TEACHER WORK SAMPLE:
A PRIMER Teacher Work Sample is a methodology used by teacher education programs to help student teachers demonstrate what their K-‐12 students know and are able to do by the end of a unit of instruction. The Rowan University College of Education Teacher Work Sample model is comprised of seven elements.
Element 1: Context
Context is key. This element requires researching information on the community, school district, school and class. Much of the research can be done on line. The student teacher must also learn all they can about their co teachers and their students, through observation and interaction.
Element 2: Learning Outcomes
Before teaching a unit of instruction, and after examining the teaching context, a plan should be made that addresses three stages: what the students should know and be able to do by the end of the unit; how it will be determined they know and can do these things, and what instructional activities will lead them to this
knowledge and performance (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). Element 2 addresses the first stage and requires a description of the Big Ideas of the unit and the overarching learning outcomes anticipated.
Element 3: Assessment Plan The second stage (see above) of the unit is assessment. In Element 3, student teachers are required to provide assessment instructions and rubrics, which includes pre assessment, formative (during instruction), summative/end of unit assessment, and self/peer assessment.
Element 4: Design for Instruction Element 4 requires the student teacher to provide a visual organizer or block plan, and four lesson plans with learning activities that are designed based on pre assessment as well as on goals and intended student learning outcomes of the unit.
Element 5: Analysis of Student Data
Once the instructional period is complete and the assessment activities are concluded, the student teacher presents the data, and provides evidence from the data of how students did as a whole, who sub groups (e.g., girls and boys) performed, and what high, low and average performing students accomplished, based on the data.
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Element 6: Instructional Decision Making
For this element, the student teacher is asked to provide a description of two instructional episodes, and the instructional decisions they made in responding to those episodes. These instructional decisions should be made based on formative or summative assessments, not pre assessments. The original “Design For Instruction” (Element 4) is based in part on results of pre assessment(s) conducted with the class. This element shows that, in addition to planning for K-‐12 student learning, student teachers (or teacher candidates) can make appropriate adaptations.
Element 7: Evaluation & Reflection
Reflection is a crucial component in successful teaching. For this element, the student teacher identifies which educational outcomes were most successful, which were least successful, and explains why. They are asked to describe what went well and what they would do differently in the future, and to reflect upon professional development activities in which they will need to participate, in order to improve as teachers.
References Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding By Design (2nd Ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
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Table: Six Helpful Links for Developing a Teacher Work Sample Web Site Description Link
UNI Teacher Work Sample website
Web site developed by the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) for comprehensive review of Teacher Work Sample (TWS)
http://www.uni.edu/teachered/tws
UNI Teacher Work Sample Manual
Manual provided to UNI teacher candidates for developing a TWS
http://www.uni.edu/itq/PDF_files/
SE Missouri State College of Education
Teacher Work Sample Exemplars from Southeast Missouri State University
http://cstl-coe.semo.edu/bratberg/tws.htm
Authentic Education Home site of Understanding By Design, including articles and news
http://www.authenticeducation.org/
Authentic Education/ Big Ideas
Part of the Authentic Education web site that discusses Big Ideas – helpful for TWS Element 2
http://www.authenticeducation.org/bigideas/
Glen Hammond web site/GRASPS
This page of the web site explains the concept of GRASPS (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005) and is helpful for TWS Element 3
http://xnet.rrc.mb.ca/glenh/...
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