Initial Reflection on IRA Self-Assessment

Andrea Edbauer
November 1, 2014

What is it and under what conditions was it created?

This assignment was completed as part of the Literacy 798 course. I was asked to rate myself on
the six IRA standards and subcomponents, using a 1-5 scale. Each rating was to be accompanied
by a brief explanation of why I rated myself the way I did.

Why did you select it for this section?

I placed the IRA self-assessment in the Reflective Professional section of my portfolio, because
it helped me reflect on every area of the teaching profession. By completing the
self-assessment, I had to have a sound understanding of myself as a teacher, the process of
learning, and the education profession as a whole.

Growth and change?

During the initial assessment, I rated myself as average overall (3) in the areas of Foundational
Knowledge, Curriculum and Instruction, Assessment and Evaluation, and Diversity. I rated
myself slightly above average (4) in the area of Literature Environment. I rated myself slightly
below average (2) in the area of Learning and Leadership. This assessment affirmed that I am
already doing many things well in my classroom. One strong area for me was ​2:1 Use
foundational knowledge to design or implement an integrated, comprehensive, and balanced
curriculum. ​I rated myself high in this area, because I recognized that the materials that my
district was providing were not going to help me provide high-quality instruction. As a result, I
developed my own scope and sequence, aligned to the Common Core State Standards. I felt
that this was above and beyond what an average teacher would accomplish. I also scored
myself high in the area of literature environment, because I put a lot of careful thought and
consideration into this area. I not only consider the physical environment, but I also work hard
to create a safe and positive learning environment, where students are comfortable taking risks
and making mistakes.

One area that I realized I need to focus on is Learning and Leadership. I tend to spend most of
my time and energy on my classroom environment and curriculum. As a literacy specialist, I will
need to work towards developing professionally in all areas of the IRA standards, especially that
of Learning and Leadership. Because of this self-assessment, I am beginning to think of ways
that I can grow and develop in this area in particular. I am going to ask my principal if I can be
included in meetings about staff development in the area of literacy. I think that my principal
and literacy specialists would be very welcoming to this idea. My goal is to help plan and lead at
least one professional development opportunity during the 2015-2016 school year.

June 6, 2019
I have updated all areas of the IRA self-assessment. Most of my ratings stayed the same over
the past 4 ½ years. I did rate myself higher in some areas. For example, standard ​3:1​ ​states
“​Understand types of assessments and their purposes, strengths, and limitations.” I rated
myself a 4 in this area, where I previously rated myself a 3. Although I recognize that there is
always room for more learning, my understanding of assessments has increased quite a bit
since taking Literacy 765.

I also rated myself lower in a few areas. For example, standard 2:3 states “Use a wide range of
texts (e.g., narrative, expository, and poetry) from traditional print, digital, and online resources.”
Reflecting back on my time in the classroom, I could have done a much better job of
incorporating a wider range of texts, such as poetry and online resources, so I went from a
rating of 4 to a rating of 3.

Sub-areas addressed: ​Learning, Curriculum, Pedagogy