Profession Readings

This is a list of books, articles and internet resources which had insightful impacts on my professional
thinking.
1. Danielson, Charlotte, Enhancing Professional Practice, 2nd. Edition, (2005), Alexandra, VA,
ASCD.
This book offered a structure of analysing the four Domains of teaching:
1. Planning and Preparation
2. The Classroom Environment
3. Instruction and
4. Professional Responsibilities
I was able to study each of the four domains intently and reflect on my practice. Throughout my
study, I was able to identify areas of my practice which needs improving in each of the four
domains and give myself a pat on the shoulder where necessary. It is a great reference and I am
going to share it with other teachers at my school so they too can identify their level of
performance and strive to achieve only at a distinguished level.

2. Hallahan, D. P., Kauffman, J. M., & Pullen, P. C. (2015). Exceptional Learners: An Introduction
to Special Education. United States: Pearson.
This book has provided self-training for me in the study of Special Education. As teachers, we
were not trained prior to entry in the primary school system about learning disabilities, giftedness,
disorders and other special qualities children posses which qualify them to receive special
education. Having read this text, I am now better equipped to make more valuable assumptions
or have a better eye in noticing signs of an exceptional learner.

3. Davies, A. (2011). Making classroom assessment work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
This text has provided fruitful knowledge in the area of Assessment in Education. It has helped
me to identify my strengths and my weaknesses when assessing children. This book has taught
not only more about assessment but how to assess most effectively and efficiently. From a
culture of summative assessment it was an enlightenment to be exposed to more forms of
formative assessment.

4. Gregory, K., Cameron, C., & Davies, A. (1997). Setting and using criteria: For
use in middle and secondary school classrooms. Merville, B.C.: Connections
Pub.
This book has outlined a four step approach for setting criteria with students. I read this book as
a supplement to number three above as I found that this is what was lacking in my practice. The
four step approach includes:
1. Brainstorm
2. Sort and categorise

3. Make and post a T-chart

4. Add, revise and refine
This reading has encouraged me more to involve my students in setting the criteria. Once they
help set the criteria and meet the requirements it has proven in my classroom to have successful
results.

5. Gregory, K., Cameron, C., & Davies, A. (2000). Self-assessment and goal-setting: For use in
middle and secondary school classrooms. Melville, B.C.: Connections.
This text has provided me with a new method of assessment in my classroom, self assessment. I
have always devalued the use of self assessment as I thought that it would have dishonest or
immeasurable results. Having studied this text, I have learnt that self assessment is a crucial tool
in assessing students performance. Self assessment supports both teacher and student learning.
Once goals have been set, this makes it easy for students to give themselves specific, descriptive
feedback which is essential for learning.

6. Gregory, K., Cameron, C., & Davies, A. (2011). Conferencing and reporting: Knowing what
counts. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
This book has taught me great insights about how to take full advantage of involving students in
telling the story of their own growth then reporting to others about their achievement status with
evident to back up their claims. Conferencing and Reporting provides practical strategies for
encouraging students as partners in initiating and conducting conversations about their learning
and conferencing with others about their learning success whereby they become partners in
telling their own story.

7. Bristol, L. S. (2012). Plantation pedagogy: A postcolonial and global perspective. New York:
P. Lang.
One of the first books I have read as a teacher. It provides a discourse which extends
and highlights the limitations of current neo-liberal and global rationalizations
of the challenges posed to a teachers practice. Plantation pedagogy identifies how
culture and history become the mechanisms for teaching, educational research, and social
transformation. As a teacher in Trinidad, I can sympathise with Bristol and could have related
some issues which she identifies in the text. It gives a greater understanding of the teacher and
the child when in proactice. For example, why tell a five year old to stand at attention during the
National Anthem? This child is being forced to stand still and say words which are meaningless
to him at the time but yet he is forced by the system to do the right thing.

8. Mindfulness In Schools. (n.d.). Retrieved May 03, 2016, from

https://mindfulnessinschools.org/mindfulness/

I have recently learnt about mindfulness in Inclusive Education and I have discovered some
very interesting facts about mindfulness. This article highlights how mindfulness can benefit
both the teacher and the student in the classroom. As a teacher, I wanted to get to the bottom
of the reason why students lose focus and cannot concentrate in the classroom. The article
focuses on
a.
b.
c.
d.

What is mindfulness
Brain imaging studies
What is the point of mindfulness
How do people learn mindfulness

I have used What is the point of mindfulness most here. When I carried out a practical
exercise of mindfulness, students were noticeably calmer, performed better and learning was
more effective.

9. Smith, M., Robinson, L., & Segal, J. (n.d). ADD / ADHD in Children.
Retrieved May 02, 2016, from http://www.helpguide.org/articles/addadhd/attention-deficit-disorder-adhd-in-children.htm
This article helped me discover facts I did not know about children with
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD). I knew little about the disorders, for instance, students
who cannot sit still, dont follow instructions, very smart in what they have
a passion for but uninterested in everything else. I saw the need to
educate myself on the disorder as it would be an advantage to have the
proper knowledge rather than uncertainties. The article helped me
separate myths form facts, list the primary characteristics, symptoms of
inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, parenting and school tips. This
framework gave me a basic understanding of the disorders and is a
stepping stone onto discovering more about other disorders and
disabilities children possess so I can be better prepared to teach them.

10. Guskey, T. R. (September 2013). The case against percentage grades. Educational
Leadership, 68-72.
As part of Assessment in Education, I was fortunate to stumble upon this article. From
teaching in a culture where percentages and grades are what labels a child, I found this article
very interesting. This article outlines the problems of awarding students percentages and
grades and how it affects them and provides an alternative rubric, 0-4, which can be used to
as an integer grading system. This article has changed my perception about percentages
grades to the extent that I use rubric of 0-4 when marking students work throughout the term,
where 0 is unsatisfactory performance and 4 is a distinguished performance.

11. Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D., & Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom instruction
that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student

achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum

Development.

12.Kolin, P. C. (2006). Successful writing at work. S.l.: Houghton Mifflin

Harcourt.