* Please TYPE (including comments) DIRECTLY onto this form. vatibridge PROFESSIONAL SEMESTER THREE: Final Report ‘Administrator: Peter Bertram Intern Teacher: Megan Bos [ Administrator Comments: thas been a privilege to have Miss Bos at this school fr this practicum. We thank the University of Lethbridge for gWving us. this opportunity enabling our staf and students to be introduced to a fresh face and fresh ideas coming from the other side of the great Pacific where summer and winter, time of day, and even the side of the road one drives on is opposite to our life, [Every teacher has room to develop further in Knowledge, Skils, and Attitudes, even after many years of experience. Miss Bos is no exception. But unike many beginner teachers, and even some more experienced teachers, | was not able to identity a ‘lear weakness in Miss Bos for us to work on, even after several observations, viewing previous reports, and quizzing her personally. It may be that a larger and more intentionally disruptive class wil test her more than our classes have, but who wouldn't be? Miss Bos has faced some students who do have lots of energy, who know how to chatter, who have identified learning needs, lwho come from a variety of cultures, and even one with a serious physical impediment affecting learning. And yet, without knowing better, a professional appraiser may not even realise that a intern teacher was the one delivering the lesson and [successfully engaging these students. A particular highlight of her lessons was the "how do you know" questioning from either the front ofthe clas, or circulating around the class, that led to the deeper thinking ofthe students, and the students being better placed to reflect on their own leaming. This aiso led to further questions and further contribution tothe lesson from the children. | Classroom management was also strength, but rarely tested given the high level of engagement and rapport she had withthe students, and the nature of the students themselves, Planning at both the macro and micro level was well done and a credit to Miss Bos who frst had to learn the achievement lobjecives of a new curiculum. The commitment demonstrated in getting to know her students well from the very start assisted in her planning as it dd in classroom management, [Assessment practices at both the informal / spontaneous level and the formal / summative level were very sound, At this [school we place emphasis in reporting on the actual achievement of skill rather than a ranking score. Miss Bos collected Some very useful information for reporting to parents, to reflect upon her own teaching, and to leave behind for the regular teachers. Miss Bos’ professional conduct both inside and outside school hours has been of credit tothe teaching profession. [Contributions to greater schoo! lfe and the collegiality ofthe staf, include full attendance at staff meetings and professional Jdevelopment sessions, volunteering to write staff meeting minutes, being the only female chaperon on more than one excursion, and a contribution to teacheriparent interviews leading to more than one family expressing regret that she was not 2 permanent staff member. Relationships established with colleagues, senior management, parents, and students, have all been very good. Miss Bos has also attended and contributed to special education meetings held afer school for the benefit of students with identified students. She also coped well with a teacher aide working in the classroom under her. I note the good progress on her personal goals such as “gamificaion" which has been a feature of her inquiry based lessons, and enhanced critical thinking which has been a feature of both her math lessons and inquiry based lessons in a range of Jcuriculum areas including humanities and science. I would lke to take this opportunity to compliment the training Miss Bos has recieved from the Univeristy of Lethbridge, and to recommend Miss Bos to any potential education employer. We would have no hesitation at permanently employing Miss Bos. fa suitable position opened up and she was available. 73 - aq May Lol Aaiaiistetor Signature Dai This page Is to be returned to the UC to be included in the PS Il Final Report. Page 5 of 5* Please TYPE (including comments) DIRECTLY onto this form. vatibge PROFESSIONAL SEMESTER THREE: Final Report Teacher Mentor: Peter Bertram Intem Teacher. Megan Bos Teacher Mentor Comments: Even though | am also the administrator, | write this report from the point of view ofthe mentor teacher in math Miss Bos is a very talented and committed teacher. She has worked very hard in familiarizing herself with the curriculum of New Zealand and the expectations ofthe school. ‘She has also worked hard in getting to know the students to prepare long term plans and lesson plans to meet the needs ofthe students, She has been able to differentiate leamming needs during the lessons, making meaningful connections with special needs students including one who is near deaf and of a minority indigenous culture, and others who have dyslexia, for serious gaps in prior learning having recently arrived into this school from a home school environment. Miss Bos is very reflective, responding well to feedback and other cues from the students in the classroom at the micro level, {and tothe pattems shown in formal summative assessment tasks at the macro level. Miss Bos designed these assessment tasks herself to measure student progress in a range of measurable skis linked to curriculum objectives, rather than merely producing a ranking score. She has also responded well to feedback resulting from either direct classroom observation or examination ofthe students’ books by the mentor teacher. In the classroom there is no obvious weakness that Miss Bos needs to work on. The classes that she faced on this practicum ]were generally small (low 20s being the maximum size, and smaller for math) and the children are generally well behaved with strong backup for the teaching staff children choose to not behave. Miss Bos could be challenged, and may need peer ‘Suppor if she has to face a class of 30+ which contains core group of students intent on disruption. Yet the strengths of Miss Bos are very clear. The professional, yet friendly, relationship she established from early on with the children, is a mode! for even more experienced teachers. This, fagether, wth engaging lessons, meant that even in a more challenging class, there may be minimal discipline issues. Rarely did classroom discipline have to go beyond low level signals of displeasure, and this she was able to handle well without compromising the warm atmosphere, and high engagement levels ofthe classroom. (There was no hint of an "me versus them" atmosphere.) From a teaching point of view a clear strength, ‘again equaling or surpassing more experienced teachers, is the quality of her questioning. The "how do you know” or why do you think" questions were a feature of Mis Bos’ teaching from the front, and walking around the classroom, leading to deeper Critical thinking ofthe students, She was aware of every student, with nobody slipping under her radar - again a sign of professionalism, and part ofthe overall impression of a teacher who is more experienced than her resume suggests, | have thoroughly enjoyed the time that | have entrusted these two math classes to Miss Bos, and | am convinced that there has been no compromise to the learning of the students. The students have benefited from variely of fresh ideas. Student ‘achievement data, including that of students identified with special needs, has been very strong. 11am sure that the students will miss Miss Bos, and | am confident also that she will miss them, Somewhere in Canada there is likely o be a class that will soon benefit as our students have done. SOR 21 May 2OIY Teacher Mentor Signature Dale This page is to be returned to the UC to be included in the PS ill Final Report. U of L: PS Il Final Report: (Revise: January 2016) Page 4 of 5