Becca Lowe

Phone: 815-289-9152
Email: lowere@uwplatt.edu
Educator profile:
PDP term: 5 years
Years of educational experience: 1
DPI Entity Number:
License Expiration Date: 6/30/
School district:
Current educational assignment: Fourth Grade Teacher
Years in current assignment: 1
Present Licensure Stage: Pre-Service
Licensure stage sought: Initial
Professional Licensure Categories: Teacher

Professional Development Plan

Step I: Self-reflection
As I reflect this past year of teaching fourth grade, I have realized my strengths and weaknesses.
Being a first year teacher, I have learned a lot about myself, as well as my students. I have
enjoyed my first year of teaching and interacting with the students. I understand that each student
has a unique learning style when entering my classroom and it is my job to have each student's
learning style excel throughout the year. The skill I have learned most this year and plan to
continue to expand my knowledge on is writing. I understand that students have a variety of
skills and knowledge with their writing. I believe it is important to learn more about how to
develop my students' writing skills and push them to become the best writers they can be.
Teaching creates all other professions. This is a meaningful quote to my Philosophy of
Education because it proves that education is important. What makes the education process
meaningful are the teachers who educate the students. As educators, we have to set a purpose to
our lessons. We can do this through purposeful planning, instruction, and assessment. Teachers
must plan to support learning needs and build content understanding. Instruction needs to engage
our students with a purpose and deepen our students' thinking. Finally, assessment has to provide
feedback and support student use of feedback.
I believe, in order to build content understanding educators must learn the needs of their
students. A great way for educators to build understanding is learning the background knowledge
of their students. In order for achievement to occur, teachers have to support the needs of their
students. As an educator, I will help my students discover their learning style (visual, auditory, or
kinesthetic) and plan my instruction around their learning needs. Assessments are an important

part of an educator's planning. I strongly believe teachers need to plan before, during, and after
assessments in their lessons. Whether formative or summative, assessments are essential because
it provides instant feedback for educators to base where he/she needs to take the next lesson.
I strongly believe when a student feels safe in his/her learning environment he/she will be
successful. I will create a safe learning environment by building a positive community within the
classroom. I will also establish a positive teacher-student relationship with each of my students.
In aiming for full engagement, it is essential that students perceive activities as being
meaningful. To ensure that activities are personally meaningful, educators can connect their
lessons to students' previous knowledge and experiences. Educators can also use Bloom's
Taxonamy for clear purposeful objectives. Organized objectives with a deeper meaning help
teachers plan and deliver appropriate instruction. In order to deepen a student's thinking,
educators have to understand his/her students' style of learning. According to Garderner, there are
eight different intelligences a classroom of students can have. As teachers, it is important to
know each student's intelligence. Though it is hard to implement all eight intelligences into each
lesson, educators need to employ the common intelligences among the classroom into their
lessons.
Assessment is the final component to my philosophy. Analysis of student learning is an
important component of an educator's lesson. This is where a teacher receives information on
what part of the lesson work and what part did not. This is also where teachers can find out if the
objectives were met by the students. Feedback is essential in the classroom, when it is used in a
positive way. I think feedback needs to be instant and constructive. It is important to support
your students' feedback as well. If your students were unsuccessful or did not find meaning to the
lesson, as teachers we must reflect on what went wrong. This is where strong educators rewind
and re-teach the lesson. As stated before, assessment can be either formative or summative, but it
must be done before, during, and after the lesson.
I believe, like John Dewey, the father of progressivism, that students learn best by doing,
in a hands-on way. Students are successful in learning when they can create and have a hands-on
approach to learning, rather than sitting at a desk taking notes. When students discover their own
knowledge, that discovery is long-term and meaningful. This knowledge then must be applicable
to real world situations.
I believe education is the bases of all knowledge. It makes every student unique and one
of a kind. Through planning, instruction, and assessment, teachers can educate their students in a
way that is best for them. We must remember every child has a different approach to learning.
We, as educators, must capitalize on our students' differences, and do the best we can to provide
students with meaningful learning.

Step II A. Description of School and Teaching,

Administrative, or Pupil Services Situation
Description of Position
I am currently teaching fourth grade at Platteville Middle School
Number of Years in Position
1 year
School Location/Setting
Platteville School District is located in southwest Wisconsin. There are two regular primary
elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.
Demographics
The total enrollment of Platteville School District is 1,995. The most prevalent race in the
Platteville School District is white, which represent 90.4% of the total population. 2.4% are
African American, 2.0 % are Asian, and 2.6 % are Hispanic. 24.4% of students are eligible for
the free lunch program and 7.9% of students are eligible for reduced-lunch program.
District Goals
Platteville Middle School's goals include:

Educators knowledgeable about and committed to young adolescents

A balanced curriculum based on student developmental needs
Comprehensive advising and counseling
Evaluation procedures in keeping with the nature of young adolescents
Cooperative planning
Positive school climate
Improvement of reading and writing levels through the Unit of Study

Step II B. Description of Goal to be Addressed

Goal:
I will research and learn more information about Lucy Calkins' Writing Unit of Study so that my
students can learn to draft, edit, and revise their papers with the best writing styles.

Step II C. Rationale for the Goal: Links to Professional

Situation and Wisconsin Educator Standards
Goal:
I will research and learn more information about Lucy Calkins' Writing Unit of Study so that my
students can learn to draft, edit, and revise their papers with the best writing styles.
Rationale for your Goal:
Platteville School District has implemented Lucy Calkins' Unit of Study, for reading and writing,
into their curriculum. With this being my first year using the Unit of Study, I want to further my
education and experience with this curriculum.
Writing is the primary basis upon which one's work, learning, and intelligence will be judged.
Writing also has the opportunity to help students express who they are. This means, it is
important for our students to understand how to write well. There are many steps that need to be
taken in order for students to become successful writers, and Lucy Calkins breaks down each
step into fine detail. I plan to utilize these important steps in my classroom.
Licensure standard(s) addressed in your plan:

Teacher:(1) The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures
of the disciplines he or she teaches and can create learning experiences that make these
aspects of subject matter meaningful for pupils.
Teacher:(4) The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies,
including the use of technology to encourage children's development of critical thinking,
problem solving, and performance skills.
Teacher:(5) The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and
behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction,
active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

Step II D. Plan for Assessing and Documenting the Goal

Goal: I will research and learn more information about Lucy Calkins' Writing Unit of Study so
that my students can learn to draft, edit, and revise their papers with the best writing styles.
I will assess my professional growth through:
I will attend courses, workshops, conferences, and meetings regarding Lucy Calkins' Unit of
Study. My mini-lesson lesson plans, conferences with students, and other practical projects will

reflect my growth and knowledge of implementing the Unit of Study in my classroom. I will
include personal notes kept of my growth, learning, and development using the Unit of Study.
I will assess my students' progress through:
Student learning will be assessed through notes from weekly conferences, daily writing journals,
self-reflections, and final drafts graded. I will then use the final drafts to assess my professional
growth and improve my variety of teaching strategies so that each year I am better able to help
my students succeed.

Step II E. Plan to Meet the Goal: Objectives, Activities,

Timeline, and Plan for Collaboration
Goal: I will research and learn more information about the writing portion of the Unit of Study
so that my students can learn to draft, edit and revise their papers with the best writing styles.
Objective: I will participate in coursework and professional development activities that better
my understanding of Lucy Calkins' Writing Unit of Study.

Activities

Timelines

Collaborate with colleagues to determine the

most successful ways to implement the Unit of
Study in the Classroom.

Ongoing

Summer
2015

Attend Lucy Calkins Writing Workshop

Purchase Lucy Calkins Unit of Study kit for

reference tool

May 2015

Collaboration

Completed

Fourth Grade
Colleagues

Other Workshop
Attendees
Fourth Grade
Teachers

Objective: I will used what I have learned and observed to create engaging lessons that will
enhance my students' writing development.
Activities

Timelines

Collaboration

Ongoing
Confer with students on a weekly bases

Students

Completed

about their writing.

Have a daily mini-lesson using the Unit
of Study prompts.

Ongoing

Allow students to use their own topic

when writing papers.

Ongoing

Students/Fourth Grade
Colleagues

Students

Student Objective: My students will successfully write papers following Lucy Calkins' Unit of
Study Writing prompts.
Activities
I will keep notes of weekly conferences for
proof that students are understanding the
material.

Timelines

2015-2016

Collaboration

Completed

Students

Students will keep their writing in a journal so

2015-2016
I can review which students understood the
Students
lesson taught.
I will make daily formative observations to see 2015-2016 Students/Fourth
which students understood the material taught.
Grade Colleagues

Documentation of the Plan

Step III: Annual Review of the PDP
Goal:
I will research and learn more information about Lucy Calkins' Writing Unit of Study so that my
students can learn to draft, edit, and revise their papers with the best writing styles.

Step IV A: Evidence of Professional Growth and the Impact

of Professional Growth on Student Learning
Goal:

I will research and learn more information about Lucy Calkins' Writing Unit of Study so that my
students can learn to draft, edit, and revise their papers with the best writing styles.

Step IV B: Reflection and Summary

Goal:
I will research and learn more information about Lucy Calkins' Writing Unit of Study so that my
students can learn to draft, edit, and revise their papers with the best writing styles.