Learning Outcome #7: Continue to Develop Professionally as Ethical and Reflective Practitioners Who Are Committed to Ongoing Scholarly Inquiry
Professional development is an important aspect of teaching because it fosters an appetency to become a better teacher and try new research-based methods in the classroom. Professional development allows teachers to work in collaboration with one another to develop a repertoire of teaching methods that will benefit all of the students in the class, and it allows them to reflect on their own teaching practices: are the practices helping or hindering the students learning? According to Vasumathi, "The effective professional development requires engaging the teachers in practical tasks and provides opportunities to observe, assess, and reflect on the new practices, participant driven and grounded in inquiry, reflection, experimentation, collaborate and associate in the sharing of knowledge, provide support through modeling, coaching as well as collective solving of problems and has to connect other aspects of the change"
(2). Collaboration allows teachers to explore new possibilities of teaching with other explorative pedagogues. Attending conferences, such as the annual NCTE convention, allows teachers from around the country to commune in one location and discuss the current changes and trends in education; these teachers can then return to their hometown and implement the new methods and techniques that they learned about.
I incorporate professional development into my job tasks as a teacher because it will allow me to reflect upon my current practices and allow me to explore other methods for teaching. Every day, on my drive home from work, I reflect upon my day: what went well and what needs to be improved. The reflections give me a metacognitive awareness that I would otherwise not be able to access.
(2). Collaboration allows teachers to explore new possibilities of teaching with other explorative pedagogues. Attending conferences, such as the annual NCTE convention, allows teachers from around the country to commune in one location and discuss the current changes and trends in education; these teachers can then return to their hometown and implement the new methods and techniques that they learned about.
I incorporate professional development into my job tasks as a teacher because it will allow me to reflect upon my current practices and allow me to explore other methods for teaching. Every day, on my drive home from work, I reflect upon my day: what went well and what needs to be improved. The reflections give me a metacognitive awareness that I would otherwise not be able to access.
Proficiencies:
Erica Smith's Literature Review
Teacher Work Sample (without student papers)
Lesson Plan with Reflection
Erica Smith's Literature Review
Teacher Work Sample (without student papers)
Lesson Plan with Reflection