Shannon Moore
Professional Teaching Portfolio
The Importance of Communication:
I strongly believe that communication is key to success in the classroom. The communication between educators and administrators, educators and students, and educators and families plays a vital role in the academic success of students. In my classroom, I have an "Open Door" policy that states that anyone is welcome in the classroom at any time. This policy is especially helpful to the parents and administration in understanding my methods of teaching and is helpful in bridging the divide between home and school. In this section, I have selected artifacts of my teaching that demonstrate my strong belief in the importance of communication. Having received positive feedback from others while using these methods, I can ensure that I will continue to implement them throughout my career.
Educator and Family Communication
Communicating and involving families in the education of their students is one of the most important types of communication a teacher can do. Without the support and understanding of the family, a student is only able to be so successful. When involving families, it is important to remember that their time is valuable and they want what is best for their student. Click on the links below to see examples of educator and family communication I have used to help my students.
communicator
RESPECT
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S U P P O R T I V E
*open door
REFLECTIVE EDUCATOR
Created and sent home weekly with homework packets to inform parents of weekly happenings
Digital access to all families regarding classroom happenings. Electronic copies of classroom material available on site.
Parent graded Teacher Report Card sent home with student report cards. This provides me with information to ensure my practice is meeting the student needs.
"At Home Instruction" Videos
Teacher created and emailed videos supporting classroom instruction.
A great way to start the school year is to learn a lot about the students from the EXPERTS - the student's parent!
PA Teaching Certifications
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Elementary Education K-6
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Reading Specialist PK-12
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Special Education PK-12
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ESL Program Specialist PK-12
Educational History
University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown
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Elementary Education
University of South Florida, St. Pete
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M.A. Reading Education
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
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Special Education Certification
Allegheny Intermediate Unit
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ESL Specialist Certification
Educator and Student Communication
Communication with the students is crucial for their success. The students must know what is expected of them and how they can meet the expectations. First, I verbally communicate with all students in a positive manner. I believe that students need to be supported and encouraged, never discouraged while learning. When providing feedback, remarks must be constructive, goal oriented, and supportive of the student. Communication of student progress is a great way for students to monitor and track their own progress and take accountability in their learning!
Student-friendly classroom contract explaining to students the expectations of the room.
What child doesn't love getting mail? This is a great way to get the student excited about starting the new school year!
Communication of student progress is important to helping a student better understand their own learning and thinking. This is also a great way for students to create goals for themselves and to feel successful as they meet those goals.
Project rubrics are great tools to encourage students to do their best. By sharing a rubric prior to the assignment, students know what is expecected of them and can work to meet those expectations.
Educator to Educator Communication
During my ten years of experience, I have earned the respect of fellow educators through my apparent success in the classroom and with families. I have seen the importance of collaborating with other educators to share ideas and keep open lines of communication open to support the students. I am regularly asked by members of the administration to provide professional development to teachers to support their practices in the classroom. I have also created monthly newsletters to inform fellow educators aware of upcoming events. Below are samples of different types of communication I have used by educators and administration in the past.
A professional development I created at the request of the school's administration to support teachers in understanding how to appropriately use their assessment data.
A professional development I created at the request of the district's mentoring program. This PD was for first year teachers within the district to increase positive behavior in the classroom.
A monthly newsletter I created to increase communication amongst primary staff members. This helped to support positive staff interactions and to inform teachers of what was happening in the primary wing.
Part 1 of two professional development webinars I created at the request of the school's special education administration team to communicate the purpose and proper administration of a Functional Behavior Assessment.