Facilitating Learning

Students were asked to sort boxes of Lucky Charms and make graphs to see which marshmallow shape was most abundant.

2022-2023 - my final reflection

During my final practicum this year, I considered the feedback I received during my mid-term evaluation this year, as well as the feedback I received in my previous practicum. One of the key takeaways from the feedback was the importance of clearly explaining learner goals and lesson objectives to my students before sending them off to learn and explore.

I realized that as an educator, it's not enough to simply assign a task or activity and assume that my students will understand what is expected of them. Instead, it's crucial to take the time to articulate clearly the learning objectives and the intended outcomes of each lesson. This helps to ensure that my students have a clear understanding of what they are working towards, and how their efforts fit into the larger picture of their education.

To put this feedback into action, I had to be more deliberate in my lesson planning. I took the time to clearly articulate the learning objectives and goals for each lesson, and I made sure to communicate these goals to my students at the beginning of each class. This allowed them to understand what was expected of them and to have a clear sense of direction as they worked through the material.

As I continued to implement this approach throughout my practicum, I began to see the positive impact that it was having on my student's engagement and learning. They were more focused and invested in their work, and they were able to make more meaningful connections between the material and their own experiences.

Moving forward, I plan to continue working on being more clear and concise with my expectations. I believe that this will not only benefit my students but it will also help me to become a more effective and impactful educator.

Students were asked to draw themselves as accurately as possible, and shared their creations with their peers during a sharing circle

fall 2021

Goals Before Practicum:

This semester, my goal for facilitating learning is to "pace lessons appropriately for all students, including time for reflection and closure" (TQS 3b). During my first practicum, I was lucky enough to have taught two lessons. My issue with my lesson plans was their length; we had plenty of time to do the activity, but not enough time to sit back afterward and reflect on what we had learned. As I continue into my 5-week practicum, I would love to perfect my lesson plan formatting to permit enough time for self-reflection and to discuss the next steps.

Growth After Practicum:

I made some excellent growth within this competency and was able to meet the learning goal that I set prior to my practicum. As stated, I struggled in my first practicum to allow enough time for reflection after teaching a lesson. This year I made an effort to end lessons early so that students could share and reflect on their learning. My fondest memory of this was through a story-making activity. Students were asked to draw a story that had various characters that showed emotion. After the drawing session, students came up and shared their drawings with the class and completed a verbal self-assessment.

Goals For Future Practicums:

After my mid-term evaluation this semester, I became more aware of the importance of clearly explaining learner goals and lesson objectives to students before sending them off to learn and explore. In the future, I would like to continue working on my ability to be more clear and concise with my expectations.

A screenshot from the lesson that I was able to watch while completing my classroom management assignment

source

Winter 2020

Growth:

Through the classroom management assignment in EDUC 2321, I gained a better understanding of how I may “provide [my students] clear explanations with rich language and examples (TQS 3b).” Being able to analyze ways in which other educators facilitate their lessons allowed me to better understand a wide array of teaching strategies. In the classroom management assignment, I took notes as I watched a video of a teacher giving a lesson. I was able to see how this teacher made the information accessible, and I was able to pinpoint certain methods that I would alter or avoid in my own practice.

Goals:

Next year, I would love to continue learning about more ways to make learning easier for my students. I will be able to accomplish this goal by continuing to study in the Bachelor of Education program, as well as by observing my mentor teacher. This goal aligns with my role as a future educator because it is crucial for me to know the different ways in which students comprehend ideas and stay engaged.

The Memory Stone by Anne MacDonald

This book is great for facilitating learning. While students are learning about rocks in science, this book can be used in ELA. It is important to keep all subjects interweaved and relevant.

Fall 2020

Growth:

This semester I learned quite a lot about facilitating learning, especially when it comes to reading and ELA lessons. One main point that stood out to me was how important it is to provide connection and relevance in ELA readings and lessons. My mentor teacher told me that the way she facilitates learning for her students is by always choosing ELA books that relate to what her students are studying in social studies or science. When doing this, a teacher has to explain to their students why the book is important and relevant to their lives.

Another method that makes learning easier and more student-based is whole-class instruction. In my read aloud lesson I made sure to shift the responsibility to my students by allowing them to ask each other questions and discuss in groups. Allowing students to call on each other for answers is a huge part of facilitated learning.

Goals:

In order to facilitate learning as a teacher, my goal is to research and read way more books. I want to find interesting books that can be used to teach a variety of different subjects. I also plan on finding books that offer questions that can be discussed amongst small groups.

Above: A method that assesses student learning. The hand symbols inform teachers and students whether or not the information has been understood.

Below: Images used to assist students who are not yet fluent in English

Winter 2019

Growth:

This semester I was exposed to various methods of teaching in a Kindergarten environment. My mentor teacher used a lot of music-based methods to make memorization easier for her students. She also used visuals to assist students with language barriers. Most importantly, I learned that children are more likely have an easier time with material if it relates to their interests and previous knowledge. This method is done through the use of "centers". If a student enjoys painting, they can paint. If they enjoy math, they can play with the dice and cards.

Goals:

My goal for the next year is to learn about more ways to make learning easier for students. This can be done through researching different methods of teaching, as well as through observing my mentor teacher. To put this goal into action, I must assure that I am engaged in my education courses. This goal aligns with my role as an educator because it is vital to know the different that students comprehend ideas. Every student learns differently.

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