K-12 Teaching as a Profession Capstone
Printable Version (pdf)

 

Course Introduction

 

Core Standards of the Course

STRAND 1
Students will compare the roles and job responsibilities of a paraprofessional and paraeducator and explore the job role of a paraprofessional and the employability skills needed for gaining and maintaining employment in education.

Standard 1
Compare paraprofessional and paraeducator roles and job responsibilities.

1. Paraprofessional is an individual who performs a non-instructional or instructional supporting role in various educational settings.
   
   • Non-instructional support may include:
   • Parental or guardian involvement activities
   • Playground supervision
   • Lunchroom supervision
2. Paraeducator is a paraprofessional who provides instructional support under the direct supervision of a licensed educator or other licensed/certified professional.
   

Standard 2
Explain and demonstrate the competencies and responsibilities of a paraeducator in the local school environment.

1. Explore the Utah Standards of Instructional Paraeducators on the Utah State Board of Education website.
   
2. Demonstrate the four instructional priorities for a paraeducator.
   
   • Support instructional opportunities
   • Utilize knowledge of proficiency in assigned instructional areas
   • Utilize knowledge of strategies, techniques, and delivery methods of instruction
   • Demonstrate professional and ethical practices
   • Utilize knowledge of and adhere to the distinctions in the roles and responsibilities of teachers/ providers, paraeducators, administrators, families, and other team members.
   • Support a positive learning environment
   • Support the supervisor's behavior management plan
   • Utilize knowledge of student characteristics and factors that influence behavior
   • Communicate effectively and participate in the team process.
   • Participate as an effective member of an instructional team utilizing problem solving process

Standard 3
Identify and apply the employability skills for a paraeducator.

1. Accountability is the responsibility of employees to complete the tasks assigned to achieve the goals of the organization.
   
2. Collaboration is contributing ideas, perspectives, and experiences to accomplish a common goal.
   
3. Communication is the exchange of information, both verbal and nonverbal, between individuals or groups within an organization
   
   • Verbal communication is spoken or written words (e.g., email, face-to-face, thank you note)
   • Nonverbal communication is visual body language and personal appearance used to convey a message (e.g., facial expressions, clothing, posture)
4. Critical thinker is evaluating and analyzing information in order to make intelligent decisions and find effective solutions.
   
5. Dependability is producing consistent work and following workplace policies.
   
6. Flexibility is handling unexpected changes and the ability to modify approaches when needed.
   

Performance Skills
Students will participate in two (2) work-based learning experiences, at different grade levels, by conducting an in-person interview and job shadow with a current paraeducator. Students will:

1. Email the paraeducator to set up an appointment for an interview and job shadow.
   
2. Create a minimum of five (5) interview questions aligned to the job role and responsibility of the paraeducator prior to the scheduled in-person interview and/or job shadow.
   
3. Demonstrate professional employability skills during in-person interview and job shadow.
   
4. Follow-up with a handwritten thank you note to the paraeducator.
   
5. Create an artifact evaluating the positive and negative insights gained during the job shadow.
   

STRAND 2
Students will use a variety of instructional methods to effectively transfer knowledge and information to learners.

Standard 1
Identify instructional methods used by paraeducators to assist in the transfer of knowledge.

1. Direct instruction
   
   • Provides teacher-directed instruction
   • Focuses on mastery teaching and immediate error correction
   • Maintains a highly structured environment
   • Determines learning goals for students
2. Explicit instruction
   
   • Focuses on how students learn
   • Provides prompts and models
   • Highlights concepts through multiple methods (e.g., manipulatives, models, graphic organizers)
   • Implements interactive supports (e.g., pairing with partners, small groups, cooperative learning structures)
   • Designs language experiences to build learner's background knowledge and vocabulary
   • Requires learner to engage in goal setting and self-evaluation
3. Center-based instruction
   
   • Differentiates instruction to meet learner's individual needs
   • Offers a range of activities and learning opportunities
   • Targets learner readiness levels, interests, or learning profiles
   • Provides flexibility groupings (small group, partners, and independent work)
4. Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
   
   • Designs learning experiences that meet the needs of all learners
   • Offers concrete suggestions that can be applied during instruction to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities
   • Provides multiple ways that students can be engaged or motivated to learn
   • Gives multiple ways students can perceive and comprehend information that is presented to them
   • Offers options for students to show what they know through action and expression
5. Cooperative Learning
   
   • Ensures positive interdependence within groups by encouraging individual student participation.
   • Gives students group roles and responsibilities.
   • Promotes positive learning interactions.
   • Supports individual and group accountability.
   • Reinforces effective communication and interpersonal skills.
   • Facilitates group processing and conversation.

Standard 2
Apply the Utah Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (UMTSS) and identify and implement various instructional methods to common educational scenarios.

1. Utah Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (UMTSS) is a framework for implementing systemic, evidence- based practices to ensure student academic and behavioral success in preparation for and leading to college and career readiness.
   
2. Identify the three tiers of Utah Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (UMTSS)
   
   • Tier 1 is represented by the bottom of the pyramid as all students receive rigorous grade-level content instruction using evidence-based curriculum and instructional strategies at this tier.
   • Tier 2 is the middle of the pyramid representing this tier as it provides targeted interventions for some students. These students receive supplemental instruction and support systematically delivered in addition to and aligned with the grade-level content. These supports address the needs of students who have not responded sufficiently to Tier 1 instruction.
   • Tier 3 is the top of the pyramid representing the intensive individual intervention of Tier 3. In this tier, a few students receive individually responsive instruction and support delivered in addition to and aligned with grade-level content. These supports address the specific needs of students who are most at risk or have not responded to Tier 2 interventions.
   • Pre-teaching provides instruction of a skill before the students must perform the skill independently.
3. Identify and discuss what Utah Multi-Tiered System of Support (UMTSS) and instructional strategies a paraeducator would use in these instructional scenarios.
   
   • Differentiation tailored instruction to meet individual needs.
   • Small Group Learning focused on learning in small groups with students working toward shared learning objectives.
   • Reteaching and Tier II Interventions
   • 1:1 SPED Peer Aide
   • Generalization teaches students to take skills learned in one setting and apply them in another.
4. Identify and discuss what Utah Multi-tiered System of Support (UMTSS) and instructional strategies a paraeducator would use in these non-instructional scenarios to assist with proper behaviors, transitions, and expectations in a school setting.
   
   • Libraries
   • Computer Labs
   • Learning Centers
   • Playgrounds
   • Community Centers and Sites (YMCA, Boys and Girls Club)
   • Assorted Modes of Transportation

Standard 3
Practice and demonstrate strategies to actively engage classroom learners.

1. Expectations are when the educator ensures that students know what to do and when and how to do it.
   
2. Attention Prompts is when a teacher uses verbal or visual prompts to focus students' attention for instruction to follow.
   
3. Proximity is when an educator moves purposefully around the classroom for maximum effect.
   
4. Cueing is when an educator uses positive, clear, and effective verbal cues to clarify, maintain, or redirect activity.
   
5. Signals is when an educator uses nonverbal signals to direct performance, students' responses, and other activities.
   
6. Time Limits is when an educator identifies and communicates specific times for beginning and completing tasks.
   
7. Tasking is when an educator focuses and sharpens students' engagement through questioning strategies, purposeful and thought-provoking activities, and other tactics to direct their learning.
   
8. Voice is when an educator uses voice to maximum effect: pitch in the lower registers, tone geared for situations, diction appropriate to students' age levels, and voice modulation, or cadence, to maintain interest.
   

STRAND 3
(Reading) Students will understand, interpret, and analyze a range of text including reading passages, graphs, charts, and tables from a variety of subject areas and real-life situations using foundations and tools of reading.

Standard 1
Understand, interpret, and analyze a range of text including reading passages, graphs, charts and tables from a variety of subject areas and real-life situations.

1. Identify the main idea or primary purpose.
   
2. Identify support ideas.
   
3. Identify how a reading selection is organized.
   
4. Determine the meaning of words or phrases in context.
   
5. Draw inferences or implications from directly stated content.
   
6. Determine whether information is presented as fact or opinion.
   
7. Interpret information from tables, diagrams, charts, and graphs.
   

Standard 2
Identify foundations of reading and apply to classroom scenarios based on reading-related tasks.

1. Foundations of reading is the knowledge and skills students need when they are learning the basic features of words and written text.
   
   • Sounding out words.
   • Breaking down words into parts.
   • Decoding words or phrases using context clues.
   • Distinguishing between synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms

Standard 3
Apply tools of the reading process to classroom scenarios based on reading-related tasks.

1. Tools of the reading process are common strategies used in the classroom before, during, and after reading to aid students' reading skills.
   
   • Help students use pre-reading strategies, such as skimming or making predictions.
   • Ask questions about a reading selection to help students understand the selection.
   • Make accurate observations about students' ability to understand and interpret text.
   • Help students use a dictionary.
   • Interpret written directions.

Standard 4
Identify the key components needed in an intervention plan for reading.

1. Intervention plan is a blueprint for helping a student build a specific skill or reach a goal.
   
2. Components of an intervention plan
   
   • Learning Intention
   • Success Criteria
   • Interventions Needed
   • Implementation Strategy
   • Support and Resources

Performance Skills
Students will create a intervention plan to assist learner understanding, interpretation and analysis of a variety of texts, applying the foundations and tools of reading, including the following:

1. Create an intervention plan that addresses learners from each tier using the Utah Multi-Tiered System of Supports (UMTSS).
   
2. Identify what instructional strategies could be used to improve student learning outcomes.
   
3. Identify engagement strategies appropriate for each scenario.
   

STRAND 4
(Mathematics) Students will demonstrate mathematical concepts and ability to apply to abstract and real- life situations and apply the three categories of math skills in a classroom setting.

Standard 1
Comprehend the three categories of math skills.

1. Number sense and basic algebra
   
   • Perform basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers, fractions, and decimals.
   • Recognize multiplication as repeated addition and division as repeated subtraction.
   • Recognize and interpret mathematical symbols such as +, <, >, ?, ?
   • Understand the definitions of basic terms such as sum, difference, product, quotient, numerator
   • and denominator.
   • Recognize the position of numbers in relation to each other (e.g., ? is between ¼ and ½)
   • Recognize equivalent forms of a number (e.g., 22 = 4)
   • Demonstrate knowledge of place value for whole numbers
   • Compute percentages.
   • Demonstrate knowledge of basic concepts of exponents (e.g. 22 = 4, 24 = 2x2x2x2 = 16)
   • Demonstrate knowledge of "order of operations" (parenthesis, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction)
   • Use mental math to solve problems by estimation.
   • Solve word problems.
   • Solve one-step, single-variable linear equations (e.g., find x if x + 4 = 2)
   • Identify what comes next in a sequence of numbers.
2. Geometry and Measurement
   
   • Represent time and money in more than one way such as 10:15 = quarter after 10, $0.50 = 50 cents = half dollar
   • Convert between units or measures in the same system (e.g., inches to feet; centimeters to meters)
   • Identify basic geometrical shapes (e.g., isosceles triangle, right triangle, polygon)
   • Perform computations related to area, volume and perimeter for basic shapes.
   • Graph data on an xy-coordinate plane.
3. Data Analysis
   
   • Interpret information from tables, charts, and graphs.
   • Given a table, chart, or graph with time-related data, interpret trends over time.
   • Create basic tables, charts, and graphs.
   • Compute the mean, median, and mode.

Standard 2
Apply the three categories of math skills in a classroom setting to support instruction.

Standard 3
Identify the key components needed in an intervention plan for mathematics.

1. Intervention plan is a blueprint for helping a student build a specific skill or reach a goal.
   
2. Components of an intervention plan
   
   • Learning Intention
   • Success Criteria
   • Interventions Needed
   • Implementation Strategy
   • Support and Resources

Performance Skills
Students will create an intervention plan to assist learner comprehension of number sense and basic algebra, geometry and measurement, or data analysis including the following:

1. Create an intervention plan that addresses learners from each tier using the Utah Multi-Tiered System of Supports (UMTSS).
   
2. Identify what instructional strategies could be used to improve student learning outcomes.
   
3. Identify engagement strategies appropriate for each scenario.
   

STRAND 5
(Writing) Students will plan, compose, revise, or edit documents written for a variety of activities in the writing process.

Standard 1
Students will demonstrate foundational writing skills and knowledge.

1. Basic grammatical errors in standard written English
   
2. Errors in word usage (e.g., their/they're/there, then/than)
   
3. Errors in punctuation
   
4. Parts of a sentence (e.g., subject and verb/predicate)
   
5. Parts of speech (e.g., nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions)
   
6. Errors in spelling
   

Standard 2
Students will implement the writing process in a variety of writing applications.

1. Writing process
   
   • Use the prewriting to generate and organize ideas (including freewriting and using outlines)
   • Identify and use appropriate reference materials.
   • Draft and revise (including composing or refining a thesis statement, writing focused and organized paragraphs, and writing a conclusion).
   • Edit written documents for clarity, grammar, sentence integrity (run-ons and sentence fragments), word usage, punctuation, spelling.
2. Writing applications
   
   • Writing for different purposes and audiences (including using appropriate language and taking a position for or against something).
   • Recognize and write in different modes and forms (e.g., descriptive essays, persuasive essays, narratives, letters).

Performance Skills
Students will create an intervention plan to assist learner comprehension of the writing process and applications.

1. Create an intervention plan that addresses learners from each tier using the Utah Multi-Tiered System of Supports (UMTSS).
   
2. Identify what instructional strategies could be used to improve student learning outcomes.
   
3. Identify engagement strategies appropriate for each scenario.
   

---

http://www.uen.org - in partnership with Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and Utah System of Higher Education (USHE).  Send questions or comments to USBE Specialists - Lola  Shipp or Ashley  Higgs and see the CTE/Education website. For general questions about Utah's Core Standards contact the Director - THALEA  LONGHURST.

These materials have been produced by and for the teachers of the State of Utah. Copies of these materials may be freely reproduced for teacher and classroom use. When distributing these materials, credit should be given to Utah State Board of Education. These materials may not be published, in whole or part, or in any other format, without the written permission of the Utah State Board of Education, 250 East 500 South, PO Box 144200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4200.