Professional Growth

“Every moment of one’s existence, one is growing into more or retreating into less.” ―Norman Mailer

Great teachers are great learners. It is love of learning that allows us to remain relevant in the face of a rapidly evolving world. In this section, I highlight my initiatives to lead our profession forward on our perpetual learning journey. I hope that these examples will inspire you to grow professionally in innovative, engaging, i.e., fun, ways. In any case, make professional development the linchpin of your career for, in the words of self-educated theorist, Eric Hoffer, “In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.”

Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno

(One for All, All for One) - A Team-Based Approach to Personal Development

My educational field of expertise, Business and Technology, evolves at light-speed. Specific instances of technology, i.e., 3D Printing, and business concepts, i.e., JIT, are nouveau one academic year but passé the next. Trying to stay ahead of the curve feels like swimming upstream, as by the time I learn something new, it's not new anymore. Feeling overwhelmed by the challenge of staying relevant, I figured why not share the load and try to team-up on it.

I found that teaming-up for subject matter specific conferences offers the best way to beat the odds on this challenge. My preferred approach is to partner up with a co-teacher or teammate to attend a conference that offers more content than any one person could absorb. We split the load, each of us attending different sessions so that we can gather as much new content as possible, then we regroup post-conference to consolidate our learning. Thus far, this technique has been very effective at exposing me to impressive amounts of relevant content; even when one (or more) of the conference sessions I attend turns out to be a bust, my partner counterbalances it with valuable content from the sessions they attended. In short, a team-effort to share the load proved the most efficient way to promote personal growth for everyone involved - One for all and All for One!

NBEA Annual Conference

Chicago, IL (USA)April 2017

The National Business Education Association Conference is a fantastic venue for educators to present, share, and obtain relevant information in Business Education. My favorite session was one where we examined Twitter, and its benefits for both student and teacher. I use Twitter in my Marketing class as part of a social media campaign for the Super Bowl, as well as, for my own professional growth by sharing classroom strategies and accomplishments. Make sure you follow me @Alce_Gora!

Advanced Placement Summer Institute

San Antonio, TX (USA)July 2017

When the opportunity to teach AP Economics opened up to me several years ago, I jumped in with both feet. I hadn't been in touch with economic concepts since I was an undergraduate business student at UNC-Charlotte, so I knew I would need all the help I could get. Through the AP Summer Institute course in both Micro and Macroeconomics, I was able to hit the ground with confidence and multiple class resources to use for the Fall semester. To this day, I routinely use the resources provided to me through the APSI to teach Micro and Macroeconomics.

CEE Financial Literacy & Econ. Ed. Conference

Atlanta, GA (USA)October 2018

The Council for Economic Education brings together economic and personal finance educators from across the Americas for this annual conference. There were so many strategies to share but our biggest take-away was when we attended a workshop which introduced us to a new approach in teaching Macroeconomics. This workshop was the catalyst for change, and the Macroeconomics Boot Camp was born in January 2019. The main idea; students are introduced (through storytelling of the Circular Flow Model) to all Macro concepts within the first three weeks of school. Students remember stories better than memorizing facts.

INCmty Entrepreneurship Conference

Monterrey, N.L. (Mexico)November, 2018

INCmty is the premier conference in Mexico and Latin America that promotes innovation and entrepreneurship. We took eight students to this international festival where we met with experienced entrepreneurs, shared ideas, and examined emerging industry trends.

Teach to Learn

Leading Others to Success Promotes Personal Growth for All

If you're a teacher, then you know - when you teach, you learn. As confirmed in formal studies, in countless articles, blogs and as put so eloquently by Joseph Joubert when he says that "to teach is to learn twice," we learn well when we teach others. I experience this effect first hand; undoubtedly, my subject matter expertise grows deeper and broader via the act of teaching. The continuous loop of feedback from Teacher to Students challenges me to master my game as I challenge my students to learn it. Not only do I become a better teacher by the experience, but I achieve a heartfelt sense of accomplishment from seeing my ideas take root in young minds,i.e., the feeling that that drives me to teach. In fact, learning-by-teaching works so well to develop my subject mater expertise, that I figured, why not apply it to my growth as a professional educator as well.

My objective was straight forward - Work to Raise the Proficiency Levels of Other Teachers so that I may Learn to be a better Teacher Myself. In theory, I thought to approach this project in the same way I would if I were teaching a new class:

provide a safe-environment,
set-ground-rules,
communicate unit objectives then identify learning needs; and
provide guidance to help each student reach their goals.

Implementation of this plan is a work in progress but there is no doubt that it is helping me to become more confident, empathetic and effective in my work, i.e., it's making me a better teacher.

Look below to see how my plan is coming to fruition in practice:

Step 1: It's All Good Here

Providing a Cohesive & Supportive Environment for Teachers

I figured that that the best way to make certain that we had an environment conducive to professional growth, was to take formal responsibility for making it happen. In 2016, I applied for and was selected as Department Head of Business & Technology Ed. (BTD) at ASFM ; a Department composed of 7 teachers, serving 960 Middle and High-School students .

Since taking the reins of the BTD, I've made it a priority to establish an atmosphere that is welcoming and supportive to teachers seeking promotion. I host regular meetings and make myself available to accommodate the needs of my teacher-peers; my door is always open and I have a cool yellow couch were we can sit and plan.

Feast your eyes on these pictures of some of our team-building activities:

Testimonials

Jonathan Chenier, Ed. D.

MSHS Asst. Principal for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

"Managing a department with experience levels varying from new teachers to 20+ year veterans is not always the easiest task, and ... [Joelle] ... does it well."

Jonathan's Review

Elizabeth Salinas

Business and technology teacher

"As an educator, ... [Joelle's] ... exceptional organizational ability, willingness to listen, professional experience and growth mindset have made her a respected leader, invaluable partner and trusted teacher."

Elizabeth's Review

Brian Hamm

Director of Innovation

"Joelle has connected and collaborated with the Innovation department to transform the learning experience for students"

Brian's Review

Jorge Colunga

HS Design Technology

"In the role of a Team Leader, Joelle has always proved herself a kind and helpful person. Going the extra mile for her peers and students is second nature to her, and I have often looked up to her for advice and mentorship."

Jorge's Review

Dress-Alike Days

As reported by the Indy, dressing alike is an effective (and Super Fun) way to build a supportive, inclusive work environment.

Group Fitness = Group Cohesion

Whether it's participation in an organized run/walk or time together at the gym, exercising as a team builds camaraderie and familiarity that produce strong, supportive relationships.

Trust Me

Trust is the essential component of a Supportive Environment. Without trust it's hard, if not impossible, to get buy-in for radical change. So we hit the Ropes. Why? Because it's hard not to trust somebody that's saved your life at least once.

Step 2: By the Book

Setting Rules to Work By

The coordination of time, resources and effort demand regulation by rules. This is true not only in the classroom but in life - particularly that part of life that takes place at work. By coincidence, in 2016, just as I was coming into my role as Department Head, my school mandated department-wide N - 12 standardization. Just as I did with my Students when I had them Take Ownership of our Startup Hub, I took this as an opportunity for the members of our department to invest in its success by working together to vet and adopt standards.

Presently, it's this framework of team-selected standards that helps to regulate our efforts to grow professionally:

Business Education
- National Business Education Association
Technology Education
- Computer Science Teachers Association
- International Society for Technology in Education

Step 3: Great Heights

Aiming High and Showing the Way

"Set high expectations then guide them to their destination."

This statement is the essential kernel of Wisdom that was bestowed upon me as I transitioned from Business Professional to Professional Educator in the M. Ed program at Temple University. It has become my mantra, spurring me to set lofty goals not only for my students but for myself and my team as well. It's no surprise then, that as Department Head, I'm driven to help each of my teammates reach for their full-potential. My help manifest in various ways, but generally involves collaboration on when/how to formally seek a promotion, i.e., move up the ladder in teacher proficiency levels, via the Supervision & Evaluation Process at ASFM (SEP).

Our SEP is very specific when it comes to the metrics that will be used to evaluate candidates seeking to raise their proficiency levels, e.g., The teacher "provides opportunities for students to ... make connections between classroom learning and their role as a global citizen". However, it leaves the details of how the metrics are met to the individual teachers. I have dedicated a considerable amount of effort to helping teachers work out these details in interesting and effective ways and in doing so I have become a much better teacher myself (remember that whole teach-to-learn theory). Check out some of my accomplishments here:

Live Curious, Go Beyond 2019 -Promo Video

What is the Value of Entrepreneurship?Open & Caring Night 2019

Making Your Work More VisibleLive Curious, Go Beyond 2018

Teaching and Learning with the iGenerationLive Curious, Go Beyond 2019

Digital Storytelling Using Paper Slide VideosDigital Teacher Workshop 2017

Step 4: We'll Arrive Together

Mentorship Programs that Foster Teamwork and Strengthen Relationships

We look in the mirror before we head out of the door to make sure that our hair, clothes, face are all in order to face the world. Similarly, it's human nature to scrutinize our professional selves when we expect the attention of others to focus on our accomplishments at work. Teachers seeking promotion know that their performance will be scrutinize by administration.; anxious moments spent in classroom observations and lesson plan reviews are just the tip of the iceberg. However, just like a person (most people) can't see the back of their head in the mirror, it's often the case that self-scrutiny doesn't show one their whole self. As career coach and corporate trainer, Chrissy Scivicque, points out, mentors offer an "outside perspective" helping individuals to identify strengths and weakness they may not be aware then guiding those individuals to set/achieve their career goals.

Since 2017, I have participated as a mentor in the HS/MS mentorship program at ASFM . Through the program, I counsel new teachers hires, connecting with them the semester before they begin work and helping them to transition to their new life in Monterrey, Mexico. I strive to support the new teachers in all aspects of their transition; be they logistical, social and/or professional.

My support for a mentee's professional needs includes helping the new teacher to operate effectively (and happily) in their new post. I have profound enthusiasm for this aspect of my mentor-mentee relationships and take a serious interest in helping my charges gain all the professional success they desire. In this respect, I partner with my mentees to to make sure that they understand, not only how they can be successful at their present role, but that they also know their options for advancement. The time I dedicate to my mentees helps to make both of us better teachers and as such, it is an investment in the prosperity of our students, school and all the individuals involved. By making myself accessible to accelerate professional growth for others - exposing mentees to essential resources, helping them to form constructive relationships and advocating on their behalf - I work first hand to champion a shared success for our profession.

"As a new member to the ASFM community this year, I had the great fortune of being assigned Joelle as my mentor."

Jonathan Chenier, Ed. D.

MSHS Asst. Principal for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Reference Letter, 2019

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