Goal 8: Participate in and contribute to the teaching profession

Professionalism in the field of education is multifaceted and includes a teacher’s

willingness to be a lifelong learner with the goal to improve student learning and success in the

classroom. It also includes attitude, communication, and skill grounded in both theory and

practice, (​Demirkasımoğlu, 2010)​. One way I sought to become grounded in the theory and

practice was to read many professional education books and articles. The first ​annotated

bibliography​ attached with this paper include some of the best resources I found while

completing my degree that both guide and support my practice. The ​second annotated

bibliography​ is from a research project I did at the end of my degree, and is example of self study

to support and inform my practice.

It is generally understood that teacher quality has a direct impact on student learning,

(Phillips, 2008). Understandably, if a teacher does not have a quality education or understanding

in subject matter, the teacher’s lack will be evident in the students’ learning and success. For this

reason, teacher trainings and continued educational development is needed to ensure that

teachers are kept up to date on best practices in education. Articles, research reports, and books

written about education and best practices are excellent sources for any teacher wanting to learn

more. I have read many of these over the course of three years in this program. The first

annotated bibliography included with this essay is a compilation of the ones that inspired me the

most, and will continue to refer back to throughout my career.

An important area that teachers highly benefit from in professional development, is in

using instructional strategies that engage students and lead to increased learning. This is an area
that is constantly changing as the American culture evolves due to various influential factors.

Educators must keep up with the needs of this dynamic culture in order to keep students engaged

and learning in a positive atmosphere. Benjamin Franklin (2007) once said, “An ounce of

prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This quote can be easily applied to classroom management

practices. Effective instructional strategies that lead to increased student engagement can

minimize disruptive behavior, (Oliver & ​Reschly, 2007)​. The reverse is also true. Ineffective

instructional practices can lead to a decrease in student engagement, and an increase in student

disruptions. Student learning would then suffer. This is an area that I have worked diligently to

gain valuable strategies that I can put to use in my own classroom. The annotated books that

accompany this paper is one way I was able to do this. I found several resources that have

contributed to my philosophy of classroom management with the goal of increased student

engagement and a decrease in disruptive behavior.

Lastly, a newer topic in recent years has highlighted an area of self-study, or teacher

research, that directly impacts professional development, (Loughran, 2014). Teacher research is

gaining popularity because it helps teachers to focus on areas that they are interested in and want

to improve in their own practice. At the same time, they find it enriches their practice and

encourages collaboration with other colleges. “Collaborative approaches have been found to be

effective in promoting school change that extends beyond individual classrooms”

(​Darling-Hammond, Hyler, & Gardner, 2017. p.10).​ The second annotated bibliography

submitted with this paper was taken from my own research project. The annotated bibliography

shows the numerous professional works I used to inform my practice, support and build my
methodology, and create a solid research project. It is an example of what self study looks like,

and the shows the breadth of knowledge gleaned from the research.
 References

Franklin, B. (2007). ​The quotable Benjamin Franklin.​ New York, NY: Barnes & Noble.

Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., Gardner, M. (2017). ​Effective Teacher Professional

Development​. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute.

Demirkasımoğlu, N. (2010). Defining “Teacher Professionalism” from different perspectives.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences,9​, 2047-2051. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.12.444

Loughran, J. (2014). Professionally Developing as a Teacher Educator. ​Journal of Teacher

Education,​ ​65(​ 4), 271–283. Retrieved from ​https://egan.ezproxy.uas.alaska.edu/login?url=

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1036368&site=eds-live

Phillips, P. (2008). Professional Development as a Critical Componenet of Continuing Teacher

Quality. ​Australian Journal of Teacher Education,33(​ 1). doi:10.14221/ajte.2008v33n1.3

Oliver, R. M., & Reschly, D. J. (2007). ​Effective Classroom Management: Teacher Preparation

and Professional Development(​ Rep.). Retrieved December 26, 2018, from

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED543769.pdf (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.

ED543769)