Facilitating learning

Jan. - Apr. 2019 (Year 4 Practicum)

Facilitating Learning Goal:

• Plan lessons that are differentiated to be accessible for all students.

Action Plan:

• Use the RTI model to plan for what students might need to support their learning.
• Plan meaningful and deep extensions.
• Be flexible and change something if students need a different support.

Artifact:

• Linked below are the two question guides for our fraction project. They were differentiated to meet and expand a base level understanding or to enrich and extend for those who need a challenge.
• Fraction Project - Option 1
• Fraction Project - Option 2

Sept. - Dec. 2017 (1^st Practicum)

• Learning about Fibonacci

During our exploration of Fibonacci, I wrote down on chart paper what the students already knew about Fibonacci and what they wondered. This helped me go forward in my planning to ensure that student's interests were being considered as we continued to explore the life and work of Fibonacci. Linked above is a photo of the chart where I wrote down what the students shared with me.

Jan. - Apr. 2017 (EDUC 2375-002)

• Journal Excerpt

In the journal linked above I wrote about how having clear expectations and giving quality feedback significantly changes how you are facilitating learning for your students. This journal also touches on the importance of differentiating instructions and tasks to support students learning needs.

Teaching Competency Goal: Give students meaningful feedback throughout their learning that will help keep them on track and contribute to their growth and motivation as a learner.

Action Plan: I will balance praise with constructive criticism and always keep feedback meaningful according to the outcome(s). I will give specific feedback that focusses on the work that is being done and use this as a way to check in on my students progress throughout the task. This feedback will encourage and guide students as they keep growing as a learner.

Jan. - Apr. 2016

• School Tours Assignment

In the above assignment I had the privilege to look at three different schools and how the administration and staff facilitate learning. The students I observed on these tours all had significant learning needs. There were students who needed specialized attention due to communication or cognitive disabilities and I also saw students who were living through poverty or extreme circumstances at home. All of these students have different needs and the way the staff and administration are addressing these needs is admirable.

Growth:

With this assignment I recognized that being able to facilitate learning as a teacher goes beyond the classroom. Students might need their physiological needs or security needs met before they can engage in learning at a higher level. Another role of a teacher is promoting social skills and creating a safe space where students can learn in a social setting. Often students need to be taught prosocial skills in order to be successful in the classroom and there are many ways that teachers can help students learn how to be successful socially.

Actions:

The program outcomes state that teachers should, "scaffold student understanding including knowledge, skills and strategies" (F5). There are various skill levels in every classroom and as a teacher I need to be able to evaluate what the needs are and know how to scaffold understanding so that my students can be successful academically and socially. I hope to talk more to my professors and my mentor teachers about how they address different learning needs to make sure that no students gets left behind.