PTS Name: Developing as a Professional Educator
Element: Establishing professional goals and pursuing opportunities to grow professionally.
Indicators
As teachers develop, they may ask, “How do I…” or “Why do I…”:
- Maintain an attitude of lifelong learning?
- Learn more about my own professional roles and responsibilities?
- Establish goals and seek out opportunities for professional growth and development?
- Use professional literature, school district, and other professional development opportunities to increase my understanding of teaching and learning?
- Continue to seek out and refine approaches that make the curriculum accessible to every student?
- Expand my knowledge of new instructional methods and technologies?
- Benefit from and contribute to professional organizations to improve my teaching?
Descriptions
Examples may include, but are not limited to:
- Reading books/journals/articles to develop your areas for growth that are self-identified or recommended by a mentor or supervisor
- Updating knowledge of relevant information by referring to various resources (e.g., teacher manuals/curriculum guides, citywide graduation rates, neighborhood demographics data, national education news) in order to gain a broader perspective on teaching
- Participating in professional organizations (e.g., National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Science Teachers Association) by serving on a council, attending a conference, submitting an essay or editorial, sharing ideas in an online community)
- Updating basic and instructional technology skills that support teaching and student learning
- Consulting with colleagues/administrators about technologies available in the school and how to use them effectively in your classroom
Problems of Practice
Challenges with this element frequently include:
- Relying mainly on one form of professional development (e.g. books or workshops)
- Identifying an effective lesson or strategy, and replicating it exactly for all future classes without consideration of the audience and their needs
- Limiting your engagement with discipline specific educational organizations (e.g. National Science Teachers Association, International Reading Association)