Domain #4 - Professional Responsibilities

Professional Responsibilities focus on the way you carry yourself professionally in and out of the classroom setting. It involves how you interact with others in different environments. You must show dignity and grace all the time, even when faced with a problem. When reflecting on your teaching, you must look back on what you did, figure out where you did well and where you need to grow in your lesson, and realize that a growth mindset is better than a fixed mindset. Mistakes can be remedied because we are constantly growing in knowledge. You also should participate in a community of teachers (build your PLN!) to continue growing. This domain emphasizes the growth mindset a lot.

Components:

• Reflecting on Teaching
• Maintaining Accurate Records
• Communicating with Families
• Participating in the Professional Community
• Growing and Developing Professionally
• Showing Professionalism

5 ways I can demonstrate this domain in my classroom:

• I can reflect on my teaching using the "grows and glows" strategy. I can take note of what I did well with teaching and the areas I need to work on and implement new strategies to approach teaching the lesson.
• I can establish relationships with the parents and work together with them on plans for their child's learning. I can frequently report progress to them and be aware of the family's home situation. Parents can also communicate with me and I will make myself available.
• I can attend seminars and speak at them. I can collaborate with other teachers on different lessons. I can share resources with other teachers and share what my class is doing to build a more cohesive learning network for our students (especially in a middle school setting).
• I can co-teach with other teachers on subjects that have mixed aspects. For instance, if science and math have a common intersection point, both of us teachers could co-teach that lesson together to both of our classes (likely at the same time).
• I can remind myself that I am constantly growing along with my students. Learning does not stop even as an educator. I can build my PLN and stay updated on changes to curriculum/teaching.