Professional Goals A.

Professional Goals Goal #1: Expand my toolkit of assessment strategies for monitoring student learning and understandings. Specifically, I want to create a series of verbal assessment strategies for my social studies class. These oral assessments are meant to act as a way to assess student understandings of key learning outcomes. In particular I intend to use a video presentation as a critical challenge to assess student understandings of social studies outcomes. Rationale: Based on the student needs of the Gr 6 class I am teaching this semester, I believe that some form of verbal assessment would benefit my students and provide a clearer picture of student understandings. Goal #2: Increase my management toolkit by facilitating interactive learning in small groups. Specifically I intend to implement jigsaw learning and math applications as particular strategies. Rationale: To help my professional growth by enabling better student learning and aiding my classroom management strategies, in particular the subject of Social Studies lends itself well to the use of jigsaw and cooperative learning. In Math the use of application based lessons is very effect in both differentiated learning and in student interest. Goal #3: Learn more about the Catholic faith, and deepen my appreciation for it. Rationale: As an Intern Teacher in a Catholic school, it will help me to understand the parent's choice of schooling, and give me greater insight into each child. It will also help me understand the school culture and deepen my own personal faith walk. B. Strategies (How I will go about achieving my goals?) Strategies for addressing Goal #1: Unit planning for social studies, developing verbal assessment techniques Strategies for addressing Goal #2: Using jigsaw learning techniques in classroom management, in addition as part of my project I will be developing application based games, and using them in the classroom. As an aid to using both strategies I will be reading about best practices and interactive group work. Strategies for addressing Goal #3: Attending weekly prayer meetings, discussion with staff. Reading school handbooks and websites. Reading the weekly newsletter from the division. C. Indicators of Progress Towards Goals (How I will know when and if I have achieved my goals?) Indicators of Progress for Goal #1:

-Develop a range of assessment strategies for social studies -Choose a specific strategy for use in the Canadian Government unit, in consultation with students -design an assessment and rubric for use by the middle of march -Utilize a further series of formative assessment in conjunction with the summative one Indicators of Progress for Goal #2: Lesson plans utilizing jigsaw learning, better classroom management practices - Develop application based math activities - Implement them in classroom setting and evaluate for effect on student understandings - Develop jigsaw learning strategies for my Social Studies and Language Arts classes - Use these strategies in classroom in addition to group and differentiated instruction Indicators of Progress for Goal #3: Deepen my appreciation and understanding of the Catholic faith and separate schools - Reading school and division websites - Reading school handbooks - Reading division newsletter here in spirit D. Timeline for Completion Weeks 1-3, Development of a range of assessment strategies utilizing oral evaluation, Develop at least two application based math activities, and continued reading of school and division websites I have developed two specific strategies for oral evaluation, one of which I utilized during the Unit test for Social Studies, and the other I utilized in my grade One social Studies class. I continue to work on creating a major performance assessment for the Government unit in late march. I have used several math application activities and continue to develop them. In addition to participating in Mass and reading of division websites and materials, I have discussed Catholic faith with Staff. Weeks 4-6 Implement math applications in classroom setting to gain a base data set for evaluation, choose specific strategy for Canadian Government unit, and continue Holy Spirit reading, here in spirit I utilized math applications in the classroom and have made several adjustments as needed, continue formative assessment of student understanding regarding both basic math facts and division/multiplication. I continue to develop an assessment for the Canadian Government unit and have read more deeply into the catholic faith, in particular utilizing the Catholic Resource Center. Weeks 7-9 Develop and use jigsaw learning in classroom, have assessment design nailed down with accompanying rubric, and continue reading and learning I have utilized jigsaw learning strategies, and have mostly completed a rubric and plan for verbal assessment, I continue reading. Weeks 10-12 Continue using jigsaw and math applications in classroom, use oral

evaluation and rubric, assess effectiveness and possible refinements, and continue reading here in spirit. I have continued to learn more about the Catholic faith through an excellent school wide retreat, and through being part of the Stations of the Cross service. I have taken up the social studies assessment plan, and continue to use math applications on the classroom. E. Summary of Growth and Goals Achieved (Final plan only) Throughout my PS III practicum I have focused on classroom management, new assessment strategies, and learning about the Catholic faith. I have made strides in using classroom management strategies such as engaging hooks at the beginning of the lesson, and a reward system for increasing student interest. I have used a variety of interactive learning strategies to increase participation and to enable multiple learning strategies. Using a different assessment strategy for social studies to support learners who are more comfortable with verbal explanations rather than written statements was a goal I had going into PS III. I was able to successfully use this strategy with my social studies unit on local and provincial government. As a specific part of my placement in a Holy Spirit Division school I was able to have a faith based professional development goal. As a person not completely familiar with the Catholic faith, I was interested in learning more about it. I planned to research and learn as much as I could about the specific beliefs and traditions associated with Catholicism. Through reading and studying thinkers such as Peter Kreeft, and Thomas Lickona, and participating in both a terrific spiritual retreat on Becoming a Saint and the Stations of the Cross, I have developed a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Catholic Faith. F. Reflections on Professional Growth (Final plan only) As I reflect on the professional learning I engaged in this semester, I found that the most challenging goal was not what I had envisioned. Going into the practicum I had felt that the most difficult task would be designing and implementing the assessment strategies I had decided upon. While this did indeed require a degree of thought and effort, it was not as challenging as my efforts with classroom management. I learned a great deal about structuring and maintaining an effective learning environment. This experience has left me very grateful for the opportunities afforded through this practicum.