4e - Growing and Developing Professionally - What's going on in Mr. Solarz' Class?

4e - Growing and Developing Professionally

3/17/2019

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Examples from Charlotte Danielson:

Evidence from the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 School Years:

The teacher seeks out opportunities for professional development and makes a systematic effort to conduct action research:

Workshops & Conferences Attended (2017-2019):

Attended the "Midwest Social-Emotional Learning in Schools Summit" - by IL ASCD and Mindful Practices (July, 2018)
Attended Sharon Nelles' Guided Reading Training (Winter, 2018-2019)
Teaching Agriculture in the Classroom (Hydroponics) by Steven Ritz and Jonathan Toews

Travel related to Professional Learning (2017-2019):

Attended the Qudwa Forum: "Teaching for Tomorrow" in Abu Dhabi, presented on a panel, and was named one of 50 Qudwa Fellows (Fall, 2017)
Presented the "Skills21" program and ARCSkills suite of products to employees at the Verizon Headquarters in Manhattan (Fall, 2019)(Presentation embedded to the right)

Presentations & Publications (2017-2019):

Presented at the "Midwest Social-Emotional Learning in Schools Summit" - by IL ASCD and Mindful Practices. TOPIC: "Unlocking SEL in the Intermediate Grades: Social Emotional Learning in Our 5th Grade Classroom" (July, 2018)(Presentation embedded to the right)
Presented at Union Elementary School in Joliet, Illinois: "Creating Student-Centered Classrooms" (August, 2018)(Presentation embedded to the right)
Presented to St. Bonaventure Catholic School in Davie, Florida on "Rethinking the Way We Teach - How do today's students learn best?" (Presentation embedded to the right)(Summer, 2018)
Informally presented to Annunciation Catholic Academy in Altamonte Springs, Florida on "Learn Like a PIRATE" (Fall, 2017)
Currently writing two curriculum resources for the Van Andel Education Institute:
- "State of Sustainability"
- "Take a Stand"

Hydroponics in the Classrooom:

Skills21 and ArcSkills Presentation:

Unlocking SEL in the Intermediate Grades: Social Emotional Learning in Our 5th Grade Classroom:

Creating Student-Centered Classrooms:

Introduction to "State of Sustainability":

Conducts Action Research in the classroom:

Teaching 4th grade has provided me LOTS of opportunities to explore new ways of teaching, new programs to use to supplement our district-adopted programs, and new tech tools to try out with kids! Some of these include:
- Math Workshop
- Guided Reading 2019 style
- Writing City
- Try Engineering Together
- Math in Focus (Years 1 & 2)
- Words Their Way (Years 1 & 2)
- Skills21
- Using Flexible Seating in the classroom
- Using exit slips as a means of formative assessment
- Using Fact Fixer to try to improve math fact fluency
- Creating a KinderPals mentoring program
- Finding authentic purposes for a Maker Space
- Using IXL to pre-teach, re-teach, and provide extra practice for math skills

Fact Fixer:

IXL Schedule:

Words their Way:

Maker Space:

KinderPals:

Writing City:

Flexible Seating:

Actively seeking feedback from others (2017-2019):

Currently renewing my National Board Certification
Hosted several observers from our district and surrounding districts in class and collaborated after school and/or at lunch with each
Hosted a pre-service teacher for five observation days (Natalie)(Spring, 2019)
Signed up to have guests observe in our room for "The Leader in Me" Leadership Day
Signed up to have guests observe in our room for "Pineapple Day"

Evidence from Previous Years:

Workshops/Classes Attended (2015-2017):

Attended the 2015 NICE Conference
Attended the 2015 EdCampChicago
Attended the 2015 Tech Academy
Attended the 2016 ICE Conference
Attended the 2016 SIT Conference with three of my students.
Attended the 2016 EdCampIllinois
Attended the 2016 Deerfield Summer Leadership Retreat

Travel related to Professional Learning (2015-2017):

Attended the 2016 November Learning - Boston Learning Conference
Presented at the 2016 Berrian Springs, Michigan District In-Service

Presented at Conferences (2015-2017):

The 2015 Inaugural "What Great Educators Do Differently" Conference
2015 Crystal Lake Transliteracy Conference
Lake County CRC

Actively seeking feedback from others (2015-2017):

Regularly invited Scott, Brad (and Caz) into the classroom for special events.
Had dozens of observers from our district and surrounding districts observe in class and collaborate after school and/or at lunch.
Signed up to have guests observe in our room for "The Leader in Me" Leadership Day.

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Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities

The components in Domain 4 are associated with being a true professional educator: they encompass the roles assumed outside of and in addition to those in the classroom with students. Students rarely observe these activities; parents and the larger community observe them only intermittently. But the activities are critical to preserving and enhancing the profession. Educators exercise some of them (for example, maintaining records and communicating with families) immediately upon entering the profession, since they are integral to their work with students. Domain 4 consists of a wide range of professional responsibilities, from self‑reflection and professional growth, to participation in a professional community, to contributions made to the profession as a whole. The components also include interactions with the families of students,
contacts with the larger community and advocacy for students. Domain 4 captures the essence of professionalism by teachers; teachers are, as a result of their skills in this domain, full members of the teaching profession, and committed to its enhancement.