Jasmine Santiago

April 22nd, 2020

Professional Growth Plan Final Report
Part 1
1a. What data are you using to guide the development of your professional learning goal? (e.g.
reflections on teaching, teaching observations, mid-program evaluations, student feedback).
Throughout my field experience in Literacy Block, Integrated Block, and my commitment to volunteer
in other Volusia County classrooms, I have had the privilege of working with a range of cooperating
teachers and students who have impacted my teaching philosophy and my approach to teaching. With
the help of my professors, I have received feedback that has encouraged me to constantly strive to be a
better teacher. In order to define and develop my professional learning goals, the data sources I will be
using are the written and verbal feedback from Dr. Parks and Mrs. Head from their observations of my
teaching the Science Unit, along with my personal reflections of teaching.

1b. What does the data tell you?

The data has shown me that my strengths include communicating with students, questioning and
discussion skills, and creating an environment of respect and rapport. I make sure to encourage my
students when participating in class discussions and foster that relationship by asking them age-
appropriate, content related questions. Areas of focus that I need to work on more is differentiating
instruction and managing classroom behavior. Although I have improved in both of those areas since my
time in Literacy Block, I still have a lot more room to improve in these aspects of teaching. As far as
differentiating instruction, I mostly focus on differentiating for my lower-leveled students rather than my
higher-leveled students. This causes my higher-leveled students to lose focus near the end of the lesson.
When managing classroom behaviors, there are a lot of different reasons behind misbehaviors. Since it
is so difficult understanding students’ reasons for misbehaving while simultaneously teaching, I need to
find a balance and know how to address it and minimize the distraction in a quick and succinct manner.

2. Using the information from question 1, what is your focus area (write both the Danielson
domain and the component that you have identified as having the greatest potential for increasing
student learning below)

Domain 2: The Classroom Environment

Component 2d: Managing Student Behavior

3. What goal will enable you to strengthen your practice (write your goal statement below)?

My goal to strengthen my practice is to incorporate best practices in the classroom for preventing and
responding to student misbehavior.
4. Describe what you will do to build professional background knowledge related to the domain
and component that you have selected in order for you to achieve your goal (e.g. what
articles/books will you read, what internet resources will you use, what workshops will you attend,
will you interview or observe teachers)?

Throughout the course of this semester, I have had multiple trainings that have helped prepare me for
managing student behavior. As a way to build community and respond to behavior in the classroom, we
were taught and certified in Restorative Practices. I have also received CHAMPS training to address
how to prevent classroom misbehaviors. I have read Comprehensive Classroom Management by Vern
and Louise Jones and plan to read Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov to further expand my
knowledge of how to positively manage behavior in my own classroom.

5. What specific activities/actions will you implement to help attain your goal (e.g. administer a
student interest inventory, develop lessons that include multiple project options for students,
include the use of formative assessments during instruction, video tape and critique one’s practice,
establish procedures for the distribution and collection of materials and supplies)?

Since I will be interning in the Spring, my CT will already have procedures set in place in her classroom
that the students have grown accustomed to. In order to make sure the students will follow those same
procedures while I am teaching, I will need to have a discussion with my CT about how she/he
introduces me to the students. The students need to be aware that they are still expected to follow the
procedures my CT has in place even when I am teaching. At the same time, I need to hold myself
accountable by making sure I use all of the procedures my CT has in her/his classroom. I can make sure
I do this by video-taping my lessons and asking for specific feedback from my CT and my professors
about my classroom management.

6. How will you collaborate with other professionals to meet your goal?

I will collaborate with my CT, my professors, and my peers to ensure I am making the right steps to
meet my goal and incorporate the best practices I have been learning about.

7. What evidence/artifacts will you collect to demonstrate that your goal is being met?

The videos I will take of my lessons will help me see my interactions with students and their behaviors
as well as see the pacing of my lesson. Observing the pace of my lessons will help me understand how
long I am allowing misbehaviors to occur and how long it takes for me to control misbehaviors. I will
also have the observation notes from my CT and my professors, and my personal reflections after each
lesson, which I will record my classroom management during my lesson each time.
 Professional Growth Plan Part 2

1. What did you do to build your professional background knowledge related to the domain and
component that you selected? Did you add any new professional learning opportunities during your
internship?

I have had multiple trainings that have helped prepare me for managing student behavior. As a way to
build community and respond to behavior in the classroom, I had the opportunity to learn and get
certified in Restorative Practices. In order to refresh the skills, I have learned in Restorative Practices,
I attended an International Literacy Association Conference and went to a session on Restorative
Practices. I have also received CHAMPS training to address how to prevent classroom misbehaviors.
I have read Comprehensive Classroom Management by Vern and Louise Jones and read and took
extensive notes on Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov and The Power of Our Words by Paula
Denton to further expand my knowledge of how to positively manage behavior in my own classroom.
I also attended Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings that directly involved how to limit
off-task behaviors in the classroom in a respectful way.

2. What specific activities/actions did you implement to help attain your goal? Describe at least 4
specific activities.

Activity 1: Student Lottery

During my senior internship, I used the student lottery strategy in my classroom to call on students.
Often, in my lessons some students would shout the answer out without being called on and other
students would appear off-task. The student lottery comprised of grabbing a ball with one of the
students’ class number on it. This person would be the student who answers the question I asked. This
eliminated callouts and encouraged everyone to be focused and prepared for any questions.

Activity 2: Class Notebook

A strategy I implemented to reach my goal was to be consistent with class management by enforcing
the class notebook. When a student was off-task or being disrespectful, they were told to sign the
notebook. When they did this, they had to write their name and what behavior caused them to sign the
notebook. This was quick and efficient way to stop misbehaviors in the middle of a lesson and it held
students accountable because they had to recognize why they were signing their notebooks. The
number of times they signed the notebook that week meant the number of minutes they missed during
Fun Friday at the end of the week.

Activity 3: “I” statements

When there have been substitutes in the classroom, students tend to misbehave more often than when
my cooperating teacher is present. In an attempt to be honest and communicate with my class at the
start and end of the days when my cooperating teacher was absent, I used “I” statements to tell students
my expectations for the day and how I felt the day went at the end of the day. I would make sure to
bring an emotional aspect to my statements to show students how their behaviors can affect the
environment and culture of the classroom.
 Activity 4: Learning Positions
During my in-person lessons and during my online lessons, I have had students who slouch or have
their head down. During my online lessons, some students were eating, laying down, or consistently
moving. In order to focus on the lesson, I have practiced asking for learning positions in the classroom
and online. Students know when I say this it means to sit up, silently track the speaker, and be prepared
to share your thoughts or questions with the class. Since we moved online, it became a little difficult to
do this. With my cooperating teacher, we set up a “online learning position” flyer for the students to set
the expectations for our class meetings and lessons. This seemed to really improve the flow of the
lesson and students seem more focused.

3. Did you meet your intended goal? Describe the evidence and artifacts that demonstrate the professional
learning goal was met (include at least 5 descriptions of evidence). Two pieces of evidence must be the
focused observations by your cooperating teacher in your selected area of growth (attach the feedback
provided by your cooperating teacher). Label and describe each piece of evidence and explain why
each piece helps meet your intended goal. Attach the artifacts to the end of the report.

Overall, I think I did meet my goal of growing and learning more strategies about behavior management.
With the help of my cooperating teacher, supervisor, and resources I had access to, I was able to use
their suggestions and practice from my own experience to learn and improve.

 Danielson Assessment C (Dr. Duvall): During this observation, Dr. Duvall stated that
misbehavior was handled immediately in my lesson and that students were on task for most of the
lesson. However, during the review activity, she stated I could have monitored behavior more
effectively and used withitness if I had spent more time modelling the specific directions before
beginning the review activity.
 Danielson Assessment C (Mrs. Bloemker): Based on this observation, Mrs. Bloemker reported
that I responded respectfully to students, but I need to be slightly more stern with them. I also lost
some instructional time due to needing to repeat the classroom expectations and procedures over
for the students. She stated I monitored their behavior well and suggested I explain to students
why specific tasks are important to the environment of the classroom.
 PGP Focused Observation (Mrs. Bloemker): This observation was based specifically on my PGP
and my CT stated in her observation that my strengths in the lesson were telling students “eyes on
me,” refocusing students with a question, and tapping students to focus. My suggestions were
mostly on introducing the topic, so students understand more clearly and participate more.
However, my feedback seemed to have improve at this point in the semester.
 Danielson Mid-Program Assessment (Mrs. Bloemker): In my mid-term evaluation, Mrs.
Bloemker stated that I do well establishing the procedures and using the procedures in place to
manage behavior. I provide students with wait time which allows time to monitor behavior as
well. She also stated that I need to keep modelling the directions given for a lesson and allow
students to come up to the room and model the directions I have given.
 Danielson Assessment C (Dr. Duvall): Based on my third observation, Dr. Duvall stated that I
improved using withitness. She said that my tone of voice is kind, but firm and authoritative and I
am improving in management. She also stated to just be aware of what students are doing at all
times. Overall, this observation that happened the last week before spring break, showed me I
have made progress towards my PGP goal.
4. How did you collaborate with other professionals to meet your goal?

Over the course of the semester, I worked with my cooperating teacher and discussed different
management strategies that specifically work for her classroom. After a variety of my lessons, my
cooperating teacher would write sticky notes with bits of feedback and suggestions. Most of these
suggestions were based on my management skills and what I did well and what I still could improve.
I also worked with my supervisor, Dr. Duvall, and discussed how I could model more in my lessons
to minimize off-task behaviors. We discussed ensuring that I use a timer to maximize my lesson time
and using the procedures in place in the classroom to further student focus. The conversations I
participated in during PLC meetings about student behavior allowed me to understand how other
teachers view management and I got to hear some of their tips that they use in their own classroom.

5. What new learning did you acquire as a result of the professional learning opportunities in which you
engaged?

I truly enjoyed the strategies I read in Teach Like A Champion. I was able to practice some of those
strategies in the classroom to see if they work or not, and often a lot of these same strategies my
cooperating teacher already had in place. I also learned that classroom management is always a work
in progress. Different techniques may work for each individual classroom and it’s important to
understand the environment and the students when making decisions about management. It’s equally
as important to talk with students and understand their perspective before immediately giving a
consequence for a behavior.

6. What impact did the changes in instructional practice have on you as a professional?

Understanding some of the best strategies and tools for management helps my teaching in numerous
ways. It has saved my instructional time, it minimizes distractions from the classroom, and positively
effects the culture of the classroom. I feel I can accomplish more and teach more when I am able to
manage student behavior in an efficient way and it allows more room for engagement and students’
fostering their own education! My personal goal for becoming an educator is to provide every student
with a fair and equitable educational experience. To achieve this, it is imperative that I understand the
ways in which I use language to manage behavior, as well as my own reactions when faced with
misbehavior in the classroom.

7. What impact did the changes in instructional practice have on your students’ learning?

When I began to use the suggestions my supervisor and cooperating teacher presented to me, I began
to notice a shift in the classroom during my lessons. When I modelled the directions, students were
not asking me questions about what to do for an experiment, they began to ask deeper, more
challenging questions that furthered their learning. When students were all focused and in learning
positions, I noticed there was more student participation and a more diverse conversation because
more voices in the classroom were being heard. Using “I” statements helped my students learn
empathy as well and they began to understand how their behavior can affect others in the classroom.
8. How will you continue to develop in this area?

I think it’s necessary to continue to learn about the best practices for managing student behavior. For
my senior research, I dove into the topic of protecting undocumented students and how educators’
inconsistent responses to misbehaviors can seriously affect the lives of students of color. Continuing
to seek research on management and responding to behavior is significant especially as a preservice-
teacher and first-year teacher. It is important that I continue to incorporate new strategies in the
classroom and develop my skills of managing student behaviors. This can be accomplished through
sharing best practices with other educators or related workshops at educational conferences.
Danielson Assessment C #1- Dr. Duvall
Danielson Assessment C #1- Mrs. Bloemker
Danielson Mid-Program Assessment- Mrs. Bloemker
Danielson Assessment C #3- Dr. Duvall