1. Organizing your Practicum experience… PRACTICUM BINDER WORKSHOP

2. R ESPONSIBILITY Refer to pages 30- 31 in your Concurrent Education Program Handbook It is the Teacher Candidate’s responsibility to maintain a current and comprehensive binder including materials pertinent to the practicum. The Associate Teacher and the Faculty Advisor may request to view the practicum binder at any time.

3. W HAT IS A P RACTICUM B INDER ? Each Teacher Candidate will be provided with a Nipissing University cover page. Consider purchasing a binder that has a clear sleeve in the front. -A Practicum Binder is a tool Teacher Candidates can use to document their Practicum experiences. -Teacher Candidates will add new items to the binder throughout the year, and it is important that the binder stays current. -The practicum binder is a great way for Teacher Candidates to record their observations in the classroom, and it allows them to organize lesson plans and other resources. Plan ahead… Stay organized!

4. F IVE S ECTIONS Your Practicum Binder should have the following 5 sections: 1.TEACHING TIMETABLES 2.OBSERVATIONS OF CLASSROOM 3.ROUTINES AND MANAGEMENT PLANS 4.LESSON PLANS 5.OTHER MATERIALS

5. 1) T EACHING T IMETABLES  First Page:  Includes the following: -Name of the school board -School Address -School Phone Number -Principal -Associate Teacher -Grade Level -Classroom Number Grand Erie District School Board King George Public School 265 Rawdon Street Brantford, ON N3S 6G7 Phone: 519-752-7486 Principal: Tom Smith Associate Teacher: Linda Smith Grade: 4 Classroom: 110

6. T EACHING T IMETABLES  Second Page: includes a weekly schedule of when classes happen with subject titles and images. If a timetable does not exist, the Teacher Candidate should create one based on observations. A yearly plan could also be included in this section. Your Associate Teacher might have a timetable created. If so, ask for a copy. If your Associate does not have one available, please make your own. Discuss “Balanced Day Schedule”

7. 2) O BSERVATIONS TIP: Ensure your observations are ongoing. You will learn something new every day in your practicum! Observation notes should be maintained by the Teacher Candidate throughout the year. These observations should include information on instructional strategies, management, program, student organization, resources, assessments, teacher responsibilities and provisions for exceptional learners. Observation notes include reflections and analysis of the observations. The following guidelines should be used to organize the observation notes: 1.Management Strategies 2.Instructional Strategies 3.Program Organization 4.Student Organization 5.Instructional Materials 6.Methods of Assessment and Evaluation 7.Responsibilities of the Teacher outside of the Classroom 8.Provisions made for Exceptional Learners Consider making a separate page of observations for each category.

8. O BSERVATIONS : M ANAGEMENT S TRATEGIES Discuss: What examples can you recall from your own classroom experiences?  Establishment and maintenance of a positive classroom climate  Expectations for student behaviour in the classroom, halls, lunchroom, on school property  Routines- particularly transitions  Procedures for attendance, opening exercises, washroom, dismissal  Use of positive reinforcement  Quiet signal and other signals  Effective discipline techniques (dealing with unacceptable behaviour)  Student directed management strategies

9. O BSERVATIONS : I NSTRUCTIONAL S TRATEGIES In this section, describe teaching strategies such as learning centres, discussion, lecturing, games, research and teacher-directed lessons, programmed learning, etc. Ask yourself: -How does the Associate Teacher introduce concepts? -How does the Associate Teacher meet the needs of different learning styles? -List the variety of teaching strategies that are used

10. O BSERVATIONS : P ROGRAM O RGANIZATION This section includes:  School schedules and classroom daily timetable, program routines, subject integration, timetabling, routines and teaching responsibilities for special classes  Team teaching; role of assistants and classroom volunteers

11. O BSERVATIONS : S TUDENT O RGANIZATION This section includes:  Class list, seating chart  Grouping procedures: whole class, small groups, independent study, peer learning  Provisions for combined grades

12. C LASS L ISTS AND S EATING P LANS TIP: Your Associate Teacher may be able to provide you with a class list. Just ask!  Include the list of all the names of the students in the class (first names are sufficient if confidentiality is an issue)  Also include a current seating plan, as applicable

13. O BSERVATIONS : I NSTRUCTIONAL M ATERIALS TIP: Consider taking photos of bulletin boards, learning centres, etc. Note: Make sure you ask your Associate Teacher for permission first. This section includes:  Use of chalkboard, bulletin boards, audio visual equipment, computers, books, kits, concrete materials  Location of materials and access to supplies and resources

14. O BSERVATIONS : M ETHODS OF A SSESSMENT AND E VALUATION TIP: Keep copies of assessment tools. They may be helpful in the future! This section includes:  Assessment strategies such as tracking, anecdotal records, student work folders, assignments, projects, presentations and tests  Describe the use of recording strategies such as rubrics, anecdotal notes or rating scales and rubrics

15. O BSERVATION : R ESPONSIBILITIES OF THE T EACHER O UTSIDE OF THE C LASSROOM Get involved! Accompany your associate teacher during supervision duty and extra- curricular activities. If appropriate, attend meetings too. This section includes:  Communications with parents, etc.  Supervision duty (yard, lunch, bus, etc.)  Extra-curricular activities  Curriculum and staff meetings  Health and Safety Issues (e.g. students with allergies, policies governing administration of medication, procedures during inclement weather, bomb threats, etc.)

16. O BSERVATIONS : P ROVISIONS M ADE FOR E XCEPTIONAL L EARNERS TIP: Discuss this with your Associate Teacher and/or Mentor. Ask if there are any students with exceptionalities, or who require additional attention. Become familiar with the accommodations used. Describe:  Accommodations of students with learning exceptionalities  Other learners who need attention with the regular classroom

17. 3) R OUTINES AND M ANAGEMENT P LANS In this section, the Teacher Candidate will make a record of the classroom routines stating: Routine, Purpose, and Procedure. These are important since they will be one of the first teaching responsibilities you encounter. State after the routine whether it is management-related, or curriculum-related. Some routines are focused on management of the class and others are related to meeting curriculum expectations. MANAGEMENT: Examples include routines related to going to the washroom use, sharpening pencils, lining up for the bus, assemble in the classroom, fire drill, entry and dismissal procedure, signals to focus attention, student attendance, absence and lateness CURRICULUM: Examples include routines related to spelling dictation, circle time, calendar, ‘bell work’, USSR/DEAR/DREAW, show and tell, current events, daily printing, daily writing and physical education

18. R OUTINES AND M ANAGEMENT P LANS TIP: Consider organizing your routines in consistent format. A chart format is a great example! EXAMPLE: ROUTINE: Handing in work (Management-related) PURPOSE: Teacher needs to assess and check for on task performance PROCEDURE: Students place completed pages in bin/tray on the desk at the side wall ROUTINE: Attendance (Management-related) PURPOSE: All students need to be accounted for, and absences must be tracked. The teacher and office need to be aware what students are absent. PROCEDURE: The teacher takes attendance each morning after “O Canada”, as well as after the first Nutrition Break. At this time, she also asks for bus changes, notes, money to be collected, etc. To take attendance, the teacher says the first student’s name, followed by “GO”. The next student says their name aloud and this continues until the role call is complete. For fun, the class times themselves each day and they try to beat their record. The student runner takes the attendance folder to the office.

19. 4) L ESSON P LANS TIP: Discuss your reflections with your Associate Teacher and Mentor. This section includes all the lesson plans of the Teacher Candidate as implemented throughout each term. The materials related to each lesson such as handouts, recording sheets, answer sheets, quiz, tests, overheads etc., should be attached to each lesson plan as appendices following the lesson plan template. Reflections on each lesson are very important and should be recorded as soon as possible after the lesson is taught, particularly if the Teacher Candidate is teaching more than one lesson a day. The strengths and/or areas for improvement of each lesson should be noted. A daily organizer is required when teaching consecutive days in April (e.g., the weekly plan or day plan, clearly indicating the lessons to be taught and their times).

20. 5) O THER M ATERIALS This section might include additional teaching strategies, photographs of bulletin boards, handouts obtained, from the teacher or the school handbook. It should be noted that all materials maintained in the Practicum Binder need to be professional in content and will be reviewed by the Associate Teacher and Faculty Advisor.

21. P RACTICUM B INDER AND E VALUATION All Year 1 Teacher Candidates will be evaluated by their Associate Teacher (see pg. 66 in Program Handbook). The Evaluation will focus on the following areas: Commitment to Students and Student Learning Professional Practice Professional Knowledge In each area, teacher candidates will be deemed ‘Successful’ or ‘Unsuccessful/Needs Improvement’. Let’s consider how each of these areas fit into the Practicum Binder

22. C OMMITMENT TO S TUDENTS AND S TUDENT L EARNING Shows initiative Displays courtesy and respect for learners Displays enthusiasm Is accepting of constructive criticism Is punctual and dependable Is professional in appearance and deportment

23. P ROFESSIONAL P RACTICE Communication skills with Associate Teacher and mentor within the classroom Expresses thoughts clearly and fluently Uses appropriate vocabulary Listens attentively Works with an individual student effectively Works with small groups of students effectively Conducts an established routine Captures and maintains interest of students Participates and works collaboratively with mentor on planning, implementing and assessing

24. P ROFESSIONAL K NOWLEDGE Practicum teaching binder reflects the classroom setting Promotes student self-esteem by reinforcing positive behaviour Recognizes the role as teacher Recognizes and reflects on the importance of Mentorship