Reflective Analysis
Competency 1.
To act as a professional who is inheritor, critic and interpreter of knowledge or culture when teaching students.
It is part of my planning to critically look at the content I teach. I have had the chance to include many elements of culture in my classes when teaching enriched students, during my second practicum. Because of their great curiosity and their openness, it was easier for me to do so. Also, I realized that I naturally discuss culture in class when teaching and sub teaching at the elementary level. Young children are curious and ask questions about everything that looks different from what they are used to. Often, the answers to their questions imply a cultural dimension and although very simplistic, this still contribute to raising the cultural awareness of young students.
The section "Culture I Bring to Class" also demonstrates this competency.
Competency 2.
To communicate clearly in the language of instruction, both orally and in writing, using correct grammar, in various contexts related to teaching. As a teacher, students see me as a model and I really do care about using French and English correctly. I improved my English a lot during my study abroad experiences. I worked on fluency and accuracy in Banff and more on my writing skills at Simon Fraser University. Now, I watch TV and read in English. I do my best to learn about the language, every day, and this way, I can transmit to my students my strong will of using English correctly and my passion for learning new words and phrases everyday. To me, another interpretation of this competency consists of being able to communicate clearly. When talking to beginner students, or simply students that are non-native, I have to make sure I am clear, concise and express my instructions in a straightforward manner that is intelligible to most. Developing the ability to talk to a group and reach most of the listeners is not an easy task and, I guess, this is a competency teachers improve throughout their career. |
Competency 3.
To develop teaching/learning situations that are appropriate to the students concerned and the subject content with a view to developing the competencies targeted in the programs of study. I consider this competency to be my strength. Since my first practicum, I have created a lot of material for my practicums and my teaching contracts. I have created various LES and other activities that you can find in the teaching material section of this website. I am pleased to share all this with other ESL teachers. I mostly uploaded .doc documents because I know how I personally like to change few things every time I use or reuse a handout. |
Competency 4.
To pilot teaching/learning situations that are appropriate to the students concerned and to the subject content with a view to developing the competencies targeted in the programs of study. This competency can take a whole different meaning depending on the level one is teaching. I believe it is a lot easier to pilot the activity when you have built it or when you are well prepared. At the elementary level, I try to use routines, simple words, and repetitions. At the secondary level, I think of steps that would keep classroom management easier and student's work effective. |
Competency 5.
To evaluate student progress in learning the subject content and mastering the related competencies.
As mentionned above, I like to create teaching materials that really suit my students' needs. This helps me a lot when it comes to evaluations, because I create great tools to be fair and more focused on the evaluated competencies. Recording and cumulating all grades can also become an exhausting task, but good tools can simplify the job.
As for C1, which many teachers find the most difficult competency to evaluate, I believe each and every class should count. I do not believe that a single evaluation situation at one point in the semester can be representative of the students' general competency at interacting orally in English. At high school level, I used to give my students a number from 1 to 5 after each class in regard to their C1 performance. As for the elementary students I taught, I found it effective to mark a + sign next to the students' names, on my class list, every time they would participate in English. My expectations were different according to the levels, and I sometimes targeted specific sub competencies that I tried to focused on during specific classes.
Below are the instruction page and the evaluation rubric I created along with an exam I gave to my secondary three students during my fourth practicum.
To evaluate student progress in learning the subject content and mastering the related competencies.
As mentionned above, I like to create teaching materials that really suit my students' needs. This helps me a lot when it comes to evaluations, because I create great tools to be fair and more focused on the evaluated competencies. Recording and cumulating all grades can also become an exhausting task, but good tools can simplify the job.
As for C1, which many teachers find the most difficult competency to evaluate, I believe each and every class should count. I do not believe that a single evaluation situation at one point in the semester can be representative of the students' general competency at interacting orally in English. At high school level, I used to give my students a number from 1 to 5 after each class in regard to their C1 performance. As for the elementary students I taught, I found it effective to mark a + sign next to the students' names, on my class list, every time they would participate in English. My expectations were different according to the levels, and I sometimes targeted specific sub competencies that I tried to focused on during specific classes.
Below are the instruction page and the evaluation rubric I created along with an exam I gave to my secondary three students during my fourth practicum.
Competency 6.
To plan, organize and supervise a class in such a way as to promote students’ learning and social development.
During my third practicum, at the elementary level, I used pompoms to motivate my students to speak English. I also chose, at the end of each class, one student would be the English Star of the Day. I had a special little certificate I gave to my star and the awarded students were always very happy to bring it home. In addition, I crafted a big street light (red, yellow, green) that I sticked on the side of my blackboard. When students would talk too much, I would move an arrow from the green light down to the yellow or red light. If at the end of the class the light was yellow, I would take off one pompom from the jar. If it was red, I would take off three. This helped me a lot with my classroom management, because anytime I would only approach my hand from the arrow, the students would stop talking. They loved the pompom system and really cared about getting as many as possible.
During my fourth practicum, with secondary cycle two students, I would basically stick to the three warning principle. I would give them three advice and at three, they would get a school disciplinary ticket which they had to get home to be signed by the parents. I did not give many during my practicum. I am the kind of teacher that uses a lot of humour to get messages across. This method has been pretty effective for me so far. My students even stated in an appreciation test, that classroom management was one of my strengths.
The "I Speak English Ticket" helped me to motivate my secondary students to speak English. I used a pen with special ink to mark Es and Fs in the appropriate boxes. Students also had to use their challenge in a conversation and let me know so I would initialize their ticket. It works pretty well also to help me keep record of the students efforts. It is a great tool I recommend to try if your students do not speak English in your ESL classroom.
To plan, organize and supervise a class in such a way as to promote students’ learning and social development.
During my third practicum, at the elementary level, I used pompoms to motivate my students to speak English. I also chose, at the end of each class, one student would be the English Star of the Day. I had a special little certificate I gave to my star and the awarded students were always very happy to bring it home. In addition, I crafted a big street light (red, yellow, green) that I sticked on the side of my blackboard. When students would talk too much, I would move an arrow from the green light down to the yellow or red light. If at the end of the class the light was yellow, I would take off one pompom from the jar. If it was red, I would take off three. This helped me a lot with my classroom management, because anytime I would only approach my hand from the arrow, the students would stop talking. They loved the pompom system and really cared about getting as many as possible.
During my fourth practicum, with secondary cycle two students, I would basically stick to the three warning principle. I would give them three advice and at three, they would get a school disciplinary ticket which they had to get home to be signed by the parents. I did not give many during my practicum. I am the kind of teacher that uses a lot of humour to get messages across. This method has been pretty effective for me so far. My students even stated in an appreciation test, that classroom management was one of my strengths.
The "I Speak English Ticket" helped me to motivate my secondary students to speak English. I used a pen with special ink to mark Es and Fs in the appropriate boxes. Students also had to use their challenge in a conversation and let me know so I would initialize their ticket. It works pretty well also to help me keep record of the students efforts. It is a great tool I recommend to try if your students do not speak English in your ESL classroom.
Competency 7.
To adapt his or her teaching to the needs and characteristics of students with learning disabilities, social maladjustments or handicaps.
This competency is certainly a challenge for all teachers and I believe it will be my central challenge for the next few years. Since the beginning of February, I've been teaching a group of 6 elementary cycle one boys in a class for students with special needs. In this class, students have ADHD, TED, Aspergers, etc. I constantly work with one awesome TES, and sometimes with a second one! This is a big challenge. I have to stick to a routine (C4) and be very consistant with class rules. I want to help them all, but I sometimes need to work with some individually. All in all, the situation is complex, but so interesting and motivating. It definitely pushes me to develop my seventh competency.
To adapt his or her teaching to the needs and characteristics of students with learning disabilities, social maladjustments or handicaps.
This competency is certainly a challenge for all teachers and I believe it will be my central challenge for the next few years. Since the beginning of February, I've been teaching a group of 6 elementary cycle one boys in a class for students with special needs. In this class, students have ADHD, TED, Aspergers, etc. I constantly work with one awesome TES, and sometimes with a second one! This is a big challenge. I have to stick to a routine (C4) and be very consistant with class rules. I want to help them all, but I sometimes need to work with some individually. All in all, the situation is complex, but so interesting and motivating. It definitely pushes me to develop my seventh competency.
Competency 8. To integrate information and communications technologies (ICT) in the preparation and delivery of teaching/learning activities and for instructional management and professional development purposes. During my practicums and my teaching contracts, I used technologies a lot. I used various softwares to create activities and handouts. I visited many websites to find interesting activities. I used the TBI and I also created a website for my secondary students. They were required to go watch some You Tube videos and I asked some questions in class to see if they had done their homework. With a group of English Option second cycle of high school students, I ask them to create a Google account and we shared documents for their homework, projects and evaluations. The project on the popular TV show "How It's Made" probably is the best example. |
Competency 9.
To cooperate with school staff, parents, partners in the community and students in pursuing the educational objectives of the school.
The class Dojo software available online is a great tool to communicate with parents. Parents play a central role in their child's education and they are the teacher's allies. Also, many partners in the community and in the school are inclined to help in the classroom or in the creation of special projects!
Competency 10.
To cooperate with members of the teaching team in carrying out tasks involving the development and evaluation of the competencies targeted in the programs of study, taking into account the students concerned.
I worked more on this competency at the elementary level. As a specialist teacher, I worked with many groups and cooperating with the homeroom teachers was always of great help in regards to homework or classroom management. At the high school level, cooperation among the teaching team took the form of an organized meeting every day 5 on lunch time. We discussed special event, evaluation, and specific students we felt needed help.
To cooperate with school staff, parents, partners in the community and students in pursuing the educational objectives of the school.
The class Dojo software available online is a great tool to communicate with parents. Parents play a central role in their child's education and they are the teacher's allies. Also, many partners in the community and in the school are inclined to help in the classroom or in the creation of special projects!
Competency 10.
To cooperate with members of the teaching team in carrying out tasks involving the development and evaluation of the competencies targeted in the programs of study, taking into account the students concerned.
I worked more on this competency at the elementary level. As a specialist teacher, I worked with many groups and cooperating with the homeroom teachers was always of great help in regards to homework or classroom management. At the high school level, cooperation among the teaching team took the form of an organized meeting every day 5 on lunch time. We discussed special event, evaluation, and specific students we felt needed help.
Competency 11.
To engage in professional development individually and with others. Along with my formation in the BEALS program, I also completed a microprogram in Sciences cognitives du language. These classes helped me to better understand how young ones acquire a language. Soon a graduate student, I am looking forward to engage in a professional development that I will choose according to my interests, my students and the contexts in which I will teach. The BEALS gave me a lot of great ressources that helped me build an inital teaching philosophy. I am a SPEAQ and CASLT member. I know my future colleagues can also be good source of learning and support, and I will try to take advantage of this. |
Competency 12.
To demonstrate ethical and responsible professional behaviour in the performance of his or her duties. This has been mostly natural to me. I have always heard my mom talking about all her experience with parents, and other teachers and also other professionals working at her school. Students learn a lot from the models we are and that is the reason why we have to be responsible and act accordingly in all situations. The greatest challenge I had to face regarding this competency was with high school students. These youngsters sometimes only wait for you to explode and lose control. Teachers must react quickly, but also take the time to think and do not let the emotions influence their reactions. A very useful book I read on this topic is Comme un caméléon sur une jupe écossaise, by Égide Royer. He compares the reaction of a teacher being insulted by a student, during class, with the hypothetical reaction of a teacher being insulted by a student while on his patio during summer holidays. This comparison illustrates well the fact that teachers should always keep control of themselves. |