UNIVERSITY OF

CALGARY

FACULTY OF EDUCATION UNDER GRAD UA TE PROGRAMS

E D U C 411: F I E L D E X P E R I E N C E II F I E L D N A R R A T I V E ASSESSMENT
PRINCIPLES OF INDIVIDUAL LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Student's Name: Catherine Simoneau

NOTE: This is not a letter of reference

ID#: 10097283

Date: April 19 or 26, 2013

to potential employers

and will not be distributed by the Faculty of Education

The purpose o f this three-week Field experience is to focus on the complex dimensions o f individual learners in classrooms. The student's Field Journal and his/her participation in the Field placement should provide evidence o f a g r o w i n g ability to act thoughtfully in the classroom and w i t h i n the school community, a deepening understanding o f individual learners, and an emerging ability to plan for, participate i n , and assess students' learning. The Narrative Assessment should address the student's contributions to Blackboard discussions, the student teacher's key learnings, key dispositions and the K S A ' s relevant to the specific context o f the Field experience and the student's final Summary Presentation. The f o l l o w i n g report on the student's w o r k should be organized in relation to the questions: "Wliere is the work particularly strong?" "WJiat could the student do to further his/lier professional growth and development?"

Catherine Simoneau successfully completed this three-week field experience in March and A p r i l 2013 at Centennial High School in Calgary, Alberta. Throughout this field experience, Catherine demonstrated a deepening understanding o f individual students as she worked closely with individuals and groups in grade 10, 11 and 12 English Language Arts classes. Catherine reflected consistently upon what she was coming to know about the learners each day g i v i n g attention to their unique learning profiles, the ways that they experienced learning, the kinds o f experiences that she recognized as meaningful for them and how to begin to develop lessons based upon her knowledge o f English and her knowledge o f the students. Discussions in weekly small group sessions with her cohort and in written responses have shown that she has come to understand in deeper ways the way in which she and others learn as she shared critical incidents o f the classroom experience and linked these to the knowledge she was gaining from course work. Her initial observations familiarized her with the class room organizations, expectations, and the range o f different learning styles and ways students learn. She quickly established relationships with individuals and groups o f students so that she was effective in supporting learning objectives set with their teacher and developed lessons that built upon the strengths o f the students while addressing areas for growth. Catherine came to recognize that different groups o f approach teaching and learning in unique ways and that by understanding the environment and the students, teachers are able to create learning experiences that challenge and extend student abilities. In cohort discussions, Catherine spoke o f her awareness o f the different experiences students brought into the learning environment and how teachers need to be flexible in k n o w i n g how to teach to the different student interests, abilities and motivations. She consistently reflected upon her interactions with insight revising what she had planned and thought she might do to enhance learning in future lessons working alongside her partner teacher in planning and supporting learning in all her classes. During this field experience she was able to connect her knowledge o f literature to the learning experiences she created with individuals in this class. She practiced teaching a diverse group o f students a visual communication lessons and drew on graphic novels and images to generate a common for the class. She had opportunities to practice class management strategies. She demonstrated the tone and tact o f a teacher in knowing how she might address challenges that could distract from the teaching moment. This is a strength that she brings to her teaching practice along with her subject knowledge and skill in designing and assessing engaging lessons. Catherine is well prepared to enter into the next part o f her teacher preparation studies with confidence. She is developing into a reflective practitioner having come to know more about the complex dimensions o f individual learning in the classroom throughout this Field Experience. In the next semester, she may wish to continue to explore the variety o f approaches to classroom management strategies, curriculum planning and assessment practices and to learn more about the deep planning that helps create climates o f respect in the classroom .

Field Instructor's Name: Sharon Nichols

For Field Experience I I : Principles of Individual Learning and Development, the recommendation is:

Credit Non-Credit