Rubric10 Reflection1

Barbara A. Doyle
Rubric 10 ~ Reflection

Rubric	LEADERSHIP: The participant has grown as a leader in science education.
Retell	I am still currently a Math teacher in the School District of Philadelphia, so leadership roles in the field of science were no readily at hand. For the last two years we were afforded the opportunity for Common Planning time in our departments. This extra period was used to share ideas for lessons, interact with colleagues and professional development. One Cycle of these common planning periods was used for teachers to present mini lessons that could be adapted across curriculum. I presented a mini lesson during common planning to my colleagues on the topic of lines of regression. In evidence is the agenda for my presentation, an image of the smart board lesson with the keystroke guide, and the handouts given to teachers with a sample of problems from Algebra I & II, Biology and Chemistry. The next opportunity for me to demonstrate leadership was being assigned an apprentice teacher to mentor, this is discussed in further evidence below.
Relate	MCE Enduring Understanding #6: Teacher-Participants become confident life long learners and reflective practitioners through their MCE coursework and experiences. Chem 502 Enduring Understanding #1: Information technology and computer skills are valuable tools in both the teaching and learning of chemistry.
Baseline Evidence	At he start of the MCE program I was not a Chemistry teacher and have still not transitioned over to the chemistry department. I eventually plan to have a split roster between Math and Chemistry and have discussed this plan with my principal. Although participating in professional developments in both subjects I did not have the confidence to present professional developments or assume leadership roles outside of the comfort of my first subject area of Mathematics.
Evidence
Evidence
Further Evidence	Excerpts from the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers & Philadelphia School District. "...During the first year of a new teacher’s career, the induction program in each school shall require a mentor to give on-going school based support to all new teachers. The mentor shall be responsible for providing support and guidance to new teachers...(i) Mentoring shall offer on-the-job support that allows new teachers and new long-term substitutes to gain a practical working knowledge of the teaching profession and should include structured peer classroom visits and coaching in classroom management and/or student behavior management....(iv) Mentors shall be selected in accordance with criteria jointly formulated by the school Principal and Building Committee...(v) While the success of a mentoring program depends greatly on selecting good mentors, the need for high quality and on-going mentor training and support cannot be overstated. To ensure the mentoring experience is a successful one, the mentor must be prepared for the mentoring role...." Last year I was chosen to mentor an apprentice teacher, the apprentice teacher came to our school mid year and observed in my classroom for the first two weeks. During this time they observed my lessons and I also discussed all the preparation that went into designing and implementing my lessons in the classroom. During this time we adapted a modified co-teaching model were they were able to assist students with work during group sessions. The apprentice teacher was not classically trained in math and had come from industry, so prep periods were also spent instructing them on some of the Algebra II concepts and graphing calculator applications we were covering in class along with discussion on classroom procedures. The apprentice shadowed me for about two months and then received two small classes of their own in the same subject area as myself, we still meet every morning to discuss the days lesson and clarify concepts and then assumed the co-teaching model again in the afternoon. It was a great experience and by the last quarter they had assumed a complete roster. It was rewarding to work in training a new teacher and being an available resource to share ideas.
Reflect	As stated in my Baseline, I have not yet transitioned to the Chemistry classroom. The emphasis on Math performance on the PSSA was a great focus this past year as I was assigned five of the six Algebra II classes that would be taking the PSSA. The pressure and stress were undeniable but along with other supports and pull out programs that targeted specific student levels we were able to achieve a 17.2% increase! It was very rewarding to have the students be successful after a year of teaching and preparing them. I hope to translate this success into the Chemistry classroom as well. I look forward to sharing all the new knowledge and teaching practices I gained at MCE with students and colleagues.