DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

Meeting Standard Six ~ Professional Knowledge and Growth

In face-to-face debriefings, journal writing, and formal self-analysis, the student teacher demonstrates the positive acceptance of feedback and makes a thoughtful response to it. Classroom planning and implementation demonstrates that the student teacher has internalized and is making use of feedback. Beyond the classroom, the student teacher avails him/herself of professional publications, conferences, and workshops to improve his/her practice and to develop the habits necessary for continued professional growth.

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.
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DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

This summer I had the privilege of receiving the guidance of a current teacher.  This mentor sat in on every class taking notes and observing everything that happened.  After class, we had debriefs about what had taken place that day.   We would answer the following questions:

  • What did your students experience today?
  • What do you feel good about after this lesson?
  • What did you learn today? What will you change/do differently next time?

I, being my naturally critical self, came to these conversations with a lot in mind already about the day had gone.  Often times I'm thinking about how lessons could be better taught as I'm teaching.  In pursuit of growth, I took note of the feedback from my mentor and tried to implement it as quickly as possible when possible.  Furthermore in these reflections, I talked a lot about things I observed about individual students which I think speaks to how much I keep them at the forefront of my work.  This was one area where I was able to apply knowledge I had gained outside of the program.  I recall one day when we were discussing a student who had been acting strangely, I was able to recognize that the student had been displaying signs of trauma, based on an article I had read the night prior.  All this is to say, I definitely come to this work ready and willing to be and do better for our young people.  My critical reflections, implementation of feedback from my mentor and personal engagement with educational literature are indicative of this. 

 

After our final class, we completed a reflection on the whole summer based on questions similar to the ones above but slightly different (Artifact One).  My mentor also evaluated me based on the seven practice-based standards (Artifact Two).

 

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.