Teachers Candidates will:

• develop and foster teacher identity
• engage in critical reflection to improve practice
• understand and use a variety of strategies to ensure sound observation practices and develop strategies to track and record student progress
• develop integrated unit plans (using backward design and clearly articulating learning goals and success criteria) and lesson plans reflecting the components outlined in the Practicum Handbook
• understand differentiated instruction and what it looks like in practice
• implement a variety of assessment strategies for, as, and of learning
• read critically and apply the Ontario College of Teachers Foundations of Professional Practice
• understand the meaning and ethical responsibilities of professional judgment
• create and document a learning portfolio using Press Book to support student’s learning journey

Texts

Ontario College of Teachers. (2016). Foundations of Professional Practice. https://www.oct.ca/-/media/PDF/Foundations%20of%20Professional%20Practice/Foundation_e.pdf

Ontario College of Teachers. (2018). Professional Advisory: Supporting Students’ Mental Health. https://www.oct.ca/resources/advisories/mental-health?sc_lang=en&

Ontario College of Teachers. A Self-Reflective Professional Learning Tool. Ontario College of Teachers. https://www.oct.ca/-/media/PDF/A%20Self%20Reflective%20Professional%20Learning%20Tool/EN/SPE%20Self-Reflection%20Brochure%20EN%20ACCESSIBLE%20WEB.pdf

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2010). Growing Success. http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/growSuccess.pdf)

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2010). Teacher Performance Appraisal System. http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/teacher/appraise.html#forms

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2013). Learning for All – A Guide to Effective Assessment and Instruction for All Students, Kindergarten to Grade 12. Queen’s Printer. https://www.ontario.ca/page/learning-all-guide-effective-assessment-and-instruction-all-students-kindergarten-grade-12

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2013). Supporting Minds: An Educator’s Guide to Promoting Students’ Mental Health and Well-Being (draft). https://files.ontario.ca/edu-supporting-minds-2013-en-2022-01-28.pdf

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2020). Growing Success: The Mathematics Addendum, Grades 1 to 8. https://www.ontario.ca/page/growing-success-assessment-evaluation-and-reporting-ontario-schools-kindergarten-grade-12#section-1

Recommended Texts:

Anderson,D., Comay, J., & Chiarotto, L. (2017). Natural curiosity: A resource for educators – The importance of Indigenous perspectives in children’s environmental inquiry (2nd ed.). Toronto, ON: The Laboratory School at the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

Cooper, D. (2011). Redefining fair: How to plan, assess and grade for excellence in mixed-ability classrooms. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario. Planning for student learning. Toronto, ON: Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario.

Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario. (2010). Learning together:  A teacher’s guide to combined grades. Toronto, ON: Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario

Fisher, D., Frey, N., & Hattie, J. (2021). The Distance Learning Playbook Grades K-12: Teaching for Engagement and Impact in Any Setting. Corwin Press, Inc.

Parkay, F.W., Vaillancourt, J.P., Stephens, H.C., Harris, J.R., Hughes, J., Gadanidis, G., Petrarca, D. (2018). Becoming a teacher (5th Canadian Edition). Don Mills, ON: Pearson Canada Inc.

Watt, J. (2014). IQ: A practical guide to inquiry-based learning. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2nd Edition). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2011). The understanding by design guide to creating high-quality units. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2013). Essential questions: Opening doors to student understanding. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Practicum Tasks Block A Due: December 13, 2024

Teacher candidates will compile a Teacher Plan Book using Press Book during placement that is readily available to the Associate Teacher and the Faculty Advisor. (See the Practicum Handbook for additional information.)

The Teacher Plan Book will document placement preparation, lesson planning and implementation, assessment of student learning and the teacher candidate’s reflections on professional growth. Teacher candidates will submit weekly reflections at the end of each week of placement, and the Plan Book upon completion of the placement.

Focus areas for evaluation include:

• lesson planning
• student observations
• classroom and school context summaries
• reflections for each lesson
• weekly and overall reflections (to be emailed to the faculty advisor at the end of each week)
• reflections on the associate teacher’s classroom management, lesson implementation and assessment & evaluation

3. Practicum Tasks Block B Due: April 30, 2025

Teacher candidates will compile a Teacher Plan Book during placement that is readily available to the Associate Teacher and the Faculty Advisor. (See the Practicum Handbook for additional information.)

The Teacher Plan Book will document placement preparation, lesson and unit planning, assessment of student learning and the teacher candidate’s reflections on professional growth. Teacher candidates will submit weekly reflections at the end of each week of placement, and the Plan Book upon completion of the placement.

Focus areas for evaluation include:

• lesson and unit planning incorporating end-of-unit learning outcomes and related assessment tools
• reflections on professional growth, lesson, and unit planning, and overall reflection on growth in placement
• strategies that address the diverse strengths and needs of learners
• student observation over time with feedback and intervention strategies
• examples of assessment for, as, and of learning, annotated to document implications for your practice and next steps for the student
• weekly and overall reflections emailed to the faculty advisor at the end of each week

4. Professionalism & Class Contributions Due: ongoing

Teacher candidates will demonstrate relevant contributions and commitment to their personal and collaborative learning within the contexts of coursework and school communities.

Specific criteria include:

• contributing actively to, and participating in, class tasks and discussions
• coming to class prepared (including collecting materials required from placement)
• communicating clearly and professionally
• respecting and valuing the opinions of others
• demonstrating the professional and ethical behaviours outlined by the OCT