GOAL SETTING - September Professional Development

SEPTEMBER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOCUS:

As part of the High-Ability Program, it is our goal to align endorsement coursework, professional development, and classroom practice. This applies to ALL our participants, whether enrolled in the online class or not. We want to create a rich, cohesive experience that supports the work you do daily with your high-ability learners. The first step in this process is to determine where you're at, and where you want to go. So, our first significant professional activity of the year is for all participants to complete a goal-setting worksheet.

For September, instead of lesson reflections, participants and coaches will meet (in person, on the phone, or via iChat, whichever suits your situation) to discuss and create a "HASIP Collaborative Goal-Setting Worksheet" to cover the months of October - December 2009 (we'll do this again in January 2010 for the second part of the year).

Think SMART about your goals - SMART goals are:

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Realistic

Timely

Be comfortable with your goal(s), and make the document a tool to help guide your classroom practice for the next few months. Talk with your coach about where you're at in terms of knowledge and strategy implementation, and design your goal(s) to meet your own needs - everyone's will be different!

The form is attached to the email update on 9/21, and is also available on Confluence. It is a type-on PDF. The TEACHER should have the worksheet open on his/her computer during the coaching conversation, and should be the one to fill in the form. Once the teacher and coach are satisfied with the contents, the teacher then emails a copy to BOTH his/her coach and to ME (make sure to save a copy on your own computer!). It's important to do this, as this document will be one of your "checklist items" at the end of the year to qualify for your stipend.

If you have any questions about the goal-setting worksheet, please let me know. Worksheets should be emailed to me by Friday, October 2. Remember, you are NOT expected to do a lesson reflection form this month! We'll have a new professional development focus in October, and lesson reflections will be aligned to both your personal goals and a strategy/content theme.

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