I have seen a definite shift in my thoughts about teaching and learning during my first semester in the B.Ed. program. Looking back over the past few months, I can see two major areas that demonstrate how my thinking has evolved: My thoughts on the design of lesson plans and my beliefs about the purpose of assessment. Prior to entering the B.Ed. program, my idea of lesson planning was completely backwards; I thought that a lesson started with a plan for how the material ought to be taught and built toward an end of what the student should know at the end of the class. By the end of September I was already beginning to change my thinking on this matter, writing "the initial focus of the lesson plan should always be on what the teacher wants the outcome to be: the end goal of the learning" (Chris Sapiano, Guiding Questions: Week 3, 2023). As these principles were further refined, I began to tie my lesson plan assignment together by relating assessment directly to learning goals, stating that "[l]earning outcomes are clearly stated in section 1a, with a direct tie to assessment in section 1b" (Chris Sapiano, Guiding Questions: Week 4, 2023).
This evolution of thinking is consistent with the principles of backward design which "prioritizes the intended learning outcomes instead of topics to be covered" (Teaching + Learning Lab, n.d.). In this model, lesson planning begins at the end: what learning outcomes we wish the foster in our students, and then works back toward the beginning: an outline of the lesson activities. This technique permits the teacher to ground their activities in their stated learning goals in an intentional way, preventing the use of activities for their own sake (Bowen, 2017).
When prompted to consider how my view of assessment has changed over this semester, I remarked that prior to the B.Ed. program "I saw assessment merely as a tool to judge how each student ranked in terms of understanding of a planned and fixed curriculum" (Chris Sapiano, Personal Statements: Week 8, 2023). Only a few weeks into the program I had already learned that "[w]hen used correctly, frequent formative assessments can spot shortcomings and blind spots that have formed before they become major issues for both the teacher and the student" (Chris Sapiano, Guiding Questions: Week 2, 2023). I subsequently built this concept further, writing of my new perspective on assessment stating that "assessment (both formative and summative) can be used to check-in with the learners, gauge their progress and adapt the curriculum to their particular educational needs, as well as their strengths" (Chris Sapiano, Personal Statements: Week 8, 2023).
This view of assessment is consistent with the view that "integrated process[es] of assessment and instruction [should be] designed to improve student learning" (Ontario, 2013). This document produced by the Ministry of Education promotes frequent use of assessment 'of' 'for' and 'as' learning, with a particular emphasis on assessment for learning. These views closely align with my own developed over the course of this semester wherein I stated "assessment for learning helps [teachers and students] recognize areas of difficulty as they are happening, and allows for course correction to better meet the educational needs of the student" (Chris Sapiano, Guiding Questions: Week 5, 2023).
While there are other areas in which my views on education have grown, I feel like these two aspects represent the most universal and holistic evolutions of my teaching philosophy this semester. By working intentionally to ensure that all activities in my classes serve a specific educational goal, I can build lessons that provide robust learning experiences. Incorporating frequent use of meaningful assessment, both my students and I can work together to build an enriching classroom experience. By integrating and internalizing these lessons, I hope that my continued educational journey will be one which is more fruitful than ever.
References
Sapiano, C. (2023). Digital learning portfolio. https://sites.google.com/ontariotechu.net/chris-sapiano-dlp/
Where to Start: Backward Design (n.d.). Teaching + Learning Lab. https://tll.mit.edu/teaching-resources/course-design/backward-design/
Bowen, R. S. (2017). Understanding by Design. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/understanding-by-design/
Ontario. (2013). Learning for all: A guide to effective assessment and instruction for all students, kindergarten to grade 12. Ministry of Education. https://files.ontario.ca/edu-learning-for-all-2013-en-2022-01-28.pdf