Mara Thompson

Goals

Goal #1)

WSTDL Standard #8 Teachers know how to test for student progress.

Danielson Domain 3 Instruction 3d Using Assessment in Instruction
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Proposition 3: Teachers are Responsible for
Managing and Monitoring Student Learning.

It is important to use assessment to evaluate what individual students know, versus evaluate how
well they learn. With this in mind, I find it necessary to employ pre-tests, frequent and varied
formative assessments, summative assessments that can be divided by standard assessed, and an
opportunity to re-test. With the multitude of platforms available for assessment, variety in
formative assessment should not be a challenge. Collaborating with department, faculty, and
administration to create an assessment format that is consistent across related disciplines will
lessen test anxiety and improve student performance. Using technology to assist in assessment
should aid in data collection, feedback, and communication with students, parents, and necessary
staff. Finally, in addition to students reaching goals set by me, or by state standards, students
should also have the opportunity to reach goals they set for themselves. This can be
accomplished by reviewing unit plans with students at the start of each unit, and can provide the
opportunity for students to include their goal in the unit plan.

Goal #2)

WSTDL Standard #9 Teachers are able to evaluate themselves

Danielson Domain 3 Instruction 4a: Reflecting on teaching
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Proposition 4: Teachers think systematically
about their practice and learn from experience.

Teachers need to be able to reflect on their own teaching practices and understand that if students
are struggling, it may not be just because they are struggling. It could be that the teacher is
struggling to get the information to a student in a way that is best for that student. As a teacher I
want to have a system of knowing what Im doing, and why, and how it can benefit each student.
Once I know those, I want to be able to look back and see if my teaching did in fact help students
succeed more often than not, or if I need to change what Im doing to reach more students.

Goal #3)

WSTDL Standard #4 Teachers know how to teach.

Danielson Domain 3 Instruction 1d Demonstrating knowledge of resources
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Proposition 2: Teachers know the subjects
they teach and how to teach those subjects to students.
After my first year of teaching in the classroom I have learned that my curriculum knowledge
and way of teaching can be improved to increase student learning. While I do have a good basic
knowledge of content and technology, I would like to increase my knowledge to be able to make
the learning more meaningful and personal for each student. I know and use many ways of
instruction already, but when expanding my knowledge of new and relevant content and ways of
teaching, I will then be able to expand and create new and exciting learning experiences for the
students to develop their critical thinking, problem solving and performance skills. I have a very
broad goal because I am in the midst of changing grades and would like to have a goal that can
be used in multiple grades.
I will learn, implement, and assess new and valid ways of teaching content so that each student is
learning new and relevant information in a way that uses current and up to date technology and
curriculum.