Passionate in Primary 

Description of Artifact: For every formal lesson completed, the student teaching candidate ensured that Missouri student learning outcomes were touched upon and students were successful in completing those outcomes. Outside of formal lessons, I used curriculum books that emphasized Missouri State Standards, and objectives for first graders to complete the lesson successfully. The first one is a photo of the curriculum book used to plan math lessons. Standards and essential understandings are looked at in order to create lessons that are more efficient in succeeding these standards and goals. The second artifact that supports this is the formal lesson plans completed during the time of student teaching. Each lesson plan has a required section that states which standards are implemented into the lesson in order to support curriculum goals. 

Artifact Alignment with MEES: I delivered lessons and assessments that illustrate a high degree of understanding of the intended standards. Each lesson plan that was written had to hit at least one Missouri Learning Standard. These standards had to be touched on each time a formal lesson was written. Aside from these formal lessons, curriculum books for phonics, reading, writing, math, and science all listed standards that first graders should succeed at after completing said lesson or unit. 

Reflection of Philosophy: As an educator, you have to be most prepared because students are depending on you to bring forth knowledge that is correct and knowledge that they are meant to succeed in before continuing to the next grade. If your cup of knowledge isn't full, you cannot pour into the classroom students. 

First Year Goals/ Growth Point: As a first year teacher, being comfortable with the school district's curriculum prior to starting the first year shows the educator being prepared for the students in August. Planning and prepping ahead of time in order to connect learning objectives to real world references to aid in student comprehension is important in engaging students and helping them comprehend the curriculum at hand.