Recently, one of The Lounge's bloggers, Jeremy Miller, commented on the need for teachers to reflect, and then build on their strengths while improving on weaknesses. This struck me as a major facet of ongoing faculty development and professional growth - ongoing not only through more formal studies and continuing education, but also from experience gained, as a classroom manager, instructional planner and deliverer, and subject matter practitioner. 

As Jeremy stated, "We learned much in school to sharpen our skills, but we must learn outside of the classroom post-graduation.  Things we learn about ourselves may not be found in a textbook alone, but may also be found within ourselves as we sit in quiet solitude pondering our passions and charging our battery for the road of teaching ahead."

The professional faculty member is not only a subject matter expert, but also a passionate learner, an interactive facilitator, and a student motivator. To Jeremy's observations, self-reflection and battery recharging are keys to building and exemplifying this professionalism.