As I begin
this blog, I find myself on the transition from student to teacher… but my
learning will never truly stop. I am a firm believer that continuing teacher education
is the most effective way for the school system to constantly evolve to support
all students in the most effective manner. It is the responsibility of the
teacher (future me!) to assess what works and doesn't work in their classroom. Sometimes
we get so caught up in our lives we forget to take the time to self-reflect and
re-think our choices (Pappas, 2010). This blog itself is a fantastic tool for
my own self-assessment, and an opportunity to observe my personal growth as a
teacher candidate. Later, it can evolve to share my teaching techniques and
strategies with others and to communicate with educators around the world.
There are
so many benefits to teacher self-assessment. Over the years, research has shown
what self-assessment entails, and how it can encourage learning and growth.
Researcher’s such as John Ross (2005) have extensively studied self-assessment
as a teacher tool and attempted to make this phenomenon even more prevalent
than it currently is. I personally support what he has to say and strongly believe that in the future
I will be a strong advocate for teacher self-assessment.
There are
so many self-assessment techniques to encourage teacher growth, which allows
for variability in all areas of the educational knowledge. Here are some great
checklists that are available for teacher use that encourage self-assessment in
every day issues. There are checklists for classroom management, communication
skills and many others for example. I find these to be effective methods
because they are standardized, but can be altered to fit each teacher’s
individual needs and teaching style.
I have
personally used a checklist similar to the image below. This is a great checklist
because it is straightforward and easy to understand. As a swimming instructor,
I taught a lesson about back crawl to a class that was really struggling with
the technique. I used a checklist such as this to see what worked in the class
and what the children continued to struggle with. The best part about this particular
checklist is that it allows opportunity for critical thinking regarding future
direction for lessons (Teacher self-assessment guide, 2011). Overall it is
important to remember that self-assessment is important not only for teacher
development, but for the better of the classroom and students. It is up to us
as future teachers to create a positive atmosphere for optimal learning to take
place!
What would you tell your future self as a teacher? Maybe it would be to learn from your mistakes (because I’m sure we will all make a lot of them!) or to attend tons of teacher conferences to learn from others. No matter what you say, it is important to know that we will all change as teachers an immense amount and that is okay! As long as we use self-assessment tools to encourage growth and better understand ourselves, there is ample opportunity to learn.
Check out
this amazing video where experienced teachers write letters to themselves as
new teachers, and how they've changed over the years. Many self-assessment
tools have been used by these teachers to get where they are today. Whether it
conscious or unconscious, assessments were conducted in order for these
teachers to become better at the job we all love… teaching!
Drake,
S. M., Reid, J. L., & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving curriculum
and classroom assessment:
Engaging the 21s century learner. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.
Edutopia. (2014, May 3). If I
Knew Then: A Letter to Me on My First Day of Teaching. Retrieved
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miPYLJI247g
P Pappas.
(2010, January 4). A taxonomy of reflection: Critical thinking for students, teachers, and principals.
Retrieved from http://www.peterpappas.com/2010/01/taxonomy-reflection-critical-thinking students-teachers-principals-.html
Ross, J. A.,
Bruce, C., (2005). Teacher self-assessment: A mechanism for facilitating professional growth.
(2011). The
thoughtful classroom teacher effectiveness framework:
Teacher Self-Assessment Guide. Thoughtful Classroom.
The Alberta
Teachers’ Assocation. (2015). Self-assessment
of learning needs. Retrieved from http://www.teachers.ab.ca/For%20Members/Professional%20Development/Teach er%20Professional%20Growth/Section%202/Pages/Section%202- Reflect%20on%20Your%20Professional%20Practice.aspx
