Capstone Paper & Professional Growth Plan

The final papers and assignments for our master's program have provided me with an opportunity to synthesize and reflect on what I have learned over the past year and a half.  The capstone paper had me summarize the "current realities" at my school site and the "next steps" that will need to take place over the next five years.  I never realized how much will change... from the transition to Common Core and the adoption of new curriculum and assessments... to the cost of updating and purchasing technology of the future and the countless other unknown factors (e.g., budget, government laws/regulations, union issues, district and school administration and leadership, political and social implications, etc.).  Five years seems like such a short amount of time for many things to happen... the kindergarteners currently attending Reagan will be getting ready to enter junior high school... and my unborn son (who is actively kicking as I type) will be getting ready to enroll in kindergarten!  Not being able to know where my career path will lead me is exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time.  However, having a professional growth plan to keep me focused on implementing and applying the new strategies that I have learned throughout this program is key to continuous growth as an educational leader and Curriculum Support Provider.  I focused on a plan that will help develop my instructional and cognitive coaching skills.  I am excited to keep a "coaching log" to document the times, dates, topics, and follow-up coaching sessions with teachers that I work with.  This has indeed been a very reflective process, and I hope to look back in about five years to see how our educational system has changed and how we've adapted to it.