Course Reflections

Major - Bachelor of Education Courses:

EDUC 1231- Professional Dimensions One

My first semester in Professional Dimensions was amazing. I got to learn about some ideologies and fundamentals of teaching while getting a hands on experience in a kindergarten class full of eager and inspiring students. This class was exciting and thought provoking through different readings and reflections in groups and the seminars I attended. I a, looking forward to Professional Dimensions 2!

EDUC 1233- Professional Dimensions Two

This second semester of education gave me a rich and developed understanding of what it is like to be a teacher. I was placed in a Grade 2 classroom this semester, and really enjoyed our school tours experience where I got to see the differenced between public and private schools as well as a specific All Boys Program. This class was hands on and engaging and I really enjoyed it.

EDUC 2371- Language, Development and Literacy

This course focused on the importance of Literacy and teaching an effective practice. Reflection as well as implementation of course concepts were great takeaways in this class, shaping my teaching philosophy and practices for my future.

EDUC 2261- Intro To Inclusive Education

This course taught the importance of creating an inclusive classroom and how to do so. Through multiple speakers and workshops I learned multiple concepts that I can apply in my future around building and performing active practices.

EDUC 2321- Education & Individual Development

Through this psychology course, I was able to learn the importance of brain development in children, classroom management, and how to create meaningful relationships with my students. This course was not only stimulating, it offered great insight into what I can apply in my future classrooms.

EDUC 2375- Effective Assessment

Assessment is a topic that has always been daunting and full of unknowns. After this course I have gained confidence in what effective assessment can look like, and how to create assessments specific for your class, as well as involving students in the assessment process.

EDUC 3103- Teaching ELA

ELA is a subject that has so many crucial elements. Through this course I was lucky enough to teach a reading buddy from September that I could mentor and work on her literacy skills till the end of March. This allowed for me to develop my understanding of the fundamentals in reading comprehension and learned key strategies to use in my future classroom. Inquiry based learning through The Galileo Network is a tool I can apply throughout my future years.

EDUC 4104- Teaching Music

Learning to teach through the arts has been a great experience. Having music in classrooms are crucial and can be used in combination with almost any subject. This course allowed for me to apply my prior knowledge and passions, and apply it in my field experience to see in a real life experience how effective music education can be.

EDUC 2321- Current & Emerging Technology

This course was an amazing step into the importance of incorporating technology in future classrooms as well as a tool for professional development. My key takeaway from this course would be the creation of my educational Twitter that I will be able to use for networking and professional connections.

EDUC 3106- Teaching Science

Learning how to effectively teach Science education opened so many doors professionally in ensuring quality and engaging Science lessons. My biggest takeaway from this course where the 6 E's that are essential to an effective Science lesson. Through these, I will be able to engage learners in an authentic experience.

Practicum I - Elboya School

This was my first and official practicum where I was honoured to teach an energetic and creative Grade 2 class. This practicum helped me discover my teaching presence within the classroom as well as long range planning and interdisciplinary teaching skills. During my time at Elboya, I taught up to 85% of the time, engaging students through an inquiry Boats & Buoyancy Unit, as well as gymnastics, mathematics, and story writing.

EDUC 3018- Teaching Mathematics

This course created an abundance of confidence as a math student and future educator. This course taught the importance of creating lessons that encourage and include all entry levels of learners. I will be incorporating this differentiation in my future practice to ensure no learners are left behind.

EDUC 3101- Teaching Art

Incorporating the arts has always been a goal of mine. This course taught the essentials around creating a strong and confident view of myself as an artist first, to ensure authentic practice. This course taught me how to be confident in my abilities bringing this into my practice.

EDUC 4107 - Teaching Social Studies

Through extensive reflections and seminars, this course offered a dive into Inquiry Based Learning, as well as effective ways to engage and teach Social Studies. Collaboration, critical thinking, and long range planning created a challenging and engaging course critical for my teaching degree.

EDUC 4351 - Indigenous Perspectives

An amazing and engaging course that offered crucial and critical understandings and perspectives on Indigenous Ways of Knowing, as well as understanding the past and present with reconciliation. This course offered intense personal reflection and connection time in regards to learning from the land. Through online seminars and in person outdoor learning, this course also offered personal time with a variety of elders who offered knowledge and impactful connections and refections into education and understandings.

EDUC 3105 - Teaching Physical Education

One of my favourite courses of which emphasized the importance around authentic physical education practices and wellness when developing physically literate students. This course taught how to create effective & detailed long range and mid range plans, engaging and diverse games and teaching strategies, as well as effective assessment practices around physical education.

EDUC 2271 - Intro Methods & Materials TESL

This course offered effective strategies and developed a deeper understanding on how to assist English Language Learners inside the classroom. This course took us through hands on experiences creating a deeper understanding around what are effective and ineffective supports when it comes to our ELL students, and how we can adjust our practice to make enhance learning.

EDUC 4201 - Ideas, Values, & Praxis

This final year capstone course supported and summarized my degree while offering insights and application to meaningful inquiry and job application. This course was attended online through the COVID-19 pandemic in synchronous learning with my final practicum. Through this course, authentic inquiry was created through a capstone assignment and presented at a final gala where all work was shared and evaluated. I am grateful for the amazing and foundational learnings I have taken away from this course in regards to a future career and teaching philosophy.

EDUC 4361 - Exceptional Students

This amazing and thought provoking course offered insight into understanding and developing effective teaching practices for students with mild, moderate, and severe learning disabilities. This course offered insight and a closer look into diverse student backgrounds, gifts and talents, as well as how to effectively adapt and modify teaching instruction for each student. Through this course I was able to apply course teaching directly into my second practicum for great learner success.

Practicum II - West Dover School

Teaching 50 - 100% of the time for a 3 month period at West Dover School through COVID-19. During this time, I was engaged in two full time courses and weekly seminars. My courses included: Exceptional Students, and Integrating Ideas, and Values and Praxis. I was lucky to be engaged with a busy Grade 3 class coming from a variety of backgrounds teaching the importance of getting to know each of my amazing learners creating a meaningful and memorable final practicum.

Minor - Elementary Health and Physical Education:

HPED 1550- Individual Activities

This fun sports class was one of my favourites. This class went into depth about athletes and how they achieve their optimal state of "Flow." Half of this class was spent in a lecture while the other half was student led activities that varied from in pool activities to a mini triathlon and a spin class! This was a great class to fully enjoy and get active for a couple hours each week.

HPED 1310- Teaching Games for Understanding

What a great hands on class this was. Not only was this class lecture rich, it was hands on and allowed for 90% student interaction and teaching. In this course we learned how to teach sports and games effectively through a TGfU model. Individual teaching, peer teaching, and class teaching were all a requirement developing my lesson plan abilities and preparation techniques that I can apply directly to my education future.

PHYS 1530- Movement Education

Movement Education taught effective ways to teach physical literacy to students. Through lesson planning and understanding FMS skills, I learned how to understand quality physical education and teach students how to have a heathy and active lifestyle.

PHYS 3518- Physical Growth & Motor Development

Through this course I have learned child development as well as motor development skills. It taught how children mature physically and mentally showing each stage of growth. Through this I learned why children do the things they do and key aspects to look out for that can relate to disabilities in later years.

PHYL 3320- Adapted Physical Activity

This course was an opportunity to get a glimpse into the world of adapted sport, focusing on varying athletic abilities and the development of The Paralympics. Through engaging collaborative experiences, special guests, and a short and engaging adapted sport practicum, I was able to try a variety of athletic activities through an adapted lens, developing a deeper understanding around inclusive physical literacy.

HPED 1040- Personal Health to Community Action

This course offered an insight into holistic health, and how we as individuals can practice wellness strategies in everyday life. This course included guided meditations, activity and food logs, as well as how to set and achieve personal goals, developing an understanding around living a healthy lifestyle.

General Education & Elective Courses:

GNED 1401- Writing For Academic Success

This class was a saviour and a must have tool for university writing. This class taught the basics of university papers and how to apply the rules of APA and MLA into essays. This class also taught me how to critique and advertisement properly and apply university level insights to all my future papers. I enjoyed this class and would highly recommend to any first years.

GNED 1304- Communities and Societies

This course goes over the differences between societies in our modern world and communities. We discussed world issues of the past and present and how we can take part as well as understand different situations regarding race, gender, and financial stability. This class taught me how to look at the world a different way and analyze actions of advocacy through satire and different formats.

GNED 1201- Aesthetic Experiences and Ideas

This philosophical class taught complex ideas on 3 different books based of humans and our past. This class discusses the ideologies of Charles Dickens, Daniel Quinn, and Christopher Columbus. This class was insightful and thought provoking! Lots of heavy material and deep connections to the Industrial Revolution and the way our society functions! I recommend this course to those who love to read!

GNED 1103- Innovation

This class purposed challenges that pushed my knowledge but over all gave me confidence and a positive attitude towards Math and Science. This course allowed me to learn about nanotechnology and biometrics teaching me new and exciting things that broadened my knowledge.

COMM 2501-Media History and Contemporary Issues

This course was very engaging and very interesting to take. This course was half online and half lecture. This course went through the history of technology and print, opening my eyes to the importance of the past and how we got to where we are today. This class developed my computer skills and my writing skills as prepare writings and essays were mandatory for each week. Through the exploration of Print, Visual, Digital, and Electronic Creations, I developed a deeper understanding of how are world has grown and expanded.

ASTRO 1103- The Universe at Large

This course introduced me to the science of the universe. Through 16 chapters I learned how the universe works around stars, galaxies, and philosophers. This course helped me understand the world of astronomy and how I can apply this in future science lessons and classrooms.

NTSC 1115- Forensic Science

This course taught me to be analytic, look beyond what meets the eye, and use my knowledge of fundamental courses such as math, science, and health to solve crimes. This exciting course allowed for me to be in a new setting that challenged my skills, offering me opportunities that were a little out of the ordinary!

GNED 1101 - Science & Mathematical Literacy

This course was an insight into how Math and Science connects to every day life through Personal Finance, The Plate Tectonic Theory, History of Numeration Systems, as well as Probability and many more. Critical thinking as well as basic Mathematic practice was developed through this course.

GNED 1101 - Intro to Sociology

An engaging and eye opening course that develops a better understanding in regards to how history has shaped our society. Looking into different philosophies and critically applying where and what theories fit into to different societies and cultures of the world.

GNED 1404 - Writing About Images

Through critically understanding and analyzing a plethora of images this course dives deep into current events regarding protests, gender socialization, advertisement and the idea of westernized beauty standards. This course gets students to look at images first critically, then allows for personal connections to develop understanding.

ENGL 1151- The Art of Story

This course was an engaging and interesting dive into a variety of literary works including stories, poetry, and short dramas introducing literary analysis skills and opportunities to interpret text in authentic ways. This course taught critical and extensive comprehension skills, discovering meaning through a variety of texts that connect to the current events of today.

HIST 1131 - Modern Canada 1867 to Present

This course touched on the importance of historical events in Canadas past, connecting to the current political and social systems of today. Through text analysis around the developments of Canadas economic system and the history of famous Wars, I was able to develop a deeper understanding around Canada's complex history.