If groups of students
finish discussing, I will help form new groups to share again.
•
Class discussion (6 min)

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Students will move chairs to form a circle arrangement in the room. They will sit by
partner and have their myth and worksheet available.
I will tell students that the goal of this discussion is to share our ideas and learn from each
other’s ideas. We will review positive ways to behave when people share ideas, and
generate a list of Things We Will Do To Have A Successful Class Conversation. I will
ask them their opinion to raise hands or not raise hands. I will record this on the
document camera. We will pantomime a whole-class handshake from our seats to agree.
Discussion will focus on these central questions, which I will prompt as necessary:
o What did you notice the same about the myths?
o What did you notice that was different?
o What does that tell you about different cultures and people across the world?
o How is the culture that the myth came from reflected in the story?
o How did these myths come to be? What does that tell you about all cultures?

Closing – Review, mapping, and thinking about more (5 min)
• I ask students what they would say if someone who was absent asked “what did you learn
in language arts yesterday?” Demonstrate how this is a summary of the lesson. Record
under title What we learned about myths and legends on Oct 20 on document camera.
• Direct students to complete two things 1) write name of story they read on a little
notecard, and tape it on the country it originates from on the world map. 2) Write down
something they are still wondering about on a sticky, and post it on the wonderings
poster. Also browse and respond to stickies of peers.
• Excuse students to lunch, asking to return their myth, worksheet, and clipboard on the
way out.

Accommodations and Support
• The worksheet will scaffold the students’ thinking to help them both summarize and
identify the key traits.
• The pairs are thoughtfully planned to represent a mix of stronger and weaker writers and
readers. By allowing the students to choose themselves who reads, writes, and speaks,
they can negotiate to best serve their needs. This will be especially beneficial to R and L,
who struggle with reading and writing.
• The task is continuous, in that students continue to share in pairs until it is time for the
discussion. This is beneficial to the students who will finish quickly, as they will then
have the opportunity for more exposure and speaking (rather than working on an unrelated task when complete).
• For two students with special needs, there is a parapro in the classroom. She will be
available to keep students on track and help guide their thinking and reading.
Assessment
• I will observe students responses in class discussion and small groups, looking for proper
and in-depth knowledge of the key traits, and thoughtful responses about cultures and all
people

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I will also collect the completed Myth Worksheets to assess written identification of
traits. I will compare these to the trait sticky notes from the previous lesson to monitor
improvement.
I will read the wonderings poster to gain insight into their thoughts and inform future
instruction.
Lesson 3: Symbolism in Myths and Legends

Date: 10-21-09

Estimated length: 40 minutes

Objectives for today’s lesson:
3: Students will be able to identify symbolism in the real world and in myths and legends.
Materials for students:
Copy of Pandora
Highlighters
Common Symbols card set
Myth Symbols card set
Story name card
Sticky notes
Previous pre-assessment
Materials for teacher:
Photos of Pandora
Copy of Pandora
Document camera and computer
Entrance directions on screen

Materials for classroom:
Wonderings poster
World map
Summary of previous lesson

Entrance directions – Screen reads “Wash up, get your snack, and be ready in your seat. While
you eat, draw some symbols that you know on a sticky note from your bin. You may silently
read at your desk if you draw as many as you possibly can.”
Introduction – Review and share (2 min)
• I ask students to read the summary of yesterday’s lesson aloud with me.
• I show students photos of drawings and sculptures of Pandora, one of the gods in myths
from Greece.
Whole class read-aloud (4 min)
• I distribute copies of Pandora students.
• I read the story shown on the doc cam while students follow along. I pause to explain
that Jupiter is a character.
• “What did you think?” (quick responses)
Matching common symbols (5 min)
• I tell students to put story aside and we will come back to it. I distribute one set of the
Common Symbol Cards to each pair of students. I explain that symbols have two layers
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– what they look like or a word they sound like, and something else deeper that they
mean. I instruct them to work with their partner to match each symbol with what it
means. (model example – heart shape is used to mean love). Students then reflect on the
symbols they wrote during snack time and record the meanings.
Students match cards while I circulate.
Once complete, I draw sticks to ask students what pairs they matched. Have option to
“pass”.

Symbols in mythology (9 min)
• I tell students that I am going to reread Pandora, and this time they are to highlight any
words, things, or characters that they think could mean something else (is a symbol).
• After reading, ask students to share their highlighted words to their neighbor, then ask for
volunteers to offer answers (symbol, meaning, and how figured out meaning). Record
symbols and meanings on doc cam. (Anticipated:)
Pandora = curious person
Last creature = hope for good
Insects = bad things in life
Chest = bad things that happen, bad things people
do
• Then, I distribute a new set of cards to pairs of students. One side has a common symbol
found in mythology (such as sunlight) and the other side is blank. Students are to fill in
the meaning with what they think the symbol could mean. After a pair is done, they are to
share their responses with the other students at their table and say why they chose that
meaning.
Revising thinking (5 min)
• I distribute the pre-assessment that each student completed before the unit. I tell them
they have 5 minutes to make any changes or additions they can, using a different colored
pen or pencil than the first time they wrote. New blank pages will be available if they
don’t have enough space.
Closing – Review, mapping, and thinking about more (5 min)
• I ask students what they would say if someone who was absent asked “what did you learn
in language arts yesterday?” Demonstrate how this is a summary of the lesson. Record
under title What we learned about myths and legends on Oct 21 on document camera.
• Direct students to complete two things 1) write name of story they read on a little
notecard, and tape it on the country it originates from on the world map. 2) Write down
something they are still wondering about on a sticky, and post it on the wonderings
poster. Also browse and respond to stickies of peers.
• Excuse students to lunch, asking them to place their book on my desk on the way out.
Accommodations and Support
• This lesson uses limited reading and writing skills, making it accessible to those students
for whom those skills are a challenge (including R and L).
• Visuals are provided of Pandora to help with visualization, the symbols on the cards, and
by the showing of the video.

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Use of pair work will allow students to use each other as a resource for ideas. The pairs
are also thoughtfully constructed to match students with peers they can cooperate with
and avoid behavioral concerns.
I will create a set of cards with more complex symbols for the students in the class that
usually understand information very quickly, as a way to challenge them.
During the revision of the first pre-assessment, I will offer L and R the chance to dictate
their thoughts to me while I transcribe. This will remove the barrier of writing to express
their thoughts.
For two students with special needs, there is a parapro in the classroom. She will be
available to keep students on track and help guide their thinking and reading.

Assessment
• I will look for proper identification of symbols on the highlighting activity sheets.
• I will observe student comments in regards to creative and logical thinking about
symbolism.
• I will assess the symbol cards created by the students for logical meanings.
• I will read the wonderings poster to gain insight into their thoughts and inform future
instruction.
• I will assess the revised pre-assessments for
o accuracy of content
o quantity of content
o depth of content
o improvements since beginning
Assessment	
  Plan	
  
There are many different types of assessment of student learning built into this unit, including the
following:
• continuous insight into the students current and changing thoughts regarding the unit
(wonderings)
• pre-assessment of broad topics, and later a revision of the pre-assessment
• worksheet which demonstrates identification of traits of myths and legends (Myth
Worksheet)
• worksheet which demonstrates creation of similes and hyperboles
• drawing of tall tale character with logical character traits and descriptions
• writing own myth or legend with appropriate structure and elements (book format,
picture book, or comic strip)
• performance of analysis of tall tale read-aloud play
• frequent observations of students responses related to the content, in small groups and
whole class discussions
• performance of summative assessment (choice of written or oral)
Many of the assessments are instructed as “show me with words or drawings,” allowing each
student to choose which expression is best suited for him or her. The students will have the
option to produce their own myth or legend in the form of a book, picture book, or comic
strip/graphic novel. This allows them to pique their strengths and interests. I will publish a
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“class book of myths and legends” using the stories the students create, to be kept in various
classrooms in the building. The criteria used to evaluate the myths or legends that the students
write will be generated by the students.
The students in the classroom with IEPs will still be expected to complete all work, as stated in
the IEP, given accommodations when needed such as extra time to work and breaks from
learning. The three focal students will follow the same assessment plan as the rest of the class.
The second half of the summative assessment (thinking deeper, and necessitating more writing
than the first part) will be offered in two forms – written and oral. This ensures that students
who struggle to write are not at a disadvantage to express their thoughts (including the focal
students).
Quality and quantity of student learning will assess my design and implementation of the unit, as
well as the formal “teacher evaluation” that the students will complete on the last day.

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APPENDIX AD: Megan Second Informal Conversation
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All right. So tell me how it’s going?
It’s going well. Um, the biggest surprise for me was that I planned way too much for each
lesson, so – and I could have quickly tried to get everything in at the end but I didn’t want
to do that. So what I decided to do instead is, uh, I planned like the last four or five days
for the students to write their own Myth or Legend –
Um-hm?
- and I’m just gonna – I think cut that out and then just spread each lesson over that time
so we’ll just have more time basically and not do the writing at the end.
So how are you going to assess your unit?
Well, I’m gonna – I was also planning on giving just a – basically a written test at the end
–
Um-hm.
- um, I’m still playing with the idea of giving some kids the option, we’ll all get the
option of doing it orally instead of written –
Um-hm.
Um, and then I was just talking with Jenna (.55) and she’s thinking of having her kids
write a Myth or Legend but do a shortened version –
Um-hm.
- first showing them examples that are really short, and so maybe – I’m still thinking –
thinking about doing that rather than a whole huge production with peer editing and all
that.
Because you have those little, short –
Yeah.
- Myths and Legends at the beginning, right?
Yeah.
It’s like two paragraphs, or something?
Yeah, so it’s something like that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Do you think that maybe they could do something like that –
Yeah.
- instead of, you know, like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Yeah. So, yeah. But, um, they had – I also kind of changed some things around that I
think were for the better. Um, I decided in my head I had like things that I wanted the
students to explore every day, I decided – I realized on the second day that I should be
just showing those to the kids, so that every day we’ll start with here’s the questions that
we’re gonna explore. I’ve kind of framed it as like an exploration thing in the story and
all that, so um, so what I’ve started doing is every day at the end of the (2.01) things that
they are wondering about, and well, I’ve only done it once, cause I’ve only taught like
twice, but I’m – and so what I did is I just took like phrases exactly off their sticky notes
what they’re wondering and turned those into the – what we’re gonna explore the next
day.
Oh, that’s cool. That’s a good idea.

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Yeah, so it’s kid of, I mean, I’m hoping it’ll – it worked out so well that a lot of them are
wondering about what I was planning to do to the next day anyways, so why don’t just
use their own language, you know.
Yeah.
And I was like, why do people write these things? So I was, why would people write
these things?
That is a great idea, cause they need to see their own writing.
Exactly, yeah.
They need to see their work.
Yeah, yeah. And so, I’m hoping it’ll also give them a feeling of their guiding class kind
of thing –
Absolutely.
- and so I’m hoping that’ll continue to work as the unit goes on.
Are you recording who says what?
No, and I should be. That’s another thing is (2.49) like, basic ideas in my head about how
I’m going to be assessing and observing and all that, but I think I need to come up with
some sort of form or thing I’m gonna be filling out. I think – I know everyone’s
mentioned that.
Um-hm.
So I think I’m planning on doing this weekend is really specifying everything of what
I’m looking for –
Um-hm?
- because the first week I think that I was just kind of, oh I’m listening to everything, but
then I forget who said what and everything.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So when they do it on the sticky note, do they kind of put their name?
No. Some of them – I don’t want them to. Some of them did anyways, but I don’t want
them to. I had – it’s like a posterboard that I – it’s like blue and then I drew like a thought
bubble on it, and it was just like our wonderings on the top, and we just – we have a
bulletin board, it’s – it’s in the hallway but it’s also kind of right outside the door so it’s
as you – you see it as you’re walking in the classroom right there in the hallway, and so
that became our Myth and Legend bulletin board, and so I told them we’re gonna
continue that every day, um, so the top of it just says (3.45) of Myths and Legends, and
then once we dealt – once we start Tall Tales, I’ll just stick underneath “And Tall Tales”.
Yeah, that’s cool.
But so, we’re posting the wonderings out on the bulletin board right now along – right
now there are four things on it. There are wonderings from the last class, um, just the
sheet that I typed out of questions we’ll be exploring next –
Um-hm.
- up there, um, they did – another thing I was really happy about is when they were
reading their own myths and legends, that’s what really took a huge amount of time, I
guess I thought they could read a book in like 15 minutes, they (4.21) so, that’s really
what became the two-day thing, is reading their own and um, and I think they really
enjoyed that, which is what I was hoping, um – I told them they could wander around the

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room if they, you know, if they picked one off they didn’t like, or they could put it down
and find another one –
Um-hm.
- and I actually heard one – one boy said to a girl, oh, you know, have you read this one
yet? Is it good? And she said, yeah, it’s a good one, so they were like talking about them
–
That’s very cool.
- and I’m in the corner, like yeah.
That’s very cool.
Yeah, so I like that. One person did write, so they were supposed to write down things
that they’re still wondering about at the end, someone wrote I don’t like these Myths and
Legends books.
Whatever it is that they’re wondering.
Yeah, so I guess – I guess I won’t get everyone to like them, but –
Not everybody likes chocolate, right?
Yeah, that’s true. Yeah. But so –
It’s perfectly okay if you have a couple of kids that don’t like it.
Yeah. Yeah. Then I’ll just say we all have our own interests, or –
That’s right. (interruption) Where were we?
Um, oh, I was gonna say, so then as they were reading their own myths and legends, they
were making notes on post-its about the things we looked at, purpose, setting and
characters, so then I had another bulletin – or post-it board, and I just posted those up
there under columns, and then – and then my plan was for looking at these post-it notes
we would pull out the trends that we’re seeing to generate a list of the characteristics –
Um-hm.
- (6.26) myths and legends, and that part didn’t go as well and I think I’m realizing now
it’s because they didn’t ever get a chance to really read the posterboard, they (6.36) sticky
notes up there and then left the classroom, you know?
Um-hm.
- and then I kind of read them out loud but, I don’t know, it was also the very end of the
day and everyone was tired and everybody was sick –
Yeah.
- and so I guess- I mean, I guess not everything can go as well as I (6.52) does –
Nope. That’s why it’s called the plan.
Yeah, yeah.
Those things will change.
So it ended up being me like saying like, I was hoping they would come up with the stuff
and then I would just type it, and it ended up me coming up with almost everything, and
I’m saying, is that okay with you guys? And they’d be like, yeah sure, like anyone’s
gonna disagree, you know?
So you didn’t have anybody disagree with you?
Mm-mmm.
No?
Mm-mm.
Okay.
So –
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There are things that, and this is true in every teaching lesson – that are pieces of your
lessons that they can explore and they can come up with on their own.
I think that they can.
And then there are things that you are going to have to give to them.
Yeah.
That’s why they’re children and you’re an adult. That is very, very true with classroom
rules. So when you start thinking about classroom rules for your own class, some things
they can tell you –
And some thins are –
- some things you have – you have to tell them.
Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense.
So, there’s nothing wrong with having it planned one way and then –
Yeah.
- having to change it as you go.
Yeah that makes sense.
All right?
Yeah.
You still excited about it?
Yeah, I am. And I think that I’m really struggling with is the one kid, and you know, it’s
just one kid out of 22 and he just messes up everything, so –
Talk to me.
- so he doesn’t listen to what I say, ever, he doesn’t even – half the time he doesn’t even
listen to what my CT says, but she can – she’s better at not letting it phase her, you
know?
Yeah.
But, I think – I need to learn to just kind of let it go and you know, he says something or
he isn’t doing (8.29), and then I get like stressed out and then I don’t know how to
respond and then the kids are watching me and I’m stressed out –
This is the kid we talked about?
Yeah. Yeah. And so, next I had a meeting with the principal, the three of – the principal,
me and him, yesterday, and I’m hoping that’ll make things better. I don’t know. He did –
he did come up to me later in the day, actually during a time we’re supposed to be sitting
and watching a movie and he started (8.55) around the room, of course, but um, he came
up to me and just said, oh I’m writing kind of like a myth or a legend in my writer’s
workshop. So he was showing – you know, so that he was showing interest in it.
Um-hm.
So I –
What did you say?
I said, um, well cool, like let me know how it’s going, or something like that, you know.
Um-hm.
I didn’t really drill him on it, I was just excited for it.
Um-hm.
Um, but I don’t know – I – still don’t know which battles to fight and which battles to let
go, and then so I’m think I’m picking the wrong battles or too many or not enough, and
so then what my – I don’t know – so another thing that came up yesterday is a lot of
times what we’ve tried to say is, you know, if you choose not to do this assignment,
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you’re gonna stay in at recess and do it, he says, I don’t care he just sits and doesn’t do it.
He sits there and (9.41) but it’s distracting to everyone else and I don’t like it and I don’t
want to hold him in at recess all the time, but he admitted yesterday to the principal that
he doesn’t like going out to recess. So –
So –
- now we gotta pick something else other than – right – cause he’s doing it on purpose –
Right.
- so he doesn’t have to go out to recess.
But if he doesn’t like to go to recess –
I don’t know what else to do.
Well obviously the recess is not working.
Right. Right. So I don’t how else to motivate him to work if recess –
Have you given him a job yet?
(10.11) his class job – maybe, I don’t know, were you thinking of something else?
Something that he can work towards?
Hm. Um-hm.
So instead of – okay, what you’re doing right now is that – the discipline you are
imposing with this kid, means that if he does something that is against the rules, he will
lose something.
So instead do it so that he’ll gain something?
Um-hm.
That makes sense. And you know, I wouldn’t even mind saying to him the opposite, if
you do your work today, you can stay in with me at recess, in the afternoon? But I don’t
think my – just from the conversation with my CT about it, I think she doesn’t want him
to get him in those habits and expecting to stay in and she was like, you know, a lot of
times we have to leave during recess too, cause we have mini-meetings or we have to go
make copies, or we have – you know what I mean?
Um-hm.
So we can’t always give him that.
Can you give him a job to do during recess?
Yeah, but we can’t leave him alone in the classroom, so –
Does everybody have recess at the same time?
Um-hm.
The entire school is at recess at the same time?
In the morning and afternoon, yeah.
Then the only other option that you have is to find out why he doesn’t like to go to recess.
Yeah.
How many kids do you know that don’t like to go to recess?
Not many.
Not many. There has to be a reason why this kid doesn’t like to go to recess.
Yeah. Yeah, that’s true.
Why is that?
Yeah.
And if he wants – if what he wants is to be with an adult at recess –
Then maybe he could follow me to the copy room?
May be.
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Yeah.
Or maybe you can negotiate with him, maybe you can tell him, you have to go to recess,
but if you go to recess at the end of the day I will give you 10 minutes of alone time, or
we can read a book together, or –
I wouldn’t mind staying after school –
Yeah, you have to find out why is it –
Yeah.
Why is it that he doesn’t like to go to recess.
Yeah.
There has to be a reason.
Yeah. Okay.
You have to solve this problem.
I know.
Cause it can derail your entire year.
it’s – yeah, I think it already is and it’s frustrating. He was mad at me yesterday, and I
stopped and I had to stop into the music class to ask the class something, long story, but
so the whole time I’m in there trying to talk to the whole class he’s playing his recorder
as loud as he possibly can. Everyone’s going, we can’t hear Miss Lewis, stop playing.
And he was looking at me just blowing on it – you know what I mean?
Um-hm.
It’s so frustrating.
He’s trying – he’s waiting to see what you’re gonna do.
I know he is.
He’s testing you.
Yeah.
But right now he’s winning.
Yeah. Another thing, I have a – I just lost my train of thought – recess, but also (13.25) –
something that I haven’t tried that I – maybe I should – I don’t know, my CT has said to
him before, you know, take a break out in the hallway. Come in when you are ready to be
a respectful member of our class. You know, maybe I should try that. But then I’m
worried he’ll just never come back and just play out in the hallway (13.38).
When you’re teaching your lesson, what is your CT doing?
Um, watching – sometimes she’ll be watching me and also filing or doing something
else.
So she could keep an eye on him.
Yeah.
So –
I should ask her ahead of time if she’s okay with that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And so if she’s okay with you sending him out in the hallway and chill out, ask her if she
will keep an eye on him.
Yeah.
So that you don’t have to be worried about that.
Um-hm.

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But really, I mean, you’re gonna have to start thinking about what if it is your own
classroom, what if it is your own kid and you don’t have an extra set of eyes in your
classroom, then what.
N
Yeah, yeah.
P
So I think it’s an okay strategy to use temporarily to help you get through guided lead
teaching, but it’s still a question you need to keep in the back of your mind –
N
I agree.
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Principals are not the solution. Unfortunately.
N
Yeah. And you know, I think that conversation with the principal would have been
great except for when I had to pull him out of music to meet with her and he said,
am I in trouble? And the para-pro was trying to be helpful and said no, you’re not
In trouble. You know, we get down there and he – the situation to him I’m sure seemed like he
was in trouble, so then he thought that I lied to him. So afterwards instead of having a
productive conversation I think he was just angry that I lied to him and he was in trouble,
you know what I mean?
P
Um-hm.
N
So it almost made him – I don’t know. So – let’s see – maybe I could –
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This is a special education student?
N
No. Um, just wild.
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Just wild.
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Yeah. I mean, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think they’re trying to set up a – I think they’re
trying to come up with a behavioral plan for him that all the teachers will enact – will be
strict and laid out and everything, rather than just every teacher figure out for yourselves
how to deal with him –
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Yeah, yeah. Just remember that a behavior contract or a behavior plan only works if the
child actually buys into it. You can have ten teachers come up with a behavior plan that
he can just derail just as easily as one teacher.
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Yeah. I think I don’t know what to say when he says I don’t care. You know, I’ll say, oh
you’re not gonna –
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Yeah, you do.
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- get your work done if you’re not listening and he says, I don’t care. And I don’t know
what to say. I’m sad that you don’t care, like, you know what I mean?
P
You tell him what you feel. You tell him what’s in your heart.
N
I’m disappointed that you don’t care?
P
See if it works.
N
Yeah.
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Or ask him why it is that he doesn’t care. There has to be a reason why this kid says he
doesn’t care.
N
Yeah. I think it’s a –
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You need to get inside his head.
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Yeah. I think it’s a – I think he’s built up a shell over years –
P
Um-hm.
N
- I think it’s why he just has to defend himself all the time, you know. He is the most
defensive person I’ve ever met. He’ll be coughing, the other day he was coughing in this
kid’s face, and the kid said stop it, stop - so I said you know, you – not only is that
inappropriate but your friend even asked you to stop and you didn’t even (17.14) to stop,
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and he goes, well, I then I wasn’t coughing any more, then I was just blowing like this,
but I wasn’t actually spitting any germs out. You know what I mean? Like he won’t take
responsibility for anything, anything.
P
Um-hm.
N
You know, he’s playing his recorder and he was – he’s playing it and I tell him to stop
and then he starts playing low notes and (17.31) I asked you to stop he was, well I’m not
playing any more now I’m just blowing air in it or something – you know what I mean?
He just won’t – he won’t ever – so I wonder if at home he’s just all he does all day is just
defend, defend, defend, defend, defend. Cause that’s all he ever does.
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Could be.
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That’s all he ever does.
P
Could be.
N
Yeah.
P
Um-hm. The other way to look at it is that – usually kids that misbehave, they misbehave
because they want attention.
N
Yeah, yeah.
P
And they don’t care if they get attention in a positive way or in a negative way. They get
attention regardless. So if you could deflect his attention needing into a positive –
N
Yeah.
P
- outlet, that’s why I asked you to give him a job. Make him feel important.
N
Yeah. If you get your work done during my lesson, then you’ll get to be the paper passer
or something. But we already have a paper passer. See, I don’t know. I’ll have to
brainstorm.
P
Something that he would –
N
Like doing.
P
- that he would like doing.
N
Yeah. He does – when we have kindergarten buddies, he shines, he loves it – he loves
(18.46)
P
There you go.
N
Yeah. I think – I think he does like P
Make a contract with him – earning time to go into the kindergarten room.
N
Yeah.
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There’s nothing wrong with that.
(Interruption of interview on tape through 21.06)
N
Were you going to add something, Rochelle?
R
(21.10) cannot hear this speaker at all.
N
Oh, yeah.
R
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Um-hm. Was it a job that was given to him or a job that he chose to do?
R
He chose. Like he …..(21.53)
P
It just sounds to me like this is a very, very disruptive kid for everybody. Right?
N
Even the kids get annoyed with him, like – like every second of every day. A lot of them
don’t like him.
P
Yeah. Now imagine how you would (22.04) if you had gotten yourself into that position,
which might be something that he’s struggling with also, is that he has gotten himself into

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a spot and nobody likes him. So how do you come out of that? How do you get out of a
hole like that?
Yeah. I think you’re right about him wanting attention, cause the other day, I was
teaching a lesson and he just kept blurting out, blurting out, blurting out, I ignored it,
(22.30) towards the end he started raising his hand at least a little bit, so then I called on
him, you know, and afterwards we were having a conversation because of something else
that happened, and he said, oh well, you know, that’s why I started raising my hand
because then you would listen to me and when I was blurting out you wouldn’t listen to
me. Well, hello. It’s taking you til fourth grade to realize this – (22.48) it was me
listening to him that he liked, so I said, you know, we shook hands, and I promise I will
listen to you when you raise your hand.
And maybe that’s something that you need – maybe that is a fight you need to pick.
Yeah, yeah.
Is that if he doesn’t raise his hand, you need to ignore him.
Well my CT –
You need to ignore the blurting.
My CT at the beginning of the year when he first came in, she thought blurting was going
to be one of the first issues to deal with, and so she made – she did this whole system
with washers, and every time he blurted out he lost a washer and all this stuff, and that –
they’ve stopped it so I don’t think it was that effective.
Yeah.
I mean, I think he knows that people are tell, because she would have conversation with
him all the time, trying to do something, and so – yeah.
You need to see what it is that worked with her, and try to model it.
Yeah.
It is not going to work every time with you. But you have a better chance at success by
using the same strategies that she uses.
Um-hm. It’s true.
And don’t forget the other twenty – however many kids you have –
I know. I know.
- in your class.
Yeah.
You shouldn’t be wasting your sleep over him.
Yeah. Another thing that I think I’m excited for is I asked – you know we have two kids
with autism in our classroom with the parapro, I asked the parapro if at the end of my
guided lead teaching if I could talk with her or she’ll – I don’t know (24.27) orally or
written, but you know, her insights as to how those two students’ experiences with my
lesson –
Oh, very cool.
Yeah, I think it’ll be very helpful.
I think it will be very helpful also.
You know, things that I did that she could tell me how full – things that I could have
changed that would –
Yeah.
- what was the most – the hardest for them, the easiest for them, so –
Yeah. Why don’t you ask her for feedback every day?
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Yeah.
Ask her for verbal feedback.
Yeah.
It doesn’t have to be written, it doesn’t have to be a formal thing, but you know, just ask
her at the end of the day what is it that I should be making more of or less of.
Yeah. Yeah.
They usually know their kids very well.
She – this is her first time working with these two students.
Um-hm. But that’s all they do.
Right, yeah.
Those are the only students they work with. After a while they get to now them pretty
well.
I would say one of them she does. One of them we’re all kind of still struggling to get to
know – he’s another difficult student.
Behaviorally?
And so it’s kind of, you know one day, these two kids, the one that I was talking about
and this one with autism, they were just kind of feeding off each other, and – oh, that’s
really good.
Yeah. Don’t let that bother you. Don’t that stop your teaching, because your other
students deserve better than that.
Yeah, yeah.
And I know it’s easy to say.
Yeah. That’s true.
That’s cool. But I’m glad – I’m glad you’re excited about it.
Yeah, I am.
Have you made a lot of changes in your lesson planning?
Yes. What I just – okay, I came in today and I had like a million thoughts of what
happened and then like, I know that I have to read –
- (26.12)
(26.14) should take nearly as long and I’m just switching the days around and taking
things out, adding things in. So –
So once you do that, will you send me a copy?
Yeah. I made – somewhere I made a plan – I brought it –
You and your pieces of paper. You reflect on what happened, what learned, what didn’t,
what else to change –
I know, and I don’t – I should have done this right afterwards, and I didn’t, and next
week I’m gonna do it right afterwards cause now I’m trying to remember it, it’s hard.
Um-hm. It’s like me taking my field notes.
Yeah, yeah. Even – and you know I learned that last year taking field notes, I put them
off and then tried to do it a week later –
Yep.
- to quick turn it in to MSU, and then I was like, I have no idea what happened.
That’s right. Lay out the rest of the unit, make lesson plans for teach for next week –
I’m just gonna be working a week – a week at a time.
A week at a time? That’s a good idea.
(27.06)
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Um, I still don’t have permission to come into your school.
Is that to video tape or to observe?
Both.
Okay.
So –
I know our school is crazy busy right now – did I tell you they cancelled school
tomorrow and Friday?
Yeah.
and Friday? So they’re probably all still trying to figure out (27.30).
Yeah. You’ll probably be – have to do a little more planning too, cause now your CT has
lost two days.
Yeah. And now Tuesday, I was gonna teach and now I’m not cause we’re taking the
MIEP instead, so everything has been –
My God.
I mean, I was going to have to change everything anyway, so –
Yeah.
(27.50)
Are you going to teach Monday?
Yes.
And Wednesday?
Yes.
Right? Okay. So why don’t you go ahead and keep the videocamera?
Okay. I was going to say I asked um Camie said that she has one.
Yeah.
I don’t know if you had asked her or not.
Yeah, I did ask her a little while ago.
Cause I know that she was – and then, you know she said that um, I guess Nicole and
Evan are in the same building, and she said that Evan has a ton, cause he’s like a tech
person, so she – she was like – I’m probably just – I was just asking her for what she
wanted it next week, she you can probably keep it, but you know, I’ll just say talk to
Paula.
Yeah. Why don’t you go ahead and keep it?
Okay.
Because if I cannot, if I don’t get permission to come in, then you’re going to have to
videotape yourself. And then Caimi is going to videotape herself and then I will go in and
do one but then I can also borrow a camera from somewhere else, that’s not a big deal.
Oh. Cause you –
It won’t be until two weeks from now.
Could you use her camera?
Probably.
Okay. Let me know, call me, I can drive – meet you halfway if you need it.
Yeah, we’ll see. And I won’t be able to come into your school but I’ll be able to at least
meet you out in the parking lot. So it shouldn’t be too bad. All right? And in the
meantime, if you want me to look through your lesson plans or whatever, let me know.
Okay.
It’ll be interesting to see what’s gonna happen with your student.
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Yeah. I feel like – do you know – okay, so I went to this autism workshop and what they
taught us is, you know, kids with autism aren’t necessarily trying to act out, they’re just –
Um-hm.
- acting as a reaction to something?
Yes.
But I feel like one of them in our class seemed – just loves to act out, and so he’s, you
know, I mean –
Does he get a reaction out of it?
Sometimes, and then you know, we also talk about how sometimes it’s because I think he
really wants attention, for one he’ll try to be funny and make noises, and then sometimes,
you know – I tried a couple of days ago, I had a conversation with him and I said, you
know, when you are so loud in class and I can’t hear, the kids can’t hear, what’s the way
that we can try to fix this together, and I gave him the option, well, the ideas I had were
to come up with a secret signal or a secret note, and he chose the note, so I laid out all my
note cards for him and asked him what color he wanted, and he said – he chose the
orange one and he said because it’s the least noticeable laying on the desk.
Yeah.
So see – so then that He knows.
- doesn’t want the special attention so he can’t (30.25) and actually the note card thing
didn’t work out.
He didn’t?
No, I’ve only tried it once, but he was talking in class so I just came over and slipped him
the note card, you know, and instead he continued to make noises, flipped it over and
wrote a bunch of silly things on the back and tried to pass it to his friend as a note. So –
Did you talk to him about it?
No. I should have, but –
Yeah, you should talk to him about it. You should talk to him about it. There’s nothing
wrong with asking kids what is it that works for them.
Yeah.
It’s not a show of weakness, it’s a show of wanting to work together, wanting to work –
Cause I was hoping and thinking that it would work –
Yeah. Keep trying, just keep trying. Don’t give up on your students.
Okay.
That’s the most important thing.
Yeah.
All right?
Yeah.
And how are you doing?
I think that look says it all.
Yeah.

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APPENDIX AE: Megan Project Three (Draft)
Going Public Through Professional Writing - Part A: Draft of the Teacher Narrative
Focal Students
Leroy is a student who consistently struggles with literacy. He was recently diagnosed
with dyslexia and has been assessed to read at a first-grade level. The fact that reading is a
struggle for him is evident across all subjects. He also usually has a negative opinion toward
reading, and would rather draw than read or write. A modification that could have served him
was that all students had the option of reading with me in a small group during independent
reading time. However, Leroy did not chose that option. I believe it is because he was able to
read the myth he chose by himself. He actually asked to sit in the hallway since it is less
distracting, which is one of the first times I’ve seen Leroy concerned with successfully reading a
book. Perhaps he was especially interested in the story. He demonstrated sophisticated
knowledge of an assigned story during the “become a story-teller” activity. He was able to
identify the characters, setting, and purpose. There was a limited amount of writing incorporated
in the Myths and Legends unit. However, the writing that Leroy has done shows that he
struggles to express his thoughts clearly, using conventions. He wrote a very minimal amount on
a homework assignment, even leaving a question blank. I would recommend more explicit
writing instruction for Leroy. I would also recommend more practice speaking for Leroy. He
often does not articulate well when speaking in front of a group, as demonstrated during the
read-aloud tall tale play. Leroy also lacked enthusiasm about the realms of literacy or myths and
legends throughout the unit. Given at least two opportunities, Leroy never recorded that he had a
favorite myth or legend. I recommend that Leroy works to find a book that really grabs him and
emphasizes the value that being literate really has, whether that book is a myth or legend or not.
On the final test, Leroy first scored 11 out of 25. I re-administered the test to him orally in order
to eliminate the reading barrier, and he scored 17. This is a 24% difference. This shows that
Leroy knows the content but struggles with comprehending the text on the test and/or expressing
his thoughts on paper. This is not surprising, considering his diagnoses, and will continue to
practice and refine these skills. The activities that Leroy put the most effort into were the ones
that involved drawing, such as the create-a-tall-tale-character; I will keep this in mind when
planning in the future.
Liz scored on the opposite end of the scale on the final test – 28 out of 24. She
demonstrated correct identification of genre characteristics. She also showed great
understanding of the origin of myths on the more difficult extra credit short answer section.
Throughout the unit, she consistently participated in class discussions and showed that she was
engaged during whole class and independent work time. On the second day, while the students
were browsing various myths and legends, one student asked her “have you read this book yet?
Is it good?” Liz enthusiastically responded “oh yeah, it’s really good.” She showed this
enjoyment of the genre throughout. She correctly identified the story elements on the storytelling activity and even completed the “recommended summary” on the back, showing that she
is able to identify the key points of a text. I would say that Liz showed reading and writing at or
above grade level during this unit. Her speaking skills were adequate during the read-aloud play.
The tall tale character that she developed was especially exemplary, including humorous
exaggeration and a simile. I would say that the biggest issue to keep in mind with regard to Liz

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is how to keep her challenged. There were likely times when she was bored or found the work
too easy.
Laura often demonstrates writing skills below grade level, and this unit was no exception.
I would definitely recommend more explicit writing instruction and handwriting practice. It was
often hard to discern whether or not Laura understood the concepts when looking at her limited
amount of writing. On the final test, she scored a total of 21 out of 24. She scored 8 of those
points on the multiple choice section of identifying genre characteristics, which had 14 points
possible. This shows me that she still does not completely understand the characteristics.
During independent reading of myths and legends, Laura was one of two students who opted to
read with me on the couch. I believe this modification option benefited her and eliminated the
barrier of decoding for her. Laura’s speaking skills during the read-aloud play were adequate.
She was particularly engaged during the create-a-tall-tale character activity, and even asked to
stay in from recess to create another character! She also asked if she could borrow some of the
genre books to read outside of “myths and legends” time. This definitely shows that she enjoyed
the genre and learning about the genre.
Class Trends
I was surprised by the range of achievement and attitudes during the myths, legends, and
tall tales unit. After the unit was complete, I asked my students to write their favorite and least
favorite part. What some students responded as their favorite, others responded as their least
favorite! I can say that the class as a whole really enjoyed activities that involved art, videos,
and creating a product.
With a total of 24 points possible on the main portion of the test, and another 6 available
by extra credit, the average score on the test was 22.18. The range was 15-29, representing a
wide range of performance.
Many students showed evidence of enjoyment of the genre. They asked if they could
borrow my books to read during their free time. They asked for more practice time to perfect
their read-aloud plays. They stopped to look and crowd around while I was posting their
drawings of invented tall tale characters on the bulletin board. They showed consideration of
myths and legends outside of “language arts time.” One student freely brought in his
Mythbusters book to share. Another student told me that he planned to write his own myth in
writer’s workshop. While watching a science video, the narrator mentioned a “common myth
about volcanoes.” All the students turned to look at me to acknowledge and make sure I had
heard the narrator mention myths.
Narrative
A key focal point during this unit was that the students often generated the knowledge.
They were the heart of the teaching and learning, rather than acting as empty canvases to be
filled. They shared their existing knowledge as well as new emerging thoughts with the class,
while my role was often to prompt and guide, rather than tell. This is important because (add
literature).
My plan was that on the first day, students would be provided with a variety of myths and
legends to choose from – picture books of range of levels and lengths. They would read the
books while jotting down observations about the characters, purpose, and setting on sticky notes.
Then as a class we would use their observations to generate a list of the key characteristics of the
characters, purpose, and setting of myths and legends as a whole. This would give the students

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ownership of the material, as well as deeper understanding. It would come from their insight,
rather than an overhead sheet that I as the teacher display and recite.
This lesson worked overall. Many students often surprised me with their thoughtful
responses. We create a basic class list of the key characteristics of myths and legends, then
added to it as we explored different aspects of the genre. I kept the list on the bulletin board, and
told them the concepts found on the test would be based on that list. I do believe that this
method had the desired results, and led to deeper understanding of the material.
I also tried to keep the students at the heart by involving their thoughts in other ways. A
homework assignment asked them to ask their parents what myths or legends they know. The
students often wrote down a current “wondering” on a sticky note then posted them on a poster.
I used their wonderings to inform my instruction – I often started the following lesson by
addressing the wonderings and stating which topics we would be exploring next.
In the future, I would change a few things. I would provide time for the students to
browse each other’s thoughts on the sticky notes before I start to guide a discussion, as well as
more time and instruction to browse each others’ wonderings. I would ask the students to review
the points previously learned by quickly restating the items on our master list in their own words,
rather than simply reading the list. I would incorporate more think-pair-share moments to
encourage more students to participate in our class discussions. I would keep all students work
in a “Myths, Legends, and Tall Tales Packet” so they would see all of their hard work at the end
of the unit, as well as track their progress.
(I plan to expand upon these ideas more)

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APPENDIX AF: Megan Final Semi-Structured Interview (transcript)
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What I mean, and if it works for you, then it works.
Yeah. And I’m hoping that if I’m mellow, then they’ll be mellow, you know.
Yes, I think so too. I think so too. Um, I like the fact that you give directions and then
you move away, they you kind of expect them to follow through with the directions, but
you need to make sure that they follow through. So giving directions and moving away,
but you have to keep your third eye I don’t think I have eyes in the back of my head yet and I want them – I want them.
Yeah, yeah. You – I mean you will eventually develop the eye in the back of your head,
but – so all I want to know from you is how do you think you’re semester went?
Good.
Um, what would you have done differently – in hindsight I think I would have done a ton of things differently but like –
Like what?
- but like mostly like little things, like there wasn’t anything that I was like, oh that was
just awful, you know what I mean? So I mean I think that that’s really good, you know?
I think so too.
And I also, I don’t know, I’m proud of the fact that I like – I think I’m really analytical of
myself and my teaching, so I think it’s going to make me better –
Um-hm.
- I know some, like, fellow interns, you know, if they teach a lesson and it doesn’t go
perfectly they get really, like, stressed out about it and mad, you know what I mean?
Instead I’m kind of always like, oh well I learned, you know what I mean, just (1.36) so –
should I focus on literacy?
Whatever you want.
Okay. Um, literacy I was most pleased about times when the kids showed that they could
– that they could make connections like outside of literacy time, to the unit that I was
teaching – I think it’s huge – and so if I were to change something it would be to
encourage more of that. Like I wish – I really, really wish that I would have done
something to show kids where the Myths and Legends books are in this library, or have
them find it or discover it or something, cause, you know, now it’s over and we haven’t
talked about a myth or legend since, and so I think if they would have made the
connection, oh, here they are in the library, you can check them out anytime you’re here,
you know –
Can you – can you see of a time where you can actually go back and talk about it? Can
you make a time happen?
Uh –
You know what I mean?
Yeah, yeah.
Can you somehow circle back to where you were?
Yeah, I should think about that. I’m not sure – I’ll think about it. Um –
Because – because if you think that it was valuable for them and if you think that it was a
good unit, and that they learned something, you should use it to take them back to a good
time, to take them back to a time when they were successful. You know what I mean?

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Yeah. Yeah. (3.06) We haven’t done another genre study since, so maybe there will be a
lot of parallels when we do study another genre.
Um-hm.
I’ll think about –
Um, was there anything that you would prefer to never repeat again?
The Tall Tale plays did not go well, and I think it was an issue of me not setting the
expectations at the beginning. They had never really done them before, and so I think I
should have showed them how do you practice a play, how do you act your part, you
know, how do you become your character, you know, what kind of voice are you going
to use – I just didn’t ever explain that cause I guess I assumed they’d know how and they
didn’t’.
Um-hm. So what –
So I’d do a play again, they especially really liked Edward – they said, can we do another
one, can we do another one, can we do another one? But I mean, the plays weren’t very
successful at all, you couldn’t hear half the kids and – you know what I mean?
Um-hm.
So I’m – I was glad that they enjoyed them, um, and they were excited about them, but I
would have set it up – I would have spent a lot more time setting it up and practicing and
I know – I saw Rochelle also did Tall Tale plays and hers were much more structured and
the kids had Rubricks to fill out while they were watching and all that, so I think I would
have taken some of her ideas - it would have been better.
How much collaboration are you doing with them?
Um, increasingly more. At the beginning I think we were all freaking out, and so we just
focused on ourselves, which I realize now and we joke about, and then with the Matthew
net we started sharing things that we were going to be doing, or it was a lot of sharing
afterwards, oh this is what I did, and then we’d like oh cool, you know, and we realize
now in the future we want to do more brainstorming together because we were all – you
know, we’d be like, oh that was cool, I wish I’d done that. So, I think we’re honestly,
okay, really honestly, I was not excited to have to collaborate so much cause we’re in a
team teaching situation, I was like, it’s gonna be so much extra work to kind of work with
other people all the time and coordinate schedules and coordinate planning and all that,
but I’m realizing the benefit of it now, so I think it’s almost good that at first we didn’t so
much, because then I was like realizing that we should, you know what I mean?
Yeah.
Like I saw that it works better when you do. I mean, I think that it’s good.
Yeah. Go get your lunch, otherwise you’re gonna end up not eating.
Okay.
(Discussion off record regarding lunch)
All right, what’s next?
Talk to me about your kids.
Um –
Who are your problem kids?
Well, there’s a group of about four boys, [**] a kid with autism, has started this thing, it’s
the word tizzy-ant, and you make these little actions like this and you go, make all these
crazy animal-bug-sounding noises and it’s so creepy, up in someone’s face when you do
that, and so some of the other boys have thought that it’s really funny, so now we have a
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class of tizzy-anters and they come up to other kids and start going like this in their face
and so then we made a rule that it’s not allowed, I mean it’s kind of scary, but now it’s
almost like – have you read the book Frendal? The kids make up a word so then the
teacher says that word’s not allowed, so then of course they say it as much as they
possibly can to test her and see, you know, how many times they can say it in a day
without getting caught. So it’s basically what tizzy-ant is now. Um, and so that’s a big
issue. The school psychologist has met with these boys, I think one does it because he’s
immature – I think [**] does it for attention, and then a couple other boys just kind of get
caught up in it, but their actions certainly seem like, you know, like malicious, like you
tell them to stop and they’ll stop, but there are just two that they just really won’t stop.
And so, kind of we’ve tried going outside you have ten seconds to yell and scream, he’s
also just has a ton of energy all the time, you know, and so you have ten seconds to get all
your energy out as soon as you can and you can’t say tizzy-ant the rest – you know, get
your tizzy ant out, (11.21) he stays in for recess all the time, it’s seems – because
sometimes he seems to totally get it, he’ll say, yeah if I don’t say it then I don’t stay in for
recess, you know, like he gets it – he knows how it works. But he just still chooses to say
it all the time. Um, today –
Why do you think that is?
I don’t know. I’ve asked him – he says he doesn’t know. (11.46)
Do you think that he cannot help it?
I go back and forth on it. Um, I tried to giving him a fidget one day – he didn’t want it. I
think sometimes he can’t help it when he gets caught up in it, but sometimes he totally
does it just to push the envelope. Today, he wasn’t doing his work so I said [**] – er, he
didn’t want to do his homework or something, so I said [**] what do we need to do to
solve this problem. And he said tizzy-ant. Like he just looks at me – tizzy ant. No tizzy
ant isn’t going to help you do your work. What’s another way that you can solve your
work gonna be? And he just goes on and on – they have another one – watamus – no
watamus isn’t golng to help you do your work either. What’s another way? You know
what I mean? So I’ve just been trying to ignore it – cause I don’t want to make a huge
deal out of it.
He’s pushing you.
Yeah, exactly. Yep. So it’s a tough situation.
Well at some point you’re going to have to –
Give a consequence?
Do something.
Yeah, I mean, I’ve held him in for recess a ton, but –
That’s obviously not working.
Um-hm.
Right?
Um-hm. His mom knows – she thinks he’s just immature and being a boy. Um, I’ve
overheard his little sister who is in kindergarten say to him [**], stop making those noises
or you’re going to get in trouble. So she keeps helping him out.
Does she do it at home – does he do it at home, do you think?
You know, I bet not. Cause he doesn’t have like a group at home.
So why would his kindergarten sister be annoyed by it?
We do connect during kindergarten buddies so she sees him in school.
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Oh, okay.
Every Tuesday.
I mean, you know. Classroom management is one of those things that comes with
practice. You’re not expected to be able to manage your classroom as soon as you start
student teaching – otherwise you would be given your classroom and you wouldn’t be
student teaching with somebody.
I believe it’s all just a huge balancing act and sometimes I get it and sometimes I fall –
um – you know, on one hand I’m like, really it’s not that big of a deal, and was it worth it
to start this huge thing and have everyone – I don’t know – you know what I mean? Like
it’s not like they’re hurting anything, but then on the other hand, like I still want to make
sure that they know that I’m the teacher and I’m the one that if I say it’s not okay, then
it’s not okay. I went to a classroom last week to observe another teacher, and I saw she
just did – she – all the kids listened to her totally – and in their morning meeting some
kids were making noises and she just said, um, you know, like go over there until you’re
done making noises and then you can join us again. And that seemed to be – he started to
argue, oh I wasn’t really making noises, I was just doing this and this, which is totally
what my kids are doing, and she just said, no, gotta go –
Yeah, but there has to be a consequence, so there is a – so if he didn’t go, if he didn’t
move away from the situation like she told him to, there would have been a consequence
that that kid did not like. Because otherwise, there would have been no reason for him to
actually move away. Right?
Yeah.
So first you need to set up the consequences, because what she did by telling him to move
away was to give him a choice.
Move away or –
She just didn’t say the or – she just didn’t say this is what is going to happen if you don’t
move away.
Makes sense.
Which to me, tells me that whatever the consequence is serious enough that she does not
have to voice it.
I know they have a whole system that has come in their school, and you get one chance
for recovery in your classroom, and if that doesn’t work you go to another classroom to
sit in their timeout room. If that doesn’t work, then you have the choice of recovering,
that’s what they call it, recovering, in a lower grade classroom or the office. So I bet he –
I bet that’s it, that’s what I’m thinking now.
Um-hm. Do you use that in your room?
No, sometimes we tell kids, um, if they need a break to go sit on the bench in the hall.
Yeah.
But they’re – we’ll say to you, you know, if you don’t do this, then you’ll have to go
down and sit on the bench in front of the office, but it isn’t like a systematic – boomboom-boom. Maybe it should be more systematic to they’ll know what to expect.
Yeah. And really you cannot expect to learn how to do everything in one time.
Yeah. (16.30)
Well, you’re not. I mean –
Um –
What are your plans for the spring semester?
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Um, I have – I already know what I’m going to be teaching when. Our CT is a -made out
a schedule, I mean, since there are so many of us, you know, we have to get a schedule.
Um, over break I’m going to do a lot of portfolio work, when I’m actually excited for,
because I’m a dork, and I’m excited.
Um-hm.
(17.10)
Okay.
Here’s what I would like to do. I would like for us to – do you have Skype?
No but I’ve been meaning to get it.
It’s a free download. I would like for us to put ourselves on the schedule and like a halfan hour conversation every week.
Really?
In the evening, or the weekends, or whatever. Whenever we can – just so I could help you
work through the problems with your kids.
That would be great.
Not planning, not content necessarily, but just so you would have somebody that you can
brainstorm your –
And I bet talking out loud with someone it will be easier –
That’s the idea. Cause sometimes it’s just a problem that you don’t have anybody to
bounce ideas from.
That sounds really good.
And when you voice it, it makes it clear –
Like right now?
Uh-huh.
Yeah. Yeah.
What do you think?
It sounds really good. Another issue is we have two kids especially who are really high
achievers, so you know I also have to think about how to make sure they are not bored. I
mean, I think these are all normal things to think about.
Did I send you guys accommodations and modifications stuff?
I think so, the triangles?
No, a list of how to make accommodations.
No, I’m not sure.
No? I don’t think so.
Okay.
Because um, kids that are bored are one of the biggest dangers –
problems –
- in your class.
Um-hm. Yeah.
There is a little boy sitting in the back by the window – the one that was sitting closest to
the couch –
Yep – he’s bored. He goes to seventh grade for math – (19.27) – he also has very strong
beliefs about kids should be in power and why do I have to learn this, it’s not gonna help
me, you know, like – sometimes he’s defiant but not in like a sassy way, and like a – he
thinks that he knows better, you know - I should show you an essay that he wrote, it’s
called Kids – Power to the Kids. He thinks that school is stupid and um, it’s not fair that
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kids don’t get to hold political office like adults do, yeah – to which I said, well you
know, I mean, kids - right now, like if they gave this job of president to a kid they
wouldn’t know how to do it, and he said well that’s why kids need – just need training.
And well what’s school, [**], training.
Yeah. They are really too smart for their own maturity level.
Yeah –that’s exactly it.
And so you really need to keep them – you need to keep them occupied.
I noticed he reads all the time – I found him hiding under his desk reading, as if we’re not
gonna see him or something, when he’s supposed to be listening.
Yeah. Individual projects, usually work well. We just started doing that with a couple of
the kids that I have in my school.
And they don’t ever say, why do I have to do extra work, or why does he or she get
(20.50)…
Because it’s not extra work.
Okay.
It’s different work. So you’re not giving them extra worksheets – you’re not telling them
to do three worksheets instead of the one just because they do it faster. You’re really
extending their thought process and so – so for example, instead of having to do the
literature circle like everybody else does, you build a Rubrick for a literature unit that
they can do at the same time that everybody else is in literature circle, but something that
requires them to utilize their brain power at the grade level that they’re at. You see what
I’m saying?
Yeah.
So the material is the same –
Yeah.
- but the expectations are to their abilities.
Yeah.
Of course, there’s a lot of teachers that don’t like to do that because that means that
instead of grading one assignment you’re going to be grading two or three or four.
That makes sense.
The boy that you were reading with –
Um-hm.
- you have your hands full there.
Yeah. He’s been suspended twice this year. I think. And you know –
You need to find a way – you need to find a way of making him feel valuable.
Yeah, he’s shy. Oh, I’ve gotta go. Kindergarten buddies – he loves – he loves helping
little kids, you know, I think probably – and then he feels needed, and like he can help
somebody you know? I was so nervous the first time he went to that kindergarten room,
that he was gonna be this off-the-wall, and it was the best I’ve ever seen him behave. He
was so excited to be helping kids.

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APPENDIX AG: Megan Final Unit Plan
Unit Overview
Name: Megan
School: Marble Elementary, East Lansing

Grade Level: 4th
CT: RV

Unit Goal: Exposure of, appreciation for, and identification of key traits of myths, legends,
and tall tales.
Grade Level Content Expectations that this unit will work toward:
R.NT.04.01 describe the shared human experience depicted in classic, multicultural, and
contemporary literature recognized for quality and literary merit.
R.NT.04.02 identify and describe the structure, elements, and purpose of a variety of narrative
genre including poetry, myths, legends, fantasy, and adventure.
R.NT.04.04 explain how authors use literary devices (including flash-forward and flashback) to
depict time, setting, conflicts, and resolutions, and to enhance the plot and create suspense.
R.CM.04.03 explain relationships among themes, ideas, and characters within and across texts to
create a deeper understanding by categorizing and classifying, comparing and contrasting, or
drawing parallels across time and culture.
Content Objectives for the unit:
1: Students will be able to explain the purpose and origin of myths, legends, and tall tales, across
all cultures.
2: Students will be able to identify the setting, character traits, and narrative form of myths,
legends, & tall tales.
3: Students will be able to identify symbolism in the real world and in myths and legends.
4: Students will be able to identify and create similes and exaggerated descriptions.
5: Students will be able to apply the character traits, similes, and exaggerated descriptions to a
tall tale character.
6: Students will be able to identify texts as a myth or legend, tall tale, or neither.
Attitude and Process Intentions for this unit:
1: Students will be able to gain appreciation for the variety of cultures around the world.
2: Students will be able to view each other as resources of information.
3: Students will be able to link and apply knowledge of myth, legend, and tall tale content to the
real world.
4: Students will be able to revise and reflect on their current knowledge about myths, legends,
and tall tales.
5: Students will be able to express their curiosities and the thoughts that they are still wondering
about.
6: Students will be able to summarize stories and lessons by identifying the main points.
Main assessments used to determine if students meet unit objectives:

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1. Drawing of tall tale character with appropriate character traits, simile, and exaggerated
description.
2. Performance on cumulative written or oral assessment (test) on content objectives.
3. Contributions to class discussions throughout unit.
4. Responses to short prompts throughout unit recorded on sticky notes.
*Notes: “M&L” denotes “myths and legends,” while “TT” denotes “tall tales.”
“TPS” denotes “individual Think time, partner Pair, whole-class Share”
Mon. 10/19/09 M&L Traits
• Obj #1, 2
• Intro: Imagine that lived
before science – how
would you explain world?
• Read aloud of Legend of
Sleeping Bear by Wargin,
modeling focus on
purpose, characters, and
setting.
• Students read choice text
individually, in pairs, or
with me, while recording
responses on sticky notes
to compile on class poster.
• Daily closing – post a card
with name of stories read
to location of origin on
world map, then students
write and post
“wonderings” on sticky
note, and browse each
others’ notes.
• Look for students notes on
the characteristics – do
they accurately identify
text features?
Look for student comments on
attitudes – do they enjoy the
texts?

Tue. 10/20/09 M&L Traits
• Obj # 1, 2
• Read Frog Girl by Lewis,
asking for student input on
purpose, characters, and
setting and noting on
sticky notes.
• Students continue to read
choice texts and take
notes, posting on
“Purpose, Characters,
Setting” chart and
mapping origins on map.
• Students browse chart to
look for trends and
common responses.
• Teacher guides students
through discussion of key
traits found in texts read to
generate class list of
“Purposes, Settings, and
Characters” of myths and
legends.
• Daily closing –
summarizing main points
of lesson on document,
post a card with name of
stories read to location of
origin on world map, then
students write and post
“wonderings” on sticky
note, and browse each
others’.

Table 18 – Final Unit Plan
443

Wed. 10/21/09 M&L Origins
• Obj. # 1, 2
• Warm up – how can you
explain the sun and moon?
• Read summary points
from yesterday’s lesson.
• Play telephone to
demonstrate that things
change as retold.
• Read aloud of Why the Sun
and Moon Live in the Sky
by Nevin, modeling how
to identify purpose,
setting, characters, main
events, then retell story.
• Students read short myths
about the moon in pairs,
recording the
characteristics on Myth
Worksheet.
• Students “become storytellers” and retell their
myths to classmates.
• Daily closing – post a card
with name of stories read
to location of origin on
world map, then students
write and post
“wonderings” on sticky
note, and browse each
others’.
• Look for traits on Myth
Worksheet - do they
accurately identify text
features?

Table 18 (Cont’d)
• they accurately identify
Look for correct retelling –
text features?
can they remember the main
• Look for student comments points of a story?
during discussion – do
they understand the key
traits of the genre?
Mon. 10/26/09 M&L Origins
• Obj. # 1, 2
• Read summary points
from yesterday’s lesson.
• Play telephone to
demonstrate that things
change as retold.
• Whole class discussion
about how different
cultures produce different
myths but still share
common traits, and how
stories change over time.
• Daily closing –
summarizing main points
of lesson on document,
then students write and
post “wonderings” on
sticky note, and browse
each others’.
Look for comments about
genre characteristics and
observations of cultures and
origins.

Tue. 10/27/09 Symbolism
• Obj # 3
• Read summary points
from yesterday’s lesson.
• Warm up – view photos of
sculptures of Pandora,
write symbols you can
think of.
• Read aloud of Pandora
from Read and
Understand.
• Mini-lesson on symbols,
students decode common
symbols in pairs.
• Teacher re-reads Pandora
while students highlight
symbols they come to.
• Conversation about the
symbols in Pandora. Class
decodes symbols
commonly found in myths.
• Students revise their
responses on their M&L
pre-assessment.
• Daily closing –
summarizing main points
of lesson on document,
post a card with name of
stories read to location of
origin on world map, then
students write and post
“wonderings” on sticky
note, and browse each
others’.
• Look for responses during
discussion and

Table 18 – Final Unit Plan
444

Wed. 10/28/09 TT Traits
• Obj # 1, 2
• Warm-up - If you were
going to be a myth,
legend, or tall tale for
Halloween, who would
you be? Show me in
words or drawings what
your costume would look
like.
• Intro: Show photos of
wilderness of pioneer
America. Imagine that
you are pioneer - how
would you get hope for
surviving nature?
• Read aloud of Paul
Bunyan by Kellogg, then
show other drawings of
him.
• TPS, then class compiles
list of Paul’s character
traits.
• Discussion of purpose of
tall tales – give hope by
creating heroes.
• Daily closing –
summarizing main points
of lesson on document,
post a card with name of
stories read to location of
origin on world map, then
students write and post
“wonderings” on sticky
note, and browse each
others’.

Table 18 (Cont’d)

Mon. 11/2/09 TT Traits
• Obj # 4, 5
• Read Paul Bunyan’s
character traits from
previous lesson.
• Read aloud of Swamp
Angel by Kellogg,
focusing on structure of
story, character traits.
• Show Captain Stormalong
and Pecos Bill clips on
youtube.
• Through discussion, class
generates list of common
traits of tall tale heroes.
• If time allows, read
Thunder Rose by Nelson.
• Daily closing –
summarizing main points
of lesson on document,
post a card with name of
stories read to location of
origin on world map, then
students write and post
“wonderings” on sticky
note, and browse each
others’.
• Look for understanding of
hero traits during
discussion.

performance during
symbol matching activity
– can they understand
symbols?
• Look at revised preassessment for accurate
responses.
Tue. 11/3/09 Similes,
Hyperbole
• Obj # 4
• Read summary points
from previous lesson.
• Read beginning of Davy
Crockett, focusing on
exaggeration.
• Read exaggeration
example from district
curriculum.
• Short discussion of
purpose of hyperbole
(humor, makes them
heroes, etc.) Class creates
hyperboles about Marble
school.
• Reread beginning of Davy
Crockett, focusing on
similes in the text.
• Short discussion of
purpose of similes (humor,
visualize, etc.) Class
creates similes about
Marble school.
• Students complete short
worksheet to make
hyperboles and similes
about themselves.
• Daily closing –
summarizing main points
of lesson on document,
post a card with name of
stories read to

Table 18 – Final Unit Plan

445

Look for responses in
discussion – can they identify
character traits?

Wed. 11/4/09 TT Plays
• Obj # 2, 5
• Read summary points
from yesterday’s lesson.
• Show pictures of Febold
Feboldson and Sally Anne
Thunder Anne Whirlwind.
• Assign roles for readaloud plays (Febold and
Sally).
• Students practice plays –
first read, then read and
practice movements.
• Groups perform plays,
video taped.
• Discussion what makes
them tall tales.
• Daily closing –
summarizing main points
of lesson on document,
post a card with name of
stories read to location of
origin on world map, then
students write and post
“wonderings” on sticky
note, and browse each
others’.
• Look for appropriate
expression during plays,
and comments during
discussion.

Table 18 (Cont’d)

Mon. 11/9/09 Create TT
Hero
• Obj # 5
• Read summary points
from previous lesson.
• I model how thought
process to create a tall tale
hero (Smiling Suzy who
battles alligators).
• Show students rubric for
own character.
• Students have individual
work time to create
character and include
hyperbole and simile.
Daily closing: students write
and post “wonderings” on
sticky note, and browse each
others’.
Table 18 – Final Unit Plan

• location of origin on world
map, then students write
and post “wonderings” on
sticky note, and browse
each others’.
• Look for accuracy and
creativity on worksheet.
Tue. 11/10/09 Review Game
• Obj # 6
• Read summary points
from previous lesson.
• As a class, create Venn
Diagram of myth and
legends and tall tales
characteristics.
• Play “What Am I?” game
as class, classifying
common stories and
characters.
Look for correct identification
of traits.

Wed. 11/11/09 Final Test
• Obj # 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
• I explain test and read
items to students.
• Students complete written
test. First section is
classifying stories that I
describe.
• After students complete
test, take optional unit
survey.
Students read quietly when
finished.

Lesson 1: Introduction to and Features of Myths and Legends
Date: 10-19-09

Estimated length: 40 minutes

Objectives for today’s lesson:
1: Students will be able to explain the purpose and origin of myths, legends, and tall tales,
across all cultures.
2: Students will be able to identify the setting, character traits, and narrative form of myths,
legends, and tall tales.
Materials for students:
Variety of myths and legends (picture books and copied texts)
Sticky notes
Story name card
Materials for teacher:
Legend of the Sleeping Bear by Wargin

Materials for classroom:
Wonderings poster
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Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by dePaola
Sticky notes
Document camera and computer
Key traits chart (for sticky notes)
Entrance directions on screen

World map

Entrance directions – Screen reads “Wash up, get your snack, and be ready in your seat.
Silently browse the books at your table while you eat snack today.”
Introduction – Set purpose of creating myths (2 min)
• I turn off lights for kids to imagine. “Imagine that you live a long time ago. Scientists
haven’t discovered much about how the world works yet. When you look up at the night
sky, you see bright shining lights. You see the plants grow and change. You see the sun
moving across the sky. You see animals that look and act differently. You see different
forms of land, like mountains and lakes. What do you think about those things? How do
you explain them? If you don’t know the scientific reason, how do you think those things
were made? How do you make sense of the world?” Students have 20 seconds to
respond to neighbor.
Whole class read-aloud (14 min)
• Students move to sit on the floor. I introduce book, Legend of the Sleeping Bear, as a
book that explains one of those things. “While I’m reading, listen for the purpose of the
story, the setting, and the characters.” (write headings on doc cam.)
• Read the picture book, modeling my thought process to identify and record the purpose,
setting, and character traits.
• Read the introduction of book, emphasizing oral retelling and grounded in truth but not
necessarily true.
Explore texts to find key traits (14 minutes)
• Explain task – “There are about 30 myths and legends in this room to explore. When I
tell you to, you will return to your seat and choose a story at your table to read. While
reading, be thinking about the purpose of the story – what does it do? the setting – where
and when? and the characters – who are they? Then we’ll all share what we found, so
we can figure out what the things are that make a story a myth or a legend. To help you
remember your thoughts, jot down what you notice on a sticky note.” (model, then
instruct to work individually or in responsible pairs. Also may choose to read Legend of
the Indian Paintbrush on couch with me.) Ask student to rephrase directions, then direct
them back to seats to work.
• Students work. I will first ensure that all students are on task, then read a book with the
students who choose to listen rather than read. If students finish early, they are to
continue reading books.
Closing (5 min)
• Students mark spots in book reading with sticky note with name.

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Direct students to do two things on way out to lunch – 1) write name of story they read
on a little note card, and tape it on the country it originates from on the world map. 2)
place their book on my desk.

Accommodations and Support
• Much support is built into the lesson for all students. They choose to work individually
or with someone else, which text to read, or to listen to me read. The texts available
represent a variety of difficulties and lengths. Students also have the option to switch
texts if they change their mind after beginning to read. This will work to meet the needs
of all students in the classroom, including the three focal students.
• For two students with special needs, there is a parapro in the classroom. She will be
available to keep students on track and help guide their thinking and reading.
Assessment
• I will listen for comments about attitudes towards stories and texts
I will read the responses on the sticky notes for accuracy of identifying traits.
Lesson 2: Exploring “What are the key traits of all myths and legends?”
Date: 10-20-09

Estimated length: 40 minutes

Objectives for today’s lesson:
1: Students will be able to explain the purpose and origin of myths, legends, and tall tales,
across all cultures.
2: Students will be able to identify the setting, character traits, and narrative form of myths,
legends, and tall tales.
Materials for students:
Variety of myths and legends (picture books and copied texts)
Sticky notes
Materials for teacher:
Frog Girl by Lewis
Photos of Pacific NW landscape
“Purpose, Characters, Setting” poster
Sticky notes
Document camera and computer
Entrance directions on screen

Materials for classroom:
Wonderings poster
World map

Entrance Directions: “Wash up and sit at your desk to eat your snack. Quietly browse the
books at your table while you eat today.”
Introduction - Giving Context (2 minutes)
• Tell students we will read another book today, which is from and takes place in the
pacific northwest of the united states (mark on world map with a star).

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Show a few photos of the landscape, asking students what they notice (mountains, lakes,
etc)

Whole Class Read Aloud (15 minutes)
• Read Frog Girl with minimal pauses, instructing to students to focus on key traits
(display “purpose, setting, and characters” on doc cam with short descriptions).
• Ask “what did you think?” (quick responses)
• Ask students input about purpose, setting, and characters of story, noting on sticky notes.
Post stickies on “Purpose, Characters, Setting” chart. (anticipated responses: purpose is
to teach people to respect nature, setting is in the woods and lakes of pacific NW a long
time ago, characters are native people and talking frogs who act like people.)
Explore texts to find key traits (8-10 minutes)
• Students continue to read choice texts, noting the key traits on sticky notes. Students
choose to read individually, with a partner, or with teacher. Students choose another text
once finished with one, and post stickies on “Purpose, Characters, Setting” chart.
Class collaboration (10-12 min)
• Students have opportunity to browse the chart and read each others’ responses.
• “Now, your task as a class is to come up with a list of the key traits of myths and legends.
You’re all becoming experts in this – I can tell by your responses on your sticky notes.”
Read excerpts from each column, grouping similar responses together. Direct students to
think about commonalities. Through think-pair-share, produce a class list of the key
traits. Teacher records list on the doc cam using students own language. Afterwards,
class choral-reads the list. Anticipated list:
What we know myths and legends have a....
o Purpose
Explain how the world or something in nature was created
Explain the appearance of animals
Describe someone who did something memorable
Explain the history of something
o Setting
A really long time ago, maybe before the world was created
Different places around the world
o Characters
Talking animals
Things from nature in human form (personification)
People from different cultures
Gods and goddesses
Closing (3 minutes)
• Students write down something they are still wondering about on a sticky, and post it on
the wonderings poster.
• Students clean up materials.
Accommodations and Support
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Much support is built into the lesson for all students. They choose to work individually
or with someone else, which text to read, or to listen to me read. The texts available
represent a variety of difficulties and lengths. Students also have the option to switch
texts if they change their mind after beginning to read.
Students are encouraged to share with the class during the discussion by first browsing the poster
individually, and also sharing ideas with a partner first.
•

Assessment
• Assess student comments for evidence of enjoyment of texts.
• Assess students responses on sticky notes for accuracy of key traits.
• Assess students responses during class discussion and TPS for accuracy and quality of
key traits.
Analyze “Wonderings” poster for insight into students’ thoughts to inform future instruction.
Lesson 3: Myths and Legends Come from Many Cultures But Share Same Traits
Date: 10-26-09

Estimated length: 40 minutes

Objectives for today’s lesson:
1: Students will be able to explain the purpose and origin of myths, legends, and tall tales,
across all cultures.
2: Students will be able to identify the setting, character traits, and narrative form of myths,
legends, and tall tales.
Materials for students:
Copies of myths from Moontellers by Moroney
Myth Retelling Worksheet
Clipboards
Materials for teacher:
Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky by Dayrell
“Fires Wild Dance” in Zamani by Nevin
Myth book by Ross (intro page)
What We Know document
Questions We Will Explore Today document
Instructions document
Entrance directions document with photos of sun and moon
Document camera and computer
Relaxing music

Materials for classroom:
Wonderings poster
World map, dry erase

Entrance Directions – Screen reads “Wash up, get your snack, and be ready in your seat. Think
silently about the sun and the moon. Pretend you don’t know what they are or what they are
made of. What story might you tell to explain them? Why are they in the sky? Why do they
move? Once you have some ideas, you may read silently until we are ready to begin.”
Introduction – Review and share (3 min)
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•
•
•
•
•

Students have 1 minute to share their thoughts about the sun and the moon with their
neighbor.
I ask students to read What We Know document aloud with me.
Read intro of Ross book to reinforce this.
Add “Myths and legends are not true, but could be originally grounded in facts” to What
Know.
Show Questions We Will Explore Today:
o Who made up these things?
o Where do they come from?
o How does the culture that a myth comes from affect the story?

Whole class read-aloud (10 min)
• I introduce book, Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky, as a book that explains
something about nature. “I am going to be a story-teller and tell you this story. First
we’ll read it together. While I read, I’m going to make notes so I remember everything
important about the story.”
• Read the picture book, filling out Myth Retelling Worksheet. Then retell as a story-teller.
• Read last page of book, emphasizing oral retelling.
• Show painting from “Fires Wild Dance” story. Mark Africa on map.
Paired reading of moon myths (10 min)
• “In groups of two or three, you will read one of these 10 myths. Your partner will be
your writer’s workshop partner. You may decide how to read it – together, alternate
lines, one person volunteers to do reading. Then you’ll share your myth with another
group. To help you remember the key traits in your myth, both of you fill out the Myth
Worksheet with your partner, like I did. It may help to read your myth twice. Give me
the ready signal once your group is ready to be story-tellers.” (display instructions on
screen).
• Pairs pick up a clipboard and a myth, find a place to work.
• As students work, I will circulate the classroom and listen to student comments.
• Direct students to map their story once done reading and discussing.
Sharing of moon myths (8 min)
• “Poof! Now you are all story-tellers.” Students will wander the room while I play music,
until I stop the song. Then they will turn to the person closest to them and pretend to be
story tellers, sharing their myths. They will have their worksheet to refer to. We will
continue for as many rounds as we have time for.
• I read Astronomers’ version of the moon myth.
Class discussion (5 min)
• Students will move chairs to form a circle arrangement in the room. They will sit by
partner and have their myth and worksheet available.
• I will tell students that the goal of this discussion is to share our ideas and learn from each
other’s ideas. We will review positive ways to behave when people share ideas.
Discussion will focus on these central questions, which I will prompt as necessary:
o What did you notice the same about the myths?
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o
o
o
o

What did you notice that was different?
What does that tell you about different cultures and people across the world?
How is the culture that the myth came from reflected in the story?
How did these myths come to be? What does that tell you about all cultures?

Closing – Review, mapping, and thinking about more (5 min)
• Students input to add to What We Know on document camera. Anticipated: Myths and
legends come from cultures all over the world. They were passed on by people telling the
stories. Some characters are things in nature acting like humans (water, sun, etc). They
have a problem and a solution.
• Students add story origin to map.
• Students write down something they are still wondering about on a sticky, and post it on
the wonderings poster. Also browse and respond to stickies of peers.
• Excuse students to lunch, asking to return their myth, worksheet, and clipboard on the
way out.
Accommodations and Support
• The worksheet will scaffold the students’ thinking to help them both identify and
remember the key traits and plot.
• The pairs are thoughtfully planned to represent a mix of stronger and weaker writers and
readers. By allowing the students to choose themselves who reads they can negotiate to
best serve their needs.
• For two students with special needs, there is a parapro in the classroom. She will be
available to keep students on track and help guide their thinking and reading.
Assessment
• I will observe students responses in class discussion and small groups, looking for proper
and in-depth knowledge of the key traits, and thoughtful responses about cultures and all
people.
• I will also collect the completed Myth Worksheets to assess written identification of traits
and plot points. I will compare these to the trait sticky notes from the previous lesson to
monitor improvement.
I will read the wonderings poster to gain insight into their thoughts and inform future instruction
Assessment	
  Plan	
  
There are many different types of assessment of student learning built into this unit, including the
following:
• continuous insight into the students current and changing thoughts regarding the unit
(wonderings)
• pre-assessment of broad topics, and later a revision of the pre-assessment
• worksheet which demonstrates identification of traits of myths and legends (Myth
Worksheet)
• worksheet which demonstrates creation of similes and hyperboles
• drawing of tall tale character with logical character traits and descriptions
• performance of analysis of tall tale read-aloud play
452

•
•

frequent observations of students responses related to the content, in small groups and
whole class discussions
performance of summative assessment (choice of written or oral)

Many of the assessments are instructed as “show me with words or drawings,” allowing each
student to choose which expression is best suited for him or her. Assessment will be used to
inform future instruction.
The students in the classroom with IEPs will still be expected to complete all work, as stated in
the IEP, given accommodations when needed such as extra time to work and breaks from
learning. The three focal students will follow the same assessment plan as the rest of the class.
The second half of the summative assessment (thinking deeper, and necessitating more writing
than the first part) will be offered in two forms – written and oral. This ensures that students
who struggle to write are not at a disadvantage to express their thoughts (including the focal
students).
Quality and quantity of student learning will assess my design and implementation of the unit, as
well as the formal “unit evaluation survey” that the students will complete on the last day.

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APPENDIX AH: Cassie First on-line Assignment
Part A
Last year I was placed in a classroom that focused a great deal of time on writer’s workshop. The
students seemed to be given a lot of room to decide what to write about within a certain context
or content related theme. The teacher did an excellent job of modeling the skills related to a
mini-lesson, involving the students in the creation of a piece, but choosing her words or style
pieces, try a new skill learned, or revise words, spelling, punctuation, etc. As time went on
students were on different stages of planning, writing, editing and creating a final copy to
present. It was definitely a scene of control chaos, but the students were engaged and excited
about the process. This also gave time for teachers/class volunteers to work on a more individual
or small group basis with students to address their specific needs in relation to writing.
This was a lower grade level than I am currently placed in, but I wanted to share some of the
aspects that I saw effective could be applied to all grade levels.
individually created dictionaries – students were encouraged to use the word wall, and
other text around the room, friend, etc., but if they could not locate we would write the word (and
usually a picture) on the corresponding letter page;
different types of paper, marker boards and pre-made blank “books” with bright colors to
use their writing that were always available
free time to write whatever they wanted – sent the message that writing is an enjoyable
pastime
time to read their stories/writing to the class
bulletins and displays of students’ writing in the halls and classrooms
event where they would bring in a karaoke machine for students to read their stories
outloud to families and peers
Part B
I found the module to be very informative and valuable as it offered great insight into the
minds of struggling writers. The discussion of working memories and the ability to fill that
“space” with either high or low level task made sense, and really reinforced the need to develop
handwriting and spelling skills in young writers. I was on the fence about both of these tasks in
the beginning of the year, yet after observing my CT’s spelling curriculum at work, and the
discussions in this module, I now see the value. The ability to quickly recall words frequently
used while writing, and the skills of spelling unfamiliar words based on exposure from reading,
or learned patterns and correlations in the English language is critical to maintaining positive
attitudes and motivation in terms of writing and school in general.
In our class, the students complete a pretest on Friday of fifteen words based on a “rule”,
high frequency words for the grade level, content related words, or words that are seen
frequently misspelled by the class. For example, this week dealt with the “rule” of dropping the
silent e at the end of words and adding -ing. The students complete the test, check their own
work and then determine their personalized list for the week. If they get less than three words
wrong they are given a list of “challenge” words to choose from in addition to those that they
missed. Rather than seeing this as extra work, my teacher introduced this as a great opportunity
for students to improve both their reading and writing and this week all of these students were
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willing to “accept the challenge” without any complaints or comments. The students that got
more than three wrong are given additional practice and exposure to those words throughout the
week. Knowing that their reading and writing skills will improve as they increase the words that
they are able to recall and spell correctly makes me feel more motivated and excited about
teaching spelling. It now seems obvious, but I needed to have it explained that there is only so
much room in one’s working memory and if they are struggling with writing the letters and
spelling words they have less room to engage in higher level thinking and tasks.
The experience of completing the activities in the module was very eye opening. I fund
myself completing the first task with ease, getting excited about the visualization in my head and
the opportunity to use rich descriptive words to convey my ideal summer vacation. I didn’t stop
writing until the time was up, however the feelings with Activity 2 were quite different. Writing
with my left hand I was frustrated, got lost in my thought, worried about how my writing looked
and at one point threw my pencil down and had to force myself to pick it back up and keep
going. The experience reminded me of a student that I taught in Australia that had dyspraxia.
This student could tell the most amazing, descriptive stories and events using humor, hand
gestures and very creative thinking however his coordination and the connection of brain to hand
was a huge inhibitor in writing. I remembered this experience when completing a writing lesson
that I had taught in relation to the Aboriginal Dreaming Stories and Native American legends
after a study of both in the classroom. I walked the students through a visualization, gave them
each a Petoskey stone that I had brought from home and asked them each to take a minute to
look at the stone, dip in water and imagine themselves as young Native Americans walking the
shores of Lake Michigan, discovering the object and sharing its legend with a friend. Most
students quickly got to work writing, but when I saw this students gazing around and flying his
rock around like a spaceship I went over to work with him and asked about his ideas. He shared
with me the most exciting introduction, about a magical meteor crashing onto Earth and landing
on the shores of Lake Michigan yet did not have anything written down. By the end of the
writing period he had no more than a few sentences using none of the descriptive language that
he had shared. This experience gave me a better understanding of what writing and school at
large must be like for him and so many others. I need to focus on fewer, more specific skills,
modeling the processes and giving the students an opportunity to develop the different aspects
over time.
Finally the last slides summed up many of the big ideas from this module that took note
of and will be applying into my writing lessons. The value of authentic, real life experiences for
writing is critical for young writers. Having the ability to write for many audiences and for a
variety of purposes makes sense, and I feel really illustrates to the students the value of being
great writers outside the classroom setting. I want my students to be motivated and excited about
their writing, and I can see having them create stories for family, friends, younger students,
people in the community or experts in a field that they are interested in will help to keep their
attitudes positive and their motivation to write and become better writers high.

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APPENDIX AI: Cassie Project One
PHYSICAL RESOURCES
Book Room – The book room is located in the north hallway in the building, inside Mrs. S. and
Mrs. K office. Class set of trade books in many genres and subject areas are set aside in that
room that will be used during the year for a specific grade level. Norm is that you can pull items
for lower grade levels, but you cannot use items that are labeled for higher-grade levels.
Library – Extensive collection, organized with the Dewy Decimal System, several areas are presorted such as E Fiction Biographies, sports and animals. Mrs. B and parent volunteers run the
library. The Gifted and Talented Resources, Teacher Research Books, and the DVD/VHS
collection are in an adjoining room in the library. The laminator is also in another room in the
library. There are five computers available for use in locating books, our class has library for half
hour on Mondays, but additional are available for research projects, or for students that need to
check-out additional books. Check out with Mrs. B.
Gifted and Talented Resources – Located in the library, extension tasks and activities for Math,
Science and Social Studies can be found here. Teacher can pull out packets for differentiated if
students are considered gifted. Check out with Mrs. B.
Teacher Reserve Books – Located in the library. Collection of content specific books related to
economics, social studies, math, etc. reserved for teacher use. This collection is fairly small, as
most of these resources as now in general circulation. Check out with Mrs. B.
DVD/VHS collection – Located in the library. These are available for use in the classroom.
There are no TV in the classrooms, so DVD are run using the computer, and a TV could be
checked out to watch a VHS. Check out with Mrs. B.
Author Kits – Located in the library. Sets of Author’s books, with lessons and activities for
Author’s series. Check out with Mrs. B.
Leveled Library – Located in the staff lounge. Small group to class set collections of many
popular authors and titles, content specific texts and award winning books. A retired teacher
donated many of these, and anyone is welcome to use them. These are often pulled for book club
and literature circle choices. There is a color-coded system with the grade level, and each teacher
has a clothespin to tag on the tub makers to show that one has removed the books.
Computer Lab – We have a designated time on Mondays to utilize the computer lab. The
teachers are responsible for the technology curriculum, using them for a wide variety of lessons.
Each student is given a login and password, and must sign an internet form to access the Internet.
Additional times can be booked to use the lab, and five computers are also reserved for students
to use even if there is a class in the room. We also have two classroom computers that are
utilized by the students as well. This lab houses both the black and white, and colored printer for
the building. Items sent from the classrooms can be retrieved there.
Teacher Workroom – the teacher workroom has two large paper cutters, two dye cut machines
and collections of letters, numbers, shapes, symbols and objects. Teacher mailboxes are located
in this room. There is a large copy machine, but we are encouraged to send large print jobs to
Offset, where they print for about half the price. An order can be sent via email. Or a physical
pick up at the school when items are delivered. These must be done about a week in advance,
and we are STRONGLY encouraged/EXPECTED to use this service.
Grade Level Pod Resource Room – Each grade level has a teacher storage room and office.
This results in a shared collection of resources available for all content areas. Each teacher has
their own desk, storage shelves, and SPACE to store all of their personal collections of
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classroom items. Many of these have become cramped “catch alls” but with new teachers
entering the building these will be cleaned (and items donated to interns) during the year.
SMARTboard – mounted in each classroom to integrate throughout the day for lessons,
announcements, etc.
Document Camera – In each classroom , available for use in lessons throughout the day.
Mrs. N Personal Collection – Mrs. N has a personal collection of curriculum resources, ideas,
classroom library, examples from her children’s elementary years, etc available for examples,
lessons and units.
HUMAN RESOURCES
Reading Consultant – Sally runs the summer reading program, book fairs, and organizes march
is Reading Month activities, author visits, etc. She administers many of the formal assessment
and runs the Book Club (formerly known as HOTS) program, which focuses on building higher
level thinking skills with At-Risk students. This is a somewhat controversial program, largely
due to the lack of reading. Some teachers do not send students now, seeing that the computer
based program is not working. We have three students that will be pulled out for Book Club this
year.
Media-Tech Specialist – runs the library, helps with book fairs, and organizes the Gift a Book
program where books can be donated to the library for $8.00 in the name of a student. These new
books are available to preview, students/parents decide on a book, and the student’s name, date,
occasion will e typed on a pre-made sticker and become part of the library collection. Rosemary
is responsible for all laminating in the building and is the ONLY one allowed to touch the
machine.
Lee – another reading consultant in the building, working with At-Risk students. She shares the
office with Peggy.
Peggy – Math At-Risk consultant. We will have students pulled out for her services, mainly MS
who is completing 3rd grade math curriculum.
Destiny – School psychologist, evaluates students for emotional impairments.
Dot – English Language Arts teacher. Works on developing English language skills with new
ELL students. We have a large Korean population and most of the students that work with Dot
speak Korean as a first language. Three students in my class will get pulled out during Science
for her services.
Tim – is one of the school counselors in the building. He works with peer relationships, small
groups of students and many students on a one to one basis. He really is seen as an advocate and
confidante for the students. We have a few that will have specific times to see him throughout
the year, but can also ask to go see him if needed. Tim is doing a lot of MEAP readiness, sending
home letters to parents on what they should be doing and working with students on test taking
strategies and anti-anxiety type discussions.
Mrs. K – resource teacher works with students with learning disabilities that qualify for her
services. We have two students that are pulled out for her students.
Fourth Grade Pod Teachers – S and S are the other two teachers in the fourth grade pod. S will
teach the Social Studies curriculum, and S teaches the math curriculum. They both have very
different styles and years of experience, but have been/will be great resources for me throughout
the year.

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MS – Secretary extraordinaire. MS is doing the job of two people after cuts last year. She is
responsible for a great deal in the school and is a great resource for questions regarding
attendance, procedures, contacting parents and school resources.
Field Coordinator – he is/will be an outstanding mentor for the internship year. Working with
us on a group or individual basis. We have a weekly seminar, meeting after school on Tuesdays
and he will also be observing us in action each week giving feedback and positive reinforcement.
Principle – taking a leadership role for all interns, meeting with us during seminars, willing to
review resumes, and observe us teaching lessons.
School custodians – great team that is friendly and willing to help in any way they are able.
Parents – will be an incredible resource throughout the year. I am excited to work with Mrs. N
to find ways to bring in parents and members of the community to enhance the curriculum in the
classroom lend extra hands and give the students a more real-world authentic education.
LITEARCY PROGRAM(S) IN THE CLASSROOM
a. Instructional models
• Book Club – Modeled from book, Book Club – A Literature Based Curriculum,
by Taffy E. Raphael, Laura S. Pardo and Kathy Highfield. We will be utilizing
this program with Gary Paulson’s The Hatchet. I have been told that this is done
through a combination of mini-lessons, reading, writing, and whole group
discussions. More to come…
• Literature Circles – more of a self-selected group, guided by the teacher through
assembled choices by teachers. More to come…
• 6 + 1 Traits of Good Writing – focus on Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word
Choice, Sentence Fluency, Conventions and Presentations. We have discussed an
will continue to explore these in our writing throughout the year. The students
become familiar with the vocabulary by posters in the group, discussions and on
their writing rubrics.
b. Instructional resources
• Leveled Trade Books – based on the genres associated with the 4 grade GLCE’s,
Adventure, fantasy, Poetry, Myths/Legends, Biographies. (The Hatchet, Mildred
Taylor Books, Tuck Everlasting, Sign of the Beaver and Journey Back to
Lumberjack camp)
• Spelling Program – McDougal Littell Spelling. Offers word sets with associated
“rules” for spelling. Students complete a pre-test on Fridays and self-correct the
tests. If they get three or fewer wrong, they must have those misspelled words in
their list and get to choose an additional group of “Challenge Words” to complete
a set of 15 words total. Students with more than three wrong will complete the
entire list and will also complete a spelling worksheet for homework that is due
on Wednesday that really promotes the use of words, reforming sentences using
the words and offers more exposure to the words within a different context. Final
tests will be given before the next units pre-test on Fridays. I am enjoying this
differentiated approach, ensuring that students of all levels are being pushed to
learn as many new words as possible.
• Basal – Literacy Place – Scholastic. This will often be used for small group read
aloud, and for different short stories and mini lessons.

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•

DOL – geared for fourth grade curriculum content and related skills. Focuses on
grammar, punctuation, and the process of editing. We will use these often in the
morning as an opening task, giving the students the opportunity to really develop
their proofreading and revising skills.

c. Literacy Schedule
Monday
Tuesday
- DOL - 15 min
- Independent
- Read aloud –
reading – 15 min
20 min
- Read aloud –
- Reading,
20 min
writing
- Reading,
predictions and
writing
observations,
predictions and
listening and
observations,
viewing in
listening and
Science
viewing in
- Writing block
Science
in computers –
- Shared
45 min
reading/writing
- Shared
block – 1 hour
reading/writing
block – 1 hour
Table 19 – Literacy Schedule

Wednesday
- edit/review
DOL – 15 min
- Reading,
writing
predictions and
observations,
listening and
viewing in
Science
- Read aloud –
20 min
- reading/writing
block – 55 min
- Shared
reading/writing
block – 1 hour

Thursday
- Read aloud –
20 min
- Free block
independent
reading/writing –
25 min
- Reading,
writing
predictions and
observations,
listening and
viewing in
Science
- reading – 15
min

Friday
- Spelling test –
15 min
- Spelling pretest – 15 min
- Mini-lesson on
spelling rule
- Read aloud –
20 min
- Free block – 95
min
- Free block – 80
min
- Poetry recital
(choice of
individual, pairs
or small groups)

d. Analysis of Literacy Program based on MI GLCE’s

READING

Most emphasis in classroom
- 20 Days of Reading – first month or two
of the school about 3 times a week we
would focus on 1 of these 20 days. Skills
such as How to Choose a Good Book for
Me. What is a genre, review and discuss
purpose and elements of different genres;
- Reading Strategies, highlighting
important parts of the text, rereading,
examining sentence/paragraph to
understand specific words or meaning
used within that context;
- Most students are reading “just right”
books for them during any down time
when they have completed their work.
- Content related books and experiments
in Science;
Table 20 – Analysis of Literacy Program
459

Least emphasis in classroom
- Independent reading time is rare and not
consistent;
- Reading with a partner does not occur
- Small group reading or discussions do not
occur

Table 20 (Cont’d)

WRITING

- Volunteers read aloud as class follows
along in trade books.
- Comprehension strategies used during
read aloud discussions, retellings,
summarizing, predictions, and text-to-self
connections shared;
- Spelling – dictionary use taught through
mini-lessons and students use
dictionaries, words around the room,
friends, and spell checkers consistently in
their writing.
- DOL about three days a week, focusing
on the editing process and using editing
marks.
- Weekly writing prompts in the
computer lab using Microsoft Word with
specific skills, and tools to use to
complete a writing piece.
- With a given prompt, or choice of a few
variations of prompts, students complete
pre-writes and engage in the writing
process of drafts, revising and editing
own work.

LIST./VIEW

SPEAKING

- Answering questions

- Cursive handwriting packets have been
given out to the students, but are rarely used
to reinforce these developing skills;
- students do not complete journals, with free
time to write with a given prompt or free
choice;
- There is very little writing completed where
students choose their topic or genre in which
to write;
- A few students that are choosing to do this
on their own only do note-taking.
- Class discussions where students answer
and ask each other questions;

- MVP of the Week gets to share for
about 15 minutes 3 times a week to the
class, sharing and answering questions;

- Small group discussions on a given topic or
piece of writing

- Weekly memorization and recital of
poetry
- Daily real aloud by teacher and
responses of peers in relation to the text

- Responding to one another’s questions or
ideas;

- Listening and sharing questions to
MVP presenter;

- Viewing an discussing art or illustrations

- Listening to content related video clips

Table 20 – Analysis of Literacy Program
I think maintaining a more consistent schedule of times would benefit the students and literacy
program. I would like to start offering more time for partner and small group discussions of
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literacy. Peer editing can be introduced to get more feedback on writing and see how others are
using writing to get more ideas and be encouraged to try new things in their writing. I would also
like to see students sharing more of their writing with one another by a sort of author’s chair or
sharing time. Responding to text in a variety of ways, dramatics and art for instance would be a
great way to engage more students, and allow other outlets for creativity in responding to
different texts.
LITERACY ASSESSMENTS
1. Three Focal students
MH – Hearing Impaired, At-Risk Reading and Math, goes to Speech, Book Club, At-Risk Math
support (third grade math curriculum) and Resource Room support. Eager to learn and is very
responsible with her hearing aids and sound system devices. MH has set an academic goal to get
better at math and a social goal to make more friends in fourth grade. I would like to be aware of
the best scenario for her in all aspects of the classroom. How can I get her caught up when she is
out of the room? Where is the best seat for her during instruction and activities? What would be
the best use of time (skills/areas to address) for her during small group mini-lessons? Her father,
who is very supportive of her educational demands is raising her. He spends a lot of time
working with her at home. During her IEP, he expressed concern about the lack of a mother role
for her and has arranged to have her meet with a female counselor. MH is also meeting with the
same mentor that she had last year, a female high school senior. MH is in the Caring Leaders
program, which I am helping to facilitate.
MS – Bright mind, needs a great deal of work with organization and connecting his thoughts in
his writing. It is evident that both his parents and himself are aware of this area to focus on
developing, as they expressed this in the beginning of he year “Handle with Care” forms that
they filled out for him. He set an academic goal to focus on the main idea in writing and a social
goal to earn more green tickets by getting ready to begin class and lessons earlier. He is quite shy
and avoids eye contact, but I am really interested with making a connection with him and
working on his academic goal. I think using graphic organizers for writing, and giving him (and
all students) a rubric with clear expectations that he can refer to will be very beneficial to him.
MS is in the Caring Leaders program, which I am helping to facilitate.
A – has been labeled Gifted and Talented. He excels in hands-on, problem solving problems. He
is very interested in sports and animals. He enjoys math, and is participating in the DynaMath
program, that is in a magazine format that acts as an extension for math. He loves to read, and
will often be seen with a book on his desk or open up and reading when he has down time or is
finished with his lessons. A really struggles with writing! He can articulate his ideas in
discussion, but freezes, cries and puts his head down when it comes to writing. We have seen
him completing great pieces of writing when it can be about his choice, mostly animals. He
benefits from the use of graphic organizers where he can start with simple phrases or sentences
or simple words. I have thought about acting as a scribe for some pre-writes or first drafts, or
introducing the use of a voice recorder to allow him to get ideas out without the stress of
physically writing. He has set an academic goal to get better at writing by writing a book, and
has set a social goal to not interrupt people by waiting until they are done talking. I want him to

461

gain confidence with writing and improve his overall moral and willingness to give it a try! A is
in the Caring Leaders program, which I am helping to facilitate.
2. Writing samples will be collected throughout the year to see the progress in these three
students.
3. Different types of writing all students in the classroom engage in throughout the school day:
• Writing in the classroom workplace
o Daily recording of assignments and things to come in student planners
o Marking lunch choice on the class order grid
o Responding to questions in math
o Responding to text and ideas in Social Studies, usually given a rubric with clear
expectations for the piece
o Science recording predictions, observations and responding to questions
• Writing across the curriculum
o Science-writing and discussing hypothesis and observations. Reading research
material, textbook and procedures
o Social Studies – a great deal of writing, organizing and reading in SS. The
students are read to out loud often and they frequently have pages form the
textbook to read.
o Math – interpreting word problems, directions and background knowledge are all
components of reading in Math. Students work in small groups and share their
ideas as a class.
Identify Additional Assessments:
• Literacy measures required by the school
o K Marie Clay General Literacy Knowledge
o 1 Gates Reading Test – Standardized; Woodcock Reading; Word Identification,
passage comprehension
o 2 IOWA Reading and Math Tests (Rough IQ Score- Achievement-Ability)
o 3 MEAP
o 4 MAEP
o 5 MEAP
• Qualitative Reading Inventory [QRI] running records have not begun, but my CT and I
intend to begin these soon…
• Ongoing Assessments
o Weekly memorization and recital of poetry is giving us an opportunity to see their
growth in self-confidence, articulation and interaction with their audience
o One-on-One writing conferences, sometimes after a piece, and sometimes during
the piece
o Student self-assessments given prior to parent-teacher conferences. Ask questions
related to their highs and lows in school, attitude and participation in the
classroom. This is shown to parents and as I have been told, often if not always
reflects what the teacher sees from the student. In other words, they are very
aware of what they are doing well with and areas of improvement.
o
462

APPENDIX AJ: Cassie First Informal Conversation
Towards the end of class, I talked to Cassie for a little bit regarding her GLT plan. She said that
she wanted to e-mail me her plan because she needed feedback. She said that she was already far
ahead, that all her planning had been done, that she had all of her lesson plans laid out but that,
the way she understood it, she had to make lesson plans for 3 weeks as opposed to two, and so
she really had her lesson plans jammed-packed with stuff. So she wants me to look at the lesson
plans, see if there is a good sequence to them, if the sequence makes sense and see if she is overstretching herself. I think she is worried that she actually planned too much. She thinks she may
have too much detail, but has cut off the plan in blocks of time and specifies when each block of
time is supposed to occur.
Part of her plan is to have the kids plan and hold a poetry café, so she wanted to know if that was
something she should take on or if it was something the kids could take on. We spoke a little bit
about teachers tending to try to retain control of the classrooms, and that I thought it was great
that she actually gave some power back to the kids and let the kids do their own thing.
She also mentioned that her three focal students are considered gifted and talented students, and
so her plan also includes some differentiated instruction that she wants me to look for. Cassie
said that she was going to email me her lesson plans for me to look at, and I promised that I
would look at them and send her some comments, some feedback, before the end of the
weekend.

463

APPENDIX AK: Cassie First Draft of Unit Plan
Fourth Grade Literacy Unit

Where I’m From- Poetry
Bennett Elementary Led by: Cassie Guided by Denise
Writing

Monday 2:30-3:30
VISUALIZATION (Imagining) Think of a time…
Introduce Where I’m From and read examples of TE peers in pairs (READ: together, separate
and discuss, one to each other, (Have way to get into pairs, find partner in room w. same #,
etc…)
In pair discuss and record (WRITING): What type of details does the writer include? Ex. Food,
smells, family sayings…
Create and class list on SMART board
Read my example to the class
READ through timeline of unit events to read
DISCUSS: “Job survey to students for homework. Rate your top three, due Wednesday
3-5 Caterers- plan food and drink- (second top picture could be on a cake…Janine)
2-3 DJ for during refreshments
1-3 MC (maybe have more than one, tryouts, sample intro?)
3-5 Decorators
2-4 Graphic Designer- program
2 Greeters
1-2 Foreword
1-2 Title page
1-2 About the Authors page
3-5 Invitation Committee
Tuesday 11:35- 12:05/ 1:15- 1:45
VISUALIZATION (Imagining) Share four examples from research piece. Great voice and vivid
descriptions
Give each table a different piece1
Plan and present as a group how the piece will be read. (In parts, as a whole group, pace,
gestures, etc.)
Add to list
Wednesday
Work on Graphic organizer. Include class created list.
Have visual on organizer (read, think, record)
Encourage 10 to focus on
4-6 ideas for each
Can be the stanzas of the poem
Thursday 10:35- 11:00/ 3:10-3:30
Writing Time
Free write
Writing Conferences with Teacher
464

Free Write
Mini Lesson
Mini Lesson Ideas- 15 minutes each
Interviews- G group
Conventions- Punctuation- Capitalization
Voice- Similes-Metaphors
Word Choice- Transitions
Ideas- Vivid imagery
Organization- Stanzas- Appearance
Friday
Group meetings
Have examples prepared for groups to start looking through and discussing (ex. Invitation,
forewords, about the authors, etc.)
Walk around and meet with groups to talk to talk about the role
HOMEWORK: Work on piece
VISUALIZATION (Imagining) Design illustration of your “Where I’m from”
Monday- 12:50- 1:15/ 2:30 3:00
Art Gallery
After special… have pieces hanging up around the room (Clothesline/ prayer flag style)
Each student gets one paperclip (try to find tiny ones) to attach to his or her favorite piece.
Top clipped piece will be on the program cover.
Have students pick a piece of colored construction paper and glue illustration on it.
Demonstrate placing the picture closer to the right (to make room for the spiral binder)
Tuesday 1:15- 2:20
Writing Time (20 minute blocks)
Free write
Writing Conference with Teacher- Mrs. Nelson (Group B)
Free Write
Mini Lesson- Ms. Sharp (Group A)
Mini Lesson Ideas
Interviews- G group
Conventions- Punctuation- Capitalization
Voice- Similes-Metaphors
Word Choice- Transitions
Ideas- Vivid imagery
Organization- Stanzas- Appearance
Wednesday 1:15- 2:10
Invitation to Special Person
Thursday 10:35- 10:55/ 3:10- 3:30
Invitation to Special Person

465

Friday 12:50- 2:20/ 2:35-2:50
Group Meeting
Writing Time
Free write
Writing Conference with Teacher
Free Write
Mini Lesson
Mini Lessons- 15 minutes each
Interviews- G group
Conventions- Punctuation- Capitalization
Voice- Similes-Metaphors
Word Choice- Transitions
Ideas- Vivid imagery
Organization- Stanzas- Appearance
Practice piece over weekend.
Monday 1:45- 3:30
Turn in RSVP
Type and turn in final poem after computers.
Peer Rehearsal
Make books after school (me)
Tuesday 10:45- 11:00/ 11:35- 12:05
Read poems in groups
Conference, run through with teacher
Wednesday
Class Rehearsal
Thursday
Friday 2:00-3:30
Poetry Reading
Reading
Monday- Check out Poetry book in library
Wednesday- 1:15- 2:10 Think aloud to class, reading with a partner and thinking aloud
Friday- 1:10- 1:45 Question (Independent Reading) share with groups
Tuesday- 10:45- 11:00 (Independent) / 11:35- 12:05
Wednesday- 2:45- 3:15
Friday- 11:30- 12:05
Monday- 2:45- 3:30 Pairs
Tuesday- 1:15-2:20
466

Wednesday- 1:15- 2:10
Thursday- 10:35- 11:00 (Independent) / 3:10-3:30
Friday- 11:30-12:05
Differentiation
Share Unit Plan with Mrs. MacQueen (Resource Teacher) and Mrs. Heisler (Book Club Teacher
At-Risk Reading)
Group X- “Gifted and Talented”: Ally, Libby, Hayden, include Manisha, Lauren, Emily
Interview for Where I’m From
Create Questions for family member etc.
Tape Recorder
Include ideas/ quotes in poem
Challenge List students get matched to edit/ conference with peers.
Orange Folders
Timeline of unit
Rubric
Blanked lined paper stapled
White paper
Graphic Organizer (create)
Peer Editing Checklist (create)
Teacher Writing Conference Feedback form (create)
Poetry Reading- Invite Special person to attend
Make book for each student with his or her illustration on the cover
Tamera
Group W- , Andrew, Taehoon, Chaehyun, Tyler
Group X- Ally, Libby, Hayden, Manisha, Lauren, Emily
Group Y- Marina, Skyler, Alisa, Jason, Deva, Cameron
Group Z- Siddharth, Alex, Deniz, Yoon Chan, Nick, Jacob
Where I’m From
Your Name: Cassie
Grade Level: Grade 4 Date: October 26 -November 13, 2009 CT:
Denise School: Bennett Elementary
Overall lesson topic/title: A genre study of poetry with a Where I’m From theme.
Unit Goal: For students to broaden their exposure and enjoyment of poetry. To write an
outstanding Where I’m From poem, in which they are proud. For all students to set a personal
goal in their Where I'm From poem to make a personal connection and work towards growth in
their writing. To respond to poetry in discussions, quick writes and through artistic responses.
Grade Level Content Expectations:

467

Language Arts/ English - Students will…
READING
Metacognition
R.MT.04.01 self-monitor comprehension when reading or listening to text by automatically
applying and discussing the strategies used by mature readers to increase comprehension
including: predicting, constructing mental images, visually representing ideas in text,
questioning, rereading or listening again if uncertain about meaning, inferring, summarizing, and
engaging in interpretive discussions.
Vocabulary
R.WS.04.07 in context determine the meaning of words and phrases including similes,
metaphors, content vocabulary, and literary terms using strategies and resources including
context clues, semantic feature analysis, and a thesaurus.
Comprehension
R.CM.04.01 connect personal knowledge, experiences, and understanding of the world to themes
and perspectives in text through oral and written responses.
WRITING
Writing Genre
W.GN.04.02 write poetry based on reading a wide variety of grade- appropriate poetry.
Personal Style
W.PS.04.01 exhibit personal style and voice to enhance the written message
Writing Attitude
W.AT.04.01 be enthusiastic about writing and learning to write.
LISTENING & VIEWING
Response
L.RE.04.01 listen to or view knowledgeably and discuss a variety of genre and compare their
responses to those of their peers.
SPEAKING
Discourse
S.DS.04.02discuss narratives (e/g/ fantasy, myths, legends, adventures, poetry), conveying the
story grammar (e.g., various character roles, plot, story level theme) and emphasizing facial
expressions, hand gestures, and body language.
Knowledge Objective
1. Each student will become familiar through discussion and exposure, the “5 Pieces
of Poetry”, the characteristics that make poetry unique.
2. Each student will find similarities, common threads, and make text-to-text
connections while reading and listening to examples of poetry.
3. Each student will read poetry, discuss and evaluate the author’s purpose and
theme.
468

4. Each student will understand that poetry can be written from any topic in an
organized structure or a free form as determined by the author.
5. Each student will become more familiar, and continue to engage in the routine of
completing pre-writes, drafts and revisions as components of the process of
writing.
Capacity Objective
1. Each student will read and recognize the“5 Pieces of Poetry”, or characteristics
that makes poetry unique. and use these to analyze poetry when reading, and
applying to in their writing.
2. Each student will read and respond to what they notice the author describing and
conveying with their choice of words as a pair, and as an individual.
3. Each student will respond to poetry through art and movement.
4. Each students will use given tools or successful self-strategies to organize
thoughts in writing.
Attitude Objective
1. Each student will read and seek poetry that they are interested in with enthusiasm.
2. Each student will listen to others and participate in sharing ideas and responses to
discussions and readings of poetry in a whole class format.
3. Each student will work cooperatively in pairs and groups to read, discuss and
respond to poetry.
4. Each student will set a personal goal for writing.
5. Each student will complete all tasks according to his or her abilities
Materials & supplies needed:
• 5 Pieces of Poetry- Modeled after Writer’s Express What is poetry?
1. Poetry looks different. (Lines, stanzas, not much space on the page, long/ short,
etc.)
2. Poetry pleases the ear. (Arrangement of words, music, rhythm, rhyme)
3. Poetry says a lot in a few words. (Create great Word Pictures, a few words can
put a great picture in your mind)
4. Poetry says things in special ways. (Comparisons: similes, metaphors, hyperbole)
5. Poetry speaks to the heart and to the mind. (Think and feel, express feelings)
• 50 + Puzzle Piece die cut
• 2 copies of TE 402 Where I’m From Collection
• 6 copies of 4 Research pieces
• 30 Graphic Organizers
• Yellow Writing Notebook (students)
• Yellow Writing Folder (students)
• Examples of Poetry
•
Classroom collection
•
My collection
•
School Library
Theme of Home
469

I Remember, I Remember, Thomas Hood, A Treasury of Playtime Poems
Who Am I, Roger D. White Owl: Night is Gone, Day is Still Coming, Stories and Poems by
American Indian Teens and Young Adults
Home Nicolette E. Kurip Night is Gone, Day is Still Coming, Stories and Poems by American
Indian Teens and Young Adults
Grandma, Melvin Left Hand Night is Gone, Day is Still Coming, Stories and Poems by
American Indian Teens and Young Adults
Love between Brothers and Sisters, Isaac Watts, A Treasury of Playtime Poems
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, Robert Frost
Living in Two Worlds, Jessie Little Finger, Night is Gone, Day is Still Coming, Stories and
Poems by American Indian Teens and Young Adults
Choral Reading
Check out 15-20 choices from school library
Joyful Noise
Erik Carle
Additional Read Alouds
Examples of Poems for Student Choice in writing poems
Unit Overview
Monday 10-26

Tuesday 10-27

Objective(s) KO
1, CO1, AO1
Introduction to
Poetry! For the
next three weeks,
we will be
reading, and
writing and
responding to
poetry in many
ways.
Activate Prior
Knowledge:
View class
Wordle of What
is poetry? (Built
from preassessment)

Objectives(s) KO
3, CO 2, AO1, 2
Introduction to
lesson
Recall Where
I’m From
Give purpose and
plan for the day.
Read with a
partner and
create a list of
topics included.

Wednesday 1028

Thursday 10-29

Objective(s) KO
5, CO 4, AO 5
Recall Monday
and Tuesday,
where do you
think we are going
today?
Starting to write
our own!
Model my
thinking and
process of
completing a prewrite.

Objective(s) AO1
Weekend
Challenge:
*Optional
Find a poem that
relates to where
you are from, and
who you are.
Maybe it is a poem
about Michigan, or
Okemos, or
football. Traveling,
Korea, Pizza,
fourth grade, etc.

Table 21 – Cassie Unit Overview
470

Friday 10-30

Table 21 (Cont’d)
2:30-3:25
Objective(s) KO
1, CO1, AO1

2:35-3:25
1:20-2:10
Objectives(s) KO Objective(s) KO
3, CO 2, AO1, 2 5, CO 4, AO 5

Introduction to
Poetry! For the
next three weeks,
we will be
reading, and
writing and
responding to
poetry in many
ways.
Activate Prior
Knowledge:
View class
Wordle of What
is poetry? (Built
from preassessment)
Discuss 5 Pieces
of Poetry, what
makes poetry
unique?
Listen to reading
(re-reading) of
my Where I’m
From poem
Apply 5 Pieces
to analyze my
poem
Explore poetry
and find one
example of one
of the 5 Pieces of
Poetry.

Introduction to
lesson
Recall Where
I’m From
Give purpose and
plan for the day.
Read with a
partner and
create a list of
topics included.
Discuss and
record to share
with the class.
Give example
lines.
Listen to pairs
reading to the
class. and
continue to add
to the list.
Review list, and
connect to
purpose of
lesson: to
analyze and find
topics used in
Where I’m From
poems.
Tomorrow we
will have the
opportunity to
begin writing our
own Where I’m
From poems.

Recall Monday
and Tuesday,
where do you
think we are going
today?
Starting to write
our own!
Model my
thinking and
process of
completing a prewrite.
Set up
expectations for
work time.
Check in with
several focus
students, and then
walk around and
monitor at times,
and others times
sit at the round
table to be
available for
questions or help
in getting out an
idea.
Collect organizers
to analyze, and
make copies of
some, but let
students know
they will be
available to work

Table 21 – Cassie Unit Overview

471

3:10-3:25
Objective(s) AO 1
Weekend
Challenge:
*Optional
Find a poem that
relates to where
you are from, and
who you are.
Maybe it is a
poem about
Michigan, or
Okemos, or
football.
Traveling, Korea,
Pizza, fourth
grade, etc.
You can look for
these in books at
home or at the
library, or on the
Internet if you
have permission
to do a search.
If you were going
to use the Internet,
say Google, what
would you type in
to find poetry?
Bring in the poem
on Monday and
get two green
tickets.

Table 21 (Cont’d)
Summarize
lesson and let
them know what
we will be doing
in the unit
tomorrow.

Tomorrow we
will have the
opportunity to
begin writing our
own Where I’m
From poems.

Monday 11-2
Tuesday 11-3
During Library
No School
1:15-1:45
Check out Poetry
book(s) in library
*Have preselected stack
and Mrs.
Buscetta will lay
out for students
to preview as
they enter.
2:30-3:25
Simile/ Metaphor
Mini Lesson
Dramatics- I
created
All will act out
with the lesson
Most will create
Some will be
able to apply and
use in writing
immediately.
Finish up
Graphic
Organizer.
Find ideas that
you could turn in
to a simile or
metaphor.
Develop and
insert in Draft 1.

during the next
couple of days
when they have
free time.

Wednesday 11-4
12:5-1:15
Read and
Discuss Poem
1:15- 2:20
Stanza Mini
Lesson
Read Matt
Caramagno’s
example of
Where I’m From
TE 402
Read aloud
Volunteer read
What was his
main point in
each of these
pieces?
What are these
pieces called?
Each of these
pieces is a
stanza.
Model where to
start a stanza.
Taking a
bunched up lines
and working
natural spots to
create separate
stanzas

Table 21 – Cassie Unit Overview
472

Bring in the poem
on Monday and
get two green
tickets.

Thursday 11-5
10:35- 10:55
Mrs. Nelson and
I will model
choral reading.
What makes this
type of reading
interesting and
exciting?
What should we
keep in mind
when we read or
recite a piece of
poetry.
Speed-Pace
Articulation
Voice- Personal
Style- Inflection
When/ Who is
speaking
Movements
optional
Props optional

Friday 11-6
10:30 -11:00
Discuss the plan
to record class
reading and create
a movie of
students reciting
Where I’m From
poems, that we
can upload on to
our website and
they can share
with their
families.
Writing Time:
SHOULD BE
DONE OR
FINISH
DURING THIS
TIME
Students sign up
on whiteboard
for Writing
Conference with
me, after they
finish their Draft
1. -check in what’s going
well -what would
they like to
improve-what is
one goal that
they have for
their poem?

Table 21 (Cont’d)
Walk around to
tables and check
in with all
students to gauge
where they are in
their stages.

As a class get
input on where to
insert natural
spots in bunched
up lines..

Choose a partner
or group of 3 and
select a poem
from books
available.

Writing Time:

Start to practice
if time.

Students sign up
on whiteboard
for Writing
Conference with
me, after they
finish their Draft
1. -check in what’s going
well -what would
they like to
improve -what is
one goal that
they have for
their poem?
(Something new
to try or
something to
include)
Go over rubric
related to selfrevising. Instruct
to go through
with a different
color and make
corrections,
move things, fix
spelling,
punctuation,
grammar, etc.
-Can then begin
second draft.

Table 21 – Cassie Unit Overview
473

12:50- 1:20
Give groups time
to check back in
and give choral
reading a try in
front of the class
(Informal).

Table 21 (Cont’d)
Mrs. Nelson can
meet with
students still
working on
organizer first
and then students
that are starting
draft 1 (We will
have an idea of
who to call for
these small
groups).
The rest of the
class is writing.
Monday 11-9

Tuesday 11-10

1:45-2:30 (Can
stay as long after
as needed)
Type poem for
Final Draft.
Give rubric for
checklist.
Read through
twice to see if
there are
corrections to be
made.
Read aloud in a
whisper to see if it
sounds rights.
Complete a SpellCheck

12:50-1:15
Read your poem
to a friend. Get
feedback on how
you did. Listen
to a friend’s
poem. Offer
feedback. Find a
new partner and
repeat, make
changes as you
go.
1:15- 2:20

Have two people
read through and
sign off that it is
perfect.

Wednesday 1111

Thursday 11-12

Friday 11-13

12:50-1:15
Read and
discuss poem.
*Additional time
for completing
artistic or
dramatic
responses to
poetry.
*Additional time
for Poetry
Workshop.
*Additional time
to tweak unit if
Poetry Workshop logic is able to
come to the
Introduce new
school.
form of poetry to *Additional time
class
to read our
poems to second
Give it a try or
work on one you graders, and
listen to them
have already
read ours.
started.

12:50-1:15
Read and
discuss poem.
*Additional time
for completing
artistic or
dramatic
responses to
poetry.
*Additional time
for Poetry
Workshop.
*Additional time
to tweak unit if
logic is able to
come to the
school.
*Additional time
to read our
poems to second
graders, and
listen to them
read ours.

12:50-1:10
Read and discuss
poem.
*Additional time
for completing
artistic or
dramatic
responses to
poetry.
*Additional time
for Poetry
Workshop.
*Additional time
to tweak unit if
logic is able to
come to the
school.
*Additional time
to read our
poems to second
graders, and
listen to them
read ours.

Table 21 – Cassie Unit Overview
474

Table 21 (Cont’d)
Discuss the video
recording, and
what people are
planning for their
reading, props,
background music
etc.

Begin with
volunteers of 2-3
for Recordings,
can set up in
empty classroom
in third grade
pod.

*Additional time
for reading and
discussion.

*Additional time
for reading and
discussion.

*Additional time
for reading and
discussion.

2:35-3:15
Poetry Workshop
Introduce
concrete poem
Give it a try or
work on one you
have already
started.
Keep taking
volunteers of 2-3
for Recordings,
can set up in
empty classroom
in third grade
pod.
Table 21 – Cassie Unit Overview
Differentiation
Share Unit Plan with Mrs. MacQueen (Resource Teacher) and Mrs. Heisler (Book Club Teacher
At-Risk Reading) *Pull out schedule; plan things to send/ specifics to work on when they leave,
and way for them to join when they return.
Be mindful of grouping; Read-Write Extensions; Extension packet of additional poems
Extension packet available for all students to look over and try out during free time/ down time
during the first two weeks. The students that are labeled Gifted and Talented, as well as those
that are often finished early, or those that will really be into poetry will be reminded of this
packet, and options for trying new poetry if I see them needing more tasks or options to remain
engaged. During week three, the class will go over many of the different types, to offer choices
for writing during Poetry Workshop.
Examples of children’s and adult (appropriate) poetry to read and model.
Give options to try different forms
475

APPENDIX AL: Cassie Project Two
Introduction to Poetry
Lesson 1
Your Name: Cassie
Grade Level: Grade 4
Date: October 26, 2009
School: Bennett Elementary

CT: Nelson

Overall lesson topic/title: Introduction to Poetry
Time: 2:30-3:25
Grade Level Content Expectation(s):
READING
Metacognition
R.MT.04.01 self-monitor comprehension when reading or listening to text by automatically
applying and discussing the strategies used by mature readers to increase comprehension
including: predicting, constructing mental images, visually representing ideas in text,
questioning, rereading or listening again if uncertain about meaning, inferring, summarizing,
and engaging in interpretive discussions.
Vocabulary
R.WS.04.07 in context determine the meaning of words and phrases including similes,
metaphors, content vocabulary, and literary terms using strategies and resources including
context clues, semantic feature analysis, and a thesaurus.
Objectives:
Knowledge Objective
Each student will become familiar through discussion and exposure, the “5 Pieces of Poetry”, the
characteristics that make poetry unique.
Capacity Objective
Each student will read and recognize the“5 Pieces of Poetry”, or characteristics that makes
poetry unique. and use these to analyze poetry when reading, and applying to in their writing.
Attitude Objective
Each student will read and seek poetry that they are interested in with enthusiasm.
Materials & supplies needed:
Notebook document
20-30 poetry books from library
30 die cut puzzles pieces on white paper
BEFORE READING:
Please get our your yellow Writing notebooks and a
pencil, we are going to begin a new project.
Procedures and approximate time allocated for each
event
Table 22 – Cassie Project Two - Lesson 1
476

Academic, Social and Linguistic
Support during each event
MS and AK will be out of the room
from 2:30-3:00. I will have
contacted Mrs. MQ about what they

Table 22 (Cont’d)
Intro slide on Smartboard…(Drum roll playing)
Today we are going to begin a genre study on poetry! For
the next three weeks, we will be reading, and writing and
responding to poetry in many ways.
Thank you for completing the poetry forms on Friday. I
read them all over the weekend and it gave me a good
idea of what you know and like about poetry and some
things that you want to learn about poetry.
Change Slide to Wordle of student responses.
(Wordle.net, type in a word list, poem, song etc. and
create a concrete poem. If a word is repeated it gets larger.
I put together a Wordle of your responses and I wanted
you all to see some if the ideas that your classmates had
about poetry.
What do you notice this?
What words stand out to you?
Is this poetry? –Introduce concrete poetry
You may have seen or done these before. You pick an
object and think of different words to describe it or relate
to the object and use the words to make an object. This
might be a form of poetry that you want to try.
(5 minutes)
TRANSITION:
Change slide to 5 Pieces of Poetry
Open your notebooks to a new page, and write 5 Pieces of
Poetry on the top line.
(Modeled after Writer’s Express: What is Poetry?)
o Poetry looks different. (Lines, stanzas, not much
space on the page, long/ short, etc.)
o Poetry pleases the ear. (Arrangement of words,
music, rhythm, rhyme)
o Poetry says a lot in a few words. (create great
Word Pictures, a few words can put a great picture
in your mind)
o Poetry says things in special ways.
(Comparisons: similes, metaphors, hyperbole)
o Poetry speaks to the heart and to the mind.
(Think and feel, express feelings)
Table 22 – Cassie Project Two - Lesson 1

477

will be missing, and ask her to talk
with the two about poetry. What is
unique about poetry? What do they
like about poetry. Can start to
discuss 5 Pieces of Poetry (focus
on one or two to start). (Introduced
in the lesson, will give copy of these
to Mrs. MQ before the lesson) Read
some poetry together and discuss.
“Picture in their heads” and the
feelings/ thoughts that they get from
the poem.
I will have MS and AK choose 2-3
books each before they leave to take
along with them.

Table 22 (Cont’d)
As they “fly in”, ask students to describe what these might
mean. Get a few responses, and give example to start if
students are stuck.
Please record these in your notebook. (Model on
whiteboard, listing 1-5 and the pieces)
(10 minutes)
TRANSITION
I write poetry when I have something to say that needs a
special sound or structure. I wanted to share with you all
a poem that I wrote for a class project last year at MSU.
We got to share them as a class, and then our teacher
made a book for us all to keep of the poems. It is called
Where I’m From

o
o
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o
o

I will make a copy of the 5 Pieces of
Poetry for MS and AK to go in their
writing folders.
AK back to the classroom
3:00-3:30 MS to Book Club.
Will contact Mrs. H to see if
Marina can read poetry with
someone during her time in Book
Club and discuss the “picture in
her head” that she gets from the
poems.

Change slide to my Where I’m From
Read my WIF poem
Ask for volunteer to read it.
What do you notice?
What questions would you like to ask the author?
Encourage students to ask me questions about my poem.
What makes this poetry?
Review 5 Pieces of Poetry (Look to whiteboard list, and
their notebooks for 5 pieces)
Looks different. -What looks different about my piece?
Speaks to heart and mind –Can you find an example of a
line that speaks to your heart or mind? How does it
make you feel? What does it make you think of?
Says a lot in a few words –Any examples in this piece?
Says things in special ways- Word pictures?
Poetry pleases the ear- any interesting arrangements of
words?
(10-15 minutes)

Walk around and monitor all
students, stand near groups that are
not on task to encourage them to
focus and read.

BRINGING CLOSURE:
So today we discussed what makes poetry unique. We
talked about the 5 Pieces of Poetry, and analyzed my
Where I’m From poem. Tomorrow we are going to spend
some time reading the poems from my classmates.
Please stack the books, and would (call one person from
each table group) take the put the books over on the round
table. You can put you notebook away. Please get out your
planners.

AK back to the classroom
3:00-3:30 MS to Book Club.

Table 22 – Cassie Project Two - Lesson 1
478

MS will be in the classroom
tomorrow when we read these
poems. As I walk around, I will
make sure to meet with her pair to
make sure she understands the
context, as she was out when the
class analyzed mine.

Will contact Mrs. H to see if
Marina can read poetry with
someone during her time in Book
Club and discuss the “picture in
her head” that she gets from the
poems.

Table 22 (Cont’d)
Walk around and monitor all
students, stand near groups that are
not on task to encourage them to
focus and read.
MS will be in the classroom
tomorrow when we read these
poems. As I walk around, I will
make sure to meet with her pair to
make sure she understands the
context, as she was out when the
class analyzed mine.
Academic, Social, and Linguistic
Support during assessment

Post-Assessment:
Review examples students located on puzzle pieces.
Take note of what were common “pieces” used, to
know which others to focus more on in the unit

MS and AK will have discussed the
5 Pieces in Mrs. MQ’s class, and
AK will get a review when he comes
back to the classroom.
AK will be able to locate an
example, but I will not have MS do
that piece, of the lesson. I feel that
her time would be better spent
talking to someone about the poem,
rather than spend her time copying
the line.

Table 22 – Cassie Project Two - Lesson 1
Reading and Analyzing Where I’m From Poems
Lesson 2
Your Name: Cassie Sharp
Grade Level: Grade 4
Date: October 27, 2009
CT: Denise Nelson

School: Bennett Woods Elementary School

Time: 2:35-3:25

Overall lesson topic/title: Reading and Analyzing Where I’m From Poems
Grade Level Content Expectation(s):
READING
Vocabulary
R.WS.04.07 in context determine the meaning of words and phrases including similes,
metaphors, content vocabulary, and literary terms using strategies and resources including
context clues, semantic feature analysis, and a thesaurus.

479

Comprehension
R.CM.04.01 connect personal knowledge, experiences, and understanding of the world to
themes and perspectives in text through oral and written responses.
LISTENING & VIEWING
Response
L.RE.04.01 listen to or view knowledgeably and discuss a variety of genre and compare their
responses to those of their peers.
Develop Goals/Objectives that are specific to your interpretive discussion:
Knowledge Objective
3. Each student will read poetry, discuss and understand the author’s purpose and
theme.
Capacity Objective
2. Each student will read and respond to what they notice the author describing and
conveying with their choice of words as a pair, and as an individual.
Attitude Objective
5. Each student will listen to others and participate in sharing ideas and responses to
discussions and readings of poetry in a whole class format.
6. Each student will work cooperatively in pairs and groups to read, discuss and
respond to poetry.
Materials & supplies needed:
•
•
•

2 copies of TE 402 Where We’re From poetry document
Blank page on Notebook document to record ideas/ themes of Where I’m From poems
Deck of Cards, use half of the deck to create pair of each card

Procedures and approximate time allocated for each
event
BEFORE READING:
Please get out your yellow Writing notebook and a pencil.
Today we are going to be analyzing some Where I’m
From poems and creating a class list of topics that can be
could be included in this form of poetry.
We are going to read one as a class, and then you are
going to be working with a partner to discuss what you
liked about the poem, and what types of details that the
author included.
Table 23 – Cassie Project Two - Lesson 2
Table 23 (Cont’d)
480

Academic, Social and Linguistic
Support during each event

For example, we might read about someone describing his
or her family getting ready for Thanksgiving. One of their
lines could be, “Where I’m From, on Thanksgiving, I’m in
charge of setting the table, and peeling the potatoes for
mashing” So food and holiday celebrations could be
something that the author included that you would add to
your list
Read to self Where I’m From by Susan (TE 402, Spring
2009 course pack)
I will read to the class
What do you notice?
What do you like about this poem?
What are some of the topics that the author includes?
Record these on the Notebook page to start the list.
(5-10 minutes)
TRANSITION
I am going to give you each a card. When I tell you to go,
I want you to quietly and calmly find the person with the
same card as you and find a seat. For example, if you
have a 2, you will need to find the other person with a 2 in
the class. When I see you two waiting patiently, I will
come around and give each of you each a copy of the
poem. I want you to read the poem together. You can do
this in a variety of ways. You can read it first to yourself
and then with your partner, you can take turns reading it
to each other, or read it together. After you have read it
two or three times, discuss what you like about it, and then
create a list of some of the topics included.
You will need to take your yellow notebook and a pencil
with you.Does anyone have any questions?
Pass out the cards.
You may now quietly and calmly find your partner.
Give a set of poems to the groups sitting and waiting
patiently first.
(15-20 minutes)
Table 23 – Cassie Project Two - Lesson 2
Table 23 (Cont’d)
481

I will stack the deck with a match
on the top and bottom. (Ex. 2 on top
and 2 on bottom) I am going to
deal the first card to MS and the
bottom card to AS.
As I hand MS her card, I will give
her the microphone that goes with
her sound amplification system to
give to AS. AS has been working
with MS, and is familiar with the
sound amplification device. She
can read the poem to/ with MS and
remind her of the questions and
what they are looking for. MS
seems to be enjoying time spent
with AS and this will ensure that
she is included and engaged in the
task.
Do a scan of how the class paired
up, and make quick switches with
partners if needed. There are no
real behavioral problems right now,
except I wouldn’t let TG and TT
work together. I will do a quick
switch if they match up. Some pairs
(friends that tend to goof off) may
need to be reminded that that they
need to stay on task and work on
the activity.

TRANSITION:
May I have 5? You have about three minutes to wrap up
your discussions. Be prepared to share what you liked
about the poem, and the topics the writer included with
the class.

Walk around and remind groups
going off task of the questions to
address. Listen to their discussions,
and support the understanding of
what the author is saying to
determine the topic category.

Ok, let’s start with some of the things you liked about the
poems. What did the author do to make you enjoy the
poem?
Listen to examples; ask some to read a line or two to share
with the class.
Ok, how about topics that you found included in the poem.
Add to class list.
Review list as a class
Is there anything else you would add to this list that could
be included in a Where I’m From poem?
Great job today. You worked very well in your pairs and
this list that you all created is outstanding.
We will begin to write our own Where I’m From poems
tomorrow, so start to think about which topics interest you
and what you would want to include in your poem.
(10-15 minutes)
TRANSITION (Depending on time) need to wrap up
by 3:20
Are there any groups that would like to read their poem to
the class?
Have pairs read and class respond until 3:20.
Please head back to your seats and get out your planners.
Post-Assessment:
Today I am looking for a class created list of topics that
could be included in the Where I’m From poems. I will be
observing how students handle the formation of random
groups and working with different people in the
classroom.

ASLS during assessment
There are some students that really
struggle with working together, so I
may need to step in to get them to
work together. I will make sure to
offer a great deal of specific
feedback to those who are often off
task or disruptive to others, that
were working well today with their
partner.

Table 23 – Cassie Project Two - Lesson 2
Completing a Where I’m From Pre-write
482

Lesson 3
Your Name: Cassie Grade Level: Grade Date: October 27, 2009 CT: Nelson
Bennett Elementary Time: 1:20-2:10

School:

Overall lesson topic/title: Completing a Where I’m From Pre-write
Grade Level Content Expectation(s):
READING
Vocabulary
R.WS.04.07 in context determine the meaning of words and phrases including similes,
metaphors, content vocabulary, and literary terms using strategies and resources including
context clues, semantic feature analysis, and a thesaurus.
Comprehension
R.CM.04.01 connect personal knowledge, experiences, and understanding of the world to themes
and perspectives in text through oral and written responses.
LISTENING & VIEWING
Response
L.RE.04.01 listen to or view knowledgeably and discuss a variety of genre and compare their
responses to those of their peers.
Develop Goals/Objectives that are specific to your interpretive discussion:
Knowledge Objective
Each student will become more familiar, and continue to engage in the routine of completing
pre-writes, drafts and revisions as components of the process of writing.
Capacity Objective
Each students will use given tools or successful self-strategies to organize thoughts in writing.
Attitude Objective
Each student will complete all tasks according to his or her abilities.
Materials & supplies needed:
25 copies of Graphic Organizer
(Adapted by Ms. Cassie Sharp, modeled after Dr. Janine Certo, Michigan State University, Fall
2009). Teacher copy on document camera
Procedures and approximate time allocated for each
event
BEFORE LESSON
On Monday we discussed the 5 Pieces of Poetry, and you
all had the opportunity to analyze one of my poems and ask
me questions. Can anyone recall one of the 5 Pieces?
Anyone else?
Show list of 5 Pieces on document camera and review.
Table 24 – Cassie Project Two - Lesson 3
Table 24 (Cont’d)
483

Yesterday we read Where I’m From poems, and made a list
of the topics that authors have included when writing their
own Where I’m From pieces.
Review class list.
Can you guess where we are going today? We get to start
the process of creating one of our own.
TRANSITION
I have an sheet for you all to complete to organize your
ideas before you start writing., I want to walk through the
process with you and show you how I am thinking as I go
about completing the form. I may need your help coming
up with ideas, so stay with me. (Think aloud connections
and thoughts, may skip some and come back to them if I get
stuck)
Model process. Read a few of the questions, and write
down examples and ideas.
Flip to the back and select a few from the class list.
I would like you to choose some additional topics from our
list to have between 10-15 different options to include.
When you write your poem, you won’t include all of this
information, but it is a great thing to do as a writer, to
brainstorm a lot of different options. Who knows when you
might be inspired to add something new to the poem, or use
it to create a whole other form of poetry.

The use of the document camera
and Smartboard, will be valuable to
offer a verbal and visual review.
Offering an additional manner of
presenting will help to keep
students engaged with the modeling
and pre-write process

Thinking aloud and modeling this
process will benefit all students,
and minimize confusion when
students begin to complete one on
their own.
It will aid MS, who may have
difficulty
understanding
the
directions or expectations without
seeing them performed and
discussed. HH can see that I can
write a few words or basic picture
to start, which should relieve some
anxiety
about
writing
long
passages. SM will have a way to
organize his thoughts early in the
process, so when he goes to create
the first draft his thoughts will be
less likely to get scattered.

Model process. Read a few of the questions, and write
down examples and ideas.
(15 minutes)
TRANSITION
You have until Gym to work on this. I would suggest
reading through the questions and starting with the ones
that you can immediately think of examples for, or ones
that are interesting to you. Make sure to check the board
to add some of our ideas from class that you could include
as well. Remember you need to have 3-5 ideas for at least
10 questions.
Table 24 – Cassie Project Two - Lesson 3
Table 24 (Cont’d)
484

Check in with MS to see if she is
able to get started. Does she need/
Would she benefit from a scribe
recording while she shares ideas?
(Mrs. Nelson or I could do this)

I was wondering, how many people have trouble focusing
when they write if others are taking? Raise you hand.
Look around. I would like to ask you to really focus on
working quietly. I have a really hard time focusing on my
thoughts if others are moving around and talking, and
obviously many of your classmates feel the same way.
If you need to get up and get a drink, or go to the bathroom
feel free.
Ask paper passer outers to hand out an organizer to all
students.
Students that are stuck.
Encourage them to start with one word, short phrase,
bulleted ideas. They can also include a simple picture to
reinforce or act as their idea to begin. I would then
encourage them to Keep going…develop this
part….Expand on your ideas.

Check in with HH to see if he is
able to get started. Try suggestions
to the left, first and give him time to
try to get started. Make small steps,
write down 2 or 3 ideas before you
put your pencil down. If he is not
participating after 5 minutes, ask if
he would verbally respond and I
could scribe for him? (Mrs. Nelson
or I could do this)
This may be a long time for many of
the students to stay on task, if I find
them start to fidget and squirm, I
would have them get up do a few
stretches, call tables for drinks and
get back to thinking and recording.

Students that say they are done.
I would really like to see at least 10 ideas with 3-5
examples for each before they are done.
If they have this completed, I would encourage them to
expand on their thoughts and try to work with their ideas to
create images in the mind through their words.
Keep going…develop this part….Expand on your ideas!
(30 minutes)
TRANSITION
You have about 5 minutes before we line up for gym.
Finish up your thoughts.
Group 3, 1, etc. please bring your organizer to me and line
p for Gym.
Post-Assessment:
This is a portion of the formative assessment, giving me
an idea of where students are, in terms of being willing
and able to make connections with topics that could be
included in a Where I’m From poem. I would include this
effort, and use of time in the participation portion of the
unit.

Academic, Social, and Linguistic
Support during assessment
I will have several days to review
these, and make plans or groups
with similar “problems/ successes “
ideas for the direction they could
go, or short mini-lessons that the
class would benefit from.

Table 24 – Cassie Project Two - Lesson 3
APPENDIX AM: Cassie First semi-structured Interview (transcript)
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All right. So, where are you with your lesson planning? Are you finished? Are you ready
to go? No?
No. I am – like I said, I’m still tweaking my overview – different things came up – we –
we met on Wednesday and I lost some time, and so now I’m kind of going back and
putting the pieces back together, kind of, you know, with what I wanted to do and what I
was thinking of doing, and then finding out within that three weeks when can I –
- when can you do it.
- when can I do it. Um, I have to – as far as the planning, I have a really – like it’s a daily
outline of what I – but it’s just now going back and putting it into the lesson plan format.
Okay.
I have, um, I really focused a lot on the Glicks – I did, um, like the reading, writing,
listening, viewing, speaking, and I kind of took all those and kind of thought about the
unit as a whole, which – which would fit and which ones are working – do I need for my
objectives and develop the unit.
So what is the overall goal of your unit?
I think it’s for them to expand their knowledge and understanding of what poetry is and
what it can be. I want them to write one – I mean, my focus is on writing one – going
through the process of writing one really strong poem that they’re proud of at the end,
but, um, incorporating some mini-lessons along the way to go along with the writing
process, I guess. So um, and then just responding to poetry in a variety of ways as well.
So how are you going to – cause you said that you want them to do a real poem that
they’re really proud of at the end.
Um-hm.
How are you going to evaluate their poem?
Um, well I’m doing a pre-assessment and then a post-assessment and I thought with that
sort of like an attitude assessment-type thing, with how they’re feeling towards poetry,
what do they think it is, what do they know about it, and then at the end kind of, you
know, after all this, how are you feeling now, and kind of where are you with poetry now.
Um, and then I was coming up with some sort of thing at the end that they can kind of
articulate what this piece meant to them. And another thing – part of um, with the writing
conferences, I wanted to do – have each student kind of come up with their own personal
goal for the piece, like, maybe they’ve never written a poem, maybe their goal is just to
write a poem, you know. Maybe one is to, you know, include all members of my family
somehow in it, or something like that, and so I think by having them set a goal early on
and then kind of at the end of it reflecting back on that goal of how they – how they’re
feeling now.
Yes. How they accomplished what they wanted?
And (10.29) [talking over one another] Yes.
Okay. So the poem that you’re having them do has to do with them?
Um-hm.
It’s – what’s the name?
Where I’m from.
Where I’m from. Okay. So everything is going to be focused on their own histories?
Um-hm, yep. And so with the extra readings that I’m doing, I’m really kind of going on
that home theme, like um, like one about brothers and sisters, or one about somebody that
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maybe moves around a lot, or something. And so kind of reinforcing home means a lot of
different things to different people, and sort of weaving that back into the writing, I
guess?
That makes perfect sense.
Okay.
Yeah. Sounds like a lot of work.
Yeah,
But it makes perfect sense. So when I – when we talked a couple of weeks ago, you were
set to go – you had your entire unit outlined, I mean, you were ready.
Yeah.
Last week not so much.
Yeah.
Now, it’s even worse?
Yeah, even less.
It’s even worse than last week, right? So it seems to me like your lesson planning has
progressed backwards –
Yeah.
- or it hasn’t progressed?
Yes.
Can you walk me a little bit through the steps that you have had to take to go from that
entire piece that you had to where you are now?
Okay. I think I had a big vision of what I wanted to do, and then after talking with my CT
and time constraints, it was scale it way back. And then once I scaled it way back, what
do I have to include to – kind – I want to say make it my own, but kind of go along with
my original goal of the unit. So, I think it’s been a lot kind of meshing with my CT on
how things are – when things can even be going on –
Um-hm.
- and so I think that’s been –
Do you think that it’s a question of – do you think that it’s a question of time available or
more of a question of aligning your planning with your CT’s planning?
Um, I don’t – I don’t think she necessarily had a plan – it’s just – I’d say timing – the
times that I have available to do what I want to do, and I mean, really, I don’t have
enough time, you know, and I think reading, I mean, especially reading different types of
poetry and responding, I’m just – there’s not enough time to do what I would need to do.
Right. So how did you choose what you could cut back on?
Well –
‘Cause you did a lot of cutting.
Yeah, I cut the whole parent – like – reading piece. What I’m probably going to do is a
replacement – the second graders are also doing Where I’m From poems, so maybe kind
of scaling that down and then just doing a sharing within the classrooms on a day.
Okay.
Still kind of knowing that they’re sharing their poems so maybe the – they have a – you
know, their purpose is kind of a different, you know, they have some sort of extra
purpose, but not to the scale of we’re putting on this, like, production-type thing for
everybody to come see.
Um-hm.
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And I think that’s what I’m kind of struggling with, too, because I feel like my original
idea, there was a lot of motivation for that, and so without that kind of excitement and –
- build up?
Yeah.
So how are you going to manage that?
I think just enthusiasm and great reading, you know, great examples and you know, really
making all the mini-lessons engaging and exciting and trying, you know, maybe some
more dramatics, and um, you know, artistic and you know, just kind of pulling in some
different things that I maybe wouldn’t have done but I could do now on a smaller scale –
Yeah.
- especially with like responding to different poetry and stuff with the reading, so…
So did you cut any of the mini-lessons that you had planned?
Um, yeah, I mean, I thought that there would be more time to do – where, cause my CT
and I had originally, you know, we wanted to have it set up where maybe I’d be
conferencing with one, you know, kind of one after another in the hall, while she was
working with a group, while the others are free writing. But it’s just – with the, you
know, I’ve got 20 minutes, and so really to do – what I thought was, you know, I’d do
sort of like a whole class mini-lesson and then we’d kind of work with the groups on that
specifically so they’d kind of have a smaller – maybe some would have some time to try
it out on their own, but then some would have - be reinforced in a small group working
on it. And I think that has kind of – I mean, I’ve had to scale back on that too, so it’s just
maybe only do one really mini – I mean, one or two group mini – smaller mini-lessons –
Okay.
So – and I still have them, but now it’s finding the time that I would do them. So,
And so, if it gets down to you going into the classroom and then you find out that you
have even less time that what you planned for, then what are you going to cut back?
Okay. At this point, I don’t –
You have to choose, right?
Yeah. Yeah. And probably what would be cut, because my focus is the Where I’m From
poem largely, would be some of the reading and responding to different poems along
with it. So it - probably the reading would be cut – would be cut back. And I mean,
another piece that I wanted to do – just ‘cause I really want them – we’ve been reciting
poetry and everything, but they’re just – I wanted to kind of work on them with their
voice and, you know, how they present to people and doing some different things with
choral reading, you know, starting at where they’re in a pair or a small group and then
building up to they’re doing it individually. And that’s – you know – I’m finding – it’s
like I want to do that, but – you know – when?
Right.
So you know, and then now, I’m kind of to a point where it’s like, well, I’m supposed to
be doing a three week poetry and I’m only focusing on one, you know, really one writing,
how much longer, you know, is my CT going to have to do a bunch after I’m done, which
– I mean, we would probably be doing anyways, but it’s almost like it could have gone
on a lot longer.
Have you actually counted the amount of time that you’re – say if you were to bunch it
all together, how long you have?
Hours-wise or –
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Hours-wise.
Um, like my original, or – no –
No, your original – what you really have – actually it would be interesting to see both –
Compared?
Compare both.
Um, well it’s definitely not – not an hour a day, and I lose a day with – we have a day off
– so, ten hours?
(26.48) Right? Yeah, it’ll be interesting to see how much you can squeeze into your ten
hours. Um, so how long have you been in the classroom? You’ve been in the classroom
since the beginning of the school year, right?
Um-hm, yes.
What information from your students did you use when you were planning your unit?
Um, I –
Do you know where they are? Do you know how much they can already do?
In terms of poetry or in terms of –
In terms of writing, in terms of reading, in terms of poetry exposure.
Okay. Um, I think – I know, because we’ve been starting poetry – we started it pretty
much in August – so I know that they enjoy it, they enjoy presenting, I mean, for the
most part, that they’re willing to get up in front of the class and memorize a poem and
that they’re willing and able to – within a week, be told on Monday pick a poem from
this packet and recite it on Friday, and that they – they were willing and able to do that.
And –
All of them?
Yes. And so I think one was sick and so she had to do it the next week or something, but
I mean, it blew me away that every one of them, you know, they could choose if them
went on their own or in pairs, and that was interesting, too, to see that some of them that
chose to do it on their own and some of them, and for the most part, they were able to,
you know, memorize and deliver, some are kind of more advanced in their presentation,
bringing in props and, you know, making the wrestling of leaves with, you know, coming
up with creative ideas to like, you know, make the sounds and stuff of their poem, so I
know that they’re into poetry, and um, I think the Where I’m From, I mean, I think it’s
just – they love themselves and they like talking about themselves and their families, so I
just thought that that would be a really great way to kind of get them into it, and because
it isn’t very rigid, I thought that’s kind of – I didn’t want to focus on something that was,
you know, certain – a certain way to do it. I wanted to kind of give them that freedom,
and especially because they haven’t had many opportunities to do that in their writing.
It’s been very specific for (31.45) preparation, so I kind of wanted this to be a little bit
more creative – I mean, definitely more creative for them to kind of put their own spin on
it. So –
Do you think that they’re looking forward to it?
I think so. She kind of brought it up yesterday, like, oh we’ve got to get through this
book, Miss Sharpe’s starting sometime new, and they’re all like, okay, and like let’s start
reading. So, and I’ve been doing a lot of literacy lessons and they’re really, I mean,
especially with kind of like, reflecting on different things, I mean, they’re really – they’re
starting to get into it, and we’ve been doing a lot of like group brainstorming type things
and then using that in their writing and so I think that’s – and that’ s been another big
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thing, knowing that they do well by sharing, you know, sharing in a small group or a
partner, sharing with the class and then kind of going off on their own for writing. And so
I’ve tried to, you know, definitely have that similar structure and then, um, just did a
thing, too, with the graphic organizers, having some way for them to put their ideas down
where it’s not write – starting writing sentences right away. There are so many students
that they can’t pick up the pencil and put anything down, they’re just like frozen, but
knowing like, oh, well it’s a little bit more flexible and all I have to do is write a word
there, that’s –
- making a difference –
Yes, yeah.
So your three focal students, you have two students considered gifted and talented –
One.
One gifted and talented, and then what about the other two?
Um, one that has hearing impairment – she is um, speech resource, math and reading at
rest, so she’s pulled out quite a bit. Um, she – I think especially with her like with the
rhyming and stuff with poetry wouldn’t – wouldn’t work, and so I’m thinking that with
this, that this will be something that she can be more successful, and she loves like,
sharing about her family and different things, so I feel like, knowing like, oh, write the
smells about your home, like just having that kind of conversation with her it would be
easy to get those ideas out. And what I’ve been finding is that I’ve been writing for her,
like if we have to work on a piece, you know, we kind of talk about it and then she kind
of tells me her ideas and I write them –
So you’re a scribe?
Yes. And I think that that’s – um, there’s a couple of times where the things that we’d be
doing she’d be pulling out, so I’m going – you know, make sure that that’s kind of,
maybe a same option when she’s pulled out for those things, you know, and especially
because she’s having a mentor come in now too, so just speaking with her and saying,
you know, it might be best that you just let her talk to you and you write it down and then
There’s nothing wrong with that.
Yeah, she sees it there and then she can kind of go off with that. So and then with the
other – I mean the one is the one that can’t put a thing down, and so for him just to really
– just, you know, don’t write a full sentence –
Bullet points.
Yep. Just –
Just words.
Yep.
Does he have a mentor?
Yes, he does now.
Is it a he or she?
Yes, he does now, yeah, and he has a he mentor as well from MSU coming and so that –
Maybe you want to get him a scribe also and see if that works.
Okay.
Because that is the child you were telling me about that he is afraid of doing things
wrong, correct? That it’s not that he doesn’t know how to write, it’s that he’s afraid of
writing wrong.
Yes.
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Choices (16.38)
And the other option too is for the – for the recorders, for them too. And we have those,
so that can be –
Yeah, that would be interesting to see how they work with that.
Yeah. It’s just – I mean with that, though, I just think, I wouldn’t want to do it and then if
I’m pulling him out to use it in the hall or, I don’t know if like that type of thing you
would do that with in the classroom or like send it home, or –
What do you think?
I think he’s already getting a lot of extra support that all the other class is seeing, and –
you know, him sitting there crying and you know, sort of wailing going on and on, and
the CT’s kind of been I wouldn’t say like teasing him, but kind of doing it in like a
humorous way, like, I love to write, you know, you can do it, and just the other students
are picking up on [student] won’t write and [student], um, is, um, he – he’s getting
noticed and he’s not finishing things when other students are finishing them. And so if he
has that within the class – I don’t think that would work if it was just him. I mean –
Have you asked him what will work? Have you talked to him?
Hm-m.
Just a suggestion.
Okay.
Because sometimes it helps to ask them what it is that it would make – that would make it
better – that would make it easier.
Okay.
They know themselves pretty well. This is what? Third grade? Fourth grade?
Fourth grade.
Fourth grade?
Right.
Because the other thing that you need to think about is what are you going to do if he is
sitting there wailing and crying and pitching a fit.
Um-hm.
I mean, you have to come up with an alternate plan.
Okay.
Because that is not, you know that there is a very strong possibility that that will happen.
Yes.
You don’t want to wait until it actually happens to decide what you are going to do.
Okay. All right.
It’s preferable to have a plan that you don’t use than to have no plan.
Okay.
And maybe that is something that you need to address in your lesson plan.
All right.
Come up with an alternate – an alternate plan for him. And don’t worry, I won’t put his
name in.
Okay, sorry about that.
That’s okay.
Um, okay.
So, what expectations do you have out of all of your students? What is the – the
minimum that you are going to expect from them at the end of the unit?
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Is that they have a finished, typed up piece and that they record it, that we – and for a
class movie kind of thing.
Okay. Even him?
Yes. Everybody.
Everybody?
Um-hm.
All right. Did you make any of your own materials?
Um, trying to think of that other stuff – you mean like organizers and things like that?
Because I just pretty much have the one, and I just use Janine’s as a model, so I mean that
was kind of her model, so I don’t know if that would be my own – I mean I’m putting my
own words in it, but, so yeah, I guess that would be –
Yes, that is your own.
Yeah.
Are you going to be making your own poem along with them?
Yes. I do have one that I was going to read to them on the first day after they read all the
other examples and have a discussion about it, and then read mine, but then I was
thinking of also, like when we’re the graphic organizers, maybe doing another one, and
so starting – you know, modeling, how I would start that. And I think with, kind of the
bullets, or the big things on the organizer, the topics to kind of go with, they are different
than what I chose to use in my own, so it – I mean I definitely have lots of room for – like
it wouldn’t like it wouldn’t be like I was writing the same thing and they’re seeing that.
Are you – are you going to make any special accommodations for anybody? Any of your
students?
Um, I guess I’ll need to think about him, and –
Because in a way, you have already made accommodations for your hearing impaired
student, right?
Yes.
And you’re thinking about what you’re gonna do with him –
Yeah.
And you have one more focus student –
Yes, and he – that was kind of the organization thing with him, he’s really great about
getting ideas but sticking to some sort – one idea – and that was kind of the thing with –
so just I think that will help him. And then – I mean, basically kind of going from there is
that it almost starts to be developed into the stanza structure, so it’s like they have one
idea, they have all these different thoughts that they’ve already brought with it, now it’s
just creating that into a line or a sentence, and so for him that will – creating lines and
sentences are really strong for him but sticking to one idea, one theme, is difficult.
Okay.
So that’s gonna help him. I mean, I was thinking about doing some – during different
like free-write time, that my CT or I are working with one – kind of working one-on-one,
or a smaller group, kind of giving them a little bit more focus on the piece that maybe
they might not be able to have just a half an hour to just write, or twenty minutes to just
write, so just kind of in breaking that time off for them, like write when you write for ten
minutes then we can talk about it, you know, ask questions and things like that and then
continue writing. Cause there are so many that are just coming up every minute and so
just kind of setting the expectation that this is a writing time and then – but then there
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would also be some opportunity for questions and everything, too, for the ones that
definitely need it. So –
Do you have your classroom set up in groups?
Um, they’re individual right now, but they will be back into groups tomorrow.
Okay. Do you know Three Before Me?
Three Before Me? No.
Have you ever heard that?
No.
Three Before Me is a strategy that is used a lot in collaborative teaching and so you have
four kids in a group, Three Before Me is that you ask three people before you come up to
me, me, being the teacher.
Okay.
And so what that does is that it makes the students within each group to be responsible
for each other, and then it frees up the teacher to answer those questions that really no
one within the group has an answer for.
Okay.
That might be a strategy that you might want to introduce even before you start your unit
with the kids, especially with the kids that come up to you all the time –
Okay. All right.
Just to try to curtail a little bit of the – you know, cause otherwise you’re gonna have 22
kids coming after you asking you questions just because it’s an attention-getting –
And that is something new, having the teachers sit with a group of people at one time and
other people working without that – we haven’t done that yet, so that will be –
It will be interesting to see how that goes. Um, so your plan for assessment is their final
product and the post –
Like a pre- and post- maybe attitude overall knowledge of poetry, and then – yeah, and
then having a like a Rubric with the expectations that I would give to them before we
start the writing of the Where I’m From, and um, yeah, breaking it down, I mean she’s
really been showing them a lot kind of going off of the MEAP Rubrics for the different
things, so kind of a three-point things that you’re focusing on – ideas, and conventions,
and things like that, so having those included in different points that –
Did you ask anyone for help in writing your unit?
Um, I’ve been talking to the other people that are doing poetry units and um –
In your school or in your class here?
Mostly – mostly in the – I mean within, at class but they’re in the school as well. Um, and
then just, you know, a lot from my CT, and that’s pretty much it – you.
Yeah, me, but we don’t count.
Yeah. And my mom’s a teacher and I kind of talked about it with her, and stuff, so –
Is that why you are a teacher? No?
No. My dad’s a principal too, but they were – I started out pre-med and then I was – I
decided on teaching and then, they weren’t (26.27) they’re fine with it now, but that was
it –
That’s interesting. Well, I’m glad you’re here.
Thank you. And –
So you’re all set with the support systems in your school, you know who those people
are, who you can go to. Have you talked to the resource room teacher?
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Yes. Um, I’ve just like up and coming a unit, but I haven’t been specific like we’re going
to be working, you know, this day she’s going to be working on – bringing down her
graphic organizer and stuff, and so obviously I need to do that tomorrow for the – for
next week.
Yeah. It would be helpful if she at least had an idea of what it’s going to look like.
I’m talking with – like the librarian and stuff because there’s some times that we’ll be
going there for library and having different poetry and some different specific things like
that.
Um-hm.
Recommendations and things, so –
Has it been easier or harder than you expected?
Um, I think harder, because I had an idea before I had clear objectives I think and so it’s
taking an idea of how it could be done and then bringing it back down to what do they –
what are they gonna learn and what, you know, kind of what are the steps for them to get
there, I guess.
So in hindsight, if you had to do it all over again, if tomorrow they told you you had
another month to prepare, what would you have done different?
Well, I’m kind of wondering now like if I should have done a lot of different poems, or
writing lots of different poems, but, you know, I’m kind of hearing other people that are
like, well in our two weeks we’re going to be writing five different poems, but you know,
it’s like I could have done it that way, but I mean, I wanted to work more on the process
of developing one and kind of weaving different things within that one, so I don’t know
necessarily if I would change my whole thing, but definitely knowing what I wanted
more specifically out of the students first, than just an idea for what they could do, I
think. And – cause now it’s kind of me knowing what I want but then kind of thinking
exactly what – what are they getting and what do they need to know first before they can
do it. So –
But you are working within the guidelines for their grade level.
Um-hm. Yeah, and I – yeah, I feel like I’m meeting, you know, meeting the curriculum
definitely, but I (29.19) I wanted to give them a different view of poetry, but I mean, you
know, I think, yeah, I think I’m sticking – I mean, it’s part of their curriculum – I think
it’s going to be a really valuable unit for them, but – maybe there’s other aspects of
poetry that are definitely going to have to be – I mean I don’t think it’s – it’s not specific
like, you know, in fourth grade you must teach a haiku, you must teach a limerick, I
mean, that’s – and that’s actually what turned me off to poetry and so this was kind of a
way for me, too, to find a way to get excited about teaching poetry, and I found
something that I was excited – a type of poem that I was excited about, and I thought that
that would be more fun to teach, you know, knowing that I enjoy it, so –
Yeah – you think that that’s important?
Yeah, I think it’s really important. Just because – I mean, I was even looking over like
my elementary – I found this elementary poetry book that I had made, and it – I
remember just hating it because it was just like, feeling okay, like – they were terrible – I
mean they weren’t terrible, you know, they did what I was asked, and I got – you know, I
did fine on it, you know, I got a good grade or whatever, but I didn’t enjoy it, you know,
and so I want them to enjoy it and to –
So you’re working within the curriculum –
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Um-hm.
You are hitting all the Glicks –
Yes.
You want them to enjoy it – what else did you want to get out of it that you’re not getting
out of it?
I guess nothing.
See what I’m saying?
Yeah.
I mean, you’re doing quite a bit.
Yeah. Okay.
So maybe it’s not so much that you’re worried about your students as it is that you’re
worried about what everybody else is doing, and the fact that you’re not doing it the way
that they’re doing it –
Maybe, yeah. I think maybe that was kind of my overwhelmed thing last week, I think
that was kind of – that’s what should have put me over the edge, like wait a minute – oh I
was going to try it this way, and oh well, and I think that’s – cause I was kind of starting
to doubt like – I don’t know. So –
So maybe comparing it with other people is probably not necessarily the best option for
you?
Yeah.
You know, there’s people that work great in groups and other people that don’t, so – but
you’ll learn your own style eventually. All right. Is there anything about your unit that
you’re dying to tell me?
Um, I have a question.
Ask away.
Okay. The first day I was going to – I was thinking all along that I was going to introduce
the Where I’m From on the first day, but then I thought, well, you know, they’re really
gonna – I’d like to see them do some sort of, you know, what’s unique about – some sort
of class coming up with what makes poetry unique kind of thing – you know, what
different things are added in poetry, what can writers do when they’re doing poetry, and
I’m kind of deciding now what I thought was with the pre-assessment like, poetry is like
blah-blah-blah, and they fill in the blank, or you know, poetry is about blah-blah-blah,
you know, or different kind of things that they’re adding their words and phrases to kind
of give me an understanding of where they are with poetry. So I was thinking of doing
that like in the morning on Monday and then introducing the Where I’m From, having
them start to evaluate what types of things the writer is doing when they’re doing this
type of poem, and then like on Tuesday, doing a big, kind of share-out of what poetry is
and what our understanding of poetry is. But I wasn’t sure if I should like start with the
Where I’m From and then go to like the poetry, or if I should start with poetry and then
start the Where I’m From.
What – what are the pros and cons of each one of them?
I think the pros and cons – I think it would be more engaging and exciting to start with
the Where I’m From.
Um-hm.
Um, but I think if you’re starting with the poetry, they’re already thinking about those
things before they start to read it –
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Are you going to read them some poetry?
On that first day I was going to read one and then have them get into pairs and read one
together.
Before all of that or after that?
Before all of the - what?
Before you’ve even talked about – before you even do the pre-assessment and…
Well, the pre-assessment – because we do like a morning message or a math message or
something, and so I was just going to have that like for their first thing to come in and do
in the morning, kind of their – and I thought that that would give me time to kind of go
through and then sort of figure out for Tuesday what they already know and what things
do I want to focus on addressing, and so I thought that would be nice because then I
would have a day to read what they know about it and then Tuesday tweak what I was
going to do –
Absolutely.
- based on –
Nicole Lewis has a half a page – she’s doing Mitzen Tall Tales –
-and Legends –
Yeah, she had a half page, four questions, about it – that she was not even thinking about
using (35.07) assessment, but after, you know, we started looking at it, she’s like, oh,
wait a minute – because she wanted to know how much they knew about it.
Okay.
So there’s nothing wrong with starting there, even before you do any introduction
whatsoever to any of the material.
Okay.
I think that it’s the second and the third steps that you really need to think about, because
if you do the Where I’m From first, they don’t know why it is that they’re doing it.
Yeah.
If you do a reading of poetry first, especially if you use some examples of poetry about
oneself, then by the time you get to the Where I’m From, there is that connection.
Okay.
Like a bridge between one and the other.
Okay, okay.
Does that make sense?
Yeah.
Because you don’t want to have too many loose pieces that they you’re going to try to
bring all together again in one pile.
Yeah.
You kind of have to make little bridges in between the activities that they’re making.
Okay. Okay.
So I would probably start with a very dramatic reading of a short poem – or your own Okay.
- about where I’m from.
Okay. And then a poetry introduction kind of lesson and then the next day start to explore
new, different ones – okay, I like that. Because I was doing my reading on that first day,
but then I thought I need some sort of start the unit out so they understand what we’re
studying and what we know and what we want to go. Okay.
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Poetry is the big theme. The Where I’m From is what is going to give them – it’s going
to be the anchor for the rest of your work.
Okay.
So you want to make sure that those two things are very closely aligned and connected.
Right.
Make sense?
Yes.
I am so excited, because I didn’t have a very good experience with poetry at all, so it’s
kind of nice to see, you know, getting kids excited about poetry.
Yeah.
It’s very cool.
Okay.
Anything else?
Um, I’m working hard tonight and tomorrow – can I send you – Saturday morning?
Of course, yeah.
Friday night or Saturday morning.
Yeah. Are you a night person or a morning person?
I am both. Yeah, especially this weekend, I was – it is my boyfriend’s birthday tomorrow,
we’re supposed to go up north to my – to home – and everything, and I just had to say I
can’t go, so he’s going and so I’ll be no distractions – nothing this weekend except this –
this is my focus – so tonight, tomorrow night, I’ll be – probably be up, you know,
whenever, early on Saturday, so I’ll be –
Yeah, I check my e-mail frequently, and uh, if you don’t hear from me – actually why
don’t we do this – text me –
Okay.
- when you e-mail me.
Okay.
Because even if I am not looking at e-mail at that time, I will know to go look for it.
Okay.
Saturday I am supposed to be – I’m an indoor cycling instructor and there’s an open
house from 8 to 3, so I’m supposed to be kind of teaching throughout –
Okay.
- but I can always take a look –
And I think what I’d like to do is send you definitely like the three-week overview, the –
well, basically I guess everything, but I mean I’ll really focus on the first weeks’ worth of
lessons, I think because in know like that next weekend I mean, things are likely to
change, so I’ll – I mean I have an outline of my idea for that, but I don’t think I’m going
to put the time into doing a structured lesson for the three weeks by this weekend.
Yeah, but you need the three lessons for Janine.
Yes, yes.
Are you going to make those at the starting or at the end of the unit?
Well, she wanted to see them before we teach, so I was just going to do the first three,
because I thought those would be the ones I’d be working on. So I just have to talk to her.
Okay. I don’t know that it necessarily has to be – the first three.
Okay.
It has to be three, but not necessarily the first three.
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Okay. Cause I thought she wanted the first –
She wants three.
Yes.
Not necessarily the first three lessons.
Okay.
You might want to –
I’ll have to clear that up with her.
The other thing – but you don’t know yet – because what I would like to do is schedule
videotaping.
Okay.
Can you look at your lesson plan and then tell me when you want me to come in?
Sure.
Cause I would like to do that.
The first week or –
The first two weeks, because the third week I won’t be in town.
Okay. So I’ll give you all the times I’m doing the first week and then –
Yeah, I mean I –
maybe stars by the ones to - the ones that you would like me to videotape.
Okay.
That would be fine.
And it’s, um, we’re printing those off and sending those forms home with the parents, is
that right?
I think that your CT is the one that I heard from and she said that she was going to send
them in the Friday folders.
Yeah, we just want to make sure that we need to print those off instead of you, right?
I can, yeah. I mean I can print them off for you if that would be easier, but if you guys
could print them off and send them home, that would be great.
That’s what we’ll do, cause we were planning – I just wondered if like unless you had
them today to go or something (41.16) wait to print them.
Okay. All right?
I’m feeling good – I know I just have a lot of work to do, and so –
You’ll be fine.
Yes.
And you’re excited about it, I mean that’s half the battle right there. You have to like
what you do, because if you don’t like what you do then you’ll have a problem.
Okay.
But you’re excited about it and you haven’t given up although you’ve had to change it
twice now –
Yes, yeah.
So that’s cool. I’m excited for you.

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APPENDIX AN: Cassie Formal Observation
1. Cassie started by setting up the agenda for class. Routine will be slightly different because of
the book fair and because there will be no computer time. Cassie started by helping one of the
students set up her book on the Elmo amid whispered conversations and her CT asked the
students to get back to their usual procedures and behaviors.
2. The student started by sharing pictures and describing the events. The student also answered
questions, without the need for Cassie’s intervention.
3. Cassie turned on the white-board and initiated the Poetry Workshop. She recalled the
previous weeks’ activities and activated knowledge by quickly summarizing the last activity on
Friday. She tried to control students that were talkative during instructions by moving to their
proximity and attempting eye contact (which worked). She gave the students time to gather
materials and asked for a volunteer to remind the class of the purpose of the organizers while
moving through the classroom and prompting individual students as needed. She paid particular
attention to a student that had not followed directions and could not find his materials in his desk.
There is a low hum of conversation throughout the classroom. Once the student found the
materials Cassie prompted him to recall what he had already done and indicate what he needed to
do next.
4. She also spent some time with the student next to him, who has a hearing impairment and to
whom poetry is a difficult genre. In general, Cassie moved from group to group and spoke to all
students but she does not yet have “eyes in the back of her head” which means that when she
pays attention to a particular student she ignores the students behind her. However her CT was
also moving around the room and helping students.
5. Cassie’s CT left the room but the tone and noise level of the classroom did not change.
6. Cassie started talking about groups of people going to the library individually. The
conversations immediately stop when she starts giving directions. Although she is soft-spoken,
the kids seem to listen to her directions and follow expected behaviors. She dismissed 4 girls, not
all from the same group and continued to help students still working, giving them direction and
making them laugh. Cassie spent time at each group and talking or simply praising all students.
On two occasions students came to her to ask procedural questions but immediately returned to
their seats. The students that came back from the library showed her the books they checked out
and Cassie pulled sticks for the next 4 four children to go to the library, ad repeated the
procedure 2 more times.
7. Cassie’s CT came back in and they conferred briefly. Cassie’s conference times were usually
initiated by her prompt and lasted for as long as the student was engaged. Cassie spent a larger
amount of time with two of her 3 focal students (S1 and S3) who were clearly having problems
with the writing portion on the assignment. S2 was visibly unmotivated and constantly talking to
the other student in his group and it was difficult to determine what was the contributing factor to
his lack of attention to task.
8. Cassie started the next block of poetry work by engaging the students in a quick review of the
“5 Starts of Poetry”. She picked students with hands in the air to read each sentence from the
board, not necessarily in order. Cassie reviewed what they had done last week and told them they
would be discussing how “poetry says things in special ways”, and asked for volunteers to
elaborate on that idea. She called on volunteers and then expanded on their ideas until a student
said that poets used similes and metaphors which became the perfect lead-in to the mini-lesson.
Cassie asked “what is a simile” and asked for examples (using “like” or “as…as”) and then asked
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“what is a metaphor” and also asked for examples. She let 4 or 5 students give examples and
then showed them, by using the Elmo, how some poets use similes and metaphors. She asked the
students to read along from the board and see if they could determine where the similes and
metaphors were being used. She also asked students to read aloud the examples and really
prompted all students to be engaged in the discussions and justify or further expand on their
thoughts.
9. Cassie asked them to put the “Where I’m From” poems away, clean up their table and go to
the Book Fair preview
9. Upon return from the Book fair Cassie conducted the second part of the mini-lesson in which
the students were guided through the process of “creating pictures” in their minds. First they
worked on Similes. Cassie showed them some examples and asked for volunteers to “act-out”
some movement in the classroom. She picked one students from each table and asked the
audience to, as they are listening to sentences to see what their image would be. For example,
what different it would make if the sentence said “The students leapt like a frog” versus “the
student jumped”. She prompted them with “Tell me a little about the picture in your mind”, and
“tell me what else we could have said”. After the first example she asked for other volunteers
and then practiced 3 more times. Cassie also provided them with simple sentences and asked
them to develop a simile and then discussed the various examples the students gave.
10. Cassie also guided the students through thinking about metaphors by analyzing some
sentences. She asked them first to “Draw a cat that’s cold” and then “My cat was cold like an ice
cube”. Then they discussed the differences in the drawings and how different the mind images
were depending on the sentence.
11. Cassie showed them a sentence from her own “Where I’m from” and how she changed it into
a metaphor. She then asked the students to get their own poems out and for the next 10 minutes
work on finding a sentence that can be enhanced with either a simile or a metaphor.

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APPENDIX AO: Cassie Project Three
Project Three – Draft of Teacher Narrative
Part A: Analysis of three focus students
MS showed great strides in terms of Literacy and confidence in reading during the poetry unit. I
coordinated with the resource teacher about what she could so in regards to the lessons to keep
MS right along with class. This worked out very well, sending books or the pre-write for
example down to begin or continue. She did miss out on the simile and metaphor lesson which
was difficult for her to connect with the analogies in the remainder of the unit. It included drama
and art; I think it would have connected with her, or given her a better understanding of similes
and metaphors. As she is very literal in mind, she continues to work on understanding jokes,
analogies and riddles.
MS did an excellent job during a pair reading and analysis of Where I’m From poetry. Her
partner later shared that she wanted to tutor kids one day so she really liked working with MS.
MS read one of the Two Voice poems with her classmate LB. The two girls went into the hall to
practice the poem in a quiet space. There were many tongue-twisters, “slithering, and slathering”
for example, and MS read the poem many times to really focus on the sounds of the words. The
two girls were giggling and having a great time, and did an excellent job reading in front of the
class. MS stayed right with the line timing and expression, and did very well with the words after
reading and practicing with her partner many times. MS did an excellent job in this unit,
improving and maturing overall as a student.
She showed excellent skills in writing voice, and vocabulary in her poems. In her THANKS
poem, she connected it to God, including the words, spirit, heaven, and loving angels. She
completed her Where I’m From poem both in pour classroom and in the resource room. She
wrote about her family and pets in the city in which she lives. On the pre-assessment MS replied
to the questions “What is the one thing that you would like to learn about poetry?” with “Learn
more about them”. On the post assessment her answer to “What is one thing you learned about
poetry? ” was “It is fun”. Words from MS’s Where I’m From poem:
“I am painting with my dad.
And playing games with my sister”.
Going into the unit I was most nervous about the reaction and motivation with HH. He is labeled
Gifted and Talented across the curriculum and has a differentiated learning plan for all subjects.
However, writing is/was a major area of concern with HH. He is very creative, enjoys writing
comics, and creative stories but is very reluctant, moaning and crying when given a writing
assignment with a prompt that he finds limiting. I had planned to monitor how he was doing with
the pre-write and draft for the Where I’m From poem. I did offer to scribe for him, as he was
willing to share his ideas, but would not put them on paper. I was prepared to do this throughout
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the unit, and even had located a microphone recorder that he could use, but it never came to this.
After the first poem, the students could write about any topic, while at the same time following
the format of a particular style of poetry, and this seemed to suit HH better. He completed the
THANKS poem quite quickly with limited struggle to begin and produce great work. He did well
writing a Two Voice poem with a partner and it was great to see him excited about writing!
Looking at his pre and post assessment it seemed that HH had a much better attitude towards
poetry and hopefully writing at large at the end of the unit. In the pre-assessment, when asked
“What is one thing that you would like to learn about poetry”, HH responded “none”. When
asked in the post-assessment “What is one thing that you learned about poetry” he said “you can
write poetry about anything”. Even if he didn’t want to learn, he ended up learning something!
HH seemed to really enjoy the performance by Logic. He had a huge smile on his face, and was
very impressed by all the poetry badges that Logic shared with the students. In his Thank you to
Logic, HH really showed thoughtful reflection in terms of a writer. During the performance,
Logic shared his latest poem that he had yet to name. He told the students that if they thought of
a great name, he would use it. In the letter, HH wrote “Thank you for coming to our school. You
were great! I hope you win your next contest! I thought of a name for your poem about your
grandma’s house; it is Where Every Poet Should Be”. I am pleased with the progress in attitude
and voice that HH is displaying in his writing.
I found SM such a joy to teach in this unit. He has recently joined football and his really
enjoying sports in his life. On the pre-assessment he wrote that he would like to read poems
about sports. I directed him to a great book of sports poems on the first day that e really enjoyed.
He was a student very engaged with the lesson and writings, often finishes early with a very
polished piece. With free time he was willing to try additional tasks or poems on his own or with
a fellow classmate. He took right off with the Haiku poems. He combined his love of art in his
letter, illustrating his Haikus titled: Superheroes, Frogs drive me crazy, and The Orange.
In the beginning of the school year, SM had shared that he had trouble sticking to the topic in his
writing. I think with the format of poetry, that naturally uses fewer words and lines, he was able
to see it all to organize his poems. Often times the poem set up that organization for him, and I
hope that focusing on describing something or expressing an idea effectively in poetry will carry
over to other writing genres and activities.
SM has been working very hard at being comfortable speaking and being in front of his peers.
He will rarely make eye contact when he speaks, but is very articulate and willing to share. We
have seen great improvements over the last month or so. The students have been reciting a poem
individually or in pairs with props and costumes. He began quite stiff and looking at the floor,
but during the last poem titled, November, he was sailing across the room pretending to catch a
football and dropping a bagful of crisp leaves around his partner. After re-reading his preassessment and comparing to his post, I made a very rewarding discovery. SM wrote on his pre502

assessment that poetry made him fell “nervous”. By the post assessment he seemed to have a
tremendous change of heart and mind as his final response to how poetry makes him feel, he
wrote “calm”. Very cool!
Superheroes
By SM
I am a hero,
Fighting crime all day and night
Before I wake up
Step 2: Whole Class Analysis
The poetry pre-assessment gave me great insight into what my students knew and felt in terms of
poetry. The following questions consisted of the pre-assessment. The students completed this on
the Friday prior to the unit introduction on Monday. I included some of the responses from my
students below.
Poetry is like – a good thing, a song, a story, a song that rhymes, rhyming, a bird, chocolate
marshmallows, telling what is around you in a simple from of writing
Poetry makes me feel – good. I like poetry a lot, but it’s not my favorite thing in the world;
happy sometimes, sad, sometimes curious, nervous, funny, cool, better, thinky
Poetry is about – fun, rhyming, being able to read something short and pretty, things you like,
everything it can’t be wrong or right, whatever you talk about, just for fun and expressing your
feelings, everything, nature
What is one thing that you would like to learn about poetry? How to write poetry, how long
can a poem be, what kind of poetry is there, what the famous poetry writer, about memorizing
After reading their responses, I created a poem using their words to share with them during the
introduction of the unit. I wanted them to see that their words and ideas could be made into
poetry that is pleasing to the ear, and speaks to the heart and mind. Many students raised their
hand to share that they saw their words, and later became excited that I had included their ideas.
Poetry is Like a Song
Compiled by Ms. S from the words of her class
Poetry is like a song
I like the way it sounds
It’s sweet as chocolate marshmallows
And reminds me of a bird.
Poetry makes me feel thinky,
And happy, and sometimes even sad.
It makes me feel all kinds of things,
For poetry I am glad.
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The students completed a post-assessment with the same questions as the pre-assessment. Many
recognized the questions, but rather than recalling their original ideas, gave responses that
illustrated their new understanding and opinions of poetry. After analyzing the pre-assessments it
was evident that many of the students started to use much more descriptive words and elaborate
language in their responses. It seemed as though the language of poetry is sticking with the
students, and the overall feeling is of enjoyment and interest in reading, writing and responding
to poetry. I noticed that a few students even articulated some of the “5 Stars of Poetry” in their
final responses. I saw “says a lot in a few words”, and “poetry pleases the ear” which were the
two phrases that we discusses and used as a language in which to discuss and analyze poetry
during the unit.
Poetry is like – a song that speaks to my soul, expression when you read it, happy, sad, nice,
pretty, love, or even just good, a language to make a song without a tune, awesome, a short
sentence that makes you feel a lot, a voice that speaks loud and clear, goodness to my heart
Poetry makes me feel – happy and sad sometimes, very warm, comforting and like something
that speaks to me deep down, thinky, like something about it is reminding my memories, relaxed,
good, wonderful, fun, calm, great
Poetry is about – fun, rhyming, being able to read something short and pretty, things you like,
everything it can’t be wrong or right, whatever you talk about, just for fun and expressing your
feelings, everything, nature
What is one thing that you learned about poetry? You can write poetry about anything, poetry
pleases the ear, it is fun, there are many kinds of poetry, that it speaks to people deep down, that
you can choose what to write about, you have to practice, there are no right words, poetry is not a
story it’s more like a song, it helps you learn, how to write poetry, says a lot in a few words, you
have to be yourself, 2 voices, and it’s easier to read a poem in a quiet area, to speak aloud, it can
be fun!
I learned a great deal while planning and preparing for this unit, during and continue to learn
afterwards. I am pleased with how things went and found that it was fun to teach. I remember
one day when we were working on an “imaginary lesson” that I had written last year, and then
revamped for this unit. After checking in with one student she turned to me with a grin on her
face and say: “Ms. S you are so smiley today!” It really felt great to “get caught” really enjoying
what you are doing do much that it shows on your face! The unit definitely evolved as the 3
weeks went on. I added lessons, found better examples, and let new opportunities guide the unit
to a new place. I did add another of the fourth grade genres, the friendly letter, to the unit as we
found two occasions when the students could/should write a Thank You (social note). The timing
was right, and I included some mini lessons into my plan, but the motivation and interest in
poetry remained for the students and myself.
The writing conferences that I included in the unit were so insightful into the minds of my
students as writers. I had the opportunity to meet with each one on an individual basis and hear
them read their poems. I was so proud of the thought and description that they included in their
first drafts. I learned about their families, and their interests, what is important, and those
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seemingly simple things that makes these kids “tick”. It did require a lot of time, and as I had my
CT in the room, I was able to sit in the hall in the quiet and more private atmosphere than the
classroom. I know that in the future I will likely not have this luxury, but will just have to
prepare the students with the expectation for writing times in the classroom.
While flipping through a stack of Michigan brochures that my students had completed in Social
Studies, I saw….an Acrostic poem! One of my students had included a MICHIGAN poem to
share additional information about the state. He showed that cross over from the Literacy lesson
and “Thanksgiving project” to a Social Studies project. It was really neat to see. Some of my
other students have continued to check out poetry books in the library. Seeing how they are
choosing to read poetry on their own, supports the Attitude Intention for the unit that Each
student will read and seek poetry that they are interested in with enthusiasm.
Step 3: Topic for further reflecting and analysis
I still need to choose, any recommendations?
1. Differentiation – meeting the needs of all learners in the classroom. Experience from
working with Paula, interests in allowing each student the opportunity to be successful in
school and enjoy learning
2. Create page on my teaching website to organize lessons, links, resources, and library of
poetry. Place to add, organize, and share ideas for this year and beyond.
3. Creating community through poetry – Where I’m From – getting to know your
students as writers, conferencing, inviting community members in to share poetry and
experiences. Select poetry that is relatable and f interest to the students.
4. Building confidence through poetry – Saw improvement with my students, and a great
way to build an excited and productive learning community
I had the opportunity to sub for my CT the Wednesday during the first week of my guided lead
teaching. I had taught my introduction lesson on Monday and a pair reading and analysis of a
Where I’m From poem on Tuesday. The unit was off to a great start, but it wasn’t until
Wednesday when I had planned the whole day that I really felt like “the teacher”. In this
experience, I wanted to be seen and feel like a teacher, and I knew in the first week that had
occurred. The students were engaged and interested in what we were reading, discussing and
beginning to write. I really saw that the planning and preparations for the unit paid off.
The instructional context in which the unit was run, most resembles a Writing Workshop.
Students completed a pre-write, rough draft, and then participated in a writing conference with
me. We read and discussed the poems, and then they typed their edited poems. They had to have
a peer edit, and then submit the pre-write, rough draft, and final draft. I found that the students
work at very different paces, and you have to be flexible with what all can and will accomplish.
For example, when typing the Where I’m From poem to turn in, some finished using the
classroom computer in 15 minutes, some took the entire computer period, and other had to get
back on when they had free time later in the week until they finished. I had expected that all
would be turned in after computers were over on Monday, and the last one wasn’t received until
about 3:00 on Friday.

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“Now what do I do?” I had to have additional activities for the students to do as I saw some were
completing the work very quickly. Writing the Haiku poems for the chance to be in a book that
Logic was going to put together was a great activity for these students. After doing the reading as
a class of the Two Voice poems, I encouraged those that had finished or were waiting for a
computer to work with a partner and write a Two Voice poem. Many students ended up really
enjoying these, and there were some excellent poems written.
I really used the resources in the school for the unit. They have a terrific poetry section, and the
librarian allowed me to take “as many books as I could carry” plus some to use. She was able to
pull poetry books for the students to browse and check out one day when I pre-arranged it with
her. I also used books in the leveled library. They had a set of six of The Phoenix by Paul
Fleishman, and it was great to find what I was looking for. I was in contact with the Resource
teacher about literacy support related to the unit and it seems to benefit the students. The other
interns in the building were also a big help. Many were doing poetry as well, and we were all in
contact sharing ideas.
I was fortunate to have an idea for the unit and have the freedom from my CT to really “give it a
try”. She really was a great help getting me focused on my objectives, or vision of learning that I
had. She was always available for feedback or for questions, and shared many resources to pull
ideas from. I was able to try new things, and create a unit from start to finish.
The Unit changed on Day 3. I still had a lot of ideas, and as different things came up I had to
change the plan. By week 2, I had tweaked the plans, and after that the unit went as expected. I
found that the students were much more excited and interested than I had originally thought they
would be. The opportunity for Logic to come in was another piece that I adjusted for. All three
fourth grades were able to attend, and I found the experience of watching a performing poet and
being able to ask him questions was a huge motivator for the students. Reading their Thank You
notes to him, I was very touched by how excited, and interested they were to write to him after
he came to the school.
I need to learn more about assessments, informal and formal. I need to know to really know if
my students are becoming better readers, and writers, and what I can be doing to monitor and
track this progress over the year. I need to know what should and shouldn’t be included in a
rubric, and what shouldn’t be factored into a grade.
The post-assessments demonstrated the effectiveness of the instructor to expand their knowledge
and enjoyment of poetry. Their responses were much longer and more thoughtful than in the preassessments, and I would like to think that it is related to their greater awareness of poetry and
the rich language of poetry. I was able to hear what students took away, and saw patterns or
similarities that correlated to different poems or lessons.
There were Knowledge and Capacity Objectives for this unit. The language in the Knowledge
Objectives included were students to read, discuss, understand, relate to and explore poetry
through reading, writing and listening. I included response, analysis and application of forms and
styles in the Capacity portion. I also included Attitude Intentions that were related more toward
behavioral and participation. Working cooperatively, complete all tasks according to his or her
abilities, more of the Attitude goals for this unit.
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I had related GLCEs summarized as follows: Reading – increase comprehension, determine
context and meaning of analogies and other literary terms, and recall prior knowledge to connect
with the written text; Writing – choose range of topic, show personal style and enthusiasm;
Listening and Viewing – listen or view and compare a variety of poetry; and Speaking – discuss
poetry. I scaled these down from the original list as I felt they were addressed in the unit and
related to my objectives.
Sharing a common language, providing and reading examples of topics of interest, and
introducing the students to the real world of poetry through relation to music, examples form the
Internet and welcoming a guest poet into the school were huge in effective methods used. It was
all about knowing your students interests and finding examples that they were going to learn
from and enjoy. These were the moments that the students talked about the most and engaged in,
when they had a personal connection.
My pre and post assessments show me largely changed attitude towards poetry. All of the poems
were reviewed and edited in class by a teacher or peers. Students were constantly receiving
feedback. The rubric for the Where I’m From poem provided the guidelines for one of 3 graded
assessments for the unit. It worked, and for the most part, it assessed how the students completed
the steps and organized the pieces to complete and turn in throughout the writing. I see areas now
that need modification, largely separating the behavior from the curricular objectives. Including a
simile and a metaphor in the poem was on the rubric, and I thought a lot about that later, that this
should have been more of an optional thing to try. However, very few students were not able to
do this and most created excellent and appropriate analogies in their writing that really added to
their poems.
I often had too much planned for the time. I found that at the end of the Literacy period I often
felt rushed. I the future, I would simplify or break up some of the lessons or add longer blocks
for Literacy. I thought a great deal about where each student was in the process, who was ready
to type or needed something else to do now that they had finished a long time before the rest of
the class. Prepare for it all and be mindful of time. Think in advance about what you might need
to cut, or something that could be expanded on based on time.
Give Me 5, Eyes Forward-Voices Off, were all phrases that are used, and I relied on to get
attention from the class. I tried some new ways of grouping, stacked and random decks of cards,
find your pair, pulling sticks at random, or allowing students to choose their groups or partners.
Each group would have to share a created list of information. Modeling my CT and how she gets
the command were my intentions to maintain a sense of normalcy.
Discussion was a huge part of this unit. Pairs, small groups, and whole class discussion occurred.
We would discuss a great deal after reading a poem or pair of poems, sharing what made it
unique, what they noticed, how it made them feel, what it reminded them of, etc. The
involvement of the students is what truly made this a success. Most were eager to participate and
willing to share ideas. They connected with the examples, and found room for creativity in the
many forms of poetry.

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APPENDIX AP: Cassie Project Three Presentation (transcript)
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I feel that it sort of speaks for itself, so, I think that if everyone kind of goes through it
and then if you have questions, or, hum, things you wanna chime in just let me know, so!
(4:20) OK, so, just the opening page has got the introduction and this is what I kinda
came up with; my plan was “Meeting the diverse needs and interests of all learners in the
classroom through planning and assessment”. This was kinda, the Earth image was like
sorta of that image throughout the unit and the on the side, the pictures that I use, I’m not
sure if you guys have hear of the “Creative Comments”, it’s a place that you can go and
get images off of the internet; it’s a great pace to kinda sent students that, people have
given, hum, you the freedom to use them and rework them, so you don’t have to worry
about plagiarizing or taking some body elses’ work, so the pictures I use are from them
What’s it called?
“Creative Comments”, and you can do, like, Google image searches but if you do them
through Creative Comments” so you can feel free to use them, you know, use it and use
the work.
Oh, I like that.
Yeah. OK, so, I don’t know, I guess click through? Kinda see? I kinda did, like, day-byday what we did, and then I show examples of the student work, hum, so this was the preassessment. I got the idea from Nicole, kinda of just asking the students to fill out simple
things and then these were their responses.
A bird? Why?
Yeah!
Did you all see the marshmellows?
So from this, especially with “The things you wanna learn about poetry” I was able to
kinda think about like, famous poets, that wasn’t something I was thinking about, but
then that made me think that, like, maybe I should introduce some poets to them and then
get them familiar with poetry, ah, I’m trying to think, anything. Yah, so I did this on the
Friday, prior to the unit start on Monday so I could kinda look over these over the
weekend and then, hum,
if you click the next thing, Monday, hum, this was kinda my introduction day, hum, using
that “Writers Express”, there’s this question here “I wonder what makes poetry unique”.
So I looked at the Writers Express, what do they say about teaching poetry, and they had
these five things which I kinda turned into the “5 stars of poetry”. Hum, I was thinking
that having that common language was great to discuss and describe poetry. Hum, I used
these for different read-alouds, like the “Pleases the Ear” I brought in, like, examples of
music that’s poetry and that related to read- alouds through these different pieces. On the
first day, I showed you guys last week, but, we had, I worked at the library and she got
me kinda pile of all these different books, the hum, also on the pre-assessment, people
wrote down topics that interested them so I got, like, “Spots”, and “Nature”, and
“Animals” it was kinda of a last minute thought, but I was able to kinda pick books and
then give those to students based on their interests. And these are just kinda of examples
of what students did, hum, “Noodles are my favorite foodles” and he said “that pleases
the ear”, hum “America sky-scrappers tall with many windows” I guess, so it must have
been the structure that that student saw that looked different.

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OK? So that’s, flip to the next, hum, so this is day 2, I, we would have read my “Where
I’m From”, did we, are we skipping? Oh, oh. Hum, I lost a page. That’s OK. All right, so,
hum, there was another piece where I took their poems and created this poem of their
words; that was kinda of another thing on the introduction day where they saw their
words as poems, it was like, hum, it said “Compiled by Ms. Sharp from the word in her
class” and then it was, hum, “Poetry, poetry is like a song, I like the way it sounds, it’s
like a bird, it makes me feel (…)” I was using their words to create a poem.
(…)
Yeah! And I’ll fix this if you guys can see kinda what I did, cause I must have messed up
the pages but, hum, so I shared mine and then I took a deck of cards and I had like, two
nines, two eights, and I passed them out, and there was a couple of students that I said
“here” so I kinda stacked the deck, and sort of pre-planned who they would go with, hum,
just based on if they needed the extra-support or, so like on one I had an ace on the top
and an ace on the bottom so like I would slip her the ace and them slip the other student I
wanted her to go with the ace, so they read the poems, and then created this list here of all
the different topic that they thought that were used by authors and “Where I’m from”
poems.
So, the next page is a repeat. I’ll fix that.
Hum, Day 3 was the pre-write. This page is kinda of a little difficult to read but, hum, I
tried to show an example of some student work. I mean, you can kinda make out, like this
first one said “What city, state, you know, country” it says “Colorado Springs, Colorado,
USA, Solar System, Milky Way”, something, she’s, she’s really into starts and astronomy
so was kinda of her thing, and then, hum, just a great way to kinda get your ideas going
and it gave them so place to start. And stuck here, there was a few students that really
struggled to get started, or, organizing, so, hum, if I saw them sitting and doing nothing I
walked around and said “hey, tell me about this…” you know, or “what kinda things do
you see around your house” and then they would start sharing and I just kinda picked up
the pencil, just to get some ideas down, so that was helpful.
Hum, next page, “similes and metaphors” and this kinda goes along with that “5 stars of
poetry” that “It says things in special ways”, so this was like my theme for “simile and
metaphor”, hum, these were two examples, this encyclopedia and sports pages that we
had at the school, and I found some examples of “similes and metaphors” to share with
them, hum, I mean this is a lesson where some things are acting out, and then they were
drawing some just to see that difference and how much it is powerful, took it to language,
you know, creates word pictures, you know, or “Pleasing to the Ear”, I guess I can say,
oh and these in the bottom, in the blue, these are some of the “similes and metaphors”
that they used in their room for poems that I saw.
And most students, hum, there was only one that, that really wasn’t, really didn’t, the
“similes and metaphors” I am still working with her, I mean she was really, hum, I mean
jokes and things like that, she doesn’t really get. So this was a stretch for her. But, hum,
other than that, almost every student did include a similes and a metaphors in their
“Where I’m from” final poem, and in other poetry that they wrote. So, hum,
Next page, “Logik the Poet” came, hum we invited all the fourth grades to come over and
we had a great time, hum, one thing that was really cool is he did, he shared his poetry,
like Nick said, he answered all kinds of questions, but then he did this Haiku mini-lesson,
that was really cool because that was something that we did not include in our unit, but
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then he did it and they really took off with that. So, hum, he would kinda get them started
and it was like this, three grades coming together to build a poem with Logik, so. This is
an example of one poem they started and then they had three different endings, like
possible that they could do.
Hum, and then this next page just, it’s like, it was the highlight of Logik. Hum, he told
the students at the end that if they wrote haiku poems and send them to him he’d make a
book out of them. So, my kids were like “Oh, cool” you know “we’re gonna write haiku
poems to send to Logik”. So we went back to the classroom and they were just writing,
some students even started to just write other ones. And I was thinking, even if you
couldn’t have someone come in, just saying I’m gonna make a book out of these, and
that’s, that is motivator enough just to get them to submit their poems. So, these are three
examples that students wrote. Hum, the poems.
Did they send these to Logik yet?
Yeah.
Is he gonna?
I’ll show you in a minute.
I haven’t hear back. I haven’t seen him. I mean, I gave them to him at the Poetry Slam
Yeah, and you had said that he had read them, right?
Yeah he read them. “Cause he hosted the Poetry Slam and actually read some of them up
on stage and it kinda (…)”I went into a fourth grade classroom last week and they wrote
me a bunch of haikus” and he read some of them out loud, like on the mike when he was
out there; people couldn’t believe that part (…)
Yeah. So that was, that was really cool.
I’m sure they loved it.
Hum, so, Day 7, the fourth graders, we have these two bulletin boards and we always
kinda come up with something that we all did together and this was, that’s that thing, they
get this packets each month, and there’s all kinds of stuff in them, and this just happened
to be in one so I said, (…) let’s do it, , so we did this with our classes, so what we did in
the morning, for their morning activity, I just said “Mystery Notebooks”, which they
don’t really know what they’ll use them for, or what we’ll give them, we kinda just say
pull this out and do this in it. So they made a list of things they were thankful for and then
later that day we kinda took those ideas and then made the thing. So I showed some
examples and then we did the things. I so this is the bulletin that they came up with, it
was this time thing that was in the teacher bulletin board, so we had this ridiculous (…)
that kept falling off every day, so we had to slap them back up there but, hum, there were
so really nice poems; the one below is one of my focal students who, ha, she spends a lot
of time outside of the classroom, so one piece was really talking to the resource teacher
before the unit, letting her know what we were doing, and then finding times that I could
send things down with her, to either finish up, or that she could work on a piece so, like
on the first day, when I did the “5 Stars”, I gave her one of these, and gave some
examples of books that fit their interests and reading ability and she, I just said “Can you
really talk about heart and mind” and “says things in special ways” or something, and so
it was like, they focused on two things, hum, two things, so that was really helpful. And
this is what she came up with: “Thank you God for what you’ve done to me, having to
trust you and you’re spirit in Heaven”, and so it was a really thoughtful that she finished,
so…
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Hum, Day 8 was just writing time and writing conferences, hum, they had to finish their
acrostic poems and then work on the “Where I’m From”, Hum, I did a writing conference
where I took them out in the hall and my CT kinda kept the other students on track, and I
had them read it aloud, talk about what’s going well, what, you know, areas to work on,
so it was great to get to know them, and kinda give them some special time. So the
students that were done started with, after this piece, started to use the classroom
computers to type, and then other I encouraged to work on their haiku poems to send to
Logik. So that was a good kinda, not filler, but to kinda keep those students that were
done at that point, going. Hum, the computer lab on Monday, they spent their time, at this
point they had finished their drafts and typed, and then I had put together, I have this slip
in here, cause I knew there were about 5 students that were done, they were finished, so I
had this other task for them to do, which is, I think you can kind of consider as a poem,
sort of a form of poetry, possibly, so this was India. This is what one student created.
Hum, “Thank you to Logik”. This wasn’t really the friendly letters genre for fourth grade
but I thought , what a good opportunity to have, hum, you know, authentic, something to
write for, so they all wrote “Thank you to Logik”, I introduced the different pieces, hum,
using Writers Express, like what they have, the structure, and then this is, they would
write the poem, include the haikus and draw pictures and stuff, and that’s what we sent to
him. Again, there were students that when they finished, they had different things that
they could keep going with.
Hum, “Two-Voice” poems, hum Nick had said he used some and these are huge so I
found two examples on uTube, it was a little tricky to find some, but there were some
high school students that were reading, and there was a really good one about America
I don’t really know what “Two-Voice Poems” are.
It’s that, like
Go back and forth
In the packet, were, like, this is one. So you, like, either read things at the same time, or
like one reads one, and then the other reads another.
Oh, it’s two voices
Yeah
OK, got it.
So, these are some examples that we had. Hum, we saw examples on uTube, and then we
read some as a class and then I pulled sticks, broke them up and they would, I had all
different choices, some that were written as two-voices, and others that they kinda made
into two-voices, because the library didn’t have that many.
And then they read, hum, they read them and just really loved it, and then with the extra
time some were starting to write two-voice poems. Hum, I really like this one, it is from
two of my Korean students that were leaving in the next week or so, but this was their
debate on Korean-Michigan. So, that was a nice example.
(…)
And this was, hum, one of those other things, like I told the kids I would make a book out
of the two-voice. So, even though it is not graded, they keep adding to it, hum, they keep
writing them.
And then, just wrap-up, post-assessment, I did this same thing but just did “What is one
thing you learned about poetry?” and just kinda going through and seeing, you know,
kinda that common language: poetry pleases the ear, says things in a few words, it’s like
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they were using some of that language but it was with thoughtfulness and (…) really,
really cool. So, that was. Some were still (…) of the pre-assessment.
(…)
Yeah, and then, last page, tying it all together, hum, really looking at what all students
were, accomplished during the unit, what some students kinda went above and beyond,
or, you know different things that they were doing, and then a few students that I’m
actually seeing continue checking out poetry books and writing poetry. This, this
Michigan poem was like, one of those Ah-Ah moments, cause I was slipping through
‘cause they do social students in another classroom, and they have this assessment piece
of a Michigan brochure, and this student included this and it wasn’t, like, he wasn’t asked
to do it, but he did that so I was like, that’s cool. It shows that carry-over. Jason…so
The top that you can possibly expect them to (…)
Yeah, I didn’t expect.
Generalizing onto a different setting is when they take what they’ve learned and apply it
elsewhere.
Yeah, it was like, what a great way to share more information on Michigan. I mean, it
just fit! So, so that was my unit!
Can I (…)?
Yeah, and then, just in here, like I said, the rubric was the real thing, it’s like the
assessment piece, and this would be something to work on, hum, for next time. I did have
sort of behavior and content in the same thing, and would like to sort of separate that a
little bit better, like the participation and the content stuff but, hum, but it was definitely a
learning experience and things to work on, so….

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APPENDIX AQ: Cassie Final Interview (transcript)
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Are you all set?
I need to look at my blog and make sure I’m doing what you need – wanted me to do.
Oh? Yeah?
Well, I just need to like (.11) a little pieces cause I kind of just want an idea - then going
back to –
It looked good.
Thanks.
I mean, it looked great.
Yeah.
How do you feel about it?
Um, I feel good, I mean, I – the – I really wanted that kind of that – sort of that challenge
of writing an article that was more kind of a main option she gave us in different outlets,
but I just didn’t feel like at this time like I had one thing that I was just really wanted to
go with. But then once I kind of started to bring this together, like (.38) assessment was a
big thing, like I felt like with the differentiation that – especially cause we’re working on
it, like I’ve learned a lot through the process Um-hm.
- I didn’t – talking about the assessment, like I don’t know if I like in the planning, I
necessarily like spelled it out, but like I feel like I just sort of naturally did it, and it kind
of came as the unit progressed.
So how much different do you think that your teaching was from your planning?
Um, it was more just this is my plan and then once I was in the moment it was like, it is
my plan but this person isn’t getting this or this person needs this extra piece and oh can I
use this student, cause I – what I really found a lot is that students were so willing to
work with other students, like if they’d be getting a piece they’d like, oh well, I – I can
go, you know. It’s like, oh, - they saw me working with someone, like oh I can go reexplain that to her, you know, and it was like finding the students that were – and that
were geeked about it, you know – like I – I said that like stacking the card deck with I did
that pair, that was my focal student, and you know she has ear – we have a sound system
in the classroom and she has the ear microphones and I’m think- and this student that I
matched her with, at the end of it she came up to me – it was like at the end of the day,
she was running out as we’re walking outside to the bus and she’s like Ms. [***], I really
like that – she said when I, you know, get into middle school and high school, I – I’d like
to be a tutor. And that was – that was really cool, and she’s like, you know we’re working
well together and I kind of – it was like, she didn’t say graphic organizer, but she’s like I
pulled this sort of, like, (2.10) chart or whatever, she’s like, we started doing this and this,
you know, we were getting ideas and so She was a little teacher .
- yeah. And it was like great, you know. And they both came back and they were, they
had all these ideas, so it was –
That’s cool.
Yeah.
So at a guess, you stuck to your plan what? Half the time, 25% of the time? None at all?
Did you do everything that you had planned?
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Um, no, but I did –
Did you do the most important parts of your plan?
I think so, and I think a different option-opportunities came up that um, kind of overrided
what I was thinking or had more value to the students, more applicable, like the thank
you notes, the logic, I mean that was just a piece to kind of bring and do it but it was
perfect. It was kind of the appropriate thing to do, I mean this – you know, take this time,
and that was great. So, that was an opportunity. And so it was just really –
Did you discuss those opportunities with somebody, or did you just grab them as they
were coming?
Um, well, there was a lot of planning with the two of the fourth grades, cause [**] was
doing a poetry unit the same time, so we were kind of going back and forth, and then um,
you know, sometimes there are some things that like all the fourth grades do together,
like that bulletin board, and so that was an opportunity that we all kind of came together
and planned this thing and that was just sort of one day the CT said oh, we need to put
something up here, and so we were like, okay, we’re doing poetry and oh, we got this,
and let’s do it. And so there was a lot of in the moment.
So what I’m hearing you say is that you had a working relationship with other people in
your building that helped you tweak or rework your plan.
Yeah, and that really came into play with like that resource teacher, like talking to her
about like, okay, this is what I’m thinking, like this is what the class is doing, but like
how can these two students – what was the best way to make it work for these two
students and what really should we – should I stress before they leave to go to you, or
something like that. And the librarian was really helpful too, I mean there was different
things that she was recommending or different books for students, and um, so that, I
mean, definitely a lot of communication with –
Do you see this as something that you are going to be able to manage to do all the time?
I would –
Is the level of planning that you did something you did that you went above and beyond
because this was a project for a class or do you see your teaching being like this all the
time?
Mmm- I think because it was – I knew it was graded and I needed to have certain pieces
spelled out, but I mean, even now I’m seeing like in my lesson planning when I’m, you
know, new lesson plans, I mean I’m pulling out more ideas and thinking about um – I
mean, I’m still thinking about Glicks, and of – I mean my CT is very like, there’s a Glick
and there’s an objective, and this is like sort of this student outcome, and so I’m still
constantly having to be showing those, so I think kind of like, it’s becoming more natural
to do those things, but I’m not having to plan to the extent that I did for this, I think.
Yeah. Do you think it’s helpful, or it’s going to hinder your work Uh, the overplanning.
Um, it’s not –
Do you think it frees your work? Or does it restrict your work that you have to go through
and extent of planning every piece?
I don’t think so, I mean I – I’m learning to like listen to the students more like in the
moment – I think like – like yesterday I did this lesson on an article for a newspaper and I
had all these things kind of ready, like I could pull them if they were needed, but then I
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found like okay, they’re getting this so we can move on to the next piece. So maybe I am
overpreparing a little bit, but I’m prepared and that’s what is important to me right now.
Yeah.
I mean, I want – I don’t want – I want to have –
If overpreparing is what gives you confidence to be able to manage your classroom,
that’s what you need to do.
Yeah, yeah. And that’s where I am. I need to –
Now, when you are overpreparing like you say, I don’t think it’s overpreparing, but when
you are overpreparing, are you overpreparing with a student in mind? Are you
overpreparing with an activity in mind? Are you trying to – are you preparing for your
three focal students and then the rest of the class?
Um –
Or are you focusing on your one student that has a hearing impairment and then
complementing the rest of it?
Um, no, I think I’m starting with what it is that I’m supposed to be teaching and then
finding ways to make it work for everybody. Like this is – this is sort of the outline and
what I’m thinking and how it could go and then what do I need to do different at these
different points for these different students –
Okay.
- and that’s more –
So when you think about those different points for different students, how many – what is
the percentage of your classroom that you consider a different student?
Um, well there’s maybe a hand – like four or five behavioral, four – three or four maybe
that are just in and out of their seat, cannot focus and so really drawing them in and um,
noticing when I can kind of bring them back in. Definitely who’s in and out of the
classroom, I mean that’s huge just looking at the block like, oh three or four students are
here and there. And so that’s –
So you have three or four that go to the restroom (8.05 – talking over each other)
And a lot of times – yeah and there’s, I mean they’re going for different things at
different times and so, but what – it’s really nice cause in our planning, um, you know the
day and the blocks, we’ve got the specials and switches and stuff, but we have it like, you
know, little – little letters like so-and-so’s out here, and so it’s helpful for my CT and I
because when we look it’s like, okay let’s do our literacy thing, oh well so-and-so is out
of the classroom, so let’s bump it to the afternoon, so let’s kind of do this piece then, and
what I’m finding is like it’s with – especially with the kids that are out, it’s like what is
the important stuff that they need to get and what can we maybe not have them try to
catch up, because it’s just – it’s not gonna benefit – yeah, it’s not gonna benefit them and
it’s just – it’s gonna be so much more work and really –
Yeah.
- not real interesting.
- streamlined?
Yeah.
You learn to get it down to the bare bones. You have to give them the bare bones and
then the fluff of it is just –
And the biggest thing –
It’s like the cupcake. I told you the cupcake, right?
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No, I don’t think so.
So you have a cupcake. The bottom part is the cake part, which is really the important
stuff. Because the top part – I mean, you never eat the cupcake without the bottom of it.
Just the frosting – but you can eat just the bottom of the cupcake and take all the frosting
off. That is the part you cannot do without.
Yeah, yeah.
The cake. The frosting is just fluff.
Yeah, and the sprinkles are just the extra.
Yeah, yeah.
Well, the big thing I found, I – I think going into this I was really focusing on those lower
students or those students pulled out, but I really found is a lot of time and extra planning,
maybe moreso for those students that were producing great work but that were, you
know, days ahead of everyone else, and so that was an interesting piece, cause a lot of
that sort of like overplanning or over – having extra, like a lot that I wanted to do, I was
able to kind of try with a few of them, um, like the wordle was one thing, like we were on
computers and I had like it was sort of like this is your task for the day, you know, and
they were like geeked about having their own little thing, but it was this extra extension
that was related to the unit and was gonna benefit them but it wasn’t – not everybody was
able to do it, and so that – I mean, that – I was constantly having to think and plan for
those students that were done, because they – otherwise they’d be coming up to me every
– you know – now what do I do? Now what do I do? And I really wanted to keep them
going at the poetry, keep them reading and writing, and –
Yeah – how many kids do you have that do that?
Um, there was four or five that were like literally days ahead of everyone else.
Out of how many?
Twenty-two.
Out of twenty-two?
And they weren’t – they weren’t the ones that labeled gifted, not one of them.
Yeah, yeah.
And so, that was interesting, because, you know, me going in to what – after talking with
the gifted and talented, it was like my focus was, you know, making a different thing for
these gifted students, but they weren’t the students, you know, and it was these other
students that were just – you know –
So now, so now what are you going to do?
Well –
Cause now you are planning for spring, right?
Yeah. Um –
I mean, how many – how many categories of kids do you have?
Oh boy, cause I’m thinking about like a book club or literature circle, different – based on
different reading levels and I was doing a thing the other day – they were doing read –
um – we did it like – we were reading the Hatchet, and so we read a few chapters together
– I was - or a chapter, whatever – I was reading out loud and then I had, I think it was like
two chapters for them to read on their own, and just their reading piece, and we’ve kind
of been keeping and eye on like comprehension and different things with their reading,
but um, just like how fast – I mean, some kids were 20 pages ahead and there was like a
solid group that was – I was just kind of going by, like, how fast they were reading,
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which might not be a very good indicator, but it was like, you know, four or five here,
four or five here, so there was about five groups, I’d say, at different – at different ranges.
Some very low, and then you know, and it was about a group of four or five for each of
those.
So are you going to use that measure that you have in your planning for spring?
I think, yes, but what I – what I’m not sure about is they did this – this was the piece that
the intern did last year, and it was really groups and she really tried to do it based on
reading levels but giving them sort of a choice but at the same time like making sure that
each person had a book that was at their reading level. You know, you’ve got all these
books, but really when you – you want to make it look like any – you can choose
whatever one you want, but realistically what’s the best book for these students. So it’s
kind of that, going back and forth like, you know, if they are at different levels but at the
same time those actual pieces maybe their sort of artistic response or different like
intelligence-type things that maybe they’re not good at reading but they’re awesome
artists. So it’s like do I want to have a mixed group of, you know, like –
(13.21) depends - (talking over one another)
yeah, and that’s what I really need to be thinking about, you know, do I have –
- grouping –
Yeah.
So you either have a mugenious groups or heterogeneous groups.
Um-hm. But also sort of an expert in one thing.
Yeah. But it all depends on what you want to accomplish.
Yeah.
So that should be interesting.
So – and that’s kind of – that’s sort of what I’m thinking of during that (13.46) of
teaching for like the literacy pieces. And –
Do you – can you identify one student in your class that you feel that you have left out?
There’s one student that, like her behavior and her like disrespect is really hard for me to
get – get past it but she is probably one of the ones that’s in the most need of instruction
and, um, sort of attention.
Um-hm.
But she –
Is she one of your focal students?
She is not. Um, but she’s just, you know, I, like, we got the chance to meet her mom –
her mom didn’t show up for conferences or anything like that, and then we kind of met
her and the mom is at the point saying I’m done. Like I’m – I don’t know what else to do.
And the daughter was, you know, heard her saying that. She was in the room. And so it’s
just – there’s the home thing is gone, and so she’s coming to school, and I mean, a lot of
it is just getting her to be – to know that we care about her and we’re supportive of her,
but a lot of like, I really have to – I just get so mad at her. I mean, she’s just so –
sometimes with what she says, some of the things that she says to other students, it’s like,
that’s so cruel, you know. Like what – why would you say that, or why would you do
that? And it’s just – it’s hard for me to separate that sometimes, like I really want to give
her the best like teaching that I can, but at the same time, it’s like you have to give her a
lot of that, I think emotional social stuff too. So maybe I’m worrying too much about the

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behavioral and the social and the academic is lost with her, because that’s what we’re
focusing on working and meanwhile she’s getting further and further –
Behind –
- yeah –
- academically –
And so it is her behavior and it is a problem, you know. So, um –
Is she the one that keeps you up at night?
Mm – her and then it’s another thing with another student, sort of that separation of
behavior and academic – just, you know, that kind of you’re on somebody all day long
about behavior and stuff, and that’s what – you know, just seeing their face like at the end
of the day, is like they don’t wanna – they just kind of brush past you, you know – it’s
like I don’t mean to be on you but you’re not doing, you know, you’re not getting it or
you’re not doing it, or you’re not – so that’s – that’s kind of the ones that I feel are
getting behind because that –
Do you feel that classroom management is the most difficult thing for you?
I think I’m pretty good at it, but I think what’s hard for me is when I’m in that moment,
really looking and seeing, like yesterday, I was doing a unit – uh, lesson and my field
instructor was observing me, and that girl, she was just back turned, you know, in her
desk, working on glasses, cleaning, and so my teacher, you know and it was like I hadn’t
even caught it, and my teacher stuck a sticky note, just like I was, you know, talking and
she just and then she wrote her name and put a question mark, and so I’m like, yeah, you
know, so then it was like remembering to just constantly be walking around and pulling
them back in, and so that’s what – that’s the piece I think, when students are disengaged
or not where they’re supposed to be, just kind of – without being distracted – you know,
cause I don’t want to – what I – what keeps me up, I think, sometimes is how many times
did I talk to this person today, and because of like behavior and things like that and you
know, gosh I didn’t talk to so-and-so, I don’t even know if I’ve talked to them all week,
because they’re doing what they’re supposed to be doing, and the other kids see that, you
know. They see that – who’s getting the attention, and who’s not. So that’s a challenge, I
mean, really, it’s just –
Yeah, it is a challenge.
- and then making sure to make that time to go back and connect with those students that
are doing the right thing, you know. Cause my CT and I had that conversation, it’s like,
you know, we’ve got five that are on our minds and then, but at the same time, everybody
needs – everybody can go further and go higher and go, you know, keep going with this,
so –
You always have somebody that sucks the life out of you.
Yeah.
And it requires a conscious effort on your part. You have to walk in in the morning
having made the decision to make them your last priority. So that you actually have a
chance to reach everybody else. Because if you start the day by connecting with them,
they’ll suck you in.
And that makes perfect sense, because that – it is, it’s the – even before the second bell
rings morning routine, and she’s already tic-ing me off somehow, and so –
So you have to go in making the effort to pretend that she’s not there –
Um-hm.
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- and giving yourself to the other ones. Because she knows that she can suck you in, and
she will suck you in.
Um-hm.
And you can lose an entire class that way. I mean you can lose an entire class just by
being sucked in by a few of your students. It doesn’t mean that you don’t pay attention to
them, but it means that you’re gonna have to divvy up whatever strength you have
amongst everybody.
Yeah.
And the circulating. Make it your daily exercise routine. You cannot stand in one place,
because if you stand in one place, then everything that is outside of your periphery – until
you develop a third eye in the back of your head, and you will – will come. But until you
develop the eye in the back of your head, you cannot lose anybody in your periphery. So
either you teach from the hallway so that you can see everybody –
Yeah –
- or you can’t stop.
Yeah.
You just can’t.
That was the feedback that, um, the principal, she came in and observed a lesson and that
was – she was really liking a lot of things that I was doing, but that was that proximity,
and one thing, too, she noticed like I was calling on students kind of right, you know,
where I was standing, or kind of in that front, so really, I mean that just constant –
Yeah.
- one-on-one.
Yeah. Because with a lot of students, you’ll see that you don’t have to call on them to get
their attention. All you have to do is just stand behind them.
Um-hm.
If you just stand like that.
Okay.
It’s enough for them to, you know what I mean?
Yeah, we’ve been talking a lot about silent cues and stuff in our seminar, like we made a
list of different, like, things to do. Would you say just that, I mean, I don’t know – a
couple - one of the students, we’re at a point where, well, he’s in a different classroom,
but he’s like an EI and there’s all these different plans and stuff going on with him, but
what they have developed now is like they give him - he gives a card, like I need a time
out, or you give a card like you need a time out. How – how – when do you go to that
step, like, developing that one, and like, should I be – have talking with her like what’s
going to make it work for you to keep you – you know, what can I do to keep –
Yeah.
Okay.
I don’t think that there is anything wrong with kids knowing that we don’t know.
Okay.
So I don’t, personally, I don’t think that there would be anything wrong with you going to
her and saying, [oh, sorry,]
Just saying –
Just saying –
- I’m noticing that things aren’t working, and 519

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I don’t know what else to do with you –
Yeah.
I just don’t know what else to do. Why don’t you tell me what it is that you
need from me. It can backfire, don’t get me wrong. She can just say, you know, oh you
can – I can go outside for a half and hour every day.
Yeah.
But maybe you will be the out that she needs to be able to tell me how she feels, you
know what I mean?
Yeah.
Or just the touching the shoulder thing. Just standing – instead of making the front of the
class your place, make her desk your place. Teach class from there so that you can just –
you know what I mean?
Yeah.
It doesn’t take much. Try giving her a job. I mean, there’s a variety of ways that you can
do this.
Okay.
But if she’s the one that keeps you awake, she’s the one that you need to figure out what
to do now. Before you do anything else, you need to figure out what to do.
Okay.
Because she’s gonna, you know, she will always be at the forefront of your worries.
Um-hm.
And before she can dominate your planning, you need to dominate. You need to figure
out what it is that you want out of everybody else. There’s always going to be one – there
will be one every year for you.
Um-hm.
Sorry.
Yeah.
And you’ll be lucky if there’s only one.
Yeah, that’s what I was thinking…(23.58)
Are you enjoying yourself, though?
Yeah, I am. I really am.
You still like this?
Yeah. Yes I do. Yeah, there’s some days where – I think what’s the hardest thing
is like, I mean, I know, you know, everyone says like I don’t try to get sucked into that,
oh you’re not gonna have a life, and stuff, but literally like, I’d like to be like exercising
more and walking my dog more, but I just, there’s not enough hours in the day, you
know, and just really, it’s like – things like that are getting pushed back that I need to
make time for, you know. So it’s just very time management, like using my time to the
best, like, and I’m very much like I found in the last couple of weeks, like lists, and this is
today, this is what I have to do today, and this is what I’ll need to focus on for tomorrow,
and not how much time am I spending in my head worrying about what –
Let’s go outside. (pause) Yeah, so making time for yourself –
Yes.
- and making time to have a life.
A lot of the – like, the extra stress is just like, when I do have to type up that lesson
because my field instructor is coming in and needs that, you know, formal lesson plan, or
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– and it’s just, what I’m – like the more and more I sub, like when my teacher’s gone, it’s
like just that sort of sense of relief, cause I feel like a lot of times it’s like, I’m being
watched but I’m not, like it’s not – it’s not necessarily like a team, you know what I
mean? Like it’s like I’m just watched and getting critiqued but I don’t really get feedback
and so I’m just pleasing – I feel like I’m pleasing- trying to please other people kind of
thing, and when like I need my focus to be on the students more. You know? So that’s –
that’s something too.
So when she’s not in the classroom you sub for her?
Um-hm. Now, yeah.
How often have you done that?
Um, I do it again tomorrow. I think it’s two half days and three full days, or two full days
so far.
And do you know when that’s coming?
Um-hm.
So it’s not –
And even just like – I just feel like I come to school much more relaxed, and, like I
subbed one Friday, you know, and I was lay teaching, and I – but I didn’t have to stress
that night about, you know, working out every little thing, I mean I had more of a loose
outline of how the day and how the lesson would go? And it worked, you know. And so
it’s just –
And it probably worked better.
Yeah. And what – another thing, too, is just what I’ve learned in the unit is, you know, I
always thought sort of that, you know, controlled chaos, or kind of – but I feel I’ve – I do
need a little bit more –
Control?
Yeah, yeah. I definitely – you know, I need more control, and I think just setting that this
is what you do, this is what you do after kind of thing, like these are the steps, really that
after piece, that next, once you’re finished with this –
What you do?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Just because that takes a lot of time, students coming up and, you know, then – or having
to stop, you know, while they’re in a mid-piece when I could just be presenting it, maybe
from the beginning.
Do you make a plan on the board –
Um-hm.
- so they always know what’s coming up?
Um-hm.
They always know what comes next?
Yes.
Now it’s just a question of training them to go to the next piece.
Well, the thing is though, it’s Social Studies for an hour, it’s Science for an hour, it’s not
what we’re doing within the Science, so it’s – it’s not – it’s not necessarily they’d know
what to do next.
Yeah.

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I mean, they know recess is next, but they don’t know after I finish this observation I
should do this piece of Science, so – we talked about one thing, to like my CT had said
she’s done before like a wise time, and having like different options available and you
could change it on the days to like, after you finish, you know, check what, like you
could use your time wisely or something like that, like for them to kind of naturally start
okay, I can read a book –
Manage (3.10) –
- or I could finish up this Homework.
Yeah, yeah. So that might be something to – especially – and those are the students that
are a kind of a little bit higher up, so making them use their time, you know, teaching
them to kind of use their time better.
Yeah. How is that one boy that, uh, the one that was all over the place?
He –
[**] Pakistani? Yeah.
Yeah, Indian. He, um, it’s, um, kind of about the same as it was, the mom came back –
she was gone for six months or something, and so I think when you had been in there she
had been back for about a month and it was kind of coming back to, oh my gosh, the kids
have gone wild and there is no routine. And so I think she’s been really working at home
about establishing a routine and organization and kind of giving him tips and reinforcing
what we’re trying to help him with that organization, and a routine, but still –
Is it working?
He – for himself, but there’s one other student that is sort of shown up in the last couple
of weeks as sort of a – every time you look he is out of his seat gone, and he is now going
to other students and he’s becoming a problem for that student that you saw. And so it’s,
um, you know the one – he can – he can be there, but then he’s – people are starting to
come to him and where it’s working for him, but then they’re coming – and then he’s
losing it again. So, you know, if –
You might just have to rearrange the groups that you have, the sitting arrangements.
Um-hm.
That might be something you might want to consider for after Christmas. Do they pick
who they sit with?
No.
Who made those sitting arrangements? You or your CT?
Well, she made one at the beginning of the year, kind of, you know, showed it to the head
of my (5.21) as a good match, um, and then kind of as we’ve gone along moved people
according. You know, this isn’t working, let’s switch here. And a lot of, you know,
sometimes it’s I’m short and the person in front of me is very tall, so you know, it’s
things like, you know, being able to see and like hear, but then it’s also the behavioral
and who’s matching. Like we had that one I said that really behavior, she threatened a
student, said that – a new student – I’m gonna get you and my mom’s gonna get you and
so the dad came in, it was a day I was subbing and the dad came in and said who is this
child and I want her, you know, where it she, and you know I want this solved – she
needs a consequence, and so it was this huge thing. And so that piece and then that boy
that we were talking about, he was kind of included because he had told the real behavior
one what the girl said and it just blew up. And so that was a thing – cause now it was like,
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this girl can’t be by that girl and that boy and so that kind of had to dictate too, because
just proximity, it’s like, you know, you’ve got dad worried about the safety, I mean it
really was nice to see him very like straightforward with it, but at the same time like
maybe it wasn’t – it got blown out of – you know, a little bit, like it – but, you know.
New student come to the school, they don’t, you know, they don’t really know what –
What’s going on.
Yeah, so if someone says, you know, I’m gonna get you, I’m gonna tell my family, and –
we’re gonna get you. Like I would probably go home crying, too, you know, afraid too. I
mean it was natural –
Yeah, she’s a bully.
Yeah. Yeah. So –
I’m surprised. Stuff is coming out of Okemos schools, man. I’m just –
I’m going to be really –
Do you think that it’s your obligation to educate everybody that walks in to your
classroom?
Educate everybody?
Um-hm.
You mean like the parents –
No, students.
Students.
Do you think that you have an equal responsibility for everybody? Yeah?
I’ve never thought about that question, but –
Why don’t you think about it?
I think – I would say, yeah, like first reaction yes, but the same time, like there are some
students that need more than other students –
Um-hm – like – okay –
Like emotionally and academically –
More than what you can give? Different than what you can give?
Yes. Sometimes more than what I am able to give, definitely. Um, so I mean, things like
setting up like tutors or mentors, I mean, can be another piece for them
Um-hm, but in addition to you or in replacement of you?
In addition to me.
In addition to you?
Um-hm. I mean, I don’t feel like I’m giving the same to all my students at this point, but I
mean, I want them all to learn from me, you know, all –
So if you have a student with a disability in your classroom would you see that you were
equally as responsible for teaching them as all the other students in your class? Cause I
mean you do that with your – with your one student that has a very obvious hearing
impairment Um-hm, yes. Yeah.
I’ve seen you work with her. I mean you spend a great deal of work and a great deal of
time planning for her.
Um-hm. So is that like a good thing or a bad thing? Cause –
You tell me.
Well, what’s, you know, like the definition of fair is what’s the best for every student
kind of thing, like what every student needs, so, I feel like some need more than others,
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so I would say then yes, sometimes other people need – need me more than others, so, I
mean, yeah, I guess that could be –
Do you think you have a pretty good grasp on who in your building can help you with
your students?
I think so.
So this one student that has behavior difficulties, who all is involved?
Um the other two fourth grade – we had the, um, the counselors now. He – the principal,
the secretary –
So everybody pretty much is –
- the resource – yeah, the reading teacher, reading specialist –
Um-hm. So pretty much everybody –
- the gym teacher –
- has something to do with –
Yeah.
Yeah. You think that maybe it’s too many people?
I mean –
Did you have like a –
She’s having the same problems in every
- a student meeting or something?
No, we haven’t had like a team meeting on her or anything. Um, yeah, and I haven’t
heard about one, but there is – I don’t know, maybe that would be better, because it’s like
everybody is trying to deal with her in their own way –
Um-hm.
- and I think what the counselor was trying to do, he put up like this behavioral plan and I
think that was supposed to be like everyone working together, but I don’t know how that
really will work. I mean, I think it needs to be a little bit more modified for her, but, um –
Maybe that’s something that you need to look into, actually having a team effort –
Um-hm.
- into figuring out what to do with this one kid.
Yeah. Because she’s a problem in music, she’s a problem in – in everything, so if there’s
one specific thing that – everyone was on the same page on.
I mean, it would be my guess that you would have to have one behavior plan for
everybody, and everybody be on the same page.
For all the adults? Yeah.
Right. Yeah, usually the adults have to have the control over that kind of stuff.
I thought you meant like a behavioral plan for all the students - the same behavior.
Have her with one behavior plan, that everybody knows about. So – well, I don’t think –
I’m not ready to let you go.
Okay.
I don’t think I’ll be able to do any more observations –
Okay.
- but here’s what I would like to do. I would like to have uh, like Skype half an hour a
week or something like that, that we could just schedule it, and we could always talk
about your teaching for that week –
Okay.
What do you think?
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Sure.
And I can send you stuff –
Okay.
I mean, we wouldn’t necessarily have to meet in person and wouldn’t have to come up
and observe unless there is, you know, a major event that you really need help with or
something like that?
Okay.
Um, I just would like to see where this goes. I mean, cause you are at a critical time right
now. You have a pretty good handle on your kids, you feel pretty comfortable in your
classroom and now you’re gonna have to do lead teaching, you know. And it’s a make or
break kind of thing. But you have a ton of information on your students –
Um-hm.
- it’s just a question of putting all those pieces together. I would like to see how you do
that.
Okay. Do you want me to –
Is that okay with you?
Yeah, and I – I guess it’s like I can really ask you, like am I doing a good job like with
meeting the needs of all the students, but like I just – I’m not hearing it from anywhere
else, so like, are there specific things that I can be doing –
I think that you know exactly what it is that you need to do –
Okay.
- actually.
Okay.
I think that you are very, um, aware of the students that are the difficulty in your class, I
mean because your difficulties do not come from an academic perspective.
Um-hm.
You know your stuff, you know how to give it.
Okay.
You know how to teach it. Your difficulties are in managing your space –
Okay.
- and making sure that the kids are not in each other’s faces.
Okay.
But that’s fourth grade. I mean, they’re just – it’s a really difficult age.
Okay. So it’s sort of that my control piece and my setting the mood or –
Yeah.
- setting the okay, setting the –
Yeah, it’s setting the mood – it’s setting the expectations.
Okay.
If you set up rules for your classroom and if you set up expectations for your classroom,
you have to stick to it.
Okay.
If you tell them, I am going to give you three warnings and at the fourth time you’re
going to the office, by golly you better stick with it.
Okay.
Because if you don’t, they’ll know.
Okay.
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And then that is the – they’re always looking for the one piece that you’re weak in and
that’s where they’re going to dig. So if you set up expectations for your classroom and
you tell them I’ll give you three warnings and at the fourth time I’m calling home, you
better call home.
Okay.
Because then chances are that then the next time, it won’t get to the three warnings.
Okay.
I would make that one student that irritates the hell out of you – I would make her your –
I would seat her close enough to you so that you never lose track of her –
Okay.
- but don’t make her the focal point of your lesson. You have to switch things around on
her. You have to make her uncomfortable. You know what I mean?
Um-hm.
Don’t waste your energy on her, but find a way of managing her that doesn’t cause you to
spend the energy. And one way of doing that is by having her sitting next to you.
Okay.
Or let her sit where she’s at and you move to her.
Okay.
You have to keep them on their toes. And if you spend the majority of your time with one
student, then you lose track of the rest of them.
Um-hm.
It’s the developing with –
(16.15) things kind of start bubbling up around –
Yeah, yeah. Cause they’ll know what your limit is and they’ll push your limit.
Okay.
But if you keep concentrating on that one person – so for example, the day that I was
there, and that I observed you, you spent a large amount of time with your student that
has a hearing impairment.
Um-hm.
And while I think that you do need to spend a lot of time with the students that need you,
you also need to measure that up against the rest of your students.
Yeah, okay.
So maybe it’s not the more time, it’s the different time.
Okay.
Sometimes it’s just buddying them up with somebody else. Maybe she’s just sitting with
the wrong crowd, because if she was sitting with somebody that wouldn’t give a rip about
what she has to say then she wouldn’t have an audience.
Okay.
I don’t know – just something to think about.
Yeah. Okay.
And if you want me to come up and observe again, if you think that your CT is not giving
you what you need or, you know, if you’re embarking on a unit that you’re really –
I almost feel like we’re both at the same point with a few students, and so it’s not –
Helpful?

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Yeah, it’s like I can’t really – sometimes look to her for the answer because she’s
struggling with the same thing that I’m struggling with. Maybe that’s kind of the point
that we’re at. So it’s helpful to get another perspective on it, though, you know, to –
Can you ask your field instructor for help?
Yeah.
Have you –
Um, he’s made comments kind of seeing me, how I, like that day that, you know when
she wrote her name, my CT and I kind of just – I did, I walked over to her, stood by her
and then kind of when the atten – you know, they kind of went off, I just kind of talked
down and you know, said, you know, said what I needed to say and then she kind of put
her stuff away and kept going, and he did say, you know, nice job, kind of –
Yeah.
- getting her back, but maybe if I can ask him more specifically and – cause what I’m
finding is that he’s coming but he doesn’t – like he’s saying – like he’s saying I’m doing
a very good job, and maybe if I – but it’s like he can’t really find things to – suggestions,
so maybe if I give him some, like these are some areas that I would really like you to look
at, and those are the things that I need to hear about.
Here’s a person that I have a difficult time with – or here’s a piece of a unit that I am not
quite sure how it’s going to go –
Okay.
I need you to concentrate on that.
Okay.
The other thing is, when you are – let me know when you are teaching without your CT
being in the building.
Okay.
When you are subbing. Because I think that having the two people in the building in the
classroom also makes a difference.
Yeah, cause I feel like a lot of times I have to like check with her about before I do stuff,
and I have – I feel like in the last like couple of months – cause, um, the intern from last
year came in and I asked her like kind of – when did you, like when did you give out
your first like, like we have the tickets, it’s like green tickets if you’re doing the right
thing, yellow tickets on a warning, red ticket call home. We’ve never given a red ticket.
But I was just – it was at point like early in the semester, a few people had, you know,
gotten the yellow ticket, which maybe that needs to be more consistent, but she said like
maybe like, she kind of gave the impression that maybe I need to, I needed to make that
transition from – to the teacher, you know, and be that – show that consistency.
Yeah. Yeah.
And so, but a lot of times it’s like, when the situation comes up and I don’t know what
the school policy is or I don’t know what – so I just feel like there’s a lot –
It’s your classroom.
- times – yeah –
It’s your classroom.
Even when she’s there? I mean, even when she’s there?
If you’re teaching –
Yeah.
If you’re teaching –
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Okay.
- it’s your classroom.
Okay. Okay.
And you’ll see that the first time you give a red card, all hell is going to break loose.
Okay.
Cause everybody else is gonna know.
Okay.
And then you’re not messing around any more.
Okay.
And if you do it on a Friday, and make a big deal out of it, have them go home and think
about it, that they can’t just mess around with you any more.
Okay.
That – you’re up here.
Okay.
Just make it dramatic. I mean, what is a teacher? You are very much acting for them –
Um-hm.
- and you are acting – you are showing them the ways in which you expect them to
behave towards you. If you keep giving warnings but not acting on the warnings, then
what’s the point of the warning? You know?
Um-hm.
Now if you warn them and then you actually follow through on that, what is she gonna
do? Take it back? If your CT does not agree with you, if you give a red card to
somebody, because you really feel strongly about it, and your CT disagrees, what is she
gonna do? Take it back? No. She wouldn’t do that.
Yeah.
What’s the worst that’s gonna happen? It’s that she’s gonna tell you afterwards that she
didn’t agree with you? So what?
Yeah. Okay.
Is she gonna flunk you because you gave a red card to somebody when you felt really
strongly about it?
Okay. Okay.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
Go for it.
Okay. I’ll wear my red shirt tomorrow, and – (21.57)
Tomorrow’s the day. But there have to be clear expectations. You know what I mean?
Um-hm.
I mean, if you go to the same girl and you tell – you give her the same direction 350,000
times, then after while she is not listening, and you don’t have your heart in it.
Um-hm.
But if you tell her twice to put her stuff away and at the third time you tell her if I have to
tell you again I’m giving you a red card, she’s gonna push you.
Um-hm.
So if you tell her that, you better be ready.
Okay.
So then she’s gonna see whether or not you’re gonna do it.
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Okay.
Good luck with that.
Would you recommend switching focal students for like next semester?
I don’t know, are you getting anything out of them?
Um, at this point I think I could – do some other ones.
I – yeah –
I’d like to.
Cause what I find is that um, the focal students you have at the beginning are never the
ones that you’re gonna end up with.
Um-hm. Okay.
Usually what you think are issues and big concerns end up resolving themselves.
Um-hm.
And your focal students really come up once you actually know your student.
Um-hm. Okay. (23.23) like attention I had to give before like with the student with the
hearing impairment and stuff, maybe now it’s like some of those things are coming more
naturally and I can kind of focus, like you’re saying focus on –
Focus on the students that actually you need to focus on.
Like the boy and the girl –
Yeah. The boy and the girl, I would focus on those two, and there was another one –
Another boy?
Another boy.
Did he have a cast on, do you remember?
Yes, he did.
Okay. That’s – yeah, we had a meeting with his parents last night, so that would be a
good – good one, cause with him, that was the one where I’m – it’s He’s sneaky –
Yes, and –
My God –
He got in trouble – you know, just some different things that have been going on, and you
know, the testing, and the medical, you know, the ADD, ADHD, discussion – you know,
not discussion, but –
Does he take meds?
Um, no, he was tested and they said no, not even close, but everyone else said yes, yes,
yes, so then we had a meeting last night and you know, maybe a second opinion is a
place, but – I mean, that’s something I would kind of like it, because that’s an area I’m
not really familiar with –
Um-hm.
- and what else – I would like to learn what else besides medication, what can I do –
Yeah –
- what can we do to make it work for him, cause I just don’t like the idea of a kid being
on, you know, I mean if that’s what – that what it has to be, but that’s –
But maybe it’s not.
But, yeah, what I was thinking with him, like what I’m having a hard time with – if it is
like a body, you know, chemical – I need to learn more about it – but if it is like
separating the – like I’m getting mad at him and I’m – am I mad at him because he’s
choosing or he’s – body is – doing that 529

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Unable to control it?
Yeah. And he’s getting hit really hard, but we need to figure out if he’s choosing to
behave that way or if it’s just he doesn’t want to be doing what he’s doing, but it’s just
his – you know –
Yeah.
- it’s happening and he’s –
See that was not at all what I saw when I was there.
Okay.
Not from him.
Okay. Cause he’s – it’s changed. It’s –
Yeah?
Yeah. But –
Cause what I saw when I was there – with him what I saw was that he shouldn’t have
been sitting where he was –
Um-hm.
- because the other two boys that he was sitting with them were just sucking him into the
misbehavior – um –
Okay.
Um- and he thinks he’s funny.
Um-hm.
There’s nothing worse than a kid that thinks he’s funny.
Okay.
Cause when they’re silly, and everybody else is laughing, they’re gonna keep to being
silly even though they know that they shouldn’t be silly.
Okay.
Now you’re little Indian boy, he was, I mean – that boy needs meds.
That boy needs – cause he’s all over the place –
He’s the one that cannot control it.
Okay.
He’s the one that his body – because even when he was sitting down and even when he
was working, his body was moving.
Okay.
There was never a time when he was – when his body was at complete rest. And if you
watch him, even when he is sitting down and working, the foot tapping and the looking
here and looking there, I mean, he can’t help it.
Are there things that I can do to help that or, I mean –
If he realizes what he is doing, yes.
If he realizes?
Yes. If he has an understanding that his body is doing stuff that he can’t control, yeah.
Because there are kids that, I mean, they’ll use a checklist, they’ll use a squishy ball,
they’ll, you know, um, there are kids that will sit on a – like a whoopee cushion, with the
little spikes that won’t let them actually be comfortable –
Oh –
So every time you move, the ball just makes you lose your balance so you really have to
concentrate on holding your body together –
Okay.
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I mean, there’s things that you can do –
Okay.
- and medication is not the only answer, but it takes you, the music teacher, the PE
teacher, the school counselor, the parent, everybody doing the same thing at the same
time.
Okay.
So – and you have to figure out who it is that he’s sitting with and what kind of stimuli is
he, you know –
Okay.
- there’s a lot of stuff. And with him, you have the problem that his mom was gone for
six months.
Um-hm.
Which is not helpful.
Yeah. And now she’s back and she’s just –
Um-hm.
Yeah.
Do you know, um, have you talked to your resource room person about him?
He – no, cause she doesn’t see him. He was off the cut this year when they made budget
cuts so he’s not going there any more to her.
So he was a special ed student and he was –
I believe so –
- dismissed from special ed?
I know he’s doing, um, I know he does like a book club with a reading specialist, but I’d
have to doublecheck.
You need to find out.
Okay.
That is the one kid that you need to find – you need to go dig –
Okay.
- into the records.
Okay.
And you need to go find out exactly what – what’s been going on there.
Okay.
Because – okay, having a kid with ADHD is pretty bad. Having a kid with ADHD on
meds that then goes off the meds –
Um-hm?
- or on a routine that then goes off the routine –
Um-hm.
- that’s twice as bad.
Okay.
So you need to find out his progression through his school life –
Okay.
- what has been tried, what has been done –
Okay.
- and what has worked and what has failed. Because you guys don’t need to reinvent the
wheel with this kid, you’re in fourth grade. Things have been done previously – you need
to find out what that was.
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So, I mean like CA60’s and then past teachers? Talking to them?
Yeah. Yeah.
Okay.
You’ll be surprised where you can get information –
All right.
- the people you can get information from. So your three focal – your three new focal
students, the first thing that I would do would be CA60’s.
Okay.
Find out who their teachers were last year, and just go in and chit-chat.
Okay.
You don’t have to make an appointment or, you know what I mean?
Um-hm.
Just go in and try to find out –
Okay.
- and tell them that you’re having a hard time.
Right.
There’s nothing wrong with that – you’re a brand new teacher. I mean, they’d be
surprised if you weren’t having a hard time.
Okay.
And then let me know.
Okay.
Do you want me to send you some stuff on ADD and ADHD?
Yes, please.
Yeah?
Yeah. And there is – there’s another girl too that, um, her mom is taking her – she’s kind
of, maybe like my CT was explaining, maybe not ADHD but ADD. And sort of that
distinction.
Um-hm
And what, kind of what we saw with her is just sort of, you know, this is what we’re
seeing, this is what mom’s seeing, this is now it’s affecting her learning –
Um-hm.
- and um, her mom came in yesterday actually, to talk, just – like saying – she writes the
thing in her planner, she has it all there, but then it’s just she either can’t remember what
it is that she wrote down or that she’s just not – and like a motivation thing, and lots of
different pieces, so the mom is kind of going with the ADD thing, so it’d be interesting to
kind of really learn that distinction.
Um-hm. It’s very easy. ADHD is all over the place, physically.
Um-hm.
- physically all over the place.
Okay.
Their body is what they cannot control.
And is it a chemical?
It is a chemical imbalance – and actually there is some research that says that it’s genetic.
That Cause I’ve heard that like red dye –
- it can be genetic –
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- and like food, like Red Dye No. 40 –
No, no. I don’t do that.
Okay.
I mean – it’s the same thing with autism, you know, there’s a lot of people –
Okay.
- that thinks that autism comes from vaccines – there’s no medical documentation for
that. We know what it looks like. We don’t necessarily know what it comes from –
Okay.
- but we know what it looks like.
Okay. And it is chemical?
And it is chemical –
Okay.
- it is a chemical imbalance. ADD, they’re spaced out.
Um-hm, yeah.
They’re sitting in the same place, they can be looking at you and have not a clue of what
you just said.
Um-hm.
Because their mind has been elsewhere.
Okay.
Very, very difficult to diagnose in girls – ADD.
Mm.
Very difficult to diagnose in girls.
So I read – like, I mean an emotional thing might come into play because they’re not
feeling good about themselves because they’re not really understanding what’s going on?
Absolutely, absolutely.
Okay. So if it was, sort of, not – I wouldn’t like say, like depression but just sort of like a
lack of motivation –
Uh-huh.
- and stuff is maybe her way of –
Um-hm. And it’s usually compounded with a lot of other things, so you – you very
frequently see children that have a learning disability in um, reading, and ADD
combined. Because their ADD has impacted their early learning of reading –
Um-hm.
- and now they’re so far into the hole because they see themselves so far behind from
everybody else that that motivation to actually start learning again and trying to keep up
with everybody, and then there’s this big competition, you know, because you’re falling
so far behind from everybody in your class. So you usually have a combination of both.
Okay.
ADD is very difficult to diagnose in girls because girls are usually quiet, and don’t really
get into a whole lot of trouble –
Um-hm.
- so you really don’t catch it unless they really, really have failing grades –
Yeah.
- or unless they’re actually coming up to you and saying I don’t remember that.
Okay.
Or what was it the teacher said, or –
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Do they ever have both?
No.
Okay. So one or –
It’s one or the other.
Okay. And is ADD a med- chemical?
It’s the same thing as ADHD, the only difference is that you don’t have the hyperactivity.
Okay.
So your brain is going a mile away. You just don’t see it reflected in your body.
Okay. And that would be more of a withdrawn –
Could be.
Could be? Okay.
Yeah. It’s everywhere.
And is that kid a more common – I mean, do they see or they’re just more aware of it?
Both.
Okay.
Both things. I also think, personally, I think it’s cultural, but there isn’t a whole lot of
research on that, so don’t quote me on that. Do you want to send me your stuff or do you
want to give it to me –
Actually I printed this out –
You did?
Yeah, that’s what I thought you asked for – I thought you said print it –
If it’s printed out, I’ll take it.
First piece, um, that writing module we did on, um, I think it was sort of students with
disabilities and writing.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Before I even –
(35.12)
Before I even started.
Internship context, going through the resources –
Okay.
- setting it up. Um, student writing interviews, the first one I did um, this is an ELL
student that –
Cool.
- um, he’s leaving – it’s like, kind of sad, it’s like you get this big bond, with, especially
the (35.29) students that we have and then they leave, either inThey leave to go where?
They go back – like their parents are either here for a semester at MSU, like this is sort of
this large population, something to do with a certain, like um, like an apartment complex,
and all these different people come for either teaching or taking courses at MSU, and so
the either come in December or they leave in December and there’s this big changeover,
so we’re –
Really?
- losing two of our students in our class – all the other fourth grades are losing – you
know, it’s sort of like school-wide –
Really?
- we’re losing a bunch of students and then we get a bunch that are very new –
In January?
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Yeah, so it’ll be interesting next semester kind of this new influx of students –
Oh, you’re gonna have a field day.
Yeah. But I’m – I mean, it’ll be interesting.
It will be challenging.
Four of these kids will be Science, and I’ll be – have a lot more of the three – all three in
Science.
All three fourth grades?
Yeah.
So all three fourth grades are going to rotate through you for Science?
Um-hm.
I have to come and see this.
That’s what’s happening now. But, I mean, first – you know what I’m doing, cause, yeah,
cause we have Science in our room, so they – they have to figure out how we’re gonna do
the Science and Social Studies units Um-hm.
- you know, cause we’re – what our teachers see is that we’re the lead teacher, we are in
our classroom, but at the same time we need to make sure that we all get the opportunity
to teach and plan the Social Studies –
Yeah, and the Science.
Yeah, and I’m fine – I mean, I’ve been doing Science all along, but for the other two, I
mean, they haven’t seen Science really, so –
Cool.
Yeah.
This should be interesting.
We plan three lesson plans and lot of (37.03) that I use, and then um, (37.06), I don’t
know if you want one of this as well –
I do. And I also want your – this is the website, right?
Yeah.
I thought it was so cool.
Thank you.
I need to look through it.
Okay.
I totally want to look through it.
There is some like kind of computer glitch going on that pages are doubling up and stuff,
with that scrap blog, but this is my website, too, that – I haven’t done – I took a
technology course last semester, um, haven’t done too much adding stuff and –
You do a lot.
Well that was just from last year, so I need to, like that’s my Christmas project to kind of
revamp it and –
Um-hm. Your Christmas project should be to rest –
Yeah.
- and reconnect –
Yeah.
- with friends and family.
Okay. Okay.
You need to put it away.
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Okay.
And re-energize.
All right.
Even teachers take a Christmas vacation.
Okay. My Christmas present to myself.
You’re going home?
Yes.
Very cool.
Yep. Mom and dad – gonna go see them.
How are things with the boyfriend?
Um, he – today is his last day of college and tomorrow is the real world and he doesn’t
have a job or –
He is graduating?
Yeah, this is his second degree. He did a History and now earned a Political Science
Construction Management, and his dad is an electrician, you know, an electrical
contractor, had always worked with him and now dad doesn’t have work and so –
He doesn’t have work.
No. And so it’s just – our relationship is at a point that I have ambition and I have things
to do that I need to do, and he needs to figure where and what he wants to do too, and I –
I wouldn’t say like a shut-down, but kind of just like you need to – I can’t tell you what I
– what you need to do and I can’t get you a job – I can’t make a – you know, so it’ll be
interesting. But – I’ve known this point would come, so –
Um-hm.
- it’s just – what’s the next step.
You need to do what you need to do.
Yeah. So I’m just – go home and rest and have a good holiday –
Yeah. A new day will come.
Yeah.
You’ll have a job next year.
Yeah.
I have no question about that.
All right.
I have no question whatsoever. Yeah. I mean, you have the confident that it’s the most
important part of this, when you walk into a classroom you’re not scared –
Yeah.
- witless about what’s gonna happen.
Okay.
I was terrified on my first day. Yeah. But it’s fun. It gets better.
Yeah.
You develop a third eye by – in the back of your head –
Um-hm.
Piece of cake. Cause then you can see everything and everybody.
Yeah.
All right. Okay? Give me the goodies. I’m excited about this . This is gonna be my
Christmas vacation.
Um, yeah. Yeah. Learned a lot. This is what it was.
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Are you excited about next semester?
Yeah, I just – I really wish they would kind of – I just think like the hardest thing is going
to be just that what are they looking for, so what can – what do we want to get
accomplished kind of thing. Like I said about the – you know, like I want to make sure
that I’m teaching Social Studies – you know, it’s like I want to make sure that I’m getting
the full experience in that. Cause I know like last year, they like sort of lied about it and
like didn’t really do what they were supposed to do, and like didn’t teach the whole – like
– I mean not lie, but they planned a unit that –
Short-changed –
- yeah, and the told me you know, or they said later, you know with all the CTs, like they
wished they would have, sort of fought a little bit more to make sure they had that time,
so –
This is your money, your time.
Yeah.
You need to make sure that they understand that.
Okay.
Sometimes I wonder how MSU has made it to the number one in the rankings of the
Teacher Education program. We’re very good. You’re getting a very good education, but
it could be much better. And I think that one of the pieces that is missing there is that
students are not sufficiently involved.
Students –
Students like you Um-hm.
- are not talking loud enough.
Mmm.
Not letting everybody know what it is that you need and that you want –
Okay.
I mean, no one in their right mind …

537

APPENDIX AR: Cassie Final Unit Plan
Genre Study: Poetry
Where I’m From
fourth Grade Literacy Unit
Led by: Cassie
Guided by Denise Nelson
Your Name: Cassie
Grade Level: Grade 4 Date: October 26 -November 13, 2009 CT:
Denise School: Woods Elementary
Overall lesson topic/title: A genre study of poetry with a Where I’m From theme.
Unit Goal: For students to broaden their exposure and enjoyment of poetry. To read and discuss
the meaning and uniqueness of poetry. To complete the steps of the writing process to write a
Where I’m From poem, and to sample other forms of poetry.
Grade Level Content Expectations:
Language Arts/ English - Students will…
READING
Metacognition
R.MT.04.01 self-monitor comprehension when reading or listening to text by automatically
applying and discussing the strategies used by mature readers to increase comprehension
including: predicting, constructing mental images, visually representing ideas in text,
questioning, rereading or listening again if uncertain about meaning, inferring, summarizing, and
engaging in interpretive discussions.
Vocabulary
R.WS.04.07 in context determine the meaning of words and phrases including similes,
metaphors, content vocabulary, and literary terms using strategies and resources including
context clues, semantic feature analysis, and a thesaurus.
Comprehension
R.CM.04.01 connect personal knowledge, experiences, and understanding of the world to themes
and perspectives in text through oral and written responses.
WRITING
Writing Genre
W.GN.04.02 write poetry based on reading a wide variety of grade- appropriate poetry.
Personal Style
W.PS.04.01 exhibit personal style and voice to enhance the written message.
Writing Attitude
W.AT.04.01 be enthusiastic about writing and learning to write.
LISTENING & VIEWING
Response

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L.RE.04.01 listen to or view knowledgeably and discuss a variety of genre and compare their
responses to those of their peers.
SPEAKING
Discourse
S.DS.04.02discuss narratives (e/g/ fantasy, myths, legends, adventures, poetry), conveying the
story grammar (e.g., various character roles, plot, story level theme) and emphasizing facial
expressions, hand gestures, and body language.
Objectives:
Knowledge Objective
6. Each student will become familiar through discussion and exposure, the “5 Stars of Poetry”, the
characteristics that make poetry unique.
7. Each student will find similarities, common threads, and make text-to-self connections while
reading and listening to examples of poetry.
8. Each student will read poetry, discuss and evaluate the author’s purpose and theme.
9. Each student will understand that poetry can be written from any topic in an organized structure
or a free form as determined by the author.
10. Each student will become more familiar, and continue to engage in the routine of completing
pre-writes, drafts and revisions as components of the process of writing.
Capacity Objective
7. Each student will read and recognize the“5 Stars of Poetry”, or characteristics that makes poetry
unique. and use these to analyze poetry when reading, and applying to in their writing.
8. Each student will read and respond to what they notice the author describing and conveying with
their choice of words as a pair, and as an individual.
9. Each student will respond to poetry through art and movement.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Attitude Intentions
Each student will read and seek poetry that they are interested in with enthusiasm.
Each student will listen to others and participate in sharing ideas and responses to discussions
and readings of poetry in a whole class format.
Each student will work cooperatively in pairs and groups to read, discuss and respond to poetry.
Each student will complete all tasks according to his or her abilities

Materials & supplies needed:
5 Stars of Poetry- Modeled after Writer’s Express What is poetry?
Poetry looks different. (Lines, stanzas, not much space on the page, long/ short, etc.)
Poetry pleases the ear. (Arrangement of words, music, rhythm, rhyme)
Poetry says a lot in a few words. (Create great Word Pictures, a few words can put a great picture
in your mind)
4. Poetry says things in special ways. (Comparisons: similes, metaphors, hyperbole)
5. Poetry speaks to the heart and to the mind. (Think and feel, express feelings)
• 50 + Star die cuts
• 2 copies of TE 402 Where I’m From Collection
•
1.
2.
3.

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6 copies of 4 Research pieces
30 Graphic Organizers
Examples of Poetry
Choral Reading
Have many options of Two Voice poems, and then others that could be adapted or read with two
voices:
Joyful Noise- Paul Fleishman
(6 copies) The Phoenix- Paul Fleishman
Math Talk- Theoni Pappas
Flicker Flash- Joan Bransfield Graham
Outside the Lines: Poetry at Play- Brad Burg
Read Alouds
#5 Poetry speaks to the heart and mind.
Sledding, by Wendy Elizabeth Johnson from Days like This Simon James, 1999 Candlewick
Press (ISBN: 0-7636-0812-2)
Blue Night, by Alta, Norway, 2001 from Come and Play, Children of Our World Having Fun.
2008 Bloomsbury U.S.A. (ISBN:
978-1-59990-245-6)
#4 Poetry says things in special ways.
*Examples of Similes and Metaphors
Insectlopedia: Poems and Paintings- Douglas Florian
Sports Pages- Arnold Adoff
#2 Poetry pleases the ear
*The relationship of music and poetry
America the Beautiful- Katherine Lee Bates
Hip Hop Speaks to Children: a celebration of poetry with a beat- Nikki Giovanni
#3 Poetry says a lot in a few words.
*Haiku mini lesson with Logic
Cricket never does: a collection of Haiku and Tanka- Myra Cohn Livingston
Yum! Mmmm! Que rico!: America’s sproutings- Pat Mora

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Monday 10-26
2:30-3:25
Objective(s) KO
1, CO1, AO1

Tuesday 10-27

Wednesday 1028
2:35-3:25
1:20-2:10
Objectives(s) KO Objective(s) KO
3, CO 2, AO1, 2 5, CO 4, AO 4

Introduction to
Poetry! For the
next three weeks,
we will be
reading, and
writing and
responding to
poetry in many
ways.
is poetry? (Built
from preassessment)

Introduction to
lesson

Recall Monday
and Tuesday…

Recall Where
I’m From

Starting to write
our own!

Give purpose and
plan for the day.
Read with a
partner and
create a list of
topics included.

Discuss 5 Pieces
of Poetry, what
makes poetry
unique?

Discuss and
record to share
with the class.
Give example
lines.

Model my
thinking and
process of
completing a prewrite.
Check in with
several focus
students, and then
walk around and
monitor at times,
and others times
sit at the round
table to be
available for
questions or help
in getting out an
idea.

Listen to reading
(re-reading) of
my Where I’m
From poem
Apply 5 Pieces
to analyze my
poem
Explore poetry
and find one
example of one
of the 5 Pieces of
Poetry.
Summarize
lesson and let
them know what
we will be doing
in the unit
tomorrow.

Listen to pairs
reading to the
class. and
continue to add
to the list.
Review list, and
connect to
purpose of
lesson: to
analyze and find
topics used in
Where I’m From
poems.

Table 25 - Cassie Final Unit Plan Overview
541

Thursday 10-29

Friday 10-30

Table 25 (Cont’d)

Monday 11-2
Objectives: KO
3, 4, AO 1, CO
3, AO 4
During Library
1:15-1:45
Check out Poetry
book(s) in library
*Have preselected stack
and Mrs.
Buscetta will lay
out for students
to preview as
they enter.

Tomorrow we
will have the
opportunity to
begin writing our
own Where I’m
From poems.
Tuesday 11-3
No School

Wednesday 11-4
Objectives: AO
2, KO 2, 3, 4

Thursday 11-5
Objectives: AO
4, KO 4

Friday 11-6
Objectives: AO 4,
KO 5

1:00-1:50
Logic the Poet
Performance and
Haiku Mini
Lesson

10:35- 10:55
Introduce
Acrostic Poems
Show examples
and explain the
project.

10:30 -11:00
Finish Acrostic
poems
Work on draft 1 of
Where I’m from
Poems.

1:50-2:10
Students return
to the classroom
and work on
Haikus or free
form

2:30-3:25
Simile/ Metaphor
Mini Lesson
Read examples
in books
Discuss similes
and metaphors
and give
examples.
Act out similes
and draw
metaphors.
Finish up
Graphic
Organizer.
Table 25 - Cassie Final Unit Plan Overview

542

Creating
Acrostic poems
for THANKS
(Adapted from
their November
packets, project
for all fourth
graders for
hallway display)

1:15- 2:20
Writing Time:
Students working
on Draft 1
Students sign up
on whiteboard
for Writing
Conference with
me, after they
finish their Draft
Create draft, then 1. –check in –go
handwrite on
through rubric
final copy prefor final poem
made THANKS. -student reads
poem adding
Students will mat ideas that we
their poems, and discuss and
then decorate a
making notes for
paper turkey and corrections,
add a boarder if
words to look up
they wish to the
-how did they do
mat.
with Similes and
Metaphors in the
dictionary

Table 25 (Cont’d)
Find ideas that
you could turn in
to a simile or
metaphor.
Develop and
insert in Draft 1.

- How is poetry
going for you?
Some students
will begin to type
using the
classroom
computers.
Some students
may continue
working on their
Haiku poems to
send to Logic for
the book he had
told them he
would make of
their poetry.

Read
Walk around to
tables and check
in with all
students to gauge
where they are in
their stages.

2:35-3:15
Continue
workshop
-Draft
-Writing
Conferences
-Typing
-Haiku Poems if
finished with
draft and waiting
for computer
***Work on
collage
***Introduce
cover collage
project
Table 25 - Cassie Final Unit Plan Overview

543

Table 25 (Cont’d)
Students choose
a color of
cardstock to be
used for a cover
for a poetry book
that we will
make from their
poems
throughout the
year.

Monday 11-9
1:45-2:30
Computers

Tuesday 11-10
11:35-12:05

Introduce
Time for all
Friendly Letter
students to begin/
finish typing Final When?
Draft.
Why?
For those students
that are finished
have slip of paper
with this task:
Wordle: Word
Cloud
Choose a topic:
object, feeling,
person or place.
Open Microsoft
Word and create
a list of 15-25
words that
describe or relate
to your topic.

Share examples
in picture books
from library
(Dear Mrs.
LaRue).
Identify/
Discuss:
Heading- Date/
Address
Salutation- Dear
Name, BodyThoughts and
ideas

Wednesday 1111
Objectives: KO
4, 5, AO 3, 4
1:00-2:10
Two Voice
Poems
Share two
examples from
You Tube of
Two Voice poem
(Paul Fleishman
Water Striders
and man and
women sharing a
poem called
Moving to
America). Share
background
information on
Paul Fleishman,
and put page of
Joyful

Table 25 - Cassie Final Unit Plan Overview
544

Thursday 11-12

Magazines, and
other pictures
will be available
to cut and paste
to create their
cover.
Friday 11-13
*Complete Post
Assessment as
part of the
morning routine
as students are
completed with
their spelling.
11:15-12:05
Thank youGraded
Assessment
Pass out slip with
person to thankright? (Most
thanking parents
for classroom
donations,
coming to the
Halloween party,
bringing MEAP
snacks etc.) 4

Table 25 (Cont’d)
Save the Word
document.
Open Internet
Explorer and go
to Wordle.net.
Click on Create
on the upper left
hand side.
Copy the text
from Microsoft
Word and paste
in the Wordle
text box.
Click on Go.
Click on
Randomize on
the bottomcenter of the
Wordle until you
have found one
you like.
You may print
one Wordle
today in lab.

ClosingSincerely,
Signature
1:15-2:20
Read an example
I wrote to the
class.
Groups look at
other examples
in picture books
and create list of
different
Salutations and
Closings
Students will
write a friendly
letter (social
note) Thank You
to Logic.
Model format
and spacing for
students to
complete.
Students will
complete a rough
draft in their
Mystery
Notebooks.
Have someone
read it over and
then complete
the final draft.
When finished
students, they
can add their

Noise on the
documents
camera. Walk
through how
these poems are
read, practice one
with the class.

students did not
have donations
from their
parents so I had
made a list of
others that we
needed to thank.

Split class into
the two parts and
read Book Lice.

Show model
Hand out rubric
-Write draft in
Mystery
Notebook
-Have someone
check it
-Complete final
copy and turn in
rubric

Pull sticks for
pairs and have
students pick one
of the books of
Two Voice
poems.
The pairs will
choose a poem,
practice reading
and then share
with the class.
2:45-3:15
Finish pair
readings of Two
Voice poems and
then back to the
Workshop
choices
1. Turn in rubric
and all remaining
parts of the
Where I'm From
poem.
2. Continue
typing if some
have not
finished.

Table 25 - Cassie Final Unit Plan Overview
545

12:50-1:30
Finish Letters
and Address
Envelopes
Model Envelopes
and have
students practice
in their
notebooks first,
and then
complete the
final in pen.
1:30 Mr. SturkSoo Locks
Demonstration
2:20-2:35 Recess
2:35-3:15
FINISH
Typing and turn
in Where I’m
From

Table 25 (Cont’d)
Haiku poems at
the bottom or on
the back of the
letter and
decorate as they
wish.

3. Finish and turn
in your Letters to
Logic.
4. Finish writing
your three
Haikus to turn in
for the chance to
be in Logic's
book.
5. Finish your
Where I'm From
collage.

Collage/
Drawing
Two Voice with
a partner
3:15
Pairs that wrote a
Two Voice poem
can share with
the class.

6. Work with a
partner to write a
Two Voice
Poem.

-Students that
finish early will
be encouraged to
work on three
Haikus to add to
the letter.
-Those that need
to finish typing
can use the
computer
-Students can
work on their
collage if time.
Table 25 - Cassie Final Unit Plan Overview
Assessment
The unit plan included both formative and summative forms of assessment. The students
completed a written pre and post assessment that help to form an understanding of what each
student thinks of poetry, and what they want to learn/ learned during the unit. I conducted
writing conferences with each student to offer a time for each to read and discuss their first draft
and get a feel of how they are doing with writing demonstrating those traits of what makes
546

poetry unique, also their understanding of similes and metaphors in terms of crafting language in
different ways, and finally their overall enjoyment of poetry and feelings of accomplishment in
the unit. These were completed at the halfway point of the unit. The form of summative
assessment that I used related to the rubric created for the where I’m From Poem.
The poetry pre-assessment gave me great insight into what my students knew and felt in
terms of poetry. I took the responses to what they wanted to learn to account in the unit. For
examples some learning about poets, and learning how to write poetry, and what types of poetry
are there were addressed. The following questions consisted of the pre-assessment. The students
completed this on the Friday prior to the unit introduction on Monday. I included some of the
responses from my students below.
Poetry is like { a good thing, a song, a story, a song that rhymes, rhyming, a bird, chocolate
marshmallows, telling what is around you in a simple form of writing, }
Poetry makes me feel { good. I like poetry a lot, but it’s not my favorite thing in the world
happy sometimes, sad, sometimes curious, nervous, funny, cool, better, thinky, }
Poetry is about { fun, rhyming, being able to read something short and pretty, things you like,
everything it can’t be wrong or right, whatever you talk about, just for fun and expressing you
feelings, everything, nature }
What is one thing that you would like to learn about poetry? { Hw to write poetry, how long
can a poem be, what kind of poetry is there, what the famous poetry writer, about memorizing }
The rubric that I used is inserted below. I went over this with the class around the draft 1
stage, and again individually with the students during their conference to check for
understanding and answer any questions that they had. As the students receive letter grades
based on points, I wanted to create some piece that could be used as a grade. The rubric outlined
a set of given points for many of the activities or pieces in the unit, pulling them all together as
one. For example these items were included: participation with a partner during the readings,
participation in the writing conference, peer editing of their work, following directions using
Microsoft Word for formatting their poems, and finally spelling.
Looking back, I would separate the behavior from the content, possibly removing the
point value for working cooperatively, but writing feedback on how the student participated with
a peer and during class discussions and workshop at large. Also I would modify how I chose to
assess the use of similes and metaphors. I discussed this with my CT and we both decided that
because of the focus on these during the unit, they should be included on the rubric. I had
reservations afterward, especially after analyzing the situation with my focal student MS.
Overall I thought that this may cause students to force these into their poems, and I thought that
some, particularly MS were still not at a point of understanding to apply in their writing.
However only around five students did not include both a simile and metaphor in their poems,
and the majority were very relevant to their topics and added to the piece. For MS, I crossed this
piece out on MS’s rubric and wrote “We’ll keep working on these ” and took her score out of
26. I thought later that one option would have been to have “Include a simile or metaphor”, or
simply remove it from the rubric and assess their understanding of these at a different time or in
a different way such as having students write a simile or metaphor and include an accompanying
547

illustration. All students scored above 20 on the rubric. Most points were removed for spelling
mistakes. I allowed one mistake but wrote the word spelled and then corrected on the rubric, but
took one half of a point off for each mistake after that. Also many lost their graphic organizers,
or did not have students edit their work and therefore lost points for the process.
Name: ___________________________________
Rubric for Where I’m From Poem
Due Date: Monday, November 9
Requirements for Pre-Write and Draft #1:
•
•
•

Work cooperatively with a partner to read and discuss a Where I’m From poem 2
pts.____
Turn in completed pre-write/ graphic organizer
4 pts.____
Participate in a writing conference with Ms. Sharp
3 pts.____
Signed: __________________________________

•

Turn in draft #1 with revisions

__/__/__
3 pts.____

Requirement for Final Draft:
•
•
•
•
•
•

Includes a title and the poet’s name (centered, typed in size 16 font or larger) 3 pts.____
Poem is typed using the font of your choice in size 14 font.
2 pts.____
Poem has at least 3 stanzas.
3 pts.____
Poet has one simile and one metaphor included in their poem.
4 pts.____
All words are spelled correctly.
3 pts.____
Poet has two peers review final draft before you print.
2 pts.____

1. _________________________________
•

2. _________________________________

Turn this rubric in with the Final Draft

1 pts.____
Total Score: ( /30 pts) ____________________

The students completed a post assessment with the same questions as the pre assessment.
Many recognized the questions, but rather than recalling their original ideas, gave responses that
illustrated their new understanding and opinions of poetry. After analyzing the pre assessments
it was evident that many of the students started to use much more descriptive and elaborate
language in their responses. It seemed as though the language of poetry is sticking with the
students, and the overall feeling is of enjoyment and interest in reading, writing and responding
to poetry. I noticed that a few students even articulated some of the “5 Stars of Poetry” in their
548

final responses. I saw, “says a lot it a few words”, and “poetry pleases the ear” which were two
of the phrases that we discussed and used as a language in which to discuss and analyze poetry
during the unit.
Poetry is like { a song that speaks to my soul, expression when you read it, happy, sad, nice,
pretty, love, or even just good, a language to make a song without a tune, awesome!, a short
sentence that makes you feel a lot, a voice that speaks loud and clear, goodness to my heart }
Poetry makes me feel { happy and sad sometimes, very warm, comforting and like something
that speaks to me deep down, thinky, like something about it is reminding my memories, relaxed,
good, wonderful, fun, calm, great }
Poetry is about { fun, rhyming, being able to read something short and pretty, things you like,
everything it can’t be wrong or right, whatever you talk about, just for fun and expressing you
feelings, everything, nature }
What is one thing that you learned about poetry? { You can write poetry about anything,
poetry pleases the ear, it fun, there are many kinds of poetry, that it speaks to people deep down,
that you can choose what to write about, you have to practice, there are no right words, poetry is
not a story it’s more like a song, it helps you learn, how to write poetry, says a lot it a few words,
you have to be yourself, 2 voices, and it’s easier to read a poem in a quiet area, to speak aloud, it
can be fun!}
Differentiation
MS and AK
Share Unit Plan with Mrs. M (Resource Teacher)
*Pull out schedule; plan things to send/ specifics to work on when they leave, and be prepared to
include them in the lesson or activities when they return. This was done on the introduction day
to poetry. I selected poetry books that fit the reading level and areas of interest for MS and AK
including poetry about animals, children and nature. I had discussed the “5 Stars of Poetry” and
asked that Mrs. M focus on “Poetry pleases the ear, and Poetry speaks to the heart and mind” as
the two topics to discuss and look for in the selected books. MS went to another specialist until
the end of the day, but AK came back excited to share the poems he was reading, and completed
the task of using a star piece of paper to record an example of one of the stars in a poem they had
read.
MS and AK also completed their Acrostic poems with Mrs. M. In this poem MS showed
excellent skills in writing voice, and vocabulary in her poems. Her THANKS poem was very
thoughtful, connecting it to God, and including the words, spirit, heaven, and loving angels. I
was very pleased to have AK and MS complete the same steps and lesson as the class ever
though they were out of the room, with a great amount of individual attention and feedback.
MS
I will scribe for her as needed. She can often verbalize her thoughts and it works well for her to
have someone record.
549

As she is very literal in her thinking and she is working on understanding jokes and analogies, I
will work with her individually (and also in the resource room) on similes and metaphors. She
will not be penalized for not including a simile and metaphor in her final Where I’m From poem
as this is an area where she is still developing.
During the partner lessons where the students are working in pairs I will pre-select her partner.
For example during the reading of a Where I’m From poem with a partner, the students were
divided into pairs randomly by each getting a playing card and having to find their number
match. MS sits in one corner of the room, so I place one 2 on the top and gave it to her, and then
stuck the other two on the bottom and handed it to AS, a student that is very strong academically
and shows a lot of patience and kindness with her peers. The two went into the hall, and AS and
MS were able to have a very successful time reading the poem and creating a list of what they
liked, and the topics that were included the poem, such as family, vacations, etc. As later shared
that she wanted to tutor kids one day so she really liked working with MS.
MS read one of the Two Voice poems with her classmates LB. The two girls went into the hall
to practice the poem in a quiet space. There were many tongue twisters, “slithering, and
slathering” for example, and MS read the poem many times and really focused on the sounds in
the words. The two were giggling and having a great time, and did an excellent job reading in
front of the class. MS stayed right with the line timing and expression, and did very well with
the words after reading and practicing with her partner many times
HH
May require a scribe if he struggles getting started. I have found that if I take a few minutes to
sit with him and record his initial ideas that can help to start the writing flow for him.
Artifacts from the Unit
Pre-Assessment
Name_____________________________
Poetry is like
Poetry makes me feel
Poetry is about
What is one thing that you would like to learn about poetry?

Post-Assessment
Name_____________________________
Poetry is like
Poetry makes me feel
Poetry is about
What is one thing that you learned about poetry?

Graphic Organizer
Name:_________________________

550

Where I’m From
Please write down three to five ideas for each of the following questions:
1. What town, city, state, or country are you from?
2. What are the names of some relatives important to you? (mom/ dad/ brothers / sisters/
grandparents, etc.)
3. What are some memorable foods and dishes that were served at family gatherings?
4. What items were found around the home or yard?
5. What are the most important events that have impacted your life?
6. What are some places that are important or special to you?
7. What sayings or phrases do often say or hear from your family?
8. What are some of your favorite things, activities, hobbies, etc.?
9. What are some special traditions that you have with your family?
Add topics of your choice from our class created list below.
10.
11.
12.
Adapted by Ms. Cayme Sharp from Dr. Janine Certo, Michigan State University, Fall 2009
Lesson Plans from the Unit
Introduction to Poetry
Lesson 1
Your Name: Cassie
CT: Denise

Grade Level: Grade 4

Date: October 26, 2009

School: Bennett Elementary School

Overall lesson topic/title: Introduction to Poetry
Grade Level Content Expectation(s):
READING
Metacognition
551

Time: 2:30-3:25

R.MT.04.01 self-monitor comprehension when reading or listening to text by automatically
applying and discussing the strategies used by mature readers to increase comprehension
including: predicting, constructing mental images, visually representing ideas in text,
questioning, rereading or listening again if uncertain about meaning, inferring, summarizing,
and engaging in interpretive discussions.
Vocabulary
R.WS.04.07 in context determine the meaning of words and phrases including similes,
metaphors, content vocabulary, and literary terms using strategies and resources including
context clues, semantic feature analysis, and a thesaurus.
Objectives:
Knowledge Objective
11. Each student will become familiar through discussion and exposure, the “5 Pieces
of Poetry”, the characteristics that make poetry unique.
Capacity Objective
10. Each student will read and recognize the“5 Pieces of Poetry”, or characteristics
that makes poetry unique, and use these to analyze poetry when reading, and
applying to in their writing.
Attitude Objective
10. Each student will read and seek poetry that they are interested in with enthusiasm.
Materials & supplies needed:
Notebook document
20-30 poetry books from library
30 die cut stars
Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event
BEFORE READING:
Please get our your yellow Writing notebooks and a pencil,
we are going to begin a new project.
Intro slide on Smartboard…(Drum roll playing)
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our next genre…
Introducing Poetry!
For the next three weeks, we will be reading, and writing
and responding to poetry in many ways.
Thank you for completing the poetry forms on Friday. I
read them all over the weekend and it gave me a good idea
of what you know and like about poetry and some things
that you want to learn about poetry.
Table 26 – Cassie Lesson 1

552

Academic, Social and Linguistic
Support during each event
MS and AK will be out of the
room from 2:30-3:00. I will have
contacted Mrs. MQ about what
they will be missing, and ask her
to talk with the two about poetry.
What is unique about poetry?
What do they like about poetry.
Can start to discuss 5 Pieces of
Poetry (focus on one or two to
start).

Table 26 (Cont’d)
Change Slide to Poem of the student’s responses:
Ask the students to read the poem silently.
Read the poem.
Ask for volunteer to read.
Any reactions, thoughts?
I want you to see that poetry can be written about
anything you can imagine... Poetry is a unique form
of writing that allows the author to really put a
creative spin on their ideas.
(5 minutes)

(Introduced in the lesson, will give
copy of these to Mrs. MQ before the
lesson) Read some poetry together and
discuss. “Picture in their heads” and
the feelings/ thoughts that they get
from the poem.

TRANSITION:
Change slide to 5 Stars of Poetry
Open your notebooks to a new page, and write 5 Stars of I will have MS and AK choose 2-3
Poetry on the top line.
books each before they leave to take
(Modeled after Writer’s Express: What is Poetry?)
along with them.
o Poetry looks different. (Lines, stanzas, not much
space on the page, long/ short, etc.)
o Poetry pleases the ear. (Arrangement of words,
music, rhythm, rhyme)
o Poetry says a lot in a few words. (create great
Word Pictures, a few words can put a great picture
in your mind)
o Poetry says things in special ways. (Comparisons:
similes, metaphors, hyperbole)
o Poetry speaks to the heart and to the mind. (Think
and feel, express feelings)
Ask students to describe what these might mean. Get
a few responses, and give example to start if students
are stuck.
Please record these in your notebook. (Model on
whiteboard, listing 1-5 and the pieces)
(10 minutes)
TRANSITION
I write poetry when I have something to say that needs
a special sound or structure. I wanted to share with
you all a poem that I wrote for a class project last year
at MSU. We got to share them as a class, and then
our teacher made a book for us all to keep of the
poems. It is called Where I’m From
Table 26 – Cassie Lesson 1
553

Table 26 (Cont’d)
Change slide to my Where I’m From
Read my WIF poem
Ask for volunteer to read it.
What do you notice?
What questions would you like to ask the author?
Encourage students to ask me questions about my
poem.
What makes this poetry?
Review 5 Pieces of Poetry (Look to whiteboard list,
and their notebooks for 5 pieces)
o Looks different. -What looks different about my
piece?
o Speaks to heart and mind –Can you find an
example of a line that speaks to your heart or
mind? How does it make you feel? What does it
make you think of?
o Says a lot in a few words –Any examples in this
piece?
o Says things in special ways- Word pictures?
o Poetry pleases the ear- any interesting
arrangements of words?
(10-15 minutes)
TRANSITION
I brought in a lot of examples of poetry books for you to
explore. I want you all to take some time to read some of
the poems, and look through the books. I would like you
to find an example of one the 5 Stars of Poetry and record
it on one of these stars.
For example, if you found the simile: “His eyes were
black as night” that puts a great word picture in your
mind, write: Says things in specials ways, and the line(s)
below: His eyes were black as night. On the back write
the name of the book, and the poem you were referring
to. (Model / write on board.
This star will be your ticket out the door today, so make
sure to use this time to start checking out the books,
Any questions? Have passer outers help pass out the
stacks of books to table groups, and a star to each
student.
Happy reading…
Table 26 – Cassie Lesson 1

554

I will make a copy of the 5 Pieces of
Poetry for MS and AK to go in their
writing folders.

Table 26 (Cont’d)
(15-20 minutes)
BRINGING CLOSURE:
So today we discussed what makes poetry unique. We
talked about the 5 Stars of Poetry, and analyzed my
Where I’m From poem. Tomorrow we are going to
spend some time reading the poems from my classmates.
Please stack the books, and would (call one person from
each table group) take the put the books over on the
round table.
You can put you notebook away.
Please get out your planners.

Post-Assessment:
Review examples students located on puzzle pieces.
Take note of what were common “pieces” used, to know
which others to focus more on in the unit.

Table 26 – Cassie Lesson 1

555

AK back to the classroom
3:00-3:30 MS to Book Club.
Will contact Mrs. H to see if MS can
read poetry with someone during her
time in Book Club and discuss the
“picture in her head” that she gets
from the poems.
Walk around and monitor all
students, stand near groups that are
not on task to encourage them to
focus and read.
MS will be in the classroom
tomorrow when we read these
poems. As I walk around, I will
make sure to meet with her pair to
make sure she understands the
context, as she was out when the
class analyzed mine
Academic, Social, and Linguistic
Support during assessment
MS and AK will have discussed the
5 Pieces in Mrs. MQ’s class, and AK
will get a review when he comes
back to the classroom. AK will be
able to locate an example, but I will
not have MS do that piece, of the
lesson. I feel that her time would be
better spent talking to someone
about the poem, rather than spend
her time copying the line.

Your Name: Cassie
CT: Denise Nelson

Reading and Analyzing Where I’m From Poems
Lesson 2
Grade Level: Grade 4
Date: October 27, 2009
School: Bennett Elementary School

Time: 2:35-3:25

Overall lesson topic/title: Reading and Analyzing Where I’m From Poems
Grade Level Content Expectation(s):
READING
Vocabulary
R.WS.04.07 in context determine the meaning of words and phrases including similes,
metaphors, content vocabulary, and literary terms using strategies and resources including
context clues, semantic feature analysis, and a thesaurus.
Comprehension
R.CM.04.01 connect personal knowledge, experiences, and understanding of the world to
themes and perspectives in text through oral and written responses.
LISTENING & VIEWING
Response
L.RE.04.01 listen to or view knowledgeably and discuss a variety of genre and compare their
responses to those of their peers.
Develop Goals/Objectives that are specific to your interpretive discussion:
Knowledge Objective
4. Each student will read poetry, discuss and understand the author’s purpose and
theme.
Capacity Objective
3. Each student will read and respond to what they notice the author describing and
conveying with their choice of words as a pair, and as an individual.
Attitude Objective
11. Each student will listen to others and participate in sharing ideas and responses to
discussions and readings of poetry in a whole class format.
12. Each student will work cooperatively in pairs and groups to read, discuss and
respond to poetry.
Materials & supplies needed:
• 2 copies of TE 402 Where We’re From poetry document
• Blank page on Notebook document to record ideas/ themes of Where I’m From poems
• Deck of Cards, use half of the deck to create pair of each card

556

Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event
BEFORE READING:
Please get out your Mystery Notebooks and a pencil.
Yesterday, we introduced the new genre: Poetry. We talked
about the 5 stars of Poetry, those different ideas that makes
poetry unique. I read you my Where I’m From poem and
asked me questions. Today you are going to get to start
reading some Where I’m From poems.
We are going to read one as a class, and then you are going
to be working with a partner to discuss what you liked about
the poem, and what types of details that the author included.
We’ll start as a class with this one:
TRANSITION:
Read to self:
Where I’m From by Susan (TE 402, Spring 2009 course
pack)
I will read to the class
Ask for volunteer.
What do you notice?
What do you like about this poem?
What are some of the topics that the author includes?
Record these on the Notebook page to start the list.
(5-10 minutes)
TRANSITION
You are now going to be reading some of the poems from
my classmates at MSU. You are going to be reading with a
partner Here’s how this is going to work.
I am going to give you each a card. When I tell you to go, I
want you to quietly and calmly find the person with the
same card as you and find a seat.
For example, if you have a 2, you will need to find the other
person with a 2 in the class. When I see you two waiting
patiently, I will come around and give each of you each a
copy of the poem. I want you to read the poem together.
You can do this in a variety of ways. You can read it first to
yourself and then with your partner, you can take turns
reading it to each other, or read it together. You may be
matched up with someone you have never worked with
before and that’s ok. I expect each one of you to be
respectful and work with your partner. Please use a library
voice. You can read loud enough so that you hear one
another, but it needs to be quiet so that everyone can enjoy
the poems. After you have read it two or three times,
Table 27 – Cassie Lesson 2
557

Academic, Social and
Linguistic Support during each
event

I will stack the deck with a
match on the top and bottom.
(Ex. 2 on top and 2 on bottom) I
am going to deal the first card
to MS and the bottom card to
AS.
As I hand MS her card, I will
give her the microphone that
goes with her sound
amplification system to give to
AS. AS has been working with
MS, and is familiar with the
sound amplification device. She
can read the poem to/ with MS
and remind her of the questions
and what they are looking for.
MS seems to be enjoying time
spent with AS and this will

Table 27 (Cont’d)
discuss what you like about it, and then create a list of some
of the topics included. You will need to take your yellow
notebook and a pencil with you.
Does anyone have any questions?
Pass out the cards.
You may now quietly and calmly find your partner.
Give a set of poems to the groups sitting and waiting patiently
first.
*EXTRA COPIES ARE AVAILABLE IF STUDENTS ARE
“DONE” with the first poem. READ ANOTHER and
DISCUSS
(15-20 minutes)
TRANSITION:
May I have 5? You have about three minutes to wrap up
your discussions. Be prepared to share what you liked
about the poem, and the topics the writer included with the
class.
Ok, let’s start with some of the things you liked about the
poems. What did the author do to make you enjoy the
poem?
Listen to examples; ask some to read a line or two to share
with the class to support.
Ok, how about topics that you found included in the poem.
Add to class list.
Review list as a class
Is there anything else you would add to this list that could be
included in a Where I’m From poem?
Great job today. You worked very well in your pairs and this
list that you all created is outstanding.
We will begin to write our own Where I’m From poems
tomorrow, so start to think about which topics interest you
and what you would want to include in your poem.
(10-15 minutes)
TRANSITION (Depending on time) need to wrap up by
3:20
Are there any groups that would like to read their poem to the
class?
Have pairs read and class respond until 3:20.
Please head back to your seats and get out your planners.
Table 27 – Cassie Lesson 2

558

ensure that she is included and
engaged in the task.

Do a scan of how the class
paired up, keep and eye on those
that may have trouble working
together. May need to remind of
expectations.
Walk around and remind groups
going off task of the questions to
address. Listen to their
discussions, and support the
understanding of what the
author is saying to determine
the topic category.

Table 27 (Cont’d)
Post-Assessment:
Today I am looking for a class created list of topics that could
be included in the Where I’m From poems. I will be
observing how students handle the formation of random
groups and working with different people in the classroom.

Academic, Social, and
Linguistic Support during
assessment
There are some students that
really struggle with working
together, so I may need to step
in to get them to work together.
I will make sure to offer a great
deal of specific positive
feedback to those who are often
off task or disruptive to others,
that were working well today
with their partner.

Table 26 – Cassie Lesson 2
Completing a Where I’m From Pre-write
Lesson 3
Your Name: Cassie
Grade Level: Grade 4
Date: October 27, 2009 CT: Denise
School: Woods Elementary School Time: 1:20-2:10
Overall lesson topic/title: Completing a Where I’m From Pre-write
Grade Level Content Expectation(s):
READING
Vocabulary
R.WS.04.07 in context determine the meaning of words and phrases including similes,
metaphors, content vocabulary, and literary terms using strategies and resources including
context clues, semantic feature analysis, and a thesaurus.
Comprehension
R.CM.04.01 connect personal knowledge, experiences, and understanding of the world to themes
and perspectives in text through oral and written responses.
LISTENING & VIEWING
Response
L.RE.04.01 listen to or view knowledgeably and discuss a variety of genre and compare their
responses to those of their peers.
Develop Goals/Objectives that are specific to your interpretive discussion:
Knowledge Objective
5. Each student will become more familiar, and continue to engage in the routine of
completing pre-writes, drafts and revisions as components of the process of writing.
Capacity Objective
4. Each student will use given tools or successful self-strategies to organize thoughts in
writing.
559

Attitude Objective
5. Each student will complete all tasks according to his or her abilities.
Materials & supplies needed:
25 copies of Graphic Organizer
(Adapted by Ms. Cayme Sharp, modeled after Dr. Janine Certo, Michigan State University, Fall
2009)
Teacher copy on document camera
Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event
BEFORE LESSON
On Monday we discussed the 5 Pieces of Poetry, and you all had
the opportunity to analyze one of my poems and ask me questions.

Academic, Social and
Linguistic Support

Can anyone recall one of the 5 Pieces?
Anyone else?
Show list of 5 Pieces on document camera and review.
Yesterday we read Where I’m From poems, and made a list of the
topics that authors have included when writing their own Where
I’m From pieces.
Review class list.
Can you guess where we are going today? We get to start the
process of creating one of our own.
TRANSITION
I have an sheet for you all to complete to organize your ideas
before you start writing., I want to walk through the process with
you and show you how I am thinking as I go about completing the
form. I may need your help coming up with ideas, so stay with
me. (Think aloud connections and thoughts, may skip some and
come back to them if I get stuck)
Model process. Read a few of the questions, and write down
examples and ideas.
Flip to the back and select a few from the class list.
I would like you to choose some additional topics from our list to
have between 10-15 different options to include. When you write
your poem, you won’t include all of this information, but it is a
great thing to do as a writer, to brainstorm a lot of different
options. Who knows when you might be inspired to add
something new to the poem, or use it to create a whole other form
of poetry.
Model process. Read a few of the questions, and write down
examples and ideas.
(15 minutes)

The use of the document
camera and Smartboard, will
be valuable to offer a verbal
and visual review. Offering
an additional manner of
presenting will help to keep
students engaged with the
modeling and pre-write
process Thinking aloud and
modeling this process will
benefit all students, and
minimize confusion when
students begin to complete
one on their own.
It will aid MS, who may have
difficulty understanding the
directions or expectations
without seeing them
performed and discussed.
HH can see that I can write a
few words or basic picture to
start, which should relieve
some anxiety about writing
long passages. SM will have
a way to organize his
thoughts early in the process,
so when he goes to create the
first draft his thoughts will be
less likely to get scattered.

Table 28 – Cassie Lesson 3
560

Table 28 (Cont’d)
TRANSITION
You have until Gym to work on this. I would suggest reading
through the questions and starting with the ones that you can
immediately think of examples for, or ones that are interesting to
you. Make sure to check the board to add some of our ideas from
class that you could include as well. Remember you need to have
3-5 ideas for at least 10 questions.
I was wondering, how many people have trouble focusing when
they write if others are taking? Raise your hand. Look around. I
would like to ask you to really focus on working quietly. I have a
really hard time focusing on my thoughts if others are moving
around and talking, and obviously many of your classmates feel
the same way.
If you need to get up and get a drink, or go to the bathroom feel
free.
Ask paper passer outers to hand out an organizer to all students.
Students that are stuck.
Encourage them to start with one word, short phrase, bulleted
ideas. They can also include a simple picture to reinforce or act
as their idea to begin.
I would then encourage them to Keep going…develop this
part….Expand on your ideas.
Students that say they are done.
I would really like to see at least 10 ideas with 3-5 examples for
each before they are done.
If they have this completed, I would encourage them to expand on
their thoughts and try to work with their ideas to create images in
the mind through their words.
Keep going…develop this part….Expand on your ideas!(30
minutes)
TRANSITION
You have about 5 minutes before we line up for gym. Finish up
your thoughts.
Group 3, 1, etc. please bring your organizer to me and line p for
Gym.
Table 28 – Cassie Lesson 3

561

Check in with MS to see if
she is able to get started.
Does she need/ Would she
benefit from a scribe
recording while she shares
ideas? (Mrs. Nelson or I
could do this)
Check in with HH to see if he
is able to get started. Try
suggestions to the left, first
and
give him time to try to get
started. Make small steps,
write down 2 or 3 ideas
before you put your pencil
down. If he is not
participating after 5 minutes,
ask if he would verbally
respond and I could scribe
for him? (Mrs. Nelson or I
could do this)

Table 28 (Cont’d)
This may be a long time for
many of the students to stay
on task, if I find them start to
fidget and squirm, I would
have them get up do a few
stretches, call tables for
drinks and get back to
thinking and recording.
Post-Assessment:
This is a portion of the formative assessment, giving me an idea
of where students are, in terms of being willing and able to
make connections with topics that could be included in a Where
I’m From poem. I would include this effort, and use of time in
the participation portion of the unit.

Table 28 – Cassie Lesson 3 (Cont’d)

562

Academic, Social, and
Linguistic Support during
assessment
I will have several days to
review these, and make plans
or groups with similar
“problems/ successes “ ideas
for the direction they could
go, or short mini-lessons that
the class would benefit from.

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563

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