The Joyful Learner

Video Case Studies for Classroom Lesson Discourse Analysis  Voices in the Conversation , 18 minutes Responding to Literature , 18 minutes                  PART 1: Describe Classroom Context.  What grade level?   …. ·        Voices in the Conversation: 5 th  grade ·        Responding to Literature: 4 th  grade Describe the students?  …. ·        Voices in the Conversation: Urban community. Working class / blue collar. Parents work multiple jobs. Limited at-home support.  Diverse backgrounds.  ·        Responding to Literature: Big personalities, Wide range of ability. Work together to help each other. Rural community. Describe the teacher and his/her teaching style.  …. ·        Voices in the Conversation: Dialogic instruction. Steps back for the students to drive the conversation and make connections between each other’s ideas. Inserts questions to steer the conversation, but uses tentativeness markers to introduce uncertainty to drive the conversation / inquiry.  ·        Responding t

  For this assessment, I was asked to prepare for my students' parents/guardians:  1. A letter outlining my Parental Engagement Plan (posted here); and 2. A slide deck presenting Classroom Norms and Expectations.  Dear [Parent Name]:   I am writing to share how I hope to involve and engage you this school year so that I may best serve your child’s educational needs.    First, let me introduce myself.   I have many reasons for having become a teacher.   I love learning and inspiring others to learn.   I am very curious --- about people and the world we live in.   I am passionate about the part I play in preparing your children, my students, to be successful in life.    And, lastly, I became a teacher because I learn so much from students, from their emerging wisdom, their interests and their experiences.   Before becoming a teacher and joining [name of school], I spent many years as a public servant working with communities to protect their treasured environmental resources.    As