Promoting
Personal Development
My
specific development plan seeks to take advantage of the following styles of
development:
Assessment:
This personal development practice, which I will continue to use, was put in
place this past January when I encouraged my 9th grade English students
to complete a survey of my teaching practice. Assessments help individuals
understand their tendencies, needs, what type of work environment they prefer,
and the type of work they might prefer to do (Noe, 2013, p. 380). My rationale
for using this method of development was to measure my view of my practice
against the view of my students. Some responses included ""My teacher
gives me help when I need it." (81%); "My teacher encourages me to
evaluate my learning" (76%); "My teacher allows me to make some
choices about my learning (74%); and "My teacher prepares me for the workplace"
(73%). Some areas of areas of continued growth include the 25
"Sometimes" responses received for "My teacher uses many ways to
teach" and "There are opportunities to reflect on my learning in
class" (32% respectively); "My teacher listens to me" (yes for 70%
and "Sometimes" for 28%); and "I am able to do the work given in
class" (54 "Yes" responses for 69% and 23 "Sometimes"
responses for 29%).
Formal Continuing
Education Programs: Life-Long Learning is an integral
component of my personal development. My post Master’s Degree plans include membership
in the Association for Talent Development (ATD, 2014; formally ASTD) as well the
pursuit of certification as an ATD Trainer. The Project Management Institute
(PMI)
offers a “Project Manager Professional (PMP) certification which gives me
credibility to participate in and ultimately lead development and training
projects (PMI, 2015).
Coaching:
My continued personal development is well suited toward coaching other
professionals. According to Aguilar, (2013) “Educators need more knowledge,
skills, practice, and support after they enter the profession.” One of my colleagues,
recently provided the impetus for further pursuit of this niche area by naming
me the recipient of our building’s weekly “I Make a Difference Award.” In doing
so she stated the following: “I would like to recognize Winfred Ridley for his
unwavering dedication and hard work to help the students and faculty here at
Bayside. In addition to a full caseload, Mr. Ridley teaches a full load, is the
Special Education Department Chair and is a Cluster Leader, with all of the
ensuing responsibilities. Mr. Ridley is always available to offer sage advice
to both teachers and students, as well as lend a helping hand when necessary.
Winfred Ridley truly makes a difference here at Bayside. Thank you Mr. Ridley
for your hard work and dedication!!” I am appreciative of this teacher for her
support and for acting as a “positive energizer” with this recognition (Pace, 2010).
Job Experiences: As
the school year begins to draw to a close, I will be looking to develop plans
to gain experience as a professional development trainer within our school
system. Professional Learning, as professional development is known in Virginia
Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS), is a requirement for all staff. “New job
assignments help take advantage of employees’ existing skills, experiences, and
contacts, while helping them develop new ones (Noe, 2013). VBCPS employees are
responsible for registering for development courses applicable to their
employment area, tracking their learning progress, and accumulating required professional
development points through My Learning Plan, the division’s professional
development tracking system. My Learning Plan also enables those employees who
so desire to submit Division-Sponsored Activity Proposals for Profession Learning
Plan activities, License Renewal or Allowance activities, or division-sponsored
Wellness activities. I see a need in my school division for more professional
learning activities that help teachers help students become more responsible
for their own learning. While presenters are not paid for these training
activities, they do earn Professional Learning Plan (PLP) points toward yearly
requirements or license certification.
View my Comprehensive PPT. Presentation on Employee Development
View my Comprehensive PPT. Presentation on Employee Development
Winfred
Keith Ridley
References
Aguilar,
E. (2013). How coaching can impact teachers, principals, and students.
Retrieved from
Association for
Talent Development (ATD, 2014). Retrieved from https://www.td.org/
Noe, R. A. (2013).
Employee training and development (6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
Pace, A. (2010).
Unleashing positivity in the workplace. Training and Development, 64(1), 40-44.
Project Management
Institute, Inc. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.pmi.org/
