ProfessionalGrowthPlan

Name:RebeccaRawlinson
School:TatsikiisaapopMiddleSchool
PracticumDates:August29thDecember23rd2016
TeacherMentor:Kelly Emelson
SchoolAdministrator:Ramona Big Head
FacultyMentor:RickHoman

ProfessionalGoals
Goal#1:ThissemesterIwouldliketobuildmeaningfulrelationshipswithallofmystudents.
Rationale:Itrulybelievethatdeepandmeaningfulrelationshipsarecriticalforstudentlearning
andoverallsuccess.Whenstudentsarecaredforandrespectedtheyaremorewillingtotake
risksintheclassroomwhichisimperativetosocial,emotional,andacademicgrowth.Iwantto
buildrapportwithmystudentssothattheyfeelloved.Theyaremorelikelytoattendonaregular
basisandbecomelifelonglearners.Assuch,theywillpursuetheirgoalsandcontributetotheir
communityforyearstocome.

Strategies

Timeline

Indicators

Evidence

PositiveCalls
Home

Throughoutthe
semester

writtendates,timesand N/A
conversationswith
guardians

DoorGreetings

Everyday
throughoutterm

studentstellabouttheir
weekend/otherinfo.

Standingoutsideofthe
classroombeforeevery
period.(Informal
observationsbystaff)
Beginningclasswith
askingstudentshow
theirweekendwas/how
aretheyfeeling(formal
andinformal
observations)

StudentLunch
Visits

Mon./Tues.
throughoutterm

sitwithstudentsat
lunchandtalkabout
weekend/otherinfo

Monday/Tuesday
supervision(informal
observationsbystudents
andotherstaff)
Supervising,talking,
playing,jokingwith
students

StudentTeacher
Conferences

12formal
conferences
throughoutthe
zemester

Book
Sept.12th(72)
Recommendations Sept.19th(71)
Throughoutterm

Wrtittendocumentof
Writtendocumentation
conferencequestionsand ofstudentconferences
comments
Betterunderstandingof
studentsstrengthsand
challenges
studentbooksurvey
Completedbook
surveys
Student
recommendations(ex.
Raeven)
BookTasting
Studenttipis
(completedreadings)

ExtraCurricular
Involvement

Throughoutterm

scorekeeping
assistantcoaching
girlssupportgroup

Oct.___scorekeeping
forfinaltournament
scorekeepingforhome
games
JackieDavisreference
regardinghelpingout
withbasketball
KellyEmelson

Reflection:Overall,IbelieveIaccomplishedthisgoal.NotonlyhaveIfosteredrelationships
withallofthestudentsinmyclasses,butIhavecreatedrelationshipswithstudentsintheother
gradesaswell.Asaneducator,myteachingphilosophyisfoundedonthebeliefthatevery
studentshouldbetreatedwithunderstandingandrespect.Thismeansthatstudentsvoices
shouldbeconsideredandtheclassroomshouldbedemocratizedinnature.Iensuredthatevery
studenthadtheopportunitytocontributeideasandgiveinputintowhatwewerelearning.Ialso
gottoknoweachofmystudentsinterestsandhobbiesoutsideofschool.Ioftenjokewithmy
studentsandhavebuiltagoodrapportwithallofthem.SomestrategiesIdidinorderto
accomplishthisgoalincludedgreetingstudentsinthemorning,askingwhattheydidonthe
weekend,aswellastalkingtothembetweenclasses,atlunchandafterschool.Ialsodidalotof
conferencingoneononewithmystudentstogetabetterunderstandingoftheirstrengths,
challengesandinterests.Inaddition,Ihavegonetomanyextracurriculareventswhile
simultaneouslygettinginvolvedwithinthewidercommunity.Mystudentsseemeatgames,
runs,dinners,ceremonies,speechesandknowthatIcarenotonlyaboutthembutallmembersof
Knawa.Ihavedonealottoensuremystudentsfeellovedandrespectedbothwithinand
outsideofschool.Withthatbeingsaid,Idefinitelywillcontinuetoworkonthisareainmy
teachingpracticeandincorporatesomeotherelementsthatIdidnottryduringmyinternship.
Forexample,IwouldliketocommunicatemorewithguardianssostudentsknowthatIcare
aboutthemoutsideofschoolaswell.Iwilltrytodomorephonecallshomeanduseclassroom
technologytostayconnectedwithparentsathome.Thiscouldbedonethroughaclasswebsite
orblogwhereIcouldpostwhatstudentsareworkingonandupdatedassessmentinformation.
Thiswillhelpfosteradeeperrelationshipwithstudentsastheyseecooperationbetweenmyself
andtheirguardiansultimately,creatingasupportivelearningenvironmentbothwithinand
outsideofschool.
Goal#2:Intandemwithmyothergoalthissemester,Iwillworktowardsimprovingmy
classroommanagementinordertomaximizestudentlearning.
Rationale:Studentsneedstructureinordertolearn.Classroommanagementisvitaltoensuring
studentshavethisstructureandfeelsafewithintheirlearningenvironment.Iwillprovidethisto
mystudentsbyhelpingthembuildrelationshipsamongthemselvesthroughcollaborative
activitiesandicebreakers.Iwillalsoinvolvetheminthecreationofclassroomexpectationsso
thattheyhaveavoiceandtakeownershipovertheirbehaviour.Positivereinforcementwillbe
usedconsistentlythroughoutthesemestersothatstudentshavemoreselfconfidenceand
continuetoperseverethroughanychallengestheymayface.

Strategies

Timeline

Indicators

Evidence

Icebreakers

Aug31stSept. studentslearneachothers ThisandThat/Linesand

16th
names
Blobslessonplans
studentsfind
commonalitieswitheach
other
Classroom
Sept.5th(72) classroom
Studentsrulestheycame
th
Expectations
Sept.12 (71) rules/expectationschart
upwith
studentsregulate
Condensedsetofrules
behaviourandtake
ownershipformistakes
VisionBoard
2xthroughout studentresponses(pics)
Picturesofstudent
Daysofthe
theweek
studentsfind
responsestovisionboard
Week
commonalitieswitheach
other
Collaborative
Throughout
studentsfeelmore
Lessonplanswith
Activities
thesemester
comfortabletalkingwith
collaborativeactivities
peers
discussionsareprompted
bystudents
Positive
1xevery
studentscontinueto
N/A
Reinforcement secondweek
displaypositivebehaviour
PostItNotes
(rotationof
andbecomerolemodels
classes)
forothers
studentsundesirable
behaviourslows/ceases
Reflection:OutofmytwogoalsIwantedtofocusonduringmyinternship,Ifeelasthoughthis
iswhereImademymostprofessionalgrowth.Ihavelearnedalotaboutclassroommanagement
duetoexperienceaswellascoachingfrommyteachermentor.Ifeelmuchmoreconfidentin
creatingasafeandcaringlearningenvironmentwherestudentsarefocusedandontask.I
struggledabitinthebeginningofthesemestertomaintaincontrol.IthinkifIhadtodoitall
overagain,IwouldensureIhaveclearexpectationsandroutinesthatwepracticeforthefirst
fewweeksofschool.Iwouldalsotakethetimetoexplicitlyteachstudentsselfregulation
techniquesthattheycanusetoeitherupregulateordownregulateinordertobeinthatoptimal
learningstate.Indoingthesethings,IbelievethatIwouldhavebetterclassroommanagement
fromthebeginningoftheschoolyear.Withallthatbeingsaid,duringtheselastfewweeks,my
studentshavebeenusingmostoftheclasstimeandgettingalotofworkdone.Whenonestudent
isofftaskIgoandworkwiththeminordertosupportthemorremindthemofmyexpectations
dependingonthecontext.Ihavefoundagoodbalancebetweenbeingfirmandkind.Thisisin

partduetotherealizationthatIamnotmystudentsfriend;Iamtheirteacherandamthereto
givethemguidance.Idoliketojokeandhavefunwithmystudentsbutthereisatimeandplace
forthisandifitdistractsfromthetaskathand,thenIneedtoregroupandredirectmyenergyto
ensurethatlearningistakingplace.Ihavetriedafewdifferentstrategiestheselastweekstohelp
motivatemystudentsandcorrectundesirablebehaviour.Ihavefoundtheseeffectiveandwill
continuetousetheminthefuture.Ultimately,IamproudoftheprogressIhavemadeandwill
continuetoworkonthisareaofteachinginthecomingyears.