Growth Process Overview
Context:
The magic is not in the process. It is in the people and the relationships among those people.
Purpose:
The purpose of the Employee Growth Process is to provide for optimum student learning in all dimensions.
Beliefs:
We believe in growth that results from a shared vision, individual responsibility, and teamwork.
We believe in growth based on "best practices".
We believe growth flourishes best in a positive supportive learning environment.
Growth Process Overview
Growth vs. Evaluation:
Move from a deficit model to growth.
It is much more productive to focus on growth than to focus on evaluation for experienced employees.
Evaluation is time-consuming, cumbersome, and can be counterproductive
Growth is much more powerful in fostering and promoting change.
Evaluation is aimed at ensuring minimum standards have been met. Our experienced employees need to reach well beyond minimum standards.
Growth leads to increased employee satisfaction as we work towards communities of learners.
Growth is encouraging, positive, supportive, and challenging.
Experienced Employees:
The focus for this group is growth. Professional growth that is linked to school, district, and provincial improvement/work plans.
The professional portfolio will be used as the method of tracking and engaging in the discussion about this growth.
Growth Process Overview
Portfolio: Evidence of Growth.
All employees in the system will keep a portfolio.
The portfolio will be monitored at least three times per year. Subject to agreement. Possibly a team or full staff activity. Be creative. Growth is the objective. If the process works really well, the formality will disappear. The follow-up will become part of normal discussion that happens either one-on-one or in meetings.
Individual portfolios may reflect group goals.
There should be considerable variation between portfolios but some commonalities need to be present.
Portfolio Content: Core
1. Personal professional focus for the year (1-3 outcomes).
2. - Record of P.D. Courses taken, courses given, workshops, inservice, conferences... - Professional readings with commentaries and/or personal reaction. - Record of visitations with commentaries and/or personal reactions, ideas to try. 3. Student performance and growth applies to all employees: (this part of the process will be refined over time). o Documentation of student growth. May be included with Indicators of Success section of goal process. May be extras outside the set goals. You choose. o Samples of student work.
Growth Process Overview
Feedback at end of Year 1.
Overall:
Are You Comfortable?
30% 20% 10% 0%
1=Low 5=High
1 2 3 4 5
Growth Process Overview
Feedback at end of Year 1.
Teachers:
Growth Process Overview
Feedback at end of Year 1.
School Admin.:
Growth Process Overview
Personal Growth Plan.
Growth Process Overview
Portfolio Components:
- Goal Setting
- Record of PD
- Linking professional growth with student growth
Growth Process Overview.
Portfolios: Goal Setting.
Personal Professional Focus.
Stating the goals in the first person. Examples: - I will gain the knowledge and skills to - I will refine my skills in... - I will learn how to.
The Goal Writing Process:
Develop ----> What strategies can you use to reach your goals? Improve ---> What are the indicators of success?
Refine ----> Professional growth & Student growth (where connections can be made).
Goals Should:
1. Be tied to increased student learning. Cognitive, Affective, and Physical. 2. Attainable. 3. Stated in first person. 4. Use growth verbs like will improve, will refine, will develop 5. Can not be an extra. 6. Stated in clear precise language.
Form:
Revisions are always encouraged. Can be varied but three or four column model is probably the easiest. (Handout). Group goals are encouraged. Still in the "I will ..." form. Strategies may contain a number of possibilities. Best to leave somewhat flexible.
Growth Process Overview
Teachers.
Growth Goal:
I will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to use the internet in the classroom setting. Growth Strategies: Growth Strategies: Find a mentor with internet experience.
Indicators of Success:
Samples show how this information was used in the classroom Samples of student work in which student cited internet references.
Growth Process Overview
Scenario #1. Please draft a set of goals for the following person: Teacher:
Male. Good teacher. Middle age. Single parent. Self-confident. Interested in technology. Many years in this school. Works at enhancing/stretching professional image. Talks a great game. Knows how to discredit others.
Assignment: Eighth grade, teaching all subjects except Phy. Ed. and French. Description of school: Grade 6 to l2. Very (!!) poor results on grade 8 assessments. Migration of good teachers out of school. Hard to serve student population. Discipline is a problem in the school but has improved somewhat since the teachers have made an issue of it. staff divided. Good mix of the new and the veteran. Principal is a promoter.
District: Goals are to increase literacy and numeracy.