Rachel+Renfrow

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**Rachael Renfrow**
media type="custom" key="7488469"

Contact: rkrenfrow10@gmail.com My name is Rachael Renfrow and I am a third year at the University of Cincinnati. I transfered into Middle Childhood Education with a concentration in Language Arts and Social Studies at the end of my sophmore year so I'm a little behind. I'm from a small down in Dayton, OH called Bellbrook where I went to a small public high school. I have a large family, two older half-brothers, two younger sisters, and many pets. I have danced my whole life and was on a competitive dance team fifth grade through twelth grade and was asked to come back after I graduated to help coach. I am now going on my third year as the Junior Team Coach (4th grade through 9th grade) as well as work at Yagoot in Rookwood. After I graduate I plan on moving to North Carolina and hopefully finding a fourth or fifth grade teaching job to influence the lives of students as most of my teachers have influenced me.

I decided to change my major to Education after coaching the dance team for one year. I had known that Political Science wasn't the right major for me, I just had to figure out what was. I have always loved kids and have had babysitting jobs for many years so after coaching, I realized that teaching was meant for me and that Middle School was the right age group. I am pretty good with technology and know how to use most of the newer tools coming out, however if I don't know how to use something, I'm usually pretty quick on picking it up and learning how to use things.

=**//FINAL REFLECTION//**=

I was not sure how this class was going to be first coming into it because I thought that I already had a good understanding of how to use most technologies. However I never realized that this class would teach me how to use different technologies that I had never even heard of. I learned about tools like easytestmaker, rubistar, and lesson plan templates that will be effective tools once I get into my own classroom. I have learned that technology can and does play a large party in education now. None of my classrooms growing up used a lot of technology in their lesson plans except for normal power points and a few used projectors. However, now I learned how to use a lot of different types of technologies as well as how to incorporate them into my lesson plans in the future.

=**RUBRIC**= Url: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=1967850&


 * || Reading - Analyzing Information : 6th Grade Book Report ||   ||


 * CATEGORY || **4** || **3** || **2** || **1** ||
 * **Identifies Characters** || Identifies all characters and explains their characteristics, feelings, and importance in the story with extreme detail. || Identifies all characters and explains their characteristics and importance in the story briefly. || Identifies all characters || Identifies only main characters. ||
 * **Identifies important information** || Student lists all the main points of the story including small details. || The student lists all the main points, but uses the story for reference. || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,tahoma; font-size: 9pt;">The student lists all but one of the main points. S/he does not highlight any unimportant points. || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,tahoma; font-size: 9pt;">The student cannot name main details in the story. ||
 * <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,tahoma; font-size: 11pt;">**Identifies opinions** || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,tahoma; font-size: 9pt;">Student accurately locates at least 5 opinions of characters and gives a clear explanation of why these are opinions, rather than facts. || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,tahoma; font-size: 9pt;">Student accurately locates at least 4 opinions in the story and gives a reasonable explanation of why these are opinions, rather than facts. || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,tahoma; font-size: 9pt;">Student accurately locates at least 4 opinions in the story. Explanation is weak. || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,tahoma; font-size: 9pt;">Student has difficulty locating opinions in the story ||
 * <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,tahoma; font-size: 11pt;">**Summarization** || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,tahoma; font-size: 9pt;">Student describes and summarizes the story clearly and gives supporting facts. || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,tahoma; font-size: 9pt;">Student uses several sentences to accurately describe what the story is about. || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,tahoma; font-size: 9pt;">Student summarizes most of the story accurately, but has some slight misunderstanding. || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: arial,verdana,tahoma; font-size: 9pt;">Student has great difficulty summarizing the story. ||

= = =[|EASYTESTMAKER]=

=<span style="font-size: 1.066em; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">** ISTE Standards with Reflections: ** = Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. > <span style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">a. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness > <span style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">b. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources. > c. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes. > <span style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">d. model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.
 * 1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity**

//Reflection//:
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"> I believe that it is really important to have all of the students in the classroom engaging in learning. I think that too many teachers sit in front of the classroom and lecture, or just do power points, and expect the students to just write everything down and listen. Depending on the grade level, students are not always going to be paying attention to everything the teacher says, and often times, they won’t remember the lesson after they take a test on it. I am learning in this class, that using technology is a great way to get the students interested and engaged in the lesson they are being taught in an everyday classroom. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"> In this class so far, we as students have had to figure out how to learn about different technologies on our own and then present how to use them to the class. I feel that this process helps us learn how to do things on our own and helps us be eager to learn about this new technologies. Assignments such as the Excel gradebook also forced us to work on our own and with others in order to try to figure out how to replicate the original. By having assignments such as these it keeps us students interested in what we are learning about.

> Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S.Teachers: > <span style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">a. design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity. > <span style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">b. develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress. > <span style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">//c. customize and personalize learning activities to address students' diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources.// > <span style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">d. provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching. > > >
 * 2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments**

//Reflection://
// I want my students to use technology in a way that will benefit them, not just get an assignment done. I want my students to be able to use their creativity when using different technologies for different projects and to show me that they understand the material. Allowing students to see how far they have come by using technology is especially important in today’s society. More and more jobs are either online or deal heavily in technological aspects. The students in today’s education system will need to know how to use technology in all areas from Math to English to music. Although I was not in favor of an English class heavily focused on technology, I realize it could work now. Depending on the subject at hand, technology could help the students creatively and through their research. //

Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society.Teachers: > <span style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">a. demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations. > <span style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">b. collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation. > <span style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">c. communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats. > <span style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">d. model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning.
 * 3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning**

//Reflection://
// I have learned in this class that using something like a wiki space is a great way to communicate information with parents, students, and peers. I always thought that making some kind of blog or website that was safe for the students to use would be a great idea, but I wasn’t aware of how to do it. In our class, we use wikispace.com to communicate. Having the wiki is a great way for the teacher to put up information or assignments that the students need or might have missed. I also like that it is available online, so it can be accessed from any computer with internet. Another great thing about it is that anyone who is a part of the page can comment, or add to it. This is a great way for students to get involved in their class work, and help each other out. Also, the students can comment on the wiki space about things they might not feel comfortable talking about in class. It also is a great way of keeping track of what students are involved and doing their work for the class. The parents can also get online and see what their children are working on. Another tool that can be used in a class to communicate relevant information is something like blackboard. The students can get their assignments, post things to a digital drop box, and check their grades. I know that we had something similar to this when I was in grade school, and it really helped to see where we were in the class with our grades and assignments, and I know my parents appreciated it too. Both of these tools are also great because they can be used to see work that was missed if a student is absent, and they can get the assignment that way when they are at home. It also allows the students to be more independent, and learn to be responsible on their own. //

Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices.Teachers: > <span style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">a. advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources. > <span style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">b. address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources. > <span style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">c. promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information. > <span style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">d. develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools.
 * 4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility**

//Reflection://
// This standard has always been taught to me from the moment I walked into a classroom. It was always very important for my teachers to tell us the rules about plagiarism and citing things. My teachers have always stressed how important it is to cite my work, and how much trouble I could get into if I didn’t. They always knew how to put it into perspective for the grade level too. When I was in high school, we learned how important MLA format was for a paper, and learned how to cite everything specifically for that. We learned how to cite all kinds of websites, and learned which ones were reliable, and how to tell if they were not. In this class, we have been given a paper with copyright information about mediums that are important for teachers, and what they can do with it in their classroom. It is important for a teacher to know about citing and copyright information because they are going to be teaching the students things that will need to use citing all of the time. There are also tools that can be found on the internet to help students cite correctly, depending on the format, such as MLA or APA. //

Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.Teachers: > <span style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">a.participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning. > <span style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">b. exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others. > <span style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">c. evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning. > <span style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">d. contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community.
 * 5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership**

//Reflection://
// As I read this teaching standard, I cannot help but reflect on my own teacher of this course, Patti Pentecost. Let me take this standard step by step. Professor Pentecost is continuously improving her professional practice and modeling lifelong learning because she has returned to the teaching profession. After several years of pursuing a different lifestyle, she has decided to work hard to become a teacher once again. Professor Pentecost is constantly finding new digital tools and resources to teach. Then, as I go out into the working world, I will be able to use these tools I have learned. She not only lists the tools or websites, but she introduces many ways in which we can use these tools - both as students and as teachers - to support our learning. //