TSCHAPPAT MASTERS PORTFOLIO 1

Professionalism

The teacher demonstrates their engagement in ongoing professional learning

and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the
effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, and other
professionals, and the learning community), and adapts practice to meet the
needs of each learner.

Building and maintaining respectful and positive relationships with the key

stakeholders are main components of professionalism. This includes relationships-based

on honesty and integrity-with students, their parents, other educators, administrators, and

support personnel. Integrity can be described as your "moral compass," or being

"morally sound." This is what drives you to do what you do, even when no one is

looking. In the education world, it is how you treat colleagues, parents, and community

members, as well as how you treat students even when they are purposely testing your

boundaries when no one is looking. As we all may know, it is difficult to change one of

our core values, but we must do so in order to support students in reaching their potential.

Amy Vetter (2012) found that “teachers often resist change when the decision to

transform comes from someone other than themselves”. A teacher’s personal identity

(values, biases, upbringing, education) is reflected in her work in the classroom.

Therefore, to develop professionally is to change or evaluate one’s identity and for

effective change to occur this must come from within the teacher herself. Exemplary

teachers are cognizant of how they are perceived in association with integrity. Others

revere them, and they are known to be a prime example of what integrity looks and

sounds like in and out of school.

Bell and Gilbert (as cited in Vetter 2012) suggest that the first step in improving

one’s professional teaching practice is to first critically reflect on what is happening in

TSCHAPPAT MASTERS PORTFOLIO 2

the classroom and realize that improvement is necessary. This process of reflection and

observation is also the first step in teacher research. The teacher-researcher posits

questions they want to investigate “that can lead to a new vision of themselves as

teachers and of their students as learners” (Hubbard & Power, 2003, p.4). When teachers

create a new vision of themselves, they are not only developing personally, but also

professionally. This annotated bibliography of my professional development resources

helps me to remember what I have learned and to reflect back on when I am struggling to

discover effective practices for certain students or situations. I feel that is important to not

only build my own knowledge base, but also to share that knowledge with others. Hurst

and Reding (2000, p. 26) stated, “Building good, strong relationships is part of being a

professional.” Teachers no longer can go into their classrooms, shut the door, and do their

own thing. The changing nature of schools calls for teachers to collaborate with others

and work effectively as a team toward common goals. Collaboration is essential for

meeting the needs of all of students.

Collaborating with the community, outside of the school, is another way that I

continually foster professional relationships. By creating and adding to this

detailed  bibliography of books related to Alaska and its culture, both historically and

modern I am able to incorporate Alaskan culture and literature into engaging lessons that

enable me to learn about the community in which I teach, help other educators learn

about the culture, and immerse my students in curriculum based on the culture they are

most familiar with. “When families, community groups, business and schools band

together to support learning, young people achieve more in school, stay in school longer,

and enjoy the experience more,” (O’Keefe, 2011). Contributing to the community helps
TSCHAPPAT MASTERS PORTFOLIO 3

fosters positive relationship with its members, creating a more positive learning

experience for everyone.

Furthermore, effective teachers need to commit themselves to being lifelong

learners. Wong and Wong (1998) described a professional as “someone who, without

supervision or regulation; is a responsible person; has a continuing growth plan to

achieve competence; and strives continuously to raise the level of each new group of

students” (p. 294). Professional development for a teacher is more than just monthly

workshops or seminars. It is personal development as well. Teacher professional

development is successful when it is made personal. Change occurs when teachers are

allowed to focus on issues that are localized and relevant, and when they are in a

community of professionals that value inquiry and reflection (Tafel & Fischer 2001;

Rust, 2009).

Every teacher must develop the characteristics of a professional and model

professionalism every day. In fact, among the standards of the National Council for

Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE, 2001) it is a requirement that teacher

candidates demonstrate specific dispositions of professionals. I do this in my own

practice by taking on a learner's attitude, being openminded, and assuming best

intentions. Also, I observed what was happening in my classroom; formed questions that

were relevant to my experience; read current research; developed and implemented an

intervention; recorded and analyzed the effect of the intervention and discussed the

results with a group of professional colleagues. This process of inquiry enabled me to

engage in what Tafel and Fischer (2001) refer to as “educational renewal”. Tafel and

Fischer describe “educational renewal” as a “personal quest for teachers” (p.222) in

TSCHAPPAT MASTERS PORTFOLIO 4

which teachers observe, reflect, ask questions, try out new approaches and discuss and

interpret with colleagues.

Seifert (1999) offered that “becoming truly professional is a lifelong challenge,”

(p.95) and he also stated: Professionalism is a process more than an outcome— a way of

encountering new students and new classroom problems and of finding meaning and

solutions to them as you grow. It is not a “thing” acquired or worn like a piece of

clothing; at no time will you have become professional once and for all.
TSCHAPPAT MASTERS PORTFOLIO 5

References

Bell, B., & Gilbert, J. (1996). Teacher development: A model from science education.

London, UK: Falmer Press.

Hubbard, R., & Power, B. (2003). The art of classroom inquiry: A handbook for teacher

researchers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Hurst, B., and Reding, G. 2000. Professionalism in teaching. Upper Saddle River, N.J.:

Prentice Hall

National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. 2001. Program standards for

accreditation of schools, colleges, and departments of education. Washington,

D.C.: NCATE.

O’Keefe, B. (2011). 5 steps to better school/community collaboration: Simple ideas for

creating a stronger network. Retrieved from

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/school-community-collaboration-brendan-okeefe

Rust, F. (2009). Teacher research and the problem of practice. Teachers College Record,

11 (8), 1882-1893. Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292001967_Teacher_Research_and_the

_Problem_of_Practice

Seifert, K. L. 1999. Reflective thinking and professional development: A primer. Boston:

Houghton Mifflin.

Tafel, L., & Fischer, J. (2001). Teacher action research and professional development:

Foundations for educational renewal. In Burnaford, G., Fischer, J., & Hobson, D.

(Eds.), Teachers doing research: The power of action through inquiry.(2nd ed.).

Mahwah, NJ: Lawrench Erlbaum Associates.

TSCHAPPAT MASTERS PORTFOLIO 6

Vetter, A. (2012). Teachers as architects of transformation: The change process of an

elementary school teacher in a practitioner research group. Teacher Education

Quarterly, 27-49.

Wong, H. K., and R. T. Wong. 1998. The first days of school: How to be an effective

teacher. Mountainview, Calif.: Harry K. Wong Publications.