Embedded Files
Fall 2021
Fall 2021
My Teaching Philosophy
My Teaching Philosophy
Having an philosophy is something that is really important to me, especially when it comes to teaching. This philosophy creates a foundation for not only my teaching but my learning as well, no matter the circumstances. There are many things important to me in regards to educating that I have discovered within my first two years in the program, a few being differentiating needs and instructional methods, and classroom environment. With the current circumstances of the world, differentiating instruction is extremely important. Having that flexibility and adaptability within the classroom and across all educational boards is crucial in order for us as teachers to offer engaging and in rich learning experiences. Within the basis of differentiating, differentiating the learning needs of students is of the utmost importance and I believe should be thought of with care. Students come with all different learning capabilities, languages, behavioural needs etc. and as we've been learning, adapting instruction son all students can learn is extremely important. I have gotten the chance to work with a variety of students all with different needs in which I have learned, or am learning how to best educate them. This is our duty as teachers and something that should not be taken lightly. Lastly, something that has always been important to me, since before I was a student teacher and rather a student myself was classroom environment. Students learn in an environment that is comfortable and creates opportunity for growth. This could be about classroom seating, libraries, posters, colours and so much more. Each teaching style and classroom is different, but finding out what yours is is incredibly important and I know that I'm beginning to learn about myself and discover what mine is.
Winter 2021
Winter 2021
Pedagogical Literacy Statement
Pedagogical Literacy Statement
The winter 2021 semester and all of my courses have allowed me to strengthen and develop my pedagogical literacy statement. Through my EDUC 2103 class, we explored many components of the ELA program in Alberta and connected this to my personal, educational philosophies. Course topics, readings, videos, and in-class discussions all contributed to my learning and allowed me to develop a purpose of literacy.
The purpose of literacy can be explained by growing one's reading and writing abilities to develop thinking and understanding. It is considered one of, if not the essential part of education. Literacy is a fundamental process in which all individuals expand their comprehensive knowledge. I believe it is more than simply understanding how to read and gaining ability and confidence in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students should be able to connect and interpret these skills to their daily lives. This is a critical factor in achieving competency across all educational subjects. My idea of literacy has been influenced by this course and the different elements we have studied. Many other factors contribute to effective literacy development, and it is our job as teachers to give students all the necessary tools to succeed. In my opinion, literacy should be cautiously intertwined with all educational subject matter and be a constant curriculum element. The more students practice all aspects of literacy, the better prepared they will be for educational purposes and social reasons.
A quality English Language Arts program contains many different instructional aspects but is built on the foundation of program outcomes. As teachers, we must respect and weave program outcomes into our instruction. This can be done in a fun and engaging way, which we have learned through our class discussions and assignments. Some examples of assignments that have been useful in helping me understand the important elements of an ELA program are the resource bank and novel study unit plan. They demonstrate aspects that should be included in all lesson plans like a target, curricular outcomes, planning, and incorporation of crucial literacy terms. Focusing on one of the six traits of comprehension, for example, would be necessary for an assessment task. With this comes planning. Planning is an essential part of teaching, and without this, we cannot guarantee students will be best prepared to learn. Whether it is a single lesson or a month-long unit plan, they all require careful attention and consideration, especially for important topics like differentiation and phonics. With this comes rubrics that should be created with specific attention to a balance of student's abilities and program outcomes. Because there are so many elements required to develop a quality ELA program, teachers and student teachers should be best prepared for changing situations and remain flexible.
Working with students on their reading, writing, speaking, listening and comprehension skills are all parts of a quality English Language Arts program. I believe that word study/spelling and phonics to be two of the most important aspects. These are both foundational aspects of literacy that are required for students to have an in-depth comprehension of to be successful in all subject matters in school and life. This course has allowed me to analyze and understand a thorough manner to teach these to students while thinking about each student's individual needs. One of the most important aspects of any quality program in education is a teacher who has presence and courage in the classroom. A teacher who is not afraid to take risks in the classroom creates a certain sense of authenticity that generates genuine learning between both students and teacher. Teachers who have a presence develop a community of positive learners that allows for growth in all areas of education. Creating a quality ELA program does stem from literacy but is based on so much more than that. When teachers have a purpose, they have an identity within the classroom. This inspires deep learning and a rich learning experience guaranteed to last a lifetime. My goal for myself within this specific teaching competency is to better focus on the approaches to learning and how this affects the classroom environment. Because the environment is so important, being as knowledgeable as possible about this topic is beneficial as a student-teacher. A community where both teachers and students can learn and engage in positive relationships creates authentic learning experiences for all.
The purpose of literacy can be explained by growing one's reading and writing abilities to develop thinking and understanding. It is considered one of, if not the essential part of education. Literacy is a fundamental process in which all individuals expand their comprehensive knowledge. I believe it is more than simply understanding how to read and gaining ability and confidence in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students should be able to connect and interpret these skills to their daily lives. This is a critical factor in achieving competency across all educational subjects. My idea of literacy has been influenced by this course and the different elements we have studied. Many other factors contribute to effective literacy development, and it is our job as teachers to give students all the necessary tools to succeed. In my opinion, literacy should be cautiously intertwined with all educational subject matter and be a constant curriculum element. The more students practice all aspects of literacy, the better prepared they will be for educational purposes and social reasons.
A quality English Language Arts program contains many different instructional aspects but is built on the foundation of program outcomes. As teachers, we must respect and weave program outcomes into our instruction. This can be done in a fun and engaging way, which we have learned through our class discussions and assignments. Some examples of assignments that have been useful in helping me understand the important elements of an ELA program are the resource bank and novel study unit plan. They demonstrate aspects that should be included in all lesson plans like a target, curricular outcomes, planning, and incorporation of crucial literacy terms. Focusing on one of the six traits of comprehension, for example, would be necessary for an assessment task. With this comes planning. Planning is an essential part of teaching, and without this, we cannot guarantee students will be best prepared to learn. Whether it is a single lesson or a month-long unit plan, they all require careful attention and consideration, especially for important topics like differentiation and phonics. With this comes rubrics that should be created with specific attention to a balance of student's abilities and program outcomes. Because there are so many elements required to develop a quality ELA program, teachers and student teachers should be best prepared for changing situations and remain flexible.
Working with students on their reading, writing, speaking, listening and comprehension skills are all parts of a quality English Language Arts program. I believe that word study/spelling and phonics to be two of the most important aspects. These are both foundational aspects of literacy that are required for students to have an in-depth comprehension of to be successful in all subject matters in school and life. This course has allowed me to analyze and understand a thorough manner to teach these to students while thinking about each student's individual needs. One of the most important aspects of any quality program in education is a teacher who has presence and courage in the classroom. A teacher who is not afraid to take risks in the classroom creates a certain sense of authenticity that generates genuine learning between both students and teacher. Teachers who have a presence develop a community of positive learners that allows for growth in all areas of education. Creating a quality ELA program does stem from literacy but is based on so much more than that. When teachers have a purpose, they have an identity within the classroom. This inspires deep learning and a rich learning experience guaranteed to last a lifetime. My goal for myself within this specific teaching competency is to better focus on the approaches to learning and how this affects the classroom environment. Because the environment is so important, being as knowledgeable as possible about this topic is beneficial as a student-teacher. A community where both teachers and students can learn and engage in positive relationships creates authentic learning experiences for all.
My Teaching Philosophy
I believe that teachers have one of the most important roles because they are tasked with educating children to be successful, inspired, and good human beings. Their role is both significant and valuable in society.
Metaphors for Teaching
Metaphors for Teaching
Teachers are Jugglers
Teachers are Jugglers
Jugglers require intense coordination between many factors juggling students, issues in the classroom, different tasks, preparing activities, relationships with colleagues, school community and much more
A juggler can sometimes mess up and lose a part of what their juggling, similar to how teachers sometimes make mistakes and must restart or focus more attention certain parts to regain control.
This can take years of practice to perfect and even then perfection is rare, being confident in your skills is necessary to succeed in creating an entertaining and comfortable environment.
These metaphors are important to explain the immense tasks teachers are faced with every single day!
Teachers are Gardeners
Teachers are Gardeners
Plant a seed of education and learning to students
Teachers must do necessary nurturing and growing of their class
Teachers have a role to plant a seed of knowledge in students and are then tasked with nurturing them in many ways to ensure their success. They must have a stimulating environment surrounding learning that includes stable structure, repetition, routine, and community among teachers, students and peers. To have a successful plant, you have to make sure it feels safe to grow which depends entirely on its surroundings. Teachers have to make sure they provide students with adequate resources to thrive. Finally, to ensure that they grow correctly, assessments must be made to make certain that their growth throughout learning will result in an intelligent, fully bloomed flower, or student.
If teachers are gardeners, students are the plants that need watering and nurture!
Rollercoaster
Rollercoaster
The act of teaching can be closely related to riding a rollercoaster. While waiting in line, you feel many emotions like nervousness, anxiousness and excitement all compiled together. Anticipating an event like a rollercoaster is similar to how teachers feel while preparing for their day of teaching. A roller coaster has many dips and drops throughout its journey, signifying how every day of teaching is different and it is common and acceptable to make mistakes. Making mistakes may delay the process but you will always eventually reach the arrival point. Once you finish the rollercoaster you have a sense of happiness and accomplishment which can be said for teaching when you successfully teach a lesson or are overjoyed when a student understands something they’ve had difficulty with.
Constructivism
Constructivism
I believe in constructivism as a model of teaching because it helps students succeed by reaching their full potential. This model focuses on the importance of students being actively involved in their education.
Learning occurs because learners are actively involved in the process of meaning and knowledge. I believe that by having students apart of creating their education plan it can ensure their productiveness and eagerness to learn.
Students can gain their conclusions with creative aid if teachers act as facilitators. Students can feel in control of their learning which I believe can create a positive learning environment and help teachers understand how to effectively teach their students.
Some advantages of constructivism include
It relies heavily on collaboration work
Promotes student agency and participation
Develops advanced skills like critical thinking, analysis and evaluation
Promotes diverse viewpoints
Ideologies and Philosophies
Ideologies and Philosophies
Idealism, Realism and Pragmatism
Idealism, Realism and Pragmatism
As a teacher, I hope to incorporate these ideologies into my teaching. In the future, I hope to follow a pragmatist approach to teaching. This philosophy says that education should be about life and growth. Two key focuses include practical learning which focuses on real-world application and experimental learning which involves learning through experiences. pragmatism in education is geared towards problem-solving that is group-oriented. Teachers should be considered a guide of learning and they feel that "doing" is more than important. In my class, I hope to be a teacher who allows her students to experience learning and retain information rather than silently listening. I also believe that having an idealism and realism approach to teaching. While I believe that having a hands-on approach to learning is very important and greatly benefits students, I do also think that literature and lecture-based education is beneficial. Plato believed in the idealism method which is a traditional method that highlights a historical-based education. I also believe that realism is important to incorporate into teaching because it is based on basic skills mastery and demonstration. Through demonstration and repetition, students cannot only retain information but understand why. Aristotle teaches students how to find educational reality through logical processes which include the study of the natural world and skills of inquiry. I believe in this approach because it helps students connect to the environment around them while understanding processes.
My Philosophy
My Philosophy
On the spectrum of philosophies, my beliefs surrounding education and the act of teaching fall into progressivism. I also believe in certain aspects of essentialism education. Progressivism believes in active experiments and is rooted in questions students acquire by doing these experiments. I believe that I learn better in these conditions because it creates knowledge through experience rather than information transfer between people. The student is also centred in this philosophy and lots of importance is placed around their way of learning and understanding the information being taught to them. I believe in an active and not passive way of learning. As a teacher, I will provide effective experiences for my students to generate thoughtful questions that can create meaningful understandings. John Dewey was the founder of this philosophy and a quote that resonates most with me and I will base my teaching off of is "Failure is instructive. The person who thinks learns quite as much from his failures as from his successes.” Failure through experiences is common, I think it is about what we learn from these failures is how we understand better for the future. While I agree with a more progressive type of education, I also believe that the "basics" are still fundamental in learning and should still have importance in the classroom. Essentialism is a philosophy that focuses on teaching the common core or "basics" of information to students. What is important about this philosophy is that it understand that curriculum will change according to the world and it places emphasis on adapting. I believe in the ideas taught by this theory about training students to read, write, speak, and compute clearly and logically, but I believe that students learn in. many different ways, therefor an authoritative approach is not always positive and effective. Essentialism reinforces that learning occurs as a result of reinforcing responses of stimuli and social learning can be done by observing. It focuses heavily on the ability to apply schoolhouse work to the real world which I believe is important to fully understand the extent of knowledge taught.
I believe, in having a comforting, acceptable, open-minded, enthusiastic, educational, inspirational, fun, creative, collaborative, innovative classroom.
Winter 2020
Winter 2020
Teaching Philosophy
Teaching Philosophy
(Winter 2020)
(Winter 2020)
The second semester in the first year of my education degree has allowed me to go further into my thinking and apply more theories about my philosophy. Through my field study, I was able to see myself as a teacher and assume a role that would allow me to envision how I would teach my future students. Something that I have learned through this past semester is the importance of adaptability. Being in a real classroom as a teacher presence rather than a student has permitted me to see how crucial it is to understand that plans change daily, and being adaptive to students changing needs is key. Whether they have learning challenges that require a specific plan or students' behaviour changing and needing correction, understanding how to properly adapt can change a classroom. Inspiring education is something that also resonates much deeper with me now. I want to be the teacher that inspires their students to do good in the world. I want them to have someone positive to look up to. Being in my field study with my mentor teacher has allowed me to see first hand the influence teachers do have, and when put to good can change students' lives. I believe that a classroom is a community where students, teachers and parents must all be involved. This can allow and positive and cohesive atmosphere. A model I want to follow in my future years of teaching and want to explore more through learning is the universal design of learning. Not every student learns in the same way so finding alternative approaches to assignments and lessons is very beneficial. It is important to me that no student is left behind. I believe that I learn just as much from students and they learn from me. I saw many examples of this in my field study and after I presented my lessons, they always had no way of looking at problems that I had never heard of. We collaborate and exchange ideas that are unique and great technique. The classroom environment is something I value and I think it can completely change the atmosphere of a class for students. Providing flexible seating and fidget toys to those students can be the determinate of their success.
These are some of my favourite Ted Talks based on the purpose of education.
These are some of my favourite Ted Talks based on the purpose of education.
1. Reinventing educating (https://ed.ted.com/lessons/let-s-use-video-to-reinvent-education-salman-khan)
2. Power of passion and perserverance (https://ed.ted.com/lessons/grit-the-power-of-passion-and-perseverance-angela-lee-duckworth)
3. Nurthur creativity (https://ed.ted.com/on/xrDUKmjA)
4. Spark Learning (https://ed.ted.com/best_of_web/982HDIkv)
Fall 2020
Fall 2020
Pedagogical Literacy Statement
Pedagogical Literacy Statement
The fall 2020 semester of school was unique and challenging. While we were not in a classroom setting we still learned and explored many topics that all have influenced my personal philosophy and ideas. Through course lectures, assignments, readings, group discussions and peer mentoring I have created and adjusted a literary statement for teaching English Language Arts for elementary education.
To begin I will speak about the Alberta Program of Outcomes. In all content areas, specifically ELA, curricular outcomes are very important and play a central role in education. They are designed to outline the learning intended for a certain school year and can act as a hook for lessons. These curricular outcomes must be met to fully prepare students for their next year of school. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to meet these program requirements and integrate the ELA program into all content areas. Whether it is science, math or social studies students are always learning and developing their English language. Being able to use these program outcomes and adapt them to each student's needs is crucial and I as a teacher will hold myself accountable for this. Through speaking to my mentor teacher and in-class lessons I have learned how important it is to use them as an outline but also develop things on your own as you go.
Next diving deeper into academic content, the use of phonics, vocabulary and comprehension will be active and demonstrated daily in my classroom. Phonics education should begin at the pre-school level to ensure students are best prepared for learning to read. Without phonic instruction, reading would not only be difficult but have no meaning. Using sight words, word charts and small-group instruction will help students develop these phonic reading skills that are so important. My professor and mentor teacher have emphasized the importance of proper phonics instruction and we have focused heavily on this topic this semester. We have done activities on how to develop lessons or specific content areas to help different levels of students. For me as teacher phonics will be an essential part of everyday ELA learning in elementary school. The use of vocabulary and comprehension goes hand in hand with phonics and should be used in all content areas. Vocabulary is constantly expanding and new ideas are always being developed. All content areas should emphasize vocabulary terms like math terms or science terms. Once students have basic vocabulary down they can start to explore new words and learn how to decode them. Comprehension goes along with vocabulary. It takes phonics instruction and deep learning to ensure students comprehend all material. I believe that with proper phonics instruction integrated into every lesson and activity, quality ELA learning will happen. As a future educator, I will make it my goal to ensure I have a quality lecture for my students to read and provide them with accurate and appropriate phonic and vocabulary instruction.
Another big part of learning that takes place in the English language Arts is learning how to differentiate. Being able to adapt to the situation and students' changing needs is important. Throughout the semester we discussed ways to differentiate activities or lessons depending on students' needs like an ELL student or a student with an IPP. Differentiation should be done in all aspects of education and classroom settings. Whether it is spending more quality time with a student, giving them a more difficult vocabulary activity or having more assessments these will all help a variety of students. No two students are the same and it is our job as teachers to provide students with a proper education regardless of how they learn. Being able to properly differentiate activities or readings for students is important and my goal as a teacher is to provide this for my students. We learned so much about these topics in class and through mentor teacher conversations that it is a key point. Teachers should be able to differentiate reading and writing to students' needs. This could be choosing a simpler level book with fewer words and more pictures, using small-group instruction or providing extra work. No matter what it is, it is necessary to differentiate and be able to adapt to any student's needs. Being able to do this will give students the confidence to learn and also give them the necessary skills.
Finally, assessment is a very important part of the English Language Program. Without assessment, teachers would never know if their teaching is effective and how to help students. We learned specifically about reading assessment using running records or creating assessments for lesson plans. Regardless of the lesson, keeping track of students' progress is necessary when it comes to reporting cards and lessons. Knowing how to properly assess students fairly and often is a main element of the ELA program. Assessing students on their reading and writing skills is not only beneficial for ELA but all other content matters as well. For example, giving students a science passage to read that is full of terms they are not familiar with makes no sense. If you assessed their knowledge you would know it is too hard for them and give them something simpler to read that follows the lesson. Being able to adapt and organize all of these thoughts is an important part of the English Language Program that teachers must do. Speaking to my mentor teacher helped confirm my prior knowledge about the importance of constant assessment. It does not always have to be an assessment on big assignments but rather constantly listening and assessing everyday activities, Creating a simple outline that lets you as a teacher assess students quickly and in an organized manner is beneficial. In class, we learn how important reading assessment is and how things like running records are great indicators of learning. A quality ELA program will have deep, specific and continuous assessment opportunities for students.
To summarize, there are many important factors that make up a quality English Language Program. Through my EDUC 2237 course I have learned and explored many topics that allowed me to become more familiar with these expectations. I hope to continue exploring these terms and also learning how to directly apply them in a classroom setting.
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