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Educational Portfolio

Part Three: Professional Responsibility

Introduction

Multiple aspects make up professional responsibility in the field of education. Educators

as a whole not only have the professional responsibility to be knowledgeable enough to educate

children in a traditional transfer of core subject knowledge sense but additionally with their

social-emotional development. They have to be knowledgeable in numerous other areas as well:

teachers are analysts, sounding boards, mandated reporters, trusted adults, nutritionists,

protectors, and mentors, to name a few. Everything that a teacher does for their students falls

under the scope of professional responsibility. Educators must be knowledgeable and make

analytical decisions throughout their careers, not only for their own sake but for the sake of every

student who enters their classroom. Educators, like their students, are lifelong learners.

In the current world setting, the minor scheme of an educator's professional responsibility

is knowing their content area. Teachers must also understand how to look for signs of mental

illness in their students, signs of abuse and trauma, and when and where to report concerns. In

addition, they know how to get their students further help, manage unpredictable and unforeseen

situations within the classroom and the school as a whole, all while keeping students safe, and so

many other roles in their students' lives. Teachers have many professional responsibilities to help

students learn and keep them safe. Professional obligations in an educator's world stretch far

beyond knowing a subject well enough to be accountable for transferring this knowledge to a

younger generation.

Professional responsibilities continue beyond knowing your content area and continuing

to build your knowledge, as much of the rest of the world may believe. It stretches into the
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intricacies of communication: with students, parents, colleagues, and administrators. Knowing

these communication avenues' differences is detrimental to educators as each interaction differs.

As a young teacher, it is understood that you must focus your professional development on

specific areas and to learn and focus your professional learning based on your needs and your

students' needs.

Description
2. Evidence – Describe the context (setting and situation) where you collected evidence and
explain how the body of evidence helped you make meaning of the theme.

Alyssa McMahon Communication Log: My communication log was created during my student

teaching experience. It was a way for me, my mentor teachers, and my supervisor to

communicate throughout the week about what was happening in the classroom that might not

have been seen or acknowledged by the other parties. This communication log was the first

continuous written dialogue with one of my cooperating teachers. For me, this log was essential

to know: what was going on that week and being able to look back and recall information. And

two, even while having in-person conversations with my mentor teachers and supervisor,

sometimes they would write down things I did not notice or had not thought about before. This

log was not only essential for me for self-reflection on my professional development and

responsibilities but also for effective communication.

This I Believe Project: My “This I Believe” project was created in my first-ever education course

as a freshman. Being fresh out of high school and still unsure of what direction I wanted to major

in, it shows in the video for the most part. The shift can be seen more towards the end of the

video when the topic of my understanding of what education should be doing for students comes
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up. The video begins to document my continuous goals for professional learning. It is interesting

to look back and reflect on how my views have changed and stayed the same.

Alyssa McMahon Observations from Cookie 2023: The log of observations from my student

teaching supervisor gave me continuous insight into how my active instructional abilities were

progressing. She made observations on a grander scale, commendations, and things to consider

about the lesson or in the future. An outside perspective is helpful in any given situation,

especially when starting in any field. The advice experienced teachers can provide you, not just

in general but specifically about the things they see you doing in the classroom, is irreplaceable.

Throughout my student teaching experiences, this observation log was something I would visit at

least biweekly to read about past situations to see where growth had occurred and things to still

keep in mind. Regarding professional responsibilities, the observation log created by my

supervisor had me constantly thinking about areas to grow further, things to try, and what to

concentrate on while instructing an active classroom.

Traumatic Brain Injury.pdf: This EBook was created during my secondary special education

course. Each student was assigned to research one of the thirteen categories of disability and

create an EBook to inform our peers about each category and the history and laws surrounding

each one. From my research, I learned that traumatic brain injuries could appear in many ways

and affect each person differently, leading you to have to prepare your knowledge base on this

topic extensively. Through completing this project for myself and listening to others’

presentations, as a class, we gained a greater understanding of how the thirteen categories of

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disability can present themselves in the classroom. In doing so, we can better understand our

students’ needs and how to advocate for them both inside and outside the classroom.

McMahon_Research Paper on Arts Integration: This research paper looks into how schools that

have disbanded their arts programs still implement arts into their curriculum. In my Art

Education: Contemporary Issues course, we were allowed to look deeper into any topic of

interest to us. My area of interest was what was happening in schools that no longer have active

arts programs. Through my research, I discovered that they no longer employ specific arts

educators (theater, music, art). These schools have incorporated these into the “traditional”

classroom: to show their learning. Students were allowed to respond and show what they know

through plays, songs, and art pieces alongside traditional methods for showing knowledge. This

research allowed me to better understand how the education world is currently viewing the

importance of arts education.

Professional Learning and Ethical Practice

Performance Criterion- 9.1 Candidates are prepared for self-directed, continuous professional

learning.

Analysis of Performance Criterion

In a world of increasing technological advancements, most anyone has the ability and

access to learning anything they are interested in knowing. When it comes to education, the

doors are open just as wide. The terms, policies, standard practices, and students are

ever-changing and inter-changing in the field of education. To be a prepared teacher, one has to

remain a lifelong learner. Within each lesson a teacher does, there is always room to reflect and
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improve a lesson. Other times a lesson might flop mid-instruction, and you have to reflect later

on what went wrong. These reflections might cause an educator to look further into where they

derailed and how to prevent that in the future. This may lead them to research the instance or ask

another teacher or administrator to observe the classroom. Mentor teachers are essential to

student teachers or entry-level educators. The role of a mentor teacher is one of the most valuable

people a teacher can have starting out. An experienced teacher can set you up for success in your

professional development.

Analysis of Theoretical Framework

The relationship between a preservice teacher and their mentor teacher rarely looks the

same from case to case. In their article “Mentor teachers’ intended intervening during student

teachers’ lessons: A vignette study in Dutch primary education” (2022), Jaspers, Prins, Meijer,

Mainhard, and Wubbels discuss the various types of relationships that can develop between a

student teacher and their mentor teacher. They investigated the different mentoring styles a

student teacher may experience and evaluated which mentoring style was most effective for

student teacher learning. The feedback and the immediacy of that feedback seemed to be the

most important thing for a student teacher to receive from their mentor teacher. The input and the

“what you need to work on” categories set student teachers up for what they need to work on

when starting in their own classrooms and things they might want to spend more time brushing

up on or spend professional development time covering.

Salient Evidence-

Alyssa McMahon Communication Log Template

McMahon: This I Believe Project

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My communication log contains a running dialogue between my mentor teachers,

supervisor, and myself. The log allowed us to communicate with each other over distances to

keep everyone in the loop about what was going on in the classroom that week and things to

keep in mind that we might need to work on going forward. While conversations were happening

over the week, this log was one of the few places where direct, written feedback was recorded

about my teaching in the classroom. A written record allows me to go back and look at areas I

needed to work on in terms of classroom skills (i.e., classroom management and wait time) and

see where I’ve grown or what I might still need to improve. Dialogue and reflection are vital to

being a successful teacher. The collaboration and input from others, review of student work, and

reflection allow growth to happen. The most intriguing and yet challenging part of being a

teacher is that the skills and techniques that work in one class may not fit the needs of the next.

Lessons that engage one day may tank the next. Being a teacher involves an in-depth

understanding of not only content and best practices but also human nature and how to read,

engage and support learners to succeed. Sometimes, the day’s lesson has little to do with art and

more with being a good listener or a role model and opening up pathways for students to express

themselves.

The This I Believe Project is significant because it represents who I was as a first-year

college student trying out the career of education. It allows me to see my growth and confirm

that I chose the right career path and that being an educator is a lifelong profession. Interacting

with many veteran teachers has strengthened my skill set and understanding of the realities of

being a teacher in 2023. My This I Believe, represents me at a starting point, and this portfolio

represents where I am in my journey prior to college graduation. It will be fascinating to revisit

both in five years to see the growth again.

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Critical Self-Evaluation-

When it comes to self-directed learning and professional learning, there is always room

for improvement. In the classroom, constant shifts and changes are happening, causing an

educator's understanding and knowledge base to call for continual expansion. As an entry-level

educator, I know that there is much to be learned over my years as a teacher. The research into

arts integration keeps me updated with the current trends in nationwide education and the

importance of art education in schools. While completed on the most basic of levels, my research

into traumatic brain injury has prepared me to assist learners within my future classroom with the

foreknowledge that TBI presents differently in all learners. My research would have been more

effective had more time been spent looking into TBI cases being accommodated in the art room.

My communication log shows a desire to learn and be prepared for my students in content and

professionalism. My This I Believe leaves much to be desired for the most part, as it was spoken

from the perspective of a first-year college student unsure about their path forward. Even so, the

beginnings of a pedagogical framework can be seen taking place.

My writing addressed the Performance Criterion well. My communication log shows a

desire to learn and improve within an active classroom and my professional skills. My This I

Believe displays a reflective first year and shows growth and discovering my calling to the

profession. My research into traumatic brain injuries and arts integration prepared me to face

different learners and challenges in the profession, respectively.

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Leadership and Collaboration

Performance Criterion- 10.2 Candidates are prepared to advance the profession through

advocacy, leadership, and/or action research.

Analysis of Performance Criterion

A teacher's job seems vast, but it is what is asked of a good teacher to cover all the needs

of their students. The professional responsibilities of an educator are ever-growing and changing,

and it is typically always an educator leading the charge for change. Among all the jobs of an

educator, advocate, researcher, and leader are at the forefront. Teachers advocate for many

reasons, but it is often for the students and based on countless factors. While teachers must

advocate first and foremost for their students, they must also advocate for themselves and their

colleagues. Teachers can lead through their advocacy, but they can also lead on many different

fronts. They lead students, classrooms, schools, and even communities. Teachers must know and

understand the weight of their influence on both small and large scales. Educators also help to

advance the field through action research, where educators develop practical solutions to address

issues quickly and efficiently. Action research, advocacy, and leadership can all work hand in

hand and are interchangeable in their order of operations to many educators.

Analysis of Theoretical Framework

Action research is vital to the world of education, and it helps ensure continuous

professional development and implement best practices within the classroom. In her article

“Action Research to Improve Educational Practices: Case Study to Explore to What Extent

Action Research Could Improve Teaching Practices” (2022), Sabri investigates the importance of

action research on professional development and classroom practices. Findings revealed that in
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the two secondary classrooms investigated, action research practices that involved various

evaluative, investigative, and analytical research methods designed to diagnose problems or

weaknesses proved to have a significant positive impact. Sabri’s study supported previous

findings on the effectiveness of action research in developing teaching practices and as a central

element in teacher evaluation.

Salient Evidence-

McMahon_Research Paper on Arts Integration

Traumatic Brain Injury.pdf

My research paper on arts integration demonstrates a concern about the cancellation of art

classes and a curiosity about what is happening in schools that have canceled their arts programs.

It allows me to understand where the arts currently stand in the nationwide view of education to

advocate the importance of arts education for students. Foresight into this trend and the action

research have put me in a position where as more data comes out, I can advocate for myself and

my colleagues and become a leader on this topic to my peers. Through continuous research,

trends that will impact students will become apparent, and it prepares me as an educator to speak

up about these findings should this practice negatively affect students.

My research into traumatic brain injuries will be immeasurably helpful when working in

the classroom. While the research is not presented to be done to a great extent, understanding

that traumatic brain injuries show up differently in each case has prepared me to accommodate

various needs. My research also puts me in the position to advocate for my students inside my

classroom and in the larger school. TBI has led me to look into ableism and how to combat this

in the school through anti-ableist practices.

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Critical Self-Evaluation-

There is always room to improve regarding action research, advocacy, and leadership.

Much like self-directed learning, there is always room for more action research to be done and to

read. There will never truly come the point where one will know everything, as countless studies

will constantly challenge our preconceived notions in the realm of education (and beyond). I

acknowledge that there is much that can be learned from action research studies or my own

study. Action research also helps prepare for advocacy and leadership. While my work in action

research has me ready to advocate and lead in my own classroom and into the larger education

community, there is still plenty of work that I can do to further my skills in all three areas.

Overall, my writing addresses the performance criterion well. Through self-directed,

continuous professional learning, I show an evident willingness and desire to learn and advance

my knowledge. My communication log also shows the beginnings of a deep understanding of the

vital communication pathways essential for entry-level educators. My research projects also

show curiosity towards things in the world of education so that I can know the best practices I

can advocate for and lead my peers towards.

Reflection

Throughout my experience becoming an educator, I have realized that there is a vast

difference between talking about something in your courses and witnessing things in an active

classroom. My feelings have always leaned towards that being in a busy classroom, talking to an

experienced educator, teaches what you want to familiarize yourself with one day, which has

been the most valuable experience. Even more so than sitting in my college courses ever has

done, hearing from experienced teachers still working in the field today is an irreplaceable

experience for student teachers and anyone considering education as a career. Being in the
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classroom and with experienced teachers has begun to teach me all the things I do not know as

well as I thought I did or things I did not know at all. One such instance happened while

attending a district-wide in-service day, where my mentor teacher let me sit in on data coverage

and then a session where art teachers gathered to “unpack” standards. This session was the most

informative for me as many teachers with diverse experiences talked about what standards (and

the parts that fall under evaluation in each standard) they can easily work into their curriculum.

To start my continuous self-directed and professional learning, I would like to look into

courses from The Art of Education University, as it offers art educator-specific courses that are

less generalized so that my content-specific classroom skills can grow. In these content-specific

courses, access to more readily usable action research, advocacy, and leadership strategies also

become more readily available. The Art of Education University is specifically designed to focus

on art education: and has developed tools, topics, concepts, and skills that are ready to be

implemented in an art room.

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Works Cited

Jaspers, W. M., Prins, F., Meijer, P. C., Mainhard, T., & Wubbels, T. (2022). Mentor teachers’

intended intervening during student teachers’ lessons: A vignette study in Dutch primary

education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 117.

https://doi-org.castleton.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.tate.2021.103342

Sabri, S. (2022). Action Research to Improve Educational Practices: Case Study to Explore to

What Extent Action Research Could Improve Teaching Practices. International Journal of

Research in Teacher Education (IJRTE), 13(3), 15–26.