Unit #9: Professional Growth & Development

Professional Organizations, Publications, Etc.--
Becoming a Professional Educator
Professional teachers join organizations, read publications relative to their teaching specialty, and attend conferences to continually hone their craft and improve their teaching skill.

Lesson Activities:

GROUP #1 (p. 21 to 26)

1.  Who employs a teacher?

2.  How will you know what to teach? How much is your decision?

3.  What is an “effective teacher”? Reflect to your past – would your favorite teachers be deemed effective by this definition? Allow each group member one minute to provide their viewpoint).

4.  What are the three most important words in teaching? Why?

GROUP #2 (27-32)

1.  Agree upon an easily understood definition of “research.”

2.  Discuss the “Model of Teaching that Has No Research to Support It.” Poll all group members, “What percentage of your teachers use this model?”

3.  Create a list of the important points discussed about the use of research.

4.  Summarize the research findings on improving student achievement.

Professional Growth & Development

Professional Organizations & Publications

Page 2

GROUP #3 (p. 293 to 301)

1.  Agree upon an easily understood definition of “professional educator.”

2.  Create a list of the “This is Teaching . . .” items. Discuss these within your group (give each person 1 minute to provide their viewpoint).

3.  Add people (Glasser, Kagan, Kohn), A/V Programs (look around your TCA classroom for these), and Books/Magazines (internet search) to the list on p. 299 and create an expanded list for your TCA classmates.

4.  List the strategies to becoming a professional educator.

Group #4 (p. 301 to 311)

1.  What videos, books, journals are available in your TCA classroom? At your field site?

2.  Create a list of strategies to becoming a professional educator for your TCA peers.

3.  Where should you sit at a conference? Why? Given the choice, where do you usually sit in your classrooms?

4.  Teach the TCA class how to create a “Career Risk Plan”, and lead them in beginning to create their own.

Homework:
Ø  Create a risk plan. Discuss it with your parent(s)/guardian(s) and/or your field site cooperating teacher.