Professional Growth Reflection

Robert L. Slater

Ecomp 6102


My professional growth has taken a fairly standard progression.  I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts: Education and Performance with Minors in Spanish and History.  I soon added my English endorsement and then took time off from school while I searched for long term employment.  A key part of my professional growth was the three years I spent working as a substitute in 6 school districts in a wide variety of positions.  This experience really taught me to make quick but significant connections.  I run into students I subbed for that remember me from 7 years ago.  It also taught me flexibility and inspiration.

In 1999 I was hired by Options High School in Bellingham.  Options is an alternative high school with about 75 students and four teachers.  I worked halftime there for that year and then in 2000 was hired by Ferndale School district to work at Ferndale Alternative High School.  I worked a year splitting my days in the middle and commuting on my lunch hour.  The following year Ferndale hired me at full-time.  That year we began establishing our identity.  We in 2001 we chose our new name: Clearview High School. 

In 2002 I began the Lesley University Educational Technology Master’s Degree program.  Throughout my program of study I have gained valuable knowledge relating to my classroom and my role as a teacher in that classroom.  Some of the most important Lesley University courses for me were ECOMP 6009: Authoring with HTML: Weaving Worldwide Classroom Webs with Bill Arrigoni and ECOMP 6101: Technology: Impact on Society and the Schools with Acacia Dixon.  These two courses inspired me to write a grant to get technology support for my school to begin creating html based Efolios.  In Fall of 2003 the first half of the grant was funded.   Our school now has a computer lab full of new Dell computers and we are developing and adapting criteria and models for our own Efolios.

ECOMP 6102: Assessment and Technology will significantly impact my teaching.  It allowed me to see, through the magnifying glass of technology, the inequities of my classroom assessments.  Though I feel that I give students appropriate and fair grades, I recognize that I cannot always share that assessment successfully and impartially with another party.  In addition the emphasis on portfolios enhances our ongoing Efolio creation project. For this course I have not had an opportunity to actually implement my learning into my classes but I have already begun adjusting my planning for the coming year.

Over the years the work I have done with students, their families, and my community demonstrates my dedication to my profession.  I have been involved in Site Council, Advisory Board, District Technology Committees and hiring committees.  My interest in supporting my students has lead to referring them to social services, finding support for student programs outside of school hours, and actively referring students to jobs they might be qualified for or interested in.

Over the years there have been times when my attitude has been somewhat bleak.  When this occurs, I look to my administrator, my fellow staff and my family to support me through these times.  What I have noted in my 9 years in education is that every year things get a little better.  So when the change seems to come at a glacial pace I try to take comfort in that.  To support my positive attitude I try to stay active in outside activities such as, theatre, writing, skiing, playing music and spending time with my family and friends.


My biggest goals as an educator over the next few years are:
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