Mentor Teacher Comments:  Jaiden embodies the essence of an exceptional educator through her unwavering passion, teaching excellence, and remarkable relationship-building skills. Her commitment to fostering a supportive classroom environment is reflected in her effective classroom management and seamless integration of Indigenous ways of knowing, enriching her students' educational experiences. Jaiden's adaptability shines as she navigates the complexities of an ever-changing classroom landscape, ensuring that each student's unique needs are met with care and attention. 

Jaiden's deeply reflective practice, coupled with her honesty and vulnerability in the classroom, fosters an environment of trust and growth. Her impressive depth of knowledge and genuine love of learning inspire students and colleagues alike, setting the stage for transformative educational journeys. Jaiden's multifaceted strengths as an educator—from her passion and teaching prowess to her cultural responsiveness and adaptability—position her as a beacon of excellence in the field of education, destined to positively impact countless lives as an incredible teacher.

Faculty Supervisor comments: During her practicum, Jaiden has developed a strong rapport with her students and created tasks and lessons that addressed the multiple needs and diversity of the learners in her class. She created engaging lessons and activities that supported the learning outcomes from the Alberta Program of Studies and encouraged creative and critical thinking. She learned to use engaging tasks that inspired curiosity and fostered critical thinking in an age appropriate format. With her passion for indigenous pathways of learning, she planned learning experiences that authentically integrated indigenous historical and cultural perspectives and honoured Indigenous ways. She also provided leadership with her colleagues in the school for indigenous ways of learning.

During my third year of studies, I had the great pleasure of completing a 5-week full time practicum at Ernest Morrow School. As I reflect on what impacted me the most in this practicum, at the risk of sounding elementary, I admit that simply being immersed in learning at Ernest Morrow as a whole has greatly impacted my perspective on teaching. I feel that having the opportunity to view teaching—and learning—from a different space has allowed me to more intimately understand certain aspects of the profession. Specifically, I viewed the teachers and the culture at Ernest Morrow as pioneers towards inclusive and differentiated education. When met with such a diverse group of children, myself and my educator mentors worked to meet the needs of every student. What's more, the educators at Ernest Morrow actively rewrite stereotypes and educational paradigms which are so often associated with students and schools of a similar socioeconomic stature. I dont think I will ever forget my time here, I had such an incredible time reciporocally learning with students and staff. 

Faculty Supervisor comments: "Jaiden is one of the most exceptional teacher candidates that I have had the privilege of observing. One of her most outstanding qualities is her humility. She presents not only as a teacher but as a learner who can learn along with her students. She was able to bond with them through this mindset. In addition to her humility is her ability to synthesize theory, and creatively put it into practice. She has strong ability to use the arts, and Indigenous ways of knowing in her work. She continued to diligently search for ways to match the needs of the individuals in her classroom. Her ability to rely on her intuition in formatting her lessons melds the theory and practice in extremely thoughtful ways. The students respond to this tailored lesson planning, which continues to invite them to push themselves in positive directions. Jaiden has outstanding collaborative skills with colleagues and made connections with, not only her mentor teacher, but many of the other staff members. This is difficult to do in only 5 weeks. She demonstrates exceptional skill in writing her reflections, and could easily have a career as an educational philosopher. She is someone who can be relied upon to do her best at all times. Jaiden knows herself, is a person who has wisdom beyond her years, and will be a teacher of renown in the future. Any school would be most fortunate to have her on staff."

During my second semester at Ethel M. Johnson school, I was able to continue my practicum experience and expand it in abounding ways. Having had the opportunity to join the school for full days allowed me a more in-depth and personal look at education and teaching as a profession. It was through this experience that I have been able to espouse the worlds of theory and practice so as to synthesize my learnings and form valuable takeaway knowledge. This semester I had the opportunity to teach 5 connected ELA lessons fully realized with explicit instruction, learning experiences and activities, and assessment tools. Being immersed in this diverse classroom allowed me to understand the power of planning for differentiation and behold a new outlook on creating an inclusive environment. Lastly, I believe I grew the most in the area of classroom management during my time this semester, and look forward to carrying my newly learned strategies with me into the future. 

During my first semester of second year in the Education Program, I had the pleasure of spending the fall at Ethel M. Johnson School; this is slated to continue into the winter term. During my time there, I gained valuable experience working with a classroom with diverse learners and needs, this allowed me to develop techniques to best assist and achieve learning in an inclusive classroom setting. I was offered the opportunity to complete a case study on literacy development in a one-on-one setting, as well as a fully developed read-aloud lesson and activity. In addition, I completed a plethora of hands-on activities with the classroom as a whole including assessments, read-alouds, presentations, math lessons, PE lessons, and small group support in both math and LA.