Becoming a Reflective Teacher Part 2

Last post we discussed your why. Why are you teaching, what is the motivation for you to continue being the best teacher ever?
 Your personal why.

 In today's post I want to discuss why should we use reflective teaching as a strategy to be a better teacher.  My question for you today is WHAT is Reflective Teaching?
What do you think it is? (Go ahead and think out loud if you must , or write it down on a Post-It note.)
To answer the what is it question, let's dive into the research behind it. Did you know that there is a relationship between your students' achievement, your skill level and using  reflective practice?
It's true, reflective practice has been around a while, in fact Buddha, Socrates, and Plato all encouraged their students to examine their lives. Moving forward in 1983 Donald Schon wrote a book called The Reflective Practitioner , where he applied the concept of reflection to various professions to show that not only do researchers generate professional knowledge, but practitioners such as doctors, TEACHERS, architects, and engineers do as well. He goes on to say that "competent practitioners usually know more than they can say"and calls this "knowing-in-action". (Marzano, 2012) I want you to be one of those teachers, you know who they are, they make teaching look so easy because they are "knowing-in-action". They have it all together, they can answer all your questions and their classroom runs like a dream. If they can do it so can you!
What do you need to do to become a Reflective Teacher? I am glad you asked, let's start small and easy:
Journaling: This is the best way to start individual reflecting. I realized that I have been doing this since I was in 8th grade. I have kept a journal since 1980-something, and it does really help you look back and learn from your mistakes!

Can you do that? Yes? Great...now try this...

Reflect with a co-worker: Are you cooperatively planning? Do you have a 'person' at school that you can share your great works as well as your blunders? Find one, you can't do this alone, find a good mentor, a good friend that will tell you the truth and will be a good listener and encourager.

It is easier to reflect with a buddy, it does get a little trickier for the next two, but if you are a go-getter a self starter, then maybe you can be the voice of change where you are.

Reflect with your team: Your grade level team can be a good source of data feedback. Do you have a PLC or an Action research study group? If not START one!

Next one, you might have to talk to your principal. any principal wanting better teachers will totally agree with you!

School-wide Reflection: Committees that focus on specific content area are all the rage this year, get involved!
Stay tuned for the next post on Becoming a Reflective Teacher when we discuss HOW to be a Reflective Teacher!

Reference:

Marzano, R. (2012). Becoming a reflective teacher. Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research Laboratory.

Becoming a Reflective Teacher-Part One

Welcome back to school!

I am ready! Are you?
Let me start with what has been in my brain all summer long. I was asked to be a part of our school's Professional Development team, along side some really wonderful, smart , knowledgeable educators. Needless to say I was honored.
My group is responsible for  Reflective Teaching Practices. I am so excited about this, because my ultimate goal in teaching is to help other teachers become the BEST teacher they can be. (Sounds like an old Army commercial, I know but it is true!)
So let's start out with the basics. WHY?
Why should we as teachers reflect upon our teaching skills? Many of you say, because it will make me a better teacher, or so I know not to do that lesson again or even who has time to sit and think at the end of the day, please! Today I am going to take you through the WHY process and help you see that once you know why you are doing it, (and believe me YOU are doing it, even if you don't call it reflecting) you will actually realize that your WHY is your driving force. By becoming a Reflective Teacher you will improve your students' achievements, improve your evaluations with your administrator and realize the potential within you to be the BEST!
Why did you become a teacher? We all know it wasn't for the paid vacations, or for that awesome benefits package, and the pay is unreal, (Do you see my eyes rolling?) ...so let's cut to the chase, you are a teacher because you love children, you want to make a difference, you have a PASSION for it, am I right?
Why do you teach the things you teach? Is it the same reason? Or is it because the proverbial "THEY" tells you what to teach?
Take time today and write down your WHY. I believe once you figure that out, then Reflecting will become easier.
I am planning on making this a series of posts on how to become a Reflective Teacher. I am using the book
Becoming a Reflective Teacher by Robert Marzano.

I hope you stick around for a few weeks and discover how to become a better teacher, validating what you are doing right and growing into the BEST teacher you can be!

Year End Clearance (Help, please)

     Well HELLO there...I know , I know! It's been quite a L O N G time...I have been busy.
~ You know how Bees are!

     I have been steadily working on my Master's in Literacy Education since last summer. I will finish up at the end of October. I have also been consumed with the CCSS transition and less than 48 hours ago was told that I will be going to 3rd grade...3RD GRADE! I am petrified! The good news is I get to keep my fabulous Sweet Bees from this year! (Well not ALL of them, some are moving on to different places, or have a different teacher in mind)

     In today's blog I just want to catch up with you, let you know what we have been doing in our hive, and in my life....


I was chosen to represent my school as teacher of the year....

We held a Booster-Thon for the first time at our school...that was a lot of fun!

 Our class got to visit SeaWorld

I bought a house...

Went on a Spring Break cruise

We had a great time with Body systems....

We finished the year with every Bee achieving over 20 AR points...the top bee had 150 points and most had over 50 points, needless to say the ice cream party was a HIT!

And we had a special visitor from Missouri show up... a PEN PAL decided since his school was out, he'd come down for a visit, it was an exciting day!

All in all the school year was GREAT! I am proud of my Sweet Bees and we will continue to 'bee' the best next year...however I have never taught 3rd grade..any suggestions? I've been blog hopping...