Portfolio Requirements goed.american.edu The culminating assessment for the MA in Special Education: Learning Disabilities program is a Professional Teaching Portfolio. This portfolio will consist of thoughtful reflections of the signature assignments and internship experiences that you completed throughout your academic program. These reflections will provide evidence of your growth toward teacher performance standards and overall development as a special educator. In the School of Education, Teaching & Health (SETH), candidates use a web-­‐based system (goEd.american.edu) to assemble this portfolio. Your portfolio is organized relative to the Council for Exceptional Children: Initial Content Standards for all Special Educators, combined with the Specialty Area Knowledge and Skills Standards for teachers of students with Learning Disabilities. The SETH Special Education faculty members have aligned signature assignments from your courses and your internship with the CEC: LD standards. For each assignment or activity, you are required to write a description and reflection for each of the standards aligned to that assignment or activity. You are also required to upload the assignment and supporting materials into the portfolio system. These materials might include lessons plans, student work, assessments, videos, evaluations, photos, etc. Your portfolio MUST contain the following items: Information about You Introduction, Introduction Resume and • The name of the school(s) and description of classroom where you did your internship or Conclusion are employed • The ages/grade level(s) you have taught that are reflected in your portfolio • Your pathway to teaching (i.e. traditional undergraduate/graduate student, career switcher, etc.) • Overall thoughts about teaching Resume • Upload a current version of your resume Conclusion • General thoughts wrapping up your teaching experience • Plans for the future • How you plan to continue to grow as a teacher of students with learning disabilities. Philosophy of • Explain your beliefs and values as an educator Education • Reference history, educational research, theorized practice, and your own reflective practice to support your discussion • Explain what kind of learners you want to come out of your classes • Weave themes discussed in your Philosophy of Education throughout your entire portfolio Description •
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Artifacts Include the signature assignment(s) and a description of that assignment. Explain the context for artifact – Who was the audience? How old are the students? What types of learning disabilities are represented in the classroom? What was the content? When and where did you use this? Reflection Portfolio System Tab Welcome Artifacts Write a reflection for each signature assignment for each standard. Use the following questions to guide your reflection. You are required to discuss the applicable CEC LD standard in your reflection. • How does this artifact connect to the identified CEC:LD standard? • How are activities supported by educational theory, research, and/or best practice? Please provide a citation for all referenced material. • How does this artifact provide evidence that you impacted student learning and behavior? • What did you learn from this artifact? • If this artifact represents an activity that took place outside of your classroom, what were you able to apply in your classroom? • What would you do differently the next time you used the activity? Special Education Portfolio Artifacts Signature Assignment (Activity/ies) Introduction, Resume, Conclusion Course(s) where this artifact may be developed CEC: LD Standards to be Addressed in Portfolio Reflections NA NA EDU-­‐645 & 1 -­‐ Foundations EDU-­‐646 2 -­‐ Development and EDU-­‐645 & LD 1 & 2 Exams Characteristics of Learners EDU-­‐646 3 -­‐ Individual Learning Differences Content 2 -­‐ Development and Case Study / Research EDU-­‐607 Characteristics of Learners Project 3 -­‐ Individual Learning Differences Planning Task Analysis EDU-­‐645 7 -­‐ Instructional Planning 4 -­‐ Instructional Strategies Reading Unit During EDU-­‐671 5 -­‐ Learning Environments and Takeover (implemented) Social Interactions 4 -­‐ Instructional Strategies Instruction Math Unit During EDU-­‐606 5 -­‐ Learning Environments and Takeover (implemented) Social Interactions Language Unit During EDU-­‐644 6 -­‐ Language Takeover (implemented) Student Curriculum Based EDU-­‐605 / 8 -­‐ Assessment Learning Measurement (CBM) Internship January Goals Internship 9 -­‐ Professional and Ethical Practice Professionalism Behavior Management 9 -­‐ Professional and Ethical Practice EDU-­‐502 Project 10 -­‐ Collaboration Total points possible for entire portfolio: 48 | Passing score: 32
Philosophy of Education Total Points Possible 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Rubric I: Portfolio Scoring Rubric (CEC-­‐LD Standards) Directions to Evaluators: Use the following rubric to assess the components described. Each of the three rows should receive a score of 1, 2, or 3. Any row that receives a score of 1 must be revised and resubmitted. Include comments that support your rating and provide constructive feedback to the candidate. Component Needs Development (1) Meets Requirements (2) Exceeds Requirements (3) *must be resubmitted* Introduction, Resume and Conclusion -­‐Missing or limited introduction provides no or almost no information about the student’s experience in education or the context in which the artifacts were collected -­‐There is no, almost no, or an inappropriate conclusion. -­‐Resume is missing, very limited, or difficult to read -­‐Readability is significantly impacted by grammar, punctuation and/or types of presentation errors -­‐Introduction provides helpful information about the student’s experience in education and the context in which the activities occurred. -­‐Conclusion brings closure and provides information about the student’s professional goals. -­‐Legible resume is attached as separate document -­‐Readability not impacted by grammar, punctuation and/or types of presentation errors Philosophy of Education -­‐Philosophy of Education demonstrates little awareness or understanding of the values, theories of education, and approaches that guide candidate as an educator. -­‐Philosophy of Education demonstrates awareness and understanding of the values, theories of special education, the unique needs of students with learning disabilities, and approaches that guide candidate as an educator. -­‐Well thought out and organized introduction provides helpful information about the student’s experience in education and the context in which the activities occurred. -­‐Well thought out and organized conclusion brings closure and provides information about the student’s professional goals. -­‐Attractive and logically formatted resume is attached as separate document -­‐Readability is enhanced by exemplar grammar, punctuation and presentation -­‐Thoughtful Philosophy of Education demonstrates exceptional awareness and understanding of the values, theories of special education, the unique needs of students with learning disabilities and approaches that guide candidate as an educator. Reference to history, research and current practice in the field of special education is included and supports discussion. Component CEC LD Standards Needs Development (1) *must be resubmitted* Meets Requirements (2) -­‐Activities lack substance or only -­‐Activities are meaningful and adequately marginally support the aligned standards. support the standards. -­‐Descriptions provide little explanation or -­‐Descriptions provide detailed explanation contextual information the artifacts of the artifacts, including relevant contextual information -­‐Reflections provide limited insight into how the activities: -­‐Reflections provide solid insight into how • impact student learning and behavior the activities: • are connected to the CEC-­‐LD • impact student learning and behavior standards • are connected to the CEC-­‐LD standards -­‐ Limited or inaccurate discussion of • could be modified for another tier educational theory, research, and/or best (RTI) practice -­‐An accurate explanation is provided of -­‐ No citations how activities are supported by educational theory, research, and/or best practice in either the description or reflection. For theory, state theory and theorist. For scholarship, state scholar and title of relevant text/article they authored. -­‐ At least one citation is included in each reflection Exceeds Requirements (3) -­‐ Activities have distinguishable substance and irrefutably support the standards. -­‐Descriptions provide comprehensive explanations of the artifacts, including relevant contextual information -­‐Reflections provide exceptional insight into how the activities: • impact student learning and behavior • are connected to the CEC-­‐LD standards • could be modified for another tier (RTI) -­‐A comprehensive explanation is provided of how activities are supported by educational theory, research, and/or best practice in either the description or reflection. For theory, state theory and theorist. For scholarship, state scholar and title of relevant text/article they authored. -­‐ At least one citation is included in each reflection Evaluation of the ePortfolio 1. You must earn a score of 32 or more out of a possible 48 to pass the portfolio assessment. 2. Two faculty members evaluate your portfolio. Once the evaluation is completed, you may access the scores and comments through goed.american.edu. 3. Any standard that receives a score of 1 must be revised and resubmitted to pass, even if your overall score is a 32 or higher.