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Learning Outcome 8

Observe the impact of Ontario Ministry of Education Policy and/or documentation on learners and on the school's learning environment.

Throughout the semester, I had the opportunity to view several Ontario policies being enacted in the school's learnining enviornment.

Growing Success (2011)
-"The purpose for assessment is to improve student learning." (28)
-The 3 types of assessment has been utilized throughout the semester. I noted how assessment for and as learning was used at the beginning for introducing new concepts to the class and used to check for previous knowledge and understanding. Students were provided opportunities to explore and experiment with their art, as well as had opportunities for self-assessment. Every day I took the time to observe each student's understanding of knowledge and content as well as took note of their progression and provided verbal feedback. Students were given opportunities to discuss what they were trying to accomplish in their work and explain their creative process of how they reached their final product. Assessment of learning was often used for major projects and assignments that was accompanied by a rubric. I noted how my mentor teacher would provide many opportunities for students to resubmit work after receiving feedback for assignments so they have the chance to raise their grade and showcase their best work.
-When creating a rubric, Growing Success outlines how assessment can be done in an achievement chart using KTCA (Knowledge and Understanding, Thinking, Communication, Application). This achievement chart is used as a basis for how assessment is evaluated and graded. My mentor teacher and I have used KTCA to assess student work and understanding in order to gain a better understanding of student's understanding of concepts, critical thinking skills, communication skills and applying their knowledge and learning. Through this method of assessment, it helps to ensure that students are developing creative, critical thinking skills and communcation skills as they progress in their educational journey.
-With the support of my mentor teacher, I was able to create my own rubrics using KTCA as well as grade and assess student work. When creating my lessons and assessments, I made sure to incorporate assessment for and as learning to observe how students grasped new concepts, as well as provide opportunities for continous feedback throughout the learning process. When using assessment of learning, I created rubrics based on KTCA where I checked for effective demonstration of understanding concepts, utilizing critical thinking and problem solving skills, ability to communicate their ideas and applying their knowledge and skills to create their projects.

Learning for All (2013) -"Universal Design" and "Differentiated Learning"
-This document provides various strategies for supporting students with disasbilities and diverse learning needs.
-The concept of Universal Design allows for an equitable teaching practice where all students can recieve flexibility based on their learning needs. Other important factors for universal design include: equitable use, simplicity, appropriately designed space, safety and different modes of perception.
-Differentiated Instruction allows for students with special educational needs to benefit from differentiated content, process, product and enviornment that supports their learning needs. The chart below demonstrates how both universal design and differentiated instruction allows for an equitable teaching practice that is inclusive for all students.
-Provided below are images of how universal design and differentiated learning working together according to Learning for All as well as a checklist.
-I have observed some of these strategies being impleneted throughout the course of my semester. For example, my mentor teacher allows ELL learners to use translate apps or websites for worksheets and assessments if they need extra help understanding instructions. For students with modified curriculum expectations and/or other accomodations, my mentor teacher would make sure to provide various forms of feedback whether it was written visually or told orally for students and take the extra time to support their learning. Students also had the flexibility to resubmit their work after recieving feedback to implement changes and increase their mark. I also noted how my mentor teacher would break down instructions step-by-step along with a demonstration for students to follow along with, which helped all students gain a better understanding when being introduced to new concepts. Students also recieved support from educational assistants if they had special education needs such as having movement breaks during class when they needed to. Students also recieved varied assessments and were given opportunities to explore their creative freedom in their projects using varied knowledge and skills built over the course of the unit.

CRRP-Culturally Responsive Relevant Pedagogy (2013)
-This document examines ways to promote equity and inclusivity in the classroom in order to remove barriers that prevent student success in their educational journeys.
-Being culturally responsive includes examining issues at the institutional, personal and instructional level of education that impact student learning.
-Being culturally responsive also includes characteristics such as: socio-cultural awareness, desire to make a difference, high expectations, constructivist approaches, deep knowledge of your students and culturally responsive teaching practices.
-I have observed this being demonstrated through the efforts to support student learning by developing a relationship with the local community, students' families and learning to support the diverse learning needs of each student. Students and teachers have opportunities to engage in discussions of inquiry to develop creative and critical thinking skills in order to make connections to the classroom and beyond. Teachers are aware of the lived experiences that is brought into the classroom and the diverse identities that impact how students engage in their own learning and construct knowledge. I have also observed throughout the semester of other teachers in the department discussing strategies for students who come from a different background and cultural upbringing in order to gain a better understanding in how to support them. Ultimately, the goal for the school is the desire for students to become change makers, globally engaged citizens and leaders for the present and future.

Race and Art Education: Anti-Oppressive and Anti-Racist Pedagogy (2021)
-This is a new educational book relates to the Ontario Ministry of Education's Equity and Inclusion Strategy (2009). It is designed specifically for arts education that examines ways to disrupt, dismantle and deconstruct racism with equitable teaching strategies that suit the needs of the diverse identities that are found in the classroom.
-Some of these strategies include: being curious, being humble, being vulnerable, do not remain in complacency, noticing/naming/finding altneratives, finding the "and" when examining artworks that are Eurocentric and dismanting ideas of race to view it as a social construct.
-I observed this happening through the focus courses offered at JCM in the arts such as ceramics and mosaics as well as learning about non-traditional art forms. This is also displayed in the SHSM program where students can learn more about arts and culture fields such as 3D animation which allows opportunities for students to explore ideas of non-traditional art forms and exploring modern art practices. I have also utilized this approach when developing my lessons to allow students to critically analyze artworks that challenge ideas of race, as well as show artists that are non-Eurocentric for students to view and think about when examining artworks.

Lastly, I adhered to health and safety procedures when using art equipment in the classroom as well as ladder safety when it was required. I also experienced a lockdown where I followed protocols to ensure the safety of the students until the threat was no longer near the school. I brought students into the staff room, locked the door, shut the lights, closed the blinds and stayed away from the windows.

Below are images that demonstrate this learning outcome. Please click on the image for more details.

Gallery

Ysabela Reyes

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