Educators implement effective planning, instruction, assessment and reporting practices to create respectful, inclusive environments for student learning and development. Educators have the knowledge and skills to facilitate learning for students, including learning experiences that reflect individual contexts and local environments. Educators value collaborative practice. Educators recognize and understand the interconnectedness of all aspects of teaching and learning and employ a variety of instructional and assessment strategies. Educators communicate effectively in either English or French. Educators know when to seek support for their practice and for students.
As an educator, I need to be able to communicate and collaborate with my peers and others in order to provide the best possible education for my students. During my practicum at DP Todd, it was cool to see the community that the humanities teachers have created. Sharing of resources and weekly collaborations seem to have gone a long way in fostering a mutually beneficial relationship amongst the staff. As a new educator, I believe that standard 5 will be even more important throughout my first few years, as asking others for help and collaborating with veteran teachers will help me become better at my job. My role as a learner will not end once I become a teacher, as I will need to be a life-long learner in order to properly understand the advancements and changes to assessment, instruction, planning, and reporting practices. Every Thursday at DP Todd the humanities teachers got together and spent an hour collaborating and I believe this is a really great way to get teachers to work together and bounce ideas off each other. Effective planning is a skill that can help make the job of a teacher a lot easier. Making sure that lesson plans are well thought out and prepared ahead of time will set me up for success as I will then be able to spend more time and effort on implementing the lesson and adapting it to make sure it is as good as possible. Being self-aware and acknowledging when we need help is also key to standard 5. Not asking for help, and attempting to do everything alone, can potentially negatively impact students’ success.
