Running head: Professional Growth Plan

Professional Growth Plan

Melissa Carruth
Oakland University EA 701, 702, 740, 7433

Running head: Professional Growth Plan

Goal Setting
It was last winter when I had a meeting with my principal to discuss my
Growth Plan through iObservation and she asked me this simple question,
Melissa where do you see yourself in 5 years? I quickly shrugged my
shoulders and responded without thinking, I have no idea. I look back at
that moment as the defining moment to my future. I have never been
unsure about anything in my life, and at that moment, I quickly realized that
it wasnt that I did not have an idea as to my 5-year plan, but rather I was
feeling stagnant professionally and was looking for a change. As I reflected
on my I dont know moment, I quickly scheduled a new meeting with my
principal explaining myself and telling her that a change was eminent for me
professionally. She turned to me and asked, What about not a teaching /
classroom change, but rather a role change within the district? She spoke
to me about teacher leadership and all I do that defines the term teacher
leader and she would like for me to continue to pursue that teacher
leadership as it is that trait that makes a school building and helps to mold
its culture. And with that, a new vision for myself quickly emerged.
So now you ask me, why am I here enrolled in this Ed.S. program? or
what is my 5-year, 10-year plan, I can now answer confidently. I am
looking for this Ed.S. program to lead me on a journey that helps me to
better define my role as a teacher leader. I am destined to lead. Some
people say it is my North or rather Gold color personality that draws me
towards teacher leadership. To stretch that role, I am ready to take my
leadership to the next step in my career path. In my 8-years in the district, I
have lead the school and staff towards new technology training and
initiatives, help map and blueprint curriculum in Atlas Rubicon, and bring
data to life to a staff where statistics and number crunching breaks them out
into hives. With all those opportunities under my belt, I am ready to take my
role of a teacher leader to a new level. I look forward to the Ed.S. program to
help shape and polish these leadership characteristics. I also look for this
program to strengthen my knowledge of what the professionals and the
legislation says about teaching and learning, leadership and the vision of
public schools.
As for my 5-year plan, ultimately, I feel my role of a teacher leader
leads me naturally towards running an elementary building as a principal.
Building relationships with kids, parents, and staff is a strength of mine and I
find that to be the most imperative skill to have as a leader of a building.
When the relationship is there, change can occur and a climate can be

Running head: Professional Growth Plan

cultivated. When the core is in place, the skys the limit. What fun and such
charge I have in my head as I look at my journey ahead of all of the
knowledge I will gain through my Ed. Specialist degree that will help me to
reach my ultimate goal of being an elementary principal.
Which brings me to my 10-year plan; it still lies in the hands of being
an elementary principal. I dont want to be a leader that jumps ship every
time an opportunity that presents itself could be better. It is imperative
that in order to affectively lead a school to change, the leadership needs to
be present for a longer duration to help follow through with the changes that
were instituted. I have an interest in a few central office positions, such as
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum or Director of Student Grown and
Accountability, though I look at those positions and feel a surge of
excitement towards the tasks that I could be placed with, but quickly step
back down because I know in the end, I need to be surrounded by children.
Yes the central office positions lead to initiatives that are best for teaching
and learning, but when you are a principal, you still have the daily joy of
interacting with children and making an impact on their lives on a daily basis.
In thinking back to my 7 Habits of Highly Effective People training, I
saw a Franklin Covey video that has you reflect on what might be said at
your 80th birthday party. It asks you to think about what people may say
about you as they gather to honor you and what legacy you wish to leave
with them. Most importantly, it asks you to think about the impact you have
made on the people you have come in contact with. I revisit that video often
thanks to the world of You Tube and it reminds me to think about my true
definition of success and makes me think about my character and what type
of legacy I would like to leave behind. I would say that I want my legacy to
be one of a dedicated and positive person. Also to be remembered as the
person that is dependable and will offer honest advice and opinions and will
stand up for my colleagues and most importantly for the children at all times.
I will be remembered as the person that cared about everyone that I came in
contact with and that they could feel that I cared for their success.
Relationships are a forefront to my success and it is the people I came in
contact on a daily basis that shaped me to be the better leader, co-worker
and teacher I could be.
Platform
The most important aim of public education is letting our voice be
heard. Teachers need to open their classroom doors and let the world know

Running head: Professional Growth Plan

all that we do to validate our career and our profession. Sharing with local
congressmen, advocating on social media through #800voices, publish
letters to professional journals and newspapers, or inviting all stakeholders
into your classroom and building to see how important teachers and public
education is. Until we are heard, nothing will change and public education
will continue to be the punching bag for the state and federal government.
Effective teaching is a teacher who places high expectations for all
students and help the students learn, which is shown through summative
and formative assessments. An effective teacher contributes to positive
academic and social outcomes for students, like helping them to grow to be
competent 21-century learners, leaders, curious, critical thinkers, great
communicators and collaborators and creative. An effective teacher
differentiates their instruction to plan and structure engaging learning
opportunities, while implementing best practice teaching within the
classroom. An effective teacher collaborates with other teachers,
administrators, parents and educational professionals to ensure all students
success. In the end, to define teacher effectiveness, a teacher needs to align
their vision for their classroom to meet the whole child with their education,
therefore ensure that it is healthy, safe, engaged, supported and challenged.
The most important need of a teacher is that they feel supported.
They support their students, so their learners know to take risks with their
learning to reach the next level. In the end, that is what teachers need, to
feel supported. They need to be supported by their parents to allow them to
stretch their childs true potential. They need to be supported by their
teammates, so that they can work smarter, not harder and to have resources
to bounce ideas off of and to reflect to see if a lesson was as successful as it
should or could have been. A teacher needs to feel supported by their
administration to feel that it is OK to take risks with their delivery of their
instruction and if they should fail, their evaluation will not be effect. A
teacher needs to feel supported by their board of education to ensure
funding and programs can be maintained. Finally, a teacher needs to feel
supported by their government to ensure that they are granted monetary
compensation for their hard work with carrying out all the initiatives that the
government mandates to schools. A teacher can only last so long in a career
if they do not feel supported. Too much lack of support will drive people
away from being a teacher.
Career Inventory

Running head: Professional Growth Plan

My most significant professional accomplishment is how I have a clear

path to my future. Knowing that I am armed with enough skills, knowledge,
resources, mentors, and experience to lead a building is an accomplishment.
In reflecting back on my 2-year journey, I am in awe with the growth I have
made both personally in my leadership skill set, as well as with my
experience. My path that I am on is one of great accomplishments; I cant
wait to keep traveling on the path.
I have stretched myself beyond my professional zone when I take on
district initiatives. I used to sit on committees after committees and did a lot
of talking, but not a lot of product would come out of the conversations.
After reading Crucial Conversations combined with carrying out my personal
goals, I now know how to turn these conversations into productive work that
moves our district. The district MTSS model, the district school improvement
team, Galileo NovInspire are all district work that I didnt hide behind a
committee and talk, but rather pull the committee work into meaningful
initiatives.
To develop professionally, I have lived by the words of Joyce Fouts. You
cannot lead, if you do not read. That has been my biggest change, reading
professional literature that will help me to strengthen myself and to better
lead my classroom and organization. Expanding my RSS read feeder to
include professional articles, subscribing to professional magazines, opening
a twitter account to stay up on what the professionals are saying, and
listening to what great leaders are asking you to read. You cannot lead if you
do not read. Reading about best practices and what is coming down the
future, helps you to carry out Truth Four and being a forward-thinking leader.
Through this two-year journey, my professional network has expanded
significantly. Through my Galileo work, I have been able to collaborate and
still am collaborating with teacher leaders in three counties. I have a strong
network with past and current state teacher of the year. This has opened my
doors to be a leader and network with our district administration, both with
the superintendent and the assistant superintendent of curriculum and
assessment. Finally, I have a collegial network. I now have professional
contacts at both Macomb and Oakland ISDs, as well as, with professors that
come with great resources and networks that will help to guide me in
directions should I need assistance.
ISLLC Standards Reflection
STRENGTH

DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS

Running head: Professional Growth Plan

Standard One School Vision

Standard Two School Culture

Standard Five School Ethics

Standard Six School Success of
every student

Standard Three School

Management
Standard Four School Collaboration
Standard Seven - Technology
Professional Development Resources
People
Name
Sue Burnham

Position & Location

Principal Village Oaks,
Novi

RJ Webber

Assistant
Superintendent of
Curriculum Novi
Community Schools

Joyce Fouts

Galileo Coordinator

Myla Lee

Instructional Coach
Novi

Area of Mentorship
Guidance with
principal position,
leading a building,
and how to develop
a culture
New professional
literature
Best Practices
initiatives
State Document
writing
Forward Thinking
out-side the box
ideas
New professional
literature
Best Practices
Get me in
connection with
others to connect
with
New professional
literature
Best Practices, esp.
PBL
How to facilitate a
meeting
How to present to

Running head: Professional Growth Plan

Gary Abud

Instructional Coach -

Ben Morin

Consultant Oakland
Schools

staff/colleagues
Technology
Best Practices
New ideas
Social Media
network and market
yourself
Bounce ideas off of
Edit my work
Oakland Schools
resources

Organizations

AASD
NAESP
ASCD
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
Galileo Alumni Organization

Professional Toolbox

My personal tech toolbox

TED talks
Books: School Culture Rewind, The Principal, Transitions, Leaders Eat
Last, All Oakland Ed Leadership and Galileo books (all have been
saved)
Journals: Harvard Business Review, Education World, Education Week,
NCREL, and Center for Leadership in School Reform
Twitter!!!

Self Discovery
I find myself to be a very disciplined and dedicated leader. I am
disciplined in my work and dedicated to the organization that I work for. This
sounds intense, but I carry my work out with a positive attitude. I am honest
and deliver on everything that I say that I will. If I cannot follow through on
something that I pledged I would do, then I will be honest and find an
alternative. I lead with integrity because I would not ask anyone to do
anything that I would not do. I pride myself on my personal and professional

Running head: Professional Growth Plan

relationships and fostering those relationships to build effective teams where

great work can happen. People look to me as being an effective leader as
my track record speaks for itself. With my positive attitude, I encourage
those around me to maximize their potential and lead with me, as I do not
believe in a top-down approach. In the end, all of these characteristics
cannot happen for me, until I committed to being a lifelong learner. Due to
these characteristics, my peers look to me as being an effective leader and
administration look to me to lead too, both at a building and district level.
Sometimes, my peers find it easier to come to me before going to our
principal. In the end, I need to work on embracing the crucial conversations
and standing up for and having confrontations when they need to occur and
to grow and learn from them.
Leadership Development Activities

Mentor: New Kindergarten and 2nd Grade teacher, new Galileo Teacher
Leader
Peer Coaching: Learning Labs
Study Groups: Ron Ritchart Cultures of Thinking
Action Research: School Program evaluation on ARs and reading
levels, engagement
PLC: School Improvement, Crisis, K-4 media, K-4 specials, district
school improvement , PBL
Professional Reading: New Bohman and Deal and all of Ron Ritcharts
books to look into engagement
Professional Publication: collaboration with Myla Lee on a PBL article
for the Buck Institute
Professional Development: Lauren Childs Culture of Thinking at
Oakland Schools