Identifying Areas of Pedagogical Strength and Weakness If doctors didn't use best practice it would be malpractice, what about teachers? Although "best practice" remains a fairly subjective term depending on your philosophical views, the concept serves as the foundation for professional development. Just as best practice means something different to a doctor practicing homeopathy versus a doctor siding with western medicine, the idea of best practice also varies widely amongst educators. Despite varying definitions, one thing remains universal; continuous improvement is critical to success.
Regardless of the profession, it is critical to reflect on your work, seek improvement, and gather feedback. Think about what the world would be like if every profession remained stagnant with no innovation or entrepreneurial spirit. It’d be a pretty dark place. The want and drive to improve should be intrinsic, it comes from within. Similarly, Marzano reflected upon this idea when he stated, “Just as athletes wanting to improve their skills must identify personal strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and engage in focused practice to meet those goals, teachers must also examine their practices, set growth goals, and use focused practice and feedback to achieve those goals.” (Marzano, Boogren, Heflebower, Kanold-McIntyre, & Pickering, 2012, p. 1). …show more content…
It’s one of those things that one may ponder for what seems like an eternity. However, Dave Burgess reflects that “You have to have a vision of what your ideal classroom experience looks like if you want to have any hope of creating it.” (Burgess, 2012, p. 58). If an educator doesn’t have a vision of where they want to go and what want the classroom experience to look like for their students, professional development can seem even more daunting. Adding to the process there remains the foundational dispute on whether a teacher’s goals should be based on their strengths or
Regardless of the profession, it is critical to reflect on your work, seek improvement, and gather feedback. Think about what the world would be like if every profession remained stagnant with no innovation or entrepreneurial spirit. It’d be a pretty dark place. The want and drive to improve should be intrinsic, it comes from within. Similarly, Marzano reflected upon this idea when he stated, “Just as athletes wanting to improve their skills must identify personal strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and engage in focused practice to meet those goals, teachers must also examine their practices, set growth goals, and use focused practice and feedback to achieve those goals.” (Marzano, Boogren, Heflebower, Kanold-McIntyre, & Pickering, 2012, p. 1). …show more content…
It’s one of those things that one may ponder for what seems like an eternity. However, Dave Burgess reflects that “You have to have a vision of what your ideal classroom experience looks like if you want to have any hope of creating it.” (Burgess, 2012, p. 58). If an educator doesn’t have a vision of where they want to go and what want the classroom experience to look like for their students, professional development can seem even more daunting. Adding to the process there remains the foundational dispute on whether a teacher’s goals should be based on their strengths or