Hannah Baumeister

Phone: 608-391-0265
Email: baumeisterh@uwplatt.edu
Educator profile:
PDP term: 5 years
Years of educational experience: 1
DPI Entity Number: 000000
License Expiration Date: 6/30/2020
School district: Mineral Point
Current educational assignment: 2nd grade teacher
Years in current assignment: 1
Present Licensure Stage: Pre-Service
Licensure stage sought: Professional
Professional Licensure Categories: Teacher

Professional Development Plan

Step I: Self-reflection
According to Henry B. Adams, A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his
influence stops. This is a very powerful message that explains the impact an educator
can have on students not only in the educational setting, but in all aspects of their
lives. As a future educator, it is my responsibility to have an influence on my students,
and I believe that it starts with promoting and giving students ample opportunities to
learn. It is my duty as an educator to provide adequate support in planning,
instruction, and assessment in order to enhance each student's learning style and
needs. With a large focus being put on these three key items, the students will not only
succeed academically, but they will also succeed in life.
Learning occurs in the classroom in a variety of ways, so it is an educators
responsibility to consider the many different components when planning lessons. To
me, planning plays a large role in student learning. The use of thoughtful planning
helps the educator examine the components that a lesson needs to entail in order to
meet and support the learning needs of each student. Lessons should be developed
with the knowledge of students in mind. When planning lessons, the learning needs of
students need to be taken into consideration in order to plan developmentally
appropriate lessons. In order for lessons to be planned to their full potential, I will
work alongside my colleagues to collaboratively plan lessons. The use of

collaboration will give everyone the opportunity to share and receive input about the
tasks that need to take place in order to plan lessons that are scaffolded to meet the
needs of all learners. The use of collaboration will ensure greater student achievement
not only with my students, but with colleagues students as well. One of the most
important goals of teaching a lesson is content understanding. The students need to
partake in a lesson that is well planned in order to gain an understanding of the
content being taught. I plan on building content understanding through the use of
repetition. When teaching a new topic, I will repeat and reiterate the key elements of
the topic in many different forms in order for the students to be presented the
important points multiple times. I understand that all students learn differently and
acquire multiple intelligences. To accommodate to the multiple intelligences, I will
teach the content in various ways. I will ensure that I incorporate hands-on, visual,
and auditory elements to each of my lessons in order to meet all of the learning styles.
For example, if I am teaching a lesson about addition, I will meet the needs of a
kinesthetic learner by having them use counters when adding two numbers together.
When planning for instruction, it is crucial to incorporate different types of
assessment to gain insight into the students understanding of the content. The results
from the different assessments will help me better construct my lesson plans in order
to support the learning needs of each individual student.
In order for my students to demonstrate their understanding on the assessments
utilized in my classroom, the use of proper instruction needs to take place. My
responsibility as an educator is to educate and motivate my students to perform to the
best of their ability. I believe that motivation is the key to engaging students in the
learning process. I will encourage students and praise them for their work in order to
teach them to be proud of what they are accomplishing. My goal is to inspire every
student to become a lifelong learner. I will dedicate time to ensuring that my students
are provided a safe, comfortable classroom environment as well as ample
opportunities for learning. It is important that my students feel as if they are part of a
community in my classroom. I want my students to form a bond with one another as
well as with myself. In order to form this bond, the students need to obtain a mutual
respect for one another as well as with myself. I value the importance of forming
positive relationships with my students by getting to know each one individually to
make them feel welcome and comfortable in my classroom. All students will be
treated equally in order to form the best learning environment for everyone. As an
educator, I strive to be an inspiration to my students by using engaging curriculum
and showing enthusiasm for learning. It is my duty to provide instruction that allows
the students to shine and demonstrate their knowledge in multiple ways. I will be
flexible in the manner that instruction takes place in order to meet the individual needs
of each and every student to engage them in learning. I will focus on topics of interest,
use hands-on activities, and show excitement for the topics. It is also important that

the students are presented the learning materials using a variety of tools such as
technology, Daily 5, and Writers Workshop. It is my goal that my passion and
enthusiasm will engage the students to be active learners. I will also encourage my
students to deepen their thinking in many aspects of my instruction. I will apply the
different levels of questioning known as Blooms Taxonomy to allow the students to
dig deeper into the critical thinking process. The varying levels of questioning will
allow each and every student to think critically which will help both the advanced and
struggling students.
Assessments play a large role in the field of education for both the student and the
educator. They exist in order to analyze student learning whether it be done informally
or formally. Some educators might not realize it, but assessment is an ongoing process
that is occurring constantly in the classroom. First, when beginning a lesson, the use
of benchmark assessments will take place in order to assess where the students are
academically in relation to the specific topic. This will allow me to plan and instruct
the students to best fit their learning needs. After benchmark assessments take place,
other forms of assessment will be utilized. Informal assessments are the most frequent
forms of assessments used throughout a lesson. These include observations,
conferences, one-on-one correspondence, and many more. These types of assessments
will be utilized in my classroom on a daily basis to document student progress along
the way. I will also utilize tests and quizzes when necessary. Not only do I value the
importance of the classroom assessments that I create as an educator, but I also value
the use of district-wide assessments. All forms of assessment are useful and beneficial
in documenting student learning over a period of time. After the completion of an
assessment, it is crucial that the students receive feedback from the educator on how
they are progressing. Feedback is a key component due to its influence that it has on
student confidence. When positive feedback is given, the students are being reassured
that they are doing a great job and growing as a learner. I will provide the students
with positive constructive criticism. For instance, the students are learning about
adjectives and are asked to write a sentence incorporating strong adjectives. Through
the use of observation, I notice that a student wrote a sentence that did not include a
strong adjective such as pretty. I would inform the student that they wrote a great
sentence using an adjective, but I would redirect them by having them write another
sentence using a strong adjective such as gorgeous. I am a firm believer in positive
praise, and I find it critically important to not put a child down for making mistakes.
Students learn best from their mistakes through practice and personal growth.
Along with the importance of feedback, I value the incorporation of parent-teacher
conferences in order to inform the parents on how well their child is doing
academically as well as socially. This is a time that is devoted to focusing on the
accomplishments that a student has made as well as a time for the parents to see their

childs growth. For these conferences, I would create a portfolio for each student that
displays the work that they have created thus far in the school year. This portfolio will
allow the parents to see their childs progress as well as a way for the students to show
their work and be confident of what they have accomplished. Along with the parentteacher conferences, I would also hold a conference with each student individually.
This would be a time to discuss their progression in learning along with examining
their work. During this time, I would also ask my students to provide feedback to me
as an educator. This would be done with the use of a survey rating different aspects of
my teaching. This will help me gain insight into the students perspective of what is
working well and some aspects that might need improvement. It is also important to
me that I allow myself time at the end of each day to reflect on my teaching. This will
give me the opportunity to think about what worked well in each lesson and what
needs to be changed for future lessons. The information in my reflection will be used
to support my learners needs and target the items that need to be addressed. These
aspects of assessment are vital for student growth as well as growth in myself as an
educator.
When considering the philosophies of education, I would say that my teaching style
best aligns with progressivism. This philosophy is student-centered which I believe is
a key element to having effective instruction. The curriculum of this philosophy
focuses on the idea of incorporating integration of multiple academic subjects with the
focus being placed on the needs and experiences of students. I believe that the use of
integration is very beneficial for student learning due to the fact that it allows the
students to make connections on a deeper level and grow in different aspects of
academics at once. I also believe that it is very crucial to focus subjects and content
around the needs and experiences of the students. This is reason I value getting to
know my students on a deeper level because I can keep student knowledge in mind
when developing lessons around subject areas. The use of different forms of
assessment are helpful in order to determine the learning needs of the students in
relation to the subject area because it digs into their background knowledge on the
particular subject matter. I find that pre-assessments play a large role in this aspect
because they allow the educator to see what knowledge and schema the students
already have built around a particular subject area which helps the educator tailor the
lessons to meet the students learning needs. This philosophy also focuses heavily on
the students learning by doing. For example, the students could partake in a field trip
to the woods to examine plants. This allows the students to have a hands-on
experience seeing the plants as well as touching them. This will result in them gaining
a better understanding of the subject of plants because they are able to actually see
and touch real-life objects. I am a huge advocate for inquiry learning in any academic
subject. With the use of inquiry learning, the students become intelligent problem
solvers which is the goal for all students. Students are given the opportunity to dive

into a subject area with an abundance of questions. Through the use of learning by
doing, the students are able to find the answers to their questions by doing hands-on,
experimental tasks. The role of the educator in the inquiry process is to guide the
students in activities that speak to them so that they can find meaning behind each
topic. This is such a student-focused philosophy that the teacher is just there to
provide support when needed which allows the students to become independent,
active learners.
When I become a teacher in the near future, this is the philosophy that will be employ
my classroom. I want my students to be confident, successful learners, and I believe
that with the use of this philosophy, that will be accomplished. It is my job as a
teacher to give my students ample opportunities to learn and strive, but it is also my
job to have many positive influences on them in many aspects of their lives. I have
had many influential teachers over my years as a student, and I can confidently say
that these are the teachers that I remembered the most when looking back on my years
in school. I will strive to be the teacher that is remembered the most and affects
eternity for my students.

Step II A. Description of School and Teaching,

Administrative, or Pupil Services Situation
Description of Position
I am currently teaching second grade at Mineral Point Elementary School.
Number of Years in Position
I have been teaching in this school district for 1 year.
School Location/Setting
Mineral Point School District is located in Southwest Wisconsin in the town of
Mineral Point. The school district is in near proximity to Madison, Wisconsin
and Dubuque, Iowa. The Mineral Point School District is made up of 3 schools which
include an elementary school, middle school, and high school.
Demographics
As of 2013, there are currently 366 students enrolled at Mineral Point Elementary
School. These students range from Early Childhood to fifth grade. The demographic

makeup of the student population includes: 94.8% are Caucasian, .3% are African
American, 3.6% are Hispanic, .5% are Asian, and .3% are Indian. The amount of
students who are eligible for free lunch is 26.5% of the school population while 4.4%
are eligible for reduced lunch.
District Goals
The items listed below are Mineral Point School District goals in the 2014-15 school
year.

Implement Common Core State Standards

Create teaching and learning environments that foster highly engaged and joyful learners
Improve reading achievement levels

Step II B. Description of Goal to be Addressed

Goal:
I will research the appropriate tools and strategies that encompass Reader's Workshop
and implement the approach in my classroom in order to raise student reading
achievement levels while fostering student independence and love of reading.

Step II C. Rationale for the Goal: Links to Professional

Situation and Wisconsin Educator Standards
Goal:
I will research the appropriate tools and strategies that encompass Reader's Workshop
and implement the approach in my classroom in order to raise student reading
achievement levels while fostering student independence and love of reading.
Rationale for your Goal:
With my previous and current experience in the Mineral Point School District, it is
apparent that reading is a large component of instruction in the lower elementary
grades. With the focus weighing so heavily on reading instruction and achievement, I
want to ensure that I am incorporating various resources for my students to utilize in
order to become avid readers. In order for me to implement Reader's Workshop into
my classroom, I feel that it is crucial that I do my part in researching the tools and

strategies used in implementing this technique. This will ensure that the students will
be gaining and utilizing the best possible resources in order to become more aware of
the reading process along with the overall success of Reader's Workshop.
I believe that Reader's Workshop will benefit the students in various aspects of their
reading especially with comprehension and fluency. The program emphasizes the
interaction with the readers and the text. It fosters the student's ability to ask questions
and make connections between the texts that they are reading. The setup of Reader's
Workshop allows the students to have structured small group instruction where they
may work independently, with peers, or in groups. It is my duty to conference with
each student individually about the text that they are reading in order to document the
progress that each student is making in relation to reading. I will utilize various
strategies and document the strategies that work best for each individual student. This
program focuses heavily on the students becoming independent readers which is my
goal as an educator.
Licensure standard(s) addressed in your plan:

Teacher:(1) The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures
of the disciplines he or she teaches and can create learning experiences that make these
aspects of subject matter meaningful for pupils.
Teacher:(2) The teacher understands how children with broad ranges of ability learn and
provides instruction that supports their intellectual, social and personal development.
Teacher:(3) The teacher understands how pupils differ in their approaches to learning
and the barriers that impede learning and can adapt instruction to meet the diverse needs
of pupils, including those with disabilities and exceptionalities.
Teacher:(4) The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies,
including the use of technology to encourage children's development of critical thinking,
problem solving, and performance skills.
Teacher:(9) The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effect
of his or her choices and actions on pupils, parents, professionals in the learning
community and others and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally.

Step II D. Plan for Assessing and Documenting the Goal

Goal:
I will research the appropriate tools and strategies that encompass Reader's Workshop
and implement the approach in my classroom in order to raise student reading
achievement levels while fostering student independence and love of reading.

I will assess my professional growth by:

Keeping a journal of daily reflections about what strategies worked well for the
students and what needs to be changed to better meet their needs
Creating mini-lessons that meet the reading needs of each individual student
Taking notes and documenting the information from weekly meetings with colleagues

I will assess my students' progress by:

Completing annual assessments measuring student reading comprehension and fluency

Daily observations of reading and attitude towards reading
Taking notes during weekly conferences with the students
Reviewing student reading logs weekly to document growth
Documenting growth and progression in my assessment binder

Step II E. Plan to Meet the Goal: Objectives, Activities,

Timeline, and Plan for Collaboration
Goal:
I will research the appropriate tools and strategies that encompass Reader's Workshop
and implement the approach in my classroom in order to raise student reading
achievement levels while fostering student independence and love of reading.
Objective:
I will learn as much as possible about Reader's Workshop in various ways.
Activities

Timelines

Collaboration

Completed

Read "A Guide to the Reading Workshop" by Lucy

Caulkins to gain insight into what the Units of
2020
Study model entails

Teacher

02/28/19

Attend the Lucy Caulkins Reading Project at

Columbia University

20182020

Facilitator

03/30/19

Observe and conference with teachers who have

implemented Reader's Workshop into their
classrooms successfully

2020

Teachers

08/01/20

Develop mini-lessons around the components of

the Units of Study that meet the reading needs of
the students

2020

Second Grade
Colleagues

09/05/20

Meet with colleagues weekly to discuss Reader's

Workshop

Ongoing

Second Grade
Colleagues

Ongoing

Objective:
I will create and implement various pieces of assessment.
Activities

Timelines

Collaboration

Completed

Attend Charlotte Danielson's Framework Training

2020

Facilitator

12/05/19

Collaborate with colleagues to determine the best

pieces of assessment to utilize

Ongoing

Second Grade
Colleagues

Ongoing

Develop reading logs for each student to document

the text that they are reading each day to show the
rate at which they are completing a book as well as
the type of text they enjoy reading

Ongoing

Teacher

Ongoing

Develop an assessment binder to hold the

documentation of each student's reading
achievements

Ongoing

Teacher

Ongoing

Objective:
The students will gain knowledge of and utilize the components that
encompass Reader's Workshop in order to become successful readers.
Activities

Timelines

Collaboration

Completed

Participate in the modeling of the various aspects of

Reader's Workshop to see how each component will 2020
take place

Students and
Teacher

09/05/20

Develop rules as a class in order to make Reader's

Workshop successful for everyone

2020

Students

09/05/20

Dive into Reader's Workshop after being

familiarized with the components that it entails

Ongoing

Students

Ongoing

Conference with the teacher to discuss the text being

read and the progression being made for
Ongoing
documentation

Students and
Teacher

Ongoing

Partake in small group instruction that is facilitated

Students and

Ongoing

Ongoing

by the teacher that focuses on the reading needs of

the students
Show independence and love of reading by selecting
Ongoing
texts that are enjoyable and interesting to student

Teacher

Students

Ongoing