Module Four Posting

I have personally experienced very few strategies in the world of Professional Development.  I am not a full-time teacher, though I often get called to cover classes for teachers who are involved in training.  If not for these jobs, I wouldn't have nearly as many sub days as I do, especially this recent school year.  The majority of the time I've been called is because teachers have been working in workshops in preparation for MAP and SmarterBalance testing.  I'm not entirely sure what goes on during these meetings, but they occur almost weekly.  Many of the teachers who participate in these find them a waste of time, and would rather spend the 1-3 hours they'd be in the training working in their classroom instead.  I have also seen the implementation of weekly (or in some cases daily) team meetings among the grade levels, and I think these can be effective as well.  This is a good time for the teachers to all get together and discuss when IEP Meetings will be (and who should be there), upcoming events, and students they may be having difficulty with or who are falling behind.

The only PD I have really experienced was mentoring, and that was through student teaching.  This was a crucial part for me in developing my teaching style, as it involved some of my first experiences in the classroom.  Working with my mentors (or perhaps they were more coaches) was effective.  When you are first learning, having a good mentor is key.  Moving teaching from theory to practice is terrifying, and especially when you get control of the classroom for the first time.  Having someone who is not only supportive, but also gives feedback to help you improve is essential, and I was fortunate enough to have this while going through my own student teaching experience.  I think the same can be said for mentors and coaches later in the teaching career.

I feel that mentoring and coaching will be the best strategies for my TI Imitative, because it is the one that I have experience with.  This would provide a good support system when it comes to integrating technology strategies.  If some teachers are unfamiliar with the technology, or even unsure of how to incorporate it in their lessons, this strategy would provide a great pool for the sharing of ideas and guidance.  As more teachers become integrated, as well, the more coaches and mentors available to help other colleagues.

Chapter 7
The "Brand-ed" approach to school leadership is an idea of incorporating business ideas into education.  Every teacher should have their own brand, which is something that they believe in or stand for.  Once you have this, you need to associate yourself with this word and "sell" it.  At least, this is my understanding from reading the chapter.  "Brand-ed" School Leadership takes place on a digital platform more so than anywhere else.  It is important, especially in relation to a school brand, to let the community know what it is that the school stands for and their goals.  This can be obtained through a social media outlet.  It's almost as if your "selling" your school to the community, or even your teaching philosophy.

Chapter 8
My experiences with PLN are in the very traditional sense.  That is, teachers who use local resources within their school and community and don't branch out much further.  I do think, however, that PLN would be very effective and a great way to widen the net of resources and interaction.  This would involve becoming more involved in the digital world, which most of the schools I've worked in have not done.  By expanding the net, teachers would not only have more resources, but also more people to collaborate and receive feedback from.  To me, this seems like an excellent way to share ideas quickly and effectively, which is not always a strength in most school systems.