RACHAEL WELLS
PART 2 EVIDENCE
Standard 4: Content Knowledge and Pedagogical Content Knowledge – The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) [they] teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of content.
Performance Criterion 4.1
Candidates accurately communicate central concepts of the discipline.
Evidence: The Figure Unit "I Can" Self Assessment Rubric
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Rationale: This unit aligns with the National Core Art Standards, and has objectives that help students reach those standards. The self-assessment rubric is also aligned with NCAS to allow students to see their growth in relation to the standards over the course of the unit.
Performance Criterion 4.2
Candidates accurately address common misconceptions of the discipline.
Evidence: Still Life Painting Lesson and Supervisor Observation
Rationale: These lessons involved demonstrations of how to draw and paint spheres, ellipses and tubes in painting class, and explaining all of the ways that ellipses are commonly drawn inaccurately. This was part of the underpainting life study unit when we painted tubes with brown and yellow underpaint after painting spheres with red and blue underpaint. We also reviewed how to measure the proportions of a tube to draw it accurately. Getting the proportions of the tube and correct shape of the ellipse at the top was something we were looking for in their still lives. I believe that going through the common misconceptions of how to draw an ellipse was helpful for students as well because it set them up for success from the start of drawing their tubes before painting. Approaching students who may have misunderstood the demonstration is done in a gentle way as shown in the supervisor observation.
Standard 5: Application of Content for Transferable Skills – 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.
Performance Criterion 5.1
Candidates engage learners in applying perspectives from varied disciplines in authentic contexts (such as local and global issues).
Evidence #1: Landscape Painting Unit Collaboration
Rationale #1: Students used photos of local Vermont landscapes taken by a friend of mine who is a Vermont photographer. The photos have a story as a real person who took them. The students were prompted to think of the ways that they connect with landscapes daily, and then chose a photo to work with based on what they liked and what they already connected to in some way. Students were then led through an ekphrastic poetry workshop in collaboration with a CVU english and poetry teacher to further develop a connection with the landscape they chose, before painting it. Learners explored the perspectives of a local photographer and local poet to make individual meaning from the local context of a Vermont landscape.
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Evidence #2: Endangered Species Lesson Plan
Rationale #2: This lesson aims to inform students of endangered animals that they do not know of, what has led them to where they are now and what we can do to conserve wildlife. Endangered species are particularly interesting to young learners because of their “wild” and unique qualities. The process of recreating an image of an endangered species is a metaphor for bringing them back to life. These pieces will serve as visual reminders of what can happen to our animal friends. This lesson explores the global issues of animals facing extinction due to habitat destruction.
Performance Criterion 5.2
Candidates integrate cross-disciplinary skills (such as critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving) to help learners demonstrate their learning in unique ways.
Evidence #1: Principles of Art Sculptures
Rationale: in this lesson, students are engages in the collaborative construction of a sculpture, to demonstrate their knowledge of the principles of art. This lesson incorporates collaboration in working as a small team of two, problem solving to meet the sculpture parameters, and creativity in making a sculpture that shows the meaning of a principle of art.
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Evidence #2: Figure Unit Display and Choice Reflection
Rationale: Students work together to figure out a way to display their pieces. I act as a point person to write ideas on the board about how the class would like to hang their work and where, and once we have all ideas on the board, everyone closes their eyes and I count votes for each idea. After the critique, students are asked to complete the unit reflection which can be written, or done in any other way that the student chooses, either by video, a powerpoint presentation, or a voice recording. This way, students can demonstrate their learning in ways that work for them.
(Please see the last page of the CVU Final Figure Unit for the critique lesson plan as well as the other files.)
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Standard 6: Assessment – The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learning progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making.
Performance Criterion 6.1
Candidates implement multiple methods of assessment to monitor learner progress to inform instructional practice.
Evidence: The Figure Unit
Rationale: Formative assessments are scattered throughout the unit taking the form of one-on-one check ins, the first “I can” rubric self assessment, homework checks, full-group homework shares and critiques, sketchbook prompt feedback, and exit cards. These methods of assessment would be used to make decisions on how to progress with each lesson in the unit, who needs more attention in certain areas, and how to work around concepts in a way that made the most sense to students.
Summative assessments are in the form of an “I Can Rubric” after the final critique, the submission of students' in progress and final photos on their google site portfolio, and a self-reflection to further show their knowledge. Insight gained from seeing how students assess themselves as well as from overall student performance will be used in the planning of the next figure unit.
Performance Criterion 6.2
Candidates analyze an individual student’s work over time using multiple methods of assessment to adjust instruction.
Evidence #1: Introduction to Art Portfolio Keeper
Rationale: The two pieces of evidence in this PC demonstrate my ability to and efforts in analyzing student’s work using multiple means of assessment over time such as looking at their work and giving them feedback, and connecting with them in class, in order to adjust instruction for them.
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Evidence #2: Student Work Management and Assessment During Personal Crisis
Rationale: I used formative check-ins with a student who seemed to be having a very rough day, and continued to check in with that student outside of class to monitor their wellbeing which informed the way I approached this student about demonstrating their learning through an assignment. Instruction was adjusted so that the student and I could work together to finish a task that they were motivated and encouraged to finish when they were feeling ready for it.
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.
Performance Criterion 7.1
Candidates plan instruction by drawing upon knowledge of content areas to meet rigorous learning goals.
Evidence: How to Draw a Face Teaching Video
Rationale: This video lesson was planned with my intro to art students and painting students in mind. At the time that I made and posted this video, my Intro to Art students were about to start their portrait unit, and painting students were about to start their figure unit. I thought that a video that covered my content knowledge of figure drawing, and specifically the most difficult part of the body, would be helpful for these learners. It would be directly helpful in setting out the guidelines for creating facial proportions for intro to art students when they make their first portrait, and it would be helpful for painting students in possibly adding detail to their faces in the figure unit. Practice with the proportions of the face and practice drawing a face with this video would help learners strengthen their skills before painting faces or drawing their self portraits for class, therefore meeting rigorous learning goals that are leading them toward mastery of the subject.
Performance Criterion 7.2
Candidates plan instruction by drawing upon knowledge of learners to meet rigorous learning goals.
Evidence #1: Student Goal Cards
Rationale: Students were given goals cards and parents were given hope cards in the beginning of the semester class to fill out. The teachers gathered the cards and read through them all, sorting them into similar goals. This way, we were starting to become informed of our student's passions and goals for the class, and by sorting the goals, we were able to make those goals achievable for the class as a whole as well as for individuals. The success of each student is considered in this effort to gain knowledge of learner's goals. In asking parents for their hopes for their students, teachers hope to start the beginning of a relationship of trust between teachers and parents, which is also essential to student success.
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Evidence #2: Elements of Art Video
Rationale: This activity was set up to draw upon student’s knowledge of the elements of art. Introduction to Art class had been learning about the elements of art for a couple of weeks and there were some students who seemed to need a refresher on the definitions and how to apply them and see them in art. I asked students to consider the images for a moment before choosing where their card should go and to take a moment to notice where the card landed once everyone had put theirs up on the board. I then chose a card for the board one by one and asked the person who put it up why they put it up there and how the image they put it on represents their element of art. This lesson was created from drawing upon knowledge of our learners and observing that they did not completely understand the principles of art, yet. To meet rigorous learning goals of developing artists in the future, and within their semester class, students would have to know of and employ the elements of art in their work and see the elements of art being used in other's work.
Standard 8: Instructional Strategies – The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.
Performance Criterion 8.1
Candidates use a variety of instructional strategies to make the discipline accessible for diverse learners.
Evidence: The Figure Unit
Rationale: Students who learn in a variety of ways are considered in the variety of instructional methods used in the figure unit. Methods include powerpoint presentations, modeling, group sharing, peer sharing, instructing with visuals, and demonstrating techniques, as well as giving feedback on assignments and in check ins with each student as they work.
Performance Criterion 8.2
Candidates use a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.
Evidence #1: Supervisor Observations
Rationale: My supervisor observed me using a variety of instructional strategies, with powerpoint presentations, demonstrations, and many 1:1 check-ins with students as they work. My mentor teacher also observed me making worksheets for students to work on their painting skills, including brush control.
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Evidence #2: Brush Control Worksheet
Rationale: I knew that students valued the quality of their work, as I heard from them in class, talking about the quality of their drawings in comparison to what they wanted. I thought it was important for students to feel confident in controlling their brushes when painting their color wheel so that they are proud of how it looks when it is finished. I could have done a demonstration of how to control a brush, or I could have gone around to each student who seemed to need some pointers, but I made a worksheet instead. This way, each student got a chance to learn by doing and applied their practice to their color wheels.