Self-directed professional growth



Carson City School District

Framework for Effective Teaching

Self-directed Professional Growth Cycle

The purpose of the self-directed professional growth cycle is to provide a structured, supportive, and collaborative environment promoting professional learning that will further the school’s or district’s mission and enhance student learning. This cycle ensures that teachers continue to meet the district’s standards for effective teaching as specified in the domain rubrics of the Framework for Effective Teaching. This cycle is optional and available after a teacher satisfactorily completes the 4-year domain-focused cycle. To pursue this cycle, a teacher must have the approval of the building principal.

A teacher’s goal for personal professional growth should address at least one of the following:

• It supports school or district initiatives; and/or

• It addresses student learning or behavior; and/or

• It focuses on teaching and learning. (methodology or pedagogy.)

The identification of the goal can come from self-assessments, from building or district goals, from student learning concerns, or from personal motivation to gain new skills or knowledge relating to or supporting education.

Requirements

1. A teacher must be post-probationary.

2. A teacher must have taught in CCSD for at least 5 years.

3. A teacher must have completed the CCSD 4-Year Domain-Focused Cycle while a post-probationary teacher.

4. The Self-directed Professional Growth Cycle can last from 1 to 3 years before returning to the 4-Year Domain-Focused Cycle. The professional growth plan may be a 1-year plan, a 2-year plan, a 3-year plan or any combination of plans not to exceed 3 years.

5. A teacher must have approval from their principal prior to entering the Self-directed Professional Growth Cycle.

6. A teacher must submit a written plan proposal documenting the goals, procedures, outcomes and timelines of their professional growth activity.

7. To remain on the Self-directed Professional Growth Cycle, a teacher must:

• Demonstrate appropriate progress toward meeting the goal of the proposed activity;

• Receive a satisfactory rating on all Essential Elements;

• Exhibit continued successful performance in the classroom.

8. A teacher will return to the Domain cycle upon completion of their approved self-directed professional growth option and must complete the 4-Year Domain-Focused Cycle prior to being eligible for the Self-directed Professional Growth Cycle again.

Process

1. A teacher will complete the Self-directed Professional Growth Cycle Plan Description form and submit it to their principal for approval. This form is submitted at the initiation of a plan and each time a major revision of the plan is made.

2. A timeline with action steps and indicators of progress should be included.

3. At the end of each year of the plan, the principal and teacher will meet to discuss the progress of the plan. The teacher will submit the Self-directed Professional Growth Cycle Summary Reflection form, with supporting artifacts and documentation, to substantiate progress toward meeting their goal.

Self-directed Professional Growth Options (include, but are not limited to):

A. Action Research

B. Curriculum Development

Materials Collections

Textbook Adoption

C. Mentoring

Coaching a Peer

Lead Teacher for a Student Teacher

D. Community of Learners

Structured Professional Dialogue

Study Groups

Support Teams

E. Professional Advancement

National Boards Certification

Advanced Degree Program

Self-directed Professional Growth

F. Focused Goal Setting

Instructional Strategies Implementation

Behavioral Strategies Implementation

G. School or District Initiative development

School Initiative development

District Initiative development

H. Contributions to the Profession

Published work

Presentation at conference

Create professional development course

Standards development

Approved committee work

Options Descriptions and Examples

A. Action Research

Description: Action research is done by individuals/groups who identify a problem and develop a workable solution. After the group identifies and defines the problem it intends to address, it develops an action plan and time line for the project. Members develop a strategy for gathering information about the problem. Once this information has been considered, the group makes changes and gathers and analyzes new data to determine the effects of the intervention. Teachers are often called on to report the findings and share their insight with the rest of the faculty. Ideally, the action research project should tie in with the School Improvement Project, meeting the goals of the school itself.

Classroom-based research can be self-directed or done by a group of teachers who have a common interest/question to be researched. This option allows a teacher(s) to work on a question in regard to classroom performance, student needs, or the impact of the various teaching methods on learning. The information gathered by the teacher(s) is then used to improve teaching and student learning.

Example:

Grant received and students paid to complete homework assignments. Results plotted to see if an increase in homework completion occurred.

Phonics vs. Whole Language Approach to reading instruction; conclusion showed a balanced approach worked best.

Possible Artifacts:

Review of the Literature

Needs Analysis

Logs

Survey Results

Documentation of Data

Thesis Papers

Conclusions

Assessments Developed

B. Curriculum Development

Description: Process of designing a curriculum or a component of the curriculum and analyzing the impact on student learning. Specific activities might include deepening the curriculum (rather than wide coverage, more in-depth work in fewer areas), refocusing curriculum to support engaging students and the work of the classroom, integrating the curriculum through cross discipline conversations, and developing better assessment techniques on curriculum-based work.

Examples:

Materials Collections – could include new collection of updated materials (current research/methodology) for a subject area. Material is then used to develop and implement effective instruction in the classroom or a new teaching assignment.

Textbook Adoption – can be school or district based. Personnel will be part of a committee which analyzes and aligns different texts to the standards. Evaluating the pros and cons of several texts and balancing teachers’ needs with what is available in texts. Act as communication liaison among all parties involved.

Possible Artifacts:

Time Logs

Logs of Web Sites/Vendors/People Contacted

Lists of Publishers/Vendors

Standards Implemented

Pulliam Pacing Guides

District Curriculum Maps

Current Research Material

C. Mentoring

Coaching a Peer - Peer coaching is the process through which two or more professional colleagues work together, with the mentor acting in a coaching stance, a consultant stance, and/or a collaborative stance. Coaching a peer is not meant to be evaluative, but has the purpose of assisting in the refinement of teaching techniques and professional success. The coach does not need to be a CCSD Mentor for this experience.

Lead teacher for a student teacher - Lead teacher takes an active role in guiding the student teacher to professional success. The lead teacher may assist in setting up behavioral expectations, curriculum pacing, and model reflective thinking. The lead teacher works cooperatively with the student teacher’s university representative.

Possible artifacts:

Documentation may include dates and topics discussed at planning conferences, reflective conferences, and dates of classroom observations.

Attendance at a coaching class.

Documentation of meetings held with the university representative.

A reflective mentor journal.

D. Community of Learners – Structured Professional Dialogue – Study Groups – Support Teams

Small groups of teachers gather together regularly to hold focused discussions of a current development in education, to examine a school-based teaching or learning issue, to develop an individual or a team-based professional development plan or provide a support team for student intervention. The group can decide meeting dates, research material that may be reviewed, and/or specific topics that will be discussed.

Possible artifacts:

Documentation may include dates and topics discussed.

Meeting attendance sheet.

Bibliography and summary of materials read

Documentation of the proposed plan and outcomes.

E. Professional Advancement

Description: PA would be instigated by the teacher in response to a personal need to grow professionally.

National Board Certification artifacts would include a completed portfolio and certificate. Progress indicators would be documents for the portfolio, lessons developed.

Advanced degrees program artifacts would include proof of enrollment in a program, transcripts.

Acquire additional endorsement(s) to teaching license artifacts would include proof of courses taken and transcripts.

F. Focused Goal Setting

Description: FGS would be when a teacher has an idea to improve in an area which is self-identified and creates a plan of action and outcomes which are measurable.

Suggested examples include but are not limited to self-directed professional growth integrating technology into teaching, learning to speak Spanish, and integrating new instructional strategies.

Ideas of instructional strategies might be a behavior strategies plan, classroom management techniques, coaching of students, assessment methods.

Possible Artifacts

Lesson plans

Personal professional reflections

Classroom journal

Student records

Personal journal

Appropriate technology

Workshop attendance records and materials

Meetings with a mentor.

G. School or District Initiative Development

Description: Site/district specific plan aimed at improving some aspect of the school’s or district’s functionality. The needs of the school/district may be identified in the School/District Improvement Plan or identified through some other means. A teacher may elect to address a specific goal within the identified needs.

Examples: Student supervision during recess/noontime/passing periods has been identified as an area where many problems arise. The teacher develops and implements a school wide plan to address these concerns and evaluates the effectiveness of the plan.

Another example could be a teacher on a school safety committee who identifies a problem, researches possible solutions, and implements the plan. This example illustrates a person going above and beyond the expected requirements of a committee member.

Possible Artifacts:

Needs assessments

Improvement plans

Data forms

Student rosters

Duty roster

Implementation plan, including timelines

Suggestions for policy/program revisions

H. Contributions to the Profession

Description: These are efforts by the teacher that go above and beyond the regular practice. They enhance the profession and/or bring recognition to the individual and/or school or district. Contributions have relevance to and impact mainstream educational issues.

Example: A district committee is formed to research and develop a new evaluation plan for the district’s teachers. A new document or product is developed for use district wide.

Other examples include:

Development of standards, curriculum maps, pacing guides

Presentation at conference

Create professional development course

Work/research submitted for publication

Approved committee work

Possible Artifacts:

Logs of time/effort/attendance

Work Products

Documentation of research found

Publication containing contribution

Conference program containing contribution

Evidence of trainings conducted

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download