Professional Growth Plan

Oakland University
Gregory Smith
Goal Setting:
Desired Outcome:
o Prepare transformational leaders who can build a school culture and vision to ensure success for
every student
o Create and sustain social justice and cultural competency
o Use data and research to inform practice
o Build a capacity to cultivate leadership in teachers
o Meet the needs of all students
5yr/10yr Plan:
o Achieving and attaining the goals set as the desired outcome for the program.
o Running a school building that is engulfed in the achievement of students, embraced by the
community, and foundational for the optimal success of the students
o Acting as a mentor to many different teachers and administrators
o Creating a plan of transition for primary and secondary students into higher education
o Continuing my goals as a life long learner
o Teaching as an adjunct professor at a local college/university
o In a place where I still have the pulse of the youth
o Preparing my children for college
o
Legacy:
It is my hope that my legacy becomes timeless, ageless, and limitless. That the very calling I operate
under in the field of education becomes the catalyst for the success through understanding for millions
of young people into adulthood. I hope that when it is all said and done the motto is not about what I
believed to be true about education, but I lived to give evidence as truth in educationHe Asked, I
Replied
Professional Goals Outside of Education:
o Mentoring Youth
o Ministry
o Traveling
o Growing business
Platform:
o The purpose of public education is to develop in all students the core knowledge required for an
independent life. Public education is to help students realize and develop their strengths while
improving upon their weaknesses; furthermore strengthen students understanding of
commonality while celebrating individualism. To develop respect for history, culture, and
tradition while cultivating a shared desire to challenge the status quo is a primary objective of
public education. Lastly, public education is to cultivate divergent thinking and engender a sense
of patriotism, balanced with a global world view.

o Effective teaching is pedagogical practices that is organized and delivered with clarity. Effective
teaching builds instruction through the lens of analysis and synthesis. An enthusiastic and
dynamic approach to curriculum and delivery, effective teaching is design to meet the needs of
all learners. Effective teaching encompasses the ideology of collaboration, shared vision, and
outcome. Instruction is culturally responsive and targeted to the global development of every
student.
o Teacher Needs:
o Effective schools have:
Clear and Shared Focus
Effective School Leadership
High Standards and Expectations for All
High Level of Collaboration and Communication
Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessments Aligned to Standards
Frequent Monitoring and Feedback of Learning and Teaching
Focused and Continuous Professional Development
High Levels of Community and Family Involvement
Supportive Learning Environment
o What are your foundational beliefs of learning for ALL students?
Career Inventory:
o Professional Accomplishments: Conference Presenter, Conference Facilitator, Public Speaker,
District Leadership Hiring Committee, District School Improvement Committee, Teacher of the
Year (04) (06), General Education Teacher, Special Education Teacher, Building Administrator,
Private School Exp., Public School Exp., Inner-City Exp., Suburb Exp., K-12 GE and SE
Teaching Experience, SE Dept. Lead, Math Committee, etc..
o Beyond the Professional Call: The field of education is not a job for me, but a call and lifestyle.
o Plan for Professional Development: new administrator committee, African American principals
network, continued growth through formal education (Oakland University), continued growth
through informal education (workshops, professional development, etc), maintain an open line of
communication to community members and share holders, etc
o Network and Circle of Professional Influence: New Administrators Committee (Oakland
County), African American Principals Network (Oakland County)
o Copy a Resume
Leadership Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions Inventory
Professional Development Resources Inventory
o Building principal, district principals, district leadership, etc.
o New Administrators Committee, MSAN Committee, African American Principals Network
o Various educational journal articles, The Truth about Leadership, various educational resources
to support developmental growth.
o

Self-Discovery
Leadership Development Activities

1. Leadership Knowledge, Skills, & Dispositions Inventory

Using the ELCC School Leadership Self Inventory, identify your strengths and
developmental needs. Each of the six standards has three inventory
sections. Respond to the indicators in the knowledge, disposition and
performance indicators sections no matter what your current leadership
position happens so to be.
Which leadership indicators surface as your strengths and which as
developmental needs?
2. Professional Development Resources Inventory
What people are available to you and how can they assist in your leadership
development?
What professional organizations have resources that might assist in your
development?
Which web sites, books, journals, conferences, publishers and other resources
are on your list?
What resources outside of your professional life might be available & useful?
3. Self-Discovery
What have you learned about yourself through personality type inventories or
other profiles?
How have you been affected by life choices & challenges?
How do you perceive yourself as a leader?
How are you perceived by others?
What personal feedback have you received from family, friends, or coworkers?
What are your strengths and where do you want to improve?
4. Leadership Development Activities
Given the information you shared in sections 1, 3, 4, 5, & 6 of this plan, describe
how you plan to become involved in one or more of the leadership development
activities listed below or one or more of your own creation.
Mentoring or being mentored
Peer coaching
Study group(s)
Action Research
School Improvement/Professional Learning Community
Accreditation process
Reflective journaling
Professional organization activity
Graduate Education
Professional Publication
Professional Reading