English- Teacher Certification Option 
Assessment Plan

goals ~ assessment plan  ~  results  ~  action

Assessments are used at each of the following decision points: 

Entry into certification program 

- Teacher Education Candidacy:

• Praxis I
• writing sample
• references from PSU faculty
• 2.5 GPA

Continuation in Certification program 

- At the conclusion of the Methods courses (EN256, EN431, EN455), candidates are assessed in the following areas: 

• Content Knowledge (literature, language, and writing)
• Pedagogy
• Experience
• Professional Skills
• Collaboration
• Commitment
• Approach to Difference
• Technological Competence

Prior to student teaching 

• GPA
• Program approval
• Application
• Interviews with school personnel

Prior to program completion 

• Praxis II
• Student Teaching Evaluations/Observations
• Cooperating Teacher and Supervisors

Rubric for Assessment of Teacher Certification Candidates

Content Knowledge

Literature  

__ Target   ____acceptable ___ unacceptable

Target:  Candidate has the ability to confidently and fluently discuss a range of literary works (including traditional canonical works in the British, American and World traditions, as well as works by women and minorities) and major genres and establish connections to contemporary young adult literature and the issues treated therein.

Acceptable:  Candidate has the ability to discuss a range of literary works in the British, American and World traditions (including traditional canonical works as well as works by women and minorities) and major genres and establish connections to contemporary young adult literature and the issues treated therein.

Unacceptable:  Failure to meet Acceptable Standard. 

Language and Grammar 

__ Target   ____acceptable ___ unacceptable

Target:  Candidate’s oral and written communication evidences a rich vocabulary.  Candidate is able to communicate orally and in writing in a clear, coherent, and effective manner.  The candidate writes and speaks with a passion for words and the felicity of language itself.

Acceptable:  Candidate communicates in an effective fashion and conforms to the rules of standard grammar in more formal situations.  The candidate recognizes the importance of developing vocabulary and actively works to enrich his or her own.

Unacceptable:  Failure to meet Acceptable Standard. 

Writing   

__ Target   ____acceptable ___ unacceptable

Target:  Candidate writes eloquently in a variety of genres and adapts gracefully to different rhetorical situations.

Acceptable:  Candidate writes effectively in a variety of genres and rhetorical situations.

Unacceptable:  Failure to meet Acceptable Standard. 

Pedagogy (planning and presenting lessons, teaching skills):

   __ Target   ____acceptable ___ unacceptable

Target:  Candidate is able to plan thoroughly and implement instruction in an imaginative, flexible, creative manner, utilizing a variety of methods and assessment techniques (following NH State Frameworks) and with great sensitivity to student needs.

Acceptable:  Candidate is able to plan and implement lessons that evidence understanding of student needs.  Candidate is able to assess student progress in conjunction with the NH State Frameworks.  Candidate has effective classroom presentation skills.

Unacceptable:  Failure to meet Acceptable Standard. 

Experience (working in classrooms and with adolescents in a variety of settings):

   __ Target   ____acceptable ___ unacceptable

Target:  Candidate has had experience working with adolescents (ages 10-18, variety of skill levels, temperaments, cultural backgrounds) in a variety of settings.

Acceptable:  Candidate has had some experience with adolescents in areas related to education and has completed the required observation and service hours.

Unacceptable:  Failure to meet Acceptable Standard. 

Professional skills (responsibility, ethics, relationships, boundaries):

   __ Target   ____acceptable ___ unacceptable

Target:  Candidate behaves responsibly and ethically in all interpersonal situations.  Candidate adroitly maintains the delicate balance and the appropriate boundaries necessary in the teacher-student relationship.

Acceptable:  Candidate demonstrates a good work ethic and makes reasonable ethical judgments.  Candidate understands the nature of the student-teacher relationships and makes every effort to conform to acceptable standards in this regard.

Unacceptable:  Failure to meet Acceptable Standard.

Collaboration  (ability to work productively with others—both students and colleagues):

   __ Target   ____acceptable ___ unacceptable

Target:  Candidate collaborates easily and readily and productively with both colleagues and students.  Candidate also shares ideas and materials and looks to others for guidance.

Acceptable:  Candidate collaborates when necessary without undue difficulty.  Candidate  recognizes that collaboration is a key part of classroom learning.

Unacceptable:  Failure to meet Acceptable Standard.

Commitment (How strongly committed do you feel to teaching as a profession):

   __ Target   ____acceptable ___ unacceptable

Target:  Candidate consistently seeks out opportunities for professional involvement, including research, professional reading, conversations, conferences, and service to the profession.  Candidate lives an active professional life. 

Acceptable:  Candidate displays an active interest in the profession evidenced in some of the ways listed under target category above. 

Unacceptable:  Failure to meet Acceptable Standard.   

Approach to Difference: (Ability to deal with diverse populations, respect for differences, understanding of difference as a positive aspect of life)

 target ___ acceptable __ unacceptable __ 

Target:  Candidate could be described as having attained a level four or better on the Bennett Scale (attached)—reflecting a respect for difference and an understanding that cultural differences represent fundamentally different world views which must be respected, and from which we have much to learn.  

Acceptable:  While the candidate may lack significant experience to put their understandings of diversity into practice, they have examined their own cultural beliefs and understand them to be only one of many possible ways of looking at the world.   The candidate is disposed to work at understanding cultural frameworks different from her own.  Understands culture as a process. categories.  Views students from other cultures as being deprived of the benefits of his or her own culture. Sees all people as sharing certain fundamental values which are closely allied with his or her own.  Failure to meet acceptable standard.  

Technological Competence  (Ability to understand and use technology to enhance instruction) 

target __ acceptable __ unacceptable __ 

Target:  Candidate effectively and naturally integrates current and emerging technologies in a thoughtful and appropriate manner, while maintaining a student-centered approach.  Encourage students to responsibly make use of information and resources available through technological innovation. Candidate recognizes technology as an important resource in current pedagogy. 

Acceptable: While candidate may not be entirely comfortable with all forms of technology, he or she displays a willingness to investigate and practice use of technology in his or her teaching and learning.  Displays competence with most common classroom technologies. 

Unacceptable:  Candidate denigrates technology and actively resists its use.   Failure to meet acceptable standard.
 

Contents of the Professional Portfolio 

1.  Resume—this should be up-to-date and include your student teaching experience.  Resumes can be done in varying forms.  Generally, your resume should include education, work experience, volunteer experience, and experience with people of diverse backgrounds, presentations, areas of interest, awards and memberships in professional organizations, activities. (First submission—EN256; revised EN431, EN455) 

2.  A presentation of yourself as a professional—this section should reflect your commitment to the teaching profession.  You should include a statement of your philosophy of education consistent with current research (many employers require this).  Take an informed stand on issues affecting the profession.  Identify questions related to teaching for investigation.  You could also include summaries of articles, position papers, and a statement of how your personal philosophy of education relates to the teaching of reading, literature, language, communication, and writing.  (First submission—EN256; revised EN431, EN455) 

3.  A presentation of yourself as a writer—this section should include examples of published and unpublished work.  Find samples which show the range of your writing, and document how you use your writing as a teaching tool and as a means of reflecting on and refining practices.  (First submission—EN431) 

4.  A presentation of yourself as a reader—demonstrate your own reading predilections and interests and how they relate to your classroom practice.  Your documentation might include the contents of a personal literature anthology; personal reading logs; in-class writings; lists of favorite books; formal and informal responses to literature.  You should include evaluations of young adult literature—how these books contributed to your personal growth, and how they might do so for your students.  Your writings should also apply various theoretical approaches to literature to specific works and discuss how the use of literature can increase cultural awareness. (First submission—EN455) 

5.  A presentation of yourself as a practitioner—this section could include a unit plan, lesson plans, reports of demonstration lessons, photographs or videotapes of yourself teaching (photographs are especially useful in interviews).  The items you include should show your ability to plan and implement lessons and to assess learning in conjunction with the New Hampshire State Frameworks.  You should include at least one lesson which integrates work with another discipline or demonstrates how writing and/or literature can be integrated into another discipline. (First submission—EN256) 

6.  Student responses—this section could include student work, communications from students, student evaluations.  Again, photographs of scenes in your classroom and posted student work would be desirable.  (First submission—EN431) 

7.  Reflections—this section should include your thinking about teaching and learning.  You can include journal entries from your student teaching or tutoring, reports of observations, and papers, all of which should show your thinking about what goes on in classrooms, your critique of existing practices, and your ability to reflect on the moral dimensions of practice.  You should also include observations and other writings which demonstrate your ability to document students’ growth as writers, readers, and thinkers.  (First submission—EN256; revised EN431, EN455) 

8.  Other—create an area (if you wish) to highlight your special areas of interest.  Possibilities include dance, theater, journalism, collaborations, coaching . . .

 You must complete a satisfactory, revised and updated portfolio by the end of the semester.  There will be two revision stages this semester.  If, by the time you submit the final version, you have not made sufficient progress in updating and revising your portfolio, your grade for the course will be withheld until you do so. 

Each of areas 2-7 should contain a rationale statement explaining what this area means to you as a teacher and as a person, along with an explanation of the artifacts (or evidence) which you chose to include.  You should also include your goals in each area in its respective rationale statement. 

Present this material in a hardcover, three-ring binder from 1-2 inches thick with tab dividers for the different sections.  Make the presentation as visually pleasing as you can, design a cover and include photographs or illustrations.  Feel free to add other sections which may be more specific to your situation.  Keep the resume first, but you may vary the order of the other sections to highlight your special strengths. 

You should also strongly consider creating a supplementary CD or web page incorporating these materials (and more).  Employers are definitely impressed by both.