School year 2023 - 2024
DPGT - Reflection & Development
FOCUS
In the current 2023-2024 school year, based on the student PM1 Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) scores, of my 42 students to
be tested, 27 students (65% of my students) scored either below satisfactory (level 2) or Inadequate (Level 1) mastery of the B.E.S.T. Standards
for 3rd grade Math. Only 15 students (36% of my total students) scored a Level 3 or above. As a third-grade gifted math teacher, I have chosen to focus on instructional practices for the classroom this year, including best practices, research-based strategies, and best ways to collaborate to better engage and work with my population of students. I will also continue to develop my role as digital innovator, LMS Manager, Robotics Coach, and PLST member with courses focused on technology (STEAM, Schoology) and infusing that knowledge in my classroom as well.
be tested, 27 students (65% of my students) scored either below satisfactory (level 2) or Inadequate (Level 1) mastery of the B.E.S.T. Standards
for 3rd grade Math. Only 15 students (36% of my total students) scored a Level 3 or above. As a third-grade gifted math teacher, I have chosen to focus on instructional practices for the classroom this year, including best practices, research-based strategies, and best ways to collaborate to better engage and work with my population of students. I will also continue to develop my role as digital innovator, LMS Manager, Robotics Coach, and PLST member with courses focused on technology (STEAM, Schoology) and infusing that knowledge in my classroom as well.
GROWTH TARGET
I expect to learn about the needs and nature of gifted students as well as best practices and research-based strategies that will enhance my math instruction in the classroom.
80% of my students (33 students) will demonstrate the impact of my professional development by reflected gains of 1 or more Levels on their PM2 Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) scores in December 2023 / January 2024.
80% of my students (33 students) will demonstrate the impact of my professional development by reflected gains of 1 or more Levels on their PM2 Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) scores in December 2023 / January 2024.
PLAN OF ACTION
I will utilize data from THE PM1 & PM2 FAST tests, Topic Assessments, i-Ready diagnostics, and informal teacher-made assessments to ensure that students show understanding and reach mastery on the new third grade math B.E.S.T. standards, as well as to guide me in identifying standards that students are struggling with. I will be working with my teaching partner to create a schedule to allow for math intervention during spanish classes to assist students with greatest need and to help improve mastery and confidence levels. I will be taking district PDs that focus on the state and district standards, as well as technology (Schoology, STEAM), and Leadership courses focused on collaboration.
DPGT - Reflection & Outcome
IMPACT
As a result of my focus on leadership and collaboration, I was able to effectively improve my lesson delivery and evaluation methods as evidenced by the growth in both i-Ready Diagnostic math scores from AP1 to AP2, the average Topic Assessment Math scores compared to the rest of the district, and the F.A.S.T. test scores from P1 to P2. By collaborating with teachers, admins, and district personnel, I was able to share and learn best practices, run with ideas sparked from meaningful conversations, and grow as I shared my own experiences and knowledge base.
While this has been a tremendous year of student learning, "We're going to level 4s and 5s!" - I am also proud to share that this year has been full of much professional and personal growth for myself as well. Though I have been a Digital Innovator for our school for a few years now, this year is the first in which I have taken a more proactive journey by leading a professional development course at the beginning of the year to provide strategies and tools that can help colleagues increase their use of technology for STEAM and in the classroom to engage and motivate students to greater achievements. I also helped to create and edit our newly minted AWK8 Professional Learning Newsletter, which began in January of 2024 to provide all teachers at our school with relevant tips and strategies that can be used in the classroom. I continued to coach the Junior Explorers Robotics Club, where I proudly worked with 2nd and 3rd graders, and have expanded the program to include Kindergarteners and 1st graders. I guided my students in Fairchild Competitions and community contests such as the H.O.P.E. for Animals in our community.
While this has been a tremendous year of student learning, "We're going to level 4s and 5s!" - I am also proud to share that this year has been full of much professional and personal growth for myself as well. Though I have been a Digital Innovator for our school for a few years now, this year is the first in which I have taken a more proactive journey by leading a professional development course at the beginning of the year to provide strategies and tools that can help colleagues increase their use of technology for STEAM and in the classroom to engage and motivate students to greater achievements. I also helped to create and edit our newly minted AWK8 Professional Learning Newsletter, which began in January of 2024 to provide all teachers at our school with relevant tips and strategies that can be used in the classroom. I continued to coach the Junior Explorers Robotics Club, where I proudly worked with 2nd and 3rd graders, and have expanded the program to include Kindergarteners and 1st graders. I guided my students in Fairchild Competitions and community contests such as the H.O.P.E. for Animals in our community.
Topic Assessment Comparisons
Topic Assessment 17-18
i-Ready Diagnostic Comparisons
i-Ready Diagnostic Growth (from D1 - D2)
Highlights:
* 6 students grew from Grade 2 to Early 3 level
* 9 students grew from Grade 2 to Mid 3 level
* 18 students grew from Early 3 to Mid 3 level
* 1 student grew from Early 3 to Late 3 level
* 3 students grew from Mid 3 to Late 3 level
* 14 of 41 students showed 100% or greater "annual typical growth".
* Every single student that was in my class since September 2023 showed growth by December!
F.A.S.T. Math Test Comparisons
FAST PM 1FAST PM 1 Scores reflected the following:
Level 1: 12 out of 42 students demonstrated an inadequate level of mastery of the B.E.S.T. Standards for their grade. Level 2: 15 out of 42 students demonstrated a below satisfactory level of mastery of the B.E.S.T. Standards for their grade. Level 3: 13 students out of 42 students demonstrated an on-grade level of mastery of the B.E.S.T. Standards for their grade. Level 4: 2 students out of 42 demonstrated proficiency of the B.E.S.T. Standards for their grade. Level 5: 0 students out of 42 demonstrated mastery of the B.E.S.T. Standards for their grade. * The majority of the class (65%) earned a Level 2 or Level 1. * Only 35% of the class earned a Level 3 or above. |
FAST PM 2FAST PM 2 Scores reflected the following:
Level 1: None of the 42 students demonstrated an inadequate level of mastery of the B.E.S.T. Standards for their grade. Level 2: 8 out of 42 students demonstrated a below satisfactory level of mastery of the B.E.S.T. Standards for their grade. Level 3: 16 out of 42 students demonstrated an on-grade level of mastery of the B.E.S.T. Standards for their grade. Level 4: 14 students out of 42 demonstrated proficiency of the B.E.S.T. Standards for their grade. Level 5: 4 students out of 42 demonstrated mastery of the B.E.S.T. Standards for their grade. |
F.A.S.T. Math Test Growth (from P1 - P2)
Highlights:
* Over the course of only a few months, students showed tremendous growth as reflected in the data.
* At the beginning of the year (September 2023), 29% of the students were a Level 1, but by December 2024, 0% were a Level 1. That's ZERO students at Level 1!
* In September 2023 only 15 students of 42 were a Level 3 or above. By December 2024, 34 of the 42 were a Level 3 or above. This is a greater number of students than the anticipated Growth Target!
IPEGS
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
During the 2023-2024 school year, I continued to enhance my use of technology via Schoology, i-Ready, Google Forms, Google Slides/Powerpoint, Canva, Kahoot, padlet, and Reflex/Frax, by watching videos, participating in mini-zooms, and keeping up to date with new updates and revisions within the programs. I read various articles and publications focused on working with gifted population of students and best practices for math instruction as well as classroom management. I also attended the following state and district Professional Development trainings to develop my leadership and collaboration skills:
PROFESSIONAL GROWTH EXPERIENCES
During the 2023-2024 school year, it has been a privilege to continue to be a part of the PLST leadership team as Digital Innovator for our school, as well as a key member of the STEAM committee for our school. I helped to lead the beginning of school Professional Development course at our school to help teachers integrate greater use of technology in the classroom and to assist with understanding the requirements for our STEAM designation. I assisted our STEAM coordinator with the school STEAM supplies drive and distribution, lesson plan creations, and coordination of student volunteers during our school-wide STEAM DAY.
I was proud to represent our school as a presenter for the fourth year in a row as a "Disseminator" during the Education Fund's Idea EXPO in the Fall of 2023, sharing best practices on using technology to create manipulatives for the math and science classroom with over a hundred teachers as an audience. I also accepted two adapter grants from the Education Fund to assist with my instructional goals for the year and was asked to speak at the annual teachers awards event, proudly representing Aventura Waterways K-8
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Additionally, I am very excited to have continued to lead our Elementary Robotics team with the VEX Go robotics kit, as a co-coach with Ms. Piatt during our weekly after-school club comprised of 25 students (a mix of 2nd, and 3rd graders). We led our students to 3rd place victory in the most recent Vex Go Competition. We continue to increase exposure to robotics and coding with our lower elementary grade students in order to establish a strong coding base for our VEX IQ Team in 4th grade and up. In fact, three of the four students that made it to the World's Robotic Competition had been original members of our Junior Explorer's Robotics Club when they were in 2nd and 3rd grade!
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In January of 2024, I assisted in launching our first PLST Newsletter to provide teachers with additional professional development assistance throughout the school year. The format allows for quick reads and includes QR codes that lead teachers to accompanying videos. I wrote and edited the following editions, and look forward to carry on my collaboration with the other PLST members to further it's momentum.
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COMMUNICATION
During the 2023-2024 school year, I communicated with stakeholders primarily through ClassDojo and my personal website: www.parrasclass.weebly.com - All students were given a bookmark at the beginning of the year with my website information for parents to keep for easy access. I also reached out via phone calls, text messages, parent/teacher zoom meetings, in-person parent/teacher conferences, and standard emails, to keep keep parents informed and to create partnerships with leaders in the community. I led two workshops at the Education Fund's EXPO, in which I shared best practices and curriculum ideas with teachers from all over Miami Dade and Broward. I shared progress reports, diagnostic results, and topic assessment/i-Ready/Xtra-Math achievements via certificates and photos shared through classdojo and my website. Additionally, I collaborated with other teachers and faculty during staff and grade-level meetings, professional development opportunities, and facebook/Schoology/Microsoft Teams groups and chats, to discuss best practices, share ideas, and communicate upcoming and relevant school or district news. Lastly, I shared ideas and support by participating in the execution of the new PLST Newsletter.