Donald Bear Reflection Paper

Donald Bear worked on a reading comprehension activity with a small group of fourth grade students (Laureate Education, Inc, 2010). These students are early intermediate readers that require instruction on two-syllable words, building reading fluency, and increasing comprehension (Laureate Education, Inc, 2010). They are performing slightly below grade level expectations (Laureate Education, Inc, 2010). Donald Bear constructed a Read With activity that enforces the reading skills of making and conforming predictions. This lesson meets many of the standards and proficiencies that effective teachers need to understand. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards expresses criteria that teachers need to demonstrate in

Diversity fills the classrooms in every school by having students with different cultural backgrounds, native languages, learning skills, and skill levels. The diversity proficiencies provide a guideline of skills for teachers to focus on during planning and instruction. Donald Bear was a very reflective teacher who “continually evaluates the effects of his/her choices and action on other,” (Walden University, 2010a). He was prepared to alter his lesson if the text seemed too challenging to the students by changing the lessons focus to a directed listening comprehension activity (Laureate Education, Inc, 2010). Prior knowledge about the topic pandas was collected at the start of the lesson (Laureate Education, Inc, 2010). By allowing time to share prior knowledge, Bear understood how student’s learning is influenced by personal experiences, family, and culture (Walden University, 2010a). There were not many accommodations made to value student’s diversity. Bear did not consider different learning styles or performance modes (Walden University, 2010a). Bear could engage students and meet different learning styles by having student select the text between two different books or promote creativity by having students create a poster about pandas becoming extinct. By giving students choice and promoting creativity students’ can be more engaged in a lesson (Silver & Perini, (2010). Teachers need

Bear was a leader in the classroom by asking guiding questions to the students. He asked students to “show me in the text what it says,” and is requiring students to use text support to provide ideas (Laureate Education, Inc, 2010). It was apparent that Donald Bear “applies research to [his] applications of teaching,” (Walden University, 2010c). He developed a Directed Reading and Thinking Activity that promotes vocabulary development and confirming predictions. Additionally, Bear has thought of next steps to continue learning with this group of students by having students begin taking notes (Laureate Education, Inc, 2010). Bear used mainly observational notes as an assessment during the lesson. He could have used more researched based assessments ideas, such as journaling, student response systems, and student self-assessments in his lesson (Van de Walle, et al., 2013). Journaling and student self-assessments provide the teacher will student understanding of concepts and how student perceives their strengths and weaknesses” are (pg 86, Van de Walle, et al, 2013). Student response systems are a private way for student to share answers during group discussion by using technology. It is evident that Bear is engaged in furthering his education and keeping students engaged in his