I am excited about my third practicum in Grade 2/3 at Hart Highlands Elementary School because it offers me the chance to teach for 10 weeks, a stretch of time that will allow me to build unit plans. I am looking forward to developing and evaluating short and long term plans. In particular, I am eager to work on my assessment strategies. I hope to discover best practices for evaluating young learners’ growth. I want to improve my preassessment, formative assessment, and summative assessment strategies. I believe that careful observation is the foundation for effective assessments, and I plan to engage with the classroom community to build stronger lesson plans. My goal is to work cooperatively with the Coaching Teacher, Educational Assistant(s), and Aboriginal Educator.
I hope to be an example of positive change. I am planning a unit of National Orange Shirt Day: Truth and Reconciliation. I will apply Core Competencies to learning about residential schools and the effects of them onto indigenous families. My teaching is holistic: I infuse the Core Curriculum with art, music, and stories from authentic first people’s resources. I will be using FNESC as my chief resource. I will also build a strong relationship with the Indigenous Educator and Youth Worker at my school. I will support all students in developing an understanding of the significant place of First People within the historical and contemporary fabric of this province.
During my practicum, I will work to improve my classroom management strategies. I plan to start each day the same way, welcoming students at the entrance. I will create a routine that builds a sense of safety and regularity for the young learners. Between lessons, I will give clear instructions on how and when to clean up and when to get ready for a new lesson. I will use gestures in addition to my voice to keep the students on task.
Therefore, I have three main goals for the 10 week practicum: Practice unit planning and assessment strategies, teach to the objectives of Standard 9, and improve classroom management strategies.
