Running head: LOOKING FORWARD 1

Looking Forward: 5 year Professional Development Plan

Lesli Nevarez

National University

Completed as partial requirements for TED690

Prof. Darryl Wyatt

LOOKING FORWARD 2

Abstract

Teaching Performance Expectation (TPE) 6 is Developing as a Professional Educator. This paper

addresses five professional development opportunities that I would like to participate in over the

next five years. The first PD curriculum is the state induction program required by California.

The other four opportunities are for areas that I believe are critical to teaching and that I hope to

grow in as an educator in my own classroom. These areas include achievement gap,

differentiated curriculum for gifted students, reading and literacy, and teaching STEM and are

detailed in Table 1.
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Introduction

Teaching Performance Expectation 6 is Developing as a Professional Educator. An

educator should be a lifelong learner. There is always a better way to give instruction, design

projects, adapt curriculum, connect with students, and to do all of the other tasks that an educator

does. Carol Tomlinson (2001) notes that teachers have the student learning types that they

gravitate too and find it the easiest to connect with in the classroom. She also states “The most

effective teachers spend a career meticulously cultivating their appreciation for children not so

easy for them to automatically embrace, while continuing to draw energy from those students

whom they more automatically find delightful.” (Tomlinson, p. 15) Recognizing this tendency

and determining areas of personal growth, researching ways to gain knowledge in those areas, and

creating a 5 year plan, an educator will be more accountable to not only others, but themselves as

well.

California State Induction Program

As a new educator, there are many challenges that will be faced every day. While every

year is challenging as an educator, the first two years are particularly challenging. Having

support and guidance through the first two years will greatly increase the likelihood of a new

teacher being successful. To meet this need California has made it a requirement that new

teachers complete a two year induction program.

Overcoming the Achievement Gap

In a Title 1 school it is important that an educator is empathetic to students’ backgrounds

and that they want to help students in all aspects of their lives. This is the only way these students

will find a successful path in education to improve their knowledge and economic status. It is just
LOOKING FORWARD 4

as important to remember that who those students are is a vital part of them and deserves respect

versus being looked down upon. Educators should not feel like they are saving students or

victims from an inferior situation as much as simply giving every student more options to find

their own path. This seminar addresses the idea of a “superiority or victim mindset” versus a

“liberation mindset”. This difference in mindset can help me to view my students appropriately

and ensure that I continue to set high expectations for every student.

Differentiated Curriculum for Gifted Students

Too often gifted students are able to complete the work assigned quickly and waste their

education time either waiting for others to finish or are given more of the same work. Carol

Tomlinson (2001) notes that “Advanced assignments tend to look more interesting to nearly

everyone except the advanced learner, who may perceive it as more work.” (p.14) As an educator

I want to increase my ability to challenge every student to stretch and learn in an equitable and

engaging manner.

Reading and Literacy Added Authorization

Reading is not only a personal passion I believe it is the key to education. Without a solid

foundation in reading, students will struggle in all subjects as they progress from learning to read

to reading to learn. This often leads to frustration, embarrassment, and low self-esteem that

strangles a student’s natural inquisitiveness and desire for knowledge. Added instruction in how

to give reading assessments, analyze data, and determine remediation or ways to challenge and

stretch for each student would be invaluable tools for me to improve their reading abilities.

NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative

I have always had a love of the outer regions of space. This is a topic that catches the

imagination of adults and children alike. In both my kindergarten and 3rd grade classrooms

activities that involve science, engineering challenges, or hands-on math result in the most
LOOKING FORWARD 5

enthusiasm. While many people in the education field promote STEM as important to give

students access to higher paying jobs, I believe it is an under-utilized method of engaging students

in multiple disciplinary learning that can promote the language arts as well as the STEM subjects.

I would like to learn additional ways to bring my two careers together to increase excitement in

my classroom.

Conclusion

As I look forward, this plan is one that I find interesting and exciting. At the same time, I

will be surprised if I complete everything in Table 1. It is more likely that if I continue to assess

the highest needs of my classroom and the areas that I need to focus my growth in to meet my

students’ needs, this plan will need to be adjusted. The plan needs to be an ever changing

document that is a real tool in my professional development as an educator.

LOOKING FORWARD 6

References

Tomlinson, C.A. (2001). How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms (2nd ed.).

Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

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Professional
Development
Course Length Rationale Website
CA State
https://www.ctc.ca.gov/educator-
Induction 2 years Required by CA
prep/ca-teacher-induction
Program
Working in Title I
school has shown
https://www.solutiontree.com/authors
Overcoming the me the need to
/anthony-muhammad/overcoming-the-
Achievement 2 days expand my skills in
achievement-gap-trap-workshop-san-
Gap reaching all
diego.html
students low and
high.
One of the
challenges of
Differentiated multi-level https://rossier.usc.edu/files/2018/02/D
Curriculum for 9 months classroom is to ifferentiated_Curriculum_for_Gifted_St
Gifted Students appropriately udents_Certificate_brochure.pdf
challenge gifted
students.
https://extension.ucsd.edu/courses-
and-programs/reading-added-
Reading and
9-12 Reading is the key authorization-and-
Literacy Added
months to education. certificate?_ga=2.180240676.10401134
Authorization
93.1555563159-
1431079350.1555563159
Students are
NASA STEM naturally
Educator inquisitive. This https://www.nasa.gov/offices/educatio
Professional 6 months PD would help me n/programs/descriptions/NASA_STEM_
Development combine my two EPD_Collaborative.html
Collaborative careers to better
serve my students.

Table 1: Summary of Five Year Development Plan