Portfolio

What is the Adjunct Certification Program at Lone Star College?

Purpose: The purpose of the Adjunct Certification Program is to recognize and reward adjunct faculty who
make a commitment to the System and to provide an opportunity to enhance their teaching effectiveness.

Who can participate: Adjunct faculty who have taught at LSC for at least 2 semesters may apply. Participants
are chosen based upon recommendations from their department chair.

Course structure and objectives: The Adjunct Certification Program is structured around 5 components of
successful instruction. After successfully completing this program participants will be able to

 Plan for Learning
o Create a syllabus snapshot
o Create a lesson using the BOPPPS lesson planning moel
o Write SMART lesson objectives
o Identify the levels in Bloom’s cognitive taxonomy
o Employ effective strategies to encourage students to prepare for class

 Employ a Variety of Teaching Strategies
o Define teacher-centered, interactive, experiential, and independent learning techniques
o Locate online lesson repositories and resources
o Incorporate at least one new instructional strategy in a lesson plan
o Create questions that address various levels of Bloom's cognitive taxonomy

 Assess Effectively
o Develop an assessment strategy that aligns with the course outcomes
o Utilize various formative assessment tools that are quick, engaging, and informative
o Create effective subjective and objective tools and processes.
o Cite the principles of effective evaluation.
o Develop an assessment rubric

 Use Instructional Technology
o Explain how technology can enhance teaching and learning
o Employ at least one new instructional technology to encourage student engagement
o Locate instructional technology resources

 Foster a Positive Learning Environment
o Utilize effective strategies for dealing with various student challenges
o Employ motivational theory to structure classes that foster student motivation to learn

In order to successfully complete the program, participants must:
• Attend ALL 5 face-to-face meetings with the initial cohort and complete all on-line lessons. This occurs
over a nine week period with a time commitment of 26-30 hours.
• Actively participate in online discussion topics.
• Present a 10 minute overview of a completely new lesson
• Complete a reflective essay
• Compile and submit an electronic portfolio of all completed assignments
• Score a minimum of 80% on all required elements of the course

Syllabus Snapshot for Introduction to World Religions
By Professor Daniel Schramm

This course will emphasize active, real-world learning. I have visited 30 countries and
have seen mosques, temples, and synagogues around the world. Before this course is
over you will see some of these places here in the Houston area. You will share what you
learn with the class. Thus, this class will not just be sitting back taking notes. It will
involve you stretching out of your comfort zones and learning first-hand.

This document provides most of the information you will need to remember the
exams, assignments, and the dates. For more details, please see the full syllabus.

1. Mid-term exam: March 6, 2017.
2. Assignment #1, Due on March 22, 2017:

Each student will choose one world religion outside of their own, study their
beliefs, and visit a local service. You may visit a local Hindu or Buddhist Temple, a
Jewish Synagogue, a Muslim Mosque, or a church if you are not Christian. I want
you to experience stretching outside of your comfort zone. However, I want you to
be and feel safe. Thus, I want you to visit with at least one other classmate. This
will also allow you to discuss what you learned with someone.
Please call ahead and attend a worship service if possible. Afterward, speak to one of the
local leaders to see if you can set a time to ask questions and learn about them. If there
are other things going on at your site, you are welcome to observe if that is ok with the
local group. For example, I visited a Thai Buddhist Temple last year while several men
outside were sparring and taking boxing lessons. They told me that boxing is very
important in Thai culture. They were glad to have me watch. Thus, please ask if you can
observe if something is happening.

After you have visited your venue, please write a two-page paper about your visit.
Discuss where you visited, what you observed, who you interviewed, what you were told,
and what you learned. Be prepared to share your findings with the class.

3. Assignment #2: Due on April 19, 2017:
The extended paper on your field visit will be as follows:

After you have visited a service, interviewed a leader, then please ask the following
question: “How may I help you?” Ask if you can help with clerical work, website
development, decorating, or any appropriate way needed. There are several reasons for
this part of the assignment:

1. To spread peace and good will in our Houston Community.
2. To make friends and build bridges of understanding.
3. To have a total of 15 hours, so that this can be counted as community service.
4. To learn about the religion and the people on a deeper level and help them.
5. To encourage life-long, student focused, active learning.
If the leader at your venue can think of any way that you can help, please see your
instructor. I can direct you to other possible venues for community service and learning.

After researching your chosen religion with at least 3 sources outside of our
textbook, visiting a service, interviewing a leader, observing, and volunteering say
another ten hours to bring the total hours spent at your site to 15 hours, then write
a 1,500-word essay (about 5 pages) (2 of these 5 pages will be a polished version
of your 2 pages written about your field visit).
Begin your paper by discussing their religious beliefs and practices. Then,
discuss how you saw their religious beliefs and practices carried out where you
visited. Please give the name and address of the place you visited and the contact
person of the individual you interviewed. This is for accountability and I may invite
local leaders to visit our class.

The paper is grades on grammar, spelling, structure, originality, and ability to
apply learning inside and outside of class. If you want to get an A, please have it
edited and polished. A great resource for this is to visit our Writing Center here at
the Cypress Center. This is a free service to students. Take your essay in finished
form along with this description that you are now reading and ask someone to
look at your paper and help you make it even better.
4. Final Exam: May 8, 2017 at 7:30 pm.

Student Preparation Strategy

I utilize the following methods to help my students study at home and prepare for
classes:

1. I assign readings out of the textbook and write this down on the white board,
reminding them what to read for the following class.

2. I give students individualized readings. For example, at my class this evening I am
bringing books from home to ask specific students to read.

3. I assign students to do research on the authors of books I assign.
4. I ask students to write down questions and bring them to class.
5. I ask students to think about an issue and come prepared to share their point of

view.
6. If a questions remains unanswered during class I will ask students to bring

answers to the next class.
7. I sometimes ask students to get input from their parents, friends, or others on

topics we are studying.

In sum, my goal is for students to get their monies worth out of lessons by
coming prepared.

BOPPPS LESSON PLAN

COURSE: Introduction to World Religions
Lesson Title: Patriarchy in World Religions

Bridge: How will you gain learner interest and set the stage for the lesson? By asking them to dialogue for one minute with another class member to ask each
other which people group in our world has been most oppressed.

Estimated time: Five minutes
Course Student Learning Outcome: To heighten student awareness of patriarchy in 5 world religions.

Learning Objectives: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to
1. (Bloom level (Remembering) Give examples of how women have been oppressed in 5 world religions.
2. (Bloom level (Analyzing) Compare similarities of how women have been treated in 5 world religions.

Pre-Assessment: How will you assess learner prior knowledge of the topic? This could possibly tie to the student preparation strategy you developed. By
starting with their knowledge of the oppression of Jews, slaves, and others by the millions before speaking of women being oppressed by the billions.

Estimated time: 5 minutes
Participatory Learning:
HIGHLIGHT AND LABEL THE FOLLOWING:

 4 questions with Bloom’s level identified.
 1. Compare the oppression of women and the oppression of African Slaves (synthesis level)
 2. What is a term that deems men as primary and women as secondary? Argue for or against this theory. ( analysis level)
 3. Name one person that has championed women’s rights? ( knowledge level)
 4. What is the largest oppressed people group? ( knowledge level)

 New instructional technology you are trying Prezi presentation entitled “Patriarchy in World Religions
 At least one classroom assessment technique (CAT) Minute paper CAT: Give each student a 3x5 card and have them answer two questions: 1. What

was one thing you learned from this class that is relevant to your life. 2. What could be done to have a Museum for the Oppression of Women in
Houston?

Time Instructor Activities Learner Activities Lesson Materials

5 min Bridge Dialogue with another student
5 min Pre-Assessment Class discussion on oppressed groups—Jews, slaves,
women, and others
15 min Prezi “Patriarchy in World Religions” Listening and responding to Prezi Presentation

5 min
Post-assessment: How will you assess if objectives have been met? Give the students a quiz at the end of the class asking them to give one example of the
oppression of women in each of the five world religions.
Estimated time: Five minutes
Summary: How will you close the lesson? By asking if anyone has ever visited a Museum for the Oppression of Women? Then explain to them that up until
recently there were no museums for the oppression of women, which is another example of how women have been marginalized.

Estimated time: 5 minutes

ATTACH ANY LESSON MATERIALS (Prezi entitled “Patriarch in World Religions”)

Test Questions

Using Bloom’s Taxonomy

1. Essay question (Synthesis Level)
Compare and contrast the oppression of women and the oppression of African slaves.

2. Fill in the blank question (Analysis level)

What is a term that deems men as primary & women as secondary _____________? Argue for
or against this theory in one sentence:

3. Multiple choice question (knowledge level)
Pick one person mentioned in our class textbook that championed women’s rights.
A. Rosa Parks
B. Mary Daly
C. Harriot Tubman
D. Hillary Clinton

4. Multiple Choice question (knowledge level)

What is the largest group of people that has faced oppression in history?

A. Jews
B. Slaves
C. Women
D. Muslims

CATEGORY 43 21
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ACP Showcase Portfolio

Name: Daniel Schramm
Discipline: Philosophy

Date:
April 6, 2017

Table of Contents

• Student Preparation Strategy
• BOPPPS lesson-be sure to highlight the following:

• CAT
• Questions
• Technology

• Reflection

Describe student preparation strategy

• By starting with their knowledge of the oppression of Jews, slaves,
and others by the millions before speaking of women being
oppressed by the billions.

BOPPPS – BRIDGE

• By asking them to dialogue with another student sitting next to them
asking them which people group in our world has been most
oppressed.

BOPPPS – OBJECTIVES

• By the end of this lesson, students will be able to
Give examples of how women have been oppressed in 5 world
religions.
Compare similarities of how women have been treated in 5 world
religions.

BOPPPS- PRE-ASSESSMENT

• By starting with their knowledge of the oppression of Jews, slaves,
and others by the millions before speaking of women being
oppressed by the billions.

BOPPPS- PARTICIPATORY LESSON

Brief explanation of how women have been treated in World Religions.
Verify students understanding by asking them questions related to the
oppression of women.
• Compare the oppression of women with the oppression of African

Slaves (synthesis level)
• What is a term that deems men as primary and women as secondary?

(Argue for or against this theory (analysis level)
• Name one person that has championed women’s rights? (knowledge

level)
• What is the largest oppressed people group? (knowledge level)

BOPPPS- POST-ASSESSMENT

Give the students a quiz at the end of class asking them to list one
example of the oppression of women in each of the 5 world religions.

BOPPPS- SUMMARY

• Summarize by asking students reasons for having a museum for the
oppression of women in Houston.

Personal Reflection on My ACP Experience

• I learned that I am far more like my students than I realize. I work too
much, keep too busy, struggle with keeping up with school, and tend
to procrastinate! I need to simplify my life.

Reflective Essay

By Daniel Schramm

1. What value / knowledge have you gained from the Adjunct Certification Program?

The teacher and several of the students have reminded me of the love of teaching. It
has been a very long time since I have associated with so many teachers at the same time and
place. It has been inspirational for me to be around teachers that have dedicated their lives to
education. This experience has led me to see that I have been feeling some burn out. This
course has been a time of renewal and has helped me to reconnect with my love of teaching.

I have observed assertiveness. Our teacher Sunnye is caring and professional, yet she
knows to make her expectations known. She understands human nature and how to relate to
the human tendency to procrastinate. It helped to see another teacher in action telling us as
students what needed done. This observation has heightened my awareness that I mostly work
alone and I would benefit by associating with other teachers.

I appreciate the concept taught in class and in the Teaching Tips book that the focus in
teaching is to move away from the teacher “knowing lots of stuff”. It was funny hearing one of
the students being so frank and stating that he wanted his students to know he “knew lots of
stuff at our last class session. This fits in with Millennials not wanting to just listen to lectures. It
makes so much sense to minimize passive learning and to maximize active learning. This is
liberating and takes stress off of teachers knowing it all and places learning more on the
students. The main thing I want to remember here is to seek teaching methods that promote
students being independent, where they can become motivated, life-long learners.

I also appreciate learning about technologies that can facilitate teaching. I felt a bit
overwhelmed by the new technologies presented in our class. At the end of this reflection I will
share a plan to learn more about technology.

2. How have you incorporated the knowledge gained into your classroom?

First, I learned how to create a Prezi Presentation. I presented the Prezi I made
for our class assignment to my World Religions class last night at the LSC Cypress Center.
This will not just be a one-time event. Prezi is a tool that I will continue to incorporate
into my teaching.

I will also use “Kahoot.it” mostly to encourage students to do their reading
assignments. I have also incorporated what I learned about “CATS” and have assessed
student learning during class time. Last night I played Tic Tac Toe as a “CAT”.

Something else incorporated into my world religion class is how I am having the
students visit religious services by themselves. The Teaching Tips book says, “Finally,

remember that out-of-class learning is often more important than that in class.”i I
visited an International Muslim Conference with my students early in the semester. I
may continue to do this in the future, yet more emphasis will be upon the students
going out and learning for themselves. In addition they will share their learning with the
class. What the students share will be key classroom content and will be on exams. This
ties in with how the teacher knowing “lots of stuff” is not the best teaching method.

Learning that we could find Rubrics already put together online was helpful.
Because of this I created a Rubric for a Philosophy of Life Assignment that is due later
this month in my Online Philosophy class. I can already see that this will be a time saver
and will spare me from answering so many questions that are now already answered on
the posted Rubric. I soon will find a Rubric and modify it for the World Religions class I a
teaching this semester.

3. How has this program made you a more effective instructor?

The main take away that will impact my effectiveness as a teacher is learning about the
“BOPPPS” Lesson Plan”. This will guide me in my future courses and be in the shadows
of what I do as a teacher. I will look at my classes more like a speech and work toward
having an inviting introduction, plot, and teaching to resolve the situation, then
conclude to summarize and inspire action.

Another benefit of this class is knowing more of what is out there so I can
expand my range, using a wider variety of teaching methods. All of this requires work,
yet it feels good to feel I am doing my best as a teacher. The teacher certainly showed
work ethic and put considerable thought and action into this course.

4. What suggestions do you have for further professional development opportunities?

For professional development I will take advantage of some computer classes at the
local Katy library. By going there for this class homework I met someone that was able
to help me with my Prezi Presentation. I learned that she is hired at the library mostly to
teach computer classes and to help people with computer issues. A bonus to this is that
these classes and this computer help is all free!

For future professional development this class has also taught me that when I
take classes in the future I will need to say no to other things. Thus, in the future if I take
courses I will better plan ahead, clear my schedule, and look for ways to devote the
needed time for college work. One of the students told me that she is teaching one less
class this semester In order to have time to invest in this class. That is smart planning. I
need to do what I tell my students clear my schedule and budgeting the needed time for
college.

A final take away is the emphasis on active learning. “…active learning opens up
the opportunity for motivation. Doing something is generally more motivating and
interesting than just taking notes.”ii I will emphasize active learning in my classes and
seek out active learning for myself. Seeing active learning was the best part of this class
for me. The first night the teacher asked all of us what we know about more than
others. We shared our expertise. The evening where we met in the computer lab gave
us a chance to learn some tools for ourselves. The last evening we shared what we
learned as we presented our lesson plans. Active learning is key.

i McKeanchie, Wilbert J. Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers.
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2014, page 49.
ii Teaching Tips, page 192.