Standard #13- Continue to develop professionally as reflective practitioners who are committed to an on-going scholarly inquiry.
As an educator, it is essential to continuously develop professionally. In regards to the 21st century and the latest technology, it is imperative that individuals stay on track so they can accommodate their students effectively. Technology is becoming the dominant medium to teach in; therefore teachers must continue to learn these new ways in order to be the most successful. During my student teaching, in both the middle school and high school placement, I had multiple professional development and workshop opportunities. In addition, there are various platforms available where teachers are able to continuously find ways to improve their teaching styles and lesson planning. By staying connected and involved in professional development through organizations such as the English Companion NING, NCTE or professional journals, we are able to continually develop our minds and practices. With the abundance of resources, educators must immerse themselves in any way that they can improve.
At one of the workshops I attended, we learned how important it is to document every form of communication with students’ parents or guardians. Suggestions were also offered for making these documentations. At another conference we learned how we should go about creating our student learning objectives, or SLO’s. We examined the statewide template to use while writing the SLO’s, as well as several examples from other New York State teachers that were deemed exemplar for their rigor, alignment of learning content, target, and evidence. This conference, although frustrating for many, was very helpful and clarified many of the faculty’s questions on the matter.
I had multiple opportunities to participate in professional development during my time as a student at SUNY Cortland as well. One event that was particularly engaging was speaking with Debby Dahl Edwardson, the author of My Name is Not
Easy. We discussed using her books in the classroom, as well as subsequent studies using other young adult literature. She discussed the importance of implementing young adult literature in the classroom. The relevant texts are engaging and offer students a connection to their own lives. Because of her input of this matter, I used the young adult novel The Hunger Games in my curriculum at Whitney Point Middle School. The students were completely invested in the novel and had a great time
exploring the content and thinking critically about some of the themes that emerged.
Another group I am affiliated with is Sigma Tau Delta, which I was inducted into last spring. This International English Honor Society aims to "confer distinction upon students of the English language and literature in undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies." The organization also provides scholarships, committees to becoma a part of, and other memberships that allow professionals to stay connected.
In today's society, one of the most successful ways to keep up with educational reform is through twitter forums. Groups of educators meet at specific times to discuss various topics in regards to education. Since technological platforms, such as twitter, are so common and such a big part of our daily lives in the 21st century, it is an easy and immediate way to collaborate with other educators across the world, all with the same objective: teaching children.
English Companion NING
NCTE membership renewal
NCTE
Sigma Tau Delta Membership
Write On Cortland NING
#EdChats on Twitter
As an educator, it is essential to continuously develop professionally. In regards to the 21st century and the latest technology, it is imperative that individuals stay on track so they can accommodate their students effectively. Technology is becoming the dominant medium to teach in; therefore teachers must continue to learn these new ways in order to be the most successful. During my student teaching, in both the middle school and high school placement, I had multiple professional development and workshop opportunities. In addition, there are various platforms available where teachers are able to continuously find ways to improve their teaching styles and lesson planning. By staying connected and involved in professional development through organizations such as the English Companion NING, NCTE or professional journals, we are able to continually develop our minds and practices. With the abundance of resources, educators must immerse themselves in any way that they can improve.
At one of the workshops I attended, we learned how important it is to document every form of communication with students’ parents or guardians. Suggestions were also offered for making these documentations. At another conference we learned how we should go about creating our student learning objectives, or SLO’s. We examined the statewide template to use while writing the SLO’s, as well as several examples from other New York State teachers that were deemed exemplar for their rigor, alignment of learning content, target, and evidence. This conference, although frustrating for many, was very helpful and clarified many of the faculty’s questions on the matter.
I had multiple opportunities to participate in professional development during my time as a student at SUNY Cortland as well. One event that was particularly engaging was speaking with Debby Dahl Edwardson, the author of My Name is Not
Easy. We discussed using her books in the classroom, as well as subsequent studies using other young adult literature. She discussed the importance of implementing young adult literature in the classroom. The relevant texts are engaging and offer students a connection to their own lives. Because of her input of this matter, I used the young adult novel The Hunger Games in my curriculum at Whitney Point Middle School. The students were completely invested in the novel and had a great time
exploring the content and thinking critically about some of the themes that emerged.
Another group I am affiliated with is Sigma Tau Delta, which I was inducted into last spring. This International English Honor Society aims to "confer distinction upon students of the English language and literature in undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies." The organization also provides scholarships, committees to becoma a part of, and other memberships that allow professionals to stay connected.
In today's society, one of the most successful ways to keep up with educational reform is through twitter forums. Groups of educators meet at specific times to discuss various topics in regards to education. Since technological platforms, such as twitter, are so common and such a big part of our daily lives in the 21st century, it is an easy and immediate way to collaborate with other educators across the world, all with the same objective: teaching children.
English Companion NING
NCTE membership renewal
NCTE
Sigma Tau Delta Membership
Write On Cortland NING
#EdChats on Twitter