Professional Growth Plan

Name: Elizabeth Appleton Semester: PSII Date: January April 2013 Goal #1 I want to learn about and apply classroom management strategies that will be effective in a music classroom for both choral and band. I will: Discuss and observe music classroom management strategies with my TA and university consultant. Record the different strategies and routines are discussed and observed. Research strategies especially for music using online and print resources. Employ one strategy for all the classes in a day and see how it works three different times If it works I will keep it if not I will change it for another. Reflect on how effective they were after each lesson. I will include what challenges arose, outcomes of the strategies etc. Reflections in my lesson plans will prove that I implemented the strategies learned from my resources. Completed record of the different strategies that were discussed and observed throughout the practicum. Print resources Online resources PSII peers My TA University Consultant Keith Griffioen

Action Plan

Measuring Tool

Resources

Timeline

- By February 23 I will have a list of online and print

Reflection

resources ready to go - I will pick one strategy and implement it in my first week of practicum - The three strategies I picked must be done and reflected on by April 19th This goal went very well overall and I was able to gather many different strategies for classroom management in my choral classrooms. I feel like I am much better equipped to deal with the different dynamic of the choral classroom and learned a lot about what I like to use in my teaching style. Action Plan Made a word document of the print and online resources that I researched. Would observe my TA and record strategies I saw him using in his teaching. Then I would try out some of the strategies he used in my classes. Discovered some strategies worked better with some groups than others. Some of the strategies definitely backfired on me, like doing an activity to bring up energy but then they were way too chatty the whole rehearsal, but it was a good learning experience to try them out and see what did and did not work for me. Measuring Tools I reflected on my classroom management in my lessons plans each day especially when there were unusual experiences or when certain strategies worked really well I kept a written record of classroom management strategies that worked best for me. Resources My TA and UC were the best resources for this goal because they have so much experience in middle school choral classrooms and had a variety of different strategies for me to try. I found some online and print resources and found strategies from those as well.

I did not really my talk about strategies with my PSII peers and when I did they were using similar strategies to me. Timeline I had some strategies ready to go by February 23rd thanks to the classroom management plan and some other research. It was very manageable to complete the three management strategy reflections in the given timeline. I found that I ended up reflecting on many more strategies than just three during practicum as well.

Goal #2 Action Plan

I want to improve the strength and effectiveness of my lessons closure. I will: Make sure my learning objectives are revisited and that the students are assessed on the objectives in some way. Watch the time in my lessons so I allow myself enough room for a proper closure. Have a solid plan of what my closure will look like, what questions I will ask and how it leads into the next lesson. Reflect on how the closure went and what can be improved after three specific lessons that span the timeline of my pracitcum. The material in my closure clearly links back to the learning objectives in my lesson plans while assessing students learning. I will find that my lessons have enough time at the end for proper closure. I will choose three different lessons, one at the beginning middle and end, to specifically reflect on the effectiveness of my closures, which will show improvement in my closures over the practicum.

Measuring Tool

Resources

A timer and watch PSII peers My TA University Consultant

Timeline Reflection

January April 2013 This is a goal that I still have to continue to work on in PSIII. Action Plan Had a clear links between my learning objectives and my closure with specific questions and assessments of student learning in each lesson. Had a concrete plan for each lesson and found that the hard part was making that plan happen while teaching my lessons. I still tend to run out of time at the end of my lessons, but if I am conscious of it my closure does happen. Resources Tried using a timer but found it was difficult to use in some classes like drama and choir because we are moving so much. Watching the clock and knowing my bell times were a huge help in timing and really helped me to improve my ability to have a proper closure Had many conversations with both my TA and UC about having proper closure and put to work many of the strategies they shared. Timeline I accomplished the three lesson reflections in the given timeline.

Goal #3

I want to improve my assessment skills both formative and summative.

Action Plan

As I go through my practicum I will Observe and discuss assessment tools with my TA. Observe and discuss assessment tools with my PSII peers and evaluation professor in class. Research various assessment tools using both print and online sources and will list specific ones Implement three different tools in three different lessons over the practicum. Only one tool for per lesson for a total of three lessons. Reflect on how effective the tools were in gathering evidence of the students learning after each lesson. Three different lessons that have one of the assessment tools I have researched in them. Self-reflections that I complete after each lesson which discuss the different tools and their effectiveness. Completed record of the different strategies that were discussed and observed throughout the practicum. Assessment consortium website Online and print resources PSII peers My University Consultant Evaluation Professor My TA

Measuring Tool

Resources

Timeline

Reflection

January to April 2013 - The first week I will implement one tool, in the second week I will focus on a different one, the third week three have a new tool to focus on etc. - This will continue until April 19 after which I will make sure all the records are complete for this goal by culmination day. I find that assessment is still one of the most challenging aspects of teaching because there are so many ways of doing it and a variety of evidence that can be gathered to support it. Action Plan

I would discuss different assessment tools with my TA and ask him how he assesses his students in different classes. In my evaluation class I learned a lot about assessing through quizzes and tests. I chose three different lessons to implement a specific assessment tool, but of course was constantly using assessment in all my classes. After each lesson I reflected on how the assessment tool went and what I did or did not like about it. I would then keep a blank copy of any assessment tools I used to have for further reference. Measuring Tool Having three specific lesson plans kept me thinking about my assessment methods through out practicum. The self-reflections were very helpful because they allowed me to organize my thoughts and decided how effective I felt the tools I used were. I began a word document of different assessment methods that I had used or discussed with my TA in practicum. Resources Did learn some methods in my evaluation class especially in regards to test making and quizzes. My TA was great resource for assessment methods and let me look at the tools he uses as well. My UC also had great assessment ideas and we discussed those throughout seminar and practicum I did not look at the assessment consortium website as I had enough tools to try from my other resources. Timeline The timeline was very manageable I liked the fact that I could focus on one assessment tool per week The word document will be a living document that is added too as I keep teaching.

Goal #4

Have 30min of physical activity at least four times a week so I can have a mental and body break. I want to have at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day whether it be: Walking The gym An exercise video Anything that gets me moving Will wash my hands frequently at practicum I will mark off each day I exercise on my calendar. I will have less sick days. I will lose weight. I will have better mental health. The gym Youtube.com The outdoors My friends who go to the gym regularly.

Action Plan

Measuring Tool

Resources

Timeline Reflection

January till the end of April 2013.

This goal was a lot harder to accomplish than I thought it would be! Between lesson planning and the other commitments I have in my life outside of school it seemed difficult to find time to go exercise. However, when I made it a priority it did get done and I felt a lot better on the days that I did get my exercise in. Action Plan Got in a routine of going to the gym right after school 3x a week Began going to play basketball weekly with friends Used a exercise video found on YouTube three mornings a week Measuring tool

Had more energy when I started my day with exercise. Was not sick for any teaching days during practicum! Began looking for more opportunities to be active. Dealt with my stress in healthy ways and used exercise as an outlet for that. Resources My friends and roommates kept me motivated and encouraged me. The gym was an easy way to get a variety of workouts in. Youtube also allowed me to find exercise videos to keep me motivated. Did do some activity outside and will do more, as the weather gets nicer! Timeline Has been extended, as I want to keep being physically active. To aid in this I signed up to participate in a triathlon in June. I also still participate in basketball and other physical activities as well.