EDUC 424: Task Set 3
Name:
Developing a Framework for Instructional Planning
October/November
HARD COPY submission is DUE: December 8, 2015
Done
By
Nov
9
Not
done
School Profile Portfolio Items:
Practicum Instruction Plan (PIP) development: In collaboration with your
mentor teacher, develop a working plan of your teaching responsibilities
during practicum. Follow the process outlined in this task set. Use the cover
page template in Appendix 3 of your Field Guide (also posted on the School
Experience website).
Develop a class profile that summarizes some basic learning information
about your students. Follow the suggested timeline outlined in this task set
(also on the School Experience Schedule). Use the template provided in
Appendix 3 of your Field Guide (also posted on the School Experience
website).
Continue to take on some basic housekeeping duties with mentor teacher
support and direction. Examples of what you could do:
-
Photocopying, collating/assembling student work/booklets etc.
Cutting/laminating/hole punching/book-binding
Basic marking- using an answer key or rubric
Checking/recording: student marks, work completion, book or
permission/order form returns etc.
Straightening book shelves, sink area, supply cupboard
Plant or animal care
Each school visit day, take on some basic teaching duties with your mentor
teacher’s support/direction. You should get some experience teaching the
whole class (co-teach, team teach, parallel teach) and try some small group
and 1-1 instruction. Examples of what you could do:
- Take/report attendance
- Homework/agenda check
- Calendar/opening exercises
- Take class to/from music, gym, library, computer lab
- Collect class at beginning of day, after recess, after lunch
- Spelling pre-test/post-test
- Math drill/practice (e.g. Mad minute)
- Desk cleanliness check
- Read to the class (a story, chapter in a novel)
- Teach a mini-lesson (e.g. interest survey, art lesson)
- Teach a game (e.g. math game, PE game)
Draft a letter of introduction to the parents of your students. Have your
mentor teacher review it and, with his/her permission, send it home prior to
the holidays.
*Note: On December 8th (December 15th for out of region*), submit hard copies
of the following: (*out of region may submit electronically or by fax)
- Task Set 3 template and reflection questions (completed)
- Practicum Instructional Plan (PIP)- cover sheet + 9 weekly schedules
EDUC 424/ Task Set 3, cont’d (page 2 of 2)
Lesson Reflection: choose one lesson that you taught recently
When I was teaching…
Describe the learning focus:
What did my students learn in this lesson? How do I know this?
Considering my students’ learning needs:
In preparation for & during the lesson…
(Note: you can either respond to these prompts by describing what you did- or what you would do if
you taught this lesson again.)
How did I tap into my students’ interests and/or offer appropriate challenges and/or increase
motivation?
How did I help students interact with the ideas they encountered during the lesson?
How did I provide learners with alternatives for demonstrating what they know?
What areas of my teaching practice do I want to focus on during my practicum? What do I need to
support my professional development in these areas?
Criteria for quality:
___ Complete (all required information is included and details are sufficient to convey ideas/information)
___ Critically-thoughtful (attempts to make connections between self/learning/practice are evident; provides
reasons/evidence to support insights/ideas)
EDUC 424/Task Set 3
Process for developing a Practicum Instructional Plan (PIP):
In collaboration with the mentor teacher, each teacher candidate is required to develop a
working plan of his/her teaching responsibilities during practicum. The suggested school visit
dates to work on this are noted below and in the School Experience Schedule. Sample
Practicum Instructional Plans (PIPs) are available from the School Experience Coordinator.
Teacher candidates: the method for constructing your PIP is as follows:
a. Create an overview of your practicum timeline: Make 9 copies of your mentor
teacher’s timetable - one page for each week of the practicum. Label each page:
Introduction Week, Week One, Week Two etc. and note the teaching load for
each week (30%-60%-80%-80%-80%-80%-80%-50%) (Target date: October
19/School visit 4)
b. Look at the school calendar and note any important dates on the relevant
days/weeks of your overview (e.g. staff meetings, early dismissals, Pro D days,
special assemblies etc..)
(Target date: week of October 12 - 16, no school visit)
c. Which subjects should you teach? Ideally, the core of your teaching assignment
will consist of taking on one or two key subject areas (e.g. math, LA, science,
socials etc.) at the beginning of the practicum. For example: teach the lessons for
one subject in Week 1 (and teach this subject for the whole 8 weeks), then add
another subject or a mini-unit in Week 2 (and teach that for a number of weeks)
and build your teaching load from there. This will allow you to
develop/implement a complete unit in at least one or two subjects. However,
every mentor teacher approaches assigning teacher candidates’ duties slightly
differently… so be flexible- but also be willing to suggest subject(s) and/or topics
you’d be interested in teaching. Your teaching load and the subjects you teach
must complement the class program established by your mentor teacher and
there is a great deal of variation across teachers, grade levels and schools.
(Target date: November 2/ School visit 5)
d. For each week during practicum, discuss with your mentor teacher the
subjects/classes you will be teaching. As you decide on the subjects/classes,
circle or highlight these times on each weekly schedule. (Target date:
November 2/School visit 6)
e. What should you know about the subjects you will teach? You will need to
know the specific PLO(s) that your mentor teacher expects you to teach. The
PLO(s) define the focus of the teaching/learning. You cannot start planning a unit
overview until you have this information. Your mentor teacher should also
provide some resources for you to ‘adopt and adapt’ as you develop your unit
overviews. (Target date: November 9/School visit 7)
f. Talk about Term 2 report cards: Discuss your role in developing the Term 2
report cards for your class. What assessment data will you provide? Which
subjects will you be ‘in charge’ of reporting? Who will write the reports? When
are the reports written? What will your role be during parent/teacher interviews
and/or student-led conferences? (Target date: November 16/School visit 8)
g. ‘Special’ short term assignments should be considered only after your core
teaching load has been established.
h. Complete a Practicum Instructional Plan (PIP) Summary (cover sheet) that will
provide your faculty advisor and mentor teacher with a snapshot of ‘where you
are at’ with regard to preparation. The PIP Summary template is included in
Appendix 3 of this Field Guide and an electronic copy will be posted on the
School Experience webpage. (Target date: November 23/School visit 9)
i. Remember: you are under no obligation to carry a teaching load that goes
beyond the recommended guidelines.
j. Please ensure that both you and your mentor teacher have a copy of your PIP.
k. Submit one hard copy of your PIP to the School Experience Coordinator by the
due date specified in the School Experience Schedule. The School Experience
Coordinator will review your PIP and then forward that copy to your faculty
advisor.
EDUC 424/Task Set 3: Process for developing a class profile
After obtaining parental consent and in collaboration with your mentor teacher,
develop a summary of some of the key interest and learning information for the
students in your practicum class. A template for this profile can be found in
Appendix 3 of the Field Guide. An electronic copy is also posted on the School
Experience webpage.
All collected information must be in hard copy only and be stored in your field
binder.
Please note that your mentor teacher may direct you to omit some student
information from your class profile.
General guidelines for developing a class profile:
a. Meet with your mentor teacher and obtain a copy of your class list
(including students’ first/last names, language at home, and pertinent
medical information. At this meeting, also discuss plans/ideas for
distributing a questionnaire and/or interviewing the students during the
fall visits. (Target date: Oct. 19, School Visit 4)
b. Teach a mini-lesson that includes distributing a questionnaire to your
students. (Make sure the questions provide you with information about
students’ interests/special skills, preferred ways to learn, friendships etc.).
Note: For younger children (e.g. K/1) you might need to develop a simpler
questionnaire (1 or 2 questions) and arrange a follow-up interview with
each student. (Target date: Oct. 26, School Visit 5)
c. If possible, interview each student (approx. 6-8 students per school visit)
(Target dates: Oct. 26 & Nov. 2, School Visits 6 & 7)
d. Summarize questionnaire, interview, observation and work sample
information on the Class Profile Template