Chapter Ten
Moral purpose of the highest order is having a system where all students learn, the gap between high and low performance becomes greatly reduced, and what people learn enables them to be successful citizens and workers in a morally based knowledge society.
-Fullan, 2003, p. 29
Michael Fullan’s (2003) quote reminds me of the importance of leadership actions that can lead to desired goal of student achievement. As a result, my actions are aligned with my values of equity of educational experiences for students with diverse backgrounds. Since I am an advocate for students in language immersion and students with disabilities, it is my responsibility to provide an adequate educational environment in, which students can thrive. Furthermore, I can confidently state that my colleagues align with the core values of Riverview’s mission statement. As educators, we must allow students to become leaders for the 21st century and achieve confidence in language acquisition regardless of backgrounds and learning abilities.
Reflection
Final Reflections, Questions and Actions
What am I most intentional about in my teaching and learning? In my own learning, I am intentional to continue to seek opportunities to expand my professional learning network on social media like Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. In addition, I continue to attend professional development to enhance my skills as an educator within my school, district, county and state.
In my own teaching, I am intentional to continue to engage students in become critical thinkers for the 21st century. For instance, I implement relevant information and ensure students use accountable talk to justify their own thinking. In addition, I am intentional to allow them opportunity to become experts and share their cultural background and content knowledge, so they can have ownership of their own learning.
Who am I, in relations to my colleagues? In relation to my colleagues, I am a proactive educational leader, that can provide opportunities for reflective learnings from each other in other to enhance our teaching practices to better serve our students’ needs. In addition, I am a transparent learner, who will share effective practices with colleagues.
Who are we as a professional community? As a professional learning community, we are passionate about language immersion and usage of technology. As a result, we are a collective unit of individuals who are passionate about effective strategies and practices for the educational shift. As a result, we are a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve student achievement.
What are we learning? As educators, we are learning the 21st century practices and strategies in Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards. In addition, we are pioneers in new educational opportunities to enhance our content knowledge and provide rigor to prepare our students for global competency.
What do we do with what we learn? We attend professional trainings to comprehend the “WHY”, then we apply the new learning within our classrooms, which is the “HOW.” Lastly, we analyze the results from our application to ensure we implemented the practices with fidelity or next steps, which is the “WHAT.” With data analysis, we can justify the importance of the new practices, then share it with colleagues at our school site.
Who else do we need to include in our professional community? In order to maintain a strong professional learning community, we should continue to include parents, students and community leaders to enhance students’ educational experience.
What additional data would be helpful to us as we develop our learning goals? In order to develop learning goals, we can use qualitative data and qualitative data. For instance, the data will come from surveys, interviews, classroom observations and student work.
In my own teaching, I am intentional to continue to engage students in become critical thinkers for the 21st century. For instance, I implement relevant information and ensure students use accountable talk to justify their own thinking. In addition, I am intentional to allow them opportunity to become experts and share their cultural background and content knowledge, so they can have ownership of their own learning.
Who am I, in relations to my colleagues? In relation to my colleagues, I am a proactive educational leader, that can provide opportunities for reflective learnings from each other in other to enhance our teaching practices to better serve our students’ needs. In addition, I am a transparent learner, who will share effective practices with colleagues.
Who are we as a professional community? As a professional learning community, we are passionate about language immersion and usage of technology. As a result, we are a collective unit of individuals who are passionate about effective strategies and practices for the educational shift. As a result, we are a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve student achievement.
What are we learning? As educators, we are learning the 21st century practices and strategies in Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards. In addition, we are pioneers in new educational opportunities to enhance our content knowledge and provide rigor to prepare our students for global competency.
What do we do with what we learn? We attend professional trainings to comprehend the “WHY”, then we apply the new learning within our classrooms, which is the “HOW.” Lastly, we analyze the results from our application to ensure we implemented the practices with fidelity or next steps, which is the “WHAT.” With data analysis, we can justify the importance of the new practices, then share it with colleagues at our school site.
Who else do we need to include in our professional community? In order to maintain a strong professional learning community, we should continue to include parents, students and community leaders to enhance students’ educational experience.
What additional data would be helpful to us as we develop our learning goals? In order to develop learning goals, we can use qualitative data and qualitative data. For instance, the data will come from surveys, interviews, classroom observations and student work.
Commit to Action Reflection
I am willing to commit myself to the use of Cultural Proficiency as a lens through which I examine and design or redesign my current work in the following ways: 1) ensure students’ perspectives and voices are respected 2) inclusion of various perspectives when teaching empathy 3) pose breakthrough questions during collaboration time with staff and parents
My short-term goals include the Cultural Proficiency perspective to ensure students thrive in school each day. I will demonstrate respectful and open mindedness with students, teachers and families. My long-term goals include to become an educational leader that can provide professional development workshops on the importance of Culturally Professional Learning Communities.
The first steps to begin the journey of transforming into a culturally proficient educator is continuing the reflective process in my own personal and professional life, so that I can become a leader who can develop students who are contributing citizens who embrace differences in cultures, languages, religions and sexual orientations.
My short-term goals include the Cultural Proficiency perspective to ensure students thrive in school each day. I will demonstrate respectful and open mindedness with students, teachers and families. My long-term goals include to become an educational leader that can provide professional development workshops on the importance of Culturally Professional Learning Communities.
The first steps to begin the journey of transforming into a culturally proficient educator is continuing the reflective process in my own personal and professional life, so that I can become a leader who can develop students who are contributing citizens who embrace differences in cultures, languages, religions and sexual orientations.
Resource
Lindsey, D., Jungwirth, L., Pahl, J., & Lindsey, R. (2009). Culturally proficient learning communities confronting inequities through collaborative curiosity. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Lindsey, D., Jungwirth, L., Pahl, J., & Lindsey, R. (2009). Culturally proficient learning communities confronting inequities through collaborative curiosity. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.