Reflective Decision Maker Journal-Assessment and Accountability

Introduction

The paper is a reflective journal-assessment and accountability. The paper holds two professional assumption that; teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning and secondary teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience. The paper covers the following improvement in practice, mastery of program competencies, and the artifact.

According to National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, (2009) for one to be an effective teacher there are calls for them in this case me to be able to make difficult, rational and principled decisions, exercise careful judgments, be aware of ethical limits of teaching profession, thus it is recognized and I follow suit that professional teaching standards will greatly help me be an effective teacher if I fully and consistently incorporate the two standards about teaching in my elementary to K classroom.

Improvement

Initially I used to hold the believe that as a teacher, I only need to impart knowledge to students and pass values and skills by transmitting such to the coming generation but after reading a number of literature and asked to reflect on my profession as well as the two of the five professional teaching standards, I realized that it encompasses activities more than what I thought.

During the course reading specifically the summary of the national board for professional teaching standards, IDPS standards and INTASC core principles, I appreciate the fact that above-transmitting knowledge, a teacher in addition move students to more sophisticated and in-depth abilities, concepts, knowledge, performance as well as concepts. This is achieved when the teacher bring their responses to the level of their students. Consequently, teachers use a number of techniques, resources and strategies in order to reach the various skills and capability of their students. I also realized that teachers opt to work not only as teachers but as coaches, mentors, advocates and managers as well as evaluators. They are required to group learners and use variety of plays and different types of material and media.

The reading on the concept that teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning I came to realize that as a teacher I need to use a multiple of strategies or techniques in order to meet my goals. This entail knowing and being capable of using a number of generic instructional skills, know how and when the social and physical organizational structure of the learning environment should be change and finally reaching to various human resources to custom-tailor the working environment for students.

Teachers also orchestrate learning in group settings. At this point as a teacher I realized that it is important for me to know how to manage groups of students, come up with a system that will oversee such a setting so that both the student and I can focus on learning and finally searching for new forms of organization that my expand their range and prove effective.

Thirdly, as a teacher I need to place a premium (finest) on students engagement. This is achieved when I fully understand the ways in which my students can be motivated to engage in various activities that enhance learning and using techniques and strategies that will help me to monitor their engagement.

Again, I appreciated the fact that as a teacher I am required on regularly basis to assess the progress of my students. This is done by tracking students’ progress by employing a number of evaluation methods be they formal or informal, summative or formative, this is followed by continuous monitoring of the students progress and providing constructive feedback to students, the parents and I.

On the same core principle, teachers are mindful of their principal objectives, I will need to clearly articulate goals and objectives for my students and at the same time developing activities that will help in meeting the articulated goals and objectives.

According to Vygotsky, (1978) this teaching standard bring out an effective teacher who is in a position to create and sustain a learning environment that will at all time interest their students coupled with effective use of time. It also gives me the chance to engage parents in assisting students in their quest to learn.

The core proposition that teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience gave me more insight that I will continually have to make difficult/tough choices and decision that test my judgment. Thus I need to show intellectual growth by examining multiple perspectives, always being creative, able to take risks and adopt problem solving culture, making decision or compromises that at the end leaves the various involved parties fully satisfied and finally use/adopt rational practice at the same time and always put the need of my student top of the priority list.

This same core proposition made me understands that as a teacher I am to seek the advice of others and draw on education research and scholarship to continuously improve my practice. To attain this, I am to reflect on my teaching so that I can improve those areas am weak, always stay updated on current research where applicable adopt new findings into my practice, put in place mechanisms that will allow me to get feedback from students and parents and asking others to observe and critique my teaching (Wong,1998).

Mastery of Competencies

I believe that if I strictly try to incorporate the two core preposition developed by National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, I will come out almost an effective teacher pending the attainment of the other three core prepositions. As mentioned earlier I will be capable of making difficult and principled decisions, give careful judgment, appreciating the complex nature mission of education, being fully aware of my profession limits, show skills in creating curricula aimed at enhancing students knowledge and understanding and similarly moving them to a more classy level. I will be also fully capable to monitor and manage students during learning as well as continuously acquiring new knowledge that will propel me further in my profession, (National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, (1998).

Impact on Student Learning

These two core preposition will positively impact on student learning. For instance, my quest to use multiple strategies to teach will ensure students acquire knowledge via these techniques, manipulated learning environment makes it suitable for learning thus students will be comfortable and willing to be in attendance, groups within students will help them share knowledge amongst themselves and appreciate one another and build the culture of teamwork, the student will receive the best from me as their teacher, they will be motivated thus more eager to learn, regular assessment and progress monitoring help reduce the cases of failing as I will be in a position to pinpoint those who need remedial teaching (Borich, 2003). The student will also benefit from their parents support as the later will have full knowledge about their children, by modeling students will try to emulate the good thing I would be practicing such as time management, adopting the culture of problem solving.

Finally, my continuous learning from experiences and new research will benefit my student as they will acquire knowledge that are new which will further help them be much more and round person in the society.

In conclusion, the reflections on these two core prepositions have made me appreciate what is currently at stake and what lies ahead of me as a teacher. Further it has opened up my thoughts and I now know teaching is not only about imparting knowledge but a myriad of activities on how best to do that. The reflection proved to be holding advantages to both students and me.