INTASC Standard #9

Professional Commitment and Responsibility

 
The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his or her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community), and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally.

[Headings for INTASC standards are taken from - 
Campbell, D.M. et al.  (1997).  How to develop a professional portfolio:  A manual for teachers.   Boston: Allyn and Bacon.]


 
 

      My professional development log for the fall semester of 2001 can show evidence of my continued growth through profesional obligations.   The MENC meetings that I attended were about Student Teaching and the IMEA conference that I attended in January gave me a lot of valuable information on teaching general music and choosing literature for my ensembles.  The student teaching meeting allowed us to talk to a couple of our peers who are currently doing the student teaching; they talked to us about experiences and allowed us to ask questions.  At the IMEA conference meeting, we talked about some of the sessions that would be held at this conference and which sessions would be most beneficial to attend.  Through my involvement with SAI, I have had a lot of opportunities to grow.  I feel that the biggest step I've made with this group is being a song leader for them.  I have introduced them to new music, as well as reviewed what they already know.  The one thing working with these women has done for me, is allow me to become more confident in myself as a teacher and a singer.  During EDSEC380 and EDJHM385, I was asked to address the cooperating teacher in a letter stating who I was and what I was interested in gaining from the teaching experience in their classroom.  My professional growth plan was updated and talks about the experiences I had and the growth I think I accomplished over the semester.

    My reflection   papers from my teachings and my professional development long provide   evidence of my continued efforts to improve and develop.   The reflections give me an   opportunity to recognize and discuss things I feel I have done well and those   things I feel I can improve on.    I discuss in the reflections how I think I can change my lessons and   teachings to better my effectiveness.    My professional development shows that I attended several meetings   throughout the semester.  These   meetings address issues I will face as a teacher and how I choose to handle   these situations.   The meetings   also provide opportunities for me to improve my portfolios, lesson plans,   teaching styles, and knowledge of materials and resources. 

     Attending   MENC and being a member of SAI has challenged me   to become better in my teachings.    The students I have the opportunity to interact with in these   organizations give me insight and encouragement to do better that what I am   currently doing.  They are there   to help me in any way that they can and often look to me for help as   well.   This is a relationship   that is not only a friendship, but also an encouragement and almost a challenge   to be the best.

     My   self-assessment   is a form that I filled out about how adequate I see myself as being in   specific areas of music.   By   filling this out, it made me think that there are definitely some areas that   I need to work to improve.   At   the end, I wrote an essay stating the things I needed to work on and how I   intended to improve in these areas.    At the end of the semester, I revisited this assessment and wrote an   essay about how I felt I had improved and what I felt I needed to continue to   work on.