Introduction "Have fun storming the castle!" ~Miracle Max

I have organized this portfolio according to course number.  The table of contents follows the course numbers for ease of finding a particular class.  The quotes from "The Princess Bride" that I have associated with each course help to add lightness and clarity to this portfolio.  Blog writing generally has a more conversational style of writing which is a great contrast to the research writing that I've learned through this program.  That comes as a welcome break.

For each class I answered three questions meant to evaluate my program of study.  These questions are,  "What have I learned?" "What do the products of this class say about me?" and "How will this aid my students?"  It is intended to provide an example of the application of the concepts and skills I have learned throughout the last four years.

"Has it got any sports in it?" 

"Are you kidding? Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles." 

"Doesn't sound too bad, I'll try and stay awake." 

~Grandson and Grandfather

Rather than put together a bunch of paper that no one but me will ever look at after I'm finished with my degree, I decided to put it all online.  A blog seemed like the perfect way to catalog my work from the last 4 years.  Blogging is new to me, so I'm also learning something in the process...another interesting journey.  You are invited to take a look and comment if you wish.  I only ask that comments be G-rated because I would like to maintain a professional appearance (and this is being graded by my professor).

MED 6000 "Is this a kissing book?" ~Grandson

MED 6000 Fundamentals of Graduate Study

I had many questions when I began the program concerning the content of the courses and the requirements.  This quote seemed to fit well in that context.  I was a little bit nervous about my ability to actually accomplish all that was required.

What have I learned?

I learned quite a lot about APA format and where to find the information I needed.

I found myself conflicted about the subject for my project, so I started in a direction that I did not truly want to go.   I struggled with how I would accomplish the project I really wanted to do, so I looked in other directions for a related project that I thought I could actually finish.

Research skills that I learned many years ago in high school had to be translated to online research skills.  I have to admit, doing an online search is much quicker than poring through the card catalog.  

What do the products of this class say about me?

The products of this class illustrate my wishy-washy-ness in choosing a subject.  I learned quite a bit about format and style that show through in the graded assignments.

How will this aid my students?
There were times when I felt that once I knew where to find the answer to my question I didn't need the in-class repetition.  I hope I can be intuitive enough to know when my students need to move on to the next challenge.  There is a fine line between student boredom because they know what they need to know and boredom because they need more scaffolding.

Artifact
I have linked the first literature review I wrote.  This is the first of at least four literature reviews I wrote during the MEd program.  

MED 6010 "Murdered by pirates is good!" ~Grandson

MED 6010 Historical Foundations

Pirates are typically historical figures, although there are currently still pirates in some parts of the world.  I have often been fascinated by what the life a pirate must have been.  Then again, I often wonder about the lives of people in other time periods.  So often we hear about the lives of famous people or rulers, but the people I wonder about are the commoners. 

What have I learned?
This class opened my eyes to many subjects.  The presentations given by the students in the class ranged from the history and current state of school lunch to support for gay/lesbian students at the high school level.  My group presented information concerning single-sex classroom and how that affects student learning. There are public schools that are pursuing this model particularly for STEM subjects and having very good success. 

What do the products of this class say about me?

I feel that there are lots of lessons we can learn from history in any subject.  The products of this class reflect my commitment to learn from the experiences of other people and apply those lessons to my own life and teaching.  I often ask myself, "What am I supposed to learn from this experience?"

How will this aid my students?
This will help my students acknowledge the lessons learned by others.  I feel that expressing those lessons to my students can help them get in the habit of asking themselves questions about what can be learned in any situation.   

Artifact
This was my part of a powerpoint which accompanied a presentation about the pros and cons of single-sex classrooms and schools. 

MED 6020 "You seem a decent fellow. I hate to kill you." "You seem a decent fellow, I hate to die." ~Inigo and Westley

MED 6020 Diversity in Education

This quote illustrates how we make decisions about others before really getting to know them or trying to understand their background.  How often do we judge others based on external criteria such as skin color, style of clothing or hair, tattoos, the car they drive or what part of town they live in?  I have found it a good habit to see people as people before seeing them as a hairstyle or skin color.  The bottom line is that most people have the same life goal: to be happy and successful.  Let us all share in helping each other with that.

What have I learned?

This class reminded me that before I make judgements about people I need to consider a few things.  First, do I know the person?  Second, does my judgement really matter to me or them?  Third, will my judgement cause me to treat them differently in a negative way?  And fourth, will my judging them make me happy or cause me to be a better person?

What do the products of this class say about me?

I hope the products of this class are a reflection of my commitment to be fair, non-judgmental, patient, tolerant and to treat others how I want to be treated.

How will this aid my students?
My students will find that I treat them all fairly.  In attending my class, my student will feel how much I care about them and their learning.  That caring can sometimes be a motivator for students who otherwise might give up.

Artifact
A presentation given by me and another student on Ethnicity/Nationality and how it generally effects the learning environment at school and at home.  I've also linked the handout associated with the presentation.

MED 6030 "But you must have known I was not a great fool, you would have counted on it, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me." ~Vizzini

MED 6030 Advanced Educational Psychology

This quote shows Vizzini's mental prowess in confusing other people into believing that he is intelligent, or maybe he's just convincing himself.  Either way it is funny.  

What have I learned?

I learned more about the theories of some amazing psychologists.  I also learned that I didn't really know much about educational psychology before I took this class.  

What do the products of this class say about me?

The things I learned in this class reflect an interest in how people learn; not just children, but people of all ages.  I did an action research project with my mother who has dementia.  At the time she was capable of many things including staying by herself, making bread in the breadmaker, personal hygiene, and following instructions easily.  Now, 4 years later, her mental faculties have declined significantly.  I'm still fascinated by the progress she made during that project.  I love understanding how people learn most easily, and how I can facilitate their greatest growth.

How will this aid my students?

In preparing and presenting about Robert Gagne's theory of learning I gained some really good tools for helping my students learn effectively.  I plan to use this way of teaching.

Artifact
I am including two artifacts for this class.  The first is an action research project which I completed with my mother who has dementia.  The second is the Prezi I used for a presentation on Gagne's teaching/learning philosophy with Diane Halbasch.  We began the presentation with a song set to the tune of Jingle Bells.  Talk about getting the attention of the class, and embarrassing the hell out of the two of us.

MED 6050 "Inconceivable!" "You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means." ~Vizzini and Inigo

MED 6050 Curriculum Design, Evaluation, and Assessment

While Vizzini only actually says "Inconceivable!" five times in the movie, for me it is one of the most memorable quotes.  But I actually chose this quote because of Inigo's comment.  When we assess our students, it is important that our assessment gives us the information we seek.  If our methods of assessment are not testing what we think they are testing, our information may not be what we think it is.

What have I learned?

If I assess what was taught using methods that rely on something that was not taught, I might receive results that are not accurate.  Only when I am careful to assess what I want to know, using methods that have been taught, will I get accurate feedback about my students understanding of what I hoped to teach.  

What do the products of this class say about me?

It is my aim to exemplify my ability to create unit plans that will help my students learn.  The lesson plan I included as my artifact would be as fun for me to teach as I hope it would be for my students to participate in.

How will this aid my students?

I feel it is important that students understand the objectives of the lesson.  Why keep it a secret?  If students understand what they are trying to accomplish, they can find the information they need more readily, I believe.


Artifact
We created a unit lesson plan that showed all the elements that we had studied.

MED 6060 "No more rhymes. I mean it!" "Anybody want a peanut?" ~ Vizzini and Fezzik

MED 6060 Instructional Strategies

This quote is one of my favorites in the movie, in addition to be being a good strategy for learning.  Rhyming can help with many aspects of learning.  It can be used in every subject, and many situations.  My favorite use of rhyme is in poetry, which in turn can be used in dance class or as part of a performance.  So many strategies to help students learn are forgotten in an effort to go with the trendy new procedure.  Back to the basics, for me, is a productive way to regroup and simplify lessons and thoughts in order to teach more effectively.

What have I learned?
Objectives for each lesson which are focused and communicated facilitate organization and effective learning for each student.  Time management is also an important strategy to help get the most out of each class meeting.  Interactive practice is something I feel strongly about.  Students need to see the instructor modeling effective practice strategies in order to appreciate the value of practice.  

What do the products of this class say about me?
I hope the products of this class reflect my commitment to effective teaching practices.  After sitting in classrooms where the instructor paid no heed to best practices in instruction, I better understand the situation of students in my classroom.  They need creative ways of learning and practicing their new skills. They also need a teacher who is as engaged in the material as the students are expected to be.

How will this aid my students?
In being better able to empathize with my students, I will be that teacher who loves the subject they are teaching.  I will work to engage my students in a way that they will love the subject as well, which will make learning new concepts more exciting, enjoyable, and manageable.


Artifact
For my artifact I chose to include a final reflections paper.  It followed my thoughts throughout the semester on the things we were learning. I've also included a research paper about interactive practice that was completed with Diane Halbasch.

MED 6080 "Unless I am wrong, and I am never wrong, they're headed dead into the Fire Swamp." ~Prince Humperdink

MED 6080 Conducting Educational Research

This quote is how I felt as I took this class..."dead into the Fire Swamp."  I felt like this was the point of no return for some reason.  Almost as if when this class was completed it would be too late to turn back or drop the program - too much work to just let go by the wayside.  Also, this is when things got serious.  I needed to make a good decision about what my project was going to be so I could use my time most efficiently.  Unfortunately, the literature review I wrote in this class was not the one I used for my proposal. 

What have I learned?

When I was making a final decision about my project, I felt like what I really wanted to do for an intervention wasn't good enough, or didn't have enough merit already, despite the pages and pages of anecdotal evidence to the contrary including my personal experience.  I felt like other people thought anything with the word "dance" in it was too far into the arts to be credible.  I learned that I don't care what other people think about my profession.  I need to ignore the skepticism of the "learned elite" and follow my heart.  The seeds of that realization started germinating in this class.   

What do the products of this class say about me?

The literature review which I wrote in this class shows how suseptible I was to my perceptions of what other's thought.  Instead of being firm in my resolve to do what I truly wanted to accomplish, I let my imagined criticism rule my decisions and change my mind in an effort to please someone else.  I hope, when taken together, the products contained in the portfolio will accentuate my growth, as opposed to my weakness.

How will this aid my students?
The things I learned in this class will aid my students in that I now understand better that I need an open mind when teaching and learning.  I hope I can help my students understand the same thing.

Artifact
Yet another literature review...

MED 6085 "As you wish." ~Westley

MED 6085 Developing a Project Proposal

I took MED 6085 twice.  The first time around, my mother had emergency heart surgery.  That shook things up a little bit.  I learned a lot about nursing, but not so much about moving forward toward my degree.  The second time around, I bought a house and moved, started dating a wonderful man and broke up...could anything else go wrong?  I started to wonder if I should drop the program, but I was so close to finishing that I couldn't give up.

I chose the quote because it was actually used by my professor the second time around.  She used it in reference to the interaction we would have with our committee chair.  If the chair made a suggestion, our response was to be, "As you wish."

What have I learned?

I spent many hours debating whether or not to pursue my original project idea. I finally chose to go back to it and write yet another literature review--completely different than either of the previous ones I wrote for 6000 or 6080.  It often felt like a big fat mess.  The lesson for me was to follow my heart.  I also got a reminder about writing; tell people what you are going to tell them, tell them, then tell people what you just told them...in other words, introduction, body, summary. 

What do the products of this class say about me?
I am quite passionate about the intervention used in the proposal I wrote for this class.  In fact, I've been using it with my dance students for four years with unmeasured, undocumented, and often unexpected positive results.  Although my students were having fun, I also felt that they were becoming more healthy individuals as well.  Part of the reason I wanted to do this project was to document the positive results so that more people might take notice.  I want to be an advocate of these exercises.

How will this aid my students?
I hope my students will see and understand the importance of following your heart, and not allowing doubts and other peoples' opinions to influence you when you know the path you need to be on.

Artifact
I have linked a copy of the proposal I wrote during this class. This is the project that I still want to complete, but it will have to wait a while.  The project I am completing for my degree is related to the attached proposal, and could possibly provide some helpful additional preliminary data.

MED 6090 "We'll never survive." "Nonsense, you're only saying that because no one ever has." ~Buttercup & Westley

MED 6090 Master's Project

 Westley and Buttercup were fleeing Prince Humperdink and ventured into the Fire Swamp, but Buttercup was afraid.  Westley was so confident and calm about entering this dangerous and forbidden swamp that Buttercup innocently followed him.  At one point I thought "I just hope I survive to this point in the program."  Now it is almost finished, and I am almost through to the other side of the Master of Education Fire Swamp.  The quote points out that no one has previously survived.  I would like to guess that no one has gone through this program and survived as the person they were, not being changed in some way by what they have learned.

What have I learned?

Biggest lesson to come out of my project is that if I want something done, I have to do it myself.  Sometimes those who have committed to support me, aren't available either physically, emotionally, or willingly.  This actually boils down to taking responsibility; responsibility for my goals, actions, attitude, and success.  Another lesson concerns flexibility.  After deciding to pursue the project my heart wanted to do, I had to change to a related project at the last minute to accommodate the time allotted during one semester.  The original project would have had a very tight timeline in order to finish in one semester.  My committee was not available to meet in a timely fashion, so after a committee change, I also needed to change my project in order to complete it to be eligible to graduate in December 2013.  Graduating later was not a flexibility issue and also not an option.

What do the products of this class say about me?
I hope the products of this class speak to my persistence, interest in learning, and commitment to helping students become better people not just more well educated.

How will this aid my students?
One of the attitudes I value is taking responsibility for choices, taking responsibility for finishing and turning in assignments, taking responsibility for attending both physically and mentally, and taking responsibility for attitudes.  I enjoy holding students accountable because I am always amazed at how many of them step up to the plate and do their best.  It is sometimes surprising to watch the growth in their learning and maturity.  


Artifact
The artifact I've chosen for 6090 is my project proposal.  It is in the proposal stage because I have not yet finished the project.  I'll update the link as I finish each stage of the research.

MED 6091 "Let me esplain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up." ~Inigo Montoya

MED 6091 Graduate Synthesis Seminar

I chose this quote for some reasons which are obvious, and others that are not so obvious.  The most apparent reason is that this class is the culmination of a lot of work, and to include all the details of every class and every experience would take a lot more space and time than most people would ever want to sift through.  A less obvious reason concerns the context of the quote.  In the movie, Westley, Inigo, and Fezzik are sitting on the wall across the square from the castle planning how to save the princess.  MED 6091 provides the backdrop for future planning.  It signals the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new one.  Now is the time to be making and begin implementing a plan for the future that has been envisioned throughout the whole experience.

What have I learned?

In this class, I finally learned that if I relax and if I'm prepared, I don't need to worry so much about the little stuff.  I have a work ethic that demands perfection, but I wanted to enjoy my project and enjoy synthesizing these last four years.  That is part of the reason I chose a blog format for my portfolio.  It is a bit more relaxed and informal.  

I've also learned quite a bit about making things happen.  I think many people understand the words, "make things happen," but don't understand the power behind the words.  In completing my project I've really had to take matters into my own hands, and push brick walls aside in order to finish on time.  While extremely frustrating at times, specific things have been accomplished with a great sense of relief and fulfillment.

What do the products of this class say about me?

The main products of MED 6091 are the portfolio which you are currently looking at, and the project presentation.  I hope the portfolio represents my personality, and the things I strive to be to my students: instructor, mentor, example, accessible, understanding, tolerant, loving, kind, while at the same time expecting their best work and best effort.

How will it aid my students?

The things learned in 6091 will aid my students in understanding the importance of being prepared.  I may require them to put together portfolios of their own to showcase their work over a period of time so they can see their own progression in learning, building of confidence, and understanding of their new knowledge.

Artifact

I am including the presentation which accompanies my project.  This presentation summarizes the work and findings of the project titled "Prevalence of Sensory Processing Disorder in Adults."