IndexIntroductionThe Teaching ProfessionTeacher of the YearSouth Carolina Graduate ProfileConclusionIntroductionAs a dedicated teacher committed to improving the teaching profession, I have implemented various initiatives to have a positive impact on my colleagues, such as conducting peer observations and serving as a mentor teacher for beginners; therefore, I believe that I would be an ideal candidate to write an essay about a teacher of the year and this profession in general. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The Teaching Profession The most effective way to strengthen and improve the teaching profession is to be a positive team player. I try to do this by bringing a positive attitude to school and sharing my knowledge with my fellow teachers. Although I always try to learn new things from others, I have 19 years of experience that could be useful to someone else. I have participated in videotaped lessons to share with staff, am often asked to give input on difficult situations, and have become a trusted resource for professional advice for my fellow teachers. Be on a quest to improve my teaching by seeking additional professional development opportunities, conducting peer observations, inviting others to observe my classroom practices in action, initiating teacher discussions about effective practices, and being a strong mentor teacher to other teachers in my school and district not only strengthen me as a teacher, but also support and nurture those around me in the teaching profession. I have had the privilege of mentoring many student practitioners and novice teachers just starting their teaching careers. Working with these young, inexperienced teachers, I often find myself not only imparting my teaching wisdom, but gleaning new techniques and ideas from them. Another way I strengthen the teaching profession is by being open and flexible to change. While there is a comfort zone in familiar routines and teaching practices, it is critical that teachers make room for new and innovative ideas to reach different students and their different learning styles. I think a creative teacher is a more effective teacher because we are constantly looking for new ways to inspire our students to have fun learning. I always add to a running list of professional techniques or topics that I plan to learn more about or am trying to perfect in my teaching. By maintaining a positive attitude and demonstrating to other teachers how to make learning fun and engaging, teachers, as well as students, will reap the rewards. When teachers value their profession more, they cannot help but be better teachers. I try to always remember why I became a teacher. I love remembering the excitement and exhilaration I felt on my first day in my classroom. I try to share my enthusiasm for teaching with my colleagues and others in the community. While it is sometimes difficult to maintain this positive attitude, I encourage all teachers to try to regain their enthusiasm for teaching and spread the word to others. This attitude will transfer to the students and, in the end, everyone will benefit. The responsibility of teachers is determined by several factors. Student achievement, as evidenced by standardized test results, is a common way to measure teacher effectiveness. In my classroom, student progress comesmeasured by comparing individual MAP scores from the beginning to the end of the year. It is also monitored mid-year to check that students are making progress and to adjust teaching methods. I am proud to say that my students' scores are impressive. Additionally, teacher certification is another way teachers are held accountable. Additional courses and tests are needed for teachers to stay current with their certification and licensing. Lesson plans are firmanother way to hold teachers accountable for the goals and techniques used in the classroom. Classroom observations are a useful tool for measuring teacher accountability and have more recently moved from simple checklists to more in-depth assessments of teacher effectiveness. Detailed rubrics with pre- and post-lecture opportunities to provide explanations and hear feedback on the observed lesson are becoming the norm. In addition to these practices, the teacher's responsibility is not only measured by what he or she is doing, but also by observing students. Observers ask students to verbalize what they learned and demonstrate their knowledge during and after the completed lesson. For maximum teacher effectiveness and to allow teachers to hone their teaching skills, we must move away from one or two common formal observations made only by administrators and toward more frequent and routine reviews by a variety of evaluators, including teachers even. . Observations should not cause teachers anxiety, but should provide an opportunity to showcase excellent teaching, discuss positive experiences, learn from difficult situations, and make changes to improve student engagement and achievement. As always, good teachers constantly reflect on their lessons, whether they are formally observed or not. Teacher of the Year As a spokesperson and representative of the Sumter County District teaching profession, my message would be that children are the stars, and parents and teachers who work together, help them shine. All students have star potential and every effort must be made to highlight this. Talking to parent-teacher organizations in schools across the country and making them understand the benefits of working together as a team for their students would be a starting point for generating enthusiasm and sharing ideas on the best methods to achieve this message. Parents' and teachers' ideas about the most effective practices for building strong relationships could be collected and posted on school websites and displayed on banners in school businesses and libraries as a reference for other parents and teachers. Ideas that are successful in one school can spur success in another school. I believe that working together as a strong team for the students we serve will allow every child to shine, and in the process, we will ensure we reach all children. Developing a series of short public service announcements on local television or radio stations could be done by parents, teachers, current and former students, and possibly local celebrities (including television personalities, sports figures, political representatives, etc.). They could highlight the importance of reaching every child through the joint efforts of parents and teachers to achieve the best possible educational opportunities, and how this has helped them achieve their goals in life. What if we incorporated and practiced the best of these methods to promote healthy health and teacher/parent relationships.