Professional Growth Plan (TPGP)

Name: Katie Colbran School: Robert Thirsk High School Practicum Dates: September 5th December 22nd 2017
Faculty Mentor: Stephen Maheu/Diana Stewart Administrator: Clare Haney University Consultant: Debra Ireland

Goal #1
Actively involve myself into the school community

KSA
j) Teachers establish and maintain partnerships among school, home and community, and within their own schools. Teachers engage in
activities that contribute to the quality of the school as a learning environment. They work with others to develop, coordinate and implement
programs and activities that characterize effective schools.
Rationale Strategies/Indicators Timeline
This is an important part of being a teacher and First thing that I need to do is find out which This should be continued through
it will be vital to my overall experience as an activities, programs, sports, and events occur in the the entirety of my third practicum
intern teacher I make sure I am including myself first semester and find out who is running or in (4 months)
into the school community and enriching the charge of them. Knowing what options there are is September 5th to December 21st,
environment positively. Engaging myself in after really important so that my skills could be best used. 2017.
school sports and activities will add to a positive Since sports are my niche, gravitating to athletics
and meaningful experience during my time at may be the best place for me. Once I find out what
Robert Thirsk High School. Engaging myself into sports are offered and who is coaching them it will
the school community outside of regular class be necessary I quickly reach out to the teacher(s) so
time will also allow for me to build stronger that I can be of assistance day 1. Involving myself
relationships with the students and other from day 1 is a strategy I believe is important, so that
teachers. It will also show that I am willing to I can help plan as well as see the whole process of
use my own time to help build the community running an athletics team.
within the school. I want this to be one of my My resources are the other educators and staff at the
goals because I think this is what will make me school. As well as the students will be the best place
employable and showcase my strongest to find out information and where needs more help.
attributes. If I am able to actively involve myself,
more people will know who I am and see how
much of an asset I could be to their school.
Summary of Growth and Goals Achieved
I have spent the last 4 months learning and growing as a teacher and a person. I knew that this would be a goal I would be successful at;
however, this is a goal I want to make for myself no matter where I go or no matter how long I am teaching for. At the start I made sure I
made myself known to everyone, from the administration to the custodians to the students. I started off by just doing something small like
saying hello. I felt that if I made a positive impact I would have a more fulfilling and rewarding experience. I also made sure I said YES to
every opportunity that came my way. Being involved with the girls soccer team gave me a great sense of purpose in the school and allowed
me to build and create relationships that have meant a great deal to me. Every chance I got I tried to collaborate with other teachers in the
 Professional Growth Plan (TPGP)
Name: Katie Colbran School: Robert Thirsk High School Practicum Dates: September 5th December 22nd 2017
Faculty Mentor: Stephen Maheu/Diana Stewart Administrator: Clare Haney University Consultant: Debra Ireland

school and be as much of an asset as I could be. I truly believe I achieved this goal that I set out for myself at the beginning of my practicum. I
took advantage of the amazing support and resources I had at Robert Thirsk and pushed myself to showcase my strongest attributes.

Goal #2
Manage student behavior

KSA
g) Students needs for physical, social, cultural and psychological security. They know how to engage students in creating effective
classroom routines. They know how and when to apply a variety of management strategies that are in keeping with the situation, and that
provide for minimal disruptions to students learning;
Rationale Strategies/Indicators Timeline
I believe that to have an effective and engaging Learn students names. This is the singular most This should be continued through
classroom, students must be behaved in a proper important tactic in ensuring an efficient classroom. the entirety of my third practicum
manner, where the most learning and fun can be Teachers who take the time to learn the names of all (4 months)
had. If one student is acting out or disrupting students can provide timely feedback (positive or September 5th to December 21st,
their peers, it can affect the learning of others, corrective) as needed from across the classroom and 2017.
my own teaching, and can cause a trickle-down often stop off task behavior before it involves other
effect in the gymnasium. Teaching strategies that students.
support positive behaviors begin by making Back to wall. The teacher moves to every section of
expectations clear and concise at the beginning the gym with their back to the wall, constantly
of the semester as well as every unit, teaching monitoring student behavior. This allows you to
children how to meet them and always face the children. Turning your back on
reinforcing student appropriate behavior. If I am students might encourage students to engage in off
constantly redirecting students, repeating task behaviors.
instructions, and handing behavior problems, I Proximity Control. Move! If as a result of scanning
can lose a lot of crucial teaching time, and miss the classroom, the teacher sees behavior that is
important news and information. This is why detrimental to the learning environment, the teacher
taking the time at the beginning to create can move to within close proximity to the
routines and procedures it will save me time in perpetrators and undesirable behavior will often
the long run, and hopefully gain their respect cease.
 Professional Growth Plan (TPGP)
Name: Katie Colbran School: Robert Thirsk High School Practicum Dates: September 5th December 22nd 2017
Faculty Mentor: Stephen Maheu/Diana Stewart Administrator: Clare Haney University Consultant: Debra Ireland

faster. When the students know what to do and Consequences for Behavior. Having consequences
what the expected behaviors are, it becomes a clearly posted next to the gym rules and consistently
smooth part of the routine each class. Effective enforced is a strong step for encouraging students to
classroom management also gives students little take responsibility for their own actions. Time outs
time to misbehave. Because the expectations are work well in the gym because students are choosing
clearly explained, students know what they need to be removed from something they find motivating.
to do. If I am teaching in a table and chair
classroom or a large gymnasium it will be Students respond to non-verbal signals from the
important for me manage the students in a teacher. Fewer incidents of students misbehaving
consistent way. Standards of conduct appear to have been
established. For example, rules have been posted in
the room and/or teacher asks student What is our
rule about going to the washroom or grabbing a
drink? and student gives correct response. Teacher
uses a respectful yet effective tone of voice when
addressing misbehavior.
Summary of Growth and Goals Achieved
Classroom management is always going to be a goal for me
I spent numerous hours repeating students names so that I could get all their names memorized quickly. If a student knows you know there
name they are more accountable and willing to listen. I would walk down the hall and say hi to a student and the look on their face not
knowing how you knew their name, made me feel so proud and I feel like it made them feel special. I took time during the first few classes
and went over what my expectations were, which I believed was very valuable. As the weeks went on I felt like I may have lost them a little,
so I had to spend some time going over my expectations again just to remind everyone. Getting the opportunity to experience teaching in a
gymnasium, a classroom, and off campus provided me valuable experience with classroom management. Also getting to teach multiple
classes was also a very different experience. The way I controlled my sports med 10 class was different from how I controlled my physical
education class during the basketball module. In the gym I had to use a loud strong voice or a whistle, in the classroom I had to use a calmer
and soft voice. However, no matter where I taught I felt confident in my ability to keep control and learn every day how to best navigate
student behavior.
This is going to be a goal of mine until the day I stop teaching.