Chapter 4: Using Research to Analyze, Inform, and Assess Changes in Instruction

My fifth year of teaching proved to be the most interesting and eye opening for me to date. During this year I experienced many professional changes. At the beginning of the year, I became a “new” teacher again as I voluntarily transferred to a different school. Though my new school was in the same school district, changing locations was like entering a new world. The school’s motto is “First Comes Learning,” and I saw right from the start that every person there was dedicated to that vision. I was particularly impressed with the intentional scheduling of time for students to seek extra help from teachers. For example, each student has an advisory period during which they report to a homeroom location for attendance purposes. During this time students can request a pass to meet with a specific teacher. The school also has a rule that athletic practices and club meetings cannot begin until 45 minutes after the school day ends to allow students additional time to meet with teachers and work on homework. Different disciplines are referred to as teams rather than departments and the team concept is prevalent. The support from administration is phenomenal in that teachers’ concerns and desires are listened to, considered, and often utilized for school improvement. Teachers are encouraged to continue their education and participate in staff development opportunities in order to expand their expertise. All of these things were very different from my previous teaching environments. I was and continue to be extremely excited about teaching at this particular school.