Author: hesselgra Page 2 of 9

It was a bittersweet day saying goodbye to my grade 5/6 practicum classroom. On the one hand, I was excited to be finished and one step closer to being done the program and on to certification! But, on the other hand, I was so sad to be leaving the students I had grown so fond of and built such amazing relationships with.

My students were equally saddened, which made it even harder to leave. I had lots of conversations as to why I had to go and planned a fun-filled day of reminiscing, celebrating their learning (presenting their summative Future Me posters), and TREATS 🙂

Over recess, I made hot cocoa and set up a “hot chocolate bar” complete with toppings, marshmallows, and cookies and wafers for dipping! Students were welcome to come up and receive their treats to enjoy over snack and excitement-filled conversation!

At lunch, I also treated them to a small bag of chips and a chocolate kiss. They thought it was very funny that Ms. H had given each of them a “kiss”, lol!!

It was a fantastic day that I will remember fondly forever. Students were so sweet and kind to gift me with cards and of course Space/Solar System stickers for my water bottle 🙂 And, my coaching teacher gifted me a kind card, the book “The Barren Grounds”, and a red pen for marking. The staff also signed a card and treated the teacher candidates to cake in the staff room, such an appreciated gesture!

A bittersweet day indeed!!

During my formative practicum, I attended and was able to take-in multiple professional learning opportunities, including: 

(1) an Individual Education Plan (IEP) meeting;

(2) a School Based Team (SBT) meeting, wherein I was able to make helpful contributions based off of what I observed over the course of my four-week practicum;

(3) a Psych Ed report-out meeting;

(4) reading assessment training, wherein our district’s Intermediate Curriculum Support Teacher, Sue Hollowell, walked me through Fountas and Pinnell’s Benchmark Assessment System (the current reading assessment system that our district uses). I watched Sue assess the reading level of two students in my practicum classroom, and then I had the opportunity to assess two students on my own (under her supervision and guidance). This was my first time performing reading assessments.

(5) a Words Their Way workshop, wherein I joined my coaching teacher at the District Office to be introduced to a program aimed at improving student literacy skills; 

(6) an Intermediate Grade-Level Meeting, wherein I joined my coaching teacher and many of the intermediate teachers in our district to discuss a new online resource (Live It Earth!), how to foster classroom culture and promote self-regulation in school through security (ensuring all students feel secure, safe, cared for, etc.), as well as the fundamental elements of literacy in the classroom (phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing), approaching numeracy tasks through problem-solving, and the new BC K-12 assessment and reporting policy framework; and

(7) our District’s Indigenous Focus Day, wherein I joined together with all K-12 educators from our district to learn and grow in our collective understanding, knowledge, and application of Indigenous ways of knowing and being.  It was a powerful day of communal learning that opened with a morning prayer from local elder, Ellie Peters, followed by Indigenous drumming and guest speaker, Kevin Lamoureux (Ensouling our Schools).  Kevin spoke of the importance of Truth and Reconciliation and the 94 Calls to Action, specifically TRC 62.2: “providing teacher education on how to integrate and utilize Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods in classroom” (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada).  

Kevin highlighted teachers and the important role they (we) play in moving society forward, toward a better future for ALL children.  A future where schools are safer and happier places to learn (and teach).  Kevin emphasized Dr. Martin Brokenleg’s Circle of Courage, its four quadrants of Belonging, Independence, Mastery, and Generosity, and how important they are to trauma-informed practice and “Mino-Pimatisiwin”—living in a good way.  Kevin discussed how teachers must address all four quadrants, or core values, in order to create an environment where children can/will thrive. 

Following Kevin’s speech, my coaching teacher and I joined the rest of our school in planning an Indigenous Culture Day, set to take place in the coming weeks.  As a school, we discussed stations and activities ranging from Indigenous language games to Indigenous physical education games; from Indigenous stories and art to indigenous drumming and hoop dancing; as well as Bannock making.  Then, in the afternoon, I had the pleasure of joining Doreen L’Hirondelle, District Principal of Aboriginal Education, as she continued the conversation and facilitated group dialogue regarding the importance of the Circle of Courage and how it can be brought into our classrooms going forward:   

As a practicum student, I encouraged students to be patient and kind to themselves and others as they learned new concepts.  All of the lessons and units I planned are delivered via open, non-judgmental group discussions, posited on positive teacher/student and student/student relationships and connections.  Ideas and concepts were taught and learned experientially, through a mixture of explicit instruction, modelling, scaffolded support, practice, and student-doing.  Student understanding was dependent upon their participation in, and attentiveness to, class and group discussions and to assigned tasks (done in class, with support as needed).  Universal Design for Learning (UDL) was utilized to account for student diversity, allowing me to meet a broad range of student needs.

In this formative practicum, my coaching teacher and I worked together to ensure that our classroom was a place of equitable learning, one where everyone felt safe and confident in their ways of knowing and being.  I planned lessons that would help me to gain meaningful insight into my students’ lives, so that I could really get to know them—their values, beliefs, likes, dislikes, interests, hobbies, strengths, and stretches.  Students completed “About Me” wheels and had opportunities to share them with me and the class (if they were comfortable doing so).  Students then used what they had discovered about themselves in their wheels to start exploring their future selves.  This unit, which I titled “Present Me to Future Me” allowed students to focus on self, family, and their place in the community—now and into the future.  

My coaching teacher and I also provided time and made outdoor opportunities a priority.  We recognized that being on the land was critical to student learning.  In my science unit, I made a concerted effort to bring in Indigenous perspectives.  I got students outside (on the land) to explore space and our relationship within the universe and our Solar System.  As a class, we discussed First Peoples’ perspectives of space and how Indigenous peoples have long looked to the sky for guidance and to help them predict and plan for change (in seasons, length of day, etc.).  

Aside our students, my coaching teacher and I collectively co-constructed, engaged, and participated in experiential, place-based learning, wherein we explored the local “Wilde Trail”, observed different local trees, how they changed with the seasons, and how they could be identified by their bark, cones, and needles (or lack of).

Students also had the opportunity to make bird feeders for the local birds and squirrels, using cones I picked from my yard.

And, they participated in two Dakelh language and culture lessons, which were delivered by an Indigenous educator from our district, Ms. Arlene Horutko.  Initially, my coaching teacher discussed cancelling these lessons (so as not to interfere with what I had planned for my practicum’s scope and sequence), but I was adamant that they continue as intended.  I moved my lessons around and, alongside my students and coaching teacher, enjoyed learning about Indigenous knowledge, language, culture, and stories.  

My coaching teacher and I also had the opportunity to attend our school district’s Indigenous Focus Day, wherein we joined together with all K-12 educators from our district to learn and grow in our collective understanding, knowledge, and application of Indigenous ways of knowing and being.  It was a powerful day of communal learning that opened with a morning prayer from local elder, Ellie Peters, followed by Indigenous drumming and guest speaker, Kevin Lamoureux (Ensouling our Schools).  Kevin spoke of the importance of Truth and Reconciliation and the 94 Calls to Action, specifically TRC 62.2: “providing teacher education on how to integrate and utilize Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods in classroom” (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada).  Kevin highlighted teachers and the important role they (we) play in moving society forward, toward a better future for ALL children.  A future where schools are safer and happier places to learn (and teach).  Kevin emphasized Dr. Martin Brokenleg’s Circle of Courage, its four quadrants of Belonging, Independence, Mastery, and Generosity, and how important they are to trauma-informed practice and “Mino-Pimatisiwin”—living in a good way.  Kevin discussed how teachers must address all four quadrants, or core values, in order to create an environment where children can/will thrive. 

Following Kevin’s speech, my coaching teacher and I joined the rest of our school in planning an Indigenous Culture Day, set to take place in the coming weeks.  As a school, we discussed stations and activities ranging from Indigenous language games to Indigenous physical education games; from Indigenous stories and art to indigenous drumming and hoop dancing; as well as Bannock making.  Then, in the afternoon, I had the pleasure of joining Doreen L’Hirondelle, District Principal of Aboriginal Education, as she continued the conversation and facilitated group dialogue regarding the importance of the Circle of Courage and how it can be brought into our classrooms going forward:   

As a whole, my formative practicum was an enriching experience, one that honoured Standard 9, the First Peoples Principle of Learning, the 9 Rs, and Indigenous ways of knowing and being.  I look forward to future Indigenous-focused learning in my summative practicum, and in my teaching career to come.

Together in Education, 

Ms. H 

Snachalhuya

During this practicum, my coaching teacher (CT) was pleased with my ability to adjust my lessons and tasks as needed, based on the feedback I received from her and the students directly (in our conversations/discussions, in thumbs up/down polls, in their exit ticket responses and in responses to assigned questions and practice problems) and indirectly (students’ ability to focus and engage with the instruction and successfully complete the assigned tasks).  She was equally pleased with my ability to provide students with clear and concise feedback (verbally/formatively and written/summatively) that would guide their learning (taking them from where they were to where they needed to be) and with my ability to track and record evidence of student learning (pictured below).

My planned assessment efforts also enabled me to ensure students understood the criteria and knew what they were being assessed on prior to starting each task.  Rubrics and proficiency scales were shared during explicit instruction so there were no assessment surprises.  I also paid attention to student feedback and showed flexibility when students required longer than expected to complete learning tasks. Formative feedback was provided to students verbally during every lesson and in writing on preliminary/practice questions.  Summative feedback was provided on summative, end-of-unit tasks.