Standard 5: Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community 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
The ever growing need for teachers to participate in learning communities is one idea that I believe that excel in. I have done my best to learn a great deal from technology in every means necessary. I attend the Midwest Education Technology Conference in St. Charles, Missouri. Last year, I presented at the pre-conference training where a co-worker and I presented on various Web 2.0 tools we use in our classroom.
In addition to attending conferences, I am a member of the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Through the AACE’s literature, training and digital library, I have gained a great deal of tools that I am able to use in my classroom.
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
As the technology instructor in my building, it has been my job to demonstrate and be a leader in the integration of technology in the classroom. I have taught several lessons on ways to teach “with” technology. One way that I believe I have encouraged the use of technology in my building is through my weekly training's that teach the teachers in my building about the various tools available to them. In addition to my weekly training, I also maintain a website that I share tools that I utilize in my classroom and tools that other teachers can utilize as well. Classroom Website. In addition to providing resources on my website, I have made my personal website a template for other teachers in my district to use for their own classroom website. This allows to teachers to not have to start from scratch when insuring communication in their classrooms.
Artifact:
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
The consistent need for research and reflection in the classroom is necessary. My district is currently transitioning quickly into a standards-based grading district. The teachers who continue to reflect and research the requirement and skills set forth from standards-based grading have found the transition smoother.
The use of technology in the classroom is research based, and has been proven to be successful and necessary. During my Action Research Plan I had to recognize my biases that I may have before beginning my research. Although I know that technology is good in the classroom, only effective and researched use of technology is effective. Through my recognition of my biases and also my research, I developed a classroom blog that my students are able to reflect on their own learning.
The use of technology in the classroom is research based, and has been proven to be successful and necessary. During my Action Research Plan I had to recognize my biases that I may have before beginning my research. Although I know that technology is good in the classroom, only effective and researched use of technology is effective. Through my recognition of my biases and also my research, I developed a classroom blog that my students are able to reflect on their own learning.
Artifact:
d. Contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community
The teaching profession as a whole is an increasingly changing community where there is more high stakes teaching and learning. In my building, we are currently studying and doing a great deal of research through the Marzano Research Lab. Through this transition, we have been asked to analyze our own teach methods, our essential learning outcomes, and ways in which we are effectively teaching. Through this processes, we have developed learning scales that will help us determine the student’s learning progress. Each scale was carefully developed based on student data.
I believe that the use of technology in the classroom is one way to allow for self-renewal in the teaching profession. Because technology is ever changing, there is always a new way to teach or a new experience to have in order to support our students. I have begun blogging in my classroom with my students, which has motivated other teachers to do the same. This has been a refreshing and exciting experience for our students.
Artifact: Classroom Blog
In my life and in education, I live by one quote that I believe is what encourages me daily to promote the teaching profession and ensure effectiveness in the classroom: