1. I will increase my knowledge of child development.

2. I will apply knowledge of child development, cognition and learning to my classroom environment.

3. I will research and implement principles from the National Association for the Education of Young Children's Developmentally Appropriate Practice Guidelines for 3- through 5-year-olds into my lesson and activity planning.

Accomplished teachers have a rich understanding of the subject(s) they teach and appreciate how knowledge in their subject is created, organized, linked to other disciplines and applied to real-world settings. While faithfully representing the collective wisdom of our culture and upholding the value of disciplinary knowledge, they also develop the critical and analytical capacities of their students.
Accomplished teachers command specialized knowledge of how to convey and reveal subject matter to students. They are aware of the preconceptions and background knowledge that students typically bring to each subject and of strategies and instructional materials that can be of assistance. They understand where difficulties are likely to arise and modify their practice accordingly. Their instructional repertoire allows them to create multiple paths to the subjects they teach, and they are adept at teaching students how to pose and solve their own problems.

1. I will present my curriculum in a thematic, integrated manner to help my students develop a clearer understanding of the world.

2. I will implement strategies to increase kindergarten students writing within the kindergarten classroom.

3. I will promote the kindergarten science curriculum through a family-centered "Discovery Bag."

4. I will develop and analyze a lesson based on the theory of constructivism.

5. I will increase my knowledge of emergent literacy and the reading process.

Accomplished teachers create, enrich, maintain and alter instructional settings to capture and sustain the interest of their students and to make the most effective use of time. They also are adept at engaging students and adults to assist their teaching and at enlisting their colleagues' knowledge and expertise to complement their own.
Accomplished teachers command a range of generic instructional techniques, know when each is appropriate and can implement them as needed. They are as aware of ineffectual or damaging practice as they are devoted to elegant practice.
They know how to engage groups of students to ensure a disciplined learning environment, and how to organize instruction to allow the schools' goals for students to be met. They are adept at setting norms for social interaction among students and between students and teachers. They understand how to motivate students to learn and how to maintain their interest even in the face of temporary failure.
Accomplished teachers can assess the progress of individual students as well as that of the class as a whole. They employ multiple methods for measuring student growth and understanding and can clearly explain student performance to parents.

1. I will utilize strategies from the Responsive Classroom.

2. I will collaborate with colleagues to meet the needs of students with exceptionalities.

3. I will learn about using guided reading instruction in a kindergarten classroom.

4. I will research and implement appropriate techniques for integrating phonemic awareness activities in my kindergarten classroom.

5. I will maximize the use of the state mandated Work Sampling System assessment in my teaching and classroom observations.

6. I will interpret research on effective methods of literacy assessment to determine the best practice for my classroom.

7. I will investigate the assessment tools used by professionals when assessing preschool and kindergarten children for qualification in an Early Childhood Special Education program.

Accomplished teachers are models of educated persons, exemplifying the virtues they seek to inspire in students -- curiosity, tolerance, honesty, fairness, respect for diversity and appreciation of cultural differences -- and the capacities that are prerequisites for intellectual growth: the ability to reason and take multiple perspectives to be creative and take risks, and to adopt an experimental and problem-solving orientation.
Accomplished teachers draw on their knowledge of human development, subject matter and instruction, and their understanding of their students to make principled judgments about sound practice. Their decisions are not only grounded in the literature, but also in their experience. They engage in lifelong learning which they seek to encourage in their students.
Striving to strengthen their teaching, accomplished teachers critically examine their practice, seek to expand their repertoire, deepen their knowledge, sharpen their judgment and adapt their teaching to new findings, ideas and theories.

1. I will participate in the process of National Board Certification presented by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards as a candidate for Early Childhood/Generalist certification.

2. I will create a personal mission statement and teaching philosophy.

3. I will engage in a learning experience through Southwest State University to earn a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership.

4. I will create a personal web site that reflects my professional development, teaching philosophy and kindergarten curriculum.

5. I will attend seminars and workshops which promote my professional development and share the experiences with others.

6. I will use the application materials for the Minnesota Teacher of the Year program to share my teaching philosophy and my beliefs on education with a broad audience.

7. I will develop association with professional organizations which promote Early Childhood Education and professional development.

- membership in the Minnesota Kindergarten Association.
- membership in the National Association for the Education of Young Children
- membership in the International Reading Association

Accomplished teachers contribute to the effectiveness of the school by working collaboratively with other professionals on instructional policy, curriculum development and staff development. They can evaluate school progress and the allocation of school resources in light of their understanding of state and local educational objectives. They are knowledgeable about specialized school and community resources that can be engaged for their students' benefit, and are skilled at employing such resources as needed.
Accomplished teachers find ways to work collaboratively and creatively with parents, engaging them productively in the work of the school.

1. I will communicate regularly with other kindergarten teachers in a variety of ways.

2. I will work with colleagues to select a reading series that best meets the needs of our K-2 students.

3. I will participate in and contribute to the professional development of colleagues.

Teachers as Learners and Leaders (TALL) program

4. I will promote the importance of early literacy development for young children by providing a program for preschoolers and their families in the Spring prior to Kindergarten entrance.

5. I will work to create a bridge between home and school for my student's families.

6. I will create a link to the school web site for parents and community members to visit and learn more about the kindergarten program.