Portfolio Development
Education
Teacher Preparation Program participants learn, maintain and develop the same high levels of professionalism (attitudes, behaviors and dispositions), skills (participation and skills), and knowledge (understanding and knowledge) expected of practicing teachers. Through a rigorous academic program with a liberal arts foundation, exceptional practica opportunities in the major and an intensive student teaching experience, individuals earn a degree and are qualified to be Alaska licensed teachers in grades K-8. The following list delineates what graduates should believe, know and be able to do.
Attitudes, Behaviors and Dispositions
The Teacher Preparation Program Graduate:
- researches his or her own practice by reflecting critically, asking questions, and seeking answers.
- develops and describes his or her philosophy of education and demonstrates its impact in the teaching and learning process.
- addresses the needs of all students with respect for their individual and cultural characteristics.
- encourages, creates and maintains a learning environment in which all students contribute and are actively engaged.
- demonstrates the knowledge that teaching means continual participation in and contribution to the teaching profession and will risk engagement in change processes to further the improvement of the profession.
- models life long learning and understands that professional growth is an important part of the life of a career teacher.
- participates in personal wellness.
- grounds him/herself in self-knowledge and self-acceptance that leads to creation of open, trusting relationships and support the value of diversity within an inclusive community.
- exhibits responsible moral and ethical professional behavior.
- works as a partner with student families and with the community to promote clear two-way communication among the school, student families, and the community
- supports comprehensive programs for parental involvement.
- helps student families support their children's learning efforts.
- actively participates in the community, connecting school and classroom activities with student homes, work places, and the community.
- engages in program, instruction, and curriculum development.
- works cooperatively with colleagues in the learning community.
Participation and Skills
The Teacher Preparation Program Graduate:
- understands teaching and learning theory and applies that knowledge to the instructional practice.
- develops meaningful lessons that address the needs of students with respect to individual and cultural characteristics.
- uses her/his understanding of content to plan, structure, facilitate, monitor and implement instruction in the context of continual assessment.
- fosters, creates and maintains a learning environment where all students contribute and remain actively engaged.
- demonstrates consistency between his or her philosophy of education and teaching practice.
- is able to recognize and build on the cultural strengths of students and the community.
- understands and addresses a student's individual and special needs.
- draws from a wide repertoire of strategies and adapt them to fit the instructional context.
- makes connections between and among subjects and to practical situations encountered outside of school.
- organizes instruction based on the characteristics of the students and the curricular goals.
- creates, selects, adapts, and uses a variety of instructional resources that are aligned with the curricular goals.
- creates and selects a variety of evaluation strategies that provide information about student learning, that are aligned with the curricular goals, and that assist students in reflecting on their own progress.
- uses technology as an educational tool enhance instruction and student learning, access current trends, strategies, and resources in the teaching profession, organize and maintain information about student learning, and connect classroom activities to practical situations encountered outside of school.
Understanding and Knowledge
The Teacher Preparation Program Graduate:
- demonstrates an understanding of developmental and learning theories, and applies that knowledge in the classroom.
- understands the cultural characteristics and diversity of students in the context of their individual differences.
- knows the subject matter and how to integrate, plan and teach instructional units in the context of practical experiences.
- uses the knowledge gained from a strong liberal arts background to develop and implement curriculum that is varied and creative.
- knows and uses the theories and research related to child development and the development of young adolescents to motivate and construct learning opportunities in support of individual student's development, and his or her acquisition of knowledge.
- understands students' differences in intelligence, perception, and cognitive processes and is able to broaden teaching practices to incorporate these differences.
- reflects on information gained from assessment and adjusts the teaching practices as necessary.
- understands the advantages and disadvantages of a variety of methods of reporting to students and parents.
