Domain 4
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Communicating with Families
Parent Teacher Conferences and Phone Conferences
I have organized and implemented parent-teacher conferences for the biology classes I student-taught during this semester. I have also had phone conferences with the parents of my students that were struggling. I am comfortable talking to parents and guardians as I have been one myself for some time.
Creating a Blog
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Evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.
I created a blog to reflect and explore some of the aspects associated with technology use in education. The blog allowed me a format to express my opinions based upon current research without the burden of official publishing procedures. As a future educator, I understand that I will need to stay informed about aspects of technology and the application in the classroom. Technology is changing at rapid pace, so I will need to utilize both formal and informal avenues to learn more.
Danielson Domain 4e: Growing and Developing Professionally
Reaching Beyond the Class with Robotics
Last semester I convinced a class of fellow teachers to help me start at Lego robotics club at Cherry Creek Elementary. I organized the schedules for everyone involved. Then I created lesson plans and activities to teach 4th and 5th-grade students how to build and program Lego NXT robots. We met weekly for 3 months and ended with a visit from the Robogators and Cold Logic robotics teams to show our younger students the older area teams. It was a great experience for me and the kids!
Facebook Groups as a Professional Learning Network
Participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning.
I joined several Facebook groups to communicate with other educators and educational entities. I followed Ted-Ed and Edutopia and several other educational institutions on Twitter as well. I think there are some great resources available, but finding them in a endless sea of online data is daunting. Using professional learning communities to pinpoint resources can reduce search time and provide new search ideas.NGSS Biology Teachers and Biology Teachers Facebook Groups have provided invaluable ideas, resources, and encouragement.
Danielson Domain 4d: Participating in a Professional Community
Growing and Developing Professionally
I have worked to obtain the AHA Heartsaver CPR/First Aid/ AED certification. I also went through nonviolent crisis intervention training. I have started to explore EduPaths for professional development hours as well. I have already had a few incidents that required a calm and quick response, so I am eager to keep my skills sharp and current.
