Make arrangements with your clinical teacher to attend a school, team, PLC, SST or IEP meeting. Describe the level of professionalism utilized. Provide specific details from the meeting you observed. What are the perils if there is a lack of professionalism among teachers and administrators? Who and what would be impacted? What is your definition of professionalism?
What feedback do you have for our guest speaker Karen Hamilton?
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I want to first address our speaker last week, Karen Hamilton. I thought she was extremely professional (no pun intended), energized and very knowledgeable in her field. When she opened her presentation with the Hoops and Yoyo cartoon, I thought that was a perfect way to start things off because it was funny, easy to relate to and great for kids without being too cheesy. I also liked how she distributed copies of the “dress code opinions” because as we head into the professional world , it is sometimes hard (especially for women) to tell what is appropriate or not. Overall, I enjoyed her a lot!
Last week I made arrangements with my clinical teacher to attend a 2nd grade team meeting. We decided that a team meeting would be best because it fit into my schedule and the types of things that they were going to be talking about were things that I was interested in and things that I wanted to see more of. The meeting lasted about 45 minutes and it was a great meeting! The teachers were very relaxed and joked with each other, but were able to accomplish a lot and planned many neat activities. One specific example is they were discussing a project about animals and they laid out actually how the project was going to go. Each student was responsible for researching a particular animal and making a PowerPoint presentation that included a title page, basic information about the animal, their diet, their habitat, any predators/enemies they had, their life cycle, any interesting facts and an ending page. All of the students would practice their PowerPoint before hand to make it seem professional. Then, on the day they presented, the student would stand up and give their presentation while another student worked the computer. Once the student was finished, the student who was working the computer had to present next. Also, the teachers decided that each child would have to write one interesting thing about each animal. I thought the project very entertaining and super educational because not only did the students have to do research, but they had to stand up in front of all their classmates and give a speech!
There were several other “business matters” that the team discussed such as a field trip coming up, the PTA meeting and talent show and some other lesson planning! Each teacher had a notepad and was either constantly taking notes or contributing ideas. I also noticed that they were all well prepared as far as handouts and forms were concerned. And when the meeting was over, Ms. Shepard stayed around to talk to us and further explain some of things they had talked about. She also gave me some great ideas that I wrote down so I can save for later! I thought it was a successful and fun meeting, which you don’t always see! My definition of professionalism consists of being able to have specific tasks/goals that you want to and eventually accomplish while still having a positive/humorous attitude. You don’t want to be so focused on getting everything done that you lose the point of why you are doing it; but you also don’t want to think it will all get done by itself because you’re too busy acting like one of your students!
Because I am only able to go to Partnership in the afternoons, the amount of meetings I have access to is limited. I did however, manage to spend some time in a Kindergarten individual planning session. I believe that this was equally as helpful as watching a group of people interacting in a meeting setting because I not only was exposed to how teachers must interact with each other, but also how they interact around each other.
I spent about thirty minutes simply observing the teachers. In this thirty minutes, I saw how the teachers worked individually, as well as together. The teachers each went to their desks or found a table that they were content with and began their work. They did this in a manor that was not unlike a group of siblings coming home from a day of school and then all dispersing to work on their various homework assignments. The noise level was kept to a respectful minimum and if one teacher needed to converse with another teacher, they would get near one another and speak softy as to not interrupt the third teacher. While all of this was going on, I also observed the Kindergarten aid quietly walking around the room, straightening centers and cleaning desks. If the aid needed to address the teachers, she too would approach them one on one instead of yelling across the room. I definitely get the feel that the Kindergarten teachers work in a light-hearted atmosphere and all get along with one another, but it is clear that their individual planning period is a time where they extend their respect for one another to allow each other a quiet time to complete work.
After I could tell that the teachers were starting to wrap up their tasks, I probed them for some questions on when they actually have group meetings. I asked them to collectively describe a typical agenda for a meeting and they all agreed that it was a time for them to “put the most recent fire out.” What this means is that in order to stick to their curriculum, they all look for ways to wrap up one subject and then smoothly flow into the next subject. One teacher commented that when they met to plan, their goals were not really long term but rather short term. She said that this was because it was hard to really stick to a strict schedule and that plans must be made as appropriate. My next question was for the teachers to explain how they felt professionalism was incorporated into their meetings. One tactic that they use before a meeting ever starts is to come to the meeting prepared with an agenda. The teachers do this to make their meetings efficient and to be sure that specific issues get discussed. All of the teachers agreed that the use of professionalism was obvious in their meetings through the way in which they listen to one another. Each teacher has something to bring to the table and they all make an effort to listen and be open minded. One teacher even went as far as to say that she felt that while listening to others opinions was one quality of professionalism, she too felt that even the willingness to “put yourself and your ideas out there” was a use of professionalism.
While I did not actually get to be a “fly on the wall” during a meeting, I feel like my goal was obtained. The teachers that I observed, first working individually, and then conversing with myself, all possess an excellent level of professionalism. They work in and promote an atmosphere of respect where they are comfortable letting their hair down around one another but can also get down to business. I feel that this balance of fun and sincerity is extremely important in the teaching field. The job of a teacher does not also require the use of one’s “serious face,” but the skill of being able to employ one is still very important.
Today Leslie and I sat in on a planning meeting that took place in the Kindergarten classroom with the three teachers. Monday they had their big grade level planning meeting so today was just an individual planning time. Leslie and I were able to ask the teachers some questions since we were not really able to observe and listen in on their conversation. One of the questions that we asked was for them to describe what a typical planning meeting was and what would be talked. They said that most of the time they will talk about something that is the most important such as the PTA meeting that is on Thursday, they were having to plan an event so that has been one of the main topics lately. Another important topic that comes up is of course the curriculum. Since they are in one large classroom they will have to sometimes synchronize their lessons and make sure that each class is not going to disrupt other classes. The other question that was asked was how professionalism played into your meetings. They said that you had to be very open minded especially when you are planning out lessons, sometimes other teachers will have other little ideas to throw in there and sometimes you will not like the idea and sometimes you might and you just have to be willing to listen and integrate the ideas with everyone else’s to make it work. You also have to be willing to put yourself out there, if you are the kind of person who does not like to say much and does not like to have their ideas heard then how are you going to help make your classroom better or maybe even your ideas might help out your other corresponding teachers, so you just have to be willing to put yourself in that position. I think that you sometimes will have to think of the old saying “two heads are better than one” because having different ideas can enhance things and may make you realize that what Mrs. Smith said and her idea about the reading material may be really helpful and you might not have thought about it that way but it really makes sense. When I think of professionalism I think of someone who acts in the appropriate manor that is expected of them in a professional work environment. They also have to be able to abide by the rules that are give to them.
I attended a fourth grade team meeting which included three teachers, both senior partners, and an IRT. The meeting was held in one of the classrooms and began on time at 9:35am. The meeting began with the principle giving the agenda of what she would like to cover and then began with a summary of events that occurred and would like to discuss. After opening comments each teacher began to discuss items on the agenda. The first topic of the agenda was hiring a candidate to fill a teaching position. They had 3 to choose from and one of the interviews was to be held that afternoon. The next topic was EOG's, Mrs. Hiltz wanted to know how the teachers felt about student's progress with practice tests and to see what area the kids needed improvement. The three teachers agreed that stamina on the reading was more of an issue at this point and that they would continue using the reading program to increase the kid's stamina during the reading comprehension parts of the test. Another topic discussed was class assignments for the next school year and how they would begin working on the process. Mrs. Hilts needed a rough estimate of how many students were being considered for retention. Since they are nearing the end of the school year they talked about evaluating some of the students with IEPs and making sure that students with 504 plans are getting the accommodations that are needed for the EOGs.
I felt like each of the participants of the meeting was very professional in manner. A majority of the discussion pertained to students special needs and concerns and the teachers spoke about the kids with respect and dignity. At one point a teacher made mention of a problem with a student stealing lunches during transitions in the hallway. Mrs. Hiltz gave a very good solution to the problem by asking the teacher to begin having all the kids put their lunches in a bin that is placed in the classroom. Never did she ask who it was or how to punish the certain student. I felt like this was a moment where professionalism could be lost and ridicule or gossip could have happened. The meeting was efficient by using the small earmarked amount of time and kept the conversation direct and focused. No one got sidetracked or made it an opportunity to gripe about personal concerns. I appreciated the promptness of everyone and saw that they valued and respected each other's time. Specific information regarding a child's IEP was not disclosed during the meeting but just that a certain child has some accommodations and it needs to be reviewed. The way the teachers were knowledgeable of each other's students show me that they work as a team and were open to discuss the needs with one another about each other's students. I think it is great to have other teachers to rely on for different perspectives and for them to be open minded about solutions or ideas on what would work better. A break down in this type of communication between teachers and the administration can be damaging to the education of children. What if the teacher didn't realize that a student received a 504 plan in the middle of the year and needed accommodations for testing? This could be vital for the child to pass the EOG. What if a teacher was overheard discussing a child's IEP with another parent in the room? This type of information is completely confidential and it is crucial to keep it private so others won't place judgment or it get into a rumor mill only for the child to hear from another child about his/her disability.
My idea of professionalism aligns with some aspects of the conceptual framework. I feel that to be professional you must use rigor by having exceptional standards in ethics, use leadership skills, build relationships with colleagues and parents, and collaborate with administration. I feel that a professional should have respect for themselves as an educator as well as others who they work with. They must feel accountable and responsible for the education of the children and has moral integrity towards them. They need to be honest but use discretion when it comes to a child's welfare. A person who is professional should have each of these qualities as a part of there character.
I thought Karen Hamilton did an excellent job relating the importance of professionalism. She drove home the point that our character should be in check in and out of school and that what we say and do is always up for judgment from the public. I liked how she pointed out that these children are a mother's baby (no matter how old they are) and to treat them as if they were yours. I think she was a great resource and would like to hear more from her about her experiences with special ed.
First off, I was not able to attend Karen Hamilton’s presentation because of an emergency at work, but I have heard wonderful things about her and her presentation. I wish that I could have been there.
On Wednesday, April 9th I attended the 2nd grade team meeting with Ms. Shepard, Mr. Trotto and Ms. Saylor. All three teachers meet each week on Wednesdays to check on things, each other and prepare for the upcoming week. To start off the meeting Ms. Shepard began talking about crafty ways to teach the kids about mammals and amphibians. The kids are currently learning about insects, and the teachers bought five larvas for each class that the children will watch over the next few weeks as they turn into butterflies. Ms. Shepard loves crafts and since the children do not have Art class, she tries to integrate Art into as many classes as possible. Ms. Shepard and Ms. Saylor discussed a few ways, including paper puppy dogs and the facts about dogs (mammals) are underneath the ears that fold up, and paper frogs that is pieced together and facts will be written on the body. I loved these ideas because I am a huge arts & crafts person and while I was listening to the teachers talk about their ideas I was thinking about things that I would come up with to teach a subject like this to my students down the road. After talking about Science, all three teachers jumped into discussing the upcoming field trip, Friday’s special privilege of going to Fletcher Park during recess, and the PTA meeting and Talent show where the kids will perform their dance that they have been learning with Ms. Saylor. I enjoyed listening to them talk about the Talent Show because the kids will have costumes to fit the decades that they are “dancing through” (the theme of the performance). Poodle skirts, Elvis costumes, and Egyptians. The best part was listening to them talk about certain kids that had to wear certain costumes because of their personalities, etc. which was great to see that they knew each other’s kids well enough to have these ideas. Another part of the meeting was to check on how the Test Readies were going and how the kids were doing on them. After the other pieces of “business” were taken care of it was time to discuss a huge project that the kids would be working on for Insects. Each student was responsible for researching a particular animal and making a PowerPoint presentation that included a title page, basic information about the animal, their diet, their habitat, any predators/enemies they had, their life cycle, any interesting facts and an ending page. The students would practice their PowerPoint before hand to make it seem professional. On presentation day, one student will stand up and read their power point, while another student will help out on the computer by clicking through the slides as they practiced. Also, each child will have to write one interesting thing about each animal. I thought the project was a great idea, and I was also taken back because it showed me how technology has changed because I would have never thought as a second grader that I would be using a power point for a presentation. After the meeting Ms. Shepard talked with us, about a few things that we had questions about. It was great talking to her because it gave me a few little ideas that I can put away in my little “teacher file” for later.
The meeting was wonderful and very informative. All three teachers were very laid back, but professional at the same time. They were able to joke around with each other but also get down to business and talk about what needed to be discussed. All of the forms (field trips, lunches, etc.) were available, and each teacher had their notepad to jot down their ideas and notes during the meeting.
My idea of professionalism is being able to work and collaborate in a certain manner with other colleagues for the benefit of your students and yourself. You should be able to see what you want to accomplish in the upcoming week, month and/or year, and have a positive and fun-loving attitude about it. There are times when you can get down on your student’s level and play, but if this is all the time then you will lose sight of what needs to be done. Being professional is combining two different (if not more) mentalities so that you are able to joke around with other teachers and students, but also turn around and discuss the future.
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