Facilitating Learning

Goal

Facilitating learning helps immerse students in their own learning process by teacher aid in accessing their own personal interests and abilities. This could include differentiation, altering teaching strategies or creating clear rubrics and expectations for students. The longer I spend in a classroom from a teacher's perspective, I recognize more the importance of altering the way in which we instruct students to better fit their needs. Not one student learns in the same way and it is our duty as teachers to ensure we are providing them with excellent educational tools to bring with them throughout their lifetime. It is important to give students clear expectations no matter their age because it sets the ground rules and allows them to understand exactly what is expected of them. My goal this semester is to better research differentiation and how it may be adapted depending on students age and skill level. Because I am in a kindergarten class this year, I am able to see the students at the beginning of their education path of discovery. Identifying students who may be exceeding curricular aims, meeting the aims and not meeting the aims is crucial. I will work closely with my mentor teacher to further explore their differentiation needs and determine how our role as a teacher changes depending on the student.

This artifact is some photos from my field study school, Connect Charter, in my grade 4 classroom. They focus on behaviours students should follow and I also included a math activity done in class. I think these pictures are important examples of how educators can design their classroom to be a respected and unique place, where rules are understood. Having clear boundaries can facilitate learning for both students and teachers and create a positive environment. The program outcome these pictures represent and I think are extremely important is 2 and 6. (F, 2,6). These outcomes explain that using a variety of strategies like behaviour charts or positivity posters can engage students in rich learning experiences. This is very important to ensure students are getting the very best from their education. The other outcome entails that we should provide clear explanations and expectations in the classroom to facilitate learning and allow for high-level thinking. I have actively seen how these pictures help students know their boundaries and can see the consequences if they chose not to follow them. I look forward to creating signs and posters like these for around my classroom to brighten up the walls and create clear rules for students. This allows everyone to stay on the same page and can create a positive flow in the classroom which facilitates learning. During these unprecedented times, being organized and having clear boundaries with online education is crucial. Speaking to my mentor teacher helped me navigate online school from their point of view. Being clear with students in all areas of school whether its assignments, lectures, online rules or general outcomes can greatly improve and facilitate learning in a classroom.

The artifact I chose for facilitating teaching competencies is my reading log assignment. This assignment was not only beneficial for research purposes but exposed me to many genres and activities I would have otherwise been missing. We focused on ten high-quality literature books ranging in age and style whether fiction, picture, chapter etc.. and then utilized outcomes and instruction. By basing these books and activities on the Alberta program of Education, I was able to directly connect it and see where the learning will be. By doing this, I know my students are learning everything they are supposed to and I can model my instruction on this. Being a teacher is all about being able to facilitate a positive learning experience for students. Making sure you are educated and have a diverse collection of resources is necessary to provide students with the best kind of education. Facilitation is also about classroom environment and accessibility. Having a rich library for students to choose from can improve their desire to read and overall comprehension of the material. Students can select books that are interesting to them and it creates diversity for different levels of students. The reading log focused specifically on outcomes for different grades and sections. Knowing these outcomes and how to integrate them into everyday lessons is the main factor of classroom facilitation. Based on discussions with my mentor teacher, using books for the beginning of every lesson is so important. A goal of mine would be to focus on picture books in all of my lessons and learn how to easily adapt them into the beginning of every lesson. Over time I feel that this will become easier and come more natural. As we learn more about literature in future courses, I feel like I will be properly set up to achieve my goal. It creates interest for students and opens up discussion. My mentor teacher also spoke about how important it is to make clear expectations and requirements for students. This facilitates assessment and allows students to better understand what is being asked of them. Creating simple "I can" statements or mini checklists for students are just a few examples of how to go even further with their learning. Facilitating learning is also all about creating a respectful and positive learning atmosphere.

Facilitating Learning

The artifact that best represents facilitating learning as a teacher is my group novel study unit plan. This novel study follows my group's novel, The Thing About Jellyfish, and our month-long, long-term plan. I chose this artifact because I think it encompasses everything about facilitating learning as a teacher. In this assignment, we are thinking about how students learn and how to create instructional activities that best suit their different needs. The unit plan was based on the program of outcomes which helps organize ideas and guide purposeful instruction. Each activity was chosen with careful selection, and we "use a variety of teaching strategies to engage learners in rich learning experiences" (FL2). When students are engaged in their learning and with tasks, they are more likely to understand better and be involved in the learning process. Long-term planning is a helpful way to organize instruction and ensuring all knowledge targets are being hit. Some examples of the activities include concept map, character interview, letter to a scientist, and more. These lessons are necessary, and I believe that we "paced lessons appropriately for all students, including time for reflection and closure" (FL9). The novel study plan helped me better understand the importance of long-term planning and compile a list of resources useful for future instructional planning. It also showed me the importance of how to "integrate digital technology and resources, as appropriate, to build student capacity for acquiring, applying and creating new knowledge" (FL3). Understanding

My goal is to explore further differentiation and ensure it is present in all instruction and assessment practices. This is something significant for comprehension and will facilitate learning for all students. By differentiating instruction, classrooms will be a community of engaged and positive learners. It is the teacher's role to provide students with adequate learning in all circumstances, all of which is part of the facilitation of learning.