Author: Kennedi

I am a second year university student at the University of Regina. I recently transferred over to the faculty of education and I hope to one day teach an early years elementary class! Originally I am from a small town just north of Regina but I currently reside here in the Queen City. I have a large family and a love for sports and animals.
Posted on

Kumashiro, “Against Common Sense: Teaching and Learning Toward Social Justice”

How does Kumashiro define ‘common sense?’ Why is it so important to pay attention to the ‘common sense?’

            In my opinion, I think, Kumashiro defines common sense as a way of knowing that is common among a group of people. For example, Kumashiro explains how the people of Nepal use rice or lentils in their cooking and that cooking without them means you don’t know how to cook. In this example, if you do not cook with rice or lentils it is assumed you do not know how to cook. In Nepal is it “common sense” to solely teach out of the textbook and prepare for end of term exams where as in the US or Canada it has become “common sense” to incorporate other ways of teaching and learning.

            It is important to pay attention to the ‘common sense’ because it has become such a regular way of thinking. Common sense has become routine for many people, whether you are from Nepal or from the US, it goes unnoticed. I think it is important to pay attention to this concept because some aspects, as stated in the reading, need to be challenged. For example, it is common for the schools in the US or Canada to use new and innovative teaching ways, so when Kumashiro was to teach in Nepal he/she was faced with the realization that there was “a failure to critique the unspoken assumptions about US superiority” (XXXI). It is important to realize that we as a people use common sense in our daily lives without question. Sometimes our personal idea of what should be common sense can differ from that of someone else’s idea of common sense. Neither person is wrong when it comes to common sense knowledge, it depends on who you are or where you are from that shapes our ideas of what is commonly thought or should be thought of independently.

Posted on

Inspirational Videos

Enjoy!

This is a TED talk video shared to me through my ECS 100 class. I decided to insert this link because it moved me and inspired me to become a great educator and to be there for my students. This video is called “Every Kid Needs a Teacher” spoken by Rita Pierson.

https://ed.ted.com/featured/oM5nk8Rv

The below link is another inspirational video that moved me. I required this video through my ECS 100 course as well. This video is called “What Teachers Make” by Taylor Mali.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxsOVK4sy

Posted on

ECS Field Experience (final recap)

The end of my first field placement has come to an end and I am so very sad that it is over. I’ve learnt a lot on my journey and I will miss this experience greatly. I hope to provide this experience for others in my future.

Read more about my last day out in the field under the Professional Field Experiences tab under the ECS 100 Field Placement flag.

Posted on

My First Field Experience Recap

Hey!

My first field experience is coming to an end. I’m sad that it is over all ready. Monday next week (December 3rd) will be my last day there making my whole journey 7 weeks long. I learned a lot in this experience! I got to watch classroom management skills and I got to participate in teaching and helping the students. It truly showed me that this is what I want to do everyday. The students in the classroom were very welcoming and quickly accepted me. I feel as though I build student-teacher relationships with these students even if they aren’t the same as their relationships with their regular teacher. My cooperative teacher was super nice and answered all of the questions I asked. Because of this experience I am looking forward to the other field placements I have as well as my internship and teaching career. I am so thankful to have had this wonderful experience!

Posted on

ECS Field Experience Log #3

Week #3- Teachers and Knowledge
This week I got to experience another day out in the field and I still love it. I learned that there are many ways to teach a lesson or concept so that every student can accomplish the task and understand the concepts of the day. My placement is in a math room so I get to see my cooperative teacher use different techniques and ways to teach the students. Some children need a visual representation of the numbers whether that be a simple number line or the use of manipulatives like base-10 blocks or counters. Some of the other students need one on one time with the teacher or assistance from the EA or my placement partner and I. I did notice that some children won’t ask for help or won’t reach out in class discussions if they are stuck on a concept and that as a teacher or helper you need to keep your eyes out for the ones who need help but wont directly ask for it by asking them if you can assist them. My cooperative teacher has “I can” statements up on a bulletin board for all the students to see that she created from the curriculum. Her goal is to have all the students cover their required skills through math skills and what she calls facts. Fact are just the curriculum broken down into different skills the students work on such as multiplication, counting, representing numbers, and so on. She has created rounds, which I talked about on my first log, where students go to different stations to accomplish and practice their skills and techniques by creating patterns, recognizing numbers, and practicing their concepts on their own and one on one with a teacher or helper. All of these different ways help the many learners learn in an effective way. She does a group discussion and that is where she teaches her lesson for the day. During this lesson time it helps auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners learn the task at hand through her talking, engaging with the students, getting them involved, and demonstrating on the board.

I’ve noticed that the teachers in the school, not just my cooperative teacher, rely on each other for input and support with questions or help on a lesson. They have a LRT (learning resource teacher) at the school who helps my teacher and other teachers if they get stuck and need an extra eye or mind. I know that the teachers will talk about their ideas with each other and get a feel for what their peers think as well as provide their insight for other teachers’ ideas. I 100% believe that cooperation between teachers and other staff is a beneficial thing for everyone!

I definitely think that teachers provide their professional knowledge through a) their own experience, and b) through their peers’ experiences. To get a feel and understanding of what kind of teacher you want to be and what works best for you and your classroom or students you need to experience it for yourself whether that takes the first 5 years or takes you your whole career. Teachers also get their professional knowledge through their colleagues and peers experiences as well. When a teacher asks their peer for advice or help the peer can provide their knowledge and experiences to the teacher questioning them.

Mondays are crazy and many people don’t like them but having my placement on a Monday really gets my week going and I love it being on a Monday. This week I helped teach subitizing strategies to a few of the students and helped them understand the concept of it. I also helped my cooperative teacher prep a few things in the morning which was a nice start to the day and allowed me to see a small glimpse into what goes into the creation of lessons and ideas. Most days are structured the same in terms of routine and the students rounds but there is definitely differences every day through the lessons and the student’s behaviour. I really enjoy being at the school and I always look forward to going back in the following week.

Posted on

ECS Field Experience Log #1

Week #1- Students and Learning Environment

This morning I got to experience my first day out in the field. I’m in a classroom that is dedicated to math where my cooperating teacher teaches grades 1-6 throughout the day.

The day started with us going to the younger students’ doors to welcome them into the school with a “hug line”. Every day the teachers welcome the students with a hug which helps set the tone for the day. At first, I was a little shocked because my school never did that but I soon understood why they do it, it is so welcoming! My cooperative teacher has a half hour prep every Monday morning when we arrive so she had arranged for us to be placed into the Kindergarten classroom. I personally love young children and I was super comfortable in the Kindergarten classroom. Like most Kindergarten classrooms it was colourful, filled with toys and educational implementations, rugs, whiteboards, tables instead of desks and lockers for jackets.

The classroom I will be in for most of my placement is right beside the main doors of the school. It is filled with tables for the students, teacher, and teacher aid to work at. They have a section of their room filled with shelves and bins of math games, blocks, cubes, Lego, and other toys to use for creating math games, problems, and working on math skills. They have a cubby area for their tool boxes which they use during class time to help them with their math problems and is filled with pencils, erasers, and many math tools to help them such as number lines, charts, and tables. At the back of the classroom there is a board filled with the student’s names and what tasks they have to complete during that class. The teacher uses an iPad in class to help students with math problems at home. She uses the app Seesaw to create videos, recordings, pictures, and activities to help the students with work at home and to help parents understand the concepts when assisting their children. This setting is so different from my elementary school. In grades 1 and up we used individual desks, whereas in this elementary school, they don’t have individual desks at all, unless requested by the teacher for an individual student who may need that space to themselves. The school has an assigned elementary math teacher who teaches math to grades 1-6 which I think is very different and rare. Most elementary schools, including mine, didn’t have different teachers for different subjects, we just had one teacher who taught everything but gym and music. When I was younger we didn’t have things like iPads or apps so seeing those tools in school is very different than my elementary education. I do think the classroom is a very well-organized learning environment that I would definitely use aspects from in the future.

Today I got to help teach the grades 2/3 and 1/2 classes. I walked around the class and asked questions, provided assistance, and checked work for completion. During the grade 1/2 class a few grade sixes came in to present a math game where we danced and sang to a song about counting then worked on booklets individually. All the students were very kind and really enjoyed the extra help in the classroom. It was nice to be able to help them understand the concepts of their work and help them complete problems they were stuck on. I was really nervous to go to my placement because I was scared that I wouldn’t like it or that this wouldn’t be for me but I definitely think that it is now! I had a great time meeting the students and helping them out with their questions. The school and children are amazing and definitely helped me overcome my nervousness.