A Professional Growth Plan Incorporating the STP Process

Annual Professional Growth Plan for: Mandy McCullough

School Year: January 2015 April 2015
Goal:
1) Incorporate more movement in the classroom.
2) Establish more efficient routines and transitions in the classroom
3) Become a more active participant in the school community
Plan:
1) Integrate DPA into classes. Once students are efficient at transitions, have them collect their own
supplies from around the room (ie, have a stack of worksheets in a back corner for them to pick up rather
than sitting and waiting for them to be handed out). Have more examples using movement (ie, fractions of
boys to girls with boys on one side of the room, girls on the other). Have brief stretching exercises after
long periods of sitting. Once the weather is nice, attempt to take the class outside for teaching moments.
2) Begin with smaller routines, such as what to do at the beginning of class (warm up question on board to
answer). Practice collecting things from around the room efficiently. Use PAX language. Ensure students
understand the routines and why theyre in place. Play PAX games after enough practice. Ask for
feedback from students, if they notice a difference with how we do things, if they think we could practice
doing other things better.
3) Speak up in meetings. Start small, sharing ideas in smaller meetings. Have confidence in what I have to
say if possible, find out what the topics of meetings will be and think of some talking points. Find out
what is available for helping out around the school; sign up for volunteering. Find out if any students need
to be tutored.
Resources:
1) http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/teachers/dpa4-6.pdf;
http://education.alberta.ca/teachers/program/pe/resources/dpahandbook.aspx
http://www.wellnesscke.net/downloadables/Rationales,Strategies&ResourcesforMovementintheClassroo
m.pdf http://www.pinterest.com/lblane22/classroom-movement-ideas/
2) Harry Wongs The First Days of School book; http://teachingld.net/pdf/teaching_how-tos/mcIntosh371.pdf; https://www.teachervision.com/teaching-methods/new-teacher/48342.html
3) Find methods of building confidence. Toastmasters?
Expected Outcomes:
1) Studies show that movement increases academic performance, long-term memory, helps brains work
and grow, can increase teamwork and collaboration, and is more engaging for students.
2) Less time spent getting distracted during transitions and answering the same question repeatedly (what
are we doing next? Whats after this? Im done, what do I do?). More time for learning and activities.
3) A feeling of belonging in the environment.

2006 The Alberta Teachers Association

-1-