Chlo Jobin

Reflective Analysis Year 4

Competency 1: To act as a professional inheritor, critic and interpreter of knowledge/ culture Culture is an essential element to consider when teaching a second language. During my fourth year, I have tried to include different elements of culture to my classroom activities in order to appeal to my students and to broaden their area of knowledge. As pre-activities, I often use videos describing actuality or newspaper clippings, magazines and documentaries. I also use different activities such as Lets Talk, that encourages students to give their opinions about different things such as music, advertisement and videogames. It is often less obvious to integrate culture within an elementary classroom, because I feel that it is more difficult for students to grasp the different notions. That is why I feel that it is extremely important to take every opportunity possible in order to promote opportunities for students to learn about different cultures. When I was substitute teaching for example, I knew that it was the teachers birthday, so I decided to create an afternoon about Birthdays around the World. I created and found some activities that described different traditions around the world and had a trivia quiz at the end. The students enjoyed it and allowed them to discuss about their personal experiences, all the while learning about how birthdays were celebrated elsewhere.

Competency 2: To communicate clearly Having been immersed in an English setting for the first years of my life, I am lucky enough to have a facility in both spoken in written English. These are very important to master, especially as a second language teacher. Even though it comes easy for me, I still sometimes forget how to spell certain words and I find it essential to show the students, that even I, am not perfect. I believe that this gives the students a certain confidence in the classroom, because it creates a stress-free learning environment. Thus, when I am not sure how to spell a word I tell them, and we look it up together. Throughout the past years, I have learned that using English at all times is essential and beneficial for the students. Since it may be difficult for them to follow along sometimes, I have learned to make adapt my teachings to the level of

Chlo Jobin

my students. Planning is the key, it is important give them meaningful functional language and visual supports. During my fourth practicum, I often used an online dictionary, to help my visual students, for example.

Competency 3: To develop learning situations In order to maximize students' learning it is essential to create adapted and meaningful learning opportunities. Each element must be link and contribute to a final goal. During my fourth practicum, I had the opportunity to develop many activities. My main activity was my PIC project called the Art of Reading. It was a readers theatre in which students had the opportunity to develop their reading and speaking skills. I feel that it is essential to target the groups needs in order to promote effective learning situations. For my PIC, I felt that my students needed to practice their pronunciation; therefore, I created meaningful activities in which I tried to promote all of the learning styles in different types of activities in order to create an LES that would best suit as many students as possible. I have create material for intensive grade six classes, secondary classes and for individual tutoring lessons for secondary students. My next goal will be to create activities for lower elementary level students, in order to be ready for my future English classes.

Competency 4: To pilot teaching/learning situations During my fourth practicum, I had the opportunity to work in a single classroom, but with students who presented different learning styles with several different student profiles. I had very strong students and several students who had learning difficulties. I learned the relevance and importance of differentiation and especially of PLANNING. At the beginning of my practicum, I had short lesson plans that merely included a plan b and a target outcome. At the end of my practicum, I am proud to say that I had created a very effective lesson plan binder, in which each class had a clear intention and an expected outcome. There was always a plan b activity and clear learning targets. Now, when I teach, I am more than ready and I focus on each learning elements I wish that my students achieve. When I plan and teach, I always take into account my students learning styles and needs and try to create as interacting, relevant activities as possible.

Chlo Jobin

Competency 5: To evaluate student progress Often, ESL teachers have hundreds of students and assessing each one's capacities and progress may be a challenge. Hence the importance of developing effective evaluation situations and tools. I feel that correcting may sometimes be subjective and I have learned that it is thus essential to develop evaluation tools that will portray students level as accurately as possible. During my fourth practicum, I found tools in pedagogical books that helped me evaluate students during oral evaluations that merely consists of grids in which you write each of the students names and evaluate one criteria at a time (for example, use of functional language). I have also created my very own evaluation grid that put forth the three competencies that I presented to the parents for the report cards. This tool was especially designed for my class and it worked extremely well for me. For my PIC project, I also used a rubric to help me evaluate several specific points. What I found to be the most important was to evaluate as many times as possible in order to get an accurate picture of the students abilities.

Competency 6: to plan, organize and supervise a class Creating a favorable learning environment is necessary in order to promote students' learning processes. I have learned that each class is different and that I will have to adapt to each one of them in order to promote a favourable learning environment. Throughout the years, I have developed different planning strategies, such as my planning binder, and I had the opportunity to use different classroom management strategies. My favourite is the Class Dojo, which is a great motivational tool for elementary students, but I have also experienced different strategies, such as the Jelly bean bowl, in which students get jelly beans if they behave appropriately and when the bowl is full, they get a class treat. Motivation to speak in English is also essential, that is why I had created English coupon system I called The Big, Big English Race. Finally, I have found that coherence and implemented daily routines are essential in order to promote a fun classroom setting.

Chlo Jobin

Competency 7: To adapt to students' needs/ characteristics During my fourth practicum, I worked with several different student profiles. I had very strong students and several students who had learning difficulties. I learned the relevance and importance of differentiation. In order to adapt to different types of students, my training has allowed me to understand that it is essential to be aware of what resources are available. I have attended numerous learning communities and meetings that helped me understand how to help students with specific needs. I feel that it is important to understand what they need and adapt our teaching accordingly. I have also learned that creating a bond with the students can be very helpful for the student and the teacher. In the past year, I have learned how to adapt material, how to use special tools and, more importantly, I have learned to seek help in order to help!

Competency 8: To integrate technologies (ICT) Technology is everywhere and even more so in our students' lives. As teachers, we have to obligation to renew our teaching methods and to integrate the ICTs in our curriculum. I have always been good with technology and I have always naturally been drawn to integrate it in the classroom. The past year has allowed me to use new material that I had not previously used before. Indeed, I learned how to use a Smart board and how to integrate it within a meaningful context. I think that the Smart board is a great tool if it is used to its full potential, thus not as another PowerPoint slide. I have also experienced with other tools such as Prezi, Class Dojo, Weebly, Online interactive games and even YouTube videos for fun learning opportunities. Overall, I think that it is essential to integrate technology as much as possible because it can really add to students learning experience, if integrated properly.

Competency 9: To cooperate with school staff, parents, partners in the community and students Teaching does not only involve and occur exclusively in the classroom. A teacher must sometimes refer to resources and colleagues to help them for numerous school-related topics. I have learned that it is essential to rely on colleagues and

Chlo Jobin

parents for help. During the last year, I have relied on my colleagues to help me sometimes in the planning of my activities, when I had trouble with a students or simply for moral support. I have found out that they are our best allies, because they are experienced, and often when I had a question, they had already lived similar experiences, and hence knew how to handle it. During my fourth practicum, I learned that the relationship between all of the professionals is essential. When my students were in the drama class, for example, and it did not go well, I like to speak with the drama teacher in order to know exactly what went on in order to act accordingly. In addition, when I have students with particular needs, it is very important that I tell the TES about how they are doing in class, in order to help her when she is working individually with them and in order to help me when they are in my class. I have also had to communicate with parents when students were not behaving. I have found out that they are great partners because they will usually try to help us change their childs behaviour. Competency 10: To cooperate with the teaching team Communication is the key to an enjoyable and successful school. By assisting numerous school meetings, I have learned the importance of mutual support between teachers and other school personnel. I now know that it is essential to take part in the different pedagogical meetings in order to take part in the decisions that make the school go round. I have learned that often, the teaching team does not have the same opinions, but that it is essential to work together to find solutions. Throughout the years, I have learned that the English teachers in elementary levels re often alone and sometimes a bit of outcasts, because they are in more than one school. It is hence essential to create links with the other teachers and to be involved within the school(s). Competency 11: To engage in professional development Ongoing professional development is necessary in the teaching career. Throughout my years in university, I have engaged myself in numerous learning experiences in order to constantly further myself in my teaching. I have attended several SPEAQ conferences, I have subscribed to different ESL teaching websites, journals, Facebook and Google plus pages. During the past weeks, I have started substitute teaching, which is a great way to develop my professional development. I have learned that it is important that I continue working on my professional

Chlo Jobin

development, because there will always be new things coming up and that I owe it to my students! Competency 12: to demonstrate ethical and responsible professional behavior Teachers are the persons with which students spend several hours a day, five days a week. We hence are role models and must act accordingly. I have always believed that I am a model for my students and I therefore am always on my best behaviour when I am at school or even just out at the grocery store. I have learned that my students are everywhere! I see them at the mall or at the park, and I see the importance of acting as a model, because you cannot hide from them! For this reason, I never talk about my students in public places, and NEVER mention their names. My greatest fear is that parents disagree with my interventions. That is why I always act in a way that I can justify my actions. In addition, why I am in doubt, I like to refer to others in order to get their opinion.