Goal 5: Teachers facilitate student learning by using assessment to guide planning, instruction, and modification of teaching practice.

5a. Understand how to plan for instruction that is based on student needs and curriculum goals. (K)

* The Electricity Unit I designed for my middle school science classes I student-taught demonstrate the planning I put into my instruction. The lessons are aligned with Alaska state standards and include the objectives I had for the unit. I created a lesson on the density of fluids PowerPoint for a literacy development course. In this presentation, I outline the objectives and assessment used in the lesson.

5b. Plan, teach, and assess for optimal student learning. (P)

* Refer to my teacher work sample section where I explain how I planned my unit in order to assess student knowledge and learning at the optimal level. I explain how my planning this unit after observing my students led to the optimal student learning for each individual in my class. The results from this unit in my post assessment section and conclusion shows that I was able to teach to the optimal student learning because of the growth in student scores.

* Refer to my paper Adjusting Instruction where I demonstrate an ability to adjust instruction based on assessments of student performance.

* Refer to my letter of recommendation from my host teacher where Mr. Kovach states "Mr. Olsen has evolved into an educator with strong skills in curriculum development and curriculum implementation. His lessons focus on a constructivist, project-based approach to daily classroom activities."

5c. Value assessment and instruction as integrated processes. (D)

* Refer to my teacher work sample assessment section where I show that I was able to backwards plan my unit based on the list of things that I wanted my students to be able to do at the end of the unit. I show that the assessment of the unit was a base for my teaching the unit. This organization helped me facilitate success by having a vision of where I wanted to go. Having the pre-test and post-test mirror each other showed that I was successful in teaching my formative assessments to the standards desired.