Running Head: ADVICE Page !

Advice for Future Students

National University

Nicole Castillo

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for

TED 690 - Capstone Course

Professor Weintraub
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Abstract

In this paper, I will reflect on the process of creating a Professional Development Quest Portfolio

in order to serve as a guide to future candidates. I will comment on the creation process

including what worked and didn’t work, changes made and rationale for such changes, lessons

learned, future practices, and advice in regards to the creative process. The advice given will

refer specifically to the developmental process of a PDQP, selecting artifacts, sharing and

engaging with peers in the course, and the benefits that come along with completion.
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Advice for Future Students

To end my journey towards achieving a Masters in Education, I was tasked with creating

a Professional Development Quest Portfolio (PDQP) in the form of an electronic portfolio. The

PDQP was my opportunity to reflect on everything I have learned about education in the

program, and compare it to the California Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs). This

process has prepared me for a long, successful, career as an educator. My hopes in writing this

paper is to serve you as a guide of how to successfully complete this process on your own.

Comments

The course in which I was tasked with creating my PDQP was TED 690: Capstone. This

was an accelerated course, with only four weeks to design and perfect my portfolio. Each week,

I added certain elements to my PDQP based on a domain from the California Teaching

Performance Expectations. The domains were comprised of artifacts that demonstrate my

teaching practices, including student work samples, images of my classroom, lesson plans, and

observations.

Things That Worked

Filling each domain with first-hand examples of my classroom practices really helped to

liven up my PDQP. I used samples of student work, videos of instruction and assessments, and

pictures of my classroom to help prospective viewers have a look into my time as an educator. I

think that this created an engaging page that demonstrates my commitment to my profession.

Things That Didn’t Work

Initially, I designed a rather simple website. My idea was that I would let the work speak

for itself, rather than designing an aesthetically pleasing page. I liked the look of a clean and
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crisp white background, but came to the conclusion that my taste may not be the same as the

readers. I did not want my page to seem boring, or that I did not put my heart and soul into it, so

I added color and a chalkboard background to make it feel more like my classroom atmosphere.

Changes

Many changes were made to create the PDQP I have today. Aside from the aesthetic

changes mentioned above, I also altered artifacts throughout the weeks. I began with many

documents, such as lesson plans and observations, but quickly realized that a formal lesson plan

does not highlight my greatest strength as an educator. My greatest strength is the work that I do

with my students, not my ability to type a well-written lesson plan. Making these changes

helped me to achieve my overall goal of the PDQP, which was to highlight my competencies

towards achieving the TPEs and demonstrating my commitment to education.

In addition to the changes I made to my PDQP, I also made changes to my professional

development plans for the future. Having this platform to compare my practices to the TPEs

allowed me to target areas of need for professional development. Knowing which areas I could

improve in, I created a five-year plan of conferences and trainings that I wanted to take part in to

improve upon areas of need.

Lessons Learned

I learned a lot throughout the process of creating a PDQP. My accomplishments, and my

frustrations alike, helped me to learn my full potential as an educator.

Accomplishments

I learned that I have been successful in meeting many of the TPE standards. The initial

thought of finding artifacts seemed daunting to me, and I was imagining having to make things
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up to support the domains. Once I dove deeper into the TPEs, however, I realized that much of

what I needed to represent was indeed happening in my classroom on a daily basis. It has been a

huge accomplishment as a teacher to be able to show evidence of my competencies and the

engagement that occurs within my classroom walls. Creating the PDQP has helped me to feel

fulfilled and motivates me to continue to push the boundaries with what I can accomplish.

Frustrations

Though this feels like such an accomplishment, there were often times of frustration. I

found myself frustrated at times at the process of creating my website. I was very pleased with

the work I was doing, but would get less than perfect scores when graded. My professor would

leave me constructive criticism, and at first, it seemed to me as though I wasn’t conveying

myself the way I wanted to. This was difficult for me. I would consider myself a strong writer,

so most courses come very easily to me. My creative side, however, is not as strong and I felt

myself really having to push to get to where my PDQP is today. These frustrations, and the

feedback from my professor, however, have lead me to here and I could not be more pleased with

the end result.

Future in Teaching

Moving forward, I plan to continue to compare my practices against the domains and

TPEs. Self-evaluation is such an important, and necessary, skill in order to succeed. By

continuing to do this, and investing in my professional development, I know that I will be

successful as a teacher and in turn my students will be successful as well.

If ever I wonder if my students are learning, I now am equipped with the tools needed to

be able to determine why. I have reviewed some very informative literary resources in order to
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better verse myself in assessments, instructional planning, engagement, and much more. I will

continue to research practices and student learning techniques in order for my future as an

educator to be meaningful.

Advice For Future Candidates

My advice for future candidates is to never give up. This process is long and full of

frustrations, but the outcome is well worth it.

Developing a PDQP

When developing your PDQP, make it a reflection of you. This is your opportunity to

make an impression on someone who may have never met you, in order to gain future

employment, a promotion, or even a grant towards doing something new and innovating in your

classroom. Your page says a lot about you, so make sure to put in the work to make it an

accurate impression.

Selecting Artifacts

When on the journey towards a Masters Degree, gather artifacts that support what you are

doing in the classroom. This will help with preparedness and will alleviate a lot of the unknown

that comes with working on the domains. Focus less on paper resources, and more on bringing

your classroom to life. Some examples of things that help to set your PDQP apart from the rest

are: student work, pictures or videos of students in action, images of your school or classroom.

These are what will make the reader invested in you and your purpose.

Collaboration With Peers

A benefit of the format of this course is that there are ample opportunities for

collaboration with peers. The best advice that I can give is to engage in meaningful
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conversations with your peers, learn from each other, be open to criticism and do not let the

creativity of others scare you, but inspire you. Sharing your PDQP with others is intimidating,

but worth your while for the most meaningful conversations towards growth.

Most Beneficial

The most beneficial advice that I can give, is to take each course a week at a time.

Completing a task this large, in only four weeks, can be overwhelming at times. Evaluating the

needs of a single week at a time will help to be able to hone in on the task at hand and produce

your best work. After all, a PDQP is the ultimate reflection of your journey, so let it be what you

make of it. Give each week your absolute best and it will be over before you know it.

Conclusion

As my journey towards achieving my Masters Degree comes to a close, I am forever

grateful for this opportunity to grow as an educator. The Professional Development Quest

Portfolio has been such a fulfilling reflection of my career as an educator thus far, and a

motivator as to where I intend to go. I hope that the reflection I have provided will serve as a

tool for you to succeed when creating your own PDQP. Best of luck in your quest towards

creating your own.

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References

Castillo, N. (2019). Professional Development Quest Portfolio. Retrieved from https://n-

castillo.weebly.com