Standard 6- Professional Growth

August 14, 2012

I feel like this standard encompasses what the Summer Institute has been about this year.  The model of the Wiki and self-exploration has given us opportunities to grow through the use of technology and the better understanding of our options (yet they change as we speak!).

Here's my dream PLC for one day per week this year:

- Gather with like-minded staff who want to read and explore what other teachers are doing.
- Sit in a quiet room (with good coffee- sounds like Starbucks, except the quiet part) and just READ articles, links, other blogs, Wikis, news, research, etc.
- Possibly, once a month or so, engage in a discussion forum about reading, but I actually don't want to do that.  I just want to be able to take approximately an hour of time a week that I'm not pulling from planning and grading (and life) to just read all that we have access to already.

I do hope that I demonstrate some leadership through how I incorporate technology into my teaching.  I hate to even admit this, but I still feel some trepidation about the amount of time it takes to teach technology skills (WELL) vis a vis how much time I should be devoting to my content in all of its complexity.  I know the masterful teacher weaves this together, but I'm still a little daunted by the enormity of this task and my responsibility for kids' learning how to read, write, think, and speak.

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. Teachers:

• participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning.
• 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.
• 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.
• contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community.