Jennifer Topping’s Professional
Teaching Portfolio
Table of Contents
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Table of Contents
Standard 5: Motivation and
Introduction
Teaching Philosophy
Standard 1: Content
Pedagogy
Standard 2: Student
Development
Standard 3: Diverse
Learners
Standard 4: Multiple
Instructional Strategies
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Management
Standard 6: Communication
and Technology
Standard 7: Planning
Standard 8: Assessment
Standard 9: Reflective
Practice: Professional
Growth
Standard 10: School and
Community Involvement
Introduction
My name is Jennifer Topping and I’m what is referred to as a career changer. I received
a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in 2000 and immediately entered the work force as a clay modeler for
the automotive industry. Since then I have had several jobs and have even run my own business,
but at the end of the day none of these positions left me feeling fulfilled. Each job was merely
that- a job- something I had to get through everyday to survive.
It wasn’t until the birth of my daughter that I seriously examined the career path I was
on, and began to consider pursuing a career in the education field. Seeing the impact I could
have on young lives made me realize that I wanted more out of life than living paycheck to
paycheck. Finally, I decided to return to school and earn my teaching certification. However,
first I had to figure out what I was really passionate about teaching. If I was going to make such a
commitment, I wanted to teach an area I which I felt I could contribute the most. Therefore, I
returned to college, not only to acquire a teaching certification, but to become dually certified in
the fields of art and English and allow myself the option to teach either subject.
Three years later, I have found reserves of strength and determination that I was
previously unaware that I possessed. Raising a child as a single parent, attending college full-time
and running a small business during much of that time period taught me the virtues of
organization, time-management, and perseverance; all traits I hope to effectively model and pass
on to my future students. Thanks to the support of my family and certain professors I was
privileged enough to come to know, I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s of Arts
and Science in English in May 2007 and am currently working towards obtaining my Master’s in
Adolescent Education at SUNY Oswego.
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Personal Teaching Philosophy
I believe that every student has the capacity to learn, but they are first
and foremost unique individuals. The various interests and experiences they
enter the classroom with are all avenues to utilize in producing individuals
who thirst for knowledge. Guiding students to discover that each of them has
the potential to be their own teacher and to continue learning long after they
have graduated is a goal I feel every teacher should have.
Furthermore, I believe that every classroom should be a sanctuary, a
place of safety where students have the freedom to explore, question and
even fail without fear of ridicule or persecution. Differences should
cherished and creativity should be allowed to flourish. As an educator, I
believe that above all else it is my duty to provide students with the means,
the security, and the skills to become life long learners.
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Standard 1: Content Pedagogy
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Definition:
“The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of
inquiry, and structures of the discipline he or she teaches and
can create learning experiences that make these aspects of
subject matter meaningful for students.”
 Reflection
 Evidence
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Standard 2: Student Development
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Definition:
“The teacher understands how children learn and
develop and can provide learning opportunities that support
a child’s intellectual, social, and personal development.”
 Reflection
 Evidence
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Standard 3: Diverse Learners
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Definition:
“The teacher understands how students differ in their
approaches to learning and creates instructional
opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.”
 Reflection
 Evidence
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Standard 4: Multiple Instructional
Strategies
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Definition:
“The teacher understands and uses a variety of
instructional strategies to encourage student development of
critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.”
 Reflection
 Evidence
Home
Standard 5: Motivation and
Management
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Definition:
“The teacher uses an understanding of individual and
group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment
that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in
learning, and self motivation.”
 Reflection
 Evidence
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Standard 6: Communication and
Technology
Definition:
“The teacher uses knowledge of effective verbal,
nonverbal, and media communications techniques to foster
active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the
classroom.”
 Reflection
 Evidence
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Standard 7: Planning
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Definition:
“The teacher plans instruction based on knowledge of
subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum
goals.”
 Reflection
 Evidence
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Standard 8: Assessment
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Definition:
“The teacher understands and uses formal and
informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the
continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of
the learner.”
 Reflection
 Evidence
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Standard 9: Reflective Practice:
Professional Growth
Definition:
“The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually
evaluates the effects of his or her choices and actions on others
(students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community)
and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally.”
 Reflection
 Evidence
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Standard 10: Communication and
Community
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Definition:
“The teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues,
parents, and agencies in the larger community to support
students’ learning and well-being.”
 Reflection
 Evidence
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Standard 1 Evidence
To show that I have the necessary degree of expertise in the
content areas of Fine Arts and English, I respectfully submit
my Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from Center for Creative
Studies and my Bachelor’s of Arts and Science in English
from SUNY Oswego. Internet Access is required to
Artifact 1
 Artifact 2
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Standard 2 Evidence
Evidence:
Over the years, I have taken an introductory pyschology
course, an adolescent psychology course and an abnormal
psychology course, giving me foundational knowledge into the
behavior many of my students will exhibit. Moreover, I have
enrolled in several graduate classes which have taught ne a
variety of strategies designed to promote authentic, studentcentered learning. In addition to passively learning about
strategies, I have conducted research and written a paper
exploring strategies for teaching male learners.
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Standard 3 Evidence
The English classroom offers a teacher the opportunity
to utilize and incorporate the interests of her students
directly into her instructions. A classroom library that offers
students a variety of authors, genres and topics
enables them to pursue interests they already possess and
discover new interests to learn about.
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Classroom Library
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Standard 4 Evidence
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Differentiating instruction to meet the learning needs of our students must
become second nature to teachers. Educators need to design lessons that
address several styles of learning at one time, instead of giving traditional lessons
and then offering alternative assignments for students who may not learn best in
a lecture-based environment. One way to do this is through the creation of
theme sets and/or learning centers. These instructional strategies allow teachers
to scaffold complex issues, themes and concepts in a way that provides an
avenue for every student to learn. In a fairy tale unit I developed, I
intergrated learning stations seamlessly into its design.
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Artifacts: Fairy Tale Unit & Learning Center
Internet Access is required to view these artifacts.
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Evidence:
Standard 5 Evidence
While I have not had the opportunity to manage my own class, I have
read several books dealing with the subject of classroom management and
discipline. I have also read numerous articles that address management
issues found in secondary classrooms. In addition, I have done research and
written a paper examining questioning skills and the development of inquirybased, student centered classrooms. Through my research I have discovered
that learning which is initiated by the students’ interests and questions has the
ability to motivate students more than teacher generated questions ever
could.
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Classroom Management Books & Questioning Skills
Paper
Internet Access is required to view these artifacts.
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Evidence:
Standard 6 Evidence
English is an interesting content area, as it provides teachers with a myriad of
mediums to examine with their students. Literature (classic and contemporary), nontraditional literature (graphic novels), cinema, music, and advertisements are all fair game
in an English class. Our job is to equip our students with the understanding of how words
can effect and influence their lives. Words are everywhere; therefore, it’s our job to
examine everything. As part of a fairy tale unit (check standard 4 for the complete unit
summary), I developed a powerpoint presentation that would supplement my direct
instruction. This visual presentation would enhance the learning of my visual learners
allowing them to read along as I lectured. Additionally, I would also be able to distribute
the powerpoint presentation to my class as a handout, where they could take additional
notes in the provided margins next to each slide. This transition from presentation to
written text makes it easy for students with certain learning disabilities to have accessible
and accurate notes.
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Powerpoint Presentation
Internet Access is required to view this artifact.
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Standard 7 Evidence
Evidence:
Over the course of my graduate studies, I have created several
different lesson plans that I submit as evidence of my ability to plan in
detail. I have included in my portfolio a
lesson on poetry, foreshadowing, and point of view.
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Lessons: Poetry, Foreshadowing, and P.O.V
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Evidence:
Standard 8 Evidence
The goal of assessments is to determine the students’ level of understanding and the
effectiveness of my lessons and instruction; therefore, I make sure to offer students several
assessment options, that way students will be able to choose the assignment they feel will allow
them to communicate their understanding best. In the creation of my fairy tale unit, I designed
four project options for my students to choose from. Then, I constructed separate rubrics
and self assessment sheets to accompany each option, letting students know what is required of
them. In addition, I included regular formative assessments throughout my fairy tale unit, which
will enable me to provide students with extra attention or mini lessons when needed.
I have also created a series of pre-assessments, designed to activate my students’ prior
knowledge or to determine what they already know before delving into a unit or theme set.
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Artifacts: Projects, Rubrics, Assessments
Internet access is required to view these artifacts.
Home
Evidence:
Standard 9 Evidence
To illustrate my dedication towards continued learning and
professional growth, I am including several artifacts: my resume and a list
of books on education and educational strategies that I have read. Also, I’m
a member of the National Council for Teachers of English and subscribe to
several educational magazines, such as: English Journal, Voices in the
Middle, Education Weekly, and Ceramics Monthly.
Resume
 Professional Books
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Standard 10 Evidence
Again, as I am not currently employed as teacher I do not have a community
to build relationships with. However, I recognize the need to keep parents apprised
of what is occurring in their child’s education. Therefore, one of the first things I will
do when acquiring a position as a teacher is to write an introduction letter that I
would send out to my students and their parents before school officially begins. This
would allow them time to contact me for meetings or if they have any questions
regarding the upcoming year.
Additionally, I would develop a class website as a way to keep parents and
students aware of what is happening in my classroom. This would be a way for
parents to find out what their children are learning and for my students to print out
any missed handouts or find out homework assignments, if they miss class. Creating a
website is a way to establish constant contact with the community I will be teaching in
and having an email address as a way for parents and students to contact me allows
them to ask questions or vocalize concerns at a time that is convenient for them.
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Standard
1
Reflection:
To be an effective instructor, an individual must possess a degree of
mastery over her chosen content area. Students and parents need to have
faith in the competency of their school’s instructors and believe that the
information being imparted is both valid and contributes to the academic
growth of the student population. It’s not enough for an English teacher to
have an appreciation for writing or literature; she needs to understand the
principles behind poetry, grammar, composition, reading comprehension
and numerous other literary devices. A teacher must act as a guide, expert,
and coach for her students; an individual who is there to help them uncover
answers and discover questions which will lead them towards a deeper
understanding of the subject. In addition, it is a teacher’s job to show
students that the knowledge being presented is relevant to their lives and is
therefore something worth taking the time to learn. Bridges need to be uilt,
demonstrating that themes in literature are not isolated pieces of academia,
these ideas have immediate value in life and the skills of reading and writing
are crucial to their daily existence.
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Standard 2 Reflection
Just as an educator needs to be proficient in the subject matter she will
be teaching, she must also be required to understand the needs of the
students in her class. Mastery that can not be effectively taught is worthless in
the field of education and an individual pursuing a career as a teacher should
be as educated in the developmental and learning needs of her students as
she is in her content areas. Through understanding and respecting the
differences of her students, a mutaul respect can develop and this will
strengthen the educational bond in the classroom. A class that is run absent
the concept of respect is one where little true, authentic learning takes place
and it is this authentic learning that will accompany my students beyond the
walls of middle or high school. Instilling a desire to learn is the greatest gift a
teacher can give her students and to do this an educator needs to know them
on an individual and basic level.
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Standard
3
Reflection:
Diversity is nothing new to the field of education. Students have always
entered the classroom with differing ability levels, interests, values, beliefs and
cultures, yet they walk into an environment designed to accommodate one type
of student. Therefore, it is our jobs as educators to acknowledge these
differences and differentiate our instruction in order to provide each student
with the tools to succeed academically. In a culture as diverse as the one we live
in, teachers should encourage students to acknowledge and embrace their
differences. Students should be taught to revel in their idiosyncrasies and respect
the unique nature of their peers.
A multicultural component is a necessity in todays English curriculum.
The days of focusing on dead Caucasian authors has passed, replaced by a
curriculum rich in literature from all corners of the world. English teachers can
provide their students with stories that reflect cultural views and values extremely
different than their own. By exposing students to these values and thoroughly
examining them, teachers can help students broad their concepts of good and
evil, right and wrong, and accepted and forbidden.
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Standard
4
Reflection:
It seems to me that the concepts addressed by this
standard are really a continuation of those examined in the
previous standard; except, instead of looking at the diversity
found in the students’ background, this standard concentrates
on the learning differences of the student population. Research
has shown that not every student is best served by traditional
academic instruction. Instructional techniques that may open
doors for some students, offer only barriers and obstacles for
others. Put simply: students are all different; therefore, they all
learn differently. Though this statement may seem easy to
implement, providing instruction that reaches every student is a
painstaking and complicated process that requires educators to
put considerable thought into their instructional choices.
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Standard 5 Reflection:
Classroom management is a critical component in providing students with a conducive
learning environment. In fact, establishing an orderly class is one of the most important things
an educator can do. Creating a safe, well-managed environment enables students to focus on
the material and to discuss questions and ideas without fear of ridicule or persecution. A
classroom that does not offer students the safety to share their ideas in an open forum is not
presenting students with the opportunity to develop into critical thinkers.
In order to create an environment free from distractions, educators must establish
consistent routines and procedures on the very first day. Regardless of what they claim,
students don’t want classrooms that are unorganized and unpredictable. Students who are
secure in the rules and procedures of their class can concentrate on learning the curriculum at
a higher level than students who are constantly faced with changing rules and daily
distractions.
Aside from creating a safe atmosphere for students to learn in, students need to be
engaged in the material. Educators need to open the floor to their students, and assume the
role of guide or facilitator rather than dictator and judge. Though teachers should be regarded
as content experts by their students, they should not be viewed as infallible. Students must be
taught to think and question for themselves. Inquiry and exploration are essential skills for
students to master in order to develop into lifelong learners. It’s a teacher’s duty to provide
students with the tools needed to explore concepts and interests on their own, further showing
them that education is not isolated to the confines of classroom walls.
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Standard 6 Reflection:
Technology is such an ingrained part of contemporary existence that its inclusion in
education is often expected by the community. The students of today are extraordinarily
savvy in technological matters; these children grow up as surfers on the World Wide Web
and technology, in its many forms, is as much a part of their daily life as breathing.
Therefore, it’s only natural that educators incorporate technology into their classrooms
and lesson plans. Many classrooms already come equipped with televisions, computers,
Smartboards and overhead projectors, providing teachers with the means to utilize endless
instructional strategies. Powerpoint presentations and the creation of Youtube-like videos
offer teachers a way to interact with students on a level that they understand; whether it is
imparting information via a powerpoint or allowing students to create their own movie, the
technology allows educators to reach students where they live- in a technology-rich world.
The Internet also provides teachers with the opportunity to stay in constant contact
with parents and students alike. Developing a class website that informs the public about
what is being taught, the homework being assigned, and what books are being read is an
excellent way to keep parents aware of what is happening in my classroom. E-mail offers
parents a way to contact me with questions at any time, regardless of their work schedule.
Thanks to advances in technology, there is no longer any excuse as to why teachers and
parents can not effectively communicate with each other.
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Standard 7 Reflection:
Planning and organization are foundational elements in the development of stable,
safe classroom environments and successful, effective lesson plans. It is essential that
teachers place great importance on the planning of each unit and every lesson that will go
into their yearly curriculum. Though a teacher can’t account for everything that will occur
during a class, it is extremely important that they have a generalized, overall plan for the
class. Businesses that are run in a disorganized fashion are prone to failure, and it is no
different in the education field. Having a disorganized class is the surest way to create a
chaotic, distraction filled learning environment; one that is not conducive at all to learning
at any level, much less the authentic higher level learning that educators strive to reach with
their students. A teacher who is well-prepared will most assuredly be able to meet the
educational needs of her students more than one who flounders about, haphazardly
making decisions.
An educator must be vigilant, not only in planning their daily lesson plans and
activities, but in keeping grades and keeping records on student and parental activity.
Grade books should be clear and concise, easily decipherable by anyone with questions
on grades or missing work. Moreover, teachers need to keep detailed records noting when
they have communicated with parents and students, and what those communications
consisted of.
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Standard 8 Reflection:
To plan and implement a successful, interesting, engaging and effective
lesson is one thing, but to truly know if your students understand the
material, an educator must assess their comprehension on a regular, if not
daily basis. Formative assessments should take place constantly. These
assessments are designed to quickly gauge the comprehension level of each
student, thereby enabling teachers to alter their instruction when necessary.
However, just like with instructional strategies, assessments should be varied
and differentiated to give students the opportunity to show their knowledge
in a way that they are comfortable with. Assessments which are traditional
will only show what traditional learners comprehend; with other types of
learners, the results of their comprehension and retention will be harder to
determine based upon these traditional assessments. Every student deserves
the same depth of assessment, and the activities and summative assessments
assigned should reflect their diversity.
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Standard
9
Reflection:
The concept of professional development for educators seems almost
redundant to me. There are always going to be new literature, new ideas,
new technologies, and new educational strategies to learn about and utilize.
Acquiring a job does not give an individual license to stagnant in their
learning, especially when that job entails imparting current and relevant
knowledge. How can we expect our students to become lifelong learners if
we do not model that behavior by continuously learning ourselves? It
would be hypocritical of us to believe we can create something we can not
become. Teachers should devour new information and search out anything
pertinent to their subject matter. As an instructor, I would attend seminars
and classes that address content issues as well as those which focus on
educational strategies and theories. I believe that it is an education
professional’s responsibility to occasionally step back and reassess the
techniques she is using in her classroom, in order to ensure that the most
effective methods are being utilized.
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Standard 10 Reflection:
Regardless of how effective I may be in my classroom, I
will not exist in a bubble. It’s important for an educator to
cultivate relationships with parents and the surrounding
community. Getting acquainted with community members who
are committed to the success of their students can only benefit a
teacher. Becoming involved can build bridges between the
community, the parents, and the school. Furthermore, active
involvement shows the community and my students that I have
an interest in their lives outside of school. The more parents
see me at school functions and outside in the community itself,
the more they wil view me a a concerned teacher as opposed to
an interloper who doesn’t care about their beliefs and values.
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Teaching Male Learners
The field of education is littered with horror stories; tales of the unmotivated and
the undisciplined, that spread like seeds throughout the academic community. Oftentimes,
boy students feature a starring role in these tales of classroom terror and statistical data
only reinforces these notions. Statistics paint a depressing portrait of a male student’s
educational potential and prospects; showing him to be more likely to drop out, be kicked
out or remain in the academic shadow of female students in the literacy arena. However,
the numbers don’t explain why this situation exists; the statistics don’t give educators the
reasons why boys lag behind girls in these various areas, all they do is illuminate
deficiencies in the educational process. Once these issues have been brought to light, it
then falls to the education professionals to take up the cause and discover where the
system has been failing these young male learners. It has become obvious that male
learners need to have their specific educational needs examined and addressed if the
education system is going to be able to close the substantial gap that currently exists
between male and female students. Male oriented strategies, especially in the area of
literacy, need to be incorporated into classrooms, so male students can move out of the
realm of “problematic” and into that of achieving student.
According to the vast amount of statistical data available for consumption and
analysis, boys scored lower than girls on the language arts section of standardized tests,
were more likely to get suspended from school, were retained twice as often as girls and
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had a higher drop out rate. (Taylor & Lorimer, 2002, Hunsader, 2002) It’s a paint by numbers
picture that depicts male students as behavior problems who are destined to fail where it
really counts. In response to this alarming picture, educators have taken up the challenge of
discovering a way to bridge the gap that lies between male and female students. Some of the
differences between male learners and female learners that must be taken into account when
formulating male oriented strategies are:
* Boys are less attentive than girls
* Boys are attracted to different forms of literature than girls
* Boys read for different reasons than girls
* Boys are less likely to respond to their reading than girls
* Boys spend less time reading and value the activity less than girls (Smith & Wilhelm,
2002, p. 10-11).
At first glance, these differences may not seem so difficult to overcome, but when
traditional school settings value one over the other, suddenly these differences may seem
insurmountable.
The first step to developing and implementing male oriented literacy strategies is to
understand male students and the literacy activities they already engage in. By understanding
what boys read and why they read, educators can create literacy strategies that appeal to their
specific literacy interests. According to Blair and Sanford (2004), “boys reported interest in
reading texts that involved action and violence, games/competition, challenges and satire.
They chose fantasy and science fiction, texts that illustrated sports activities, magazines that
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interviewed sports and media heroic personalities, or humorous and often visual texts”
(p. 456). Their reading tastes often reflected hobbies they participated in, sports they enjoyed or
things they might do or be otherwise interested in doing. Regrettably, these texts and genres are
not prominent in traditional school curriculums; in fact, they are usually ignored and neglected
in the classroom.
Furthermore, many times the reading that male students engage in is not acknowledged
by them or by their teachers as being a literacy activity. The magazines, graphic novels and other
informational texts that boys are drawn to is not held in the same regard as the more narrative,
fictional texts that are staples in teaching literacy. Unfortunately, the literary practices that tend
to appeal to males are not the ones valued by the educational system and so while boys are
reading and are “making meaning with texts,” they “are doing so in ways that schools aren’t
recognizing” ( Lester Taylor, 2004, p. 292). By belittling the literacy activities male learners do
participate in, schools essentially inform boys that their literacy practices are not worthwhile and
are not valuable, which leads to further avoidance of what boys define as “schoolish” reading
and writing. Therefore, it seems that it’s imperative that educators expand their definition of
what constitutes appropriate literacy practices to include the reading and writing activities
already being pursued by male learners.
Additionally, this discrepancy between the material males are exposed to at school and
what they actually enjoy has led males to develop a low self image of their literacy practices. Due
to this disconnect, boys don’t view their literacy activities as being reading and many male
students who do read these kinds texts will often declare themselves “nonreaders” when asked.
This low literacy self image has created a situation where male students need to feel they have a
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certain level of competence in an activity or they would avoid it, assuming that their lack of
competence would inevitably lead to their failure at the activity. Moreover, not only did male
learners need to feel that they were competent enough at an activity to succeed at it; they also
wanted to feel challenged in doing an assignment. (Smith & Wilhelm, 2002) Hence, boys want
to feel as though the activities they undertake are ones that they can conquer, but they don’t
want to feel as though the activities offer them no challenge; more importantly, boys don’t want
to be bored by the activities given to them.
Furthermore, even though male students don’t see themselves as traditional readers they
do see the importance of school and reading. Smith and Wilhelm (2002) discovered that even
though the male students they interviewed believed in the “importance of school literacy in
theory, they often rejected and resisted it in actual practice because it was not related to
immediate interests and needs” (p. 94). In fact, King and Gurian (2006) found that “one of the
primary reasons that some boys get Ds and Fs in school is their inattention to homework” (p.
58). This so-called “inattention” may be due to the fact that boys don’t find the work given to
them relevant to their lives; therefore, they neglect it to pursue the literacy activities that interest
them and satisfy their immediate needs. Thus, the best way to get male students to participate is
to assign work that allows them to bring their outside interests into the classroom, which will
enable them to multitask by learning about issues and topics that they feel relates to their lives
while at the same time doing work that will advance their academic careers.
Offering male students a choice in their readings and assignments is another way to allow
them to bring their outside interests into the classroom while giving them a sense of control over
their academic environment. According to Smith and Wilhelm (2002), “boys were generally
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more willing to put in the effort needed to gain competence when they had a chance to express
themselves in ways that marked their identity” (p. 105). Educators need to engage male students
by incorporating their personal interests and already honed literary skills into the curriculum.
Classes need to begin offering a choice of reading material and a variety of possible assignment
choices for students. Instead of confining students (male or female) to strictly traditional writing
assignments, teachers must devise other potential ways students can show their comprehension
and competence in a unit. By opening up the boundaries of classroom activities, teachers can
show male students that the literacy skills they have are important and that their interests have a
place in the classroom.
There are a variety of different strategies available to educators who wish to provide male
learners with options that appeal to them and their interests. One strategy recommended by
Anderson, Labbo and Martinez-Roldan (2003) is to utilize the concept of an open-genre
workshop. This type of workshop allows students free reign in choosing the writing topics and
genre they wish to pursue. In their research, Anderson, Labbo and Martinez-Roldan (2003)
observed that often when male students were given an assigned topic they only did the
minimum amount of work necessary, if that much. However, when given a choice of topics their
work far exceeded previous attempts. Nurturing the interests and genres that boys naturally
gravitate towards helps them scaffold off the knowledge they already possess and enables them
to invest themselves in work that they deem worth doing.
In addition to showing male students that their personal interests are important, giving
them a choice in their assignments shows them that their teachers care about their personal
success as well. In questioning their male participants, Smith and Wilhelm (2002) found that
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these boys would work hard for any teacher they perceived to genuinely care about them as
individuals and truly care about their educational needs. One of their participants named Rev
stated, “The teachers they don’t know you, care about you, recognize you. So why should you
care about them or the work they want you to do?” (p. 102). Male learners need to feel as
though their teachers are invested in them personally and are as equally invested in their
academic success. Teachers that meet these requirements find male students who are more
willing to go the extra mile for them and in doing so these students discover that they have the
potential to achieve in a classroom setting.
Another strategy to engage male learners is to introduce inquiry-based learning into the
classroom. Letting students generate their own questions and investigate their own topics allows
them to follow issues that they find to be interesting. Instead of researching somebody else’s
questions and pretending to care about somebody else’s issues, students can formulate
questions and investigate topics that matter to them. This technique, if properly implemented,
can benefit both male and female students. Of course, any educator who wishes to incorporate
a student question generation strategy into their class needs to introduce it slowly and model it
many times before expecting their students to be able to generate effective questions. Modeling
and practice are essential components to ensuring the successful assimilation of this kind of
technique into the classroom.
Educators need to start addressing the gap that exists between male and female students
by making male learners feel more comfortable with the knowledge and skills they possess.
Schools must show that a variety of different genres and texts deserve a place in the educational
curriculum. Teachers have to reach out to their struggling male learners, along with their not so
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struggling male learners, and acknowledge the strengths and the literacy talents they have been
forced to develop on their own. Blair and Sanford (2004) believe that the literacy practices that
boys do actively engage in, “although not ensuring academic success, may be better preparing
them for the world beyond school” (p. 459). Male learners’ interests and literacy practices
should be embraced, as opposed to overlooked, and until educators prove to male students that
they matter, this academic gap will most certainly continue.
Reference Page
References
Anderson, M.; Labbo, L. D. & Martinez-Roldan, C. (2003, January). “Reading violence in boys’
writing.” Language Arts: 80(3), 223-231.
Blair, H. A. & Sanford, K. (2004, July). “Morphing literacy: Boys reshaping their school-based
literacy practices.” Language Arts: 81(6), 452-460.
Hunsader, P. D. (2002, November/December). “Why boys fail- and what we can do about it.”
Principal: 82(2), 52-54.
King, K. & Gurian, M. (2006, September). “Teaching to the minds of boys.” Educational
Leadership: 64(1), 56-61.
Lester Taylor, D. (2004/2005, December/January). “’Not just boring stories”: Reconsidering the
gender gap for boys.” Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy: 48(4), 280-288.
Smith, M.W. & Wilhelm, J. D. (2002) “Reading don’t fix no Chevys”: Literacy in the lives of
young men. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Taylor, D. & Lorimer, M. (2002/2003, December/January). “Helping boys succeed.”
Educational Leadership: 60(4), 68-70.
Home
Back to Standard 1 Evidence
Back to Standard 1 Evidence
The following is a sampling the of books that I have collected over the years to be
included in my classroom library. I strongly believe that an English class should offer a wide
variety of genres and reading levels to students and allow them to read for pleasure as well as for
assignments. I have compiled this diverse library in the hopes of incorporating independent
reading and literature circles into my yearly schedule.
Notable Authors:
Peter Abrahams:
Down the Rabbit Hole
Behind the Curtain
Douglas Adams:
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
Life, the Universe & Everything
So Long, & Thanks for All the Fish
Young Zaphoid Plays it Safe
Agatha Christie:
ABC Murders
And Then There Were None
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Jerry Spinelli
Crash
Stargirl
Love, Stargirl
Maniac Magee
J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit
Fellowship of the Ring
Two Towers
Return of the King
Robert Cormier:
The Chocolate War
After the First Death
We All Fall Down
Chris Crutcher:
Athletic Shorts
Ironman
Running Loose
Whale Talk
Margaret Peterson Haddix:
Among the Hidden
Among the Barons
Among the Brave
Gary Paulsen:
Hatchet
Brian’s Winter
The River
Brian’s Return
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Christopher Paolini:
Eragon
Eldest
J.K. Rowling:
Sorcerer’s Stone
Chamber of Secrets
Prisoner of Azkaban
Goblet of Fire
Will Hobbs
Crossing the Wire
Downriver
Far North
Leaving Protection
The Maze
River Thunder
Donna Jo Napoli:
Zel
Breathe
Stones in the Water
The Magic Circle
Beast
Spinners
Bound
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Walter Dean Myers
The Beast
The Dream Bearer
Scorpions
Slam!
Chris Van Allsburg:
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick
The Garden of Abdul Gasazi
The Wretched Stone
The Z Was Zapped
Just a Dream
The Widow’s Broom
A
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn- Mark Twain
All the King’s Men- Robert Penn Warren
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland- Lewis Carroll
Anansi Boys- Neil Gaiman
Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging- Louise Rennison
Animal Farm- George Orwell
B
Balzac & the Little Chinese Seamstress- Dai Sijie
Be More Chill- Ned Vizzini
The Bell Jar- Sylvia Plath
Beloved- Toni Morrison
Beowulf
The Best American Short Stories
The Big Sleep- Raymond Chandler
Black Thorn, White Rose- Ellen Datlow
The Body of Christopher Creed- Carol Plum-Ucci
The Breadwinner- Deborah Ellis
A Break with Charity- Anne Rinaldi
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C
Can’t Get There From Here- Todd Strasser
The Catcher in the Rye- J.D. Salinger
The Clique – Lisi Harrison
The Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister- Gregory Maguire
Cool Salsa: Bilingual Poems
Crackback- John Coy
The Crucible- Arthur Miller
D
Dangerous Angels: The Weetzie Bat Books- Francesca Lia Block
The Dante Club- Matthew Pearl
A Day No Pigs Would Die
Day of Tears- Julius Lester
Dead Girls Don’t Write Letters- Gail Giles
Dear America: The Great Railroad Race
Don’t Bet on the Prince: Contemporary Feminist Fairy Tales- Jack Zipes
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E
The Ear, the Eye, & the Arm- Nancy Farmer
The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds- Paul Zindel
Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life- Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Eva – Peter Dickinson
The Eyre Affair- Jasper Fforde
F
Fever 1793- Laurie Halse Anderson
Frankenstein- Mary Shelley
The Five People You Meet in Heaven – Mitch Albom
The Flag of Childhood: Poems from the Middle East- Naomi Shihab Nye
Flowers for Algernon- Daniel Keyes
Four Stupid Cupids- Gregory Maguire
Freak the Mighty- Rodman Philbrick
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler- E.L. Konigsburg
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G
The Gate to Women’s Country- Sheri Teppers
A Girl Named Disaster- Nancy Farmer
Give a Boy a Gun- Todd Strasser
The Giver- Lois Lowry
Go Ask Alice
The Grapes of Wrath- John Steinbeck
The Great Gatsby- F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Green Man: Tales from the Mystic Forest
Gregor the Overlander- Suzanne Collins
Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane- Suzanne Collins
Grendel- John Carpenter
Guys Write for Guys Read- Jon Scieszka
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H
Heartbeat- Sharon Creech
Help Wanted- Gary Soto
Hoot- Carl Hiassen
The House of Mirth- Edith Wharton
The House of Scorpion- Nancy Farmer
How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents- Julia Alvarez
The Howling Man- Charles Beaumont
The Hundred Dresses- Eleanor Estes
Hush- Jacqueline Woodson
I
I am Legend- Richard Matheson
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings- Maya Angelou
I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You- Ally Carter
The Idiot Girl’s Action-Adventure Club- Laurie Notaro
Inexcusable- Chris Lynch
The Invention of Hugo Cabret- Brian Selznick
Invisible Man- Ralph Ellison
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J
Jacob Have I Loved- Katherine Paterson
Jane Eyre- Charlotte Bronte
Just Listen- Saran Dessen
K
Killing Mr. Chippendale- Mel Glenn
Killing Mr. Griffin- Lois Duncan
The Kite Runner- Khaled Hosseini
Kit’s Wilderness- David Almond
L
The Land of Oz- Frank Baum
A Life Without Consequences
The Lightning Thief- Rick Riordan
The Lone Ranger & Tonto Fistfight in Heaven- Sherman Alexie
Looking for Alaska- John Green
Lord of the Flies- William Golding
Love Medicine- Louise Erdrich
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M
Make Lemonade- Virginia Euwer Wolff
The Man Who Was Thursday- G.K. Chesterfield
The Memory Keepers Daughter- Kim Edwards
Mona in the Promised Land- Gish Jen
Money Hungry – Sharon Flake
N
Neverwhere- Neil Gaimon
No More Dead Dogs- Gordon Korman
O
The Odyssey- Homer
Of Mice & Men- John Steinbeck
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Only the Names Remain- Alex Bealer
Open Season- C.J. Box
Out of the Dust- Karen Hesse
Outlander – Diana Gabaldon
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P
Parasite Pig- William Sleator
Parrot in the Oven- Victor Martinez
Pendragon: The Merchant of Death- D.J. MacHale
The Perks of Being a Wallflower- Stephen Chbosky
The Phantom Tollbooth- Norton Juster
The Picture of Dorian Gray & Other Stories- Oscar Wilde
Pictures of Hollis Woods- Patricia Reilly Giff
The Pigman- Paul Zindel
Princess Bride- William Goldman
R
The Red Badge of Courage- Stephen Crane
Richard Matheson; Collected Stories
The Rumpelstiltskin Problem- Vivian Vande Velde
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S
The Sacrifice- Kathleen Benner Duble
Savage Run – C.J. Box
The Scarlet Letter- Nathaniel Hawthorne
Selected Poems- E.E. Cummings
The Shakespeare Stealer- Gary Blackwood
A Single Shard- Linda Sue Park
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants- Ann Brashares
Skellig- David Almond
The Skin I’m In- Sharon Flake
The Slave Dancer- Paula Fox
Snow White, Blood Red- Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling
Speak- Laurie Halse Anderson
Spindle’s End- Robin McKinley
Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Sister Went Crazy- Sonya Sones
Story of a Girl
Summer Ball- Mike Lupica
The Sun Also Rises- Ernest Hemingway
Sweetgrass Basket- Marlene Carvell
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T
The Taking of Room 114- Mel Glenn
A Tale of Two Cities- Charles Dickens
Tales from the Brothers Grimm & the Sisters Weird- Vivian Vande Velde
Tangerine – Edward Bloor
Ten Great Mysteries- Edgar Allen Poe
That Was Then, This is Now- S.E. Hinton
Their Eyes Were Watching God – Zora Neale Hurston
There Are No Children Here- Alex Kotlowitz
The Thief Lord- Cornelia Funke
To Be a Slave- Julius Lester
To Kill a Mockingbird- Harper Lee
Tomorrow, When the War Began- Jon Marsden
Touching Spirit Bear- Ben Mikaelsen
Tracks- Louise Erdrich
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle- Avi
Tunnels- Roderick Gordon
Two-Way Street
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W
Walk Two Moons – Sharon Creech
Watership Down- Richard Adams
We Have Always Lived in the Castle- Shirley Jackson
Weaveworld- Clive Barker
The Wednesday Wars- Gary Schmidt
The Westing Game- Ellen Baskin
What Happened to Lani Garver- Carol Plum-Ucci
When My Name Was Keoko- Linda Sue Park
The Whipping Boy- Sid Fleischman
Wicked- Gregory Maguire
The Winter of Our Discontent- John Steinbeck
Witch Hunt: Mysteries of the Salem Witch Trials- Marc Aronson
A Wizard of Earthsea- Ursula K. Le Guin
The Witch of Blackbird Pond- Elizabeth George Speare
A Wolf at the Door- Ellen Datlow
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz- Frank L Baum
Wuthering Heights- Emily Bronte
Home
Jennifer Topping
5475 Route 89
Wolcott, NY 14590
585-415-4801
jtopping13@live.com
Education:
Master of Science in Education
State University of Oswego
Current GPA 4.0
Recipient of Diversity Fellowship
Bachelor of Arts in English, May 2007
State University of Oswego
Graduated Summa Cum Laude
Recipient of the Erwin Palmer Award
Bachelor of Fine Arts, May 2000
Center for Creative Studies
Dean’s List 1999-2000
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Teaching Experiences:
Spring 2008
Practicum Student: H.W. Smith Middle School, Syracuse, NY
Observed a seventh grade English classroom.
Interacted with students during class work time.
Assisted students one-on-one with class assignments.
Jan-May 2008
AVID Tutor: H.W. Smith Middle School, Syracuse, NY
Evaluated students on AVID binders.
Tutored small groups of students on weekly assignments
Fall 2007
Practicum Student: George Fowler High School, Syracuse, NY
Observed lessons in a ninth grade reading classroom.
Instructed students one-on-one while working in the
computer lab.
Spring 2007
Teaching Assistant: SUNY Oswego Independent Study
Examined students’ written work and provided assistance
with papers, or with questions on class content.
Organized class materials for instructor.
2007-2008
Substitute Teacher: grades K-12: NR-W Central School District
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Employment:
May 2005- Sept 2008
Hayley-Madison Studios- Sole Proprietor
Dec 2004- Aug 2005
Conserve- Collections Specialist/Skip Tracer
Feb 2002- Nov 2004
Charter One Auto Finance- Loan Adjuster
May 2000- Sept 2001
Magna Seating Systems- Clay Modeler
Back to Standard 9 Evidence
Professional Books I Own and Have Read:
The English Teacher’s Companion- Jim Burke:
If it deals with the English classroom or the English curriculum you will find it covered in
this book. Burke discusses everything from incorporating grammar into your lessons, to
designing units of study, to integrating technology into your teaching style. This book is a
comprehensive examination of all the aspects dealt with by an English teacher.
Do I Really Have to Teach Reading?- Cris Tovani:
Tovani’s book includes strategies for helping reluctant readers and non-readers build
comprehension skills. This book is aimed at all content area instructors and offers ideas on how
to include reading instruction within each content area curriculum. Tovani includes anecdotes,
success stories, and numerous examples of student work. This is a book designed help any
secondary instructor integrate reading instruction into their classroom.
A Guide for Developing Interdisciplinary Thematic Units:
This book is a technical look at designing units across the curriculum. It examines the
creation of interdisciplinary units, as well as collaborating with other teachers to foster a true
interdisciplinary experience. This is a book I purchased for an interdisciplinary methods class.
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Hewitt’s Guide to Slam Poetry & Poetry Slam- Geoffrey Hewitt:
This book examines slam poetry and how to incorporate it into our English poetry
curriculum. Hewitt discusses slam poetry rules and writing prompts for creating poems. It
includes a CD which has several examples of poets reciting original slam poems and a list of
websites dedicated to slam poetry.
Literature: Reading & Writing w/ Critical Strategies:
Though this book may be slightly more advanced than my other texts, I believe it to be
essential especially if I were to ever teach a 12th grade English class. This book explores the
various forms of literary criticism utilized when analyzing a text. It has descriptions of each
criticism type and includes examples of such criticisms. This would be a book to refer to when
teaching college bound seniors.
Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups- Harvey Daniels:
Daniels’ book is a comprehensive examination on how to develop book clubs and
literature circles that work in your classroom. This book defines what a literature circle is and
offers rules and procedures to create successful and effective literature circles for any grade
level. Daniel also covers how to assess the efforts put forth by students during a book club or
literature circle unit.
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Mini-Lessons for Literature Circles- Harvey Daniels:
This book is a supplemental book to Daniels’ Literature Circles: Voice and Choice
in Book Clubs and Reading Groups. This book includes a brief introduction, which
explains what a literature circle is, but the majority of this book is dedicated to offering
teachers who have implemented or plan to implement literature circles mini lessons they
can use during these units. Daniels includes strategies to build groups who trust and
respect each other enough to discuss their books and lessons designed to bring the English
curriculum and standards more firmly into a literature circle setting.
Literary Terms: A Dictionary- 3rd Edition:
This is a dictionary of literary terms. I purchased this at a used library book sale and
have used it numerous times.
Mechanically Inclined- Jeff Anderson:
This is a book that deals with incorporating grammar, usage and mechanics
instruction into a writer’s workshop or creative writing unit. Anderson takes grammar and
shows how teaching correct grammar doesn’t have to be done in dry, formalized ways.
This book offers teachers a way to seamlessly integrate grammar instruction into our
classrooms.
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Quality Questioning- Jackie Walsh:
This book examines how to create effective questions and use research-based
questioning techniques in order to fully engage students. Walsh explores wait time,
prompting student responses, teaching students how to generate their own questions, and
developing inquiry-based student initiated questioning practices.
Thinking Through Genre- Heather Lattimer:
Lattimer’s book focuses on genre and designing units of study based on specific
genres. Included are rubrics and planning guides designed to give teachers a foundation
for designing their own units. This book deals with six different types of genre, but the
material Lattimer provides can be adapted and modified to fit in with many other genre
types.
A Teacher’s Guide to the Multigenre Research Project- Melinda Putz:
Though Tom Romano is most well-known for his work on multigenre papers,
Putz’s book is an informative read and is set up to offer teachers a comprehensive
resource, including a CD with reproducible handouts. Putz explains what a multigenre
research paper is and goes on to detail how to make these types of research papers work in
the classroom: from how to introduce the concept of a multigenre research paper to
assessing students’ final multigenre papers.
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When Kids Can’t Read- Kylene Beers:
Beers’ book examines practical techniques and methods for teaching reading
comprehension skills to students who can not read or who can decode, but can not
comprehend. This is a book for teachers who were themselves never taught how to teach
reading. Beers book offers strategies designed to build a student’s reading confidence while
improving the reading skills he or she needs help with.
Write For Insight- William Strong:
This book deals with creating writing assignments that interest and engage students in any
content area. Strong examines the concept of C.R.A.F.T. (Context, Role, Audience, Format,
and Topic) and how it can be implemented in every content area classroom.
Writer’s Book of Matches:
This is a book of writing prompts that can be used for daily journal assignments or
during creative writing units or a writer’s workshop.
The Poet’s Dictionary:
This is a dictionary of poetry terms and poetic devices. This book often includes
examples of the poetic device being defined. I purchased this book at a used library sale and
find it immensely helpful.
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