📖My Professional Development Plan📖

My Individualized Professional Development Plan:

🎯Anne Arundel County Public Schools Learning Targets🎯

1. I will recognize characteristics of being an effective collaborator that nurtures belonging for students, staff, families, and community members in different situations.

2. I will improve the growth of educator and student learning in my classroom by reviewing at least five different Padlets from other departments of my choice and posting at least three different Padlets under my own Department Padlet.

3. I will learn strategies to support a tech-infused, joyful classroom that challenges students to be critical thinkers and problem solvers while being an empowered educator designing engaging learning experiences.

🗓️The Professional Development Day Schedule🗓️

8:00 AM - 8:45 AM: Staff Breakfast and Collaborative Technology Talk

• All faculty/staff members can sit wherever they prefer at our media center tables while grabbing breakfast items from our breakfast bins available on the same upon walking inside. 

• The number of tables will be restricted to facilitate faculty/staff member groupings. 

• At our middle school, we have 50 faculty/staff members.

• The media center tables seat 10 people, so there should be at least five tables. 

• Place two different scenarios at each table. While eating breakfast, these tables should discuss both appropriate and inappropriate reactions to their two presented collaborative technology situations. 

• With 10 minutes remaining, ask for each table to have a group representative share their appropriate reactions to each of their two situations, but they will be told that they only have one minute to speak on their two presented situations. 

Situations

#1

Eleventh-grade students in Mrs. Stewart's English 11 Class decide to log onto their Chromebooks during Lunch to copy-and-paste dialogue from a ChatGPT-created Script for their upcoming Debate later on that same afternoon.

#2

Fifth-grade students in Mr. Day's Science Class log onto their Chromebooks to review The Teacher's Frog Dissection Instructions marked on their BrightSpace Student Accounts while inside The Classroom Science Lab.

#3

While tasked to monitor students completing their Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) Standardized Examinations, you quickly check the notifications you are receiving on your Facebook Account.  

#4

While tasked to complete some Lesson Planning for you and your co-teacher during your Planning Period, you take a few minutes to update your Virtual Classroom Pinterest Board with new Educational Tech Tools links.

#5

Mr. Kent is a local area elementary school principal who gets a written report from their Information Technology Coordinator, Mrs. Lane, that fifth-grade students have been accessing a non-school-approved version of Minecraft--playing in-class with online students from Vancouver, Canada for the past couple of afternoons at school.  Mrs. Lane then claims that she will immediately place a "demo computer game blocker" filter on the school's computer network.

#6

When you begin to encounter problems logging into your BrightSpace Learning Management System through The Google Chrome Browser before The Start of School, you log into BrightSpace through Microsoft Edge instead.

#7

Students in Mrs. McCusker's Seventh-Grade Band Class are increasingly manipulating the Digital Classroom Metronome to play faster and louder with each rep.

#8

While eighth-grade students are tasked to record and submit their Speaking Assignments for Dra. Andújar's Spanish Class through BrightSpace, they quickly use Google Translate to record their voices during their Two-Minute Recording Prep Time to make Scripts.

#9

For Mr. Cordt's Physical Education Class, his fourth-grade students briefly watch a YouTube Video on How To Play Soccer on a student's cellphone. 

#10

Mrs. Kennedy, a Long-Term Substitute Teacher, puts on a Bill Nye The Science Guy Video through YouTube that is not part of Mr. Eason's Sixth-Grade Science Class Sub Plans. 

#11

While ninth-grade students are tasked with reading through Chapters Three and Four of their Romeo and Juliet Novels in-class, Mr. Ashmead's quietly plays Classical Romeo & Juliet-Themed Music in the background with the help of YouTube.

#12

A group of tenth-grade students are taking turns writing negative reviews for local Food Trucks marked on Google Maps using their Chromebooks during Lunch Time.

#13

A selectively-mute seventh-grade student requests in writing to complete their social studies classwork for the day on Chromebook alongside their Special Education Assistant in the media center. 

#14

In order to help showcase the musical talents of their high school marching band senior performers from Senior Night at the local home football game, the band director records and displays senior students on video playing excerpts for The Official High School YouTube Channel.

#15

While working Lunch Duty with The Twelfth-Grade Class, you pull out your cellphone to participate in and record a TikTok Dance Challenge with fellow Lunch Duty Educators.

#16

In lieu of taking class attendance on paper for the day, you decide to e-mail your school secretary through your Outlook School Email Account.

#17

While your sixth-grade students are working on S.M.A.R.T. Goals during Homeroom using their Chromebooks, you begin to show examples of writing out the same using a Rocketbook Portable Whiteboard.

#18

As the academic school year winds down through The Fourth Marking Period, you task a random seventh-grade student with taking class attendance for the day through ClassDojo using a Tablet Device.

#19

The eighth-grade art teacher, Mrs. Coryell, tasks her students to use Tablet Devices to sketch out Homecoming Signs for the local high school football team's Upcoming Pep Rally using The Sketchpad Digital Art Maker Program.

#20

During a Brain Break in Mr. Devine's AVID Class, seventh-grade students look up College and University Logos using their Chromebooks.

8:50 AM - 9:00 AM: Faculty/Staff Padlet Search 

• The following Department Padlet Categories will be provided as examples of Padlets for all Faculty/Staff Members to search for Five Padlets from. This list will also be emailed out to all Faculty/Staff Members at least one week prior to the Professional Development Day so that all Faculty/Staff Members can start to review each Department Category and their Subcategories beforehand if they would prefer to do so:

1. Art/Design/Music/Physical Education/Technology

2. English/Language Arts/Reading

3. Math

4. Science

5. Social Studies

6. Special Education

7. World Languages

• In addition, each of these Department Padlet Categories will be subcategorized under the following Department Padlet Subcategories:

1. Academic Language Scripts Implementation for Writing/Speaking

2. Academic Word Walls & Vocabulary Utilization

3. AVID Collaborative Structures/Structures for Inquiry

4. AVID Interactive Focused Notes & Marking The Text

• Each Faculty/Staff Member should critically heart, review and comment on at least Five Padlets from Five Different Departments other than their own; post at least Three Padlets under 3 Different Subcategories under their own Department Padlet Category; and complete their own reflections on a provided Padlets Review and Posting Reflections Google Form Link. This will allow everyone to process the Padlets and write out their First Reactions on the same. 

9:00 AM - 10:15 AM: Faculty/Staff Five Padlet Choices Review and Three Posts Time

• Using a Shared Google Document, all Faculty/Members will record what Padlets they are reviewing and commenting on. 

• The Google Doc will include a table to be filled out with the following Fillable Boxes:

  1. Teacher's Name

  2. Padlet Department

  3. Padlet Subcategory

  4. Padlet Topic

  5. Connection(s) to AACPS Learning Target(s)

• Faculty/Staff Member fills out a Padlet Review & Postings Reflection Form on a Google Form.

○ What were your specific reasons for reviewing, commenting and posting on Padlet?

○ What did you learn from reviewing and posting Padlets today that will help grow your teaching and your students’ learning?

○ What ideas or practices will you change or adopt as a result of reviewing and posting Padlets?

○ Would you recommend Padlet to others? If so, who would benefit from using this program? 

10:20 AM - 11:00 AM: Faculty/Staff Padlet Groups of 5 Process Time

Group A

Chelsea

Jessica

Mark

Mike

Sam

Group B

Elizabeth

Ken

Luke

Mary

Robin

Group C

Angela

Brian

Carol

Courtney

Lindsay

Group D

Amanda

Carrie

Nicole

Ryan

Scott

Group E

Craig

Katie

Noelle

Sherri

Tanya

Group F

Ariel

Chantel

Marcus

Sarah

William

Group G

Barry

Grace

Jaime

Lauren

Michelle

Group H

Chad

John

Karen

Pam

Sebastian

Group I

Aiden

Calissa

Jerry

Roger

Tila

Group J

David

Ginger

Kristina

Rene

Yolanda

11:00 AM - 11:30 AM: Educator Padlet Ideas Roundtable Discussions

• Faculty/Staff Members will go back and sit at the Same Tables they did for Breakfast Time.

1. Provide Multiple Sticky Notes and Black/Blue Ink Pens in The Middle of Each Table.

2. Have each Faculty/Staff Member write down Three Padlet-Related Questions--with One Question per Sticky Note.

3. Have each Faculty/Staff Member fold all of their Sticky Notes three times over and have them tossed into The Middle of The Table.

4. Have a Faculty/Staff Member mix up all Sticky Notes in The Sticky Note Pile as quick as possible.

5. Each Faculty/Staff Member will choose a Sticky Note and write down their Padlet Talk Responses. If they end up getting their own question, they can choose a Different Sticky Note.

6. Faculty/Staff Members will then go around the table and share their Padlet Talk Responses.

7. If there is any time left, have all Faculty/Staff Members complete Another Roundtable Padlet Discussion.

🍱11:30 AM - 12:30 PM: Educators Lunch Break🍱

12:30 PM - 12:40 PM: 

Morning Recap/Afternoon Activities Breakdown/Educators Fill-Out Google Form

• Have all Faculty/Staff Member answer a brief Tech Tools Survey Google Form.

• Will use a Google Spreadsheet associated with this same Google Form, Tech Tools on Display, to display information to all Faculty/Staff Members with clean, clear-cut visuals.

• The Tech Tools on Display should be set up to automatically adjust as All New Responses are entered in real-time by All Present Faculty/Staff Members. 

• The purpose of collecting this particular data is to see where our Faculty/Staff Members are at with using Various Educator Tech Tools and for what purpose(s). This Collected Data will, in turn, help us plan out Upcoming Professional Development Sessions that will address specific Educator Needs. 

1. Do you have an Audacity Account? Why or why not? If so, what do you use it for? 

(For example, Classroom Ideas, News Information, Personal Interests, etc.)

2. Do you have a SchoolTube Account? Why or why not? If so, what do you use it for? 

(For example, Classroom Ideas, News Information, Personal Interests, etc.)

**12:40 PM - 1:40 PM: First Educator Tech Tool Rotation Choice Session**

**1:45 PM - 2:45 PM: Second Educator Tech Tool Rotation Choice Session**

**2:50 PM - 3:50 PM: Third Educator Tech Tool Rotation Choice Session**

**Please Note: There will be Three Tech Tool Session Options for Faculty/Staff to attend**

3:50 PM - 4:00 PM: Afternoon Tech Tool Sessions Google Form Reflection

• All Faculty/Staff Members will be asked the following Google Form Reflection Questions:

1. Please briefly write about your personal progress towards your Desired Educator Technology Target.

Include how you spend your time today to help achieve your Desired Educator Technology Target.

2. What are the key takeaways you will apply in-class from your First Afternoon Tech Tool Session?

3. What are the key takeaways you will apply in-class from your Second Afternoon Tech Tool Session?

4. What are the key takeaways you will apply in-class from your Third Afternoon Tech Tool Session?

• Roughly three to four weeks prior to the Professional Development Day in question, all Faculty/Staff Members will be sent a SignUpGenius Link to see who would like to sign-up to be Afternoon Tech Tool Session Leaders.  Each of the topics will be required to be regarding Educator Technology Tools already pre-approved by AACPS and tied to one or more previously-mentioned AACPS Learning Targets.

• The Afternoon Tech Tools Session Reflections Google Form will include Session Sections to be filled out with the following information:

  1. Session #1 Educator Presenter Name

  2. Session #1 Educator Tech Tool Topic

  3. Session #1 Connection(s) to AACPS Learning Target(s)

  4. Session #1 Short Summary

  5. Session #2 Educator Presenter Name

  6. Session #2 Educator Tech Tool Topic

  7. Session #2 Connection(s) to AACPS Learning Target(s)

  8. Session #2 Short Summary

  9. Session #3 Educator Presenter Name

  10. Session #3 Educator Tech Tool Topic

  11. Session #3 Connection(s) to AACPS Learning Target(s)

  12. Session #3 Short Summary

Resources

Alaniz, K., & Wilson, D. K. (2015b). Naturalizing Digital Immigrants: The Power Of Collegial Coaching For Technology Integration. Rowman & Littlefield.

Richardson, W., & Mancabelli, R. (2011). Personal Learning Networks: Using the Power of Connections to Transform Education (3rd ed.). Solution Tree.

ISTE Standards: For Students. ISTE. (2024b). Retrieved December 15, 2024, from https://iste.org/standards/students

Professional Development Day Activities Explanation 

"Beginning on the right foot is crucial, as initial first steps often set the tone for the entire endeavor" (Alaniz & Wilson, 2015, p. 78)  In order to properly start any professional development day off on the right foot, providing breakfast for all participants goes a long way in gaining buy-in from faculty and staff members to embark on a learning journey throughout an entire in-service day.  Afterall--they are not just acting in service of faculty, students, and staff, but themselves as well.  With providing faculty and staff members the opportunity to choose where they first sit for breakfast, it helps establish the feelings of belonging and comfort for all professional development day participants.  

These feelings, in turn, should assist all participants to share out their most natural first reactions to the two situation cards they'll be presented at their tables within their groups of five.  Each of the situation cards will cover effective and non-effective collaboration between faculty, staff, and students alike.  These presented situation cards display the need for all school members--both adults and children--to effectively collaborate with one another in order to belong, grow and succeed in the Anne Arundel County Public Schools System (AACPS) and beyond.  By having our faculty and staff members have healthy discussions on the same, it allows our school administration, counseling team and information technology personnel hear first-hand the types of accounts that are being experienced in real-time by these same individuals.  In essence, the presenting of these situation cards shows that "...educators must learn to adapt their thinking and professional practices in order to reach their students at their points of interest and engagement" (Alaniz & Wilson, 2015, p. 97).

I would personally set-up and speak during this portion of the day's activities--especially since everyone will just be getting settled and prepared for the rest of the professional development day.  This particular warm-up activity should be able to get all faculty and staff members--including our administrative and counseling teams--familiar with one another on a courteous, professional level with all on an equal, equitable learning and playing field to work through their learning target thought processes using collaboration on real-life situations.

At least three to fourth weeks in advance of our professional development day, I would e-mail all school faculty and Staff members the Department Padlet Access Links so that they can not only review the Department Padlet Subcategories well ahead of time, but start to gather images and photos of both their Completed Educator and Student Works towards structuring and sharing their Three Padlet Posts.  This preparation time also gives all school faculty and staff members a chance to speak and/write to one another for collaboration before and after class on completing their Padlet Posts and what to review from Other Department Padlets as well.  By assigning the Groups of Five, I would have each of these groups encompass a diverse mix of Core Subject Teachers (English/Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies); Encore Subject Teachers (Art, AVID, Dance, Design, Health, Music, and World Languages); Special Education Educators; and Administrators or Guidance Counselors.  That way, each of these groups are able to experience a wide range of different perspectives that cover many potential "Walks of Life".  

I would also make sure to emphasize on the same e-mail that everyone needs to bring a fully-charged laptop in order to complete all of the professional development day activities.  The idea of using Padlet is to "[k]eep it simple, and continuously ask people to provide evidence of [technological tool] use" (Richardson & Mancabelli, p. 102).  

By having school faculty and staff members participating in roundtable discussions regarding Padlet, it helps everyone delve deeper in understanding and wondering about what other approaches can be undertaken with this particular technological tool.  In this fashion of collaboratively posing questions and sharing responses, educators at all levels across the board are held accountable for their 21st Century technology integration alongside their students.  In addition, it places our school on a solid foundation "...committed to finding ways to allow teachers [and administrators] to work both on their own and with each other" (Richardson & Mancabelli, p. 103). 

By having all school and faculty members completing their Morning Activity Reflections on Google Forms after Lunch, our school administration and technology leadership team can properly analyze what worked and what needs to be worked on for future professional development days.  With faculty and staff members filling out a separate Google Form on their Educator Tech Tools right after, it helps them warm-up to The Afternoon Tech Tool Sessions while allowing school administrators and the technology leadership team see exactly where school educators currently stand on using different 21st Century technologies at the current moment.

As for the Afternoon Tech Tool Sessions, I strongly believe that these specific rotations would empower our school faculty and staff members to explore and implement different technologies within their formal classroom settings--whether with a co-teacher or special educator present or not.  These same sessions would provide multiple opportunities for different educators to belong, grow, and succeed in their technology integration roles.  This session-leading process, in turn, should help educators be empowered to share their educator technology tool deficiencies, failures and triumphs for others to belong, grow and succeed in different ways over time.

References

Alaniz, K., & Wilson, D. K. (2015b). Naturalizing Digital Immigrants: The Power Of Collegial Coaching For Technology Integration. Rowman & Littlefield.

Richardson, W., & Mancabelli, R. (2011). Personal Learning Networks: Using the Power of Connections to Transform Education (3rd ed.). Solution Tree.

(AudacityTeam.org, 2024)

(Padlet.com, 2024)

(SchoolTube.com, 2024)