APPENDIX B: Key Assessments

Teacher Education Portfolio

Guidelines and Rubric

The Teacher Education Portfolio is developed throughout a candidate’s program. Most Teacher Education

courses have a capstone project designed to meet the InTASC Standards, Nebraska Standards for Educator

Preparation, and to align with GU Teacher Education Objectives. This portfolio is a criterion portfolio designed to

demonstrate performance on Professional Education Competencies. The Teacher Education Portfolio Rubric is

scored based on performance as demonstrated by the overall score on the project associated with each

competency.

Program Professional Competencies

Artifacts Related Course Data Collected

Instructional Strategies Instructional Technology Portfolio

ED 316 Instructional Technology Rubric Scores

Student Development Developmental Timeline ED 201 Educational Psychology Rubric Scores

Learning Environments Classroom Management and Discipline Plan

ED 202 Classroom Management Rubric Scores

Learning Differences Modified (Special Needs) Lesson Plan

ED 302 Intro to Special Education Rubric Scores

Learning Differences Reflective Paper on Diversity ED 203 Pluralism & Cultural Diversity

Rubric Scores

Content Knowledge Application of Content Planning for Instruction

Exemplary Instructional Unit Plan

ED 315 Secondary Methods –or- ED 481 ESL Methods

Rubric Scores

Professional Responsibility Personal Philosophy of Education

ED 402 History & Philosophy of Education

Rubric Scores

Assessment Assessment Project ED 301 Assessment, Tests, & Measurements

Rubric Scores

APPENDIX B: Key Assessments

Portfolio Scoring Guide InTASC/ NCATE/ Grace University

Conceptual Framework

Teacher Candidate: Semester/Year: Endorsement: Evaluator:

Standard Exemplary Proficient Developing Needs Intervention

Content Knowledge and Pedagogy

The teacher candidate understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline he or she teachers and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students.

Demonstration of superior knowledge and the extended or extensive adaptation of that knowledge

E.G., publication, presentation, dean’s list, or significant content leadership

Continual focus on important worthwhile content, skills, and types of reasoning

Shows evidence that knowledge was meaningful to students by consistent growth in student learning

Grades of B or better in all methods and/or GPA of 3.0 in content area courses

Some focus on important, worthwhile content, skills, and types of reasoning to be taught

Shows evidence that knowledge was meaningful to students

Grades are above average, B or better in methods and most subjects

Understands “big ideas” but shows flaws or gaps in knowledge

Gaps or flaws hamper meaningful learning for students

Grades of 2.5 in methods or content area course

Human Development

The teacher candidate understands how children learn and develop and can provide learning opportunities that support a child’s intellectual, social, and personal development.

Demonstration of theoretical underpinnings of Human Development and/or critiques of various discourse related to human development

Instruction and curriculum include age and grade appropriate activities that support cognitive, social, and emotional development.

Allows all students to participate at some level, but also allows more advanced students to keep working

Instruction and curriculum are varied and demonstrate multiple approaches to designing, implementing, and assessing student learning opportunities

Allows all students to participate at some level

Instruction and curriculum are consistently developmentally inappropriate

Adapting Instruction of Diverse Learners

The teacher candidate understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.

Demonstration of methods for addressing a range of abilities in the classroom setting including participation in specialized services

Instruction and curriculum adaptations are holistic, (social, physical, academic) research based, and age appropriate with a focus on learner independence

Proof students learned with adaptations

Instruction and curriculum adaptations focus on referral or demonstrate teacher dependence on outside specialized services

Instruction and curriculum adaptations demonstrate isolated and/or fractured attempts to accommodate disability and diversity in learning

APPENDIX B: Key Assessments

Standard Exemplary Proficient Developing Needs Intervention

Instructional Strategies

The teacher candidate understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage student development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and performance skills.

Demonstration of an ability to multi-task various instructional strategies simultaneously

Use of multiple instructional strategies demonstrates a knowledge of the relationship between choice of strategy, available technology, learning goals, and student development

Uses multiple instructional strategies

Uses a preferred and single focus instructional strategy only

Motivation and Classroom

Management The teacher candidate uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning and self-motivation.

Demonstrations the create of classroom community

Emphasis is on proof of responsibility and for self and others

Use of motivation and management strategies include multiple methods and demonstrates application of research based practices

Emphasis on proof of student responsibility for their own actions

Use of motivation and management strategies is varied and demonstrates application of more than one method

Emphasis on student obedience to rules

Use of a motivation or management strategy demonstrates a single application or shallow understanding

Emphasis on teacher-centered obedience

Communication and Technology

The teacher candida te uses knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal, media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom

An expanded demonstration of the use of media to facilitate communication

Also fosters polite authentic communication skills among students

Verbal, nonverbal and written communication skills are consistent and demonstrate sensitivity to culture and gender while incorporating multiple uses of media for communication with parents, colleagues, community and students

Engaged students seen in active learning in cooperative groups

Verbal, nonverbal and written communication (including the use of media) are good and demonstrate clarity and communication with parents, colleagues, community, and students

Plans opportunities for discussions and presentations that promote student communication

Verbal, nonverbal and written communication skills are adequate: evidence is limited in scope and depth

Demonstrates single use of media

Plans activities with limited opportunities for student communication

APPENDIX B: Key Assessments

Standard Exemplary Proficient Developing Needs Intervention

Planning The teacher candidate plans instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum goals.

Outstanding demonstration of consistent student learning through a measured and careful analysis of outcomes across multiple students, subjects, and settings

Curriculum blends design, implementation, and assessment of state goals, and learner goals with structured methods for revision and reflection

Evidence of positive learner impact demonstrated

Curriculum is adequate in scope and applied in long term objectives and is connected to the state/national frameworks

Unit plan shows all of the above elements

Curriculum is used in short term or fragmented in its implementation

Unit plan is shallow or unbalanced

Assessment and Evaluation

The teacher candidate understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the learner.

Evaluates students’ achievement in all assessment types over time.

For elementary: in all areas

Critiques current practices with a deep understanding of national and state reforms

Demonstrates continuous assessment with multiple methods i.e., formative, summative and uses rubrics for assessment areas to be tested.

Proof of positive student learning is seen in a variety of areas

Demonstrates a full understanding of assessment principles and practices by using this knowledge in a variety of ways

Does both formative and summative assessment for all objectives in the lesson plan

Uses basic knowledge of assessment and principles and practices to evaluate students

Does only one assessment type consistently – i.e. formative or summative for some objectives in the lesson plan.

Reflection and Professional

Development The teacher candidate is reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his or her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community) and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally.

Reflection includes the evaluation and critique of self and the action of teaching and is grounded in a professional discourse and demonstrates substantial depth and maturity

Reflection involves evaluation and demonstrates critical thinking about the effects of teaching

Reflection encompasses a variety of issues including students and self

Reflection focuses on one issue or theme consistently

School and Community

Relationships The teacher fosters relationships with

Creates and maintains collaborative working relationships with services in the

Demonstrates successful integration of “partnering” for self and students in services,

Independently seeks opportunities and plans for involvement for self and students with individuals, services,

Demonstrates evidence of working cooperatively with the cooperating teacher to develop partnerships/

APPENDIX B: Key Assessments

Standard Exemplary Proficient Developing Needs Intervention

school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support students’ learning and well-being.

school and agencies or organizations outside the school for both self and students

organizations, and professional and collaborative relationships

and organizations outside the classroom.

relationships outside the classroom for self and students

Personal Characteristics and Interpersonal Skills

The Teacher candidate demonstrates skills, beliefs, values, and behaviors that guide their interactions with students, families, and colleagues during their professional practice problem solving and decisions.

Demonstrates the ability to create opportunities for the ethical development of students through curricular planning

Demonstrates an integration of underlying principles of education with a personal philosophy of teaching and ethics

Understands legal obligations of teaching in ways that are separate and dichotomous

Operates within legal obligations but demonstrates questionable judgment or is overly critical or intolerant of specific groups