Developing as a Professional Educator
As an educator, I am always looking for ways to improve and grow within my field. There were many opportunities available to me in order to do so.
As I was going through my ILP, I took a closer look at my goals.
Growth Goal
Standard 1 CSTP: Engaging and Supporting All Students in Learning
One of my professional growth goals that I hope to continue outside of Induction is to support all students in learning. I chose this standard because it is easy for students to fall between the cracks. This is especially true for students who are Special Populations, English Learners, or Special Needs. While there are systems in place to prevent this from happening, this is not always the case.
I have been lucky enough to get to know the EL team at my school site and the Special Education team. Due to us having to collaborate because of our shared students, I have adapted their teaching strategies to apply to my own classroom and students. It has been helpful not just with these identified students, but a majority of my classes.
Post Assessment
In the post assessment, I stated that I am intergrading and innovating when it comes to CTSP 1. Overall, I stated that I was in the innovating stage because I feel confident that I am able to ensure my students are getting the education and resources they need to succeed. This is due to my colleagues who have been insightful and forthcoming with their teaching practices and sharing resources.
In order to continue making progress toward this goal I will continue to work with my fellow educators who specialize in this department and utilize the resources that they provide. I also plan to make time to attend more professional development opportunities and sigh up for school provided conferences.
One of the ways that I will make sure my goal is being attained is by reviewing and analyzing data from test scores such as the Renaissance Testing for reading and math and from State testing, This is to see if there is improvement and what their strengths and weakness are. All of this data is to help me see where I can improve in my teaching practices so that these students can be supported. I will also will look at credit attainment to see if students are meeting thier monthly goals.
Self-Care
As an educator, it can sometimes be overwhelming and anxiety educing. I am no stranger to having these feelings as I am sure others have felt. In order to make sure that I can be fully present for my students, I have to make sure that I am taking care of myself. One of my inquiries on my ILP was Teacher Wellness. I have been feeling burnout and overwhelmed when I chose this inquiry.
In doing this inquiry, I made sure to set boundaries for myself. An example of this would be setting "quiet hours" for my google chat and google voice. All of which are used to communicate with staff, parents, and students. I set these hours from 5pm-8am. I used to respond to messaged before and after work hours which became draining and my students and their families got used to me responding to the point they were expecting an immediate answer. Since setting this boundary, my students and coworkers have been respectful and understanding. By setting this boundaries, I have been less stressed and anxious when responding to messages.
Advice
If I were to give any advice to new teachers, I would say to set boundaries early on and to always look for the good, even when days get rough. Setting boundaries will give you peace of mind early on and will help prevent burnout so soon. Lastly, always look for the good. Whether that is grading everything on time, taking attendance, or even a student waving to you. Celebrate your wins. They night not always look the same as everyone else's, but that does not mean they do not matter.
