Collaborative Relationships 

In the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, one of the knowledge indicators to be a competent teacher states the following:

understands the benefits, barriers, and techniques involved in parent and family collaborations (8D).

I believe that collaboration with parents is of utmost importance. I am consistently communicating with parents,  updating ClassDojo, and inviting them into the classroom. Below is an example of my letter of introduction in which I inform the parents in my classroom about  my philosophy of education and myself. This created trust between me and the families of my students. I have not had a problem with parents when I make a call home about a certain behavior. The parents trust that I want what is best for my students because of the positive relationship we have. 

In the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, one of the performance indicators to be a competent teacher states the following:

works with all school personnel (e.g., support staff, teachers, paraprofessionals) to develop learning climates for the school that encourage unity, support a sense of shared purpose, show trust in one another, and value individuals (8J).

I have attended multiple school improvement days. These are professional development days in which I meet with grade-level, school, and district staff. The professional development days often involve planning with grade-level staff for the next trimester. The picture below from April 24th involved planning what students will be placed together or separated going into the next school year for 5th grade. With district staff, we had an encouraging time together in which we reflected on staff and students accomplishments. Through these professional development days, I have formed connections and grown closer to my coworkers. This has influenced my work in the sense that I see the school as a united institution that's main goal is students' success.