My PAEMST Application Essay

When the simpler elements of the PAEMST application are complete, it's time to hunker down and complete the extensive written response. The overall title of the 2011 essay was "Dimensions of Outstanding Teaching." And it was... thorough!

In brief, applicants were asked to document
1. Mastery of their content appropriate for the grade level taught (with sub-prompts, in 4 pages).
2. Use of instructional methods and strategies that are appropriate for the students in the class and that support student learning (with sub-prompts, in 4 pages).
3. Effective use of student assessments to evaluate, monitor, and improve student learning (with sub-prompts, in 3 pages).
4. Reflective practice and life-long learning to improve teaching and student learning (with sub-prompts, in 2 pages).
5. Leadership in education outside the classroom (with sub-prompts, in 2 pages).

Integral to most dimension of the written response was the 45-minute lesson that was videotaped (without the use of tape) and documented in the Supplements section of the application.

(Note: PAEMST is a living organism and any element of the process is subject to change without notice from one year to the next.)

The world was crackling with news of the demise of Osama Bin Laden while I was finishing the written response. A strange distraction, but a foreshadowing of the fact that important national and world events proceed without regard to one's PAEMST timeline.

Here is a zipped folder including a PDF of the written response and the supplements:

Dean Baird's "Dimensions of Outstanding Teaching" with lesson supplements