Author: Kadie Harris (Page 1 of 3)

Why I Am a Strong Fit for the Regina Public School Division

When I think about the kind of educator I want to be, I think about classrooms where students feel safe to ask questions, where identity is celebrated, and where learning feels meaningful and connected to real life. The Regina Public School Division’s mission—“to instill the value of knowledge, the dignity of effort, and the worth of the individual”—resonates deeply with me. These are not just words to me; they reflect what I believe every student deserves and what I aim to bring into every space I teach in.

My approach to teaching is rooted in relationships. I take time to learn who my students are—what lights them up, where they feel unsure, and what stories they bring with them. I know that learning doesn’t happen in isolation, and that’s why I’m committed to building communities of care in my classroom. The Regina Public School Division’s dedication to inclusion and anti-oppressive education gives me confidence that I can be part of a professional team that shares this same mindset. I am especially drawn to the division’s emphasis on student voice, culturally responsive pedagogy, and its strong commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.

What makes me a strong candidate is not only my formal training, but also the everyday experiences that have shaped my growth—working closely with children in a before and after school program, learning to adapt in real-time, and leading activities that support both academic learning and social-emotional growth. I bring a calm, grounded energy to the classroom, and I believe in the power of listening, reflecting, and creating lessons that meet students where they are.

I am eager to join a school division that values collaboration, professional learning, and responsiveness to student needs. Regina Public Schools is a community where I know I can grow, give back, and make a difference. I see this not just as a job, but as a calling to serve students with purpose and compassion.

Here is a heart warming message from one of my B&A parents – their one child is someone who has autism and ADHD.  He spent a lot of time with me when it came to self regulation.

Here is a card from my work company’s board of directors:

Hello! My name is Kadie Harris, and I am a passionate and creative educator currently completing my Bachelor of Education at the University of Regina, with a focus on early elementary (K–5). I was born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, and feel deeply connected to both my community and the land. As I prepare to begin my pre-internship, I’m excited to continue growing in classrooms where relationships, equity, and inclusive learning are at the heart of teaching.

I grew up in Saskatchewan and have always felt a strong connection to the land, community, and the power of learning. From a young age, I’ve had a natural love for building relationships—especially with children—and creating spaces where everyone feels safe, heard, and valued. This passion has guided me throughout my academic journey and work experiences. Currently, I work in a before and after school program where I design engaging, age-appropriate activities and foster meaningful relationships with students from diverse backgrounds. Our program also runs during the summer and includes children ranging from 5 to 10 years old. Each week is centered around an educational theme that blends learning with play, and we conclude with a field trip that allows students to engage in hands-on, experiential learning and meaningful reflection. In addition to this role, I have several years of experience babysitting, which has further developed my patience, creativity, and attentiveness to children’s unique needs and personalities.

Outside of the classroom, I love spending time in nature — especially camping at the lake in the summer at Rowans Ravine. Being by the water, surrounded by trees, and soaking up the sun is where I feel most grounded and reflective. I also enjoy photography, crafting, baking, and cozy evenings with family and friends. These interests often make their way into my teaching, whether it’s designing nature-inspired learning activities, fostering creativity in the classroom, or emphasizing balance and mindfulness in students’ daily lives.

My teaching philosophy is strongly aligned with the Regina Public School Division’s commitment to “equity, achievement, and well-being.” I believe in assessment for learning, and I use ongoing observation, conversations, and feedback to inform my teaching practices. I’ve also explored and implemented elements of the Adaptive Dimension, especially when supporting students with varied social-emotional needs, cultural backgrounds, and home languages. I’ve learned how important it is to adapt instruction, resources, environment, and assessment to honour students’ identities and to break down barriers to learning.

I also value student voice in learning. I believe when students feel heard and have choice in how they learn and show what they know, they are more motivated and confident. My goal is always to nurture capable, curious, and resilient learners who feel proud of who they are and excited about what they can become.

Additionally I strongly connect to the Regina Public School Division’s strategic commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, Indigenous student achievement, and anti-oppressive education. I deeply value the inclusive and collaborative spirit of the Division’s four-year plan, which reflects the voices of diverse and marginalized communities. My personal teaching philosophy is aligned with the Division’s goals of creating caring, welcoming spaces and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in every aspect of education. I am excited to contribute to a school community where students see themselves reflected in their learning and feel empowered to thrive.

It would be an honour to work with Regina Public Schools, a division that leads with integrity and supports educators in creating inclusive, responsive learning communities. I am confident that my passion, creativity, adaptability, and dedication to student success would make me a strong and collaborative addition to any school team.

Thank you for taking the time to get to know me! Please feel free to explore my teaching portfolio and reach out with any questions or connections.

Grade 1 October Newsletter

For this assignment, I created a Grade 1 October Newsletter that would be sent home to parents. The goal was to explain how I plan to use an aesthetic approach in my classroom, meaning how I will bring creativity, arts, and hands-on experiences into student learning.

In my newsletter, I shared with parents the different projects and themes the students will be working on in October. I explained how I will be combining the Arts Strands — like music, drama, dance, and visual art — into several subject areas, including Language Arts, Math, and Treaty Education, as well as other areas of learning. For example, students might explore patterns in Math through visual art, express their understanding of stories in Language Arts through drama, or learn about respect and community in Treaty Education using music or art projects.

The newsletter was written in a parent-friendly, welcoming way and included important information such as classroom activities, special events, and reminders for the month. I made sure it was both creative and informative, using fun visuals and clear language to help parents feel connected and involved in what their child is learning.

For Link to Newsletter to view clearly click here

Goal Setting Children’s Book

For our health education assignment, we created a children’s book all about goal setting! The story helps students understand what goals are, how to make a plan, and how to keep trying even when things get tricky. After reading the book together as a class, students will take part in a fun follow-up activity where they get to set their own personal goal and illustrate it. This helps them practice making positive choices and builds their confidence in reaching their goals.

Please click The Dream Cafe link to access my story!

The Dream Cafe

Follow Up Activity

1. Story Discussion (10 minutes)
Begin with a guided discussion about The Dream Cafe story:
– What was Lauren’s goal?
– Did she get it right the first time? What did she do when things got hard?
– What helped her keep trying?
– What is something you want to get better at?

2. Create Your Own Goal Cake (20 minutes) (see hyperlink for handout)
Each student will be given a paper handout of a cupcake, cake, or lantern. Students may
choose. These paper templates will be divided into layers or ingredients. Students will
then:
– Write or draw their personal goal in the center of their cake/cupcake/lantern

– Choose 3-4 positive “ingredients” that will help them reach their goal (e.g.,
patience, asking for help, second tries, focus, bravery, kindness)
–  Add 1-2 “secret sprinkles” like courage or creativity as a finishing touch

3. Classroom “Dream Cafe” Gallery Walk (10 minutes)

Students will have their Goal cakes on a classroom bulletin board designed to look like
The Dream Cafe. (Optional: Play soft, magical music and turn a couple of lights down to
make it feel magical.)
Students will take turns walking through the Dream Cafe, silently reading each other’s
goals, and writing kind affirmations on sticky notes to place beside peers’ goals:
– “I’d love to try that too.”
– “That’s a great goal.”
– “You’ll do amazing.”

4. (Optional Extension) Goal cake Check-Ins
Over the coming week (2 weeks), offer moments for students to check on their Goal cake.
They can add stars, sprinkles, or drawings to show how they’re progressing, especially
when they’ve made a mistake and try again. This will reinforce the idea that success is
built through setbacks and support

Grade 2 Unit Plan On Respect

For this course, we created a health unit plan based on the grade and outcome of our choice. I decided to choose Grade 2, as K-2 is my ideal future students. As well, for the unit plan, I chose USC2.4: Understand what “respect” means and find ways to show it to yourself, others, living things, belongings, and the environment. With this unit plan, I chose 12 indicators to teach, one being from the Treaty Education outcomes.

Please check out my Unit Plan on Canva here:

Unit Plan 

Strength-based Interactive Bulletin Board

In this course, we were asked to design a bulletin board you can use in your classroom as a way to introduce your students to the approach to expectations, beliefs, and student conduct. My bulletin board was targeted towards Grade 2 students who had 4 tasks:

1.  A values-based task for students to examine their own beliefs
2. A connection to identity and self-worth
3. A task that honours diversity and inclusiveness in the classroom and exemplifies the student conduct you want to see in your classes
4. An inspiring connection to a source to view and complete a task (podcast, video, ted talk, book, etc)

Here is my bulletin board: 

Classroom Vision Board

In my ECE 325 class, an assignment we completed was creating our very own classroom vision board, in which we were creating our yearly plan. In my case, this was Grade One. Our classroom design needed to include opportunities for reflecting on experimental learning.

Please click the link to my Canva presentation to view my classroom vision board:

Classroom Vision Board

Year Plan

Another assignment in ECE 325 was creating a year plan for our dream grade we would love to teach. I decided to create a year plan for Grade One. We were required to have outcomes that would be explored each month. Outcomes from English Language Arts,
Math, Social Studies, Science, Health, Arts Education, Physical Education, and Treaty
Education must be included.

Here is the Screen recording for my Grade One Year Plan:

Letter of Intent

In ECE 325, our first assignment was to create a letter of intent to families for the first day of school. The letter of intent included my view of children as learners and my reflection of understanding of the image of a child. As well as my belief around play and play-based pedagogy and the role that stories will play in my classroom.

Please view the following link to a Google document of my letter of intent:

Letter of Intent