Standard 9: Leadership and Collaboration

Artifact 3 – Staff Meetings

My artifact is an email communication that represents the weekly staff meetings I

attended during student teaching. The artifact aligns with Standard 9 which expresses that the

teacher “takes initiative to grow and develop with colleagues through interactions that enhance

practice and support student learning.” Staff meetings provided opportunity to collaborate with

the principal and other teachers and professionals on “shaping and supporting the mission of

[the] school” as well as to further professional development.

Outside of the classroom is a school-wide community that includes students, families,

teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, and support staff. I realized the importance of attending

the weekly staff meetings as a member of the school community; without doing so, I feel it

would have been difficult to understand and support the school’s mission. I also appreciated that

the staff meetings provided opportunity to enhance my professional development. During one

meeting, the school counselor spoke about social and emotional learning which I believe is

essential knowledge for teachers to have. These meetings allowed me to be a contributing

member of the school community and to further my professional growth to best support student

learning.

In my practice, I will be a contributing member of the school community by attending

staff meetings and offering my input to help shape the school culture. Furthermore, I will use

these meetings as opportunities to learn and grow from colleagues and other professionals,

enhancing my teaching practice.