1. Educators value and care for all students and act in their best interests.

Valuing and caring for students is what drew me to education. The diversity of students I taught during my practicum required me to adjust my teaching to meet the needs of each student. This could look like giving students a choice in the activities we do in class, being flexible with due dates, and making content relevant to students’ lives.

2. Educators are role models who act ethically and honestly.

Students are very impressionable, so the actions of educators should reflect the values that we want our students to hold. I strive to be a positive role model for my students to help them become well-rounded people. I am careful to consider how the things I say or do will be interpreted by students and their implications.

3. Educators understand and apply knowledge of student growth and development.

Although students in a classroom may be the same age, their stage of development varies greatly. Therefore, it is important to know the abilities and areas of struggle for individual students. This allows me to design lessons in a way that meets the needs of all students rather than being too difficult or simple for different students.

4. Educators value the involvement of parents, guardians, families, and communities in schools.

A student’s life outside of school has a significant impact on their academic success. The amount of time spent with each student is limited, so communicating with families and communities allows me to see the bigger picture. Understanding what is going on in students’ lives helps to identify the needs of each student. Making regular contact with families helps to establish a positive relationship.

5. Educators implement effective practices in areas of classroom management, planning, instruction, assessment, evaluation, and reporting.

Everything I do in the classroom revolves around what will help my students be successful. While planning, I carefully consider the goals of the lesson and the best ways to reach them. I have found that lessons which are student-centered and engaging are the most effective strategy to both meet learning goals and manage the classroom. Using a variety of instructional strategies helps to keep lessons interesting and taps into the strengths of different students. When I assess students, I am careful to ensure that the relevant skills and knowledge are being assessed. I provide detailed feedback for students so that they are able to improve.

6. Educators have a broad knowledge base and understand the subject areas they teach.

Although my undergraduate degree is in biology, science teachers must be knowledgeable in all disciplines of science. Fortunately, I have taken courses in all of the areas that I will be teaching. The knowledge base I have is far from complete, and I intend to continue learning about science. Having even a basic understanding of particular disciplines provides a starting point for researching information and finding resources for lessons.

7. Educators engage in career-long learning.

As more research is done, ideas about education change. In order to provide my students with high quality learning experiences, I plan to keep up with research in education and incorporate it into my teaching. I plan to do this by attending professional development, reading research, and collaborating with colleagues. My ideas about education have changed drastically since I started the BEd program, and I look forward to seeing how these ideas continue to change.

8. Educators contribute to the profession.

In order to progress the field of education, it is important for educators to contribute to the profession. I have attended several professional development workshops which are great ways of not only gaining information but collaborating with other educators. Participating in extracurricular events is an effective way that I have developed relationships with students that benefits that student academically. When possible, I plan to be a resource for my colleagues. Not only does this create a positive environment to work in, it helps the school to progress by increasing teachers’ abilities.