Classroom Environment
At St. Vincent's School we changed the topic for each term so that it would reflect our changing topic. Our topic for the Autumn Term was the Woods, Spring Term was Romans and Summer Term Egypt. I really enjoyed being able to decorate my classroom in many ways and loved seeing my student's faces when they came into the classroom at the beginning of a new term excited for our new topic.
Rationale:
7) Being able to meet student's needs and how to engage students in creating effective classroom routines and environments.
- While creating my classroom environment I always made sure fostering and encouraging my student's learning was the purpose.
7) Being able to meet student's needs and how to engage students in creating effective classroom routines and environments.
- While creating my classroom environment I always made sure fostering and encouraging my student's learning was the purpose.
Collaborative Planning
Each term we had a company called Primary Matters come in and help us with our termly plans. Along with Primary Matters the other Grade 4 Teacher and both Grade 3 Teachers would also attend so we could collaborate and plan together how we would fit our new topic into each subject area and what goals we had for the term. We then set time aside weekly to meet as a Grade 3 and 4 team to check-in with each other and brainstorm new ideas for the following week. Below are the term plans we created.
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Rationale:
6) Understand the purpose of planning and present outcomes in a variety of learning opportunities.
9) Use a variety of instructional strategies to help students succeed.
11) Use a variety of assessment strategies in teaching.
- By collaboratively planning and creating themes to teach around, we created an unique environment for student's to learn in and varied our lessons, instructional strategies and assessments to engage students to find success in their learning.
6) Understand the purpose of planning and present outcomes in a variety of learning opportunities.
9) Use a variety of instructional strategies to help students succeed.
11) Use a variety of assessment strategies in teaching.
- By collaboratively planning and creating themes to teach around, we created an unique environment for student's to learn in and varied our lessons, instructional strategies and assessments to engage students to find success in their learning.
Differentiation
For every lesson and assignment I made I had to make sure it was differentiated so that all students could find success. At my school we would label them as Green Chilli, Yellow Chilli and Red Chilli options that differed in difficulty. We had to allow the students to pick which sheet they would like to complete with them trying to strive to work up to the hardest level of Red Chilli if they could. Most assignments would also have an extension for students to complete if other work was finished.
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Rationale:
8) Respecting student's dignity.
1) Make reasonable decisions about teaching to help students learn.
- I always took the time to get to know my students and their needs and did what I could to help them find success in their learning.
8) Respecting student's dignity.
1) Make reasonable decisions about teaching to help students learn.
- I always took the time to get to know my students and their needs and did what I could to help them find success in their learning.
Class Assemblies and Christmas pageant
My class performed in two class assemblies. The goal of the assemblies was to display what they had been learning in their classroom to their parents, staff and students. They also performed in a Christmas Pageant called, Lights Camel Action. I tried my best to make sure these were dynamic and fun experiences for my students and used my background in drama to create something really unique and fun for them to be a part of.
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Rationale:
12) Engaging Parents and Caregivers in student's learning.
14) Making contributions to enhance and maintain quality of school for students, parents and community.
- All of these performance were a fun way to maintain a good relationship and display student's achievements to parents, fellow students and colleagues.
12) Engaging Parents and Caregivers in student's learning.
14) Making contributions to enhance and maintain quality of school for students, parents and community.
- All of these performance were a fun way to maintain a good relationship and display student's achievements to parents, fellow students and colleagues.
Parent Involvement
Not only are building relationships important with your students but also with their parents as well. At St. Vincent's at the beginning of the term we sent out over email something called 'Your Child In'. This gave an overview of what we would be teaching that term. We then held a Curriculum Meeting and invited parents to come in to further discuss what we would be teaching and take any questions they had.
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Rationale:
12) Engaging Parents and Caregivers in student's learning.
- This was a great way to build relationships with some of the parents.
12) Engaging Parents and Caregivers in student's learning.
- This was a great way to build relationships with some of the parents.
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