Professional

Semester III Final Report Faculty of Education Field Experiences Fall _ Spring Semester, 20 13 (Please check appropriate semester) Professional Semester III is a five-course equivalent integrated semester including half-time teaching and professional study in curriculum design, leadership, advanced methods, and reflective practice. Intern Teachers are assigned full time to schools for the semester during which they assume responsibility for approximately one-half of the teaching day. PS III professional study is designed to complement and enhance the internship. The professional study components may occur on or off-campus and are coordinated by the Faculty Mentors in collaboration with Intern Teachers and school personnel. Place a checkmark () in front of the course in which you are registered Education 4571 Elementary Education Education 4572 Secondary Internship Education 4573 Special Focus Internship Education 4574 Fine Arts Internship - Art or Drama Education 4575 Fine Arts Internship - Music Intern Teacher Jennifer Rempel School Grade Level(s) 10-12

Mount Boucherie Senior Secondary

Administrator Ryan Ward, Vice Principle Teacher Mentor James Elwood Faculty Mentor Janice Rahn Teacher Mentor Jackie Poirier

Intern Teachers Descriptive Report:

My PSIII Internship at Mount Boucherie Senior Secondary has surpassed my expectations! The staff welcomed me with such kindness and were willing to answer any questions, their support was apparent early on and I felt very lucky to have such a phenomenal network of people to work with! The first meeting with my mentors put me at ease and sparked my excitement for the upcoming months! My teacher mentors gave me a tour of the school in the beginning of July where saw the incredible art facilities and met some of the amazing clerical and administration staff, including Vice Principle Ryan Ward. Ryan oversaw my internship and provided great insights into being an educator and constructive feedback for me to work with. After the

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PS III Final Report for Jennifer Rempel

Intern Teachers Descriptive Report (Continued) school tour Jim and Jackie invited for a welcome lunch which allowed us to get to know one another in a relaxed environment. The opportunity to meet with everyone prior to starting the school year was extremely beneficial to my nerves as well as my planning! I was given an Art Foundations 12 class and a Visual Arts Media 10 class, my teaching mentors were Jim Elwood and Jackie Poirier. Jim has been teaching for over 24 years and is an active artist and art educator within the community. Jackie, also an active artist and art educator within the community, is a former University of Lethbridge grad who interned at MBSS as well! My Art 12 class consisted of 19 students, the majority in 12th grade with a wide variety of talent and experience. Early on, I realized that while there was a great deal of talent among the students, the foundations of art had been forgotten or lost along the way. This was both challenging and exciting for me. I designed their projects and units to enhance their understanding of the foundations of art as well as challenge them to consider themselves as artists while providing a variety of mediums to explore their creativity. I taught units on: Historic and Contemporary; Identity, Abstraction, Colour; Personal, Environmental and Social Awareness; Cultural Connections; and Composition and Mood. Within each unit, students were encouraged to explore and focus on the elements and principles of art within their work. I also encouraged students who were familiar with a medium or technique to work with their peers as the expert, encouraging an environment where a variety of learning and skill levels were taking place. My Media 10 class consisted of 28 students most of whom were in the 10th grade, all brand new to MBSS just like me! Through the use of formative assessment during the first week, I gathered that there were multiple skill levels within the class. Computer skills, familiarity with Web 2.0 tools, experience with digital cameras and art foundations knowledge varied from student to student. I began by introducing the elements and principles of art and design and reintroduced them as the foundation for each subsequent project and unit. I taught units on Elements and Principles of Art and Design, Visual Literacy, Typography, Brand-Identity-Logo Design and Freelancing. Being set in a computer lab, I chose to apply skills that I had acquired from my summer courses, The Internet and Education as well as Web-Based Teaching, to guide instruction. With three hour blocks per class, I did not feel the need to establish an authentic flipped classroom environment, I implemented the flipped classroom in terms of providing videos and tutorials which students could watch, the difference being that they would watch these during class time followed by discovery and implementation of the skills being addressed. The flipped classroom approach provided me with the opportunity to have mobility around the classroom, meet with students, use personal as well as Web 2.0 tools to gauge skill level and understanding as well as utilize students with a higher level of understanding in a particular area as experts within the classroom! The level of student and teacher engagement was encouraging and contributed to an environment that fostered learning, growth and discovery. During my internship I had several opportunities to meet with and contact the parents and guardians of my students. I had a fabulous time at parent-teacher interviews showing student work and meeting with parents and guardians. Some of my contact with parents or guardians did not always stem from positive news, phone calls for skipped classes or

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Intern Teachers Descriptive Report (Continued) incidents that occurred during class, I always communicated the importance of their students role within my class and left discussions on a positive note. Having a background in design and visual communications, I offered to volunteer my time to assist Jackie with her Yearbook class. She was kind enough to accept and I have had the pleasure and amazing opportunity to join the Yearbook staff and assist with implementing procedures, design elements, photographing events, coursework and planning. The skills and knowledge that I have gained from being a part of the Yearbook class throughout my internship have been tremendous as are the relationships that I have built with both Jackie and the students of MBSS! Along with volunteering my time for the Yearbook class, I also volunteered to start an Analog Photography club, which met every Thursday at noon starting in October. I was able to rediscover the joys of analog photography, thanks to Jim, while teaching how to: make photograms, use enlargers, develop prints and process film. One student has since acquired his own analog camera and plans to take the Analog Photography course offered by Jim next year! Another incredible opportunity that came from my internship at MBSS was to join a committee that is working on a school district wide public art project to coincide with the Canadian Student Leadership Conference, which is being held in Kelowna in September 2014. Jim and Jackie invited me to the information session for the project and we all volunteered to join the committee to help make it happen! We recently had our first meeting where we discussed the project in greater detail and compiled a call out for artists interested in working on the project. I am very excited to work with and learn from such an amazing team of volunteers on a project that will join emerging artists with the art educators and students of SD23 in the upcoming year! While I am excited to complete my education program and graduate, knowing that my time at MBSS is coming to a close is bittersweet. I was welcomed so warmly, not as a student teacher, but as a fellow staff member. I conclude my internship with heaps of gratitude to everyone at MBSS and a solid foundation of tools that I can utilize throughout my teaching career. I will be forever thankful for all of the individuals, both student and staff, at MBSS who have supported my passion for students, learning, education and art. I hope that moving forward, I will make both the University of Lethbridge and MBSS proud! Becoming a part of the MBSS community has enabled and encouraged me to grow as an art educator, an artist and an individual, I look forward to what lies ahead.

Intern Teacher Signature

December 7, 2013 Date

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PS III Final Report for Jennifer Rempel

This page is to be attached to the Intern Teachers Report. School Administrator Comments: Miss Rempel was assigned to Mount Boucherie Secondary and made her first visit to meet with her mentor teachers and school staff in late June, prior to the summer vacation. When she returned, it was clear that she had taken quite a lot of time to prepare for the start of her practicum. The outlines for her Media Arts 10 class and her Art Foundations 12 class were complete and well thought-out and instructional overviews were submitted that demonstrated her understanding of the outcomes of the courses and a number of external materials to compliment her instruction, including a large number of internet resources and personal samples. During her practicum, Miss Rempel demonstrated a great ability to interact with students and build positive relationships with students in her classes. Through formal and informal observations, it became clear that this was her greatest strength as a teacher. Her ability to find ways to communicate with students at their level and show a strong level of empathy for them served her well throughout her practicum. Miss Rempel was observed on a number of occasions talking to individual students during class time and working with them on a oneto-one basis to help them better understand concepts and/or complete formative assessments of the students work. Students appeared very comfortable with this, and seemed to enjoy the individualized attention that they received in these situations. Miss Rempel is to be commended for this, as this is not a skill that is easily taught, it is a character trait that will continue to make her a strong teacher. Miss Rempels instructional practices were solid throughout her practicum and they showed a great deal of thought and understanding of the learning process. She demonstrated a high level of content knowledge and a very good grasp of the outcomes and skills that she was working towards in her classes. She made exceptional use of learning technology as part of her courses, especially her use of class websites, online content materials and digital portfolios that allowed students to demonstrate their skills and reflect on their best work. Students own mobile devices were embraced as a learning tool at times, and Miss Rempel showed her flexibility to allow students to access the course in different ways through technology. She appeared very much at ease with the technology and is encouraged to continue to use it as a means of engagement and stronger instruction in her classes. Miss Rempel demonstrated that she is very willing and able to take constructive criticism from her mentor teachers and the school administration where appropriate. To this end, some areas of growth were identified during her practicum. 1. Her whole class instructional techniques were solid, but she was encouraged to continue to add more structured techniques to classroom discussions to keep students engaged, focused and accountable for their learning. 2. During direct instruction, Miss Rempel should continue to explore a variety of questioning techniques which allow for increased student engagement and accountability - ensuring that students stay focused on the topic at hand and do not simply wait for a keen student to answer all the questions posed.

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3. Miss Rempel was encouraged to continue to examine the assessment techniques used throughout her courses. While her formative assessment was quite strong, giving feedback to students throughout the learning process, some of her summative rubrics could be improved to ensure that they are assessing the specific concepts being taught. Miss Rempel was familiar with the concept of backward lesson design and was encouraged to always consider this approach to ensure that summative assessments match the particular outcomes and skills being taught. This will come with time and experience. As a professional teacher, Miss Rempel will continue to be an asset to her colleagues and any school that she finds herself in. During her time at Mount Boucherie Secondary, she demonstrated a strong ability to work with her peers, a willingness to get involved in the school activities outside of her regular teaching duties, and was well thought of by those that she worked closely with. Miss Rempel always presented herself in a professional manner, while still ensuring that her personality shone through. She was rarely seen without a smile on her face, and it was clear that she genuinely enjoyed her work. A telling comment came from one of her mentors who stated that they wished that the practicum lasted longer so that Miss Rempel wouldnt leave so soon. This is a testament to how committed Miss Rempel was to her practicum and is an indicator of how successful she will be in the future. From my perspective as school vice principle, it has been a pleasure working with Miss Rempel, and I would not hesitate to recommend her to any future potential employers. It is clear that she will continue to grow as a teacher and become more confident in her abilities as she gains more experience. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for Miss Rempel. Ryan Ward Vice Principle Mount Boucherie Senior Secondary

School Administrator Signature

December 8, 2013 Date

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PS III Final Report for Jennifer Rempel

This page is to be attached to the Intern Teachers Report. Teacher Mentor Comments: Jennifer Rempel was our student intern from September 13 to December 13 here at Mount Boucherie Secondary in West Kelowna, British Columbia. For me she was responsible for Studio Art 12 course. She also created an Analog Photography club and volunteered for a variety of school wide events. As well, Jen has been a lead planner for the School District 23/Canadian Student Leadership "Hope" sculpture project. This is a once in a life time nation-wide sculpture/art student leadership project. To succeed as a teacher and as an artist you must always evaluate where you are at and where you need to go. You cannot be satisfied with where you are no matter how well things are going. Progressing forward in a positive manner is the key to survival and growth in any aspect of life. One of Jen's greatest assets is her innate ability to evaluate how she is doing and always seeks ways to do better. In some reference letters this could be code for the intern needed to do better, this is not the case with Jen. Her teaching is excellent, but what impressed me with Jen is she always seeks ways to do better and takes instruction from the sources around her with such grace and purpose. In the athletic world when we refer to players with this approach as having "coachability". Jen's initial planning showed forethought, thoroughness and creativity. Her individual unit and lesson plans maintained the purposeful thread set out in the overall planning and were at the appropriate interest and skill level for her classes. Her delivery of both concepts and techniques were engaging and purposeful. When teachable moments arrived she incorporated them into the lesson seamlessly. She showed a level of confidence both in demonstrations and one to one with students that is well beyond her years. Jens classroom management of student progress was direct and effective. She was able to deal with a wide variety of learning styles and push each student successfully to meet their potential in every situation. Jens evaluation of student achievement was very professional and always led to better student success and understanding of their efforts. When concerns around student behavior arose she worked with the situation in a very professional and very caring manner, always the best interest of the student first. I have greatly appreciated having Jen as part of our program. I have seen her as a colleague rather than an intern. What truly sets her apart is her quiet confidence that both inspires and encourages those around her. I have no hesitation in recommending her for any position in the future as she has proven herself to be a very skilled and caring educator. Between her knowledge of the subject matter and her connection with kids makes her one of the best interns I have ever had. Jim Elwood Visual Arts Instructor, Mount Boucherie Secondary, Kelowna, B.C., (250) 712-7040

Mentor Teacher Signature

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December 9, 2013 Date

PS III Final Report for Jennifer Rempel

This page is to be attached to the Intern Teachers Report. Teacher Mentor Comments: I had the distinct pleasure of working with Jennifer Rempel during her PSIII Internship at Mount Boucherie Secondary School in West Kelowna, British Columbia. During her time here, Jen taught Media Arts: 10 with myself and Art Foundation 12 with another mentor teacher, Jim Elwood. Before the school year had even started, Jen was already building a strong presence in the school. With no time at all, she had formed great connections with the staff with her positive attitude and friendly manner. I have had the opportunity to observe Jen teach on several occasions; whether it be sitting in on full lessons, or simply stopping in to see what exciting projects students were working on. It is apparent that Jen is comfortable in a computer lab setting: which is challenging for most. Her enthusiasm for content and implementation of technological resources invigorates her students regularly, as was made visible by their consistent engagement. This was also due to the level of student choice provided with projects; student success was regularly considered by allowing students to personalize projects and demonstrate their strengths. A strong sense of student rapport was evident, likely resulting from the consistent efforts made to circulate the room and meet with each student on a regular basis. While Jens contributions to our Yearbook class were extra-curricular, I feel that it is worth discussing alongside her official teaching assignment. Jens involvement in Yearbook went far beyond volunteer work, as she played a major role in planning, organizing, and carrying out the successful production of our publication date. Her expertise in graphic design and typography, as well as, her creative ideas were a valuable addition to our Yearbook Staff this year. Through firm leadership and enthusiasm, she has formed a great rapport with every student in the class. Yearbook is a demanding class with its own unique challenges, and Jen took these head-on. She has far exceeded my expectations of commitment and initiative toward an extra-curricular venture. Not only has Jen been present for every Yearbook class, but she initiated a small group of students to organize a three day photo booth to help promote the Yearbook. She was committed to help organize, advertise, and the supervise setup, duration, and take-down of the event each day. She has also started an Analog Photography club for a few students who were looking for this opportunity; in turn, helping build up the course for the following year. Jen has been involved in Grade 12 Transition Interviews, by teaming up with other teachers and community members to interview grads about their future school and career plans. She also plans to chaperone the Grad Winter Formal in the last few days of her internship. One of the most exciting ventures Jen has taken on this semester will actually continue beyond her internship. She is part of a School District 23 committee in charge of facilitating the completion of a major community art initiative that aligns with the Canadian Student Leadership Conference being held in Kelowna in 2014. On this committee are a number of
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district art teachers (including myself and Jim Elwood), a Community Art Partnership Coordinator/Professor at UBCO, and one of the Directors of Instruction from the school board. This is a great project for Jen to be involved in. It will help her form connections and lasting relationships within the district while participating in creating a community legacy. There is no doubt in my mind that Jen will be a great addition to any school staff. Her enthusiasm, eagerness to learn, and ability to collaborate and self-reflect illustrate her capacity to be a life-long learner and strong role model for her students. She shows genuine care for her students, and even for those she doesnt teach. Jen carries herself as a professional and I see her as a colleague, as I have probably learned as much from her as she has from me. I feel lucky to have been part of her growth and can only hope the best for her in her future as a teacher. Jackie Poirier Visual/Graphic Arts, Yearbook Mount Boucherie Senior Secondary Kelowna, B.C., (250) 712-7040

Mentor Teacher Signature

December 7, 2013 Date

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PS III Final Report for Jennifer Rempel

This page is to be attached to the Intern Teachers Report. Faculty Mentor Comments: Jen Rempel completed all of the university requirements for PSIII, including an e-portfolio, Teaching Development Growth Plan, and an Inquiry Project. She communicated with me in developing her project, which is summarized and included in her portfolio. Her project showed her commitment to student engagement, inquiry, and ownership in constructing content and in their method of learning technology. She surveyed students interests and included their input in a class website. Jen was active within the school community, participating in all of the professional development opportunities available. She was professional in communicating with me at a distance over the phone and by email. Jen also participated in many extracurricular activities both inside and outside of the school, showing her dedication to teaching within the broader community. She shared her experience and skills in design and communications by joining the Yearbook staff and volunteered to start a Photography Club. She also joined her mentor in participating in a public art project for a student leadership conference. Jen had two teacher mentors, which can be more complicated, but she worked with ease, making the most of their expertise. Jen knew that she wanted to work in the Kelowna area, and she went out of her way to make it happen. She showed maturity and good judgment in seeking out this placement and in making the most of every opportunity. She moved to the Kelowna area in the spring, 2013 to become familiar with the community and to be ready to begin her practicum.

I have read the complete Final Report and certify that the assigned grade is PASS.

Faculty Mentor Signature

December 8, 2013 Date

September 2000 FE_Forms_PSIII

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