CAMILA MENDEZ
Showcase
As a teacher, writer, and content developer, I had the opportunity to create and design different projects during my Masters of Arts in Education (MAED) at Michigan State University, which enriched my journey in many ways. In this section, you will find a showcase of my work during the program. I chose the following themes to display my work: Instruction & Design, Learning and Reflections. These categories represent my experiences, accomplishments, and opportunities to develop my skills and grow professionally and personally.
Instruction & Design
Incorporating technology in the classroom is key if we are looking for ways to innovate our teaching practice. In my CEP 811 course I created an Innovate Learning Experience for High school ESL students focusing on using a specific technology to improve their performance in the target language. In this project I learned how to incorporate assessments, standards, and learning goals to support students throughout the language acquisition process. In this artifact, I demonstrate my ability to think critically about innovative technologies and adopt new ideas in the classroom. I shared more information about my plan in my blog.
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One of my biggest concerns as a Spanish teacher is to help learners develop the four skills of language learning: writing, reading, speaking, and listening comprehension through fun activities. When taking my FLT 807 course, I had the opportunity to expand my knowledge, improve my lesson plan and demonstrate my ability to create new content by adjusting an assignment for my students in the Spanish immersion class based on developing reading comprehension skills through poetry appreciation.
I created a Middle School Intermediate Spanish module to explore online learning and integrate effective technology into the classroom. In this project, I demonstrated my ability to incorporate several strategies and tools to enhance digital learning environments. I utilized different media to support engagement and increase student interaction. Through this project, I was able to reflect on my choices regarding design (platform, visual aids, among others) and content (instructions, objectives, communication, etc.), and the uses of assessment to measure students' learning.
Learning
Learning from others, improving the curriculum, or producing more ideas to enrich the foreign language classroom is something I learned from another course in the program. I researched and reviewed the Spanish textbook Portales. From this experience, I demonstrated my ability to analyze the teaching and learning processes provided by the activities presented in the textbook and how to improve the experience for students when practicing the target language through communicative activities based on the three modes: interpretative, interpersonal, and presentational. After writing this review, I was able to reflect on how to produce effective textbooks and other educational materials.
Creating a flexible classroom environment that provides more opportunities for students to feel engaged with learning, promoting equity, and celebrating their uniqueness is crucial for educators. During one of the courses in the program I made a blog post and infographic to show specific ideas on how to have a more positive classroom experience. In this artifact, I demonstrate my ability to promote educational strategies for diverse learners, implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Intersectionality.
Providing the appropriate environment in the general education classroom will help students succeed in school. Through one of my courses in the program, I learned how to support students with ADHD, visual impairments, hearing impairments, emotional and behavioral disorders, intellectual disabilities, speech or language impairments, and other elements such as IEPs and Section 504 to ensure learners receive specialized instruction. I designed a Resource Binder to present the best strategies for students with disabilities.
Reflections
Developing the ability to solve problems is essential for our daily life. In my CEP 817 course, I gained the skills to identify, research, and focus on the solution when we faced challenges. Throughout different projects, I was able to visualize better outcomes and enhance my online teaching. At the end of this course, I described my experiences as a teacher and learner by writing short poems representing the simplicity and complexity of teaching and learning. In this artifact, I have used this form of artistic communication to express my reflections and experiences and develop my English writing skills.
The possibilities for educators to connect with students are endless. The impact of technology will give us more options to integrate new forms of communication. In my EAD 878 course, I demonstrated my ability to expand my critical thinking skills and embrace changes to improve the classroom experience. I wrote an essay about my personal experience with technology and how new forms of communication have transformed our lives. In this artifact, I demonstrate my ability to reflect on the affordances and constraints of using technology and how it has changed teaching and learning throughout the years.