Presentation shared with you: "Karen's Teacher Binder"

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Karen Bradbury's Teacher Binder

Karen's Teacher Binder - Google Slides 

Please let me know if the link works and that you got it. 

Thanks 
Karen

Lesson plan

Hi John, may I ask a huge favor? would you be able to post an editable copy of the lesson plan that we are suppose to use or practicum. I'm trying to copy it from the handbook but I just can't get it to work. 

Thank you 

Karen

EduTopia Articles: To Make You a Great Teacher

Incorporating the Calming Corner into Station Rotation

Elementary students benefit from short breaks from academic learning to explore activities that support their emotional development.

How to Get Students Talking About Their Learning

These simple strategies can help motivate middle and high school students to have engaging and productive classroom discussions.

Tapping Into the 5 Senses to Support Students with Disabilities Activities that draw upon the five senses—such as spending time outdoors—can be centering for students in special education.

 

5 Principles of Effective Mentors Great mentors cultivate several core competencies in themselves and their student teachers via a collaborative, supportive relationship.

 

Supporting Student Identity Development Through Moviemaking Personal storytelling is a hallmark of culturally responsive pedagogy, and having students tell their stories through movies makes it all the more dynamic.

 

How to Support Twice-Exceptional Students Common pedagogical practices that benefit all students may be crucial for those who are cognitively gifted and have a form of neurodivergence.

 

Teaching Students How to Use AI Responsibly Rather than forbid students to use artificial intelligence, an English teacher shows them how they can use it in ways that support their learning.

 

Communicating With Parents About Their Child’s Progress in Math Math can be an emotionally fraught topic for parents, and discussing a child’s performance with empathy can ease the tension.

 

Effective Professional Development on AI A variety of online professional learning options can help teachers get up to speed on the impact of artificial intelligence on education.

 

Courtesy of @NUO-2024

NUO Conference: Mindfulness and Learning

I went to a workshop by Theresa Meikle on Mindfulness and Learning: A Classroom community approach on the third day of the Teacher Education Conference. As a teacher, the training on fostering mindfulness and well-being had a significant influence on me. I was able to learn important insights into the significance of putting my own and my students' mental health and well-being first through engaging activities and thought-provoking conversations.

One important lesson was the idea that "if we name it, we can tame it," which highlights how important it is to recognize and name our emotions in order to properly manage them. This was something new to me, something I always tried to subconsciously do but was not made aware of it until the conference. Another thing I learned through the workshop was the PERMA theory of well-being. It provided me with a holistic framework for understanding and promoting well-being in both personal and professional contexts. We as educators must always tap into our professional knowledge and continuously grow and learn new ways to benefit us within the classroom. The focus of the session on building a compassionate community struck a deep chord with me, emphasizing the part that educators play in fostering a secure and encouraging learning environment. By emphasizing our personal health and practicing mindfulness ourselves, we can foster a supportive environment where kids feel appreciated, accepted, and equipped to succeed. This idea is consistent with the view that educators and leaders have a significant influence on the development of our kids. I intend to use the tactics and methods I acquired at the session into my teaching methods. Through the integration of mindfulness activities, encouraging candid conversations about emotions, and cultivating healthy relationships between students, my goal is to establish a community that values well-being.

Through this workshop, I was able to realize that we must continue to learn professionally and be committed to our learning to ensure the needs of our students are met. We have a duty for ongoing professional learning and staying up to date with research will allow me to find new and exciting ways to add to my learning environment. 

EDU491 - MarcoS@NUO

NUO Conference: Questioning Methods for Increased Student Engagement

Keeping students engaged in the classroom has always been a topic of discussion in the teaching community, as many educators struggle with meaningfully engaging students throughout the day. It's incredibly difficult to incorporate all students interests into every lesson being taught, so other methods of engagement need to be considered to fill the gaps.

One effective way to increase student engagement is to alter questioning methods in the classroom. Rather than asking boring, close-ended questions, we can incorporate more thought-provoking and open-ended questions. This would provide students with the opportunity to communicate with their classmates and share ideas. Not only does it stimulate and encourage conversation in the classroom, but it also allows educators to gain feedback on the effectivity of the lesson. It gives students the opportunity to reflect on their learning through higher-level thinking provoked through open-ended questions.

Try incorporating the following types of questions into lessons to increase student participation, collaboration, and engagement:

1. Open-ended questions
        - encourages a wide variety of thoughtful responses that provoke discussion

2. Probing questions
        - allows for insight into student knowledge and understanding

3. Reflective questions
        - encourages student self-reflection, self-analysis, and personal growth

4. Leading questions
        - guides student discussion and responses to elicit deeper and more thoughtful   thinking

EDU491- DianaP@NUO

NUO Conference: Challenging Behavior in the Classroom: Be the Example

We read an article by Michael Linson on How to Handle A Student Who Yells At You. This article provided a lot of useful techniques on how to communicate with the student when they are in an escalated state and how to de-escalate the situation. I found this article particularly helpful for teachers in primary junior because this age group has less experience with emotional regulation.

My views on handling challenging behavior in the classroom aligns closely with the advice from this article, as I believe that to make any lasting change one must first de-escalate the student and get them back to a relaxed and rational state. It is further important to model the behavior that you want to see from your students. Show students what respect looks like, by showing them respect. I can relate back to a personal experience where modeling respect has worked to de-escalate negative behavior and reinforce positive behavior. A student in my current placement class who often displays challenging behavior was becoming angry towards other students in the classroom, and began yelling and calling them names. When I approached the student, I was sure to talk to them in a kind and respectful tone, acknowledging their feelings of frustration, but also modeling how we should treat others. I told the student I wanted to understand what they were upset about, and wanted to help resolve the problem. The student then began divulging underlying triggers to that caused their behavior, and eventually apologized for  their outburst. This article makes  an excellent point when it states "when you show them- through your simple kindness and no-hard feelings of acceptance— what grace, forgiveness, and true respect looks like… you'll forever change how they view the world". 

EDU491 AimeeW@NUO

Linson, M. How To Handle a Student Who Yells At You. April 2016.

https://niagara.instructure.com/courses/31993/files/2795307/download?download_frd=1

NUO Conference: Failsafe Literacy Strategies for Science

In today's educational landscape, fostering interdisciplinary connections is paramount to creating meaningful learning experiences for students. During the conference, I had the opportunity to participate in the workshop "Failsafe Literacy strategies for Science." As a science geek, I'm always eager to find more way to incorporate scientific opportunities in the classroom.

This workshop, by Sandra Mirabellli, aimed to equip educators with strategies to integrate literacy skills into science instruction, fostering a holistic approach to learning. Throughout the session, we explored various classroom activities designed to encourage critical thinking, exploration, and comprehension through a cross-curricular lens. We focused on utilizing the five distinct literacy thinking routines—Observe and Wonder; Predict and Infer; Sort and Categorize; Analyze and Interpret; and Conclude and Apply—to deepen student understanding.

 

             

The idea is to recognize literacy as a foundational skill in science education. By incorporating literacy strategies into science instruction, educators not only enhance students' comprehension but also nurture critical thinking and scientific literacy. As a future educator, this workshop has underscored the importance of adopting a multifaceted approach to teaching, one that values the relationship between different subject areas. 

During the workshop, we also engaged in a hands-on activity that provided a tangible demonstration of how to implement these strategies in the classroom. The objective was to create a "missing potato" ad, precisely describing a mini potato so that our peers could locate the absent potato within a pile. This simple yet effective activity illustrated how descriptive writing can be connected to identifying the characteristics of objects, a skill often utilized in science. From engaging in scientific inquiries to crafting visual representations of scientific concepts, I gained insights into how to make learning more meaningful and optimize teaching efficiency.

Moving forward, I am eager to integrate the failsafe literacy strategies learned in this workshop into my own teaching practice. I believe that by fostering interdisciplinary connections and prioritizing literacy skills in science education, I can create a more enriching and immersive learning environment for my students.

Sandra Mirabelli, along with her colleague wrote, a book that showcases these strategies and how to incorporate them in the classroom. Check out this resource for more information:

 

                                            

Mirabelli, S., & Sandner, L. (2023). Fail Safe Strategies for Science & Literacy Classroom Activities to Engage Students in Thinking, Exploring, and Making Sense of the World. Pembroke Publishers. 

EDU491-JoelleM@NUO

NUO Conference: Organizing Chaos Workshop

 Organizing Chaos

The workshop: “Organizing Chaos” presented by Kelly McGill is one that all educators should consider. In this workshop I learned about what being overwhelmed really means for an educator. Being overwhelmed inhibits your ability to think clearly. You need certain structures and time in order for it to be in place and it all starts with organization. A few tasks you will be managing as a new teacher include setting up the classroom, writing IEPs for the first time, parent communication, tracking all the deadlines you need to be mindful of, teams and clubs, annual learning plan and building relationships with staff. You should set realistic expectations for your first three years as a teacher and take control of your spaces by organizing them. Calm and clear spaces impact students too in the classroom. An educator should model good organization for students and teach them about this essential lifelong skill. 

The speaker went through helpful tips including three spaces you need to get under control as a teacher: 

1. Physical space: Declutter first by making sure everything in your space is worthy of your mental energy. Zone your space so you could find whatever you need quickly and easily. Some zones to consider creating include teacher desk, teaching resources, whiteboard, document camera, big tables, bulletin boards, folders, bins, notebooks, math tools etc. Invest in a planned and prepped cart such as assigning a drawer for pages that need to be photocopied, work to be graded, materials gathered, stuff to hand back  etc. Use a V.I.P binder in which you keep student marks, year at a glance, parent contact info, communication log, curriculum expectations for subjects you teach, copies of current IEPs. 
2. Digital space :  Rename files as soon as you copy or download them and organize digital files/resources belonging to a certain subject under the same folder. 

  3. Mental space : Organize and highlight items according to priority and create a customized year at glance and   reference it regularly and keep notes of holidays, special months, meetings, etc. 

The learning provided in this workshop  was so meaningful in reducing new teacher overwhelm. The tips offered in this session is something I will definitely use to keep the classroom organized as it  helps create a daily schedule, and saves time by being prepared ahead of time.

The strategies offered in this workshop are crucial to reducing  that first year teacher overwhelm. I will use them in saving time, creating focus, and supporting mental calm. It will help me with time management, and having a better understanding of  individual student needs as I will have an organized binder where I can find whatever documents I need such as IEPs, curriculum expectations, etc. 

Brought to you by: RaveenD@NUO-EDU491

NUO Conference: Effective Classroom Management

Attending a workshop on effective classroom management is essential for teachers, such as myself, due to its direct impact on student success and overall classroom dynamics. Effective classroom management equips teachers with the skills to manage multiple students simultaneously, including those with behaviour issues and learning exceptionalities. 

By learning strategies such as getting to know your students, establishing classroom management rules and expectations from the very beginning, and having students continuously practice these expectations (such as being quiet and in a straight line when lining up), I can create a positive learning environment that will stay in place for the entire year. It is important to have a great relationship with your students, but also understand you are not their friend. In establishing these rules, all students will know what is expected of them which will create a better learning environment for my students and a better teaching environment for myself. 

This workshop is connected to the OCT Standard of Practice 5, Ongoing Professional Learning, which emphasizes educators' commitment to continuous growth and development. Managing diverse student needs requires ongoing learning and adaptation, making workshops on classroom management invaluable for teachers. By learning new techniques and approaches, we can better address individual student needs, promote positive behaviour, and facilitate meaningful learning experiences. 

Ultimately, prioritizing ongoing professional learning centered around classroom management which can contribute to a positive and supportive learning environment, fostering student success and achievement. 

Published by Julia G@NUO

NUO Conference 2024: Navigating Challenging Behaviours (Collaborative Problem-Solving Approach)

On the final day of the conference, I attended a workshop called A Notch Down: Reducing Behavioural Challenges by Asad Choudhary. I was looking forward to this workshop, as challenging behaviour is something that is so inevitable and prevalent in the modern-day classroom, and found it to have a variety of insights on strategies on how best to approach difficult behaviour. One of the strategies that were introduced was called the "Collaborative Problem-Solving Approach" as outlined below in the schematic and following 4 steps: 

                                  

Step 1) Identify the issue, observation or behaviour in question

Step 2) Understand the students' concern

Step 3) Specify your concern as a teacher

Step 4) Collaborate and come up with solutions to the issue

 

This approach fosters a more collaborative and inclusive classroom environment, as it opens the door to the conversation with the student to help them feel empowered, heard and respected when arriving at a solution to a problem they may be facing. It highlighted the importance of identifying the underlying nuanced element of a behaviour, because there will always be a reason that the student is behaving a certain way rather than simply choosing to be disruptive in the day. The anecdote of a pencil-throwing Grade 7 student was extremely meaningful and significant, as it emphasized the impactful difference it makes to give a student the chance to explain their side of their challenging behaviour through a collaborative approach rather than simply delivering a disciplinary consequence to that student, when the teacher took the time to understand why that student was experiencing the daily frustration and subsequent pencil throwing each and every morning. As a teacher, I want to keep this in mind when faced with these kinds of scenarios, and aim to approach misbehaviour with greater compassion, empathy and patience with a collaborative and student-centered approach. 

VeronikaL@NU

NUO Conference: Classroom Management Seminar

This seminar summarized some tips for classroom management specifically about how to head with the parents of your students. We were informed about some tips and tricks to use within the classroom that will help us when we are working. 

What stood out to me is when the presenter mentioned that "we are all human and have human emotions" she said to keep this in mind when a student or parent is showing a great amount of emotion. Personally in my career I have dealt with parents and students who had different opinions of me. 

In order to compromise with the families, I had used the advice the presenter gave and that worked with families. Understanding that other people have other emotions and how to deal with them makes a huge difference when it comes to the relationship you have as a teacher with the parents. By addressing concerns this builds trust with everyone involved and can make solutions to problems much easier in the future. 

Valeria D@NUO

NUO Conference: Applying for Teaching Positions (What You Really Want to Know)

Applying for Teaching Positions (What You Really Want to Know)  

At the Niagara University teaching education conference a session entitled 'Applying for Teaching Positions (What You Really Want to Know)' was available for teacher candidates to take part in. 

Some memorable moments from this conference based on interviewing and applying for teaching positions were as follows: 

• Frame your answers to their questions. Having an opening including your personal philosophy and beliefs is important. Shape the story you are telling to answer their questions. Include examples of how you have practiced specific concepts in a classroom setting. Always remember to have a conclusion to your answers…no 'um yeah(s).'
  
  

• Wondering what questions to ask at the end of an interview? Tell the interviewers what qualities you have to offer that would make you best suited for the job and ask them if you conveyed this during your interview? OR research the school beforehand and inquire about some of the events/clubs that you found interesting and unique.
  
  

• After an interview - here is what to do! Email the interviewee i.e. principal or administration to thank them for their time. It is a nice gesture and it shows your interest. Didn't get the job? Ask for your feedback so that you can improve for your next interview. Consider to yourself what your strengths and weaknesses were and evaluate what to improve on for next time. 

Something that my placement teacher, during the Fall term, and I discussed in detail was AQ's and ABQ's that were available and what I was interested in. During my time as a student teacher my opinions altered on what I wanted to further study and what I was interested in. Something that Mrs. Epstein touched on signing up for A(B)Q courses. Her advice to us? Sign up for what you are actually interested in and choose courses appropriately! If you have zero desire to become a special education teacher, do not sign up for an AQ in special education. This could result in you being placed in a classroom where you will not be interested in the work you are completing. Focus on what you like and what you envision yourself teaching in the future. 

Colleen@NUO-Professional Seminar in Elementary Education - EDU 491

NUO Conference 2024: "Skill Not Will"

In the workshop titled "Reducing Behavioral Challenges", the instructor emphasized a term that changed the way that I view children who exhibit challenging behaviors in the classroom, which is "skill not will". The concept stems from child psychologist Stuart Ablon, who specializes in working with challenging children and their families, teachers and additional support. The concept emphasizes that children exhibit challenging behaviors not out of a deliberate choice to misbehave, but rather due to lacking certain skills necessary for appropriate behavior. This perspective challenges the traditional assumption that misbehavior is solely a result of defiance or intentional disobedience. Instead, it highlights the importance of understanding and addressing the underlying skills deficits that may contribute to challenging behaviors.

                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuoPZkFcLVs&ab_channel=TEDxTalks

In traditional disciplinary approaches, rewards and punishments are often used to modify behavior, assuming that children misbehave because they choose to do so. However, the "Skill not Will" perspective shifts the focus towards recognizing that challenging behaviors often stem from deficits in skills rather than a lack of motivation or willpower. Therefore, simply rewarding or punishing a child may not effectively address the root cause of their behavior.

When educators encounter challenging behaviors in students, our primary duty is to understand what is driving those behaviors. This involves looking beyond the surface level of behavior and examining the underlying factors that may be contributing to it. By taking the time to understand the root causes of challenging behaviors, educators can better support students in developing the necessary skills to behave appropriately.

This approach not only fosters a more empathetic and understanding perspective on behavior management but also promotes the development of essential skills that empower students to succeed academically and socially.

Brought to you by: OliviaB@NUO

Ablon, S. (2014, October 24). Rethinking challenging kids-where there's a skill there's a way | J. stuart ablon | tedxbeaconstreet. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuoPZkFcLVs&ab_channel=TEDxTalks 

NUO Conference 2024: Organizing Chaos

In this session we learned how to help minimize the things you can change in the classroom. She reviewed strategies and skills for students to be organized. She went in depth about three spaces to get under control in the classroom; the physical, digital and mental space. She provided us with ten helpful tips to stay organized in the classroom to avoid feeling overwhelmed. As an educator, we can feel very overwhelmed by the number of tasks we have to complete throughout the day, however, if we set realistic expectations and take control of our space we  can effectively get things done in order of significance. 

For example, tip #1 was to declutter the physical space. In other words, everything needs a home. The visual distraction of clutter increases cognitive overload and can reduce our working memory. One thing that really stood out to me was that you do not need a ton of stuff to be a great teacher (quality resources over quantity). This can be done by getting rid of old textbooks to free up shelf space for new (better) resources. Another great tip was to effectively zone your space/classroom into a teacher zone and a student zone. For example, the teacher zone is just for teacher stuff and is off limits to students, however, the student supply zone or the subject-specific zone is for students. The student supply zone is a small section where students can independently access materials they need throughout the day (ex. plastic spoons, bandaids, pencils, glue, scissors etc). A subject-specific zone, for example, is a math zone with unit themed bulletin board, math tools, rulers, protractors, calculators. This makes it easy for students to stay organized themselves and facilitates independence. To conclude, being organized does not eliminate stress but rather is an organized chaos.

Brought to you by: EDU491-ValentinaM@NUO

NUO Conference 2024: Collaborative Problem-Solving

On the final day of conferences, one workshop that I found very insightful was the "A Notch Down: Reducing Behaviour Challenges" workshop. This was a workshop that I was looking forward to, as I know that as a teacher, dealing with challenging behaviours is something that cannot be avoided, and I was hoping to receive some insight into how to approach these situations with empathy and understanding. The facilitator of the workshop recommended two books on this topic which were Lost at School by Dr. Ross Green and The School Discipline Fix by Dr. Stuart Ablon and Alisha Pollastri. These authors subsequently developed the Collaborative Problem-Solving 4-step process which is an approach to addressing challenging behaviour in the classroom. The process is as followed:

1.     Identify the issue/observation that is of concern

2.     Understand the students' concern

3.     Specify your concern as a teacher

4.     Collaboratively develop solutions to address the issue

At times, as educators, we tend to make assumptions about students when they exhibit challenging behaviour. However, in this workshop I learned that when we encounter challenging behaviour in our classrooms, our first duty is to understand what is happening and what skills the students are lacking, rather than jumping to conclusions that place blame on the student for not behaving according to expectations. As outlined in the 4-step process, understanding the students' and teachers' concerns through collaborative problem-solving allows teachers to empathize with students' perspectives while also fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility among students.

References:

Greene, R. (2014). Lost at School. Scribner.

Ablon, S. & Pollastri, A. (2018). The School Discipline Fix. WW Norton.

Courtesy of JaclynT@NUO-EDU491

 

NUO Conference 2024: Difficult Conversations

Through a discussion and sharing of personal experiences, Theresa Penny offered an exceptional workshop called Difficult or Courageous Conversations. During the workshop, I gained valuable insights into handling courageous conversations and recognized that I would need to have these conversations as a teacher. I learned how important it is to maintain composure during conversations and refrain from having our emotions derail the conversation's purpose. Additionally, educators should not be scared to seek support from school administrators when faced with difficult conversations. School administrators are here to support us. I also learned the importance of giving yourself time as an educator to come up with all the evidence and facts before talking to a parent about their child to ensure you are fully prepared to have the conversation.

                                             

Learning through interactive discussions and listening to Theresa Penny share her personal experiences facilitated a deeper understanding of these strategies. As an educator, the workshop is very beneficial as I am now better prepared to navigate difficult conversations confidently, ensuring a productive outcome and knowing when to seek assistance from school administrators. In my future teaching endeavours, I intend to apply what I learned from the workshop by maintaining a calm demeanour and collecting my thoughts and evidence before engaging in a difficult conversation. I will not be afraid to ask for help and recognize that collaboration can enhance the effectiveness of some conversations. I will engage with parents and ask insightful questions about their perspectives and experiences to understand my student's backgrounds and challenges better. By applying these strategies, I will feel more confident and better understand how to handle and navigate courageous conversations.

@SabrinaNUO-EDU491

NUO Conference: Indigenous Education

Attending the workshop SPEAK! The Gift of Story which was led by Robert Cutting was fascinating and insightful and brings to mind the importance of how instrumental Indigenous education is for all Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. This education explores not only colonial histories but also the cultures, perspectives, contributions and the importance of Indigenous ways of knowing and storytelling. 

Our Federal Government has taken steps to implement mandatory Indigenous education into the curriculum, but more work clearly needs to be done as it does not seem to be implemented the same across all school boards and schools. I believe that appropriate knowledge can be gained by partnering with and building up the Indigenous community as sessions such as Cutting's demonstrated. Cultivating respectful, cultural activities and discussions is groundbreaking. It is so incredibly important for students to not only feel connected to but also see how their history and cultures connect to others around them. The fear of not knowing how or what is appropriate to say will be lessened the more comfortable educators like us become with Indigenous education. 

While I have much more reading and engaging to do - I now feel like I have more tools to draw from for my future classroom and I have added several books to my collection that I feel are important and helpful resources.  The value of ensuring that one day Indigenous education is taught as part of regular curriculum daily without it being separated as a special unit is well worth the discomfort and fear that currently seems to dominate our education system. 

Resources/References: 

https://reimaginingmigration.org/

2022 Belonging and Racial Identity in Halton

Stephanie@NUO-EDU491