Section One: Knowledge of Academic Subject Matter and Child

Development

Standard 1
Teachers know the subjects they are teaching.
A full understanding of different content areas and how they
interrelate is necessary if an educator is to present lessons in a way
that is engaging and meaningful to students.
Rational Statement
Maria Montessori developed curricula that were designed to engage
children, to spark their curiosity and imagination and to develop
critical thinking. Through years of study in many different countries
and cultures she found common threads- she developed materials
that engaged universally.
Montessori teacher training gave me not only extensive knowledge
in the academic areas of Mathematics, Geography, Biology,
Language, History, Geometry, Art and Music but also myriad ways to
foster independent exploration following hands-on lessons.
Much of the required Common Core standards can be met using the
Montessori albums the books created by trainees during
Montessori Teacher training. Although I must occasionally
supplement the albums material necessary to meet common core
standards and create additional lessons to work on raising the
reading levels in my classroom these albums are a primary source for
my subject knowledge.
Evidence:
The table of contents within the Geography album and a sample
lesson shows the breadth of content as well as the great variety of
lessons that may be presented. All of the Montessori albums have a
structure that is logical in progression but that allows for variety in the

classroom. I chose to submit as evidence the lesson on the rotation

of the earth.
I presented it in the classroom shortly after I gave The First Great
Lesson- Montessoris story of the beginning of our earth.

Standard 2: Teachers know how children grow.

An understanding of child development is crucial if a teacher is
meet the intellectual and emotional needs of the child as she helps
them to engage in active learning.
Rational Statement
Maria Montessori studied the development of children extensively.
She studied children cross-culturally and across economic
backgrounds. She was a medical doctor and worked as an
anthropologist.
Dr. Montessori developed extensive theories as to how children
develop physically, mentally and socially. She found human
tendencies which are present through all Four Planes of
Development which Montessori defined as:

Plane 1 Birth - Age Six

Plane 2 Ages Six -Twelve
Plane 3 Ages Twelve - Eighteen
Plane 4 Ages Eighteen - Twenty-four

The physical, social and academic environments within a Montessori

classroom are designed to meet the child at the appropriate plane of
development, acknowledging what and they ways in which each child
is most receptive to learning.
In the second plane the child is an extrovert, interested in social
interaction and intellectually curious. Morality is developing.
Imagination spurs learning and independent learning becomes
possible.

Evidence:
The theories of child development are studied extensively in
Montessori training. The theory album in particular takes an in
depth looks at The Planes of Development and human tendencies.
These theories impact the lessons in each subject as the childs
plane of development is considered at all times.
Second Plane of Development is a paper written based on a
lecture given at The Montessori Institute of Milwaukee in the fall of
2013.
Rereading Montessori theory benefits my understanding of the
children I am teaching and helps me create a classroom environment
appropriate for them.
A recent reading of Second Plane Theory reminded me of the sense
of justice and fairness present at this age. As I will be working on
peaceful behavior through Grace & Courtesy lessons it is important to
remember that this is a time of life that my students will be sensitive
to this topic.

Section 2: Instruction: Standards 3 ,4, 7 and 10

Understanding the individual and diverse needs of students

Reaching low performing students.
Lesson planning/strategizing
Teacher/Community Collaboration

Teachers must understand that each child comes to the classroom

with unique experiences and skills which may impact his or her ability
to learn. There may be obstacles in the home or neighborhood
environment. A child may have a learning disability. Teachers need to
plan instruction which meets the needs of his or her students; using a
variety of strategies which support learning. Factual knowledge while
important is no less so than the ability to reason and problem solve.
Creative and engaging lessons given by the teacher spur the
imagination of the child.

Standard 3: Teachers understand that children learn

differently.
In terms of instruction it is critical that each child is approached as an
individual, with a set of needs academic and emotional unique to him.
There may be environmental factors which have contributed to low
performance in critical areas of academics. It is important for the
teacher to remove obstacles when feasible and to adapt instruction to
meet the needs every pupil including those with diagnosed
disabilities.
Rational Statement
In my own classroom I have many children with diagnosed disabilities
both behavioral and academic. Many of these children have

individualized education plans (IEPs) In addition, I work with many

students doing a variety of reading interventions.
I have used a variety of approaches in my attempts to have a positive
impact on each childs academic and social progress. I have worked
hand in hand with other staff members to best serve each child.
Frequent communication, sometimes daily- may be necessary to
track which strategies are having an impact.
An example strategy:
One child in my classroom had many factors which were barriers to
his learning and impacted his ability to function in the environment.
Mark* has diagnosed behavioral and academic disabilities. At the
start of the school year he spent little time working; much of his time
was spent disrupting the class, particularly at group time.
He was excluded rather than included much of the time. His desk
was isolated from other students in an attempt to lessen his disruptive
tendencies. He seemed to have little interest in receiving lessons.
Typically he spent several hours with his special education teacher in
a small group setting and there was able to be productive. As I began
to start to give the Great Lessons so key to the Montessori
experience I wanted to find away for him to be a part of it. His teacher
and I discussed ways to make this happen. I began inviting her to
spend some of the time she usually had with Mark* in a small group
setting within the classroom.
He participated first in whole group lessons then began to come for
small group lessons. I looked at his strengths- he has the ability to
focus and superior hand motor skills. He loves to draw and draws
well.
I presented a series of geometry lesson plans which played to his
strengths and encouraged him to do assigned but creative follow-up
work. During this time he was able to demonstrate to other students
his strengths rather than a tendency to get in trouble.

At this point he is able to receive lessons even without the presence

of his special education teacher. There are still instances of disruption
but many less. He has been able to move from a solo desk to a table
with another child.
It takes time and repeated reflections to create a plan that works but
the rewards are heartening.
Evidence: Video- Geometry lesson/Lesson Plan
This video was taken after a series of geometry lessons. Mark* was
presented lessons on angles; Parts, classification and measurement
and progressed to classification of triangles, initially by angles and
then by sides. The video shows a small group lesson on classification
of triangles by sides and begins with a review.
He was able to keep his focus throughout and followed up afterwards
with a book of angles.

Standard 4: The teacher knows how to teach

The teaching standards often necessarily relate to each other.
The strategies a teacher uses within the classroom must depend on
her ability to assess her students. She then sets goals, plans lessons
and continually adapts them according to their effectiveness.
What she teaches as well as how she teaches is determined by
looking at her students individual needs. She must keep in mind to
encourage independence and analytical thinking.
Rational Statement:
Early in the year as children read orally to me or attempted to read
and write independently it was clear that most were far behind grade
level. As I looked at MAP reading test scores, did my own PALS
testing and assessed reading levels it became clear that in my

classroom I need to adapt instruction to raise the reading levels of my

students across the board.
This need was recognized by my peers and is the collective, written
SLO goal of the lower elementary classes. It also was a logical
project choice for my Alverno Classroom Improvement project. As
children who leave third grade unable to read often struggle
profoundly in the following years it became a goal in my classroom to
use various strategies to raise reading levels.
Some of these strategies fall naturally within Montessori language
work; primary materials can be used effectively in short bursts. Some
strategies are more traditional and are given within the large group
teaching format.
Looking at reading in particular, I used a variety of methods to
engage students. Some of these are listed below.
Long and Short Vowels: Over a couple of weeks our class
brainstorming words in whole group lessons which contained
specific long and short vowels. Writing was required afterwards;
after the initial goal of recognizing sounds.
Blend Recognition: I read a fiction book; the children raised
their hand whenever they heard a particular blend.
Sight Word Bingo: Spelling words were practiced on bingo
cards- with snack game pieces; a fun way to concentrate on
recognizing words.
Incorporation of sight/spelling words into math word
problems or journal prompts.
Incorporation of sight/spelling words into Sentence Analysis
work.(Montessori) Sentence analysis is a group work that
involves reading, writing, reasoning and debate and meets the
Common Core Standard Produce Simple, Compound and

Complex Sentences
Phonogram booklets (Montessori)- spelling of words with
wooden alphabet, followed by writing and reading.
In addition the children are using the computer to improve reading
skills with the Raz Kids program.
The students in my classroom are also behind in math skills, although
not as profoundly so as in reading. Fortunately the interactive,
concrete nature of Montessori materials allows children to progress in
math even with limited reading skills.
I have presented materials usually used primarily in the Childrens
house- ages 3-6. I use them for remedial work, particularly in order to
help children recognize the decimal system and the categories of
numbers.
Group lessons in all content areas are necessary part of my
instruction as I teach without assistance in the mornings. They are
interspersed with small group lessons. I seek assistance from my
mentor when tailoring lessons traditionally given to smaller groups for
large group lesson. Lessons such as how to tell time following a
related key lesson on the earths rotation lend themselves well to the
large group.
With areas such as research children are able to tap into their social
tendencies and work together at a variety of skill levels, each playing
a part. Independence is encouraged.
As a teacher I must continually look to bring variety and excitement
whether adapting lessons, planning lessons to meet certain Common
Core standards or presenting purely Montessori lessons.
The teacher who creates and adapts lessons in order to meets the
instructional needs of her students in a meaningful way is a teacher
who knows how to teach.

Evidence:
Sentence Analysis: video/lesson plan
Montessori Sentence Analysis work meets the Common Core
language standards AND the Common Core Goal that children
become critical thinkers. The ultimate goal is that a child can give a
logical reason behind his or her analysis. This video is a refresher
following the recent introduction of the indirect object.
Additional evidence is present in the sections Student Work and
Lesson Plans.

Standard 7: Teachers are able to plan different kinds of lessons.

Lesson Planning according to the needs of each student is
intrinsically linked to Standard 5. The teacher must choose lessons
appropriate for her pupils with the Common Core standards in mind.
They must follow a logical sequence and be based on required
subject matter.
Rational Statement
In my classroom I am able to use my Montessori albums to create a
logical progression of lessons in each subject area. These lessons
are interactive, often sequential and allow for variety in the classroom
within a given subject area.
In addition there are often a number of approaches to the same skill,
allowing for a child to find a material which brings him to abstraction.
For instance, long multiplication can be practiced on the large bead
frame, the flat bead frame or the checkerboard. Gradually the child
relies less on the material and comes to understand the mathematical
process as he brings it to paper.

Lessons not available within the Montessori Albums are planned with
my particular community of learners in mind with respect to their
culture.
I have found a need to continue the Grace & Courtesy practiced in
the primary environment to teach the practice of peaceful and
respectful communication and interaction.
There are many academic language terms that children must know in
order to meet standardized testing requirements and some lessons
must be developed to meet more recent academic standards.
Evidence: One weeks lessons at a glance.
The lesson plans are made a week at a time. I have created logical
skill groups in some areas in order to progress through certain
sequences but keep some fluidity in order to mix up ages and skill
levels and promote positive social interaction and role modeling.
The weeks plan is laid out according to subject matter. In addition a
grid with each childs name records the lessons he or she will receive.
This enables me to see at a glance that each child is presented
enough lessons.
In most cases follow up work will be assigned.

Standard 10: Teachers are connected with other teachers and

the community.
The connections that a teacher makes with other teachers,
paraprofessionals, parents and the larger community must be
respectful, beneficial and mutually supportive.

As discussed previously, meeting the needs of the child often takes a

team effort. The phrase It takes a village to raise a child is also true
when it comes to teaching a child.
The successful modification of Marks* behavior and his increased
productivity came about with the support of his special education
teacher Ms Kreuzer, I, his parents and. Ms Loss, Lloyd Barbees
principal amongst other staff.
I am in regular communication with a number of parents in attempts
to keep behavior on track and to give good news.
As we head into the new year and the second half of the school year I
will be communicating with all parents in regards to creating a more
peaceful classroom in which there is zero tolerance for violence. In
this case I will ask each parent for their support and request that they
actively encourage non-violence.
I am seeking experts in the community to come into the classroom to
help teach non-violent conflict resolution. Often an outside voice can
make a profound impact.
A colleague and I recently spoke out at a public school board hearing
and communicated to the Milwaukee Public School Board our need
for assistance in the classroom. Reaching out brought immediate
results and we were approved for new assistants in the morning. This
will enable me to truly reach the Montessori ideal of a 3 hour work
period.
Evidence:
I am submitting a letter written by Ms. Kreuzer detailing our combined
effort and planning on behalf of the students we both work with; in
particular our work with Mark*.

Section 3: Classroom Management and Communication

Standard 5 Teachers know how to manage a classroom.

Classroom Management
Creating a productive environment in which children work and interact
positively is key to a well-functioning classroom. The goal, according
to Montessori philosophy is that the classroom could function; with
children working independently without the teacher present.
Managing behavior is one of the most difficult and time consuming
aspects of classroom management. With engagement and work
comes calm focus and successful social interaction.
The challenge is getting past barriers that get in the way of positive
interaction.
Some of these are products of the environment, poverty and violence
in the neighborhood can not help but impact the classroom climate.
The key is to provide a firm structure which is consistent. Procedures
are of critical importance as is practicing and modeling behavior.
Dr. Montessori espoused the idea that Freedom and Responsibility
are interconnected; one cannot have Freedom without Responsibility.
In the classroom I am teaching the children how this applies both in
school and in the real world. Something as simple as working out in
the hallway must be earned by appropriate and productive behavior
in the classroom.

As we enter the second have of the school year I am going to start

with short lessons on Grace and Courtesy- on a daily basis. They will
be designed to help with behavior in and out of the classroom. The
goal will be to help foster an environment that allows for more
focused concentration and positive social interaction with less time
taken away from lessons and cooperative learning. Each lesson will
encourage role-playing, and be short and to the point.
Throughout the year I have restricted movement within the classroom
and necessarily assigned seats and work partners. Procedures are in
place for transitions. Children must sign in and out if they need to
leave the classroom.
A behavior management class helped me realize how many
procedures need to be in place at the beginning of the year. However,
the goal at this point needs to be helping the children meet their
responsibility to exhibit self-control and appropriate, responsible
behavior so that they may earn increasing freedoms.
The children have earned the privilege of eating with me in the
classroom rather than in the more chaotic atmosphere of the
cafeteria. Hopefully this concrete freedom earned will make an
impact!
Evidence: Class Meeting
This video shows a portion of a class meeting in which we spoke of
work expectations and ways that we could handle conflict. This
meeting will be followed within a weeks time with a meeting in which
the school social worker will speak.
In addition, a letter will go home to parents which will spell out
expectations, remind them of the school-wide policies and ask for
their support.

Standard 6: Communication Teachers communicate well.

Communication between teacher and student whether verbal or nonverbal, must set a climate of positive interaction supportive to
learning. Instructional media and technology are also tools of
communication which can be used effectively.
Rational Statement
Within my classroom I quickly found that I needed to supplement all
written communication with verbal and non-verbal (graphic)
communication. Poor reading skills made it difficult for me to give
written instructions, even simple ones. Chores on the job chart
needed to include a picture.
In addition I needed to make sure that my vocabulary was clear and
to the point. Reading develops vocabulary, lower reading skills means
that my students initially came in with less developed vocabulary.
However, I also was pleased to learn that oral communication often
indicated an understanding that was deeper than they could
otherwise convey.
As I began work on vowel sounds and consonant blends I made sure
to ask for verbal feedback; in order to teach them to make the proper
associations and also to gauge where the breakdown was within the
progress of reading for those behind.
In terms of classroom expectations- communication which is heard
and absorbed is crucial. I learned quickly that simply because I said
something did not mean that it was heard. I have also learned that if I
have something important to say and announce that I will NOT yell itthe children are more likely to self-regulate and quiet down.
Our whole group meetings provide the opportunity to work on
positive, respectful communication. In group meetings the children
have the opportunity to be heard and learn the importance of
listening.
Recently we have begun speaking of communication in terms of
courtesy; the importance of saying thank-you. We are have begun
formal written communication with letter writing.
Evidence:

I have introduced letter writing to the children in small group lessons.

I had become aware that this was something they liked to do in their
free time. As each child needs practice with writing skills it was an
ideal time to show them the proper format for writing a friendly letter.
Recently the children received a series of books from their former
teacher. We met in group and discussed the need to thank someone
for acts of kindness.
I have chosen are a few thank-you letters the children wrote as
evidence of our

Section 4: Evaluations and Progress Monitoring

Standard 8 Teachers know how to test for student progress.

Monitoring progress enables teachers to gauge the effectiveness of
lessons given and the additional support, evaluations or adaptations
a child may require. Testing for progress can and should be done on
an informal basis as well as through formal testing.
Rational Statement
Within my classroom I collect completed work and look to see that
concepts presented have been understood. For instance after
presenting a lesson on long multiplication with the checkerboard I will
look to see if the children correctly demonstrated knowledge of place
value which is a key concept of the lesson.
If I have presented sentence analysis I will check to see if they
understood and labeled the parts of the sentence correctly. In long
term work such as research I might check to see if they have stayed
on task, and made adequate progress.

Progress monitoring can be as simple as having a child read aloud to

you in order to see if they have become more fluent.
Formal assessments for those undergoing interventions or testing
required by the state can also give beneficial information but are not
any less valuable than assessing day to day work in the classroom.
Evidence:
PALS test and Running Record for a struggling reader.
A running record tracks the childs reading fluency and allows a
teacher to make note of areas in which a child is struggling.
It is sometimes difficult to pinpoint why a child is having difficulty
reading. Although standardized testing can be cumbersome I found
that the PALS evaluations gave me some valuable insights into where
to start focusing. Although only first graders were required to take the
test I tested 2nd and 3rd graders as well- all of these students were
reading below to well below grade level. I am using these
assessments to help me gauge progress as I work to improve reading
levels.
Standard 9 Teachers are able to evaluate themselves.
Wisconsin Teaching Standard Number 9 requires that the teacher
should continually reflect on his or her teaching practices. She should
use these reflections to look how the choices she makes effect her
students, parents and other professionals. She should continue to
seek to improve her practice by seeking out professional
development opportunities
Rational Statement
The included artifact is a collection of weekly and bi-monthly teacher
reflections.
These are self-reflections help me be a more effective teacher. I
continually evaluate what has worked and hasnt worked in my
classroom in order to plan more effective, engaging lessons and to
manage my classroom more efficiently. The Bi-monthly reflections
mirror the Danielson Framework for Teaching and as such I
continuously look at the Milwaukee Public Schools standards in
regards to my own teaching practices.