Hindsight.

Looking back over this class, I have a lot to take to the classroom. I feel so much more prepared and encouraged by the peers I am living life with and by my professor who models the way teaching should be.

I have learned how to best implement appropriate technology into my teaching in order to make it more meaningful and powerful to the students I come in contact with. I learned about the SAMR model and each level that empowers the students to use critical thinking skills and how to best redefine their learning. Through the TPACK model, I was made aware of the 3 types of knowledge that a teacher needs to reinforce instruction and learning. Technology knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and content knowledge are all needed to prepare a classroom for 21st century living.

Teaching concepts and generalizations have become second nature to me. Teaching terms such as these and performance tasks had never crossed my ears until this class. Learning a new way to approach teaching and assess learning both formatively and summatively has become easy, especially when comparing it to classy restaurants such as Fogo de Chao. For those who might not understand this comparison, let me explain it to you. Formative assessments occur when the chef in charge of making the meals tastes the meal to make sure it is ready. If the food is not ready, he adds flavor, spice, or whatever necessary to prepare it for the final test, that is serving it to the customer who ordered it. This final test is the summative assessment. Much in this way, students need to be formatively assessed as much as possible. This doesn't require a quiz every time, but a variety of ways that they can share their knowledge with you, and you as the teacher can track their learning.

Next on the list of great learning, was the in depth look at the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards. These standards are to show me what is expected of me as a professional teacher. This was one of the first times I actually looked deep into these standards and what I found was intriguing, challenging and encouraging. I am so excited to challenge myself to reach the accomplished level and to always keep learning as I keep teaching. To further understanding, deep thinking and love for teaching, I tip my hat off to this class and it's professor.

Much love,
Brittany Kertesz

P.S. I am always drawn to this site, because it truly offers an amazing resource and inspiration to becoming a powerful, and purposeful teacher.

Also, This link brings you to a website highlighting some difficulties in teaching social studies, as well as encourages teacher to take advantage of teachable moments. Good luck out there!

An Inspiration.

This past Thursday, my social studies methods class had the opportunity of meeting a woman who is extremely knowledgeable in her field, down to earth, and incredibly empowering. Fay Gore has an amazing and long title as section chief for k-12 Social Studies at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. She is also the Character Education Coordinator for North Carolina. This woman has an incredible vision and brings together ideas and tools from schools all over the globe. She shared her recent interactions with educators in Dubai and she was very willing to share what is being done to enrich our students in the United States as well.

Most of her interests are in developing curriculum frameworks that promote hands-on, engaging social studies lessons and this was perfect to tie into our class. Many times, it is hard to fit in social studies with other common core and essential standards that demand our time, and even more difficult to make it actually relate to the child, but she was reassuring us that it is possible. And not only is it possible to fit these standards in, but it is vital to the growth of our students. 

Social studies has become a forgotten subject. After the "No Child Left Behind" policy, 44 percent of districts reported to have reduced time for social studies education. Reducing this time results in lack of vocabulary growth, lack of communication skills, and background knowledge. This all results in  lower literacy levels as well as an increased achievement gap. Rather than restate everything, I will refer you to this article. It directs you to a website packed with benefits of integrating social studies into the curriculum and the importance of doing it correctly.

All this to say, students of today are relying on us as educators to prepare them to be apart of a democratic society. People aren't born with knowledge on how the world works and the history to why things are the way they are. 

Through school, we are able to teach students that they have a voice. Through social studies, we are able to teach them that their voice has power. 

Be the change.

Much love,

Brittany Kertesz

P.S. In case you ever stumble upon this blog, thank you Fay Gore for inspiring us to think harder and deeper! You challenged us today and spoke truth to us about what will soon be expected of us and what our future students deserve. The fact that you took the time to speak to us lowly college students speaks volumes for your character! Thank you again.

North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards - NCPTS

In order to become an effective and meaningful teacher in the 21st century, teachers are given a list of 6 professional teaching standards to follow. These standards are in place in order to become a proficient or accomplished teacher in the classroom and best teach the students placed in our classroom. Under these 6 standards are subcategories of what is expected during each level of proficiency. These standards are as follows:

Teachers demonstrate leadership
Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students
Teachers know the content they teach
Teachers facilitate learning for their students
Teachers reflect on their practice
Teachers contribute to the academic success of their students

These standards are set in place to hold teachers accountable and challenge them. There is a level for each standard. The lowest level is emergent. Starting out student teaching, each teacher should be at this level. Upon practice in the classrooms and growth as a teacher, moving up in the levels is the next step. This step is called the developing candidate. One important item to stress when moving up in levels is that a developing teacher has covered all of developing candidate stipulations AND the emergent candidates requirements. This shows that this knowledge and growth is built upon each other and prior knowledge is still there. From here, the proficient candidate is the next goal. Once this is reached once a professional educator is successful in all areas of emergent candidate skills, developing, AND proficient skills. Rather than each of these fields being something entirely different, they are embellished and slightly more complicated to reach. This is the level student teachers must be at in order to receive licensure from the university. The top level is the accomplished teacher. This is where "big things happen" and one has finally landed a skip, hop, and a jump away from beginning student teaching.

After going through these standards more in depth, I am able to understand what is expected from me as a teacher and my fellow coworkers. It is intimidating to see them all lined up in this manner, but also incredibly helpful to have a set of guidelines and models to follow after.

Every time we are in class and our future is brought up, we tend to get uneasy and question what is actually expected of us. To answer these questions, I now know to direct others and myself to the NCPTS. This link provides the reader with the NCPTS and deeper explanations of each standard. Also this link is a breakdown of what tests we are required to take as well as what licensure entails. With these two resources I am better equipped to take my future into my own hands and be a responsible, growing student as I one day plan to be a responsible, effective teacher.

Much love,
Brittany Kertesz