PROFESSIONAL GROWTH PLAN

Name: Dan OConnell

Educational Assignment: Middle School Orchestra Teacher

Step 1: REFLECTION

Reflect in preparation to write your professional growth plan.

In reflecting on where I want to go with my professional growth, I notice that I am

good at planning engaging lessons on a day-to-day basis, but am not sure that the
students understand what I am trying to get them to accomplish over a longer
period of time. One of the areas I scored lower with on my teacher evaluation self-
review was component 1e: Designing Coherent Instruction. I would like my students
to have a better understanding of their instrument and how to accurately perform
music in first position before moving on to the high school level.

Review Checklist for Reflection

o Did you consider your strengths?
o Did you complete your self-review and consider those results in your
reflection?
o Did you consider your knowledge and skill level?

Step 2: WRITE YOUR PLAN

A. Description of School and Teaching, Administrative, or Pupil

Services Situation

I teach orchestra and general music at Shawano Community Middle School. I am in

my 7th year of teaching instrumental and general music and am in my 5 th year of
teaching these subjects in Shawano. The middle school in Shawano is in a rural
part of Northeast Wisconsin. 75% of the student population is White, 19.1% are
American Indian or Alaska Native, 3.2% are Hispanic, 1.4% are Asian or Pacific
Islander, and 1.2% are Black. 51.2% of the students are economically
disadvantaged, while 14.3% of the students have disabilities and 0.4% limited
English proficient. Our mission statement at the middle school is to provide an
academically challenging and socially safe environment which enables all students
to achieve the necessary skills to be productive citizens through the combined
efforts of family, school personnel and community.
Review Checklist for Description of Situation
o Did you include a description of your teaching, pupil services, or
administrative position?
o Did you include the number of years you have taught, been an administrator,
or been in pupil services?
o Did you include whether the school is located in an urban, suburban, or rural
setting?
o Did you include the ethnic, special needs, and socioeconomic makeup of the
school population?
o Did you include your building goals/mission and/or district goals/mission?

B. Description of Goal to be Addressed

It helps to start with one practical goal that will facilitate growth in your
current role. (It is suggested that you use this stem: I will..So that.
(describe what you want to see happening differently with student learning).

I will identify student outcomes for my unit plans and apply these to my
daily lesson plans in order to provide my students with a better
understanding of how activities relate to a lesson and their ability to
perform on their instruments.
Review Checklist for Goal
o Did you describe how your goal will impact your professional growth?
o Did you describe how your professional growth will have an effect on student
learning?

C. Rationale for the Goal: Links to Professional Situation and

Danielson Framework
Based on your reflection, describe the reason for your goal. Describe how
your goal is linked to your educational situation, and refer to Danielson
components (at least two) that you will focus on to meet your goal.

When playing new pieces of music in class, students tend to make similar
mistakes from one song to another. Many times, students are unable to see
how notes and rhythms in one song, or even one section of a song relate to
notes and rhythms in another. By using aspects from component 1a:
Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy and 1c: Setting Instructional Outcomes to
help students draw connections from one song to another, they will be better
equipped with the necessary skills to be successful in figuring things out for
Review ChecklistDoing
themselves. for Rationale forclassroom
this in my the Goal can give them the confidence to solve
o Does the rationale tell how your goal connects to your school, teaching,
administrative, or pupil service situation? (Choose the category that applies
to your situation)
 o Did you write out the Framework components that you will focus on to meet
your goal? (2 or more)

D. Plan for Assessing and Documenting the Goal

Record the anticipated methods you will use to assess your professional
growth and the effect on student learning. It may be helpful to review steps
III and IV when writing your assessment plan as they outline what is
necessary when documenting your completed plan.

I will develop unit plans that will enable me to develop lesson plans that
show a natural flow from one to the next. These will build on content that we
have already covered in order to provide my students with better
understanding. I will look at the big picture ideas that students should
understand and will set a timeline for introducing these ideas to the
students. I will keep a journal to reflect on how students immediately perform
in class after introducing new concepts to them. I will informally assess my
students
Review on a for
Checklist large level
Plan for through
Assessingmyand
reflections and will
Documenting also question
Achievement of them
the Goal
in class and lessons to see if they can make connections from one
o Did you include in the plan the anticipated methods you will use to assess
idea/concept to another.
your professional I will also formally assess students with both written
growth?
o Did you include in the plan the anticipated methods you will use to assess the
effect on student learning?

E. Plan to meet the Goal: Objectives, Activities, Timeline, and Plan for
Collaboration

Objective 1: Research effective unit planning and development strategies.

Activities Timeline Collaboration Date Completed

Read Understanding By Design
Guide to Creating High-Quality
Units by Jay McTighe and Grant
Wiggins
Find other teachers in the
Present to district who have read
Fall 2016 and used the information
in this book to develop
their units

Talk with other teachers both in Ongoing Teachers in and outside

and outside of the district who of the district.
use UbD and like strategies to
see what it looks like in their
classroom.

Read articles on the NEA Ongoing

website and other websites
having to do with classroom
management.

Objective 2:
I will implement and assess different unit planning strategies that I have researched.

Activities Timeline Collaboration Date Completed

I will have other Ongoing Other

teachers/administrators teachers/administrators
observe me and give feedback
about what is working and what
might need to be changed.

I videotape myself to take an Ongoing

outside look at what is going on
in my classroom to see what is
working and what might need
to be changed.

I will reflect on how different Ongoing

strategies are working in my
classroom to look more closely
at what is working and what Id
like to change.
Objective 3: I

Activities Timeline Collaboration Date Completed

Review Checklist for Objectives, Activities, Timeline, and Plan for Collaboration
Objectives:
o Did you include objectives that directly address the goal?
o Did you include objectives that are observable and verifiable?
Description of Activities and Timelines:
o Did you align your activities with your goal and objectives?
o Did you extend the activities through multiple years of licensure cycle?
o Did you state a timeline for completing the activities?
Plan for Collaboration:
o Did you include collaboration with others in your plan?