As an educator, I am consistently asked to reflect:
What worked?
What didn't? Why?
What could be done differently?
What did the students learn? How do you know?
Reflection is mandatory in order to prevent complacency. Reflection (self-evaluation) is sometimes extremely difficult for people to do. When we reflect, we have to admit that we aren't perfect. We have to explain WHY something didn't go "just right". I am a self-proclaimed perfectionist. If I don't do something right the first time, I want to know why and how to make it right. As an educator, I want THE very best for my students. In order for this to happen, I must reflect.
As a future administrator, it is important to understand how to mold great teachers. While I truly believe that teaching is a calling, I believe that great teachers must be scaffolded in order to prevent burnout and frustration. This process must include reflection, but how must teachers reflect? What should they base their reflections on? Fulk, Bell, and Bodie (2011) state that administration should have meaningful conversations with their staff and determine individual goals that should be met. In order for these goals to be met, the staff members must be presented with opportunities of professional development, evaluation, and feedback (Fulk et al., 2011). With consistent feedback and reflection, appropriate growth can take place and be measured (Hall, 2008). This, of course, outlines the idea of management by objectives.
It would make sense to adopt the idea of management by objectives for an educator, due to the fact it is a familiar process; this is what we use on our students. As feedback is given and true reflection takes place, a person can make exponential growth.
Psalm 37:3-5 states: "Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily shalt thou be fed. Delight thyself in the Lord: and shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass" (King James Version). Your objective: Focus your life on His Word. The Bible is an instructional manual. He has laid out for us what He needs and wants us to do for Him. Will we follow those objectives?
References:
Fulk, H. K., Bell, R. L., & Bodie, N. (2011). Team management by objectives: Enhancing developing teams' performance. Journal of Management Policy and Practice, 12(3), 17-26. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/876866547?accountid=12085.
Hall, D. (2008). The technology director's guide to leadership: The power of great questions. Eugene, OR: ISTE.
Hi Rhonda:
ReplyDeleteYou provided an excellent reflection and analysis on the process that teachers must undergo in order to become great at their profession. Take the role of mentoring for instance. Few will take issue that part of what it takes for a teacher to succeed in their first few years of teaching is reliance on someone who provides some degree of mentoring. Research is heavily weighted on the relationship between a new teacher's desire to stay in the teaching field and their participation in a successful mentoring experience (Dempsey, Arthur-Kelly, and Carty, 2009) In addition, there is a positive relationship between beginning teachers drop-out rates and the degree of mentoring they receive during their initial teaching experience (Whitaker, 2000). You rightly point out the scaffolding process, a concept introduced by Vygotsky that explains early childhood development, but that also provides keen insights into how adults learn as well.
Administrators should ensure that they are managing by providing evaluation, feedback, and objectives that come from SMART goals (tenets of Management By Objectives) Yet, administrators must also recognize the value of modeling the kinds of behaviors they want to see in their teachers, and they must formalize a mentoring process, so that the attrition rates of new teachers, which is a high as 46%, can be lessened. This idea goes right along with your assertion that "great teachers need to be molded."
Another great post from you!
Blessings,
Loren
Dempsey, I., Arthur-Kelly, M., & Carty, B. (2009). Mentoring early career special education teachers. Australian Journal Of Education, 53(3), 294-305.
Kain, E. (2011). High teacher turnover rates are a big problem for America's public schools. In Forbes.com. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2011/03/08/high-teacher-turnover-rates-are-a-big-problem-for-americas-public-schools/
Whitaker, S. D. (2000). Mentoring beginning special education teachers and the relationship to attrition. Exceptional Children, 66(4), 546-66.
Hey Rhonda,
ReplyDeleteAfter teaching for the past 15 years I have to say this school year I have done more self reflection as a teacher than any other year. I know this has been the results of the classes I have taken during this masters program. Hall (2008) writes about reflecting on practices causes improvement in practices. I am excited for you on becoming a future administrator. I hope you build up your teachers with praise and become a great listener. The down fall of a good school is a poor leader. Our small high school is going down the tubes quickly due to the lack of leadership in the building. A good administration will put a leadership team in place and allow them to do their job as a leadership team and not micro-manage everything. I wish well in your leadership and thanks for being such a great team member!
Hall, D. (2008). The technology director’s guide to leadership. Washington, DC: ISTE
Beverly
Rhonda, I appreciate your views on reflection. Sometimes we can find ourselves unhappy with our jobs. Being an educator can sometimes be very trying and reflection is a great way to overcome the hurdles that we may come into the contact with as we move through our careers. While working on my course project for another class, I have been researching new teachers and what information they need in order to be successful and ultimately remain in the teaching field. One of the articles I came across stressed the need for reflection (Ransdell & Maxwell, 2006). I never would have thought that keeping a journal to reflect on my job would lead to increased satisfaction. Looking at all the blogs I’ve completed for various courses throughout this degree program, I am pleasantly surprised on how it has enhanced my learning experience. I also agree with you that teaching is a calling in life. “ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah, 29:11). Do you keep a reflective journal for teaching?
ReplyDeleteReference
Ransdell, M., & Maxwell, S. A. (2006). Initiating elementary teacher candidates: A structured
design approach. Professional Educator, 28(1), 1-11.
I DO keep a journal for teaching! When I completed my National Board Certification during the 2008-2009 school year, I realized the importance of reflection, as I had to reflect in my entries. Since then, I have kept a journal, starting a new one each year. I file them away in my filing cabinet each year.
ReplyDeleteI create journals for my students each month and file them away at the end of the month. When June comes, I rubber band the journals together and give them to the students and parents as they come in for their last conference. I have the student reflect on their learning and watch as they grow excited about how much their writing has improved over the year.
Each year, as the school year comes to a close, I pull out my journals and look through them. It's funny how I see certain patterns in some and it's amazing to watch myself grow as a teacher. There are times throughout the year when I find myself remember a situation and go looking through my journals to find out how I handled it so it could help me in a current predicament. Sometimes, my journals are the most helpful resource I have!
I'd agree with Ransdell & Maxwell (2006), stating that reflection is an integral part of the job. I have to admit when I have failed at something...BUT I have to take credit for what I do RIGHT and that, in itself, is sometimes the motivation I need. :)
~R*
Ransdell, M., & Maxwell, S. A. (2006). Initiating elementary teacher candidates: A structured design approach. Professional Educator, 28(1), 1-11.