Professional Growth Plan

     During our New Teacher Orientation we were asked to start thinking about our Professional Growth Plans as we will be meeting with our individual principal's this week. As part of this, we were provided with forms to help us guide our goals (both personal and divisional).

     As a new teacher, most of the times when I think of the school year my hopes are to simply survive through it! Student teaching is just a taste of what full-time teaching is like and I hope to just make it through the year while trying to balance lessons, differentiating instruction, keeping up-to-date with appropriate assessment of student understanding, being involved with extra-curricular, etc! With that being said, however, I have been able to identify some goals for my Professional Growth Plan.

Goals:
- The teacher will maintain a written weekly reflection regarding lessons,
  classroom management, assessment, differentiation etc.
- The teacher will incorporate blogging into the Grade 8 Science class in a
  manner that addresses curricular outcomes, digital citizenship, school
  community, and student responsibility.

Divisional or School Goal(s):
- The teacher will plan one mentoring activity with another grade once per unit.

Strategies:
- I will maintain the weekly postings on my blog, "2 Stars & a Wish",
  which reflects on things that went well in the classroom and addresses
  an area of improvement.
- A blog has been set up for the Grade 8 Science class as well as a
  routine and expectations that will be incorporated once students are in class.
- For each unit, I have listed another grade in the school that covers a
  similar topic (ex. Grade 7 Science: ecosystems, Grade 6: diversity of living
  things). Other teachers will be approached regarding class cross-over
  activities.

     I have yet to meet with my principal so I am not exactly sure if this is what she is looking for in regards to a Professional Growth Plan. I do, however, feel like this provides me with a good platform in order to explore further.

     Do you have to complete a Professional Growth Plan? If so, what are some of your goals this year?