Accomplished Teaching: Initial Reflection

I want to become a better teacher, but focusing on one particular area of growth has always been challenging for me. I collaborate well, but I often struggle at unit planning. I use technological tools in my classroom, but I don’t interact with my students through those tools. I involve myself in school activities, from announcing football games to serving as a PLC leader, but I don’t communicate with parents often enough. Somewhere in those strengths and weaknesses are opportunities for me to grow in my profession.

In California I worked with a program called BTSA - Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment. The system works like ProTeach, as the means for new teachers to clear their credential. Much of my work was as a mentor teacher; I worked with new teachers, observing them teach and facilitating their own reflection about their teaching practices. It was the best professional development I’d had, the ability to see other teachers teach and to talk to them about the craft, all while getting paid. When I left California and got a job in Washington, I intended to continue that work, if only as an informal process. Little discussions with colleagues, PLC meetings, talks at the lunch table all contribute to my collaborative reflection. Individually, I can do more, however. Like all teachers, I look back at the day’s lesson and wonder what went wrong, but the process has generally been informal and sporadic.

One way to do this would be to take advantage the Marzano TPEP framework my district uses for its evaluations. Coming from California I didn’t pay much attention to the evaluation system. I’ve always seen it as a hoop to jump through, and I’ve been able to get proficient ratings without putting too much effort into the process. Having looked in more detail at the framework I can see the advantage of using the rubrics to evaluate my own teaching. Within my grasp is the ability to move from proficient to distinguished in several areas, and a regular system of reviewing the framework will help me achieve that growth.

I’ve always considered myself a dynamic teacher, an effective classroom manager, and a strong presenter of information. I have a great relationship with my students, one built on mutual respect and treating each other as adults with a purpose. I feel I can motivate them to work hard, but I’d like to be more efficient about doing that. My planning skills suffer because I often fail to look at the big picture of what I’m teaching. This year as I’m developing new units for my AP English Language course I’m learning more about establishing objectives and assessments before moving backward to the nitty gritty of each day’s lesson. This is my challenge - seeing the big picture - and that’s the area I would like to grow in the most.

ISTE Standards for Teachers

ISTE Standards for Teachers

1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.
a. Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.
b. Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources.
c. Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning and creative processes.
d. Model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.
2. Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
Teachers design, develop and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes identified in the ISTE Standards•S.
a. Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.
b. Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning and assessing their own progress.
c. Customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies and abilities using digital tools and resources.
d. Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching.
3. Model Digital Age Work and Learning
Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society.
a. Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations.
b. Collaborate with students, peers, parents and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.
c. Communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents and peers using a variety of digital age media and formats.
d. Model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate and use information resources to support research and learning.
4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices.
a. Advocate, model, and teach safe, legal and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property and the appropriate documentation of sources.
b. Address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies and providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources.
c. Promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information.
d. Develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital age communication and collaboration tools.
5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning and exhibit leadership in their school and professional communities by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.
a. Participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning.
b. Exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others.
c. Evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.
d. Contribute to the effectiveness, vitality and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community.

ISTE Standards•T © 2008 International Society for Technology in Education.
ISTE® is a registered trademark of the International Society for Technology in Education.If you would like to reproduce this material, please contact permissions@iste.org.

Master of education in teacher leadership program standards

Seattle Pacific University | Master of Education in Teacher Leadership Program Standards

Competencies: The Seattle Pacific University Master of Education in Teacher Leadership will center on the following program competencies aligned with the Washington State teaching criteria but also serve as a foundation for teacher leadership:

1. Continuous improvement of teaching and learning, promoting student growth

2. Commitment to high levels of achievement for all students

3. Development of safe and responsive community schools

4. Commitment to the moral, ethical, and professional practices that characterize leadership in education

	Standard	Course	Product/artifact/portfolio exhibit
		Foundations and Research
	Teacher Leaders…
1	model ethical and moral behavior.	EDU 6085    Moral Issues in Education (3)	A document that articulates the moral piece of a vision as an educational leader that can guide the student as they proceed in their professional career.
2	analyze learning to promote student growth.	EDU 6979   Action Research in School Settings (3) EDU 6528 Accomplished Teaching	Review of educational material for specified group of students.  Analysis of classroom practices/environment for student engagement.
3	improve teaching and learning through the use of educationalresearch at the classroom and school levels.	EDU 6979    Action Research in School Settings (3)	Initial action research project – classroom level
		EDU 6980   Applying Research in School Settings (3)	Article critiques and data analyses connected to both primary and secondary sources
		Teacher Leadership Focus
4	engage in analysis of teaching and collaborative practices.	EDU 6528     Accomplished Teaching (3)	Analysis of teaching and collaborative practices that support improved instruction. Video segments of classroom and coaching strategies.
5	establish a culturally inclusive learning climate that facilitates academic engagement and success for all students.	EDU 6525     Culturally Responsive Teaching (3)	Plans for improving the cultural sensitivity of an educational setting.
6	communicate and collaborates with a variety of stakeholders	EDU 6600     Communication and Collaboration:  Parents, ​Colleagues, Community (3)	Educator Professional Learning Plan connected to SIP
	communicate and collaborates with a variety of stakeholders	EDAD 6589   Engaging Communities (3) EDU 6600   Communication and Collaboration (3)	CEP – Community Engagement Plan Educator Professional Learning Plan connected to SIP
7	utilize instructional frames to improve teaching	EDAD 6580   Leadership in Education (3)	1. LEP – Learning Environment Profile Analysis  2. Introduction to the Professional Growth Plan
8	present professional practice for the review of colleagues	EDU 6990     Teacher Leadership Capstone (3)	Presentation of reflective capstone project – end of program reflections aligned to all TL standard areas.
		Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Focus
9	evaluate and use effective curriculum design	EDU 6524     Curriculum Design (3)	Curriculum maps or analysis of curriculum alignment
10	understand effective use of research based instructional practices	EDU 6526     Survey of Instructional Strategies (3)	Analysis of implementation for several classroom-basedinstructional strategies
11	Utilize formative and summative assessment in a standards based environment	EDU 6613     Standards Based Assessment (3)	Comprehensive formative and summative assessment plan for a classroom-based unit of study.
12	evaluate and use technology for teaching and learning	EDTC 6433   Teaching with Technology (3)	Student and teacher tools, strategies, products demonstrating effective use. (ISTE standards)

Professional

My name is Pat Perkins and I'm an English teacher in my 14th year teaching in public high schools in California and Washington state. I've taught regular English to sophomores through seniors and both Advanced Placement English Literature and English Language classes.