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Artifact and Reflection Form

Name: Tiffany Embry

Artifact number: 1

Title of artifact: Student Journal *See attached Photographs*


Course number and name: MAT 733 Research Based Teaching Strategies and Assessment

Type of artifact: Authentic Assessment; Individual Student Journal – Composition Notebook

Write a brief description of the artifact


In the beginning of this unit, the student journal was introduced as a way for students to respond
to the text, Dear Mr. Henshaw. Students were given a higher order thinking question (HOT) and
asked to respond in the journal. I, the teacher, then responded to the students writing in the form
of a letter, similar to the format of Dear Mr. Henshaw. The student journal allowed me to
analyze student thinking and comprehension of the text as well as provide opportunities for me
to get to know my students at a deeper level.

Professional and/or Learner Outcomes Represented by this Artifact


Relate this artifact to your listed professional and/or learner outcomes.

Professional Outcomes
a. Teacher will create opportunities for students to use non-linguistic activities to accompany
traditional learning so that students will comprehend a text.
 I analyzed student responses to the HOT question given. If student comprehension was
on track, I responded to the journal. Is the student had missed something in the text, I
pulled the student for a one-on-one session for further discussion of the text and re-read if
necessary.

Student Outcomes

a. Students will become more engaged in learning and class discussions as evidenced by
students’ participation in projects
 Although verbal discussions did not occur, due to behavioral problems, students were still
able to discuss the book through journaling. Most of the students responded with at least
½ page answers to the HOT question. Before this assignment, it was difficult to have
them write 2 sentences. Participation in journal discussions was 100%.

Report of Outcomes Attainment


This authentic assessment provided me the opportunity to monitor student comprehension on a
daily basis. It also tied into the multiple intelligences and allowed for student creativity as well
as it integrated the text into other content areas. Students were able to share thoughts on the
book as well as to show the thinking involved in the comprehension strategies presented. A
secondary outcome was that students began sharing personal information with me. Since the
completion of this unit, students continue to write in the journal, daily. It has become a very
successful communication ground for my classroom. When students are angry, I have found that
they will write to me in their journal, rather than shouting out and being disruptive. Both the
student and I are able to share our thoughts and feelings without verbal confrontation.

Reflection on the process


1. What does this artifact demonstrate as far as your learning?
 The student journal is a very important and successful tool that I will
continue to use in my classroom. It allowed me to see that my students
comprehended about 60% more than I originally thought. I found that many of the
students enjoyed reading and being part of the group, however they felt they would be
“made fun of” if they outwardly demonstrated that desire. I found that I did not know
my students as well as I should and thus my bond with them was very weak. Since
the journal, I am able to emphasize with where they are coming from.
2. What does it represent in relation to the changes you have made in your classroom?
 There have been several changes to my classroom since the
implementation of the journal. In relation to reading, I now ask student to journal
after they read. At first, I heard a lot of groans and moans, but now they immediately
pull out their journal and write about what they just read. One student told me that it
helps him by quote, “it helps me because I have to pay attention to what I am reading
so that I can write about it”. The largest impact it has made to my classroom is that
students are able to provide written expression concerning their feelings. It allows
them to get their thoughts in order and calm down before reacting, thus reducing the
number of out of control incidents. This journal has provided students the
opportunity to tell me what sets them off, which in turn provides me the opportunity
to reduce those stressors, thus making a less tense environment.
3. Describe why you chose this artifact.
 I chose this artifact because it had the greatest long term impact on my
students. The journal became an outlet for my students and a way for them to tell me
what they have learned/comprehended without having to speak in front of the other
students.

4. Link the action research process, these results, the research you used to back your
decisions and the program and/or course outcomes.
 Candidates apply their knowledge of curriculum content and design to
support learners’ construction of knowledge.
 Candidates utilize measurements and evaluation accurately and
systematically to monitor and promote learning.
Connection:
For this project, I was required to create a unit student that would engage students by
appealing to the diverse needs of my students to improve reading comprehension skills.
Gabl, Kaiser, Long, & Roemer state, “Teachers should continually observe learner
attitudes toward reading. Negative attitudes hinder optimal achievement in reading”
(2007). The journal allowed for an authentic assessment opportunity where students
wrote daily a HOT question that was given. I was able to analyze student responses and
pull small groups and/or provide one-on-one work sessions to provide modeling
opportunities and re-read the text with the student.

5. What does this artifact demonstrate about you as a teacher? Link what you found to the
NBPTS Core Propositions?
 Proposition 1: Teachers are Committed to Students and Their Learning
 The student journal required daily monitoring and responding to work. I
corresponded daily with students in the journal. This required that I set
aside time to respond to ensure that the journal be a tool that students were
interested in doing. Many nights, I took the journals home to make sure
they were ready for the following day.
 Proposition 3: Teachers are Responsible for Managing and Monitoring Student Learning.
 I analyzed and reflected on student responses to the text. I was very
diligent to ensure that comprehension was on track and was sure to ask
questions that allowed the students to easily find the reference points in
the text. This provided practice for additional skills, such as referring
back to the text to reflect and question what was previously read.

I
References

Berne, J., & Clark, K. (2008, September 1). Focusing Literature Discussion Groups on
Comprehension Strategies. Reading Teacher, 62(1), 74-79.

Buschick, M., Shipton, T., Winner, L., & Wise, M. (2007, May 1). Increasing Reading
Motivation in Elementary and Middle School Students through the Use of Multiple
Intelligences. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED498926) Retrieved
February 27, 2009, from ERIC database.

Caposey, T., & Heider, B. (2003, May 1). Improving Reading Comprehension through
Cooperative Learning. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED478463) Retrieved
February 27, 2009, from ERIC database.

Gabl, K., Kaiser, K., Long, J., & Roemer, J. (2007, May 1). Improving Reading Comprehension
and Fluency through the Use of Guided Reading. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service
No. ED496377) Retrieved February 27, 2009, from ERIC database.

Hall, L., & Piazza, S. (2008, September 1). Critically Reading Texts: What Students Do and
How Teachers Can Help. Reading Teacher, 62(1), 32-41.

Hubbard, T., & Newell, M. (1999, December 1). Improving Academic Achievement in Reading
and Writing in Primary Grades.

Kobus, T., Maxwell, L., & Provo, J. (2007, January 1). Increasing Motivation of Elementary and
Middle School Students through Positive Reinforcement, Student Self-Assessment, and
Creative Engagement.

Parker, S., Quigley, M., & Reilly, J. (1999, May 1). Improving Student Reading Comprehension
through the Use of Literacy Circles. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.
ED433504) Retrieved February 27, 2009, from ERIC database.

Topping, K., Nixon, J., Sutherland, J., & Yarrow, F. (2000, January 1). Paired Writing: A
Framework for Effective Collaboration. Reading, 34(2), 79-89.

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