The Catholic school environment is Christ-centered in its focus and the faith formation of faculty, staff, and students is paramount. Additionally, my philosophy recognizes that God created each child uniquely, and in His image. Catholic educators accept the responsibility to meet the individual needs of each child by differentiating instruction, so that differences in ability, learning styles, and cultural backgrounds are respected; students are challenged to excel within this commitment to equity. The Framework for Teaching differentiates professional expectations for teachers, respecting and safeguarding diversity and equity among the teaching staff. It has application for all education professionals, from the entry level teacher to the outstanding practitioner. The cycle of clinical supervision provides an opportunity for teachers and supervisors to build a collegial relationship. The pre-observation conference and the post-observation conference afford supervisors an opportunity to share classroom experiences with the teacher and build a bond. During these conferences, supervisors can also help the teacher deal with a particular problem and collaborate to find solutions. Teachers can also use the conference to narrow the supervisor’s observation focus to a particular area. Working together in this way creates the professional learning community so essential …show more content…
These students are often at a disadvantage in the classroom as they are acquiring a new language. In many Catholic schools, resources to help meet the needs of ELL students are limited. While the Framework for Teaching identifies changes in the curriculum, and professional development for teachers who are certified as English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers, the Framework can be modified in this area to meet the particular needs of a school, operating without an ESL teacher. Often, the classroom teacher is collaborating with the reading teacher to meet the needs of ELL students. In this case, the Framework can be used as a tool to identify professional development rather than as a measure of performance. Schools in this part of the country have significant ELL populations, and many families chose to send the students to Catholic schools. With such diversity in our classrooms, teachers in Catholic schools can grow in their practice to support students who are ELL as well as special education students. The Framework for Teaching can help teachers identify characteristics of effective instruction that supports student