Gretchen Ellwood

EDC 291B

M8A1

Professional Development

Goal 1: Set clear expectations and routines at the beginning of the school year.

• InTASC Standard: InTASC 3(c) The teacher collaborates with learners

and colleagues to develop shared values and expectations for
respectful interactions, rigorous academic discussions, and individual
and group responsibility for quality work.
• Current Skill Level: Applying

• Desired Skill Level: Integrating

• Supporting Activities:

o Year 1: Interview experienced teachers during the summer and

establish a list of ideas to apply in my own classroom during the first
couple of weeks of school.

o Year 2: Observe in 2-3 different classrooms to see how other

teachers execute smooth transitions and use chants/routines to
maintain the fluidity of the school day.

o Year 3: Take a course or workshop on Classroom Management

• Criteria for Success: Students’ ability to work independently earlier on in the

school year allowing for more one on one time with their teacher. Less
instruction time missed due to lengthy transitions and behavior problems.
Students’ motivation increased to provide “Best Effort” the majority of the time
based on expectation set early on by teacher.

Goal 2: Improve my ability to teach reading to

• InTASC Standard: 8(h): The teacher uses a variety of instructional strategies

to support and expand learners' communication through speaking, listening,
reading, writing, and other modes.

• Current Skill Level: Applying

• Desired Skill Level: Integrating

 • Supporting Activities:

o Year 1: Read Fountas, I. C. & Pinnell, G. S. (2006). Guided reading:

Good first teaching for all children. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann and
employ at least 5 new reading instruction strategies throughout the
school year.

o Year 2: Meet monthly with other 1st grade teachers to exchange

ideas and strategies for teaching reading.

o Year 3: Take a course or workshop on Running Records and Miscue

Analysis.

• Criteria for Success: Yearly improvement in my students' reading scores as

measured by an informal reading inventory such as the DRA or DIBELS.

Goal 3: Individual conferencing with students in writers’ workshop.

• InTASC Standard: InTASC 6d: The teacher engages learners in

understanding and identifying quality work and provides them with
effective descriptive feedback to guide their progress toward that work.

• Current Skill Level: Applying

• Desired Skill Level: Integrating

• Supporting Activities:

o Year 1: Determine appropriate pacing/standards for first grade

writers as determined by state and district/charter and create map of
goals to match Reading/Language Arts curriculum used in
classroom.

o Year 2: Take a course on metacognition in regards to writing and

implement a writers’ portfolio in classroom.

o Year 3: Take a course or workshop on Peer Editing in the classroom

for primary writers and integrate peer editing in the classroom.

• Criteria for Success: Save samples of writing from students at different

levels of performance from my first year of teaching, second year, third year,
etc. And compare/measure overall student performance from year to year.
Students ability to be independent writers earlier on in the school year.

Goal 4: Increased intentionality in recording formative assessment data on Math Tests

and using data for guide my planning.
 • InTASC Standard: InTASC 7(d) The teacher plans for instruction based
on formative and summative assessment data, prior learner knowledge,
and learner interest.
• Current Skill Level: Applying

• Desired Skill Level: Integrating

• Supporting Activities:

o Year 1: Teacher will give a pre-test on Kindergarten content and

use data to appropriately review content necessary before
beginning first grade curriculum.

o Year 2: Take a course on how to effectively adjust and modify

instruction during a math lesson by gathering/conducting formative
assessments efficiently.

o Year 3: Map out curriculum of all subjects/disciplines and make

connections between math and the other units of study. Implement
various opportunities for children to work independently on major
concepts/increasing engagement by allowing real-world problem
solving to occur naturally in the classroom setting.

• Criteria for Success: Students’ test scores and overall

engagement/motivation will be measure to determine success in this area.

Goal 5: Increased discussion over current events/global problems that students feel
they can be part of the solution by brainstorming ideas and putting ideas into action.

• InTASC Standard: InTASC 5(g) The teacher facilitates learners’ ability to

develop diverse social and cultural perspectives that expand their
understanding of local and global issues and create novel approaches
to solving problems.
• Current Skill Level: Applying

• Desired Skill Level: Integrating

• Supporting Activities:

o Year 1: Teacher will take a course on expanding cultural and

diverse social perspectives appropriately in the primary classroom.

o Year 2: Teacher will choose one discussion topic/community

involvement task for each unit of science and lesson plan to include
this level of problem solving in the classroom.
 o Year 3: Teacher will choose one discussion topic/community
involvement task for each unit of history and lesson plan to include
this level of problem solving in the classroom.

• Criteria for Success: Students’ increased level of empathy for others and
greater sense of community in our classroom.