Running head: ASSIGNMENT 2A – LOOKING FORWARD 1

Assignment 2A – Looking Forward

Rachel Wexler

National University

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for

TED 690−Capstone

Daniel Weintraub
ASSIGNMENT 2A – LOOKING FORWARD 2

Abstract

This assignment provides the next step in my quest to become a more effective teacher. This

includes an illustration of my professional development plan, or “a look forward”, as an educator

over the next five years. Ultimately, this five-year plan illustrates the road map that will lead me

towards what I would like to accomplish in my career, while also satisfying requirements for

TPE 6.
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Outline of Five-Year Plan

Year 1  Obtain a full-time teaching contract

 Clear credential through an induction program

 Become a Google Educator

Year 2  Attend an EdCamp or TeachMeet conference
Year 3  Pedagogical improvement through selected readings and colleague

observations
Year 4  Become more politically aware and active
Year 5  Become a National Board-Certified teacher

Rationale of Five-Year Plan

Year 1

In my first year within the education field I would like to secure a full-time teaching

contract for the 2019-2020 school year. My goal would be to earn a position within the Poway

Unified School District, as this is the district that I personally had my k-12 schooling in as well

as the district I completed my student teaching and long-term substitute assignment in. Moving

from a substitute teaching position to a full-time contracted position is the first step of many in

creating the career I envision for myself in education. This process will include keeping updated

on open positions through EdJoin, updating and refining my resume, and beginning the process

of applying and interviewing for positions. Associated with this goal, is my goal to clear my

credential through the induction program offered by Poway Unified, the Poway Professional

Assistance Program (PPAP). This process takes two years and allows me to clear my credential.

During my first year, I also plan to achieve my goal of becoming a Google Educator.

Accomplishing this goal would strengthen my technology skills which would benefit both myself

and my students as technology becomes an increasingly prevalent aspect in effectively

functioning in all areas of life (social, educational, professional, etc.). The process of becoming a
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Google educator includes a series of online courses that are designed to prepare you for five

different exams that are based on your proficiency in various Google applications for education

such as Google Docs and Drive, Google Sites, Google Calendar, and Chromebooks. Displaying

your competency in maneuvering and utilizing these applications through these exams earns you

a certification that indicates you have a solid foundation of understanding in Google’s online

tools. Not only will earning this certification benefit my ability to integrate technology into

lessons and activities to enhance learning outcomes, but it serves as the first step in becoming a

Google Certified Teacher, which is much more extensive process and requires on-site training.

Year 2

My goals for my second year in the field will include attending an ‘unconference’ such as

EdCamp or TeachMeet. These are gatherings that are organized by fellow educators and where

content is provided by the attendees. I am able to easily find such events through an EdCamp

Wiki which provides a list of upcoming EdCamps. During these organized events live

demonstrations are given on how to use new and different tools, providing a less intimidating

environment and one in which it easier to learn. As a kinesthetic and visual learner, it is much

easier for me to learn about how to use new tools in my instruction to help with student

comprehension through hands on opportunities and live demonstrations. This setup, in contrast to

other more formal conferences, is something that appeals to me personally since it provides a

free and low-pressure environment to learn from peers and to continue growing and improving as

an educator. Taking advantage of such opportunities during my second year of teaching will give

me the chance to interact with peers to recognize similar struggles, to discover new approaches

to use in the classroom, and to gain new perspectives.

Year 3
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Looking forward, I hope to add to my professional development in year three by making

pedagogical improvements. I plan to accomplish this through learning new theories, revisiting

and perfecting the basics, and adding new techniques and strategies to my teaching arsenal. To

aid in this learning I will read applicable literature such as “Make It Stick: The Science of

Successful Learning” by Peter Brown, Henry Roediger, and Mark McDaniel, which provides

research about the different ways in which people learn. Reading relevant literature and research

related to the topic of how individuals learn in different matters will help me develop my ability

to effectively and successfully engage and support students with a wide range of needs.

Understanding the differences in how people learn will give me the understanding on how to

differentiate and adjust instruction and activities to align best with how students process and

retain information. In addition to reading applicable text, I will also dedicate time to observing

fellow teachers to gain insight into how different teaching strategies can be used in the classroom

and how they can benefit students. For instance, by taking time to be in other educators’

classrooms I am able to observe styles and techniques that may be unfamiliar to me, but of great

advantage to learners within my classroom.

Year 4

Another goal in my quest to becoming the best educator I can be is to become more

politically aware and active. During year four my goal is to become more familiar about the

policies that affect the education system, myself and my colleagues, and my students. This is an

extremely important aspect of my professional development as it will give me the knowledge

that is critical in understanding how our educational system is being affected and how I can

personally do my part to ensure policies and laws come in forms that create positive changes that

aid in student success and learning, rather than create negative outcomes. To accomplish this
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goal, I will use tools such as education activist’s starter kits that provide lists of resources to help

better understand the various policies that affect education and how you can start taking action.

Year 5

Continuing through the years of my professional development plan, during year five I

would like to begin taking the necessary steps towards becoming a National Board-Certified

teacher. I chose to place this goal during year five for two main reasons; first the certification

requires three years of teaching experience to apply, and second, I feel like at this time in my

career I will feel settled down enough in my classroom to take on such a time-consuming task.

Becoming a National Board-Certified Teacher requires that you are able to demonstrate

advanced knowledge and skills in your selected discipline through the completing of three

portfolio entries and an assessment. Taking this step will allow me to improve and refine my

practice and ultimately increase the positive impact I have on my students.