Grace Fairman
Explore Grace Fairman's Educational Portfolio
Special education teacher
Standard One:
CURRICULUM AND PLANNING
Function 1A: Core Content
The teacher has deep knowledge of the content and its interrelatedness within and across the disciplines and can move beyond basic content competency to ensure mastery of the skills necessary for success in life and work
Function 1B:
Pedagogy
The teacher has a deep knowledge of the art and science of teaching in his/her specific content and can facilitate experiences that advance creativity, innovation, and problem-solving.
Function 1C:
Setting and Goals Objectives for Learning
The teacher uses a standards-based approach to instruction aligned with the state and local curriculum and sets instructional goals and objectives that describe what students will learn.
Function 1D:
Designing Instrcution
The teacher designs instruction that engages students in meaningful instructional activities that support the WV content standards and objectives, and that result in intentional student learning.
Function 1E:
Student Assessments
The teacher uses a balanced approach to ensure both assessments of learning and assessments for learning to provide both the teacher and students with information to guide future learning.
Pieces of Evidence:
Funtion 1A:
Core Conetent
This letter of recommendation from Dr. Hillary Sayre demonstrates that I have a strong understanding of the content I teach and know how to apply it across disciplines to support student success. The letter highlights my ability to differentiate instruction and adapt materials for a wide range of students. I master this by using visual supports, hands-on activities, and modified tasks to connect content to different learning styles and developmental levels.
It also emphasizes my experience with implementing IEP goals, collecting data, and participating in meetings such as 504s, eligibility, and PLCs, which demonstrates my ability to link academic content to real-life skills and meet individual student needs. My collaboration with staff further reflects my ability to go beyond basic content knowledge, as it kept me informed and up to date on the specific accommodations and modifications each student needs. Overall, this letter provides clear evidence of both my content knowledge and my ability to apply it effectively to promote student mastery.
Funtion 1B:
Pedagogy
This lesson plan shows that I have a strong understanding of how to teach my content effectively. It gives students hands-on experiences that encourage creativity, problem-solving, and innovation. Students get to plan, build, test, and improve their designs, which helps them think critically and try new ideas. By adjusting tasks for different learning needs, all students can participate and be challenged. Overall, this lesson demonstrates my ability to guide learning in ways that develop creativity and problem-solving skills.
Function 1C:
Setting Goals and Objectives for Learning
This function is demonstrated through the lesson plan I created for a 2nd-grade ELA classroom. The lesson follows a standards-based approach, as it is aligned with the West Virginia ELA standard (ELA.2.II) focused on phonics. This standard sets clear instructional goals and objectives, specifying that students will read and spell words with “-ed” endings with 80% accuracy. By creating my lesson around the standard and measurable objectives, I made sure students understand what they are expected to learn.
Function 1D:
Designing Instruction
WTPA: Pages 16-17
This function is demonstrated through Task 2 in my WVTPA. I selected one standard and created three learning goals that could be assessed through Bloom's Taxonomy to plan my weekly lessons. This results in ensuring students are learning based on the West Virginia Standards.
In addition, these goals helped me design lessons that build student understanding. By aligning my instruction with West Virginia Standards, I ensured that students are learning appropriate content that supports their overall academic growth.
Function 1E:
Student Assessments
This lesson demonstrates a balanced approach to assessment of learning and assessment for learning by not only measuring what students know, but also how they show their understanding. The assessment focuses on how many shapes each student correctly matches, which provides evidence of their learning.
In addition, I observe how students complete the task. For example, do they rely on visual cues, hand-over-hand support, verbal prompts, or trial and error. This allows me to better understand each student’s learning process, not just the final result. By looking at both accuracy and the method used, I can gather meaningful information to guide future instruction and better support each student’s individual needs.