Educators understand and apply knowledge of student growth and development.

As I navigate my practicum experiences, I realize I am gaining a lot of knowledge with regards to this standard. The more I work with high school learners, the more I understand their growth and development: I am improving at designing age-appropriate activities, and I give my learners choice of materials wherever possible in order to reflect their interests. I frequently use humour to connect with learners – though I am conscious that it varies depending on the age group I am working with – and my assessment methods are advancing in order to track student progress and meet their needs as they develop. I realize some of my learners with exceptionalities may also grow and develop in different ways, maybe at different speeds, and when I plan for diversity, I take this into consideration.

Perhaps the most profound lesson I have learned though is to choose which “battles to fight”. Building relationships with learners has given me insight as to when certain students are having “off days”, and has given me a sort of radar that I can use to redirect the energy in the room and adapt lessons.

One of my goals moving into practicum 491 was to find more ways to assess both group work and individual work based on learners’ needs, and I think I have made huge strides in this area. Some examples are found below:

Drama:  In my Drama 9 class, we have been keeping drama journals as a reflection tool. Some of my designated learners who do not necessarily possess the written skills to express themselves in written format have been doing modified verbal reflections with me. This is a fairly quick way for me to assess whether or not they have reached learning targets.

Science: In my Life Sciences 11 class, learners often have the opportunity to choose the format in which they express their learning – for some, this means following the structure that I have provided, and for others it is an invitation to show their growth in whatever manner aligns with them in that moment. This fosters efficacy and creativity.