Chanelle Nicole LaCross
Portfolio Reaction

     I believe the best piece of work in my portfolio is the Interdisciplinary Unit that I created with Diana. At first it seemed to be a challenge, relating Mathematics to Spanish. Once the ball was rolling everything else fell into place. I am most impressed by our ability to actually post the lesson as a WebQuest where it can be accessed at anytime, anywhere as long as there is an internet connection. I learned about creating a lesson plan that focuses on my students and their abilities. We managed to create a day-by-day itinerary to align my Math class with her Spanish class. Most importantly, I learned a lot about technology. The portfolio helped me learn a little about posting text documents, but creating a WebQuest taught me about posting audio/visual and even how to hyperlink.

     Creating my Electronic portfolio has enhanced my comprehension of media literacy. I have gained knowledge of how to use media and technology as a tool in my classroom. It can be used for many purposes. Media, in its many forms, is a great way to bring lessons to life, start discussions and construct solid understandings of material. My Professional Development Plan gave me a chance to really analyze the Core Curriculum Standards. I never realized how many things need to be covered in just one year. There is no time to be wasted in a classroom. So, I am glad that I got this opportunity to explore potential problems I will face and begin doing Action Research on the topics now. I never heard of Action Research prior to Seminar III, but I like it. Teachers face many problems in the classroom and unfortunately there are no definite solutions to any of them. This method allows a teacher to research a solution actively or continuously throughout their career. By gathering different sources, teachers can hypothesize changes they can make to better their classroom and their specific students≠ needs.

     I believe that my Electronic Portfolio as a whole is the best representation of what I learned this semester. I learned how to construct lesson plans that do not create a teacher-centered learning environment. Even more importantly, I was able to work constructively with my peers on creating these lessons. From the Anticipatory Sets to the final evaluation rubric, they were great learning experiences. The several papers I wrote show my reflections on all of the materials I have read and the concepts I have learned. Action Research being the most memorable and I believe the most important lesson this semester. Our work on Inspiration taught us how to create graphic organizers so one day we may use them for our students or even teach them how to make their own. The presentation of my portfolio itself was a learning experience on how to be a web author.

     Overall, I believe I preformed above expectations this semester. My competence in this area has increased tremendously through different lessons and assignments we have had to complete. I feel as though I am beginning to think like a teacher. I want to lead students to discovery through constant questioning and keep challenging myself to find new ways to make lessons more interesting. I am more conscious now than ever of the demands of NJ's Core Standards and how they will play a vital role in my classroom.