The Portfolio/IPDP

1. The Portfolio/IPDP It’s all about the Reflection and The Goals

2. What is a Relicensure Portfolio Reflection? • It is a written narrative that reflects on and evaluates: • the degree to which you met the IPDP goals of your current(expiring)licensure cycle • your new learning and its impact upon your professional practice • how changes in your professional practice, in relationship to your goals, have impacted student performance • It details how you addressed some/all of the Five Standards for Vermont Educators in the process of meeting your goals. The standards are explained here: http://education.vermont.gov/new/pdfdoc/pgm_prostandards/vsbpe/five_standards_03.pdf • It documents a minimum of 135 hours/nine (9) relicensing credits for each endorsement being renewed, of which 45 hours/three (3) credits of must address the specific knowledge and performance standards of each endorsement being renewed: http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/licensing/regulations_endorsements.html#teachers

3. Professional Portfolio GOAL 1: Write your current (expiring) goal WHAT: List the professional development /courses you have completed that meet this goal and the relicensure credits earned DESCRIPTION: Describe the course(s) or activity listed above, content and purpose and connection to your goal EXAMPLE:  Describe how you have used /implemented the knowledge/skills you acquired from the course or professional development activity EVALUATION: The degree to which the course/the new knowledge you have acquired has changed your professional practice and improved student learning/achievement in your classroom Use the above format for each of your current IPDP goals. Where appropriate, document how your professional development activities and goals relate to specific knowledge and performance standards for your endorsement area Describe how your professional development relates to the Five Standards: STANDARD ONE: LEARNING STANDARD TWO: PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE STANDARD THREE: COLLEAGUESHIP STANDARD FOUR: ADVOCACY STANDARD FIVE ACCOUNTABILITY Name School Teaching Field License(s) Licensure dates Reflection on Seven Years of Professional Growth Brief Overview/Introduction: I have been a _______educator for the past _______yrs teaching at___________ . I have completed a number of professional development activities over the last seven years in order to better meet the needs of my students and grow as an educator. These activities gave me the skills necessary to implement national / state / district /school action plans/ goals /initiatives. Thespecic coursework, trainings/workshops have provided me with a number of effective classroom instructional strategies and assessment practices centering on your field. I have used your learning with my students which has improved student outcomes in ___ areas. I also used your knowledge to implement ___in my classroom which has improved my instruction. All of these professional development experiences were very helpful overall in my current role as…. Because…

4. CESU LSB Checklist for Portfolio Evaluation Your Portfolio must show evidence of: 1.LEARNING: Expertise in the endorsement area 2.PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE: Methodology and pedagogy 3. COLLEAGUESHIP: Collaborates with colleagues at local, state, and/or national levels in and out of school 4. ADVOCACY: Promotes health, fairness, and equity for all members of the educational community 5. ACCOUNTABILITY: Demonstrates professional ethics and growth over time in each of the five standards 6. REFLECTIVE NARRATIVE: Narrative addresses each IPDP goal, describes the activity, and connects it to the initiative/action plan, student learning/ achievement, and professional growth and to at least one knowledge and/or performance standard in your endorsement area If your Portfolio addresses the above criteria you’re ready to submit

5. 5440-05 English Competencies • The holder is authorized to teach English language arts in grades 7-12. • In order to qualify for this endorsement, the candidate shall demonstrate the following: Knowledge Standards: • Demonstrates knowledge of research-based principles and processes underlying literacy development, and the components of effective literacy instruction, as delineated in current national professional standards and reflected in Vermont’s Framework of Standards and Learning • Opportunities. Specifically, the educator understands and/or knows: • Development of Oral Language and Literacy – Processes, principles and dimensions of oral language acquisition; the relationship between oral language development and literacy development; the impact of physical, emotional, and cultural factors on language development and acquisition of reading and writing; role of metacognition in reading, writing, listening, speaking, and representing visually; the elements of effective verbal and non-verbal communication • Literature and Media – A wide variety of quality, age-appropriate literature and non-print media (i.e., film, video) across genres, eras, cultures, and subcultures; literary elements and devices; critical theories and approaches to analysis and interpretation of literature and non-print media (e.g., historical, deconstructionist, New Criticism) • Language and Word Study – The purposes of language and approaches to analyzing language; etymology of the English language; the pronunciation of English phonemes and their graphemes; vocabulary development and its relationship to literacy acquisition • (When writing your goals include the competency number then use the part of the competency that relates to the goal you want.) Reading Comprehension and Fluency – Reading as the process of constructing meaning from text; the components of fluency; factors that influence comprehension and fluency; typical elements and features of narrative and expository texts, and how readers' awareness of these features supports comprehension; cognitive strategies and instructional approaches for supporting comprehension and fluency • Written Expression – The composing processes that writers use, and planning strategies most appropriate for particular kinds of writing; • dimensions of quality writing and types of writing; the conventions of written English; uses of writing portfolios and benchmarks and standards for various age/grade levels Assessment and Adaptation of Literacy Instruction – The importance of individualizing the literacy program to address the needs and strengths of learners; a variety of valid and efficient language arts assessments appropriate for different purposes; the observable characteristics of a variety of reading and writing difficulties; strategies for modifying literacy instruction to support the needs of individual learners, including English Language Learners Performance Standards: • Implements a language arts curriculum that fosters interest and growth in all aspects of oral and written literacy in order to provide students with the communication skills necessary to understand and influence their own lives and to learn about the world, including exploring personal identity and social relationships, making ethical judgments, and critically evaluating ideas. Specifically, the educator: • Literacy Development through Literature and Media –

6. Individual Professional Development Plan Improves Teaching and Learning: • Is self-directed and standards based • Includes targeted learning and reflective practice • Includes self-assessment • Analysis of practice • Uses the knowledge and performance standards of the endorsement • The Five Standards for Vermont Educators • Analysis of classroom data

7. CESU Local Standards Board Checklist for IPDP Evaluation Your new IPDP must have three goals that are developed through reflection and analysis of professional practice and student achievement data. One goal must relate to the school action plan. This goal should discuss what you are going to do in your classroom with students that addresses an aspect of the school or district action plan or initiatives. For example, if your school’s action plan states that there is an achievement gap in math or reading for low income students, your goal states the strategies you will employ to decrease that gap. Citing student data to support your goal choice is key. One goal must connect to one of the competencies for your endorsement area. The list of competencies for each endorsement area is located on the VT DOE website (See below) Your goal should detail how you will increase your proficiency and/or skills in a specific knowledge or performance standard listed. Quoting directly from the specific competency your goal is addressing helps the LSB evaluator know exactly which competency you are referring to. http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/licensing/regulations_endorsements.html#endorsements One goal should relate to your growth as an educator. After writing your Portfolio Reflection on your last 7 years of teaching, you may discover an aspect of your professional practice that you would like to improve in. Or you may want to increase your knowledge of national, state or local education reforms, initiatives or assessments being implemented in your school or district. All three of your IPDP goals must connect to the Five Standards for Vermont Educators. The Five standards and related principles, information can be found here: http://education.vermont.gov/new/pdfdoc/pgm_prostandards/vsbpe/five_standards_03.pdf If your IPDP addresses the above criteria you are ready to submit.

8. IPDP SMART Goals Each IPDP goal must be written in the SMART format: Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound: • Specific – what exactly will happen • Measurable – clear indicators of success • Attainable – can be accomplished with available resources • Relevant – something needed to improve student outcomes • Time-bound - when the goal will be met

9. IPDP Example • SMART Goal Format • Goal 1:To grow as an educator, especially in my endorsement area, special education, and to learn from my colleagues about how I can improve my professional practice and student outcomes, and share my knowledge with students and their families. • Specific: Choosing appropriate courses, workshops, and other activities, I will continue to increase and broaden my knowledge of methods to modify curriculum to help meet the specific reading and/or writing needs of students with disabilities. This goal supports the Mount Mansfield Union High School’s Action Plan which focuses on narrowing the achievement gap in writing and reading. • Measureable: Clear indicators will include students’ passing grades on the following: projects, exams, tests, quizzes and classroom assignments. Another indicator will show improving scores on the New England Common Assessment Performance test. • Attainable: Iwill collaborate with content area teachers to determine what basic concepts students need to learn and together determine modifications, instructional materials, and/ or changes to the curricula to best serve students with disabilities. • .

10. Relevant – Content area classes are becoming less ‘tracked’ at MMUHS. Modifications for students with special needs within these classes will have to be made in a collaborative manner between classroom teachers and special educators. Time-bound – Because the specific needs of students are fluid and ever-changing, the types of modifications will change from year to year. All modifications will, however, be saved and shared in the Common Teacher Folder which is available to all teachers at MMUHS. Competencies – This goal supports the VT Dept of Education – Special Education (5540-82) endorsement criteria under Performance Standards: “Supports classroom teachers in accommodating students with special needs within the regular classroom by identifying, developing, or modifying instructional materials, curricula, or aspects of the classroom environment.” To connect each goal to the Five Standards for Vermont Educators use a table format:

11. Or write a narrative at the end of your IPDP that explains how all three goals connect to the Five Standards for Vermont Educators: Standard One:LEARNING Through courses, workshops, and other activities, I will learn methods and techniques to break down the barriers that prevent disabled students from accessing their educational program. I will learn ways to help classroom teachers understand these students’ disabilities better. I will also learn ways to facilitate clearer communication with parents. Standard Two: PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE A large part of my job as a special educator is to modify assignments and assessments to meet the special needs of disabled students. Although I have learned many techniques to accomplish this so far in my professional career, there are many more that I can learn. Perhaps the best resource of this knowledge is expertise of the content area teachers in my school. By working collaboratively over the course of the year, not only do I hope to help my colleagues understand the needs of the students on my caseload, but I hope I can learn about my students from them. Standard Three: COLLEGUESHIP As I said in my previous portfolio, I pride myself in being a ‘team player.’ As I continue to develop interpersonal and collaborative skills, I hope to continue to gain the trust of my special education and regular education colleagues. By posting all assignments, quizzes, and tests I modify on the Teacher Common Drive, my colleagues will be able to access them easily. This will prevent duplication of the same tasks. Standard Four: ADVOCACY I have developed skills and knowledge to be a strong advocate for students with special needs. This means that all team members (parents, teachers, administrators, and counselors) are well informed of the needs of students with disabilities. As in my last IPDP, I think that being able to articulate what those needs are is the first step for helping others understand. Facilitating a collaborative relationship is something I will continue to work on in my professional practice. Standard Five: ACCOUNTABILITY I will save all modified curricula I create in the Teacher Common Folder under the Student Support Services file, so any teacher or special educator can access it. I The surveys I send to content area teachers will help me see not only where I can improve, but , also, what I am doing right in terms of communication regarding my the special needs of my students. I hope I can also learn from the parents how effective my communication methods are, and where they can be improved. Keeping monthly contact logs is a way to help me organize this information.