Professional Goals for Practicum 

PS3 (Irvine School - Irvine)

Goal #1:

Create more student-led centers rather than teacher-centered lessons. (“Facilitative Learning”)

 

Rationale:

I want to build an environment where students are learning through their experiences and not through lecture. I aim at providing student will all the necessary info to do what is asked of them and then letting them work through the challenges as they progress towards the goal (regardless of in PE or Health) 

 

Goal #2:

Increase participation in PE through the use of leadership roles (PIP)

 

Rationale:

Students that are entertained or ones that are already participating are not the focus of this goal. The goal is aimed at the students that have the tendency to dislike Phys Ed and tend not to participate. I aim at implementing a series of motivators (intrinsically and extrinsically) to hopefully influence the students to participate and meet Phys Ed expectations (change out, proper attitude, etc.). Things such as doing activities that students favor, giving students roles that make them responsible for something within that class and/or setting individual goals with students

 

Goal #3:

Incorporate technology into Health whenever possible 

 

Rationale:   

The use of the SMART Board is something that can be very useful in Health class as videos and interactive assignments can be done so in front or with the class into bringing different perspectives than what is restricted to the school.     

 

 

 

                                                     

                                              (PGP)

PS2 (St. Mary's - Medicine Hat)

Goal#1:

I will attempt and practice various forms of attention getters from the use of the whistle, to hand claps or voice volume control (high vs low volume) among the many other strategies.

 

Rationale:

I want to be a teacher that can get students attention really quickly without shouting at or above them (in a coaches voice) while still remaining approachable and not appear grumpy or aggressive as the 6-week experience could be very difficult if I lose my relationship with the kids.

 

Goal#2:

I want to attempt a class where when I think the students are mostly or completely comfortable in a unit to allow  98% control to the students. That means, after attendance is taken, I will address to the class that “today is a day where you guys take over BUT the only exception is you still have to keep within the unit”.  I would facilitate and address any safety concerns within their game/activity.

 

Rationale:

I think as a teacher it provides a series of feedbacks to all parties envolves as it provides a sense of bystander perspective where myself as the teacher can observe what the students are planning, who for the most part is doing the talking or coaching and what is being addressed to the class. Along with this, it also provides the teacher with the sense of evaluating the students in areas that involve cooperation, compromise, and teamwork to achieve a common goal. It also has a hidden purpose behind the process where students get to experience and appreciate what it is like to be a PE teacher and plan a lesson that is inclusive, fun, and safe for all participants. By doing this process, I believe it will positively affect students that usually rebel in PE class. 

 

 

 

 

PS1 (Mike Mountain Horse - Lethbridge)

 

1. Observe various styles of classroom management (potentially observing other teachers as well)

2. Learning different types of teaching techniques, direct, indirect, teacher/student-centered

3. Learn various ways of assessing assignments (learning)

 

 

Did I achieve my goals?

 

Within my five-week stay, all my goals were reached within two weeks of teaching.

While other student teachers were jumping into teaching and taking lessons, I took my first week to build strong relationships with students, do a lot of small group work and participate in as many classes from other teachers as possible.

 

       Observe various styles of classroom management:

 

Each teacher had their own style of classroom management and each one was effective in various ways. They ranged from direct instruction to a reaction of keywords; e.g. “eyes up!”, silence wait time, and the “claps”. As the weeks progressed, I developed my own variation of classroom management which incorporated a variety of ones that I have been exposed to.

My style of classroom management was primarily a combination of initially a countdown and then a key work that would have the students repeat the keyword. For example: if I wanted to get students attention to end their small group conversations, I would say “we’re looking to stop in 5-4-3-2-1, “Blowfish” (students repeat). Other variations included “unicorn”, “monkey”, and, “Simon Says” as keywords. When I needed immediate attention, I would project my voice to the class with a simple attention getter such as “really quick look here, this is important”

 

       Learn various types of teaching techniques:

 

As each teacher is different, they also have their own preferred style of teaching. Some teachers were technology based which used SMART board notes as their primary style of teaching whereas others were more so into small group work and very little direct instruction time. As the weeks developed, I began to develop my own teaching style which again incorporated a variety of teaching styles that I have experienced not just within MMH School but also with college and university professors from the past.

The way my teaching style came along was inspired by the answer to a simple question: if I was a student, how would I want my fifth-grade teacher to teach? With the adoption of many styles, my PS1 teaching style incorporated and frankly relayed on student participation. In a math lesson, for example, I would put up the notes on the Smart Notebook and each slide involved a task for the students (individually or as a whole class). For example, in geometry, I would put a shape on the SMART board that was not fully complete, at this point I would ask one of a few things: 1. (whole class) What am I missing here? 2. Can I have a volunteer to come and complete what I am missing? 3. I will give you one minute to talk to your group members and discuss what I am missing.     

 

       Learn various ways of assessing:

 

Of all three goals, this one was the most difficult to achieve. As I started with 1-on-1 and small group work, assessment came in the form of individual progress which was determined by myself, but in saying this, as the days and weeks progressed, I began to see various styles of assessment. I viewed direct assessment in language arts towards presentation and what the teacher was looking for and what expectations she had. I also witnessed a strong amount of formative assessment techniques that ranged from Phys. Ed to science and math.

In all, assessment was one of the goals that could have been better achieved as there was a limited amount of summative assessment but a massive amount of formative assessment and various styles to assessing formative. For example, a formative assessment can be can be seen as a clear observation (Phys. Ed), group collaboration (L.A.), and response to question (science). The goal was achieved but it could have been better.