All NZ teachers are now required to keep some kind of 'Learning Journal' that records the learning and professional journey of a teacher which should support why they should be registered (and continually registered). What should this learning journal keep tabs on?
1. Professional development - what has this teacher done, learnt and done to show they have grown as a professional teacher? What have you done to address your weaknesses? How have you continued to develop your strengths?
2. Critical and Personal Reflection - what has this teacher done to critically reflect on their professional and personal development? How has this helped in the classroom?
3. How any of this critical to what a teacher does in the classroom? - Well done! If you are going to do any personal and professional development all in the name of teaching and learning, it better matter in the classroom especially in terms of uplifting student achievement!
I'm sure the list goes on but the short message is...'What am I doing to uplift my pedagogical content knowledge, professional and personal development so that I can develop into a Pretty-Hot-Teacher?'. I have been questioning my performance for some time but now I really look at what I'm doing in the classroom and asking questions like "Did that matter?", "How does what I do matter?", "How is what I am doing uplifting student performance" and ... "How am I uplifting my own performance so that it matters?".
Whew! Not much to ask :)
Anyway...as a last but aspirational note, here's a TED Talks vid that I am pretty inspired by...PS Rita Pearson is no longer with us but her spirit and message will be for what I predict, a long time!
