Professional Development Reflection

Toochi Enworom
Professional Development Reflection

During my time at GSU as a CREST-Ed Fellow I attended weekly professional
development (PD). We spent time together as a cohort receiving an infusion of various special
education, technology, literacy, and ELL strategies, across our diverse content areas. Through
CREST-Ed and the support of the colleagues I have been able to experience a full year in the
classroom with a mentor teacher and implement the many lessons from PD. We also had the
opportunity to conduct an anchor action research project in our classes. My research focused on
the effectiveness of collaborative study groups in my freshman biology class.
I also had the chance to present on useful reflective practices to my colleagues. The
presentation was held at the end of the Fall semester and I discussed a “3, 2, 1” strategy that I
use. I instructed everyone to write down 3 things that they did well this semester, 2 things that
they would like to have changed and 1 thing that they will do differently for the Spring regarding
the changes they would like to make. As educators it is important to take time and reflect on our
strategies as “a process that may be applied in puzzling situations to help the learner make better
sense of the information at hand and to enable the teacher to guide and direct learning in
appropriate ways” (Aldahmash, Alshmrani, Almufti, 2017). After the presentation we were able
to discuss what worked in our classroom as well as collaborate with one another to make
recommendations as to what changes would be best in the Spring.
One PD experience that resonated with me emphasized establishing good classroom
management skills from the start of the school year with my students. I was particularly
interested in strategies that related to tardiness because this is an issue that I currently have with
one of my classes. During that PD I learned about the “Last In, Last Out” strategy and it has been
a very useful tool. The strategy is that the students that are late to class will be the last to leave
when the dismissal bell rings. Implementing this in my classroom has encouraged my students to
take responsibility in how they manage their time in the hallways. PD opportunities like this have
prepared me to enter my own classroom next year.
Another PD that I enjoyed centered on interview skills. As a new educator we discussed
what employers want to see in a teacher candidate. We were able to look at materials such as,
lesson plans, supervisor evaluations, and resumes. Being able to reflect on my work and see the
growth from when I started the MAT program was helpful for me to prepare for interviews.
In addition to the weekly seminar times I also participated in a critical friends group in
which we learned different strategies to discuss dilemmas, interpret texts, implement protocols,
and assess student and adult work. The groups were coordinated by two retired educators who
have experience working as principals and overseeing their staffs’ professional learning
communities (PLC). I also attended PLCs with my mentor teacher twice a week. These two
groups “consists of a group of professionals sharing common goals and purposes, constantly
gaining new knowledge through interaction with one another, and aiming to improve practices.”
(Sigurðardóttir, 2010). In attending both I’ve learned about more practices, such as Chalk Talks,
that I can learn and implement next school year.
This summer I will have the opportunity to attend the AACTE this June and represent the
grant alongside the CREST-Ed team. I will get to share my experience of being in an educator
preparation program and all that I’ve learned. I’ll also have the opportunity to hear from
representatives on the changes in educational policy and advocate for the profession.
References
Aldahmash, A. H., Alshmrani, S. M., & Almufti, A. N. (2017). Secondary School Science
Teachers' Views about Their Reflective Practices. Journal Of Teacher Education For
Sustainability, 19(1), 43-53.
Sigurðardóttir, A. K. (2010). Professional Learning Community in Relation to School
Effectiveness. Scandinavian Journal Of Educational Research, 54(5), 395-412.
doi:10.1080/00313831.2010.508904

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Toochi Enworom

Professional Development Reflection

the effectiveness of collaborative study groups in my freshman biology class.

recommendations as to what changes would be best in the Spring.

One PD experience that resonated with me emphasized establishing good classroom

prepared me to enter my own classroom next year.

Another PD that I enjoyed centered on interview skills. As a new educator we discussed

that I can learn and implement next school year.

Sustainability, 19(1), 43-53.

Sigurðardóttir, A. K. (2010). Professional Learning Community in Relation to School

Effectiveness. Scandinavian Journal Of Educational Research, 54(5), 395-412.

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