Standard Overview:

The teachers primary responsibility is to create and support a learning environment that allows students to achieve at high levels; however, every teacher also has a responsibility to improve the school in which they work. A teachers professional responsibilities also include working collaboratively with colleagues, parents, guardians and adults significant to students on activities that connect school, families and the larger community.

The teacher participates in the development and implementation of school-wide and county-wide initiatives in curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

The teacher works collaboratively with the principal and colleagues to develop and support the school mission.

Relevant Description:

I participated in several county-wide initiatives in order to enhance my own growth as an educator and be better prepared to extend the county initiatives. Prior to classes starting and the start of the new school year I attended a teacher in-service day for the new textbook adoption. I also attended the teacher professional development training on the county-wide vocabulary initiative. I also participated in the county-wide "live-grades" initiative by applying for an receiving my own temporary "live-grades" account as well as attending after-school training sessions. All of these initiatives were very valuable experiences for the novice educator as well as the veteran. By attending the textbook adoption I had access to resources that provided enhanced learning opportunities for my students. The "live-grades" initiative provided an opportunity for me to assign and record grades for student work without infringing on the host teacher's schedule, as well as provide a real relevant learning experience for the requirements professional educators have beyond just classroom instruction. The county-wide vocabulary initiative was an invaluable learning experience that provided me with some great resources that I will use in my teaching.

Reflective Analysis:

The time I spent at these functions and trainings was time well spent. As a prior local School Board member I recall the many different programs I was required to attend and the programs that I should attend on many occasions the programs were redundant or not relevant to what the local board might be experiencing. I also can recall how many of those sentiments were echoed by professional educators in my county, they wanted professional development, but they wanted useful professional development. All of these trainings I attended during the course of preparing for the school year and during my placement prepared me for those endeavors as well as future ones. I was so excited and interested in the textbook training that when the time arose I was very comfortable using the online version in the classroom setting without hesitation. The possibilities of using the online textbook vs the hardbound seemed limitless especially for students that struggled with reading, because the online text had an auditory component and came complete with guided reading that would meet virtually every differentiated learner's modifications. The "live-grades" account allowed me to attach the CSOs to all assignments for tracking student performance levels as a class and individuals. This is great tool since the adoption of the new teacher evaluation system and adding WVPTS 7, which is directly related to student performance, having real-time access to how students performed on various CSOs will become an invaluable tool for educators.

Plans for Improvement:

I know that more involvement at the local school level and supporting school initiatives is the key to school and student success. I plan to get more involved in extra-curricular activities in the future. I know teaching is more than one dimensional and getting to know your students in different environments is not only good for them, but good for you. When students and parents realize that you haven taken an active role in the community and school they often reward your investment in them with a dedication to the academic achievement.