Conclusion
Professional Dispositions
Professional Dispositions Rating Sheet | |
File Size: | 15 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Overall, this semester I think I fell mainly into the developing category. I felt as though when engaged in the class, I was thoughtful, respectful and learned a lot. The main area I fell short in was professionalism when it comes to absences, late work and communication around that. I did not feel as though I accurately represented myself in that area and want to prove in the future I can handle that better in order to get even more out of experiences, and be accountable and reliable for my students.
Exit Interview and Reflection
With a chaotic last few weeks of the semester, I did not get the chance to make it to my meeting with Dawn to discuss my exit interview. However, I still wanted to take the time to answer the interview questions and reflect on my experience so far, and how I want to improve in the future. My answers to the interview questions are below.
- What level (accomplished, proficient or developing) do you believe you have achieved at this point with regard to each of the standards?
- I feel as though I am nearing accomplished for standard number one, because I have a good understanding of my content area, and knowledge in how to more effectively teach it to my students in a way that is passionate, pertinent and personal for them as individuals. I feel as though my content specific education classes have prepared me very well to understand and teach art. For standards two and three, I feel as though I am between developing and proficient. I am very passionate about nurturing a safe and diverse environment where all students feel comfortable and capable to learn. I also believe I have a good understanding of how to plan to teach effectively using lesson plan models, assessments, and data to ensure each student is being accommodated and able to learn. However, with not having student taught yet, and this semester being mostly online, I do believe more practice will benefit me and help me become more proficient in these areas. Lastly, I believe I am developing in the fourth standard, especially when it comes to this semester. This semester was a struggle for me with Covid, personal life, other classes and other factors that resulted in absences, late work, and lack of communication on my part.
- For the standards with which you would rate yourself developing, what do you believe you need to do to grow in this area?
- I believe that for standards two and three, I need more practice in order to grow. I believe my student teaching experience will help me greatly in the area to learn about what does and doesn’t work, and feel more comfortable and confident when it comes to setting norms and teaching students in the most effective way. I also believe that with standard four, I just need to figure out how to manage my time better, and make sure I am in a good headspace at the start, rather than it getting to be to much later on. By establishing healthy and productive habits from the get go, if there are changes in plans, or things come up, I can be better equipped to handle them responsibly and professionally. I think the biggest area I fell short in was communication. Life does happen, and things come up and teachers are people too. However, if I would have communicated my needs earlier on, it would have been much more professional and respectful to my peers, mentors, and teachers.
- What artifacts or evidence could you provide to show growth in developing standards?
- Moving forward, I’m can show growth in developing standards by creating even more detailed and well thought out lesson plans that account for all students. I can also demonstrate growth in standard four by using time management and good self care habits to be able to be present, engaged and on top of things. I can also show growth by communicating my needs with those around me, and letting people know where I am at, early on if something does come up, in order to show responsibility and reliability.
- Describe two goals you have for your student teaching semester? How are these goals aligned with the standards?
- The first goal I have for student teaching is to become more confident and comfortable teaching through practice. I believe this aligns with standard three, because if I can be more confident in a teacher position, I can teach my students more effectively and better understand what does and does not work for them. My second goal is to be more reliable, which aligns with standard four. I want my coworkers, mentors, parents of students, and most of all students to be able to count on me to get things done and be engaged and passionate. I also want to communicate as early as possible, and not be afraid to share my needs, as that will only help me be able to preform better.
- Complete the Professional Dispositions self-assessment and be prepared to discuss:
- What two dispositional areas you feel very comfortable with and why?
- The first disposition all area I feel comfortable with is “tact and judgement”. One of the most important things to me is respecting others ideas, and listening to others perspectives. I strive to keep an open mind and believe I can learn a lot from others including my students, and by listening to one another and working together we can work to create the most effective learning environment. A second area I feel comfortable with is “cultural responsiveness.” I highly value diversity in the classroom and acknowledge each student comes from a uniquely different background, all of equal worth. I want to get to know my students differences, and the knowledge they all bring to the table and create a space where they are all equally valued and able to learn. I also realize that I am not perfect and am open to correction or constructive criticism on how I can make my language, classroom environment, and assignments even more responsive and sensitive to students backgrounds and cultures.
- What is one dispositional area you want to focus on during your student teaching semester
- After this semester, and falling off the wagon quite a bit with my professional responsibility, I really want to work on “initiative and dependability” while student teaching. I hope to gain more confidence teaching where I am more able to take initiative to put myself in a leadership role. I also want to be dependable and reliable where my peers and students can count on me to be present, professional, a good communicator and a role model. As a teacher it is important to show kids that life can be difficult, and there are things we have to adapt to, but that this can still be done with professionalism.
- What two dispositional areas you feel very comfortable with and why?