Amy Hughes

RSU 16 Professional Goal Setting Form

Part 1
My professional growth goal is

My professional growth goal is to increase my ability to differentiate math effectively in the classroom
to at least three times a week.

What core proposition and standard does this goal align with?

1.1 Understanding of Students. The teacher recognizes individual differences and knows the
backgrounds, abilities, and interests of his or her students and uses this information to differentiate his
or her approaches to students and to instruction.

How will attainment of my goal be measured?

Evidence of my goal can be measured by my differentiation of math into small groups for leveled
instruction three days a week. By May 2016, I will be differentiating math into three fluid groups
created based on student need. The students will meet with the teacher for reteaching, scaffolding, and
extensions as needed. My goal will be measured though the evidence seen in my lesson plans,
individual group plans, student exit slips, student work, pre and post student assessments, and
formative assessment notes from groups.

Describe the methods / strategies / activities that will be used to accomplish my goal?

Pre assessments will be used for groupings for each unit and I will work with students individually
throughout the unit to move them within groups as needed. I will build centers that are appropriate for
each group as they work independently to build skills. I will use the Common Sense book provided by
the district to base the mathematical practices that will be emphasized in our groups.

What resources or support will be needed to reach my goal?

I will discuss the format with my first grade team, the math specialist in our school, and obtain multiple
guided math resource books that will outline best practices for guided math.

Part 2
Evidence of Progress: Ongoing (mid year)
Amy Hughes
Describe evidence you have gathered to support progress towards your professional growth goal.

Currently I have been working on making modifications to my guided math system in my classroom.
We had established rotations, but I was trying to meet with every group every day and that was not
effective due to time constraints. So I have done research into how other teachers run guided math in
their classrooms and consulted with my team to make modifications. Evidence can be seen in my
lesson plans of how I have shifted the introductions and review of the expectations of the rotations to
benefit the students and time management.

Professional Growth Goal Reflection and Summary: Due May - June

Reflect upon your progress within your professional growth goal. Did you meet your goal? If so, what
led to your success within this goal? If not, describe the barriers/challenges that led to your inability to
meet your goal.

I feel that I did meet my goal of increasing my ability to differentiate math instruction. I worked
throughout the year studying how other teachers implement guided math groups in their classrooms, I
used online research of multiple guided math models, and read books on math differentiation. This led
to a system of four fluid groups of students that I met with each day. Students were placed into groups
based on a pre-test that was given before each unit. I was able to meet each group at their individual
and group needs through 12 minute interventions. The other groups worked on individualized
assignments in their All By Myself, Math Game, and Helping Others rotations. These activities were
tied to the mini lesson, but differentiated for each group.

What methods/strategies/activities or resources and support did you find to be most helpful towards
achieving your goal? If your goal was not met, what methods/strategies/activities or resources and
support could potentially have better helped you meet your goal?

My research online to see what other teachers around the country used to develop their structure for a
differentiated math rotation was very beneficial to me. I was able to compile multiple ideas, see the
strengths and weaknesses, and then make my own system based on that knowledge. I found that
reading Guided Math In Action was a useful tool as well because I was able to use the research-based
strategies while implementing the program in my room. Another support I used was my team. I was
able to check in with them about what was working and how I was struggling. They were able to
provide suggestions for differentiation activities I could use for many different areas of struggle.

How will your progress within this goal, influence your professional growth-setting goal for next year?

My progress on this goal has helped me to see that I want to work more on differentiation in other areas
of the curriculum. While I will continue to utilize a guided math format, I would like to try more
individualization in writing and the rounds of Daily 5 that are not directly with an adult.

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