EDU 6134 Course Reflection

EDU 6134 Course Reflection                              Ian Lewis                                             December 4, 2016

The standard of Professional Practice relates to how teachers work collaboratively within educational communities. In successfully collaborating, teachers reap the benefits of improving instruction, advancing knowledge and passion* of the teaching profession, and engaging students successfully and deeply in learning. The elements of Professional Practice, 8.1 Participating in a Professional Community and 8.2 Growing and Developing Professionally act in harmony. Effective participation in professional communities is characterized by relationships of mutual support and cooperation. In order to grow and develop as educators, feedback from colleagues, supervisors, and professional collaboration should be welcomed, as well as provided if needed. By having positive relationships with colleagues, administration, support, and more importantly students and families, individual teachers are better equipped to receive feedback and critique. They are likely more willing to provide it to peers and professional communities. This is in part because the interwoven relationships work together to provide a latticework of support for all players involved. Ultimately regarding student success, such a web of positive support structures allows for students to receive support from various people in multiple contexts of daily life.

With application to the various ideas presented throughout this course, including beginning teaching, protecting students (re: confidentiality, abuse/neglect, youth violence, substance abuse prevention, suicide prevention, mental health and disability awareness and law, and acts of unprofessional conduct), and continuing to better public education (through professional development and professional education association activity), the effectiveness of positive relationships and the link with positive application of peer feedback is thoroughly embedded.

As beginning teachers experience Moir’s (2011) phases, for instance, positive relationships and response to feedback would be especially essential for making it through the hurdles of the “Survival Phase” and “Disillusionment Phase”. Collaboration and positive response to feedback, built stronger via positive relationships, suits student interest with regard to protecting students from abuse, violence, suicide, and other traumatic situations. Systems are in place for protecting students in cases of abuse, violence, and for suicide prevention, as discussed by Denton (n.d.A; n.d.B), and they are effective because they are built on collaborative efforts and foundations of mutual support. Finally, as educators practice daily, no two experiences are the same, and thus there is always opportunity for continued learning in the classroom. Professional development, whether in or out of the classroom (e.g. hallway discussion and seminars; co-teaching/mentoring and group discussions/planning, examples provided by Desimone, 2011) allows for increasing knowledge base, which if applied well to best practices should positively influence student engagement and growth, the ultimate goal. By becoming better at an individual level, the overall professional community is strengthened. Positive relationships with professional communities, including the exchange of feedback, are necessary to better meet the needs of students and better public education as a whole.

Throughout the various aspects of this course, it is evident that there is a mutual bond between establishing positive professional relationships and being accepting of feedback. Both of these aspects of professional development work together to effectively shape how teachers interact within professional educational communities to improve instruction, advance knowledge, practice, and passion of the teaching profession, and better reach students to help them learn.

* I meant to write “practice”, but “passion” fits as well – maybe even better.

Reference List:

Denton, David (n.d.A). Issues of Abuse. Video.

(n.d.B). Issues of Abuse and Distress. Video.

Desimone, Laura M. (2011). A Primer on Effective Professional Development. Kappan, 92(6): 68-71.

Moir, Ellen (1990). Phases of First-Year Teaching. California New Teacher Project. California Department of Education.