Year1,Practicum1Guide–p.

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Year1

Practicum1Week1

INQUIRY–OBSERVATION–ACTIVEENGAGEMENT

WhatdoTCsdo?

AGuidetoBeginningthePracticumJourney

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Theaboveexpectationsareaguide,sotheycanbeslightlyadjustedtoadapttothereadinessoftheTC,aswellastowhatworksfortheAssociateTeacherandtheirprogram.

MasterofTeachingYear1,Practicum1:GuidetoInquiry/Observation/ActiveEngagement

BackgroundandIntroduction

Year1,Practicum1isthefirstoffoursessionsofpracticeteachingacrossthetwo-yearMasterofTeachingprogram.Assuch,itisintendedtoprovideeachTCwithanopportunitytoorienttotheprofessionofteachingthroughafocusoninquiry,observationandactiveengagement.

TheideaforaguidetosupportYear1TCsduringthefirstpracticumemergedfromsurveydatacollectedinthefallof2016fromTCs,ATs,andFAs.Thesurveydatasuggestedsupportforthemoregradualreleaseofteachingresponsibilities*,withawishforadditionalresourcesandideastohelpguideTCsandATsstructuretheearlypartsofthepracticum.

(*Althoughthedatasupportedthegradualreleaseofteachingresponsibilities,surveyresponsesfromATssuggestedthatoneweekofinquiry,observationandactiveengagementwasmoreappropriatethanthetwoweekspilotedinthefall2016practicum.Forthisreason,theweek-by-weekpracticumexpectationsforYear1,Practicum1for2017reflectsthisfeedback.)

TheintentionofthisguideistohelpbothTCsandATsdevelopmeaningfullearningopportunitiesduringthefirstweekoftheYear1,Practicum1experience.TCsareinvitedtoplanouteachdaywiththeirspecificlearninginterestsandquestionsinmind.TCsmightreviewthisdocumentandselectafocusforeachperiod,orhalfday.TCsarealsoencouragedtodocumenttheirlearningfromtheirinquiryandobservationinamannerthatenablesthemtosharetheirlearningwiththeirATandFA,andinamannerthatbestsuitsthem,e.g.,someTCsmighttakenotesthroughoutthedayinanotebook,orreflectonceattheendofeachlessonordayonadevice.Theflexibilityinhowthisguideisusedisintentionaltomeettheindividualinterests,needsandlevelsofdifferentTCs.Specifically,theguideisanadditionalsupportdocumentincaseTCsorATsarewonderingwhataTCmightdoduringthefirstweekoftheirfallpracticum.TheguidingquestionslistedintheObservationsectionbelowwerecollaborativelydevelopedataMasterofTeachingPartnershipAdvisoryCommittee(PAC)meetinginFebruary2017.ThankyoutoallATsandPrincipalswhowerecontributingmembersofthisveryimportantcommittee!

Althougheachofthese“habitsofmind”andpracticearecloselyintertwined,theguideisdividedintothefollowing3parts:Inquiry–page3Observation–pages4-6ActiveEngagement–page6

Week1 Week2 Week3 Week4

Year1PT1

Inquiry/Observation/ActiveEngagement

⅓timetableElem:1-2lessons/daySec:1class/day

⅓timetableElem:1-2lessons/daySec:1class/day

⅓-⅔timetableElem:2-3lessons/daySec:1-2classes/day

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Inquiry–ThedevelopmentofaLearningPlanfocuseseachTContheirindividualquestions,andactsasbothaguidetoseekoutlearningopportunities,aswellasreflectonexperiencesandfindings.Asaself-directedactivity,thelearningplansituatesresponsibilityforone’sgrowthanddevelopmentasateacherwitheachTC.ArticulatingquestionsatthebeginningofaTC’spracticumjourney,followedbyexploration,analysis,reflectionandgoalsettingreflecttheteacherasresearcherstancethatiscriticalforsuccessfulandeffective21stcenturyteachers.

TCs:Chooseatemplatethatworksforyou,ordevelopanotherwaytotrackanddocumentyourinquiry.ThetwoexamplesherecanbefoundontheMTPracticumwebsiteathttps://mtpracticum.weebly.com/forms--resources.html

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Observation–ThefollowinglistofideasandguidingquestionscanbeusedtoframeTCexperiencesduringObservationDaysandthefirstweekofPracticum1inYear1.TCsareencouragedtoobservewithcurious,analyticalminds,takeobservationnotes,andbeawareofthevariouslensesandbiasesthattheyhavewhileengagedintheprocessofobservation.

1.SchoolandClassroomExpectations,RoutinesandProcedures

Takesometimetoexplore,observeandnotetheexpectations,routinesandproceduresofyourpracticumclassroomandschoolastheyrelateto:

- Schoolandclassroomschedules.- Transitiontimes–enteringschool,enteringandleavingtheclassroom,hallwaytime,movingto

otherclassrooms,recess,snack/nutbreak,lunch,andvariouswithinclassroomtransitions(e.g.,fromwholegroupteachingtogroups,orindividualwork,fromasharedcarpetspacebacktotables/desks,activitycenters,beginningandendinglabwork,etc.)

- Classandstudentmaterials:Howaresuppliesandmaterialsorganized?Distributed?Shared?Whataretheexpectationsofstudentsrelatedtousingandtakingcareofsupplies,materials,notebooks,textbooks,pens,pencils,computers,pencilsharpeners,etc?

- Expectationsand/orroutinesrelatedtowashroom,handwashing,storageofpersonalitemsinlockers,cubbiesanddesks.

- Proceduresrelatedtofiredrills,lockdowns,assemblies,etc.- Extra-curricularactivities:Whatishappeningintheschool?Whatistheprocesstobeginanew

activity?Whatarethepoliciesandproceduresguidingextra-curricularactivitiesinthisboard?Thisschool?Fromtheunion?

- Staffcommunications,meetings,announcements,unioncommunications.

2.GettingtoKnowStudents

Understandingthestudentsinyourclassroomisakeyfoundationtoplanningandteachingthemeffectively.Althoughgettingtoknowstudentsshouldcontinueeverydayinaclassroom,thefollowingideasmighthelpfocusaTC’sexplorationduringobservationdaysandthefirstweekofYear1,Practicum1.

- Takeacommunitywalktoexploretheneighbourhoodinwhichtheschoolislocated.- Closelyobserveindividualstudentsforextendedperiodsoftime.Whataretheirinterests,

strengths,tendencies,behaviours,etc.?- Findnaturalopportunitiestotalkwithstudentstofurthergettoknowthem.- Considersharingsomethingaboutyourselfwiththeclassasawaytobuildstudent-teacher

relationships,andinvitethestudentstosharetheirinterestswithyou.- Aftertakingsometimetoobserveindividualstudents,observetheclassasawhole.Whatare

thepatternsyounoticerelatedtotheirinterests,attentionspan,behaviours,attitudes,etc.?

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3.ClassroomCommunity,ExpectationsandManagement

Settingupaclassroomcommunity,communicatingexpectations,andestablishingroutinesareallpartofmanagingaclassroom.Investinginpreventativemanagementstrategiescontributestofewerclassroommanagementchallenges.ThefollowingquestionsareintendedtohelpaTCidentifytherangeofbothpreventativeandresponsiveclassroommanagementstrategiesinyourpracticumclassroom.

- Whathascontributedtotheestablishmentofaclassroomcommunity?(e.g.,expectations,norms,routines,etc.)

- Whatpreventativestrategiesdoestheteacheremploytodevelopapositiveclimateoflearningintheclassroom?

- Howareexpectationsaboutbehaviourcommunicated?- Arethereexamplesofexpectationsthataredifferentiatedtomeetthediverseneedsofthe

students?- WhatarethevariousstrategiesyourAssociateTeacheremploysinresponsetooff-task

behaviourand/ormisbehaviour?Focusonthelow-key,sometimesinvisible,responsesoftheteacher,e.g.,slightchangeintoneofvoice,askingstudentaquestion,movingtobeincloseproximitytostudentwhoistalkingduringinstruction,etc.

- Whateffectivestrategiesareemployedwhenlow-keymanagementresponsesfailtostopthemisbehaviour?

- Whataretheboardandschoolproceduresandpoliciesrelatedtoreportingbullying,discriminationandharassment?

4.Planning,InstructionandAssessment

Learningtoteachisacomplex,developmentalprocessthatinvolvesknowingwhichpiecesofthepuzzlearetobeputonthetable(andconsidered),andthenknowinghowtoputthevariouspiecesofthepuzzletogether.Thisprocesspullsonmanydifferentbodiesofknowledge,includingknowledgeofhumandevelopmentandpedagogicalcontentknowledge.ThefollowingideasandguidingquestionsareintendedtosupportaTeacherCandidate’sexplorationofthecomplexityofplanning,teachingandassessingduringthefirststepsoftheirpracticumjourneyintheMTprogram.

- ObserveyourATteach,andifpossibleobserveotherteachersinthedepartmentorschool.Makenoteofthevariouscomponentsofeachlesson,e.g.,Howisthelessonstarted?Whatinstructionalstrategiesareemployedto‘hook’thestudents,engageallstudents,andbuildonpreviousexperiencesofstudents?Makenoteofthetimingofeachpartofthelesson.Whatsortsofgroupings(wholeclass,smallgroup,pairs,individual)areused,andconsiderwhy?Howdoestheteachercloseorconsolidatethelesson?

- Whattypesofquestionsdoestheteacherask?Writedownandthenanalyzetheexactwordsofkeyquestionsaskedinthelesson.

- Writedownthequestionsthestudentsask.Analyzewhattheirquestionscommunicatetotheteacher.

- Whatlearningskillsarebeingdevelopedinthelesson?- Howareresources,technology,materialsand/ormanipulativeseffectivelyusedinthelesson?- Identifywaystheteacherdifferentiatesbasedonlearners’strengthsandneeds(content,

process,product,learningenvironment).- Observestudentswithaverykeenanddetailedeyeduringindependentwork.Whatpatternsto

yousee?Whatkindofworkengagesstudents,keepstheirinterest?Whatstrategiesareemployedtosupportstudentsduringindependentwork?

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- Makenoteofthevariousformsandstrategiesofassessmentthattakesplaceduringalesson,e.g.,diagnostic,formative,summative,andas/for/oflearning.

- Followingtheobservationofalesson,reviewtherelevantMinistrycurriculumdocumentandsituatethevariouselementsofthelessonwithinthecurriculumdocument.Notewhatwasevidentinyourobservation,andidentifywhataspectsofthecurriculumdocumentyouwillexploreinfollow-upobservations.

ActiveEngagement

ThefirstweekofPracticum1forYear1TCsisintendedtobearich,fullandactivelearningopportunity.AlthoughTCsmaynotbeteachingwholeclasslessons,thereareavarietyofwaysforTCstobeactivelyengagedwiththestudents,classroomprogramandschoolcommunity.Belowaresomeideas:

- Workone-on-onewithstudents- Supportsmallgroupsofstudents- AssistATinlessonsandactivities- Co-planorco-teachalessonwiththeAT- Duringnon-instructionaltimes,TCscan:

o AssistATinsupervisionso DeveloptheirLearningPlano Analyzetheirobservationnoteso Draftlessonplansforthefollowingweek

Active

Engagement✔

✔ INITIATIVE

✔ PARTICIPATION

✔ INVOLVEMENT

✔ CONSULTATION

Feedbackwelcome!

FeedbackandsuggestionsonthedocumentarewelcomefromTCs,ATs,FAs,PrincipalsandMTinstructors.Pleaseemailyourfeedbackto

mtpracticum@utoronto.caThankyou!