KSA's (PERSONAL)

Planning for Learning

As a future teacher and a current coach, adapting to change is a factor that always finds its way back to you in the form of newer and more difficult changes. As teachers, one of the most valuable skills one can obtain is the ability to be quick on your feet in the sense of making quick decision and actions towards something that was not in the lesson plan and has the potential to ulter everything that was planned, but sometimes there is not much one can do to prevent dramatic changes but just adapt to the change and be ready for the unexpected. In addition, as teachers we are expected to the be expertes in our class and be ready to answer any questions directed to us but also be humble enough to say "I'm sorry I don't know, but lets find out". There are times when simply teachers do not know everything, this is due to the constant changes to the world and the development of newer and better sources of information; information that proves something that was true to be false. A main example of this would be in the field of science where there as new discoveries happening daily, let alone yearly. What was once believed to be good for you, in a neutritional sense may be now be proven to do the exact opposite and hinder the body.

Furthermore, in relation to the way we teach, there has to be set goals, short-term and long-term for both the students and the teacher. Personally as a coach, I set goals per tournament as to what needs to be improved and what needs to occur for the next training session and as a long term, making provincials. But in a classroom setting, that desires disapline and structure in the attempt to aquire knowledge, this provides a chance to touch many Multiple Intelligences.

Facilitating Learning

As learners, we all have our favorite way of learning or being taught, similar to us, eveyone else is in the same boat. We all have what is called our own Multiple Intelligences in that we favour one style of learning over another, for example, I favour a kinesthetic learning approach well above any visual approach as to me, actually physically touching and doing an experiment with objects registers way easier than seeing someone else do it. In this same sense, as teachers we need to relize that the "one size fits all" method really does not work when it comes to learing as each student (learner) has their perfered style that works best for them.

In realation to this picture of which is a section of one of my lesson plans which consists of the outcomes and the various types of intelligences', a teacher builds one that suits the majority in the sense of learning styles and instructional strategies. These strategies may be a simple as playing a introductional video before the lesson to both engage and forshadow what they will be learning and at the same time including aspects of visual, auditory and logical intelligences.

As now, more than ever technology plays a crucial role into daily life, there is the aspect of keeping up to date with the constent changes. In a school, where there are computer, SMART boards, and new projectors, the system of teaching has become very technological in that any lesson can be done online and can be taught online. In my practicum, every morning the SMART board and projector is being used and on certain days, so are the computers. Students these days are exposed to so much new technology that someone has to step up and teach them about it, and that someone is usually some form of teacher.

In addition to the classroom setting, students-younger and younger are obtaining cell phones, laptops, and other new technologies as this is what society is calling for. I personally believe that we have taking it too far and let technology completely dominate and determine our lives and as teachers, our whole style of teaching.

Assessment

How do you know that you actually learned something? Do you just say that I am now an expert on this specific topic after reviewing it a couple times, chances are not? We test, we question, and we put one's knowledge against the textbooks. On the picture (to the left) is a rubric of how I assessed my students on the lesson plan I did. I had it valued on a simple 4 point scale covering various fields of education from participation to explanation and scaling from limited to poor. Also, as you can see, there is no "0", this is because I do not believe in giving a 0 to someone as this does not real benefits to the confidence of the child but rather limited in my opinion is a better choice. To say you did not even reach 1 out of 4 is devastating to students, therefore having a minimum of 1 set the stage for success and encourages confidence.

Classroom Environment

One of the biggest factors to the success of students is their environment. If the classroom is dark and clustered, chances are the students do not really enjoy their time with this class and this has a direct link to the studies and ability to learn and vice-versa, a classroom that is bright and spacious encourages freedom and openness making the students want to learn more and gives them a sense of a welcoming environment.

In this picture, I have a drawing of what my classroom would look like if I had the chance to design it the way I please. It consists of paired desks to encourage interpersonal relationships and support in class (peer support) and a series of solo-desks at the back end of the classroom to promote pairs. In addition to that, space provided allows for easy transfer between location to location within the classroom. But most of all, in my opinion, the importance in a classroom setting is building relationships in the form of creating a family. In the top sector of the paper beside the whiteboards is a tree, on this tree the students would have a picture of themselves on it and would have an are to decorate to their personality, this, in my opinion, promotes openness among students and gives them a sense of voice and ownership as there will always be represented within this classroom as the year progresses.

Professional Responsibilities

"The Code of Professional Conduct stipulates minimum standards of professional conduct of teachers but is not an exhaustive list of such standards. Unless exempted by legislation, any member of The Alberta Teachers' Association who is alleged to have violated the standards of the profession, including the provisions of the code, may be subject to a charge of unprofessional conduct under the bylaws of the Association." - The Alberta Teachers' Association

"Is detrimental to the best interests of students, the public or the teaching profession.
Contravenes the Teaching Profession Act or the Code of Professional Conduct.
Has the potential to harm the standing of teachers generally.
Leads to a conviction on an indictable offense." - ATA

As stated above, there are set rules and guideline that teachers must obey and abide by in keeping their position.

One of their main sections of teaching is the ability to engage students into wanting to learn and wanting to develop into a better-knowledgable overall person. Along with bettering one's self in the case of both teachers and students, building relationships and goals (short and long-term) is a crucial aspect of the hidden agenda of the curriculum. These are the lessons that were never taught but learned through experience, stories, or debates.

Once a student can fully say that they know their path towards education and life, it is only now that they build their own personal sense of development and vision for the future.

I did not always want to become a teacher, but once I found out what was important to me and what I can provide for others, I was and am determined into fulfilling what I beileve is my calling.