Commitment
to the profession...
Early Childhood Education
MY E. Portfolio
MAITHA AL HAJERI
Professional Development Plan
The professional development plan is an individual growth plan where we come up with goals, strategies, and outcomes of specific areas that we want to develop and be better at. The purpose of the PDP is to be better professionally to improve self-performance and achievements (SDP, 2018). On this page you will get the opportunity to read through my personal development plans across six competencies which are (Click on any of the competencies below to view the plan):
1-Commitment to the profession
References:
-SDP. (2018). Professional Development Plans. Retrieved from, https://www.philasd.org/teachingandlearning/professional-development-plans/
Goal
Strategies
Evidences
Reflection
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Participate in events and activities in the school and take a big role leading them
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Find out why taking the children to trip is important
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Plan for the trip
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​Take children to a trip and reflecting on it
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I researched about the importance of taking children to trips and how does they affect students’ performance at the school.
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I planned before going to the trip and I included details such as the trip information, purpose of the trip and how it links to innovation in the school. Furthermore, I included the activities that will be implemented before while and after the trip. A timeline table was created to make everything clear with the timings .
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I took lots of pictures that showed how the trip went, I also created a video that showed the process of the trip including reflections and justification of what went well and what needed some improvements or futures trips
It is important to participate in events and get part of the school life. I decided to improve this are to demonstrate the commitment to the profession through my attitudes toward my practice placement. Following the rules and regulations, embracing the principles of the teaching profession, as well as the requirements.
lanning for learning
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Writing an effective lesson plan objective that is SMART (Specific-measurable-appropriate-realistic-tailored)
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Do a pre-search about some strategies that are helpful to keep the students focused and calm throughout the lesson.
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Write down lesson plans that are detailed.
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Asking MST or MCT for feedback
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I have gained some strategies or tips on writing a good lesson plan. A good lesson plan includes necessary materials, clear and SMART objectives, background knowledge, direct instructions, a closure and demonstration of learning which is the assessment
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I wrote detailed lesson plans that included: clear instructions, SMART objectives, appropriate activities, timings for transitions, materials used, differentiation, formative assessments, engaging session and a recap session to check students’ understanding
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My mentor college teacher noticed that the lesson was too detailed, and he told that the lesson if richly full of details that if any other teacher takes my lesson plan they will be able to revive the lesson just by depending on the lesson plan I created
Goal
Strategies
Evidences
Reflection
It is important to have a detailed lesson plan with an effective learning objective that is SMART. I chose to improve this area because, during my previous teaching practices I struggled sometimes in my lessons, because either the lesson plan was not detailed enough, or the learning objective was not clear and SMART. I was not able to complete the lesson on time sometimes or keep a focus on one thing only because the learning objective was not that good. It was obvious that not having a detailed lesson plan with a clear learning objective caused a fuss and frustration. Sometimes my MSTs used to interfere in my lesson to get the students on track to keep the children back to the topic they had to learn. Also, I got verbal and written feedback from my MST and my MCT about rethinking of how to do the lesson plan more professionally and detailed. Therefore, writing a detailed lesson plan with a SMART learning objective will allow better planning and better implementing for teaching and learning.
ommitment to the profession
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anaging learning
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Implement four behavior management strategies that keeps the children focused and calm throughout the lesson.
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Group colored necklaces.
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“Stop” and “Go” sign.
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The bell.
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Popsicle sticks.
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Prepared group colored necklaces in four colors (red-yellow-orange-blue)
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Printed both sided sign (Go/Stop)
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A bell that was available in the classroom.
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Prepared popsicle sticks with children's names
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I included the strategies in my lesson plans which allowed me to follow up with the changes that had to be done along with the time to either improve a strategy or to find alternatives.
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Having reflections on the strategies I implemented helped me develop in this area and think for future considerations.
Goal
Strategies
Evidences
Reflection
From using all these strategies: bell, popsicle sticks, Stop-Go sign, and groups colored tags I was able to develop professionally in the implementing for learning competency. I learned that the bell helps much in getting students’ attention. However, it must be implemented with an action because children’s hands are always busy which distracts them from listening to the instructions. In my opinion, the colored group tags went well because children were able to know with whom they were working. Moreover, I could divide the students into groups which allowed me to call them by groups to assess them during the listen. I think for next time I will allow changing group members to allow the children to work with different students instead of working with the same group for the whole year. As a considering point for next time is to include more action strategies and praising system to motivate the children. Overall, I was able to achieve my goal because the children were focused and engaged in all my listens and responding to what I used with them successfully
Sticks names
Using popsicle sticks in the lesson increase the engagement of all students. I found out that children feel more motivated to participate and think because they have no idea whose name is going to appear. I think that this strategy is effective because I am looking for getting students’ attention and engagement in the lesson.
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The Bell
Using the bell strategy is effective for several purposes.
When children made noises, they stopped their behavior when hearing the bell.
To stop children from working on an activity
To let the children, move from an activity to the other
To get students attention to give instruction or a compliment.
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Group colored necklaces
Dividing the children into groups helps to organize the classroom flow during transitions. I found out that many teachers had this issue in the classroom where children were confused about where to go or who to be with. I learned that having the children in groups saves time and keep the children busy learning instead of trying to find out where to go.
mplementing learning
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Implementing cooperative learning in the classroom
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Do a pre-search about the importance of cooperative learning and how to include it in the classroom.
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Including cooperative learning in the classroom lessons
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Meeting MST and getting feedback for improvements and feedback
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Do a pre-search about the importance of cooperative learning and how to include it in the classroom.
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I Found out the importance of cooperative learning in the classroom and a strategy that is called think pair share to implement in the classroom
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I reflected on what went well and what did not on the strategy I implemented. The strategy needed more time till the students get used to it especially because children have to talk to their peers and argue to their answers
Goal
Strategies
Evidences
Reflection
Teachers are responsible for providing a motivating environment for children's learning, so teachers must always develop ideas when implementing lessons or activities in the classroom to implement innovative approaches that depend on cooperative learning and teamwork (Sawatzki, 1997).
Cooperative learning is a vital method where students show their eagerness in the learning activities to each other. I chose to improve this area because In one of my teaching practices I remembered my MCT told me that if I use this strategy it will be really
helpful as she found out that students were involved and gave them the chance to explore and learn by themselves. Children will learn by themselves and their performance will raise according to many types of research that have been done by other teachers around the world. Therefore, applying cooperative learning in the classroom will make the learning much more rich, effective and visible to the children.
ssessments
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Apply effective formative assessments for each lesson in the classroom to improve learning and teaching using different strategies.
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Do a pre-search about some strategies to apply formative assessments in the lessons.
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Apply formative assessments.
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Justify on formative assessments in the classroom
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I found four formative assessment strategies to implement in the classroom such as picture/word card sort, popsicle sticks, mini whiteboard technique, and interview strategy. Some of these strategies are implemented on the carpet and some during center time
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I implemented the four activities and according to my observations to each strategy I wrote notes to distinguish what went well and what requires improvements. Furthermore, I had a discussion session with my mentor school teacher to get some suggestions for improvements
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After implementing the formative assessments strategies, I justified on each strategy by mentioning how they were effective and showed students’ performance
Goal
Strategies
Evidences
Reflection
Assessments are vital to know students' understanding of the focused area, follow their learning process, evaluate if the learning objective was achieved or not (GLEF, 2008). It is important to assess the students in each lesson using different strategies to keep an eye on students’ progress through time. I chose to improve this area because I used to use a checklist and taking notes strategy only. However, there are more strategies that allow the teacher to access to student’s performance by using different strategies such as the spreadsheet and interviews. It was obvious that not using different strategies to assess banned from getting accurate information. Therefore, using considering and implementing different formative assessment strategies are vital to improving learning and teaching at the same time.
eflections
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Find a weekly goal to improve my practice and develop throughout the week
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Have a look at previous goals I decide goals to work on during teaching practice
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Focus on goals for each week and reflect on them.
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Get feedback from MCT on the goals and the reflections
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I searched in the internet to find some interesting topics to focus on and reflect on weekly for five weeks. I chose…(names of the topics)
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I reflected each week for five weeks on different topics to improve in an area. The reflections included lots of details, online research, MST feedback and areas to focus on in the future
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I sat with my MCT and got feedback on his opinion on my reflecting skills and my reflection structure. In the meeting I got to know the advantages and disadvantages of my reflections
Goal
Strategies
Evidences
Reflection
It is important to have a goal each week to develop on to professionally progress as a teacher. I chose to improve this area because it is important to look at what I did too and to have a goal to focus on each week to develop professionally which allows developing the teaching and the learning at the same time. Reflections allow us to express our opinion and thoughts, shape our observations and our acceptance of new ideas. By reflecting we can improve ourselves by finding the weaknesses and the strengths in a specific area (ASC, n.d).