TRB Standard 3
Educators understand and apply knowledge of student growth and development.
Educators are knowledgeable about how children develop as learners and as social beings, and demonstrate an understanding of individual learning differences and special needs. This knowledge is used to assist educators in making decisions about curriculum, instruction, assessment and classroom management.
REFLECTION
I have chosen to include six lesson plans that share a common goal of developing students’ self-identity, means of self-expression, and literacy skills. Through embracing the TRB standard 3 and acknowledging that students learn in an individualized manner, I approached the curriculum from the perspective of various types of learners and backgrounds. I referenced Charlie (pseudonym) as an example of a student who has unique needs, and created activities that can be easily adapted to him that incorporate a variety of learning styles (kinesthetic, visual, reading/writing, auditory).
Exploring the TRB standard and understanding that there is no one-size-fits-all for teaching, I learned that it is really important not to make any assumptions when we as teachers are creating lessons. For example, it’s not fair to expect a student to read and respond to a worksheet if they are not yet able to read or write, because even if they have a response they will not be able to communicate it. To me, this is where the importance of this TRB standard lies. It is crucial that we challenge students enough so that they are learning and developing their ideas and skills, but not expect students to engage with material that is out of reach. In order to eliminate a defeatist mindset and create a positive environment that facilitates learning, we must consider the academic level and social needs of each student and meet them there, so as to include them in all activities.
It is a great idea to approach curriculum from a variety of learning styles and create individual lesson plans to support each type of learning, however it is perhaps even more valuable to be able to make adaptations within each lesson to suit all learners and skill levels. This TRB standard and evidence piece supports my belief that if we see instruction and assessment as rigid rather than fluid, we do so at the expense of our students.
At the end of the lesson plan document evidence piece, I address how these lessons are supposed in child development psychology:
“All of these lessons require practice and a behaviourist approach, akin to theories of John Watson, BF Skinner, and Albert Bandura. They all suggest that learning is gradual and continuous, and is shaped by the environment. If the classroom is literacy-rich, full of books, engaging word games, and non-stop storytelling, those theories would argue that children will become avid readers and writers. Through sharing stories and self-expression, students create social connections with each other in ways that further facilitates learning. “
My evidence is strong because it considers all aspects of lesson planning - individual needs, curriculum, various types of learners, assessment considerations, ties to child development theories - and has approaches to literacy that I can easily incorporate into my classroom at any primary level. As the TRB standard outlines, the lessons address various types of learners, support social aspects of learning, and have differentiated approaches towards instruction, activities, and assessment.
Some ways I will endeavour to exemplify this TRB standard is to meet students where they are and carefully consider aspects that could prevent a student from engaging with learning material. I will consider individual differences in my lesson planning, instruction, as well as assessment. Finally, I will value learning as a social phenomenon, and encourage a climate of working together and supporting each other’s learning in my classroom. It is exciting to think about how learning and social dynamics in a classroom positively influence each other. I look forward to building an inclusive, supportive, fun classroom environment where students build a community of friendship and positive attitudes towards school.
EVIDENCE
Our Inquiry Learning Model
During my practicum, we used an inquiry-based, project learning model to allow students to learn and explore their interests in a creative, differentiated and collaborative way.
OUR LEARNING MODEL
Considering social needs and learning differences, students work on a variety of projects that follow these steps.
LEARN - Teacher input, guided learning, criteria are set
EXPLORE - Student-led research, developing questions
REFLECT - Connect facts to own opinion, develop understanding and skills
CREATE - How are you going to share what you learned? Show learning
WHAT NEXT? - So what? Why does this matter?
AN EXAMPLE OF THE EXPLORE STAGE
One grade 4 student chooses to research the solar system, as the student to his right researches whales.
REFLECTION
I have chosen to include a photo of the project-based learning process, which is on the board of my practicum classroom. The students are currently undertaking their third inquiry project of the year, and their report cards will be based largely on these projects, as it is each student’s responsibility to incorporate the curriculum from their grade. As per this TRB standard, it is so important to consider learning differences, social development and allow room for challenges and growth, and I have learned first hand how project-based learning is an incredible way to achieve this.
My current classroom is almost all project based learning, where teachers are simply facilitators to students’ self-guided learning. It is also a collaborative learning set-up where the Tsunami Room, Wildfire Room, and Hurricane Room combine to make the Storm Community, filled with 85 students in grades 4 through 6, and 3 teachers. I have witnessed the incredible advantages of this dynamic learning environment, where students are free to learn about areas of interest and work with students from various classrooms and grades. Students who would only write a couple of sentences last year are recording page upon page of research. Students who are already excelling are pushed farther, contacting organizations such as TEDx to arrange a talk, or emailing NASA and actually getting a response! It’s also been amazing for students with special needs, as any project they choose to share is a victory.
Through this process, I’ve gained a huge insight into the benefits of inquiry based or project based learning. It can be chaotic and challenging (often grade 6 students want to research something I admittedly know nothing about) but the students have thrived and improved with each subsequent project. We discussed inquiry a lot during my time at Vancouver Island University but it was quite different to see it in action.
Through project based learning, students are motived and interested, and they are able to collaborate and share what they know with their peers, becoming little experts on their own topics. As per the goals of this TRB standard, this improves students’ development, boosting students’ confidence and improving their attitude towards school and schoolwork. Another strength of inquiry based or project based learning is that it is also fantastic for classroom management, because if students are more interested in what they are learning about, they are more likely to be on task and less disruptive.
As per this TRB standard, it is so important that we acknowledge that humans are social beings and that everyone is different. Through project based learning and exploring, I do not expect a quiet classroom. I encourage students to share information about what they’ve learned with their peers and challenge each other to go further. Some of the greatest teachers are peers, which is why self-assessment/reflection, teacher-assessment, as well as peer-assessment are all crucial parts of our learning model.
This TRB standard is important to me as a new teacher because if we fail to acknowledge and honour who a student is and their abilities, teaching and assessment is pointless. We must first work to learn who are students are, what they need, and where to go from there. We must teach and acknowledge the whole student and their needs - socially, emotionally, intellectually, or otherwise. We do not have a box for them to fit into, which is why inquiry based or project based learning is so successful. There is no box, only room to explore, create, reflect, and go further.
I will hold this TRB standard true as a new teacher as I plan to incorporate inquiry based learning into my classroom, as well as acknowledging and adapting all lessons to suit individual students’ needs. This TRB standard is an important element of teaching, and thinking of ways to include and challenge all students is exciting to me. I imagine I will learn more from them than they will from me some days, and I believe that this style of student-led learning is something to embrace. Going forward I can only hope to have a classroom full of creative, social, self-motivated, inventive little experts, preparing them for our ever-changing world.