1. Week 1: Planning for the Upcoming School Year
1.1. Four Commonplaces
1.1.1. teacher x student x topic x setting
1.2. Educational Psychology
1.2.1. Cognition and learning
1.2.2. Research methods
1.2.2.1. Qualitative V.S. Quantitative
1.3. Teacher Planning
1.3.1. Make individual files for each student
1.3.2. Conceptualize lessons while focusing on students
1.3.3. Curricular planning
1.3.3.1. Breaking curriculum down into units
1.3.3.2. Further breaking it down into daily lessons
1.4. Thoughts and Reflections
1.4.1. As a teacher, you have to keep your students' strengths and weaknesses when making lessons. This is something I need to get used to when I have my own classroom, and making files for each student is a great way to do this.
2. Week 3: Establishing Positive Learning Environment
2.1. Classroom Management
2.1.1. Behaviours have meaning
2.1.1.1. External factors can dictate how students react to their situation. Environmental, physical, home situation, etc.
2.1.2. Teachers create the environment in the classroom.
2.1.3. Better Learning happens in positive environment
2.2. Degree of Teaching
2.2.1. Authoritarian v.s. Authoritative
2.2.2. Rita Pierson "Every Kids Needs a Champion" Ted Talk.
2.2.2.1. "Students don't learn from people they don't like"
2.3. Thoughts and Reflections
2.3.1. The environment I create can dictate how well a student will learn. I have to be able to create bonds with my students that help me understand their behaviours in class. This way A student "acting out" could just mean they don't understand the subject.
2.3.2. One of my biggest fears for practicum is finding the balance for my degree of teaching. Because I have never had to discipline a student, I worry I will take on an authoritarian role when I should be authoritative.
2.3.2.1. I worry that my classroom management skills will not be good enough
3. Week 4: Making Instructional Decisions
3.1. Universal Design
3.1.1. Back to week 2: everyone learns differently
3.1.2. Use of variety of techniques
3.1.2.1. Exit tickets
3.1.2.2. PMI
3.1.2.3. PEOE
3.2. Inquiry Based Learning
3.2.1. This method enhances student engagement and lets students reach conclusions by asking their own questions
3.2.1.1. "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I'll learn."
3.3. Thoughts and Reflections
3.3.1. I was intrigued by including the students in creating the lesson plan. I don't think my teachers ever included the students in making lessons, and I think giving students that responsibility will make them responsible for their own learning and encourages inquiry based learning.
3.3.2. It is important to think about equality V.S. equity. Using universal design takes every student into account. Equality would mean giving everyone the same thing, whereas equity would mean giving each student what they need to succeed.
3.3.2.1. Equality V.S. Equity
4. Week 2: Considering Developmental Differences
4.1. Every student learns differently
4.1.1. Piaget's Four Stages of Development
4.1.2. Vygotsky: - Zone of Proximal Development - Scaffolding
4.1.3. There is no single way of learning, many people use multiple learning styles.
4.2. Fixed V.S. Growth Mindsets
4.2.1. What is the Difference?
4.2.2. How do I ensure students come into my classroom with a growth mindset?
4.3. Thoughts and Reflections
4.3.1. In order to incorporate different learning styles in my lessons, I have to include a variety of teaching strategies in my lessons.
4.3.2. Learning about growth mindset made me reflect on my own mindset. I realized that for many years I had a fixed mindset and it really set back my education. I wouldn't want to try to authentically learn because I didn't want to fail.
5. Week 6: Individual Differences-Intellectual Abilities and Challenges
5.1. Intelligence
5.1.1. "Intelligence as groups of intellectual behaviours, both goal-directed and adaptive" - Textbook quote, chapter 6
5.1.2. Carroll's Hierarchical Model of Intelligence
5.1.3. Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligence
5.1.4. Source of Intelligence: Nature v.s. nurture
5.2. Exceptionalities
5.2.1. High-Incidence and Low-Incidence
5.2.2. Individualized Learning/IEP
5.2.3. Including Students with exceptionalities: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/Bennett.pdf
5.3. Thoughts and Reflections
5.3.1. There is no agreed definition of intelligence. It's important to understand how intelligence works so that teachers can provide proper IEP's for their students.
5.3.2. I think it would be difficult to apply the theories about intelligence into the everyday classroom. In order to apply this knowledge, I would constantly have to reflect on my assessments, and ensure they cover various forms of intelligences.
6. Week 5: Assessing Student Progress
6.1. Approach of Assessment
6.1.1. Diagnostic
6.1.2. Formative
6.1.3. Summative
6.2. Authentic Assessment
6.2.1. Provides accurate assessment of students learning
6.2.2. Meaningful learning
6.2.3. Students need feedback to monitor their own learning and progress
6.3. Thoughts and Reflections
6.3.1. I don't think there is a single style of learning. In fact, one person can learn in multiple ways. This is why we have to include many forms of assessment.
6.3.2. Assessment doesn't necessarily mean evaluation. I had trouble grasping this idea, but diagnostic and formative assessment doesn't have to mean giving marks.
7. Week 7: Socio-Cultural Considerations
7.1. Culturally Responsive Teaching
7.1.1. Cultural Responsive Teaching
7.1.2. Consider students as individuals
7.1.3. Socio-economic aspect can have more of an impact than race or religion
7.2. Diverse Learners
7.2.1. Promote diversity in the classroom
7.2.2. Look at socio-cultural and socio-economic perspectives
7.2.3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mODoSmImR9o
7.3. Thoughts and Reflections:
7.3.1. Culture is a big aspect in many students' lives. What kids may learn in the classroom could be significantly different from what they learn in their own culture. This is why it is imperative to incorporate diversity and culture into the classroom. This prevents students from feeling left out or confused, and creates a positive environment.
7.3.2. I am still working on how I will incorporate this diversity into my classroom, especially since I am teaching science. It might be difficult to work it into the everyday lessons.
8. Week 8: Standardized Achievement Tests
8.1. Preperation
8.1.1. Example of preparing 3rd graders for EQAO
8.1.2. How do we fully prepare students for standardized tests?
8.1.2.1. Use preparation booklets, lessons, problems
8.1.2.2. Let students know the test is not their sole assessment.
8.2. Are they Essential?
8.2.1. Finland public schools have some of the best scores in the world. They do not conduct any standardized tests: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/why-are-finlands-schools-successful-49859555/?no-ist
8.3. Thoughts and Reflections:
8.3.1. I understand that standardized tests can have benefits, especially for teachers who would like to get an overall view of how their students are doing. However, I don't think these tests are essential for the curriculum. I think that it takes away from classroom curriculum and prevents authentic learning. Not to mention there is no authentic assessment happening.
8.3.2. Although standardized testing has a long history in Canada, overwhelming negativity may suggest that it's time to remove them from our curriculum.