Professional Growth Plan
Teacher Professional Growth Plan
Goal #1: Maintain a positive and professional focus and treat my students with compassion and kindness.
KSA: #7
Rationale: To ensure a positive learning environment I must start with my own emotional state. I need to stay even-keeled and be calm in trying situations. It is vital that my students feel emotionally and physically safe. I will set the tone for my classroom and keep the students safe.
Actions
-Physically and emotionally ground myself before each lesson
-Use the mantras “Carry me mother” and “Here I am, I am here.”
-Walk to and from school every day, 50 km per week
-Write a weekly journal entry every Sunday
-Call my brother once a week, Saturday
Resources
-Breathing exercises and mental focus
-Exercise
-Reflective journal
-Familial relationships
-Sharon Peat, TA
-John Poulsen, UC
Indicators of Success
-Weekly journal entries
-TA observations
Success: I maintained an emotional grounding and was able to maintain a positive learning environment. I was clam in the face of frustrations and was calm while enforcing classroom management. I found my mantras helped me to mitigate anxiety so I could be confident in the delivery of my lessons. As I became more comfortable in the class room I found they were not needed. I used a bike as my primary transportation and the exercise helped me maintain my physical and emotional health. I biked an average of 70km a week. I found that journaling was a helpful reflective tool and was instrumental in calming anxieties when I had difficulty falling asleep. I kept in regular telephone contact with my brother. My family is an effective support network for me. My close relationship to my brother and his years of teaching experience are invaluable to me.
Areas for Improvement: Time management and sleep challenged me during this practicum. I’m naturally a night owl and have made significant progress in recent years in adjusting to a day time routine. However more progress needs to be made. I found I could reliably get 7 hours of sleep. I can function and survive on that amount of sleep, but 8 hours would be preferable. I hope to continue to improve in adjusting my natural sleeping rhythms. Better time management skills would also help. As my competency with lesson planning grows I will become a more efficient user of time.
Goal #2: Increase my artistic competency in musical theatre and dance.
KSA #4
Rationale: Part of becoming a better teacher is becoming a better artist. I am challenging myself to expand my competency in theatre arts. The more that I can expand my expertise the more I can give to my students. Being able to contribute to large school musical performances would be a valuable skill going forward with my career.
Actions
-Sit in and participate in Musical Theatre 15/25/35 at Chinook High School every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
-Break Dance with a qualified instructor every Saturday
Resources
-David Mikuliak, Musical Theatre Instructor
-Geordan Olson, Dance Instructor
Indicators of Success
-Incorporate physical and vocal warm ups from Musical Theatre into Drama instruction
-Assist students with choreographing movement pieces
-Create a list of instructional strategies for choir and dance
Reflection: This goal has changed significantly from its inception. I found that the process outlined was less practical than I had originally conceived. I observed only a few musical theatre classes. I did however breakdance regularly but I don’t feel like the result has been an expansion of my teaching repertoire.
New Plan for Success: The idea behind this goal was to increase the breadth of subjects that I could teach. I don’t think musical theatre is the way to achieve that goal. I think that guitar is. My singing is not strong and it would be very difficult for me to increase my competency. It would be more efficient for me to expand into music education with a focus on guitar. At Chinook I met Reid Seibert an English teacher who also teaches a guitar course. Although the guitar course was not being taught during my practicum I participated in extra curricular activities planned by Mr. Seibert. I performed at a Coffee House Concert organized through Chinook’s LA City Limits. I am also going to participate in Chinook’s Rock Combo Workshop as a Guitar Coach. My plan is to use these experiences to market myself as someone who could teach a Guitar option course.
Goal #3: Assist with Chinook High School’s production of Our Town by Thornton Wilder.
KSA #14
Rationale: Assisting with Our Town will give me valuable insight into a High School production. I have experience with university, professional, and community theatre, but not high school theatre. It is invaluable for me to learn how theatre is managed in this environment.
Actions
-Attend rehearsals 3-5 nights a week and reflect on the process
-Attend all tech calls and log time spent and activity
-Give actors a mime workshop and guide them in their physical performance
-Provide guidance and support for the performers
Resources
-Sharon Peat, Director of Our Town
-Mime and Physical Theatre training from Studio 58
-Technical experience from TRU, Studio 58, and Western Canada Theatre
Indicators of Success
-Reflections on the rehearsal process
-Tech Log
-TA observations
Reflection: I joined the cast of Our Town as a mentor actor. I attended 4-5 rehearsals a week. I approached my role with the focus of a professional actor and lead by example. I was early or on time for every rehearsal and warmed up as a professional would. I provided mime coaching for a couple of the students. I created the power point presentations that were included in the show. I had a smaller technical role than expected because of my inclusion in the cast. It was valuable to participate in the rehearsal process of a high school production and to observe Sharon Peat directing.
Goal #1: Maintain a positive and professional focus and treat my students with compassion and kindness.
KSA: #7
Rationale: To ensure a positive learning environment I must start with my own emotional state. I need to stay even-keeled and be calm in trying situations. It is vital that my students feel emotionally and physically safe. I will set the tone for my classroom and keep the students safe.
Actions
-Physically and emotionally ground myself before each lesson
-Use the mantras “Carry me mother” and “Here I am, I am here.”
-Walk to and from school every day, 50 km per week
-Write a weekly journal entry every Sunday
-Call my brother once a week, Saturday
Resources
-Breathing exercises and mental focus
-Exercise
-Reflective journal
-Familial relationships
-Sharon Peat, TA
-John Poulsen, UC
Indicators of Success
-Weekly journal entries
-TA observations
Success: I maintained an emotional grounding and was able to maintain a positive learning environment. I was clam in the face of frustrations and was calm while enforcing classroom management. I found my mantras helped me to mitigate anxiety so I could be confident in the delivery of my lessons. As I became more comfortable in the class room I found they were not needed. I used a bike as my primary transportation and the exercise helped me maintain my physical and emotional health. I biked an average of 70km a week. I found that journaling was a helpful reflective tool and was instrumental in calming anxieties when I had difficulty falling asleep. I kept in regular telephone contact with my brother. My family is an effective support network for me. My close relationship to my brother and his years of teaching experience are invaluable to me.
Areas for Improvement: Time management and sleep challenged me during this practicum. I’m naturally a night owl and have made significant progress in recent years in adjusting to a day time routine. However more progress needs to be made. I found I could reliably get 7 hours of sleep. I can function and survive on that amount of sleep, but 8 hours would be preferable. I hope to continue to improve in adjusting my natural sleeping rhythms. Better time management skills would also help. As my competency with lesson planning grows I will become a more efficient user of time.
Goal #2: Increase my artistic competency in musical theatre and dance.
KSA #4
Rationale: Part of becoming a better teacher is becoming a better artist. I am challenging myself to expand my competency in theatre arts. The more that I can expand my expertise the more I can give to my students. Being able to contribute to large school musical performances would be a valuable skill going forward with my career.
Actions
-Sit in and participate in Musical Theatre 15/25/35 at Chinook High School every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
-Break Dance with a qualified instructor every Saturday
Resources
-David Mikuliak, Musical Theatre Instructor
-Geordan Olson, Dance Instructor
Indicators of Success
-Incorporate physical and vocal warm ups from Musical Theatre into Drama instruction
-Assist students with choreographing movement pieces
-Create a list of instructional strategies for choir and dance
Reflection: This goal has changed significantly from its inception. I found that the process outlined was less practical than I had originally conceived. I observed only a few musical theatre classes. I did however breakdance regularly but I don’t feel like the result has been an expansion of my teaching repertoire.
New Plan for Success: The idea behind this goal was to increase the breadth of subjects that I could teach. I don’t think musical theatre is the way to achieve that goal. I think that guitar is. My singing is not strong and it would be very difficult for me to increase my competency. It would be more efficient for me to expand into music education with a focus on guitar. At Chinook I met Reid Seibert an English teacher who also teaches a guitar course. Although the guitar course was not being taught during my practicum I participated in extra curricular activities planned by Mr. Seibert. I performed at a Coffee House Concert organized through Chinook’s LA City Limits. I am also going to participate in Chinook’s Rock Combo Workshop as a Guitar Coach. My plan is to use these experiences to market myself as someone who could teach a Guitar option course.
Goal #3: Assist with Chinook High School’s production of Our Town by Thornton Wilder.
KSA #14
Rationale: Assisting with Our Town will give me valuable insight into a High School production. I have experience with university, professional, and community theatre, but not high school theatre. It is invaluable for me to learn how theatre is managed in this environment.
Actions
-Attend rehearsals 3-5 nights a week and reflect on the process
-Attend all tech calls and log time spent and activity
-Give actors a mime workshop and guide them in their physical performance
-Provide guidance and support for the performers
Resources
-Sharon Peat, Director of Our Town
-Mime and Physical Theatre training from Studio 58
-Technical experience from TRU, Studio 58, and Western Canada Theatre
Indicators of Success
-Reflections on the rehearsal process
-Tech Log
-TA observations
Reflection: I joined the cast of Our Town as a mentor actor. I attended 4-5 rehearsals a week. I approached my role with the focus of a professional actor and lead by example. I was early or on time for every rehearsal and warmed up as a professional would. I provided mime coaching for a couple of the students. I created the power point presentations that were included in the show. I had a smaller technical role than expected because of my inclusion in the cast. It was valuable to participate in the rehearsal process of a high school production and to observe Sharon Peat directing.