TRB Standard 6Exemplars:
Erin Arrowsmith Manisha Singh (With permission) |
Educators have a broad knowledge base and understand the subject areas they teach.
Educators understand the curricular, conceptual and methodological foundations of education and of the subject areas they teach. Educators must be able to communicate effectively in English or French. Educators teach students to understand relevant curricula in a Canadian, Aboriginal, and global context. Educators convey the values, beliefs and knowledge of our democratic society. |
Erin Arrowsmith
Click image to read Blog Post: "Building the Village" - Practicum Experiments with Experiential Learning, November-December 2017
Blog Post on "Building the Village" Unit Plan and Lessons (Erin)
Blog Post: "Building the Village" - Practicum Experiments with Experiential Learning, November-December 2017
The first piece of evidence that I have chosen for TRB Standard 6 is a blog post that I wrote in January 2018 reflecting on my teaching experiences in my Fall 2017 embedded practicum at Departure Bay Elementary Eco-School. The blog post describes two science and social studies lessons that I planned and taught, shows photos of the students’ learning, and provides a link to the “Building the Village” unit and lesson plans that I developed in conjunction with our pod of student teachers. This unit linked together Big Ideas from grade 3 & 4 science, social studies and English Language Arts, and made connections to Indigenous ways of knowing through learning about biodiversity and sustainability in the salmon run, as well as how local Coast Salish people organized their communities, built their homes and boats, and hunted, gathered and fished for food. Books by Indigenous authors that shared stories about local traditions and culture were also used to support this learning.
In creating this evidence file, I learned how much information and research was necessary to put together the overarching “Building the Village” unit plan and the two lessons that I designed. The salmon science lesson required researching the salmon life cycle and local volunteer work done in Nanaimo to improve Bowen Park’s Millstone River to make it easier for the salmon to swim upstream. It required designing the puzzle pieces for the KWL activity and pulling together the gym equipment needed for the salmon run simulation game. It required searching local libraries to find an appropriate children’s book about the first salmon ceremony. Similarly, the shelter lesson required online research to find historical photos showing how the Coast Salish people built their houses, and then comparing these photos to non-fiction books about First Nations houses to discover building techniques. It required finding an Indigenous author’s book with artwork that depicted west coast First Nations houses, and collecting sufficient natural materials for 20 students to build model houses with their learning partners. While some of this knowledge was background knowledge that I already had, there was also a lot of information that I did not know and needed to research or check. Teaching about local Coast Salish culture and history is new to me, and ensuring that I had enough accurate information to teach each of the lessons was a critical part of the planning and preparation that I did before teaching these lessons.
Doing this planning work and then writing a blog post about our “Building the Village” unit made me reflect on the amount of preparation that goes into teaching a successful lesson prior to entering the classroom. While planning this unit of eight lessons took some work, when one considers the work required to plan units and the accompanying lessons for a whole school year, it puts into perspective the amount of preparation and planning that a beginning elementary teacher will need to do when she starts teaching. In relation to TRB Standard 6, it will be important not only to draw upon my own knowledge base to understand the subject areas that I am teaching, but also to use the knowledge and experience of colleagues who have resources to share. I want to utilize my background in Canadian history to find ways to integrate historical thinking into my teaching, to encourage students to build connections between the subjects they are learning, and to engage students with inquiry-based projects. My English writing and communications skills will be foundational to teaching language arts, and I hope to use my musical background as a learning tool for my students. But there will also be subjects in which I will need to do much more preparation or sharing with colleagues because I come with less background knowledge. Staying organized well in advance will be crucial for ensuring that I am ready to teach each day.
Secondly, in planning these lessons, I reinforced my belief that we can learn so much from the First Nations people who have lived on this land for thousands of years. Integrating Indigenous ways of knowing into my lessons not only provides important information for our students to learn about where they live, but also teaches students about respecting diversity and different cultural perspectives. In this way, I felt it was important to teach the grade 3 and 4 students not only about the salmon run and the biology of the salmon life cycle, but also about environmental sustainability, and respecting the earth and its creatures as Indigenous peoples teach us. Moreover, we did not just talk about the salmon run; we also simulated the salmon run with a game and then went on a field trip to Bowen Park to look at the Millstone River and the high-water conditions under which the salmon were trying to make it upstream to spawn. I also wanted to teach the students about how Indigenous peoples built their homes using materials that came from the places where they lived, and the reasons why they used these materials. We did not just talk about First Nations houses and look at pictures of what they were like; we explored building model shelters ourselves using natural materials that took into account the need to keep out the wind and rain, to stay warm and to cook our food. Using place-based and experiential learning approaches to help students learn about the world around them, and how people who came before them lived in this land, teaches our students to continue wondering about their world and how they can help make it a better place. By using interactive techniques such as Know-Wonder-Learn (KWL) in small groups, a simulation game to show how different conditions affect salmon spawning, and hands-on building of model homes, students who experience this learning, rather than just hearing or reading about it, may also find that they retain this knowledge better. In his book, Play, Stuart Brown argues that play cements learning in the neural pathways in our brains:
Learning and memory also seem to be fixed more strongly and last longer when learned in play. … This may be because of the total involvement that play often requires. The state of play is one in which attention is focused exclusively on the pleasurable play activity and memory fixation has been shown to be closely related to heightened attention and emotional rewards. In addition, play involves multiple centers of perception and cognition across the whole brain.”[1]
I want to continue to incorporate experiential learning and playfulness in my lessons throughout my teaching career, not only because it keeps learning fun, but also because of this strong correlation to brain development and improved learning outcomes.
Having a broad knowledge base and understanding what I am teaching is important to me as a new teacher because I want to ensure not only that my students respect my own learning and experience, but also know that I am a supportive facilitator and coach for their own passions and interests. I want to ensure that the units and lessons that I create for my students are based on research and thorough preparation, as well as on up-to-date information in areas that change rapidly, such as science and technology. I also want to continue to learn from First Nations elders in my own community so that I can improve my own understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing about the land on which we live, and help build trust and respect between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities through the learning done in BC schools. Exposing students to the values, beliefs and cultural traditions of local First Nations, as well as to diverse global cultures in our communities, will help students become more open to differing perspectives and viewpoints so that they grow into critical thinkers and lifelong learners who are actively able to participate in our Canadian democratic institutions in the future.
Notes
[1] Brown, Stuart (2009). Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul . New York: Penguin Group Inc., p. 102.
Blog Post: "Building the Village" - Practicum Experiments with Experiential Learning, November-December 2017
The first piece of evidence that I have chosen for TRB Standard 6 is a blog post that I wrote in January 2018 reflecting on my teaching experiences in my Fall 2017 embedded practicum at Departure Bay Elementary Eco-School. The blog post describes two science and social studies lessons that I planned and taught, shows photos of the students’ learning, and provides a link to the “Building the Village” unit and lesson plans that I developed in conjunction with our pod of student teachers. This unit linked together Big Ideas from grade 3 & 4 science, social studies and English Language Arts, and made connections to Indigenous ways of knowing through learning about biodiversity and sustainability in the salmon run, as well as how local Coast Salish people organized their communities, built their homes and boats, and hunted, gathered and fished for food. Books by Indigenous authors that shared stories about local traditions and culture were also used to support this learning.
In creating this evidence file, I learned how much information and research was necessary to put together the overarching “Building the Village” unit plan and the two lessons that I designed. The salmon science lesson required researching the salmon life cycle and local volunteer work done in Nanaimo to improve Bowen Park’s Millstone River to make it easier for the salmon to swim upstream. It required designing the puzzle pieces for the KWL activity and pulling together the gym equipment needed for the salmon run simulation game. It required searching local libraries to find an appropriate children’s book about the first salmon ceremony. Similarly, the shelter lesson required online research to find historical photos showing how the Coast Salish people built their houses, and then comparing these photos to non-fiction books about First Nations houses to discover building techniques. It required finding an Indigenous author’s book with artwork that depicted west coast First Nations houses, and collecting sufficient natural materials for 20 students to build model houses with their learning partners. While some of this knowledge was background knowledge that I already had, there was also a lot of information that I did not know and needed to research or check. Teaching about local Coast Salish culture and history is new to me, and ensuring that I had enough accurate information to teach each of the lessons was a critical part of the planning and preparation that I did before teaching these lessons.
Doing this planning work and then writing a blog post about our “Building the Village” unit made me reflect on the amount of preparation that goes into teaching a successful lesson prior to entering the classroom. While planning this unit of eight lessons took some work, when one considers the work required to plan units and the accompanying lessons for a whole school year, it puts into perspective the amount of preparation and planning that a beginning elementary teacher will need to do when she starts teaching. In relation to TRB Standard 6, it will be important not only to draw upon my own knowledge base to understand the subject areas that I am teaching, but also to use the knowledge and experience of colleagues who have resources to share. I want to utilize my background in Canadian history to find ways to integrate historical thinking into my teaching, to encourage students to build connections between the subjects they are learning, and to engage students with inquiry-based projects. My English writing and communications skills will be foundational to teaching language arts, and I hope to use my musical background as a learning tool for my students. But there will also be subjects in which I will need to do much more preparation or sharing with colleagues because I come with less background knowledge. Staying organized well in advance will be crucial for ensuring that I am ready to teach each day.
Secondly, in planning these lessons, I reinforced my belief that we can learn so much from the First Nations people who have lived on this land for thousands of years. Integrating Indigenous ways of knowing into my lessons not only provides important information for our students to learn about where they live, but also teaches students about respecting diversity and different cultural perspectives. In this way, I felt it was important to teach the grade 3 and 4 students not only about the salmon run and the biology of the salmon life cycle, but also about environmental sustainability, and respecting the earth and its creatures as Indigenous peoples teach us. Moreover, we did not just talk about the salmon run; we also simulated the salmon run with a game and then went on a field trip to Bowen Park to look at the Millstone River and the high-water conditions under which the salmon were trying to make it upstream to spawn. I also wanted to teach the students about how Indigenous peoples built their homes using materials that came from the places where they lived, and the reasons why they used these materials. We did not just talk about First Nations houses and look at pictures of what they were like; we explored building model shelters ourselves using natural materials that took into account the need to keep out the wind and rain, to stay warm and to cook our food. Using place-based and experiential learning approaches to help students learn about the world around them, and how people who came before them lived in this land, teaches our students to continue wondering about their world and how they can help make it a better place. By using interactive techniques such as Know-Wonder-Learn (KWL) in small groups, a simulation game to show how different conditions affect salmon spawning, and hands-on building of model homes, students who experience this learning, rather than just hearing or reading about it, may also find that they retain this knowledge better. In his book, Play, Stuart Brown argues that play cements learning in the neural pathways in our brains:
Learning and memory also seem to be fixed more strongly and last longer when learned in play. … This may be because of the total involvement that play often requires. The state of play is one in which attention is focused exclusively on the pleasurable play activity and memory fixation has been shown to be closely related to heightened attention and emotional rewards. In addition, play involves multiple centers of perception and cognition across the whole brain.”[1]
I want to continue to incorporate experiential learning and playfulness in my lessons throughout my teaching career, not only because it keeps learning fun, but also because of this strong correlation to brain development and improved learning outcomes.
Having a broad knowledge base and understanding what I am teaching is important to me as a new teacher because I want to ensure not only that my students respect my own learning and experience, but also know that I am a supportive facilitator and coach for their own passions and interests. I want to ensure that the units and lessons that I create for my students are based on research and thorough preparation, as well as on up-to-date information in areas that change rapidly, such as science and technology. I also want to continue to learn from First Nations elders in my own community so that I can improve my own understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing about the land on which we live, and help build trust and respect between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities through the learning done in BC schools. Exposing students to the values, beliefs and cultural traditions of local First Nations, as well as to diverse global cultures in our communities, will help students become more open to differing perspectives and viewpoints so that they grow into critical thinkers and lifelong learners who are actively able to participate in our Canadian democratic institutions in the future.
Notes
[1] Brown, Stuart (2009). Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul . New York: Penguin Group Inc., p. 102.
Manisha Singh
As my second evidence for TRB standard 6, I have shared photographs from the Indigenous Learning Day I volunteered for at Qualicum First Nations campground. At the core of TRB Standard 6 are the principles of providing students learning experiences that not only teach the curriculum but understand its context within Canadian, Aboriginal and global perspectives. This evidence demonstrates my commitment to broaden my knowledge base on how to integrate Indigenous ways of learning with the core and curricular competencies and provide students with a well-rounded educational experience that reflects the different cultural perspectives of the Canadian Society. (Please note the photographs have been taken by me and as required by the Aboriginal protocol published with consent of the presenters).
Rationale/Reflection: The essence of TRB standard 6 is to provide the students of the province with an education that prepares them to be well-educated citizens of the world, while ensuring that all learners have opportunities to understand and respect their own cultural heritage as well as that of others. The redesigned BC Curriculum states, “Aboriginal perspectives and knowledge are a part of the historical and contemporary foundation of BC and Canada” and it is essential that our pedagogical approach encourages respect and appreciation for Aboriginal ways of knowing. Incorporation of authentic First Peoples perspective into the learning journey of our students provides all of them and not just those who self-identify as being of Aboriginal ancestry with an opportunity to appreciate, honour and learn more about the history and ways of the land in which we live. I believe exposing my students to the values, beliefs and knowledge of First Peoples through authentic resources will help to dispel any misconceptions that may have been perpetuated and will encourage them to open themselves to be critical thinkers and learners, who are appreciative and respectful of Aboriginal cultural values and knowledge. I truly believe that incorporating knowledge and perspectives of the diverse global cultures that form our communities today, will inspire our students to become true Canadian citizens of tomorrow; citizens who are respectful of the multifaceted perspectives of the multicultural Canadian society.
I believe incorporating First People's ways of knowing into my classroom practice is essential and as a beginning teacher am aware of limitations in my own knowledge of First Peoples issues and topics; as a result have often found myself feeling concerned about making mistakes when approaching Aboriginal topics. I understand the positive implications of bringing in First Peoples perspectives into my lessons and feel it is important for me to continually enrich my own understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing and learn some effective approaches to integrate the core and curricular competencies with culturally appropriate and meaningful First Peoples content, materials, and teaching methods into my knowledge base and practice. To better understand how to integrate First Peoples knowledge within my teaching in a respectful way I often seek out authentic First Nations learning resources offered online by websites such as FNESC and Strong Nations. As such, volunteering for the Indigenous Learning Day at Qualicum First Nations campground provided me with the perfect opportunity to learn more about Aboriginal ways of being. At the campground I supervised a group of students as they participated in various Indigenous cultural learning stations and in the process was amazed to learn the local history and traditions of the Coast Salish Peoples that I had no prior knowledge about from the elders in my own community. I am glad I was able to volunteer for this event; I saw that through participation in each of the culturally meaningful activity the students’ awareness of the local First Peoples culture and traditions was greatly augmented and by the end of this experiential learning day students had a deeper understanding and appreciation of the history, culture and ecology of the land we live in. “Teachers have an important role to play by educating all of society about the place of First Peoples within the Canadian mosaic” (Aboriginal Worldviews and Perspectives in the Classroom: Moving Forward, 2015), and with respect to TRB standard 6, this evidence piece represents my desire to progressively broaden my knowledge base about First Peoples worldviews and be open to learning from the elders in my own community and finding about local protocols when approaching Aboriginal content.
TRB standard 6 is essential to any teacher’s practice as it requires teachers to have wide and deep subject knowledge if they are to respond well to the learning needs of their students. As an educator, I understand it is important that I have strong foundational understanding of education (curriculum, concepts and methodologies) and a deep understanding of my subject areas, so that I may be able to present my students with ample learning opportunities using methodologies that make curriculum and concepts personally meaningful to them. TRB standard 6 directly relates to improving knowledge, improving skills, and improving attitudes about teaching. As I continue to grow in the profession, I will strive to uphold the standard by continually widening my subject knowledge and upgrading my pedagogical approaches to ensure effective delivery of the curriculum objectives as laid by the BC Ministry of education.
Works Cited:
Aboriginal Worldviews and Perspectives in the Classroom: Moving Forward (2015). Retrieved June 24, 2018 from https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/administration/kindergarten-to-grade-12/aboriginal-education/awp_moving_forward.pdf
Building Student Success - BC's New Curriculum. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2018, from https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/
I believe incorporating First People's ways of knowing into my classroom practice is essential and as a beginning teacher am aware of limitations in my own knowledge of First Peoples issues and topics; as a result have often found myself feeling concerned about making mistakes when approaching Aboriginal topics. I understand the positive implications of bringing in First Peoples perspectives into my lessons and feel it is important for me to continually enrich my own understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing and learn some effective approaches to integrate the core and curricular competencies with culturally appropriate and meaningful First Peoples content, materials, and teaching methods into my knowledge base and practice. To better understand how to integrate First Peoples knowledge within my teaching in a respectful way I often seek out authentic First Nations learning resources offered online by websites such as FNESC and Strong Nations. As such, volunteering for the Indigenous Learning Day at Qualicum First Nations campground provided me with the perfect opportunity to learn more about Aboriginal ways of being. At the campground I supervised a group of students as they participated in various Indigenous cultural learning stations and in the process was amazed to learn the local history and traditions of the Coast Salish Peoples that I had no prior knowledge about from the elders in my own community. I am glad I was able to volunteer for this event; I saw that through participation in each of the culturally meaningful activity the students’ awareness of the local First Peoples culture and traditions was greatly augmented and by the end of this experiential learning day students had a deeper understanding and appreciation of the history, culture and ecology of the land we live in. “Teachers have an important role to play by educating all of society about the place of First Peoples within the Canadian mosaic” (Aboriginal Worldviews and Perspectives in the Classroom: Moving Forward, 2015), and with respect to TRB standard 6, this evidence piece represents my desire to progressively broaden my knowledge base about First Peoples worldviews and be open to learning from the elders in my own community and finding about local protocols when approaching Aboriginal content.
TRB standard 6 is essential to any teacher’s practice as it requires teachers to have wide and deep subject knowledge if they are to respond well to the learning needs of their students. As an educator, I understand it is important that I have strong foundational understanding of education (curriculum, concepts and methodologies) and a deep understanding of my subject areas, so that I may be able to present my students with ample learning opportunities using methodologies that make curriculum and concepts personally meaningful to them. TRB standard 6 directly relates to improving knowledge, improving skills, and improving attitudes about teaching. As I continue to grow in the profession, I will strive to uphold the standard by continually widening my subject knowledge and upgrading my pedagogical approaches to ensure effective delivery of the curriculum objectives as laid by the BC Ministry of education.
Works Cited:
Aboriginal Worldviews and Perspectives in the Classroom: Moving Forward (2015). Retrieved June 24, 2018 from https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/administration/kindergarten-to-grade-12/aboriginal-education/awp_moving_forward.pdf
Building Student Success - BC's New Curriculum. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2018, from https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/