Purpose & Philosophy
My name is Natasha Boutilier. I am an elementary classroom teacher and MEd graduate in Curriculum Studies from St. Francis Xavier University. I am passionate about teaching and learning through a creative and innovative curriculum that nurtures the whole child.
As a lifelong teacher and learner, I engage in cultivating inclusive learning environments with an open mind and open heart. Knowing that learning can be chaotic and messy but being open to the journey and returning to my ‘why’ is what keeps me evolving and growing as a responsive practitioner. To build inclusive classrooms, I believe we need to move beyond the restrictive cookie-cutter approach to teaching and learning that I experienced firsthand as a child, to value diversity in all students and celebrate their different ways of expressing their learning. We have unique and rich opportunities sitting right in front of us.
I have a keen interest in pedagogies that will enhance my teaching practice and directly impact the well-being and learning needs of my students. Each interest and passion has inspired me to complete my second MEd in Administration and Policy with a focus on inclusive education.
As educators, we are already working hard to meet the diverse learning needs and interests of our students. There is not one educator who does not want to be the best they can be for their students. To provide the best possible classroom instruction, we need job-embedded professional development that enables us to learn new pedagogies and be responsive in our teaching practices. Unfortunately, however, we are often provided with new initiatives and pedagogies with little to no professional development. Most of the time we are left to our own devices, sifting through copious amounts of literature, videos, and exemplars from multiple sources, in isolation. In my experience, I have seen this frustrating search for practical teaching tools and strategies go in two ways:
#1 You end up down the rabbit hole and you have twenty web pages open. You may learn a few things but more than likely you end up more confused and have no idea where to start.
#2 You have no idea where to begin or where to find the time to complete the research so you do nothing.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an approach to teaching and learning that fosters learning communities that are accessible to all learners. UDL has been around for years in fields such as architecture and urban planning, but this framework is gaining momentum in education. After completing extensive research, the evidence has shown that there are significant potential benefits of the UDL framework, including the enhancement of student learning and the fostering of more inclusivity within today’s classrooms. To support teachers in the use of UDL in their classrooms, I have created readily accessible, online professional development that includes a series of six modules. Each module is a stepping stone that will support educators and administrators as they begin their journey towards a greater understanding of UDL and how to implement this framework within their learning communities.
Project Goals
While we have made gains in meeting student needs, we require a more integrated approach to teaching, learning, and professional development to avoid the fragmented initiatives that teachers are often asked to implement without adequate support. In particular, teachers require flexible, practical, and accessible professional development that is pertinent to their professional practice and adaptable to their different schedules and professional learning needs. This PD series was developed for educators and administrators to build their knowledge and capacity of UDL. Each module is a stepping stone that builds on knowledge and capacity that will provide educators with a place to start and confidence when setting up a learning community that is conducive to all learners.