Nancy Kim

January 28, 2018

Frame of Reference

Philosophy

Education is fundamentally one of the most important aspects of a child’s life. All children should

have the opportunity to receive the best education no matter their socio-economic background, race,

ethnicity, or gender. Education is like growing a flower. Some flowers blossom at different times of the

year. While there are some flowers that need more attention when it comes to watering, soil, and

sunlight. Children walking into our classrooms are the flowers, while the strategies and teaching tools

such as UDL, inclusive classrooms, and teaching to diversity represents the water, sunlight and soil.

Relationship with Learners, Parents, Colleagues, and Community

Creating connections with not only the learners, but parents, colleagues and the community

helps build a communication network. It will provide students with the expectations of the teacher.

Parents will know how the child is learning and how they are performing academically. “Learning

ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the

ancestors” [ CITATION OEC12 \l 1033 ]. By encouraging families to take part in their child’s learning, we

are also building a bridge between their family and their education. Making sure there are quick and

easy ways to keep in contact with parents are by sending planner messages home every day and being

available before and after school and being readily available through email outside of school hours.

Teaching and Learning Strategies

Using the flower metaphor, if you notice a flower is wilting, you make some changes in what you

are doing. Maybe you are overwatering the flower, or not giving it enough water. By observing your

students and gauging their engagement levels you are able plan effectively for your class. Using Universal
Design for Learning I will incorporate the three principles: provide multiple means of representation,

provide multiple means of action and expression, and provide multiple means of engagement[ CITATION

Low17 \l 1033 ]. I will present information and content in different ways by incorporating multi-modal

resources in my lessons. I will differentiate the ways that students can express what they know by

creating tiered assignments that allow students to display their learning in a way that works for them. By

incorporating students’ interest into when planning for their learning experiences I will encourage

students to become engaged in their learning.

Formative and Summative Assessment

Assessing students as they are learning is essential for a student’s academic success. The sixth

Principle of Learning, Assessment for Learning, recognizes that the learning environment needs to

operate with clarity of expectations using assessment strategies consistent with these expectations;

there is a strong emphasis on formative feedback to support learning [ CITATION OEC12 \l 1033 ]. By

giving students clear-on going feedback, I will assist students with setting learning goals. Assessment of

and for learning contributes to student growth, self-assessment skills, and self-regulation. By allowing

students to take control over their learning and involving them in the assessment and goal setting phase

gives them a sense of accountability in their progress. This is not only a great way to assess students, but

it is also a great way to assess my teaching. If students are not understanding a concept, it might mean

that I alter my delivery to engage the class as a whole.

Role of Curriculum & Competencies

I will use BC’s new curriculum to make sure students are using their core competencies to

achieve higher-order thinking. Students will have the ability to share their thoughts and opinions, all

while being able to understand their peers’ opinions that may be conflicting. By using the core

competencies, I will be assuring my students will have the proper skills and education to succeed.

Needs of Diverse Learners through Inclusive Practice

Being able to recognize and acknowledge each student’s uniqueness will contribute to an

inclusive classroom. Bringing in different perspectives and lens will help students develop their personal

and social identity. By allowing student to have a deeper understanding of themselves and one another

it will help them develop a deeper connection to their learning. As teachers we should use these

differences to empower each other to develop a deeper understanding of self, place, and community.
References
Lowrey, A., Hollingshead, A., Howery, K., & Bishop, J. (2017). More Than One Way: Stories of UDL and
Inclusive Classrooms . Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities , 225-242.

OECD. (2012). The Nature of Learning: Using Research to Inspire Practice . Innovative Learning Eviron, 1-
12.