Karina King

February 12, 2019

Frame of Reference

To work with students, you have to a passion, and a desire to see them learn. It is an
honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to work with and shape the minds of young
children. I have realized that there are many different aspects to being a teacher and I need to
make a connection with each student, as well as create a community within the classroom. I am
committed to creating a safe environment for my future students. I am also excited to start this
journey of continued learning.
Relationships with learners, parents, colleagues and community:
“Emotions are integral to learning” (Dumont, Istance, & Benavides, 2010). Relationships
are the foundation to creating an effective learning environment. Being intentional with your
words and actions can help shape the way students think about themselves. It is important to
ensure that you, as a teacher, are building those positive relationships with the students. It is just
as critical to build positive relationships with the parents and community as well. Besides the
teacher, these are the people that the children will see the most, they will also be learning from
these people. Having a relationship with the parents and community is beneficial for everyone,
because you can work together as a team to teach the children what they need to know. Having
good relationships with your colleagues will be beneficial in the long run as they will be the
people whom you can collaborate and work with, as well as receive support.
Teaching and Learning Strategies:
Knowing each student and the ways in which they learn best will further grow your
relationship with them, and show that you care about their learning. Knowing how your students
learn as individuals will ensure they are getting the best possible education. Teachers need to
realize that each learner is very different from the learner sitting next to them. I want to ensure
that each students learning needs are met, by creating a flexible learning environment within the
classroom. Providing resources, and ways for differentiated learning will be crucial in creating a
flexible learning environment.
Classroom Management:
For a classroom to be a calm and creative learning environment you must create a
consistent approach to classroom management. Involving the students in this process will
encourage them to stick to the classroom expectations and keep each other accountable. In order
to be successful you must create an environment where the children trust you, and they feel safe.
One of the Principles of Learning says that, “emotions are integral to learning” (Dumont, Istance,
& Benavides, 2010). Creating a safe environment ensures that the emotions of the children are in
a good place for them to learn in their best state. It want to be consistent with the expectations, a
lot of the time children come from a home that has no consistency, it is important to be that one
consistent person in that child’s life. I also want children to realize that their actions have
consequences. I will also model what I want to see from my students in the classroom.
Formative and Summative Assessment:
Assessing students can be tricky at times because there is only one of you and 20 plus
students! It is an important part of teaching, ensuring I know the stretches and strengths of each
student. I think that it is important to have one on one time with the student for assessments.
There are two forms of assessment. Formative assessment is the going assessment within the
classroom. Summative assessment is the more concrete information, and will be used for
ongoing communication with guardians, and for report cards. Assessment shows what the
students next steps should be to ensure that they are successful in learning. Assessment can really
give you a strong idea of where the learners are at, and where they could improve on. Using tools
such as the BC Performance Standards can be very helpful with assessment of students.
Role of Curriculum and Competencies:
The Curriculum and Competencies are there for a teacher to use when creating a lesson,
or a unit plan. There are plenty of ideas on the website and allows for teachers to choose topics
that they know the students would be most interested in and come out with a rich learning
experience. The core competencies are the most important things that the children need to learn,
they are given to teachers in an open-ended way, so they can personalized them to the class, so
the students stay engaged, and learn what is required in a fun way. Including the First People’s
Principles of leaning () would be something that would be beneficial to the children’s learning,
as it encourages the children to know themselves and be mindful about their learning.
Relationship between Theory and Learning
I think that there is a big connection between theory, and learning. It’s a matter of making
sure you make that connection. I want to be able to take what the theory indicates are best
practices in teaching and implement those practices to better support my students learning. For
example, I have done a project on Self-Regulation Programs for the classroom. This project was
done so I can be more knowledgeable about what resources are out there, and how I can
implement them into my classroom.
Needs of Diverse Learners through Inclusive Practices
I want to create an inclusive classroom, where all my students feel they have a voice and
are part of a community. I also want my classroom to be a room full of children who realize that
everyone is special, and they all have the right to be in the classroom they are in. I also want to
be flexible and be able to give all the learners what they need to have the best learning outcome.
Reference List:
Dumont, H., Istnace, D., & Benavides, F. (2010). The Nature of learning: using research to
inspire practice. Paris, France. OECD
Frist Peoples’ Principles of Learning. (2018, August 27). Retrieved from
https://firstpeoplesprinciplesoflearning.wordpress.com/first-peoples-principles-of-
learning/