Artifacts

Collected in Year 1 Courses

Hands On Activities

In PED3152 Enhancing Math and Science thinking we would always have some sort of hands on activity. Whether that may be creating a leaf gradient, a bottle rocket, or a marble maze I was engaged in the grade 4, 5, and 6 activities. This is a practice I strive to incorporate into my classroom.

Real World Learning

In PED3114 our class took a field trip to the National Art Gallery, allowing us to experience and analyze art outside of the classroom. We were having fun and socializing while gaining greater understanding of Canadian and global history and culture. This emphasized the importance of real world learning and encouraged me to take advantages of the real world opportunities in Ottawa.

Ready to Learn

This is an artifact from PED3102, we had a few minutes at the start of class to walk in nature and reflect before class started. I’ve also had professors who would put on an underwater video or others to help the class get ready to focus. For some students they may be coming from a difficult situation or have had a bad morning and these strategies provide bookends and help students get ready to learn.

Provide Students with Options

In PED3120 we had an activity that encouraged self guided learning. Teacher candidates could complete the activity individually or in groups of up to four and then there were a number of different historical places in Ottawa and student candidates could choose which ones they attend. All students have their own unique ways that they learn best, by providing a number of options and encouraging self guided learning the likelihood of learning and enjoyment is increased.

Artifacts

Collected in Year 1 Practicum

Skittles Activity

This artifact is one of the first activities that I ran during my practicum. The students were very engaged at the beginning of the activity as they enjoyed the Skittles aspect and were engaged in the showcasing of the data. However, after the lesson the students were a little excitable from the Skittles, a lesson learned from this activity is keep candy consumption to a minimum and time it with recess or the end of the day.

Peer to Peer Learning

This artifact was taken just before the Christmas break, students had a period to make bracelets or create other art. There were students who were teaching other students how to make the bracelets. Peer to peer learning like this encourages mutual growth and encourages deeper understanding of the concept for the student teaching. Students are also more likely to be engaged while being taught by a peer. This strategy is an essential tool in the classroom.

Modeling Behaviours

Teachers play a critical role in shaping students behaviour by modeling actions and attitudes. One way that I model behaviours is by reading during drop everything and read (DEAR) time, this artifact is of a student who turned it up a gear and finished his novel then quickly asked to borrow a non-fiction book of mine as it a topic that interested him. By setting a strong example, teachers not only aid students academically but also help them develop the social and emotional skills necessary for success in life.