“To the world, you may be one person but to one person you may be the world.” (Seuss, 2018)
– Dr. Seuss
Madison Naswell
Bachelor of Education
Vancouver Island University
My name is Madison Naswell and I recently graduated from the Bachelor of Education Program at Vancouver Island University in the spring of 2020.
This digital portfolio is designed to document my professional learning and experience in and out of the classroom, as well as to introduce both myself and my teaching philosophy.
Follow the links above or scroll down below to find out more about me and my passion for teaching!
About Me
I have spent my life growing up on beautiful Vancouver Island. Ever since I was little I remember wanting to either be a teacher or a tightrope walker (I'm glad the tightrope walking fell through). Some things you can find me doing outside of my teaching journey are travelling, running, biking, playing my ukulele and finding my next adventure. My first big travel experience was spending a year abroad in Madrid, Spain. While I was there I lived with a host family and went to a high school even though I had already graduated but I wanted to take a year off to experience new things and learn a new language. I was able to volunteer in a kindergarten classroom and that is where I solidified my passion to go into teaching. Even though I could barely understand the language at this point, I could still understand the enormous bond the teacher had for her students and the relationships she made with them. Without understanding their words, you could tell her passion for teaching had created a safe classroom that fostered the love of learning. I could picture myself doing the same and knew when I returned to Canada I would go into education. When I am not looking for a new place to travel, you will probably find me running. I have run many races including a full marathon, but my goal is to run an ultramarathon, in the Boston Marathon or complete a triathlon, because I also love to bike. If you find me in the classroom you might see me playing my ukulele as I love to use it as a tool to engage my class and think using music in the classroom has many benefits. One of my most memorable experiences in my education journey so far was going to teach internationally in India, which I talk about more in my TRB standards. It was one of the most influential things that I have done and I think about it almost every day. My class did not speak any English but just like in Spain, it was the relationships I was able to make with them that made the classroom thrive. As I continue my teaching journey I hope to make a positive impact on each individual student and to never stop learning and growing.
Frame of Reference
Teachers have the ability to make a huge impact on the lives of many students. Every day in the classroom is a chance to make a positive difference on how our learners do in school and how they can transfer the valuable lessons and skills learned to outside of the classroom. As a teacher, I want my passion to be contagious and infect every student with a love of learning. Being a teacher to me means putting in the time to invest and care about every student inside, and outside, of the classroom.
Relationships with learners, parents, colleagues and community
Creating a sense of community and building relationships with every individual learner is essential and is the foundation of a successful learning environment. Students may forget what you said but they will not forget how you made them feel and sometimes the thing students need most, has nothing to do with what’s on the lesson plan. I will make students feel safe to share their ideas in a supportive learning environment which comes from the relationships I will continuously foster with them. Having a safe learning environment motivates students to work harder and makes coming to school something to look forward to. It is crucial to learn about every student and what their strengths, stretches, interests and quirks are in order to create lesson plans that the students can relate to. Relationships with parents, colleagues and the community are also essential and an integral part of learners’ academic success and growth. I believe wholeheartedly that a synergy between parents and teachers enhances the success of every learner by promoting an interest in learning. The key to this synergy is good communication. Continually keeping parents involved provides a community feeling which benefits the students and the school.
Teaching and learning strategies
One of the First Peoples Principles of Learning is that learning involves patience and time (Chrona, 2014). Learning will happen when a student or person is ready for it and the process of learning is individualistic and different for every learner. This principle connects with the importance of building a classroom community and building relationships because creating a safe environment where learning can happen authentically will happen holistically when every individual student is ready to learn. Patience and time are needed to develop understanding of concepts. Rather than memorization, revisit concepts multiple times in multiple ways, and recognize individual differences in students. Understanding that every student is different is key to making sure everyone is successful. From the words of Dr. Seuss (1990) I want my students to “think and wonder, wonder and think” and to never let the sense of wonder escape them. Wonder is an important motivator for lifelong learning (Wilson 1997). I believeone of the most important teaching strategies is to foster self-directed, lifelong learners through inquiry based approaches.
Classroom management
The foundationof classroom management comes from the relationships and a sense of community. Students learn best when they understand what is expected of them, and feel safe and cared for. Having strong classroom management is a continual process and I will base my classroom management through the following factors:
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Consistency:Having clear and consistent procedures is crucial and important to instill at the beginning of the year. It is important to follow through with consequences and rewards in order to build a sense of trust with students and so that they have clear expectations.
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Positive reinforcement:This is something I believe strongly in and believe that students are far more driven by praise than discipline. Creating an environment where students are taught that they are capable of making positive choices and that I believe they are capable is very important. Students are driven a lot of times by seeing their peers receive positive reinforcement in order to receive the same praise. An example of this is saying “wow, I really like how student A is whole body listening and student B raised their hand when they had a question” opposed to, “Student C stop talking and pay attention.”
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Communication:The second principle of learning from the OECD’s seven principles (Dumont, Istance and Benavides, 2010) is the social nature of learning and I believe that allowing students to communicate with myself and their classmates when there is a problem causes social growth in them and a sense of co-operative learning. Communicating means giving clear directions so that there is no disconnect with communication between myself and my class. It also means communicating with the students to be sure they understand why a reward or consequence was given so they can understand that learning involves the consequences of one’s actions and not to be punished but to learn and grow from their actions.
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Play:I believe that students should develop a sense of intrinsic value of responsibly and being respectful but I also understand that they are still kids and are meant to be imaginative and play. Using play as a way to follow directions makes following rules fun and more positive and although classroom management is a serious part of the classroom, it doesn’t always have to feel serious.
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Being prepared and flexible:Being prepared and having a plan B is crucial to making sure a lesson runs smoothly. This includes being prepared with materials, knowledgeable about the lesson and being flexible to change how thing are going depending on the day and my class.
Formative and summative assessment
It is critical to be clear with my students about whatthey are doing and that they understand why they are doing it. When students see no reason to learn, they don’t or they lose motivation to learn. I will primarily use formative assessment through descriptive feedback, self and peer assessment, observing, questioning strategies and having one on one conferences with my students. Formative assessment will give me the information needed to adjust my teaching to the needs of my students while it is happening. Summative assessment will be used in my teaching when necessary for things like final report cards. Both types of assessment are important and so is the balance between them.
Role of curriculum & competencies
BC’s new curriculum based on the “Know-Do-Understand” model of learning all work together to support every learner. The new curriculum offers me flexibility in my teaching by defining what to teach but not the method, time or place to teach it. I think this is essential to create differentiated instruction necessary to maximize the strengths of students and help grow and develop their stretches. As students develop curricular competencies in relation to specific content they will discover and deepen their understanding of the big ideas.
Relationship between theory and practice
Content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge are both very important parts of being a teacher but integrating that knowledge or theory into my practice is what is most important. I believe that connecting theory to my practice is essential and through my education program I have been able to do just that. The uniqueness of every teacher and our experiences and personality means that each of us will develop a somewhat different arrangement or pattern of learning theory to serve as a basis for our behavior as educators. As a teacher, I want to strive to gain opportunities to expand my professional knowledge where I can put it into practice and be reflective about the knowledge base I have gained.
Needs of diverse learners through inclusive practice
I will strive to create a learning environment that will maximize the success of every learner. This means being able to accommodate a diverse range of skills, needs and interests. Every student has strengths and stretches, their own way of learning and their own way of expressing what they have learned. I believe creating a classroom community and building relationships with each student are the foundation to meeting the needs of all my diverse learners and creating a sense of inclusion. Every student is different and I want my learners to accept who they are and to accept others for who they are. In the words of Dr. Seuss “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You” (Seuss, 2018).I will teach my students the importance of inclusivity and, in turn, create a more understanding environment.
Standard 1
"Educators value the success of all students. Educators care for students and act in their best interests."
Educators have a privileged position of power and trust. Educators are responsible for the physical and emotional safety of students. Educators respect and value the diversity in their classrooms, schools and communities, inclusive of First Nations, Inuit and Métis, and other worldviews and perspectives. Educators foster students’ positive personal identity, mental and physical well-being, social and personal responsibility, and intellectual development. Educators engage students in meaningful participation in their own learning. Educators treat students equitably with acceptance, dignity and respect. Educators understand the importance of confidentiality, and protect student privacy, unless disclosure is required by law. Educators do not abuse or exploit students or minors for personal, sexual, ideological, material or other advantage.
Evidence and Reflection:
My frame of reference in teaching all comes down to the key value of building relationships with students and building a classroom community where every individual learner feels safe and valued. If students do not feel safe, their ability to learn is hampered. If a student can be confident that they will be valued and respected unconditionally, then they can feel safe enough to learn. I strive to know the strengths, stretches, needs, quirks and interests of every individual learner because when strong positive relationships are formed between me and my students, they will start to open up and learning can take place.
I value the success of all my students and their individual needs and act in their best interests by creating an inclusive classroom. Inclusion is for every child in the classroom . Every child can learn, at different rates and in different ways. In accordance with the above standard, inclusive education means responding to the diversity in the classroom and facilitating the needs of students through curriculum adaptation, accessibility arrangements, adapted methods of teaching and modified assessment. It benefits all learners by allowing each student to feel valued and accept differences.
Through my education program I became very invested in learning about inclusive practices in order to act in the best interest of my students when we were introduced to the Universal Design for Learning. I remember hearing that the way people learn is as unique as their fingerprints. This resonated with me and as I looked further into UDL, I stumbled upon a video which talks about the myth of the average learner. Dr. Todd Rose (circlvideos , 2012), talks about how learning is more variable than a lot of people assume and that understanding that variability is critical in designing our learning environments. He uses a good analogy of shoes. To summarize his analogy, imagine if wearing size 8.5 shoes was the average size and all runners were to be judged on their ability to run wearing this size. Fortunately, we live in a world where this is not the case because we can see the variability and because we can see it, we design for it. Just like in teaching, “when we design for it we end up being able to recognize talent that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.” He goes on to say that Usain Bolt wears a size 13. If we put this into the “average shoe size” analogy, we can assume that he would not be the fastest runner (possibly even a bad runner) in a size 8.5 shoe. Thinking about this more and taking the analogy further, do you think Usain Bolt even wears shoes off the rack? His shoes are probably custom made just for him to help him succeed and reach his full potential. UDL is about designing learning so that there are no barriers for our students. As teachers, we must know our students and realize they don’t all fit into an “average shoe size” to create content that best suits their individual needs. Variability can be harder to see within our classroom, unlike shoe size, but it is there and it is crucial to provide our students with the individual support they need to succeed.
To apply this into my teaching, I will continue incorporate inclusive teaching strategies by providing varying methods of instruction to reach all my students and remove barriers to learning. Instead of reacting to a few expressed needs, I will plan for a variety of learning needs. This means, building relationships and a classroom community to create a safe environment where I can understand my student’s individual needs. The BC curriculum offers so many opportunities to use UDL strategies because of its flexibility and ability to adapt lessons based on student needs. Using inclusive teaching strategies benefits all learners in the classroom, with or without disabilities or learning challenges.
As an educator I am aware of the "privileged position of power and trust" I have. Understanding my own privilege and the individuality of all my students is very important. Every student is unique and has different strengths, stretches, personalities and specific things that make them an individual. I strive to provide equality of opportunity so that every student has the opportunity to rise to their ability and full potential. I believe that equality of opportunity should be the focus in classrooms. To me, it means that every individual is diverse in their abilities and because of that is given what they need to succeed. Creating a school and classroom that focuses on equality of opportunity will support every student and the lessons learned will extend to benefiting society.
At the end of the day I strive to know my learners and create a classroom community that creates inclusivity and helps me understand what my students need. Creating relationships and fostering those relationships throughout the year is the foundation for all of these topics covered. Creating a safe environment where students can feel like their needs are being met and they can express themselves without fear of judgement is crucial to creating lifelong learners and having kids excited to come to school. This also comes from building a network of support because successful inclusion does not just involve the classroom teacher.This means working with a variety of professionals within the school, family, community members and peers. Inclusivity is a school wide practice, from the bus drivers, custodians to the teachers and administrators. Schools set the tone for inclusive education. As I grow as a teacher, I plan to hold this standard true by cultivating positive relationships with my students as a priority and continuing to implement practices into my teaching that respect the diversity of my students’, the school, and the community.
I had the amazing opportunity to teach in India on an international practicum while in the Education program. It was one of the most memorable experiences I have ever had and I grew as a person and teacher in so many ways. I taught in a Kindergarten class for two weeks by myself and did not realize that I would be in a classroom alone with all of my students who were new to the school and didn't speak english. I was nervous of the language barrier but it allowed me to communicate in creative ways and build incredibly strong relationships with my students based on the love of learning and making connections. I believe that acting in the best interest of students and allowing them to grow and succeed is about genuinely caring about every individual student. It is more than just teaching because sometimes students don't remember what you taught them but they remember the way you made them feel and who you are. It is about creating a community of learners within the school where every individual can feel safe to be who they are and respect the amazing diversity within our school communities. Every morning in India I led a dance which brought the whole school together and was a very powerful day to start the day as a school community. I have never seen so many smiling faces from both my colleagues and the students. I was able to connect everyday not only with my specific class but with the whole school. It allowed the whole school to feel a sense of unity and togetherness regardless of all of our similarities and differences. As I grow as a teacher I will strive to act in the best interest of not only the students in my class but the whole school community.
Standard 2
"Educators act ethically and maintain the integrity, credibility and reputation of the profession."
Educators are role models. Educators are held to a higher standard and are accountable for their conduct on duty and off duty. Educators understand the law as it relates to their duties. Educators’ individual conduct contributes to the perception of the profession as a whole. Educators know and recognize the importance of the Professional Standards for BC Educators.
Evidence and reflection:
To demonstrate my commitment to TRB standard 2, I have inserted the comments of my professional qualities from my year 4 field experience supervisor. My supervisors have all commented on my professional manner in and outside of the classroom.I am aware of the high standards that teachers are held to both inside and outside of the classroom. I behave ethically and honestly in all aspects of my teaching and personal life. The professional standards for BC Educators is very important and I am a teacher wherever I go. When I leave the classroom, I don’t take off my teacher hat and I realize the important role that teachers play in the community. I believe that teaching is not just a job but a way of life and I hold this standard very high. The reputation and professionalism of the education industry is of great importance to me and being aware of this is critical.
During my practicum experiences I always arrived at a consistent time, before my sponsor teacher. This gave me adequate time to organize myself and prepare my lessons for the day. Arriving early in the morning also allowed me time to connect with my sponsor teacher, other staff members and be ready to greet every student that walked in the door. I greeted every student by their name and connected with their parents/caregivers at the door each morning and at the end of the day. Doing this everyday allowed me to develop strong mutually respectful connections with them by demonstrating a genuine interest in the lives of my students. The time in the morning where students are entering the classroom and have a set routine allowed me to further connect with any parents/caregivers that needed to in the morning. At the end of each day I made sure to reflect on how everything went with my sponsor teacher about what I could do differently and what worked really well. As an educator, I am constantly striving and reflecting on how to grow and act in the best interests of my students, school and further community.
I also maintained confidentiality with regards to personal situations and student information as noted by my supervisor; "models respectful behaviour and professional practices in all capacities; connects very well with staff members, school district personnel and staff members."I understand my role as an educator to protect my students privacy and will continue to maintain this responsibility on duty and off duty, in accordance with TRB standard 2.
Standard 3
"Educators understand and apply knowledge of student growth and development."
Educators are knowledgeable about how children and youth develop as learners and social beings. Educators demonstrate an understanding of individual learning differences and needs. Educators recognize the importance and connection of cultural identity, ways of being and worldviews to student learning. Educators use this knowledge to inform decisions about curriculum, instruction and assessment. Educators work to create a positive, safe and inclusive learning environment to best meet the diverse needs of students.
Evidence and Reflection:
My first piece of evidence for TRB Standard 3 comes from a research essay I did for a class outside of the education program which you can click the PDF link above to read. The class was called Physical Growth and Motor Development which focused on development of elementary and secondary school children. As you can see from my above transcript records I was also taking a child development course within the education program at the same time and it allowed me to further understand the importance of understanding child development and how valuable it is to me as an educator. In my research essay I i focus on how the "exposure to nature and green space is essential in the development of cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills in children which will benefit them for their entire lives." I delve deep into the reasons why nature is important for healthy child development and as an educator I strongly believe in immersing kids in different outdoor environments. We are so lucky to live where we do with such diverse and accessible resources to nature and the outdoors. A lot of kids may not have the opportunities at home or outside of school to experience nature in an unstructured way and I want to make sure I incorporate and propagate being in nature into my teaching. Being immersed metaphorically and literally in the natural world appears to be especially important in developing the capacities for creativity, problem-solving and emotional and intellectual development particularly during the critical period of middle childhood and as an educator I want to foster that connection to nature. In accordance with TRB Standard 3 it is very important to understand child development, in order to make a "positive, safe and inclusive learning environment to best meet the diverse needs of students." As students go through the different stages of development, they approach learning in different ways and it is our role to create age appropriate lessons. The expectations I set need to be high, but not higher than what my students are developmentally able to give. Our learners are individuals who all learn and develop at different rates, with some meeting developmental milestones earlier or later than their classmates. I believe understanding child development is essential to make "decisions about curriculum, instruction and assessment" as stated by TRB Standard 3. While teaching in my Kindergarten practicum classes and having 3 years of experience working in a daycare and experience working with children my whole life, I have noticed how understanding child development helps to meet the needs of diverse learners. Especially in the early primary grades where the age differences in the class are huge. Two students entering Kindergarten may be almost a year apart depending on when they were born and this is crucial in understanding to best suit their needs. As mentioned in my frame of reference, I believe that students learn when they are ready and as long as we facilitate and foster a love of learning, we need to be patient with that process. Every child learns at different rates and in different ways and understanding how they develop and grow as learners is essential to their individual success.
My second piece of evidence for TRB Standard 3 comes from my Pre Learning Assessment Plan as seen to the left. During my practicum experience I kept a list of the students and wrote down all of the things I notice about them. Once I gathered enough information, I took the key points I thought were essential for me to best meet their diverse needs. This included personality traits, their interests, what classroom management strategies work for individuals and their strengths, stretches and growth. This he helped me really understand what to plan for the class as a whole and how to adapt my lessons depending on the individual needs of the learners. It also allowed me to reflect back on during the course of my practicum to recognize their growth and to adapt my instruction and strategies to facilitate the growth.
The PLA allowed me to develop my classsroom strengths:
"The class is very kind and caring and work well together. During choice time, there are hardly any little problems that occur which makes it a very beneficial time to do one on one assessment. They are all very excited to learn and come to class with a positive attitude. They are creative, curious and have very big personalities. They love anything hands on and are artistic. They can handle sitting for longer periods of time than other primary classes I have been in but definitely benefit and are more engaged with the lessons where they are sitting at the carpet for a short amount of time. They really enjoy stories and making their own during story workshop and using the story braid to assist them. They are good listeners and rise to the expectations that are set for them. They can make good connections and predictions during lessons."
And their stretches:
"The class has a big age gap with a lot of kids who are still very young developmentally and there is almost a year difference in ages. This means creating differentiated lesson plans to suit the needs of every individual learner. They need very clear, simple, explicit instruction to do things and it is important to repeat and check for understanding. There are a few kids who no matter how many times you explicitly repeat the instructions, they will still not know what to do. It is important to get them to repeat back to you what their job is. This also means creating differentiated lesson plans and work for students in the class."
In accordance with TRB standard 3, the relationships I build with the students is the foundation of recognizing their growth and development and allows for them to have a safe environment where they can grow.
Standard 4
"Educators value the involvement and support of parents, guardians, families and communities in schools."
Educators understand, respect and encourage the participation of families and communities in student learning and development. Educators consider the perspectives of parents/guardians regarding their children. Educators communicate effectively and in a timely manner with parents/ guardians.
Evidence and Reflection:
As evidence for TRB Standard 4 I chose a letter I wrote to the parents of my practicum class. This offered me a way to introduce myself and my teaching philosophy. I told the students the letter would be sent home to their parents/caregivers and that they could read it with them. They were so excited to go home and share with their families about their new teacher. The letter home also offered me a way to seamlessly connect with parents in the morning and after school when they dropped off or picked up their kids. They could ask me questions related to my letter and it was a very naturally way to introduce myself in person. I believe wholeheartedly that a synergy between parents and teachers enhances the success of every learner by promoting an interest in learning. The key to this synergy is good communication, and continually keeping parents involved. This provides a community feeling which benefits the students and the school. Good communication between the school and home is linked with higher student success and as an educator I will do everything to act in the best interest of my students so that means regular communication with parents is essential. I can do everything I can to best
support my students but there are more factors to acknowledge that play a role in ensuring a students success in school. Open and sustained communication with parents/caregivers is one of them and I intend on promoting this in my future teaching practices. My intention is to create a classroom community which involves the parents/caregivers. This means extending my connections and communication beyond the odd phone call home and teacher conference but giving parents/caregivers realistic tools that they can use to foster the success of their child. I understand that every student is an individual and this also means that the home life of all my students is unique. I will strive to communicate and connect with parents/caregivers based on their individual needs and respect the different home lives and backgrounds that everyone is coming from. TRB Standard 4 will be very important to me as I continue to grow as an educator. I believe that education extends much farther past the four classroom walls and is a whole community effort to foster the success of our students.
Standard 5
"Educators implement effective planning, instruction, assessment and reporting practices to create respectful, inclusive environments for student learning and development."
Educators have the knowledge and skills to facilitate learning for students, including learning experiences that reflect individual contexts and local environments. Educators value collaborative practice. Educators recognize and understand the interconnectedness of all aspects of teaching and learning and employ a variety of instructional and assessment strategies. Educators communicate effectively in either English or French. Educators know when to seek support for their practice and for students.
Evidence and Reflection:
Planning:
One of the pieces of evidence I have choses to demonstrate my commitment to TRB Standard 5 is a math unit plan I created for my kindergarten class (PDF link to the left). The content of the unit plan is on geometry/single attributes of 2D and 3D shapes. When I am creating my unit plans one of my main goals is to create lessons and learning intentions that are inclusive of all learners and offer various ways for them to show their learning and succeed based on their individual needs. In my unit plan I address how I will make learning accessible for all students by the following:
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Information and instruction will be presented in multiple ways.
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Lessons will be engaging and hands on to keep all students motivated.
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Explicit directions will be given with an example copy for each activity to help all students know what is expected.
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Give more than one way for students to interact with materials.
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Presents information in ways that adapt to the learner, instead of asking the learner to adapt to the information.
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Giving prompt feedback.
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Co constructing criteria
Planning for my teaching is much more than just considering the content. It is about considering what I can do to offer the most engaging and inclusive learning experience for my students.Planning is also about being flexible and being able to adapt my teaching to best support my students. As I stated above it is important to adapt to the learner rather than have the learner adapt to what you are teaching. This is a student centered approach that supports the success of every individual learner. When I am planning I like to think of how I will know where my students are at, where they are in the process and where I want them to be. This allows me to adapt my lessons and instruction based on my class. While I have been teaching on practicum I have found the importance of reading my class and if what I have planned on paper (even if it is an amazing plan) is not working at that time, I need to adapt. This means not only planning for what I envision happening but also for what could happen.From experience teaching I am aware of the many things effecting what I planned for and knowing that things do not always go as planned. I am a very patient, flexible and go with the flow person and this has helped me in adapting my lessons and schedule based on the needs of my students. On top of all this If I know my learners I can plan for what I need to do to ensure their success and create lessons that they connect with. In a past practicum class I noticed they really loved a specific series of books and I recognized that and incorporated it into my planning. It is important for me to plan and change my plans based on my students.
Instruction:
To demonstrate my commitment to TRB Standard 5 I have attached a lesson plan I made to go with the above mentioned unit plan. I have talked a lot about the importance of building relationships and creating a classroom community and I think in terms of instruction it is essential. If I know my learners I can instruct based on what works for every individual. This is especially important in terms of classroom management and knowing what works for individual students and a class as a whole. One strategy may work for one student but not the other and understanding that through the relationships I build is so important. As you can see from my attached lesson plan I include various instruction methods so students can show their learning in multiple ways. I also include how to provide intensive targeted and universal instruction, which changes based on the lesson and class. This allows me to adapt my instruction for the individual needs of the class and create an inclusive learning environment. When I am planning my lessons I visualize from start to end how I want them to go and also what could happen and how I may need to adapt. This helps my instruction in the classroom because I am organized and have thought about how to support varying needs. Although there is no way to plan for every detail, I always strive to take consideration of the varying needs of my students and differentiate my instruction based on those needs.
Part of planning and instruction is also about collaborating with the various support you have within the school system. I realized how important and beneficial collaborating with colleagues was when I was on practicum in India. We thought we would have access to internet when we were there but when we arrived we found out we would have no internet or phone service while we were teaching. In a time where we are so used to finding resources and information online it was a big learning curve. There was about 15 pre service teachers like me and mentor teachers on this practicum experience. Not having the option to look for resources online meant we had to turn to each-other to offer our varying experiences and ideas. For example, I have a lot of background working in summer camps and know many songs, dances and activities that I could share with my colleagues and my colleagues all had various backgrounds that they could share their ideas. Going forward as an educator I will use this experience to remember the importance of collaborating so we can all learn from one another and offer different perspectives to create the best instruction.
Assessment:
Good assessment is critical in ensuring I am acting in the best interest of my students. Assessment tools guide my planning for ongoing instruction and should be designed to improve student learning. When i consider assessment I make sure to have the learning intention and goals at the forefront so I know what I am assessing for. This allows me to guide my teaching and student learning with the end in mind. When assessing my students I also need to make sure I am being clear with what the expectations are and what the criteria is. The assessment tools I have created and attached to the left can be used formatively or summatively. For example, the science assessment tool can be used to check off the boxes or make comments as I formatively assess my students through observation and discussions but can also be used at the end of a unit to do a one on one assessment. In my kindergarten class practicum I primarily used formative assessment through descriptive feedback, self and peer assessment, observing, questioning strategies and having one on one conferences with my students. Both formative and summative are important and so is the balance between them. I believe very strongly in using assessment as a tool to help students grow and be differentiated based on their individual needs. The shift from using numbers "1, 2, 3 or 4" to assess a student to using the words emerging, developing and proficient and focusing on the development on B.C's curricular and core competencies is making a big difference. As I move forward in my educator journey I want to focus my assessment on where each individual students is now (where am I now?) and where they will be next (where am i next?).
Standard 6
"Educators demonstrate a broad knowledge base and an understanding of areas they teach"
Educators understand the curriculum and methodologies of areas they teach. Educators teach curricula from Canadian, First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and global perspectives. Educators build upon student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy and mutual respect. Educators cultivate the values, beliefs and knowledge of Canada’s democratic and inclusive society.
Evidence and Reflection:
For TRB Standard 6, the piece of evidence I chose is from a mini"pen pal" unit I did with my practicum class in Canada. The lessons in the unit made many cross curricular connections and in accordance with TRB Standard 6 offered age appropriate global perspectives and intercultural understanding. For the first part of the unit I introduced a powerpoint and video to my class about where I would be travelling to teach after I finished my practicum with them. I showed pictures and videos of the school I would be going to and we compared the many similarities and differences and talked about classrooms around the world. I then explained that we would be able to connect with the students I will be visiting and will be able to ask them our questions. I brought in a mini mailbox with an example letter I wrote to explain that we will be writing letters that we will put in the mailbox and I will deliver them to the students in India and when I come back, I will bring back the mailbox filled with the letters the students in India have written back. The class was very excited and asked me everyday when I would be going to India to bring the letters. We also worked on filming a video with more questions we had to compare our similarities and differences that the students in India would respond to. I also included video of the students singing their Jolly Phonics songs and showing their Jolly Phonics work. One of the things I knew before going to India was that I was going to be implementing my knowledge of Jolly Phonics. I didn't know a lot about Jolly Phonics until my practicum with this class and after seeing how well it worked and how much I liked it, I wanted to educate myself on everything about it and how to best implement it. This demonstrates TRB Standard 6 by having an understanding of the areas I teach. I was not required to teach Jolly Phonics but I took the opportunity to learn as much as I could from my sponsor teachers and my own inquiries. Once we completed the video and letters I took them home to pack in my backpack that would travel all the way to India. I did the same lessons with my class in India, but since the kindergarten class I was in, did not speak english, I was able to partner with an older class to help them write the letters and film the video responses. I was able to show the work we were doing on Jolly Phonics and mentor the teacher in India on my knowledge around it. The practicum in India was a very influential experience for me and made me reflect on everything I have learned. When life is so busy, I don't get the chance to see how much I have grown and learned over the years, but being in India solidified how far I have come and also how much more I can learn. I was able to mentor the Kindergarten teacher in India on my teaching practices and collaborate to create lessons that would meet the needs of every learner. It grounded me in knowing I am on the right path.
Once I returned to Canada, I went back to my practicum class with the video montage and mailbox with the letters from the students in India. My class was so surprised to see me and had so many questions about the school I was at. I think we underestimate what students at this age know and can do and it is very important for me to set high expectations for all my students. This mini unit demonstrated that for me, because, although my students may not have fully grasped where I was and what I was doing they were able to make so many connections and ask so many valuable questions. Incorporating global perspectives into the classroom is so beneficial to students and offers them an opportunity to develop their world views. I also think incorporating global perspectives makes us more sensitive to the needs of diverse learners especially in an increasingly globalized society. I hope to do more teaching and travelling abroad because I think that global competency skills are crucial to educators and deepen their broad knowledge, in accordance with TRB Standard 6.
As mentioned before, as an educator I strive to continually grow and deepen my knowledge base in order to act in the best interest of my students. This means taking every opportunity I can get to strengthen my practices and understanding of the areas I teach. I hope to return to University in the near future to get my Masters Degree and learn even more. Teaching to me means being a lifelong learner and instilling that in my students. I look forward to broadening my knowledge base as I grow as an educator.
Standard 7
"Educators engage in professional learning."
Educators engage in professional learning and reflective practice to support their professional growth. Educators recognize and meet their individual professional needs through various learning opportunities. Educators develop and refine personal philosophies of education, teaching and learning that are informed by research, practice and the Professional Standards for BC Educators.
The photos seen above are from the International Conference held at Chitkara University in India. The first two photos are press release photos which you can read about in more detail on the website link below.
Evidence and Reflection:
The first piece of evidence I chose to show my commitment to TRB Standard 7 are press release photos and an article from a conference I presented at and attended in India. I presented with a group of pre service teachers from VIU about what we thought were some best practices in teaching. We were presenting along with pre service teachers from Australia and students from the local University in India to share are ideas and learn from each-other. It was a very inspiring learning experience because even though we didn't know what the topic of our fellow presenters was, all three presentations had a common theme. All of the presentations ended up talking about the importance of using play in the classroom to engage students and why it is essential to create an inclusive environment where the needs of all learners are met. Our presentation involved performing a dance where we had everyone in the audience stand up and dance along, which filled the room with connection and laughs. After that we split up into table groups which each one of us from VIU leading a conversation with the other teachers from around the world. It was eye opening to see that although we are all from different parts of the world, we could be connected through education and the desire to create the best learning experience for our students through best practices. As TRB 7 states,"Educators engage in professional learning and reflective practice to support their professional growth. Educators recognize and meet their individual professional needs through various learning opportunities" I feel like this seminar defines that. It was a professional learning experience that I will never forget and reflect back on frequently. During our experience in India we would check in with all the members of our group and reflect on the day. I remember after a busy few days and experiencing so many things in such a short time, when I started to talk about how I was feeling I started to feel so many emotions and began to cry. If you know me, this is very uncommon but it solidified the importance of reflecting on my experiences. Sometimes the most learning I do is after I get the chance to sit down and reflect. This is something I will take into my future educating journey in order to learn and grow. As a beginning educator I know I still have a lot of things to learn but in accordance with TRB Standard 7 I will continue to refine and develop my best practices in teaching and be a life long learner.
My second piece of evidence comes from a workshop I did through my job in a daycare. I tried to take any opportunity I could that would benefit me as a teacher whether it was inside our outside of school. The workshop offered tools to use for children up to age 12, focusing on the importance of fundamental movement skills and physical literacy. I also participated in the 8 hour Fundamental Movement Skills workshop through my child development class at VIU and I gained a lot of valuable skills from both workshops. I have always been an active person and have helped coach sports teams so I felt prepared to teach physical education but after being introduced to the BC Curriculum in my first year I realized I was not knowledgeable in FMS and incorporating those essential skills into my teaching. This acts in accordance with TRB Standard 7 because I was able to identify my professional need or where I was lacking and attend these workshops to become more knowledgeable. As a beginning teacher, I realize there is always more room for growth and development and once I finish my teaching journey I know that there is things I can still learn. I want to foster a love of learning in my students and that starts from being a role model. As I grow, I will strive to keep myself informed on the endless amount of emerging teaching strategies, approaches and theories. Doing this will benefit my students and act in their best interest as I am always striving to do.
Standard 8
"Educators contribute to the profession."
Educators honour the profession by supporting, mentoring or encouraging other educators and those preparing to enter the profession. Educators contribute their expertise in a variety of ways, including opportunities offered by schools, districts, school authorities, professional organizations, post-secondary institutions and communities. Educators contribute to a culture of collegiality.
Evidence and Reflection:
What do climbing trees, digging up worms, playing in the mud and adventuring into the forest all have in common? They are all forms of outdoor, unstructured play that children have a natural affinity to. Unfortunately, many factors have come together to push children indoors and have been shown to result in many negative consequences. Exposure to nature and green space is essential in the development of cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills in children which will benefit them for their entire lives.
This was the focus of my Education Expo presentation during one of the Professional Development days in the Parksville District. I think most people know to some degree that nature is important to us but I was very curious as to why. As presented earlier, I wrote a long research essay on the importance of nature in supporting healthy child development. I wanted to take that research further and do an inquiry on ways in which we can incorporate nature into the classroom. The research is clear on the many benefits nature has on children and their development so, I think we have a responsibility as teachers to incorporate nature in our teaching. Children should be exposed to positive contact with nature where they can live, play and learn and therefore support multiple developmental domains.
I had the opportunity, along with me two colleagues, to present our booth to faculty in the district as well as our fellow classmates and other pre-service teachers. In accordance with TRB Standard 7 think that this day embodies the standard. It was a way for me to offer my knowledge and expertise around a particular topic and to educate others about it. I was also able to go around to the various booths and presentations set up and learn from my peers. As I continue my education journey, this standard is very important to me as I continue to grow. It is important to collaborate with other educators and professionals so we can all learn from one another and act in the best interest of our students. In order to develop and continue to refine my teaching practice, I plan on taking advantage of as many professional development opportunities as I can and sharing my knowledge with other educators.
Standard 9
"Educators respect and value the history of First Nations, Inuit and Métis in Canada and the impact of the past on the present and the future."
Educators critically examine their own biases, attitudes, beliefs, values and practices to facilitate change. Educators value and respect the languages, heritages, cultures, and ways of knowing and being of First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Educators understand the power of focusing on connectedness and relationships to oneself, family, community and the natural world. Educators integrate First Nations, Inuit and Métis worldviews and perspectives into learning environments.
Evidence and Reflection:
The first piece of evidence I chose for TRB Standard 9 is from a workshop I attended at the BCTF New Teachers Conference in 2020. I have also attended many other workshops around First Nations, Inuit and Métis world views and perspectives and how to incorporate the knowledge gained into the classroom. Some of these workshops include "Journey of a Generation" and the "Blanket Exercise". The workshop I attended most recently at the BCTF conference was called "Aboriginal Lens" and it focused on education for reconciliation. I am on my own journey to reconciliation and as a future educator it is critical to challenge the systems of belief that support Eurocentric practices. Each one of us has a role to play in reconciliation. I know I have a very long way to go and sometimes I don't feel comfortable incorporating Indigenous world views and perspectives in the classroom but I recognize that I don't have to know everything to start and I can learn along with my students. Just because I am not completely confident or am unfamiliar with certain topics, that does not mean I can ignore them. Some of the most important things I have learned from workshops, university courses and my practicum experiences that I will take into my teaching are:
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Sharing the truth about Canadas history and not the old textbook version that many of us are familiar with. (Switching to an alternative story which is from the perspective of the colonized rather than the colonizers).
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Dispelling myths and misconceptions regarding Indigenous issues with my students.
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Infusing Indigenous culture and ways of knowing and being into my classroom whenever I can such as storytelling and talking circles.
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To acknowledge the land that we are learning on and turn it into action. From the "Aboriginal Lens" workshop I realized how script acknowledgments can be very superficial and it is important to acknowledge not only the land but what steps we can take to learn about the land we are visiting on.
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Nature is a teacher and we can learn so much from it.
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Importance of building intercultural understanding through various perspectives.
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Having every students reflected in the classroom.
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The importance of openly acknowledging our privilege and the systemic inequalities in our communities and world and then to use the privilege that we have to take action where we can, however small it may be. Being cognizant of the privilege we have is the first step to tackle judgements, personal bias and inequality.
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We can engage with privilege by ignoring it, becoming defensive about it, or becoming entitled with the privilege we have. On the other hand, we can own our privilege, learn about it, receive feedback and use our privilege to be a steward for others.
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Creating a school and classroom that focuses on equity will support every student and the lessons learned will extend to benefiting society.
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Incorporating restorative approach practices into my teaching to promote a safe and supportive community of learners.
These are some of the things I have learned and will be taking not only into my teaching, but my life in general. My second piece of evidence goes into greater detail about what I have reflected on and what I have learned. You can click the PDF to the left to read my paper I wrote for my Issues in Aboriginal Education course that shows my learning and acts in accordance with TRB Standard 9 . Over the years in the Education program I have really come to understand the importance of reflecting on my experiences and learning. When I take the time to reflect I find that is when some of my best learning occurs. The pictures below are some of the resources I have used and will continue to use in my future teaching. I look forward to learning more as I continue on my educating journey and to integrate First Nations, Inuit and Métis world-views and perspectives into the learning environment whenever I can.
References
Circlvideos. (2012, January 12). Todd Rose: Variability Matters. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WClnVjCEVM
Chrona, J. L. (2014). Background of FPPL and current contexts. Retrieved from https://firstpeoplesprinciplesoflearning.wordpress.com/background-and-current-context/
Dumont, H., Istance, D., & Benavides, F. (2010). The nature of learning: Using research to inspire practice. Paris, France: OECD.
Seuss, Dr. (1990).Oh, the places you'll go!New York: Random House.
Seuss, Dr. (2018). Happy birthday to you! London: HarperCollins Children’s Books.
Wilson, Ruth A. (1997). The Wonders of Nature - Honoring Children's Ways of Knowing, Early Childhood News, 6(19).
*All photos and videos used in this eportfolio were taken by me.
