Ted Gross

5/2/14
Initial Educator Statement
Two standards I feel I have strength in as an educator would be assessment and
planning for instruction. Partly this is because the two are so well paired; if one plans
effectively, then productive and useful assessment must be well built in, with clear,
accessible standards. This is something I have grown much in, and have become quite
capable at. On the other hand, two areas where I feel I need the greatest improvement
would content knowledge, and leadership and collaboration. The reason my weakness in
content area is not that I am woefully under-informed, in fact considering my educational
background I feel I have a fairly strong content knowledge. However, because of the
sheer immensity of the content within both American and world history it would be
impossible for me to ignore this as an area of improvement. The past semester especially
has showed me that there are huge holes within my content knowledge regarding world
history. The other standard where I need improvement is in leadership and collaboration.
I feel I have not been able to grow yet, with limited experience I am not in a position of
leadership, and as far as collaboration, I have had some successes, but problems as well.
Regarding planning for instruction, I have made a point to use backwards
design within every unit. This means laying out the main objectives for what I want my
students to know, understand and be skilled at by the end of the unit. This template can
then be used as a framework to provide focus to individual lessons, guide what content I
will cover, and how I approach it. I did not begin this semester of student teaching adept
at this, and it is a skill that I have had to hone over time. One example of where I have
become quite successful at this is my South Africa unit. Although short, it was a strong

unit with focus. The central purpose was to have the students engage further with
colonization, decolonization and the fight for human rights. One of the major concepts
the students needed to understand for this unit was the apartheid system, and the pass
laws that controlled the lives of black South Africans. To accomplish this students spent
two days engaging with these specific topics, first, reading summaries of three of the
most significant pass laws, which one-by-one would force black South Africans to
become citizens of reservations, rather than of South Africa, forcing them to live
separately, and carry passports at all times. The students had to discuss and write a
reflection on how these laws might affect the lives of South African. From there the
students watch video interviews with some survivors of the apartheid system, taking note
and discussing on how the system affected their lives. The final formative assessment
was to write a reflection analyzing what life was like under apartheid, and how it either
differed or was similar to their predictions.
To address this standard the summative assessment a written response regarding
this was included on the test. Students were asked to respond to the following prompt:
What was Apartheid and how did it affect the lives black South Africans? Be
sure to answer all of the following questions: What were the pass laws? How was
apartheid used to control black South Africans? How did apartheid affect daily life?

Students were allowed to review their notes for the written section, in order to provide a
detailed and complete answer. This is the method I take to all testing. I look primarily
for open response questions like the above, but students must have had substantial
practice working with a similar question in the past, enough to give the kind of detailed
response I am looking for. Having a previous formative assessment is also essential.
Within other assessment types, like research projects, artistic expression, the same rules

must apply. With each skill students must be given a specifically similar formative
assessment, review and the correct tools to do it effectively.
One of the skills I still need improvement on is content knowledge.

As I

mentioned before this is not especially because I am Ill informed, but because it is hardly
possible for anyone to be able to teach all of world history with equal ease in all subjects,
there are areas where I have found I am lacking. Perhaps the most substantial area I have
found a need for greater knowledge is in regard to Indian history. It is a broad topic to be
sure, spanning back as far as Harappa up to today. But, in teaching it I struggled to find a
narrative, one that the students could really sink their teeth into and run with.

continually struggled with selecting which events to cover, and which to leave out. One
step I have already taken to correct this is to read further on recent histories of India, to
better build of the narratives of others. Other possible options would include further
more collaboration with colleagues, and coursework on India and either through a formal
education or online classes.
Regarding leadership and collaboration, I feel these issues are largely due to my
inexperience. Being my first year as a teacher it has been awkward when I am put into a
leadership role. I am never quite sure where to compromise, and where to stand up for
my curriculum, or even where to ask for help. When working with my cooperating
teachers special education teacher, I have been approached with issues I need to address
in my class. The issues are typically places where some students are struggling, or where
the teacher herself might be confused with my lesson plan. In these cases I am often in a
leadership position, however the special education teacher has far greater experience and
thus a larger basket of tools to teach with. In response it has been easy to let the special

education teacher take some lead, and show me what they would do. Alternatively, it has
happened where I take too much burden on myself to try and correct the problem, when I
may have been better off delegating some of the work to the special education teacher.
Partly this is also because, given my inexperience, I often dont know when I should be
asking for help, leading other teachers to dominate the discussion. However, I feel I have
shown some growth this year in this area. In my latest unit on Japan I have been more
careful to talk with my cooperating teacher and special education teacher to discuss
issues within the classroom, and potential ways to remedy them. By taking action first, it
gives me some edge in the discussion, where I can act as a leader, or at least gain more
equal footing in planning.
As any entering educator, there are places where I have confidence, and places
where I understand I need growth. I understand as well, that I have a need for growth in
all areas, even those where I feel confident. Education is not a static field, and with every
second what we consider history grows larger, as such it is my duty as a teacher to grow
and continue my development. This is for the benefit of both my students, and myself.
My intention is to focus on those places where I am weakest, but to always continue my
own education, and to grow my abilities in all categories.