DEVELOPING AS A PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR
Making a Difference
WHAT DID I HOPE TO ACHIEVE THIS YEAR?
The professional growth goal that I set for myself to achieve by the end of this school year was to plan instruction that incorporates appropriate strategies to meet the learning needs of all students. As well as establish and articulate goals for student learning. I also wanted to become more familiar with the expectations of Middle Schoolers in Language Arts according to the CCSS.​
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WHAT ARE MY STRENGTHS?
My areas of strength are organization, classroom management, lesson planning, creativity, building relationships, and engagement in the classroom. ​​​
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A QUOTE FROM MY ADMINISTRATOR ABOUT MY STRENGTHS OR TALENTS:
"Mrs. Wardle is an experienced teacher and it shows. Her ability to differentiate instruction based on individual student needs and ease in working with families to provide needed support makes her an asset as a Red Track homeschool teacher.
Overall: Meets/Exceeds Expectations​"
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WHERE CAN I IMPROVE?
There are many opportunities for teachers to continue to improve. In education, the field changes from year to year and new information and techniques emerge to help teachers encourage, engage and teach kids in different ways. As an educator, I believe that one main part of our career as teachers is to continue to improve our pedagogy. No matter how long a person has been teaching, there’s always room for pedagogical improvement. Whether you’re learning new theories, brushing up on the basics, or just adding a new technique to your toolbox, improving the way we actually teach should be a recurring feature on every teacher’s to-do list. I plan on doing this by; improving the way I differentiate my instruction and lesson plans. I plan on taking classes to learn some new techniques and incorporate new lessons into my daily plan. Changing things up in the classroom will keep the students interested and excited about learning.
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IN WHAT WAYS HAVE I SURPRISED MYSELF?​
I have surprised myself this year by taking on a new type of teaching position as an Educational Advisor for my school’s Middle School homeschool track. I am also responsible for making/creating the Language Arts lesson plans for 6th-8th-grade students.
Having been an elementary school teacher for the past 14 years in my own classroom and planning elementary school daily lesson plans, this switch was a huge change for me. I became familiar with the standards and saw that the curriculum’s rigor was not matching the rigor on the assessments, so I began to create my own lesson and resources. I was also able to find many other resources and educational sites and forums that I could use to supplement with and increase rigor in the classroom.
I was very nervous about taking this position in uncharted territory and was not sure how I would like it. Let alone, unfamiliar with these grade-level standards, would I even plan good lessons? I am happy to report that our Middle School Homeschool Track has done wonderful this year, and is performing at levels that are higher than anticipated. Yay!
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WHAT IS MY PROFESSIONAL GOAL BEYOND INDUCTION:
I want to continue to research about the way people learn, the most effective strategies to help students learn, and why so many of our common educational practices just don’t work. Lastly, I would like to develop some new teaching strategies I can incorporate into our weekly lessons. I plan on earning my administrators credential and hope to work in the Curriculum Development sector.
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ADVICE I HAVE FOR NEW TEACHERS ENTERING THE PROFESSION:
My advice for teachers coming into the teaching profession would be to understand that not all lessons are going to go exactly as you think they will or how you planned them. This is okay. It allows you an opportunity to reevaluate the way you deliver the concept. Last but not least, develop a relationship with each student. This will make your year go a bit smoother.