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Professional Development

I am committed to ongoing professional development.  Through a cyclical process of inquiry, action and reflection I create a dynamic vision of my professional abilities and potential.  This process will help guide a perpetual journey in mastery learning.

Abilities

Reflecting on my teaching experience and practicum reports I list below key strengths that support my teaching practice.

Areas of Strength:

  • Approach teaching practice with a high level of enthusiasm, iniative and creativity.

  • Able to establish welcoming and stimulating learning environments that actively engage students in learning.

  • Skilled at building rapport with students who generally respond well to my friendly, calm and nurturing manner.

  • Competently developed student-centred lessons to meet the diverse learning needs of my students and successfully met BC's prescribed learning outcomes (PLOs).

  • Able to share big picture of the learning objectives with students and develop lessons logically, each as an integral part of a complete unit.  Also able to help students make cross-curricular connections, enriching instruction through multi-modal learning.

  • Flexible and able to use teachable moments and student contributions to enrich my teaching practice.

  • Reflective of teaching practice and responsive to changing strategies when appropriate. 

  • Value a high level of professionalism through being dependable, reliable and highly responsible. 

  • Collegial and cooperative, sharing ideas and resources

  • Committed to ongoing professional growth. 

  • As a parent, work hard to maintain a balance between professional and family responsibilities.

"Ms. Martz is ... unfailingly genuine, positive and caring.  She also tempers confidence with self-reflection, continually striving for improvement.  She is personable, knowledgeable, and well-rounded.  Most importantly, she has a strong work ethic and deeply cares about her students' success, both academic and developmental.  ... It has been a pleasure working with Ms. Martzand  I have every confidence in her ability to thrive in the this profession."

- School Advisor, Ms. Rempel in Final Practicum Report

Potential

Reflecting on my teaching experience and practicum reports I list below key areas of growth that will support my teaching practice.

Classroom Management:

As a relatively new teacher, classroom management is a key area of growth potential.

 

Growth Plan:

To continue  seeking support and information on effective behaviour management strategies.  Specific strategies to improving classroom management could include:

  • enforcing rules consistently

  • carefully managing transitions between classes

  • expanding repetoire of strategies to manage behaviour as needed, such as through proximity, visual clues, one-word reminders, direct statements and encouragement to reinforce positive behaviours.

 

International Baccalaureate (IB) Program

I am very interested in the IB programme as it represents a more holistic curriculum that is student-centred, focused on inquiry, collaborative planning, addresses big ideas, incorporates cross-curricular units and works across areas of interaction.  What also draws me to IB is its focus on International Mindedness.  I feel that I would be able to contribute substantially to this theme being a well-travelled person of diverse global mixed ancestries who is used to bridging multiple cultural worlds.

 

Growth Plan:

  • Participate in IB training sessions.

  • Volunteer or work as TOC in school with IB programme.

  • Gain position in school with IB programme.

  • Continue with professional development delivering the IB programme.

 
Elementary Education

I am interested in teaching at the elementary school level.  I appreciate the greater ability for transdisciplinary teaching helping students make cross-curricular connections.  As well, I truly enjoy the learning enthusiasm that many younger people have, and hope to contribute positively to their learning experiences.  I have experience teaching at the elementary school level.  Fort the past three years I have taught weekly classes at grades K-7 at Grandview/uuqinak'uuh Elementary in environmental education and healthy eating.  Most of the time I teach classrooms for specific periods.  Currently, I do have experience of weekly, all day instructions.

 

Growth Plan:

  • I want to expand my experience of all day elementary school class instruction, such as through TOC work.

  • I plan to continue learning about unit, day and lesson planning at for elementary grades, and wish to have an ongoing elementary school teaching position in the future.

  • Upcoming Pro-D opportunity: British Columbia Primary Teachers' Association, Fall Conference, Oct. 24th. More info @ http://www.bcpta.ca/wordpress/

 

Technological Advances


Trends in technology are dynamic and change at a fast pace.  Being able to use technology effictively is important in modern day societies.  For this reason I plan to continuously review and learn to use relevant technologies to advance my teaching practice and enhance the learning experience of my students. 

 

Growth Plan:

  • Take an interest in current technological trends as related to teaching, and use relevant technologies.

  • Participate in professional development opportunities.

 

 
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