Standards by Competency and/or Domain

Explanation of Competency and/or Domain and Reflection of Growth in this Area

Evidence

This standard states that research is best conducted when children are interested and generate their ideas through questioning and problem solving.  When children synthesize information from various sources, understanding is deeper and longer lasting.  I grew tremendously in this area.  I learned all about Problem Based Learning and how to develop curriculum using this approach.  (See evidence)  I learned about questioning techniques and how to utilize this with ones students. 

This standard calls us to use technology in our teaching.  We must make sure students know how to access many different resources to gain information and to convey understandings.  Teachers need to use technology and model its importance as a tool or a door to knowledge.  Computers should be utilized greatly and students should automatically think of the computer as a key source for discovery.   Students can learn to pull information together to make some deductions.  I have grown tremendously in my use of technology and my understanding of its importance.  I am convinced that it will be accessed in my classroom daily.  One one occasion, a peer mentioned a great book for teachers on “transfer” but he could not remember the author.  I wanted to see what it looked like as well (visual always helps me) so I Googled the title and found the book for my team.  Using technology as a tool!  (See Evidence)

#7 Sharing the wonderful WebQuest Matrix available with my peers on class discussions board.

This standard suggests that students must be able to be active members in a variety of diverse communities by using their understandings through creativity, reflection, and critical thinking.  We must equip our children to be able to communicate in the real world, to use metacognition, and to think critically by pondering perspectives.  I grew in my own reflection ( see #8) as well as learning how to design rubrics to encourage my own students to use metacognition and reflection. ( see #9)  To be literate, children must be knowledgeable on the current trends.  In another course, I learned how to use online newspapers in the classroom setting as a tool to keep current.  (see #10)  Helping students understand that they are a community of learners is critical.  (see #11)

#16  Strategies I learned for Mathematics, Science and History :  Reader Response Session 9

This final standard suggests that teachers must have a professional network of fellow educators.  Teachers need to get involved in groups that can challenge them in their abilities to communicate on education and that can be sounding boards for educational ideas.  Having a supportive group of educators can empower teachers to reach beyond their comfort zones and can facilitate in Action Research projects.  My growth in this area can be seen in my design of a course syllabus that provides instruction in professional development.   I value teachers helping other teachers find good techniques and helping each other stay current.  I have taken more leadership in my email of great tools to the administrator and teachers at my school.   I have also subscribed to The Reading Teacher and plan to leave my copy in our teacher’s lounge.