Friday, January 21, 2011

Proposition 4

Proposition 4: Teachers Think Systematically about Their Practice and Learn from Experience.

• NBCTs model what it means to be an educated person – they read, they question, they create and they are willing to try new things.
• They are familiar with learning theories and instructional strategies and stay abreast of current issues in American education.
• They critically examine their practice on a regular basis to deepen knowledge, expand their repertoire of skills, and incorporate new findings into their practice


1. Professional Texts

Description :
This is list of my evolving professional library. These books have fallen into my hands as gifts, school wide reads, assigned by my facilitators in graduate school, undergraduate reads, literacy groups, and recommendations from friends and colleagues. Whether it is elementary, middle, high, undergraduate, or graduate school literacy plays a significant role in learning. These books will remain with me as I continue my professional journey and I hope to share them along the way.


Artifacts:



Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher (3rd Edition)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/013172276X/ref=oss_product


Black Ants and Buddhists
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1571104186/ref=oss_product


Creating Equitable Classrooms Through Action Research
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1412936675/ref=oss_product


Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071401946/ref=oss_product


Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594488843/ref=oss_product


How to Grade for Learning, K-12
http://www.amazon.com/How-Grade-Learning-K-12-OConnor/dp/1412953820/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1295714641&sr=1-1


How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0440508274/ref=oss_product


How To Thrive As A Teacher Leader
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416600310/ref=oss_product


Leading Change in Your School: How to Conquer Myths, Build Commitment, and Get Results
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416608087/ref=oss_product


Teaching with Intention
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1571103872/ref=oss_product


The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable (J-B Lencioni Series)
http://www.amazon.com/Five-Dysfunctions-Team-Leadership-Lencioni/dp/0787960756/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1295714540&sr=8-1




Reflection:


Over the course of two years, I have read a wide variety of professional texts. From each book I took something and applied it to my professional and personal life. Whether it be a lesson to teach my students how to be proactive with social injustice, or how to have a crucial conversation with my co-workers, they all seemed to be applicable to my everyday life. Some of the books were written by the experts and well-known names like David Pink, Debbie Miller, and David Guesky. Other books were written by people who were living the everyday life and just wanted to share their story like Mary Cowhey and Patrick Lencioni. I have grown professionally from the literature I have read in that I now have a tool box of resources to make my teaching more effective. I have become more reflective in my practices and have confidence to go “out- side of the box” with my teaching. Some ideas and theories have opened my eyes to a whole new perspective of the classroom and the education system as a whole. I have happily passed these great titles along to colleagues, bosses, friends, and family as they seem appropriate and have seen a change in the way they think as well.
As a professional and as an educator, I feel that keeping up with the most current authors and experts in the field are critical. We need to know what is going on around us, and be opened minded to change. We can learn a lot from the books we read, and become better at what we love to do.


2. Greater Milwaukee Action Research Conference


       Description :

·         Educators interested in learning more about conducting action research in their classrooms
·         Current action researchers in the process of conducting action research
·         Educators completing action research—what’s next?
·         Sessions focused at various levels/stages of the research process

Artifacts:





GMARC Information

Reflection:
The action research conference was an opportunity to connect with other graduates at the same level of the action research process as I was as well as display my poster and research project for prospective action researchers. I was expecting to meet a lot of students just beginning the program and have great, meaningful conversations about the possibilities the action research brings to the classroom and to the teacher. I shared expert authors, technology resources, and advice with the teachers who came to visit my poster along with answering a lot of questions about the process. I was able to make sense of some confusing components of the action research and confirm some details.
This conference also served as a networking opportunity for me. I was able to connect with other facilitators from current and previous Learning Communities and discuss the possibilities for what’s next. I met other teacher leaders who were looking for insight on charter schools and wanting to learn more about the STEM Academy.  I had the chance to converse with other professionals about how the overall action research has impacted both my personal and professional career.
Signing up for the conference, I expected all those things listed above to happen. What I didn’t expect to happen, impacting me the most. As I left the conference, I felt an overwhelming amount of excitement and success. To be able to stand up and converse with a crowd of professionals about my action research was just a proud, professional moment of mine. A lot of feelings were rushing through me. For example I was feeling support from the Learning Community members who also attended the conference, closure was setting in for the entire action research process was coming to an end, and fulfillment hit me as I was able to look back at the “masters” journey that I had just completed . Its’ a bittersweet experience, that has changed my life forever and this conference magnified the amazing effect it had on my personal and professional life.

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