Professional Development Plan

Name: Erik Conrath

Part 1. Insert Profiler Pro Picture.

1a. Based on the graphic, what are your weaknesses?

One of my weakest points is the correct implementation of a specific
piece of technology to emphasize a certain lesson. I simply lack
knowledge of how to choose the right piece of technology to enhance
my teaching techniques. I should be able to take a lesson plan and be
able to correctly choose what technology I will use and know how I am
going to use it.
1b. Based on the graphic, what are your strengths?
One of my biggest strengths is the fact that I know how to use
technology to improve my own life. I consider myself fairly
technological literate and handy and this shows in my results. If I am
given a specific task for my own self to accomplish, I am fairly certain I
can find an appropriate use of technology to give myself an advantage.
I also am fairly well versed in copyright laws as they apply to teachers
and students.

Part 2. Areas of Improvement.

List at least 3 short-term goals (be extremely specific). You will need to
achieve these goals by November 1st.
Hint: Try using the SMART method to help you establish these goals.
Create goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and
Timely.

Specific Goal How You Will Achieve This Goal

Ex Learn how to create a • Watch “How Stuff Works” –
. podcast. How to create own podcast.
• Apply this knowledge by
creating a basic podcast in
the TTL.

1. Learn to make semi-
professional looking
photograph edits using
Adobe Photoshop
2. Design a technology based
lesson plan to use physics to
solve a hypothetical real-
world problem
3. Be able to determine wants
and needs parents have of
me for teaching their
children
• Podcast will be brief lecture
for Social Studies students.
• Read or watch different
tutorials on exactly what
features Photoshop can help
me with
• Understand exactly what it is I
want to do to alter a
photograph and how
• Show that I have minimal skill
by taking a photo and making
several, obvious changes
while maintaining the artistic
integrity
• Decide what subject will be
• Decide what type of
technology will be used and
how
• Create Microsoft Word
document with specific
instructions to solve problem
• Research parent discussions
of their typical expectations
of a teacher on online forums
• Understand my own abilities
as a teacher and what I need
to teach
• Create a Teacher-Parent
survey for parents to answer
and return to me so I can best
cater to their and their
children’s needs

List at least 2 long-term goals. These are goals you would like to
achieve by time you graduate. Although you will not have to achieve
these goals by November 1st, you will need to show how you are
making progress towards these goals.
Hint: Try using the SMART method to help you establish these goals.
Create goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and
Timely.

Specific Goal How You Will Achieve This Goal

Ex Be able to develop problem- • Watch NECC podcast on
. based learning activities for “Creating Problem-Based
my students. learning activities”

1. Learn to effectively
implement physics-based
demonstrations into the
classroom
2. Be able to effectively
manage a high school
classroom by finding a good
balance between friend and
teacher
•
- Watch and learn how different
demos teach different lessons in the
classroom
- Understand the concepts behind
the physics that is being
demonstrated
- Know the difference between
friend and teacher.
- Make it understood students can
come to me for questions on
anything

Part 3. Documentation or Proof of Learning

In this section, please provide documentation or links to pieces of

evidence that demonstrate your learning. What you attach or link to
will vary widely based upon what your goals are. For the sample goal,
a link to an actual podcast would provide excellent proof. In other
cases, different evidence will apply. You have a great deal of leeway in
what you turn in, here. Anything that demonstrates that you have met
the goals listed above.
 Backstage at a Pop Concert

Background: Singer-Dancer Michelle Jefferson is on her goodbye tour

and her favorite dancing shoes have gone missing. Fortunately for her
and the sake of the show, she keeps a large box of ten backup shoes
just for emergencies like this. However, she has never worn any of the
shoes so she doesn’t know which ones will perform best for her far-out
dance maneuvers. As the official on-tour physicist, it is your job to save
the show and present Michelle with the pair of shoes that perform most
like her favorite ones.

What: Save the show by helping Michelle find the best shoe to dance
like the star that she is

Who: You and your lab partner

How: Using Vernier computer software and Force gauge, determine

the best pair of shoes that has the optimal coefficient of friction
against the dance floor

Why: Because everybody loves a good show and you can help

Procedure: You don’t know the exact coefficient of friction that her
original shoes shared with the dance floor, but because you are such
an intuitive physicist, you judge that it is very close to 0.12. You need
to find the pair of shoes that is either exactly this number, or the
closest to. To determine this using your laptop computer with Vernier
software installed and your handy-dandy force gauge, attach each
shoe numbered 1-10 to the force gauge and drag it 10m across your
lab table which has the same frictional consistency as Michelle’s dance
floor and compare your results to her original shoe. Use the software to
analyze your graph and determine the average acceleration and force
across the 10m you drag it. Using your knowledge of helpful physics
equations like FFriction=FNormal-µ kmg, analyze your data and present the
star of the show with the best shoe to wow the audience.
 Data Collection and Chart

Shoe Number Mass (kg) Average Average Frictional

Acceleration Force (N) Coefficient (µ )

(m/s)
1

10

Analysis:
Do your math and figuring below

Interpretation of Results
Based on your careful calculations, the pair of shoes you best recommend for
Michelle is pair number

Parent-Teacher Survey
Mr. Conrath
In order to accommodate to all your child’s needs out of General Physics,
please help me help your child by answering a few short questions that will
help me understand a little more about them from the prospective of a
subordinate. I have researched what a majority of parents believe is
important for a teacher to understand, so this questionnaire will help me
become as best acquainted with your child as possible to help him/her get
the best possible experience as a physics student. As some of these
questions pertain to your child’s own beliefs, please answer to the best of
your ability.

Background
1. Is English the primary language spoken in the household? If not, then
what is?

2. Does either parent (or both) have a degree in a field of either science,
engineering, or math?

3. How many years of high school science has your child taken?

4. Did your child want to take this course? Or other reasons such as:
fulfilling science requirement, as a co requisite, or from pressure from
family?

Learning Style
1. What kind of learner is your child? Would you consider he/she learns
best by: visual displays and graphics, auditory cues, doing something with
their hands, etc.?

2. On an arbitrary scale of 1-10 with 10 being the highest how would you
rate your child’s enthusiasm towards school and learning in general? What
about science?

3. Does your child respond better to positive reinforcement (rewarding for

good performance) or negative reinforcement (penalizing for poor
performance)?
 4. Describe your child’s relationships with peers or ability to work with
others he/she is at least fairly comfortable being around (interpersonal
abilities)

5. At home, does your child have a specific study/homework schedule that

is set up and monitored by an adult? If yes, how is it structured? If no,
approximately how many hours a week does your child spend on
studies/schoolwork?

Specific Needs
1. Has your child struggled with any science in the past? If so which
specific subject?

2. Give 3 words that would describe an ideal teacher for your child.

3. Is there anything intangible, not available in your child’s school records

that may be helpful to a teacher teaching a sometimes complicated and
in-depth subject