Section 4: Alignment to Curriculum & Professional Standards

Introduction

In any profession, standards act as references which provide direction to the individuals

in that profession. In the teaching profession, there are standards which determine what is to be

taught and standards which dictate how it is to be taught. Without curriculum standards, students

would come out of school with very different skill sets and knowledge from each other. This

might affect their success in the world where certain roles require a certain type of knowledge.

Thus, curriculum standards act as markers of knowledge which students should achieve before

they move forward in the education system. These standards help educators in their planning,

implementation, and assessment of student learning. Following the same standards across the

school district or state also allows teachers to exchange their ideas on effective lessons and

meaningful instruction. In terms of the professional standards, these ensure that educators are

being responsible, fair and ethical in their duties. These standards also encourage teachers to use

their role to show care and understanding towards their students and their diverse needs.

In this section the various professional and curriculum standards will be looked at

individually, and analytically. More detailed connections will also be made between these

standards and the artifacts identified in the previous section. It is one thing to understand the

standards, and another thing to actually implement them. The connections between my artifacts

and the standards will demonstrate my understanding them and how I am able to use them along

with important pedagogical practices to guide my planning and instruction. These standards

demand accountability from teachers and are important to consider in teacher preparation.

Learning abut these standards and using them has helped me become more critical in how I

design my lessons and how I deliver instruction. Through the breakdown of standards in this
section, I want to show my readiness and preparedness to become a teacher. This breakdown

starts with the Interstate New Teacher Assessment Support Consortium (INTASC) Standards.

Curriculum and Professional Standards

INTASC Standards

The INTASC standards outline what a teacher must be able to do in order to prepare their

students for higher education, and eventually the workforce. These standards have been designed

with learner diversity, emerging pedagogical practices, and collaboration in mind. The standards

have been divided into four categories: The Learner and Learning, Content, Instructional

Practice, and Professional Ability. Each standards highlights an important consideration that

teacher’s must address in order to fulfill their role effectively. The artifacts showcased in Section

Three each adhere to one more of these INTASC standards. Through my lesson plans, classroom

design, and Weebly website I have been able to use my knowledge in content and pedagogical

practices outlined in these standards. Below is closer look at how the chosen artifacts connect to

specific INTASC standards.

Artifact #1: Lesson Segment on Energy

• Standard #4: Content Knowledge: The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of

inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning

experiences that make the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure

mastery of the content.

• Standard #7: Planning for Instruction: The teacher plans instruction that supports every

student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas,
 curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and

the community context.

Artifact #2: Weebly Class Website

• Standard #3: Learning Environments: The teacher works with others to create

environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage

positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

Artifact #3: Classroom Management and Design Analysis

• Standard #2: Learning Differences: The teacher uses understanding of individual

differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning

environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.

Artifact #4: Pecha Kucha Presentation

• Standard #1: Learner Development: The teacher understands how learners grow and

develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within

and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and

implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.

Artifact #5: Culturally Responsive Teaching Lesson Activity

• Standard #2: Learning Differences: The teacher uses understanding of individual

differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning

environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.

• Standard #5: Application of Content: The teacher understands how to connect concepts

and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and

collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues.

• Standard #7: Planning for Instruction: The teacher plans instruction that supports every

student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas,

curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and

the community context.

Artifact #6: SAVE Workshops

• Standard #9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice: The teacher engages in ongoing

professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice,

particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other

professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.

Artifact #7: Guided Reading Lesson Plan

• Standard #1: Learner Development: The teacher understands how learners grow and

develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within

and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and

implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.

• Standard #6: Assessment: The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of

assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to

guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making.

• Standard #7: Planning for Instruction: The teacher plans instruction that supports every

student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas,
 curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and

the community context

Artifact #8: Survey Assignment

• Standard #9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice: The teacher engages in ongoing

professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice,

particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other

professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.

• Standard #10: Leadership and Collaboration: The teacher seeks appropriate leadership

roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with

learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to

ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.

New York State Code of Ethics for Teachers

In the teaching profession, ethics not only guides instruction and assessment, but they

also guide the interactions teachers have with their students. Professional ethics helps educators

ensure that they are providing fair and unbiased for all students regardless of their preferences

and backgrounds. Compassion, commitment and cooperation are just some of the aspects that

fall within ethical behavior. When a teacher behaves ethically, it also sets a precedent for students

to model the same behavior as well. During my time at Medaille College I have been able to

complete various projects which showcase my passion for the profession and my ability to

remain fair in all situations. The artifacts identified in Section Three adhere to specific standards
determined by the New York State for educators. In the form of a code, these standards speak to

the core values of all the teachers and school leaders that are serving New York schools. Below is

a breakdown of all the principles the chosen artifacts align with.

Artifact #1: Lesson Segment on Energy

• Principle 1: Educators nurture the intellectual, physical, emotional, social and civic
potential of every student.
• Principle 2: Educators create support and maintain challenging learning environment

for all.

Artifact #2: Weebly Website

• Principle 5: Educators collaborate with parents and community, building trust and

confidentiality.

Artifact #3: Classroom Management & Design Analysis

• Principle 1: Educators nurture the intellectual, physical, emotional, social and civic

potential of every student.

Artifact #4: Pecha Kucha Presentation

• Principle 2: Educators create support and maintain challenging learning environment for

all.

Artifact #5: Culturally Responsive Teaching Lesson Activity

• Principle 6: Educators advance an intellectual and ethical foundation of the learning

community.

Artifact #6: SAVE Workshops

• Principle 3: Educators commit to their own learning in order to develop their practice.

Artifact #7: Guided Reading Lesson Plan

 • Principle 2: Educators create support and maintain challenging learning environment for

all.

Artifact #8: Survey Assignment

• Principle 3: Educators commit to their own learning in order to develop their practice.

• Principle 6: Educators advance an intellectual and ethical foundation of the learning

community.

Ontario Ethical Teacher Standards

The Ontario Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession identify the teacher’s

commitment to students and their learning as the core of their behavior. These standards not

only guide ethical practice, but they encourage trust and inspire members to uphold the dignity

of the teaching profession as well. The Ontario ethical standards are divided into four

categories, or rather qualities, that teacher professionals are expected to possess. The artifacts I

have been to able to produce in my teacher candidate journey help show my understanding of

the importance of these qualities. Having and using these qualities has helped me come a long

way since my decision to become a teacher and continue guiding me in becoming the best

educator possible. Below is a more detailed look at the artifacts and their connection to the four

qualities defined by the Ontario Ethical Teacher Standards.

Artifact #1: Lesson Segment on Energy

• CARE: The ethical standard of Care includes compassion, acceptance, interest and

insight for developing students' potential. Members express their commitment to students'

well-being and learning through positive influence, professional judgment and empathy

in practice.
 Artifact #2: Weebly Website

• TRUST: The ethical standard of Trust embodies fairness, openness and honesty.

Members' professional relationships with students, colleagues, parents, guardians and the

public are based on trust.

Artifact #4: Pecha Kucha Presentation

• CARE: The ethical standard of Care includes compassion, acceptance, interest and

insight for developing students' potential. Members express their commitment to

students' well-being and learning through positive influence, professional judgment and

empathy in practice.

• RESPECT: Intrinsic to the ethical standard of Respect are trust and fair-mindedness.

Members honor human dignity, emotional wellness and cognitive development. In their

professional practice, they model respect for spiritual and cultural values, social justice,

confidentiality, freedom, democracy and the environment.

Artifact #5: Culturally Responsive Teaching Lesson Activity

• RESPECT: Intrinsic to the ethical standard of Respect are trust and fair-mindedness.

Members honour human dignity, emotional wellness and cognitive development. In their

professional practice, they model respect for spiritual and cultural values, social justice,

confidentiality, freedom, democracy and the environment.

Artifact #6: SAVE Workshops

• INTEGRITY: Honesty, reliability and moral action are embodied in the ethical standard

of Integrity. Continual reflection assists members in exercising integrity in their

professional commitments and responsibilities.

Artifact #7: Guided Reading Lesson Plan

 • CARE: The ethical standard of Care includes compassion, acceptance, interest and

insight for developing students' potential. Members express their commitment to students'

well-being and learning through positive influence, professional judgment and empathy

in practice.

Artifact #8: Survey Assignment

• INTEGRITY: Honesty, reliability and moral action are embodied in the ethical standard

of Integrity. Continual reflection assists members in exercising integrity in their

professional commitments and responsibilities.

New York State Learning Standards

Curriculum standards provide a pathway for teachers to follow in their instruction. These

standards outline what all students should know and be able to do by the end of each grade.

Without curriculum standards, there would be no uniformity in learning and different educational

institutions would teach different content. As a teacher candidate I have had various

opportunities to become familiar with the state standards for all subject areas. These standards

cover all types of content and skills that students need to master in their academic journey.

Through the lesson plans and activities I have designed, my understanding of these standards can

be easily seen. In my instruction, my aim is to help students achieve these standards in fun and

interesting ways. Below is a list of the specific standards I have used during the course of this

program.

Artifact #1: Lesson Segment on Energy

 • 4-PS3-1 Students who demonstrate understanding can recognize and differentiate

between different forms of energy.

• 4-ESS3-1 Obtain and combine information to recognize renewable and non-renewable

sources of energy and how their use affects our environment

• 4-PS3-2 Make observations to provide evidence that energy is conserved as it is

transferred and/or converted from one form to another

• 4-PS3-4 Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine device that converts one form of

energy to another

Artifact #5: Culturally Responsive Teaching Lesson and Activity

• Math 6.EE.B.6 - Use variables to represent numbers and write expressions when solving

a real-world or mathematical problem; understand that a variable can represent an

unknown number, or, depending on the purpose at hand, any number in a specified set

Artifact #7: Guided Reading Lesson Plan

• RF.3.4: Read grade level text with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support

comprehension

• RL.3.2: In literary texts, describe character traits, motivations, or feelings, drawing on

specific details from the text.

Ontario Ministry of Education Expectations

Similar to the New York State standards, the Ontario Ministry of Education Expectations

describe the knowledge and skills students should attain by the end of each grade. These

expectations ensure that students are not only learning the subject-specific information, but they

are also developing important investigation, analysis and reporting skills. Many of the
expectations also help teachers introduce and teach about local elements that students may not be

aware of. For example, expectations related to the history of Ontario provide an opportunity for

students to learn about the province they live in and how it has changed over the years.

Fortunately, there are many parallels between the NYS Standards and Ontario Expectations. This

has allowed me to design lessons and activities which can be used in both New York state and

Ontario classrooms. A breakdown of the standards specific to certain artifacts is found below.

Artifact #1: Lesson Segment on Energy

• 3.1 By the end of Grade 5, students will identify a variety of forms of energy and give

examples from everyday life of how that energy is used.

• 3.2 Identify renewable and non-renewable sources of energy

• 3.4 Recognize that energy cannot be created or destroyed but can only changed from one

form to another

• 2.3 Use technological problem-solving skills to design a device that transforms one form

of energy into another

Artifact #5: Culturally Responsive Teaching Lesson and Activity

• By the end of Grade 6, students will: – demonstrate an understanding of different ways in

which variables are used (e.g., variable as an unknown quantity; variable as a changing

quantity)

Artifact #7: Guided Reading Lesson Plan

• 3.3 Read appropriate texts at a sufficient rate and with sufficient expression to convey the

sense of the text readily to the reader and an audience

 • 1.4 Demonstrating Understanding - Students will demonstrate an understanding of the

information and ideas in a variety of texts by identifying important information or ideas

and some supporting details

International Society for Technology Education for Teachers and Students (ISTE)

With the growing presence of technology in classrooms, it is important than ever to teach

students the appropriate practices involved when they are using technology. As useful as it is, the

internet can also be a very dangerous place if not used carefully. The ISTE standards provide a

framework which educators and students can use to ensure that they are using technology safely

and effectively. The lesson plans I have designed so far have all included some sort of a

technological component. I feel this is important because as an educator in the modern world I

have to be prepared and motivated to use technology in my class so that my students become

comfortable with it and appreciate it as a source of knowledge. Incorporating various digital

media into instruction allows for a more immersive experience that better connects to students

day-to-day life. The artifacts and their connection to ISTE standards is given below.

Artifact #2: Weebly Website

• Citizen

Educators inspire students to positively contribute to and responsibly participate in the

digital world. Educators:

3a: Create experiences for learners to make positive, socially responsible contributions

and exhibit empathetic behavior online that build relationships and community.

3b: Establish a learning culture that promotes curiosity and critical examination of online

resources and fosters digital literacy and media fluency.

 3c: Mentor students in safe, legal and ethical practices with digital tools and the

protection of intellectual rights and property.

Artifact #4: Pecha Kucha Presentation

• Learner: Educators continually improve their practice by learning from and with others

and exploring proven and promising practices that leverage technology to improve

student learning. Educators:

International Literacy Association Professional Standards

At the onset of my journey as a teacher candidate, one of my biggest concerns was

whether I would be able to effectively support literacy development in young students. As a

confident reader, I was worried about how I would help a struggling reader improve their reading

skills. These concerns significantly reduced once I started learning about what elements define

literacy and how it can be supported. Standards outlined by the International Literacy

Association pushed my understanding even further because they helped me see the knowledge,

skills and dispositions that are necessary for effective literacy instruction. A guided reading

lesson plan in the early part of the program allowed me to apply much of the knowledge I have

gained about helping students become more confident and effective readers. Apart from teaching

students phonics and vocabulary skills, encouraging students to read diverse material from

different subject areas is also very important. The artifact along with the specific literacy

standards are provided below.

Artifact #7: Guided Reading Lesson Plan

 • Foundational Knowledge: Candidates demonstrate knowledge of the theoretical,

historical, and evidence-based foundations of literacy and language and the ways in

which they interrelate and the role of literacy professionals in schools.

Council for Exceptional Children Standards

Being able to work with and support children with exceptionalities in an integral aspect of

being an effective educator. It is important that instruction and assessment are inclusive towards

everyone in the classroom environment. Through my experience as a tutor and an in-class

volunteer I have had the opportunity to support many students with exceptionalities. Each

interaction with these students has taught me more and more about their unique abilities and

needs. Learning about the standards determined by the Council for Exceptional Children added

more to my understanding about how to appropriately and effectively help students with

exceptionalities. A few of the projects I have been able to complete demonstrate my abilities to

work with these types of students in an inclusive and enthusiastic way.

Artifact #4: Pecha Kucha Presentation

• Special Education Professionals:

Maintain a personalized professional development plan designed to advance their

knowledge and skills, including cultural competence, systematically in order to maintain

a high level of competence.

Maintain current knowledge of procedures, policies, and laws relevant to practice.

Artifact #7: Guided Reading Lesson Plan

• Special Education Professionals:

 Systematically individualize instructional variables to maximize the learning outcomes

of individuals with exceptionalities.

Use culturally and linguistically appropriate assessment procedures that accurately

measure what is intended to be measured, and do not discriminate against individuals

with exceptional or culturally diverse learning needs.

Alignment to the Curriculum and Professional Standards Chart

The chart below provides a summary of the artifacts I have chosen along with details

about how they relate to the various curriculum and professional standards. This chart is

important because it provides a snapshot of all the preparation I have been involved through this

program, and outside. As a teacher candidate, I believe that this chart provides strong evidence

for my preparedness and enthusiasm to become the best teacher I can be. The chart is also

important in showing my organization and reflection skills.

Conclusion

Without curriculum standards, there would be no meaningful ways of measuring teacher

instruction and student learning. Standards provide a framework which teachers can you during

their planning and students can use to build their knowledge in a sequential manner. Lack of

standards can lead to major discrepancies between the skills and abilities students will have at

the end of their academic journeys. As a teacher candidate, learning about the many subject

standards made me feel assured that as long as I follow these standards, I do not have to worry

about missing a topic or skill development in my lessons. Curriculum standards combined with

the professional standards further ensure a high-quality experience for students. Professional

standards also hold teachers accountable for their responsibilities in the classroom. Although

each teacher has different methods of teaching the principles that guide effective and moral

instruction should remain the same.

During the course of this program I have been able to produce various works which have allowed

me to use many different curriculum and professional standards. In this section I have provided important

insight into the artifacts I have produced and how they relate to specific standards. As a teacher candidate,

considering these standards has helped me improve my planning and instruction skills. They have also

made me aware about how I can effectively support students with unique needs. Technology-related

standards have also expanded my understanding of digital citizenship and how to teach students to be safe

on the internet. The artifacts introduced in Section Three along with their connections to various

standards show that not only have I understood the standards, but that I am also able to use them in the

lesson and activities I have created. I believe that the standards chart included in this section, along with

the accompanying information all show my preparedness to become a successful classroom teacher. In

the section following this, I will provide details about the Medaille College DOE claims along with a self-

reflection about my journey so far.