STANDARD 5
Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.
a. Participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning
b. Exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others
c. Evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning
d. contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community
Reflection
Standard 5 reminds us that all professionals in education need to connect with each other, remain current on all new studies and trends, and forever be a lifelong learner. Teachers are at their best when they are excited about what they are teaching and can deliver those objectives in meaningful ways that keep students engaged. Communicating with colleagues, reflecting on your own teaching, and seeking out relevant professional development forces teachers to revise their dusty old plan book and try something new.
Professional Growth Plan
In order to stay at the top of my field, I am constantly looking for ways to grow and gain new knowledge. Technology is rapidly changing and education is racing to keep up with the latest inventions. I seek out as many professional development opportunities as possible and also attend webinars. When I find information that would be valuable for the teachers in my district, I share that information through personalized emails, the teacher webpage that I run, and through staff trainings.
Artifacts
Continuing Education
Never satisfied and curious by nature, I am constantly exploring the education world and how technology can play a role in enhancing learning. I am currently half way through completing my Maser's in Educational Technology with a Supervisor's certificate and am contemplating continuing on to the Doctoral program. Aside for higher education, I am a certified SMART Trainer, Google Certified Educator Level 1, and am currently working towards becoming a Google Certified Trainer.
Professional Development
Keeping teachers in my district current on the latest technologies is high on my priority list. Most recently, I piloted an online professional development course across four campuses. The professioanl development experience gave teachers the tools they needed in order to implement Google Classroom and also provided an online forum for teachering professionals to connect with one another. I created a custom video tutorial for the class which can be accessed here.