!

1
Frame of Reference: Ferryn Nowatzki
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Frame of Reference

Ferryn Nowatzki

Vancouver Island University

!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
 !2
Frame of Reference: Ferryn Nowatzki
Developing a sense of community, a sense of self, and creating positive relationships will

be an important foundation on which much of my teaching will be based. I plan to establish this

at the beginning of the school year by outlining expectations, getting to know my learners,

creating strong relationships between me, my students, parents, and the greater community. My

pedagogical style closely parallels The 7 Principles of Learning (Dumont, Istance and Benavides,

2010) as my focus lies in a learner-centred, social-emotional approach that values individuality,

challenge and building connections. By modelling compassion, a growth mindset, and a sense of

wonder and inquiry, I will encourage my students to care for their peers and their community,

actively engaging with the world and making it a better place.

My classroom environment will be one that is safe, collaborative and creative. Self-

directed learning and learning through inquiry will be an integral part of my teaching.

John Holt’s theories state children need not be coerced into learning, but if given the

freedom and a stimulating learning environment or resources, will learn naturally (Holt, n.d.). I

aim to foster creative and critical thinking in the classroom, and wish to empower students by

building a classroom environment where children feel comfortable and confident and will engage

with inquiry and questions. My focus will be on students understanding concepts and cultivating

their natural curiosity, rather than on tests, grades and quizzes. To communicate learning to

families and the school, I seek to incorporate assessment practices that most benefit learners.

Assessment will be ongoing, and incorporated into the instruction. In my year 4 practicum, I

taught a lesson on ‘fraction drawings’ of houses. I assessed by taking photos of student work,

and, using the Explain Everything app on the class ipad, had them explain their drawing (ie. “3/4
 !3
Frame of Reference: Ferryn Nowatzki
of the windows in my drawing have curtains”). The sponsor teacher then imported these videos

into e-portfolios to share the learning with parents.

Community involvement in the classroom, as well as class involvement in the community

will teach my students about reciprocity and responsibility. Involving students in activities or

events outside the classroom will allow them to see how they can have a personal, positive effect

on their community, and help them discover their personal identity. I also believe that

incorporating nature and place-based learning into all my teaching reinforces a sense of

community, responsibility and a sense of wonder. It also encourages children to take safe risks,

which often supports deeper comprehension and reflection of their learning. I plan to create

community connections by hosting community role models and First Nations elders to enrich our

classroom experience and provide new or different knowledge, teachings and points of view.

Besides creating a classroom that is involved in the community, it is important to create a

sense of community within the classroom. I want my students to feel a sense of identity as a

group by exploring how they can contribute to and grow our classroom community, support each

other in learning and celebrate and share mistakes, strengths, and successes together. Lifelong-

learners with great communication and teamwork skills are the people who will create healthy

change and thrive in tomorrow’s world. Technology will be my ally in connecting to these 21st

century learners. Learning to see and create horizontal connections within ourselves, our peers,

and the greater world is a vital skill that allows for deeper understanding in everything we do.

I place great value on the involvement of school staff, parents, and community members

in classrooms. Involving the greater community enriches students’ experiences and also enriches

the teaching experience. At times, it will allow for work in smaller groups, giving me the
 !4
Frame of Reference: Ferryn Nowatzki
opportunity to focus more on individual students who need the support. Besides the involvement

of these groups, I also deeply value the connections I will make with my fellow teachers. This

collaboration and sharing will continue to inform and improve our teaching practices.

My practice closely aligns with the values of Reggio Emilia approach (“Reggio Emilia

Approach,” n.d.). Pioneered by Loris Malaguzzi, this method is focused on self-directed,

experiential learning in a respectful environment that focuses on responsibility and classroom

community. Teachers facilitate the learning by actively engaging with students and creating an

ongoing dialogue, helping student ideas to evolve by posing questions that meaningfully deepen

the learning.

Shelley Moore’s research in creating an access point for all students is another idea I will

put into practice (Moore, 2016). From there, I will adjust and differentiate as needed for students

needing varying levels of support, but still fully including them in the learning. I plan to create

supports for students who may struggle, but also for those who need a lot more challenge,

‘stretching’ as per the 7 principles (Dumont, Istance and Benavides, 2010).

Students will have many opportunities to work, and show work, in different ways in my

class. This could be collectively, in small groups, or individually, and through many

communicative mediums such as language, art, dance and theatre. Expectations and learning

intentions will be laid out clearly before and after lesson instruction. In order for students to self-

regulate, they need to be taught how to communicate their feelings in a healthy way. This is why

teaching children to do regular self-reflection and use language like ‘zones of regulation’ is

important. Management systems such as the bump system could be beneficial to use with

students need further boundaries and structure. My class will be in table-groups, so as to

 !5
Frame of Reference: Ferryn Nowatzki
encourage teamwork, peer interaction and more possibilities to help each other solve problems

or answer questions, instead of always relying on adult for help. If students are given these

chances, with some scaffolding and encouragement, they will develop problem-solving strategies

all on their own.

I am excited to incorporate the many different Indigenous ways of learning and knowing

into my classroom. Hosting elders and guest speakers who are willing and keen to share their

cultural knowledge will be woven throughout my ‘big picture’ year plans. My students will be

able to experience First Nations culture outside of the classroom in the greater community or

through nature-based learning.

I have high hopes for the New Curriculum. The idea of interweaving all subjects together

through cross-curriculars supports my teaching style as it values creative and critical thinking

and social-emotional/interpersonal skills by incorporating them into every subject. The New

Curriculum is well-suited to inquiry projects, as it focuses on students exploring big ideas and

building horizontal connections, rather than learning many specific smaller ideas or facts. This

will allow for more teachable moments, where students will be able to explore new ideas and

have more time for creative thinking.

I hope that through sharing my interests, my passion for learning will extrinsically

motivate my students, and they will become excited for learning about the arts, nature, social

justice and science. It is really exciting when students engage in cross-curricular activities, as it

allows them to make connections to prior knowledge and to their current, ongoing learning.

I love teaching and I love learning. I am a lifelong learner with a passion for creating,

thinking critically, problem solving, reading and exploring our beautiful, complicated world. My
 !6
Frame of Reference: Ferryn Nowatzki
love for learning is the most important thing I can share with my students. It is my hope that my

students will feel safe and empowered in my classroom. That in this space, and out of it, they can

be brave, inquisitive, confident, questioning, engaged lifelong learners.

!
!
!
References

Building Student Success - BC's New Curriculum. (n.d.). Retrieved January 29, 2018, from
https://www.curriculum.gov.bc.ca/
!
Dumont, H., Istance, D., & Benavides, F. (2010). The Nature of Learning: Using research to

inspire practice (Practitioner Guide) Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/edu/ceri/

50300814.pdf

!
John Holt (educator). (n.d). Retrieved January 18, 2018, from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/

wiki/John_Holt_(educator)

!
Moore, S. (n.d.). Blogsomemoore. Retrieved January 29, 2018, from https://
blogsomemoore.com/
!
!
Reggio Emilia approach. (n.d). Retrieved January 28, 2018, from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/

wiki/Reggio_Emilia_approach

!
 !7
Frame of Reference: Ferryn Nowatzki
Unschooling. (n.d). Retrieved January 18, 2018, from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Unschooling

!
Who is John Caldwell Holt: Author. (1986, May 16). Retrieved from http://

www.essortment.com/john-caldwel-lholt-author-53781.html

!
!
!
Why do I need to teach Indigenous pedagogy and ways of learning writhing my work?

!
My “Why”

Ferryn Nowatzki

There are numerous reasons to include First People’s pedagogy in our teaching. Firstly, it is

woven into every part of the new curriculum, and it is our job as educators to teach it to our

students. More importantly, through these teachings, our students are able to gain a more holistic

understanding (emotional, cultural, historical, geographical) of their community, their country,

and themselves. The way in which First people’s history, culture, knowledge and teachings can

be woven into every subject is a wonderful chance for us, as teachers, to extend the way we

educate into something so much more collaborative and constructive than the schooling many of

us experienced.

!
 !8
Frame of Reference: Ferryn Nowatzki
As an educator interested in place-based and outdoor education, I believe integrating Aboriginal

content to be integral to these ways of teaching. Besides being adaptable to any subject, it

solidifies local/ community/ place-based learning and helps us understand our sense of place/

identity and our relationships with each other and with the earth. A recognition and

understanding of Aboriginal culture, knowledge and our shared history teaches students respect,

understanding and compassion. Including aboriginal content into lessons caters to all learners

because there is always something new to learn, and so many diverse ways to teach it.

!
!