Professional Development
Standards:
1. The candidate has deep knowledge of current and emerging state initiatives and programs including, but not limited to, the Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI); the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI); Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX); Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators and Students Statewide (ACCESS); and RTI (Response to Instruction) and their relationship to student achievement.
Through engagement with various social media platforms, I have familiarized myself with these programs. The school that I work at keeps me updated via Facebook on AMSTI, and ARI progress. Our staff’s mass email also keeps everyone updated on scheduled RTI meetings and milestones being made. I believe that Facebook has been the most helpful due to its high level of resources and information.
2. The candidate understands how content and skill development can be supported by media and technology and knows how to evaluate these resources for quality, accuracy, and effectiveness.
After utilizing media outlets such as YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest, I have learned much on how to properly develop skills. With those platforms, I am able to evaluate levels of accuracy within the platform itself. Watching and viewing posts made by other professionals has helped train my eye productivity. Out of the platforms listed, YouTube is the most helpful due to the vast amount of helpful content from reliable sources.
3.The candidate dedicates time to collaborating with both colleagues and students to improve practice, discover and share resources and ideas, and solve problems.
Twitter and Instagram have been incredibly helpful in allowing me to meet this standard. I have been able to reach out to colleagues at my school, and professionals outside of my district. These resources have helped me refine my knowledge in classroom management, and various ALSDE Standards. I have found numerous communities that have provided me with very valuable information.
4. The candidate continually improves his or her practice by learning from and with others and exploring proven and promising practices that leverage technology to improve student learning.
I love using YouTube to gather new ideas and approaches to using technology in the classroom. Pinterest has helpful forms and classroom set up ideas that support learning in a classroom with technology. I am also able to see what has worked and what has not worked for other teachers in regard to various styles of technology. I appreciate Facebook for providing an informal platform for educators and other professionals to share their experiences.
5. The candidate seeks out opportunities for leadership to support student empowerment and success and to improve teaching and learning.
Facebook has been the most effective in helping me locate leadership opportunities. The layout of the platform encourages these types of interactions. I have easily been able to search through programs and profiles to find what I need. There are a lot of programs out there that I never would have found had it not been for Facebook.