Welcome to my TSU page! Here are some of my professional development assignments that I completed while being at Tarleton State University. Feel free to explore and ask questions if there are any wonderings. I hope my work will give you an insight on my educational experiences and help you learn a little more about me.
My Literacy Life Map - I created this video in my Introduction to Children's Literature class. I was expected to choose my top ten most influential books and explain the significance of each one. I hope you all end up reading some of these books or have already read them with your children!
Bloom's Taxonomy Project - In this project, I created activities and incorporated questions based on Bloom's Taxonomy on the book Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson. (I recommend parents and students to read this book if not read already! It showcases the importance of kindness and how it can impact students in the classroom).
My Vision Statement - In this paper, I talk about my teaching philosophy. Of course, it will continue to evolve and improve as I gain more experience and knowledge throughout my career.
My Cultural and Literacy Autobiography- In this paper, I describe my cultural and literacy experiences and how those experiences have shaped me into the person I am today.
Book Presentation - This is a book that I worked with a classmate to present in our Children's Literature Class. It provides a summary, the themes of the book, and a class activity to incorporate in the classroom.
IN OUR MOTHERS’ HOUSE BY: PATRICIA POLACCO “She is full of fear, sweetie. She’s afraid of what she cannot understand: she doesn’t understand us….there seems to be no love in her heart, either.”
Age Level: K-5th Summary: This book is about an interracial family headed by same sex parents (Marmee and Meema) who adopt three young children. The oldest is an African American girl who narrates the story, the second child is Asian (Will), and the third girl is Caucasian (Millie). The story showcases the love the family has for each other, but it also highlights the discrimination “non-traditional” families’ face. Mrs. Lockner, one of the neighbors, does not accept what she sees and decides to confront the mothers. The family then realizes the support they have from the community. Regardless of not being understood by Mrs. Lockner, the children continue to create wonderful, loving memories in their mother’s house. Theme(s): Community acceptance, compassion and understanding, diversity and discrimination Classroom Idea: (2nd-5th grade) Have a discussion with your students including the following questions: What is a family? What makes families different? How does the fact that all of us come from different families make our class a more interesting place? How and why can it be challenging when you feel like your family is different from your friends’ families? Following the class discussion, give each student a post it note and have them write one thing that you feel makes your own family special or different. As a class, talk about what makes different families similar and different, and how it might feel when your family seems different from others. When students are finished, give them a piece of construction paper and have them draw an “abstract portrait” of their family. Choose a symbol or design that you feel represents what makes your family different or special. Write a sentence explaining your symbol. Hang the portraits to make a family gallery wall in your classroom or hallway. Close this lesson by having another discussion with the same questions asked in the beginning. Supplementary Text(s): In Our Mothers’ House By: Patricia Polacco https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RMVIO4nmPc