Set-Up a Reflective Teaching Program at Your School (Monday)

Work with fellow teachers and administrators to craft a reflective teaching practice at your school. You might begin by forming a small group of like-minded teachers with whom you can develop a proposal for review by your administrators. Your group can devise ways to work as a professional development support group, engaging in peer review and other useful reflective activities. Develop objective rubrics to help the team begin the reflective practice.

Seek Opportunities to Contribute to the Effectiveness of Your School (Tuesday)

Actively pursue activities that support your school. Professional educators realize that serving on committees that affect instructional policy, curriculum development, and staff development will serve their individual classrooms regardless of the impact such work has on entire divisions or buildings. Seek opportunities to serve on such committees, present your opinion appropriately, and use what you learn in your own classroom.

Join a Professional Organization (Wednesday)

Joining a professional teaching organization can inspire you with new ideas, connections with colleagues, and perspectives on teaching. Your school may even pay for it. Through professional journals, you can learn about the latest trends and research in your field, attend conferences, and connect with professionals in the field. Check our Web-Based Resources section for a professional organization that meets your needs.

Maintain a Teaching Journal (Thursday)

Reflect and write about the interactions in your classroom as often as is feasible. Create a baseline early in the semester to track your effectiveness in the class. Often, pinpointing certain students—perhaps a high achieving and a low achieving student and charting the development of your professional relationship with these two students—will accurately reflect the learning opportunities you create for all of your students. Write honestly and regularly reread earlier entries; use your notations to alter your own behaviors as necessary to enhance student-teacher relationships in order to improve learning.

Ask Your Students for an Anonymous Teacher Evaluation (Friday)

Elicit feedback from your students. Create a questionnaire concerning the learning environment you have created and request students to anonymously complete the evaluation. Read and study the comments of your students and use the information wisely to enhance student learning.