KENNICKER MASTER PORTFOLIO: PROFESSIONALISM

Master’s Portfolio Project: Professionalism

Abstract

A teacher participates in and contributes to the teaching profession. The teacher

demonstrates their engagement in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually

evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others

(learners, families, and other professionals, and the learning community), and adapts practice to

meet the needs of each learner.

Professionalism Statement

When I think about what practices determine professionalism, I think back to jobs I had

before becoming a teacher, and what was valued. Being on time, doing your assigned tasks, and

being a friendly worker were things that were expected, and I find the same to be true in teaching

as well. With my parents in the medical field, it was also viewed as normal to be expected to

continue with professional development courses and keep abreast of new findings. However,

teaching allows an additional facet to professionalism I didn’t necessarily see in previous fields;

the option to do research and present your findings for the betterment of the profession.

As part of ED626 I conducted a research project looking to the effects of manipulatives

in the teaching of math. I was inspired to look into this topic after seeing it used during in

elementary schools during my tenure teaching English in Japan. As a student, I had always

viewed research and report writing as assignments, things you did to earn a grade. However, this

project showed me how teacher research is used as a deep reflection on practice. Through this

reflection we can scaffold powerful job-embedded learning for teachers, and help support those

new to the profession (Dana, 2014).

As I started this research project, I was working in close collaboration with the primary

classroom teacher whose room I was doing my research in. I saw first-hand over the course of

the semester how teacher research was really a more formal version of the sharing and

collaboration I was seeing daily, both as a researcher and later on as a classroom teacher. I feel

this type of collaboration is also a part of teacher professionalism. As teaching is a service-based

profession, our work is fundamentally relationship-based (Conley & Cooper, 2013). Being

willing to share your ideas and findings to help others is not only a professional courtesy, it

improves our profession. Being able to discuss teaching with coworkers, whether in informal

hallway discussions or in formal professional learning committees also fosters trust among

teachers. When we feel safe enough to disclose to coworkers or administration the difficulties we

may be having, and have the ability to have an honest and frank discussion about those

difficulties we are better able to problem solve (Tschannen-Moran, 2009). As I went through my

first year of teaching, I relied on this trust to help me solve problems and seek answers to

questions I had. It became essential after COVID-19, when I went from working primarily

independently to being a part of a real grade level team where I would be writing assignments

and doing activities with students outside of my classroom. Now, perhaps more than ever

teachers must move away from shutting their doors and doing their own thing. Collaboration is

essential moving forward (Kramer, 2003).

The research project also reminded me of the importance of reading up on your craft, and

of professional development. I will admit, I am a sucker for a good professional development

class. I love learning, and I really enjoy getting to hear what other people are doing in their

rooms, and what is working and what isn’t. As I started doing the literature review portion of my

project, I would spend hours reading through academic journal articles and reviewing books I
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had previously read. Dr. Henry Wong describes a professional as “someone who, without

supervision or regulation; is a responsible person; has a continuing growth plan to achieve

competence; and strives continuously to raise the level of each new group of students.” (Wong &

Wong, 1998, 294). As part of my own professionalism I have tried this year to find a balance

between being that ideal lifelong learner, but not burning out. During the semester I did my

research project I also took an ASL course, because my school is a deaf friendly school and I had

students who used it. During my first year of teaching, I chose one course on how to support

English Language Learners to devote most of my focus. I also have a list of books recommended

to me by coworkers. This list contains both traditional teaching books, as well as grade level

appropriate fiction.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly the research project taught me that the practices I

use in my classroom with my students have value beyond the four walls of my classroom. It can

be easy sometimes in education to feel as though what you do doesn’t matter. It can be difficult

to “prove” that something works when you are dealing with the variables that are children.

However, my research and the subsequent sharing of this research with coworkers helped me to

be confident in the choices I was making as an educator, a confidence that was essential as I

started my first year of teaching. Doing research helped me to develop a variety of soft skills

required for being an educator, such as reflection, communication with staff and students, and

gave me the tools to start dialogue with my peers (Painter, NEA).

Professionalism is a hydra of expectations, and how it looks depends on who you ask.

What professionalism looked like as a substitute teacher is different than it looks as a certified

one. Some things are the same no matter what your job title (being on time, dressing the part) but

teaching allows the opportunity to develop a real bond of trust and collaboration with peers that
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strengthens the profession over all. As I go into the unknown of teaching in a pandemic, these

skills I have learned will be invaluable in making school a safe and functional place for my

students.
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References

Conley, S. C., & Cooper, B. S. (2013). Restricted professionalism of teachers: Implications for
collaboration. In Moving from teacher isolation to collaboration: enhancing
professionalism and school quality (pp. 17–34). essay, Rowman & Littlefield Education, a
division of Rowman & Littlefield.

Dana, N. F. (2014). Digging deeper into action research: A teacher inquirer's field guide.
Hawker Brownlow Education.

Kramer, P. A. (2003). The ABC's of Professionalism. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 40(1), 22–25.
[Link]

Painter, D. Teacher Research Could Change Your Practice [web log].

Tschannen-Moran, M. (2009). Fostering Teacher Professionalism in Schools. Educational

Wong, H. K., & Wong, R. T. (1998). The first days of school: How to be an effective teacher.
Harry K. Wong Publications. 294.