How to Use This Document with the My Prairie Spirit Classroom
Statements
Teacher interns should take time to learn and understand each of the 7 statements about the Prairie Spirit Classroom.
They should also take time to reflect on the different areas…recording examples and experiences where each idea
applies. They should think about providing evidence for each area – anecdotally, visually, exemplars. Interns should
prepare to engage in occasional coaching conversations throughout the internship with their cooperating teachers and /
or school administrators.
(A basic coaching conversation is a means of letting a person reflect, assess, and construct new meaning and
understanding. This is the best way to learn anyway as the person being coached ends up owning the self-directed
growth. The coach asks and listens and lets the person being coached do most of the reflecting, self-assessing, and
constructing. A basic reflecting script is below. Coaching conversations tend to be non-subjective. They are different
from “calibrating” conversations.)
Coaching Conversation Sample Script / Template
Co-Operating Teacher / Administrator:
How do you think you are doing with regards to _______(the first statement 80% / 20%) ___________
Intern:
I am doing______________(good, not as good as I want to be, not so well)___________
Cooperating Teacher / Administrator:
Why do you think that? What evidence do you have to say this?
Intern:
Provides evidence or lack of evidence.
Cooperating Teacher / Administrator:
So what do you think you would like to try / do differently / keep doing? What supports do you need?
My Prairie Spirit Classroom
Log / Observation #1: Date_________________________
In my classroom, 20% of the time
consists of whole group teacher
talk and 80% of the time is
student talk (whole group, small
group and independent self-talk).





The most effective
learning environments
occur with clearly stated
outcomes, a short task or
lesson, and time for
students to work
collaboratively on the task.
Students are encouraged
and shown how to work
collaboratively. They are
shown “what participating
in this learning task sounds
like, looks like, feels like.”
Students converse /
engage purposefully and
meaningfully
Class might begin with the
teacher setting things up,
modelling the learning
behaviors, move on to
monitored student
learning time, end with
checking for
understanding, or a
“bringing everyone back
together” with a checking
for understanding activity.
The 80% time is not simply
“work time.”
Log / Observation #2: Date_________________________
Log / Observation #3: Date_________________________
Log / Observation #4: Date_________________________
Log / Observation #1: Date_________________________
All students participate in sideby-side learning opportunities
with their teacher several times a
week in each subject area. Sideby-side learning opportunities
include descriptive next steps
feedback or reflective
conversations.



Teachers is always floating
and checking in with and
assessing students.
Teacher is moving around
the classroom, the way a
coach moves around the
rink, court, etc. during a
practice. “Show me how
you would do this….Give
me an example of… How
does this relate to the big
idea…”
Floating time is also a
great time to build
supportive and caring
relationships…”see, you
can do it.” Etc.
Log / Observation #2: Date_________________________
Log / Observation #3: Date_________________________
Log / Observation #4: Date_________________________
Log / Observation #1: Date_________________________
My instruction includes
opportunities for all students
to construct knowledge, have
choice in learning and
experience explicit teaching
and modelling of learning
strategies that students can
apply while exploring new
ideas and concepts.



Constructivism is
considered the
foundation of the way
we learn. To construct
knowledge is to own it.
All students have the
opportunity to
construct learning.
Many may need
“scaffolds” and learning
strategies to help the
construction…such as
activating prior
knowledge.
New knowledge needs
to be assimilated into
what student already
know.
Log / Observation #2: Date_________________________
Log / Observation #3: Date_________________________
Log / Observation #4: Date_________________________
Log / Observation #1: Date_________________________
Learning opportunities for all
students are characterized by high
expectations (rigor), personal and
purposeful application (relevance),
collaborative learning
environments (relationship), risktaking to consider alternative
instructional approaches
(innovative) and student choice
(engagement).






Rigor is the level of
difficulty, challenge, and or
thinking required. Not all
students are the same.
Relevance – learning can
be fit meaningfully and
purposefully into the world
the student knows.
Relationships – purposeful,
supportive, caring and
respectful learning
relationships are fostered
between peers and with
the teacher.
Innovative – A previously
unknown way of
instructing or
demonstrating the learning
that clarifies or enhances
relevance or engagement.
Perhaps via technology.
Engagement – the degree
to which students connect
with and work with the
learning / and learning
tasks. Highly engaged
students do not need to be
reminded to be “on task
All students are considered
in the planning for
learning. Differentiation,
choice, and adaptations
are considered to help All
students learn.
Log / Observation #2: Date_________________________
Log / Observation #3: Date_________________________
Log / Observation #4: Date_________________________
Log / Observation #1: Date_________________________
Formative assessment and
various forms of feedback (e.g.
self, peer, adult, parents)
strengthens and informs my
classroom practices and supports
all learners in their progress
towards their learning goals.




Student assessments and
evaluations are also
excellent tools for
assessment of teacher
learning. The teacher
looks at data to improve /
tweak / enhance learning
and teaching for all
students. (If students
universally do poorly on an
evaluation, it might be an
indicator to the teacher to
re-think the learning
activity).
Teacher establishes
routines to check on
student learning, learning
environment, etc. – short
surveys, suggestion boxes,
Targets for Engaged
Learning (PSSD Survey).
Log / Observation #2: Date_________________________
Log / Observation #3: Date_________________________
Teacher “asks” and checks
for understanding. “Is this
making sense to you?”
Teacher establishes
routines to check if
learning experiences
Log / Observation #4: Date_________________________
Log / Observation #1: Date_________________________
My teaching begins with big
ideas, sharing them with students
and teaching and relating parts
(knowledge and skills) to the big
ideas throughout the learning
process. All students understand,
articulate and can provide
evidence of their growth towards
the big idea.




Learning Purposes, Big
Ideas, Themes are clearly
established prior to
learning. All learning
activities are made
relatable to the Big Ideas.
Students can answer how
what they are learning
today is part of the bigger
unit, question, or theme.
Students might know the
final exam question or
essay question at the start
of the unit.
Students know how daily
class learning connects
and can be applied as
meaningful evidence of
understanding of the big
idea.
Log / Observation #2: Date_________________________
Log / Observation #3: Date_________________________
Log / Observation #4: Date_________________________
Log / Observation #1: Date_________________________
At least once a month, I have
opportunities to discuss the next
steps in my personal learning
efforts. This can occur through
learning walks or collaborative
learning with colleagues.



Teachers engage formally
and informally in
professional learning
conversations about the
various aspects of their craft.
Teachers reflect upon
practice and seek feedback
for improvement.
Teachers engage in coaching
conversations with
colleagues and or
administrators.
Log / Observation #2: Date_________________________
Log / Observation #3: Date_________________________
Log / Observation #4: Date_________________________
How to Use This Document with the My Prairie Spirit Classroom
Statements
Teacher inters should take time to learn and understand each of the 7 statements about the Prairie Spirit Classroom.
They should also take time to reflect on the different areas…recording examples and experiences where each idea
applied. They should think about providing evidence for each area – anecdotally, visually, exemplars. Interns should
prepare to engage in occasional coaching conversations throughout the internship with their cooperating teachers and /
or school administrators.
(A basic coaching conversation is a means of letting a person reflect, assess, and construct new meaning and
understanding. This is the best way to learn anyway as the person being coached ends up owning the self-directed
growth. The coach asks and listens and lets the person being coached do most of the reflecting, self-assessing, and
constructing. A basic reflecting script is below. Coaching conversations tend to be non-subjective. They are different
from “calibrating” conversations.)
Coaching Conversation Sample Script / Template
Co-Operating Teacher / Administrator:
How do you think you are doing with regards to _______(the first statement 80% / 20%) ___________
Intern:
I am doing______________(good, not as good as I want to be, not so well)___________
Cooperating Teacher / Administrator:
Why do you think that? What evidence do you have to say this?
Intern:
Provides evidence or lack of evidence.
Cooperating Teacher / Administrator:
So what do you think you would like to try / do differently / keep doing? What supports do you need?