Context

Part 1: Educational context

The first time I approached the welcoming glass doors of Park High School I was greeted by an enthusiastic teacher, whom I took for my tour guide. Given our previous conversation, I was not surprised. Mr. Gannon and I had spoken on the phone days prior, spending almost an hour on the history of mathematics education, the importance of independence and inquiry, the need for strong skills, and the beauty of mathematics as a lens for understanding the world around us. What I did not expect was to be quickly led to an on the spot interview, nor did I foresee this hustle, survive, and smile attitude to be unbelievably analogous to my first year and a half of teaching.

In time, I learned of the difficulties facing the Livingston community. This little town East of the Bridger Mountains serves as the confluence of large ranch owners, movie directors, and railroad workers. All of whom frequent The Murray Bar on any given night. In Livingston, living on the other side of the tracks is more than a literary phrase; the free-and-reduced lunch hovers between 40-50%, with a dramatic socio-economic gap that students often use to pigeon-hole themselves even before graduation.(link) High rates of drug and alcohol abuse unintentionally place community members into two groups- those that accept the status-quo reality and those that are determined to change it.(link). I have found my fellow educators fall on both sides of this divide. Montana is well known for having one of the highest suicide rate in the nation, and Park County has the highest rate within Montana (link)(link-CDC data site). The tangible impact of this trauma on our community is palpable, as collectively we are in a tug-of-war between developing grit and resilience while also delicately navigating the worlds of depression, anxiety, and emotional distress.

My re-imagining of the mathematics classroom clashed with the tradition that comes hand-in-hand with a small community. Together with the overwhelming amount of work required of a first-year teacher, I quickly realized I would need to ask for help, and reached out to everyone in my school who would listen. Through these conversations I have developed a relationship with a passionate Association member, who then passed my contact information along to leaders in Helena. I was invited to attend the Educator Voice Conference held at the NEA headquarters and connected with other members across Montana and the US. Discussion centered around ESSA, the current level of teacher voice in education, and how to further empower and encourage our teacher voice. I have since also participated as a Jim McGarvey scholar, and was invited to attend an NEA sponsored Women and Minority leadership conference this past winter.

Part 2: Connecting Self-Assessment

1. My project chose me. Working my way through my first two years as an educator I was faced with the quintessential unknowns, obvious areas for growth, and support from those around me. The humbling reality of my first group of low assessment scores, my first parent complaint, and my first disobedient student truly unveiled what my college education had missed. Most of the people in my life have listened to me. They have supported me, had my best interests in mind, and given me the benefit of the doubt. Not to say this is a bad thing, in fact this is a privilege that has played an integral role in my success and my ability to overcome failures. Unveiled from this protection, I began to understand that just because someone holds a position of power, that does not mean they are infallible nor does it mean they always make the best choices. To be a true leader I need to clearly identify my beliefs and values, and stand up for them when the going gets rough. Personal and community leadership happen outside of the comfort zone. This leads to my personal value that you must be a leader within yourself to lead others well. Without addressing my own biases about other teachers, students, and education professionals, I cannot effectively collaborate and lead.

Overarching Competency 0 - Reflective Practice, Emerging

• Tendency to already be a reflective person. I often talk through my lessons, activities, and events to see where things went well and where they could have improved.

• Reaching out to colleagues for their opinions, and welcoming them into my classroom

• Recognizing the importance of reflection and data in progress

Overarching Competency 1 - Interpersonal Effectiveness, Pre-Emerging

• I have a lasting vision that education can continually improve to meet the needs of students and society.

• The desire to connect with my colleagues is high, and I believe in the value of those relationships.

• Exploring my own biases to learn how to better connect with others.

Overarching Competency 2 - Personal Effectiveness, Pre-Emerging

• Self-awareness of my own style of leadership.

• Starting to see how my strengths develop trust and credibility, or not…

• Seeking opportunities to be involved in leadership positions.

• Overcoming adversity within my school/community.

Diversity, Equity, and Cultural Competence - Explore and Challenge Inequity, High Emerging/Developing

• Exploring inequality through statistics, research, and the history of Livingston

• Acknowledge my lack of awareness about cultural groups, and understand that I have a limited skill set in including diverse cultural groups in discussions.

• On-going self assessment/education/reflection much through online resources and webinars

• Identify inequalities that exist

Instructional Leadership - Coaching/Mentoring, High Emerging

• I actively reach out to other teachers in an attempt to collaborate.

• A core belief I hold is that teaching cannot happen in a vacuum. Teaching "on an island" is detrimental to students in the long-term, even if those practices are beneficial in the short-term.

• Working with our SpEd professional I re-worked my grade book and lessons to better align with student IEPs and goal setting, making it more parent and co-teacher friendly. These changes were rooted in best practices that also benefit all students.

Part 3: Connecting Assessment of Diverse Stakeholders

Connecting Assessment of Diverse Stakeholders to Your Context (refer to Term II - DESIGN Module Needs Assessment)

3. Describe your work with diverse stakeholders, shared learning experiences, and how you anticipate your instructional mindset might evolve during the TLI process.

I have taken on a number of roles at my high school, including: Speech, Drama, and Debate coach, National Honor Society advisor, PBS TILT member, and committee member for numerous roles on campus. Through these activities I have coordinated events with parents, run a tournament within our community, hosted after school tutoring, and been in a number of meetings with various staff members. The groups I have yet to connect with are my school board and parents at large. One way I expect to grow is learning how each one of these stakeholders directly impacts our teachers and students in their classrooms.

4. Describe how your awareness of those from different cultures, experiences, and backgrounds inform your chosen project.

Understanding that each new teacher comes into their position with their own history, culture, experiences, and backgrounds is essential to effectively supporting them in their new role. Without acknowledging the diversity in new educators it is difficult to provide meaningful support to help them grow. You must understand that each person will have varied strengths, in addition to varied insecurities and expectations of a new job and their role.

Required Documents