Professional Responsibility
Standard Nine
Professional Learning and Ethical Practice The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.
Evidence One
During my time as an undergrad student at Chaminade University, I attended two Hawaii Council of Teachers of Mathematics conferences. I participated in the following sessions:
Reflection One
By attending the HCTM conference, I became aware of a lot of resources that are available to teachers to help students advance in math. When I first started out creating lesson plans, I always thought I needed to create my own lesson plans from scratch, but HCTM helped me realized that there was no need to reinvent the wheel. I also saw HCTM as a place to meet experienced teachers who are more than happy to share stories about their teaching experience.
One of the sessions that I attended that has helped me a lot with math lessons was Mathematics through Literature with Catherine Arnold. Arnold stated that literature in mathematics helps students develop mathematical strands conceptually and contextually. She shared titles of various books that were mathematically related, and also sample lesson plans to use with the book. I walked out of the session realizing that no matter what subject a teacher is teaching, there is always a book that he/she can tie the lesson to.
During my time as an undergrad student at Chaminade University, I attended two Hawaii Council of Teachers of Mathematics conferences. I participated in the following sessions:
- Singapore Math
- Shadow Geometry
- TI Math Forward
- Mathematics through Literature
- Developing Mathematical Language in Elementary School
- Singapore Math and Model Drawing
Reflection One
By attending the HCTM conference, I became aware of a lot of resources that are available to teachers to help students advance in math. When I first started out creating lesson plans, I always thought I needed to create my own lesson plans from scratch, but HCTM helped me realized that there was no need to reinvent the wheel. I also saw HCTM as a place to meet experienced teachers who are more than happy to share stories about their teaching experience.
One of the sessions that I attended that has helped me a lot with math lessons was Mathematics through Literature with Catherine Arnold. Arnold stated that literature in mathematics helps students develop mathematical strands conceptually and contextually. She shared titles of various books that were mathematically related, and also sample lesson plans to use with the book. I walked out of the session realizing that no matter what subject a teacher is teaching, there is always a book that he/she can tie the lesson to.
Evidence Two
Prior to completing my undergrad, I began to research resources that would benefit me as a first year teacher. While researching, I came across (KDP) Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education. Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education, was founded by Dr. William Bagley in 1911 at the University of Illinois and was established to foster excellence in education and promote fellowship among those dedicated to teaching.
Unfortunately, there was not a chapter at Chaminade University. Luckily, I was given the opportunity to join as a professional. All I needed to do was fill out an application, provide documentation which stated I was enrolled in an institution offering an education degree, and an official transcript with a grade-point average of 3.0 or better.
Reflection Two
As a teacher, I believe it is very important to continuously update my knowledge and instructional strategies to stay up-to-date to meet the changing needs of my students; by doing so I will help myself help my students become lifelong learners. As a member of KPD I believe that I will be provided with lots of resources and services at each stage of my career. I have been given the opportunity to access tools and programs which will help while looking for a job, pursing a graduate degree, and most of all facing every day issues in the classroom.
Because of encouraging words I received from a blogger on KPD, I have decided to take my education a step further. Recently, I applied to Capella University and got accepted. On February 4th, 2012, I will begin coursework towards my master’s degree in Psychology with a specialization in Child and Adolescent Development.
Prior to completing my undergrad, I began to research resources that would benefit me as a first year teacher. While researching, I came across (KDP) Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education. Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education, was founded by Dr. William Bagley in 1911 at the University of Illinois and was established to foster excellence in education and promote fellowship among those dedicated to teaching.
Unfortunately, there was not a chapter at Chaminade University. Luckily, I was given the opportunity to join as a professional. All I needed to do was fill out an application, provide documentation which stated I was enrolled in an institution offering an education degree, and an official transcript with a grade-point average of 3.0 or better.
Reflection Two
As a teacher, I believe it is very important to continuously update my knowledge and instructional strategies to stay up-to-date to meet the changing needs of my students; by doing so I will help myself help my students become lifelong learners. As a member of KPD I believe that I will be provided with lots of resources and services at each stage of my career. I have been given the opportunity to access tools and programs which will help while looking for a job, pursing a graduate degree, and most of all facing every day issues in the classroom.
Because of encouraging words I received from a blogger on KPD, I have decided to take my education a step further. Recently, I applied to Capella University and got accepted. On February 4th, 2012, I will begin coursework towards my master’s degree in Psychology with a specialization in Child and Adolescent Development.
Standard Ten
Leadership and Collaboration The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.
Evidence One
Family engagement is very important for student success. It is proven that family engagement improves school readiness, student achievement, and social skills. Every 6 to 9 weeks, I send out invitations to my parents for a parent-teacher conference. Conferences give me a chance to talk with each parent in depth about the student. During parent-teacher conferences, I am able to:
I believe that parent-teachers conferences are one of the things I enjoy the most although they may be stressful sometimes. I realized that in order for a parent-teacher conference to go well, I must plan properly and make sure that everything is well organized.
The first time I did parent-teacher conferences, several parents were not able to make it because of work. Instead of having parents miss out on such a wonderful opportunity, I gave parents the option a phone conference, coming to school after work, or meeting me at places such as Barnes and Nobles or Starbucks. Parents were very appreciative of me doing so.
Family engagement is very important for student success. It is proven that family engagement improves school readiness, student achievement, and social skills. Every 6 to 9 weeks, I send out invitations to my parents for a parent-teacher conference. Conferences give me a chance to talk with each parent in depth about the student. During parent-teacher conferences, I am able to:
- Discuss student work samples so parent can see how their student is progressing in the different subjects.
- Discuss how the student is adjusting to 3rd grade and their participation in my class.
- And most of all, hear comments and questions parents may have so that I we can both explore ways in which we can help the student become a lifelong learner.
I believe that parent-teachers conferences are one of the things I enjoy the most although they may be stressful sometimes. I realized that in order for a parent-teacher conference to go well, I must plan properly and make sure that everything is well organized.
The first time I did parent-teacher conferences, several parents were not able to make it because of work. Instead of having parents miss out on such a wonderful opportunity, I gave parents the option a phone conference, coming to school after work, or meeting me at places such as Barnes and Nobles or Starbucks. Parents were very appreciative of me doing so.
![](http://www.weebly.com/weebly/images/file_icons/pdf.png)
conference_letter.pdf | |
File Size: | 498 kb |
File Type: |
"Ideas for Parent Teacher Conferences, Open House, and Parent Communications | Product Detail | Scholastic Printables." Scholastic Printables.
N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. <http://printables.scholastic.com/printables/detail/?id=28499>.
Evidence Two
The novel Holes was selected to be part of the second terms plans in the third grade. According to the accelerated reader database, Holes is considered to be a fourth grade level book. Unfortunately, more than half the students in my class are reading on a first to second grade level. At a grade level meeting, I asked other teachers what interventions they planned on using for the lower level students while reading the novel Holes. A teacher came up with the idea of teaching students how to use context clues to help them formulate meanings to unfamiliar words. The teacher in charge of creating reading plans created a simple lesson plan which she shared with all the third grade teachers.
Reflection Two
After reading the first few chapters of Holes, I introduced context clues to my students. All of my students stated that they had never heard of context clues. I explained to them that context clues is a strategy that readers use to help them better understand whatever they may be reading. I also told my students by knowing and using context clues, they too can become better readers.
So as a class, students created a list of words from the chapters which were unfamiliar to them. I selected word from the list and asked students to write them down in the chart on the vocabulary check handout. Students were all encouraged to make a prediction as to what they thought the words meant. Some students had a hard time making a prediction so I told them to write the first thing that came to mind.
After making predictions, I selected students to ready the passage in which the unfamiliar word was found. I went around the room and asked students what they thought the word meant after reading the passage again, and also what clues within the passage led them to think so.
When students read Holes independently, I always encouraged them to use context clues. After reading, in their reading journals, they documented new words they learned that day along with short meanings. I've noticed other students doing the same thing with library books which they check out. Prior to taking their AR test the review the unfamiliar words.
The novel Holes was selected to be part of the second terms plans in the third grade. According to the accelerated reader database, Holes is considered to be a fourth grade level book. Unfortunately, more than half the students in my class are reading on a first to second grade level. At a grade level meeting, I asked other teachers what interventions they planned on using for the lower level students while reading the novel Holes. A teacher came up with the idea of teaching students how to use context clues to help them formulate meanings to unfamiliar words. The teacher in charge of creating reading plans created a simple lesson plan which she shared with all the third grade teachers.
Reflection Two
After reading the first few chapters of Holes, I introduced context clues to my students. All of my students stated that they had never heard of context clues. I explained to them that context clues is a strategy that readers use to help them better understand whatever they may be reading. I also told my students by knowing and using context clues, they too can become better readers.
So as a class, students created a list of words from the chapters which were unfamiliar to them. I selected word from the list and asked students to write them down in the chart on the vocabulary check handout. Students were all encouraged to make a prediction as to what they thought the words meant. Some students had a hard time making a prediction so I told them to write the first thing that came to mind.
After making predictions, I selected students to ready the passage in which the unfamiliar word was found. I went around the room and asked students what they thought the word meant after reading the passage again, and also what clues within the passage led them to think so.
When students read Holes independently, I always encouraged them to use context clues. After reading, in their reading journals, they documented new words they learned that day along with short meanings. I've noticed other students doing the same thing with library books which they check out. Prior to taking their AR test the review the unfamiliar words.
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holes.docx | |
File Size: | 16 kb |
File Type: | docx |
![](http://www.weebly.com/weebly/images/file_icons/rtf.png)
holes_vocabulary_check_1.docx | |
File Size: | 13 kb |
File Type: | docx |
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context_clues.pdf | |
File Size: | 474 kb |
File Type: |