Demonstration of Illinois
Professional Teaching Standards
| 10. Reflection and Professional
Growth:
The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates how choices and actions affect students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community and actively seeks opportunities to grow professionally. |
Every year I take in what I learn at school and work and reflect on the
progress I've made and what goals I should take on or what I need to improve on.
Never before has my writing, education, and personal philosophies had
such a public effect. Last year I
submitted a rough draft of a play I had written on Asian Americans which would
have been performed this fall by Inner Voices, a social issues theatre class and
ensemble here on campus. After much
thought I decided not to finish the project because I would not have enough time
and would have to do so much research in order to get the message I wanted
across. Now I am not even sure of
what message about my identity as an Asian American I would want to get across
to members of the university community. My
Korean history TA this semester said I should publish my term paper on the role
of Korean women in novels focusing on the Korean War era.
An essay I wrote on politics and economics gave me the opportunity to
discuss and meet with world political and business leaders in New York.
This is incredible to me. How
is it that an undergraduate Korean American female whose educational focus is on
English with a background in the fine arts command the attention from prominent
people in such varying fields? Checking
my emails recently, I have received invitations to apply to other international
conferences around the world.
I began learning about professionalism
in high school on the speech team. Be
on time. Dress in a suit.
Make eye contact. That's what I learned. Then
as a secretary I learned about business transactions and paperwork.
In college I learned how I should address various professors and
administrators. I served on executive boards for registered student
organizations. Over the summer I
was a Communications teacher and the Communications Department Chair.
I learned to maintain composure and professionalism all the time because
people will be affected by my behavior, dress, words, actions, and decisions.
I am constantly working towards self
evaluation and professionalism. Because
English education demands that I must be proficient in my field first, I work at
writing and want to model for my students that I try hard and both meet and fail
at goals. Professionalism demands
consideration and reflection and being able to analyze problems, and mobilize
and motivate others. In education I
know that I will be constantly checked by my students, parents, colleagues, and
administrators. However, this does
not mean I can't be creative and take risks.
In order to grow as a professional, I must continue to be educated and to
find opportunities that will enhance my abilities as a teacher.
I have included in this section:
1)
EOL Paper on the necessity of professional development