1. TFA Classes
1.1. To fulfill credential requirements, Teach for America corps members are required to pass Seminar in Transformational Leadership and Teaching 1 and 2 during their first year in the corps. Long and Short Term Planning addresses course design, unit planning, lesson planning, and assessment.
1.2. Seminar 1 - Transformational Leadership and Teaching
1.3. Seminar 2 - Transformational Leadership and Teaching
1.4. Long and Short Term Planning
2. Diverse learners and how to help them succeed
2.1. Intro to Exceptional Children
2.1.1. Overview of the laws governing Special Education and student categories served in special education.
2.1.2. Assignment: IDEA 2004 Powerpoint
2.2. Diverse Learners
2.2.1. Students will examine theories of race, culture, and socio-economic status and their implications for teaching.
2.2.2. Assignment: Wahi Pana Project
2.3. Mild/Moderate Disabilities
2.3.1. Overview of learning, behavioral, and personality characteristics of students diagnosed with special needs.
2.3.2. Assignment: UDL Lesson Plan
2.3.3. Assignment: Functional Behavior Assessment and Support Plan
2.4. Learning Environments
2.4.1. This course will explore current research, theory, and best practices related to classroom management.
2.4.2. Assignment: 10 hours of Observation & Participation
3. Research focus
3.1. Educational Research and Design
3.1.1. Provides experiences to foster systematic and thoughtful inquiry into educational research and practice.
3.1.2. Assignment: Research Proposal
3.2. Culminating Experience
3.2.1. Capstone course that draws upon principles, methods, and content acquired throughout the Master’s experience.
4. Miscellaneous
4.1. Peace, Justice, and Educational Reform
4.1.1. Exploration of influences on educational change at classroom, school, community, state, and national levels.
4.1.2. Assignment: Weekly Critical Thinking
4.2. History and Profession of Education
4.2.1. This course covers the general history, standards, and professionalism in education.
4.2.2. Assignment: Comic Strip
4.2.3. Assignment: History of Education Timeline
4.3. Children's Literature
4.3.1. Examination of criteria for selecting and using literature at various stages of child development.
4.3.2. Assignment: Bookfile
4.3.3. Assignment: Weekly Journals
4.3.4. Project: Children's Books & Diabetes
5. Impact on Teaching
5.1. Year 1
5.1.1. Thinking back to my first year teaching, it definitely wasn't easy to balance all of the tasks of a first year teacher with being a full time grad student. However, one of the most useful things that I learned this year, and something that I will carry with me into every future classroom, is the skill of backwards planning and starting with an end goal to plan meaningful learning experiences for my students in order to reach that goal.
5.2. Year 2
5.2.1. Going into my second year of teaching, I made the tough decision of remaining in my position as a 10th grade special education English teacher. While I was going back and forth at the time, looking back, it was once of the best decisions I could have ever made. Teaching unique learners is where my passion lies, and I was able to apply all of the enriching learning from my online classes into practice as I built upon a foundation from the previous year and continued to explore and experiment with my students to create a nurturing, culturally relevant, socially conscious, and differentiated learning space.
5.3. Future Endeavors
5.3.1. I can't say for sure where I will end up in 10 years, but for at least the next 5, I plan to continue to teach high school special education in Washington D.C. and advocate for the unique learners that I have grown to learn from and love. It's hard to pinpoint which classes have made a lifelong impact on the work that I will pursue, but I know that it will be rooted in peace, justice, and educational reform that works toward educational equity for ALL students. Additionally, this culminating experience will always remind me to draw from these experiences in the past two years to expand my mind and put learning into practice.