Compose two well-developed paragraphs of a minimum five sentences each – one in which you rate and explain your performance as a first-year teacher and the other in which you rate and explain your current teaching performance.
Upon reflection, my first year of teaching was characterized by a mixture of eagerness to get started and excel as an educator balanced with a healthy dose of terror at facing a classroom full of the unfamiliar faces of young learners who may or may not like me. This sense of trepidation was further exacerbated by the climate in my school district which did not place a high priority on continuous improvement or the thoughtful selection of common core standard-based curricular offerings which could accurately reflect student achievement levels. In addition, although new teachers were provided with substantive and ongoing support from school administrator and staff including the assignment of experienced mentors to facilitate the transition into classroom instruction, there were some constraints involved that compelled me to reevaluate my personal and professional orientations to my students. For example, there was an overarching feeling communicated by some teachers that my enthusiasm for teaching was misplaced and would soon be replaced with a more jaded attitude about the profession that would have an effect on my persistence in seeking to excel at teaching as well as the adverse mental and physical effects that burnout can have on new teachers.

The modest improvements in my scores that are reflected in my current teaching performance evaluation were based on the progress that I made during my initial forays into the classroom where I gained the hands-on experiences that I needed to counter the above-described concerns. One of the main issues that stands out in my mind is the new sense of confidence I developed after successfully applying appropriate positive and negative classroom management strategies (“These strategies really work!” I recall thinking). Perhaps even more importantly, though, my most recent performance evaluation also reflects the realization that my peers were not trying to discourage me during my first year of teaching but were rather attempting to pragmatically prepare me for what would inevitably follow in an effort to steel me against burnout. Likewise, I also came to realize that my selection of teaching strategies had improved based on the dictum that if students are not learning the way they are being taught, they must be taught the way they learn. In sum, an honest self-assessment is an essential step in the reflection that is needed to continuously improve as an educator.

b) Review data on your current students’ performance. Based on that data, what are your current strengths and weaknesses as a teacher? Compose a well-developed paragraph of a minimum 5 sentences about your strengths and another about your weaknesses. Cite the data that supports your decision making.

It is always tempting to maintain that my greatest weakness is that, “I care too much,” but it has become increasingly apparent that this is not possible for classroom teachers. Indeed, my initial eagerness to really make a difference in young learners’ lives was gradually replaced with the practical realization that it is vitally important to combine this level of care with evidence-based practices and thoughtful assessments that accurately reflect student learning to the maximum extent possible in order to achieve optimal educational outcomes. In addition, another strength I was able to draw on during the earlier phases of my teaching career include the recognition that young people are not “little adults” but they do possess some important critical thinking skills and life experience that facilitate their participation if teachers reach out. The fact that my students have improved an average of a full letter grade indicates that these strengths made a difference. Finally, based on the lessons learned during my higher education and cautions from my peers concerning the dangers of burnout, especially for new teaches, I was careful to pursue a healthy work-life balance that helped me cope with the daily rigors of classroom teaching.

c) Think about the most effective teacher you have ever known. Compose a well-developed paragraph of a minimum five sentences that identifies the teacher and why he/she was the most effective. Use Marzano’s domains and Haberman’s dimensions to help you describe this teacher.

The most effective teacher I ever knew taught a high school American history class. The teacher, “Mrs. Walker” (she insisted on the “Mrs.” address) was diminutive in stature but gigantic in intellect and her passion for teaching. My classmates and I were fully prepared for yet another semester of mind-numbingly boring date-filled lectures but we were in for a major surprise because Mrs. Walker told us in no uncertain terms that we were going to learn the interesting parts about American history. Although Mrs. Walker never dressed up as...…here” aspects of school administration underscore the importance of helping new teachers develop the skills and competencies they will need to educate their students effectively and appropriately. This responsibility extends to inculcating a school culture that places a high priority on learning the critical thinking skills young people need to compete in the 21st century marketplace. This responsibility has intensified in recent months due to the exigencies of responding to a once-in-a-century global pandemic, and it will remain firmly in place in and when the Covid-19 threat has been eliminated. In this regard, Baylor and Ritchie (2009) emphasize that, “The leadership underlying a school is of critical importance because the school culture begins to reflect new ways of teaching and learning. An important component of this change is a school leader who is dedicated to fostering a new culture with shared leadership and technology use” (p. 3).

• What recruitment practices for new teachers does your district or school currently have in place? Have you participated in any recruitment efforts? Explain.

To its credit, my school district uses an innovative new teacher recruitment strategy that partners with local community colleges and universities to identify potential teaching candidates early on in their academic careers.

• What should be the principal’s role in recruiting, hiring, and retaining effective teachers?

The principal’s key role in recruiting effective teaches is to set the standards and expectations for candidates and to provide the final hiring approval once new teacher applicants have been properly credentialed and vetted by human resource practitioners (Baker-Gardner, 2015). As noted above, though, principals also play a major role in forging the type of positive school culture that helps retain effective teachers (Baylor & Ritchie, 2009).

• What do you see as the ideal way to recruit, hire, and retain effective teachers? Explain.

Unfortunately, not only is there no “one-size-fits-all” approach that is equally effective for recruiting, hiring and retaining effective teachers, even the approaches that do work today may not work tomorrow. These constraints mean that school principals must remain vigilant for changes in the numbers of new teachers entering the pipeline as well as what factors distinguish truly effective teachers at any given point in time. For example, the most effective teachers at the fin de siècle would clearly be out of their element in today’s classrooms, but there are some steps that can be taken to help ensure optimal outcomes…