June 29, 2005

Dear Reader

Thank you for taking the time to join me for the end of a year-long process.  My use of the term process has great significance.  To say process means that the steps needed to reach the end were just as important as the end itself.  While you review this portfolio, I invite you to keep this thought in mind.

Looking back, I am positive that I have grown tremendously as an educator over the course of this year.  Let us consider all the things that I can do.  I can design lessons based on standards and objectives. I can then deliver these lessons within the confines of my classroom, which itself has been purposefully prepared to help the students learn.  After the lesson has been delivered, I can intelligently reflect on how things went, evaluating both the students and myself.  I know where to go when I need help. Finally, I know how to formulate plans to help me continuously improve my skills.  Everywhere in the preceding words where you see a can, only a year ago there was a can’t!

I have tried to be objective as I look back on the year.  Everything isn’t perfect, but instead of beating myself up over my deficiencies, you will find that I have instead opted to seek out ways to improve. 

The process of getting to this point was challenging, but hopefully the pieces I have included will prove that the challenge was worth it. I am now more ready than ever to provide my students with authentic educational experiences. To see students be more successful because of my efforts is truly the ultimate reward.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to look back on this journey with me. To browse the portfolio, you can simply click on the links to the left. Without further ado, I invite you to dive into the evidence and see for yourself my tremendous progress toward pedagogical perfection.

Sincerely

Jerry T. Smith

Educator in the Making