According to Porcupile (2015), "the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines professionalism as 'the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person'; and it defines a profession as 'a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation.'" Porcupile breaks this down into 6 characteristics that a professional should have:
To be a teacher requires that you put in a lot of extra effort because you want to help students. You take on the extra club to help a struggling student, or you attend an extra professional development because you are lacking the resources you need. As Porcupile (2015) states we need to "keep our knowledge up-to-date, so that they can continue to deliver the best work possible." We as teachers take so many extra steps because when you see a student succeed it is all worth it. We get so busy working with students and forming lifelong connections outside of the classroom as well as in it. This connection is what allows students to soar. We as teachers also need to remember to collaborate with others in our profession as well. This can take us from being good teachers to GREAT teachers. It also shows our competency, honesty, and integrity. It shows that we are willing to learn from others and we are also willing to help others learn from us. So much of education requires collaboration, but sometimes this falls to the wayside as educators are pulled in all directions. A few steps that we can take to make sure we are building positive relationships is by mentoring others and participating in professional development that furthers our interests.
Artifact 1-Mentorship (mentoring)
In the fall of 2017 I took on mentoring my site administrator. I knew this would be a challenge, but I took it on knowing that she really wanted some extra help using technology and I had the specialized knowledge she desired. We worked together in a democratic fashion drawing from what I knew and what she wanted to learn. This helped us set up a plan and a course of action to help her learn more about gmail, docs, and sheets (as these are commonly used for educational purposes). We both kept our end of the deal by setting aside time to meet with each other. Working with technology is never easy and even if something went wrong we were both able to show self-regulation by taking a deep breath and starting over. In the end, both my site administrator and had a very positive experience with this mentorship. I learned skills in teaching adults, and she gained technology skills that will help her be more effective as a site administrator.
Artifact 2-Climate Change and GLOBE Protocols
In the summer of 2017 I was selected to be part of the Climate Change and GLOBE Protocols at UAF. Through this program I was part of a collaborative learning community that will help me infuse climate change into the science classes I teach. Through this learning opportunity I was able to network and meet so many teachers in a wide range of disciplines and grade levels. Even though the majority of us were teachers we have different specialized knowledge. This is where I can really learn from the others that were part of this program. We can also hold each other accountable for taking what we learned and implementing it in the classroom. If I, or another teacher, needs help trouble shooting a protocol we immediately have access to a whole network of teachers who can try to help us. The relationships that were formed during this training will be instrumental in helping me to take my teaching to the next level.
- Specialized Knowledge. This means that a professional has "worked in a serious, thoughtful and sustained way to master the specialized knowledge needed to succeed in their fields; and that they keep this knowledge up-to-date, so that they can continue to deliver the best work possible"
- Competency. "Professionals get the job done. They're reliable, and they keep their promises. Professionals don't make excuses, but focus on finding solutions."
- Honesty and Integrity. "They keep their word" and "will do the right thing, even when it means taking a harder road." They aren't afraid to ask for help when something is outside of their skill set.
- Accountability. "Professionals hold themselves accountable for their thoughts, words, and actions, especially when they've made a mistake."
- Self-Regulation. "They exhibit a high degree of emotional intelligence (EI) by considering the emotions and needs of others, and they don't let a bad day impact how they interact with colleagues or clients."
- Image. "They're polished, and they dress appropriately for the situation."
To be a teacher requires that you put in a lot of extra effort because you want to help students. You take on the extra club to help a struggling student, or you attend an extra professional development because you are lacking the resources you need. As Porcupile (2015) states we need to "keep our knowledge up-to-date, so that they can continue to deliver the best work possible." We as teachers take so many extra steps because when you see a student succeed it is all worth it. We get so busy working with students and forming lifelong connections outside of the classroom as well as in it. This connection is what allows students to soar. We as teachers also need to remember to collaborate with others in our profession as well. This can take us from being good teachers to GREAT teachers. It also shows our competency, honesty, and integrity. It shows that we are willing to learn from others and we are also willing to help others learn from us. So much of education requires collaboration, but sometimes this falls to the wayside as educators are pulled in all directions. A few steps that we can take to make sure we are building positive relationships is by mentoring others and participating in professional development that furthers our interests.
Artifact 1-Mentorship (mentoring)
In the fall of 2017 I took on mentoring my site administrator. I knew this would be a challenge, but I took it on knowing that she really wanted some extra help using technology and I had the specialized knowledge she desired. We worked together in a democratic fashion drawing from what I knew and what she wanted to learn. This helped us set up a plan and a course of action to help her learn more about gmail, docs, and sheets (as these are commonly used for educational purposes). We both kept our end of the deal by setting aside time to meet with each other. Working with technology is never easy and even if something went wrong we were both able to show self-regulation by taking a deep breath and starting over. In the end, both my site administrator and had a very positive experience with this mentorship. I learned skills in teaching adults, and she gained technology skills that will help her be more effective as a site administrator.
Artifact 2-Climate Change and GLOBE Protocols
In the summer of 2017 I was selected to be part of the Climate Change and GLOBE Protocols at UAF. Through this program I was part of a collaborative learning community that will help me infuse climate change into the science classes I teach. Through this learning opportunity I was able to network and meet so many teachers in a wide range of disciplines and grade levels. Even though the majority of us were teachers we have different specialized knowledge. This is where I can really learn from the others that were part of this program. We can also hold each other accountable for taking what we learned and implementing it in the classroom. If I, or another teacher, needs help trouble shooting a protocol we immediately have access to a whole network of teachers who can try to help us. The relationships that were formed during this training will be instrumental in helping me to take my teaching to the next level.
Resources
Porcupile, D. W. (2015, September 09). What is PROFESSIONALISM? What does Professionalism mean to you? Retrieved July 27, 2017, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-professionalism-does-mean-you-daniel-w-porcupile
Porcupile, D. W. (2015, September 09). What is PROFESSIONALISM? What does Professionalism mean to you? Retrieved July 27, 2017, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-professionalism-does-mean-you-daniel-w-porcupile