TTQ

QS NG
A GUIDE FOR STUDENT TEACHER REFLECTION
Professional
LEARNING
TOOL

TTQ
QS
Rationale
l
ACCORDING TO the Alberta Teachers’ Association, “Teacher professional growth
means the career-long learning process whereby a teacher annually develops and
implements a plan to achieve professional learning objectives or goals that are
consistent with the Teaching Quality Standard.” To begin the process of professional
growth during pre-service teacher education, the following tool has been developed
as a guide. The tool should be used to promote reflection on student teacher practices
related to each of the Teaching Quality Standard competencies and their influence on
student learning experiences. This reflection should then lead into the development
of an inquiry question(s) and the identification of a professional goal(s) and the
related process that will be undertaken to achieve the goal. The tool has been
designed to be a working document that student teachers can use throughout all
professional semesters of the program. In other words, the tool will be used across
semesters to reflect upon growth in relation to each of the TQS competencies and to
track the evolution of professional learning for the individual.

The Alberta Teachers’ Association (2018). The Revised Teaching Quality Standard:
1

Building Awareness and Professional Capacity, p. 27.

2 Professional Learning Tool
Professional
LEARNING
TOOL
Keyy components
of the professional learning tool

1 Links to Teaching Quality Standard and student learning – To enhance the

meaningfulness of professional learning, reflection on the Teaching Quality Standard
and student learning are embedded features

2 Provides an inquiry-based approach – Professional learning is grounded in curiosity and

P
th
he teacher’s desire to explore their professional practice

3 Promotes dialogue amongst colleagues related to professional learning

P

How to use the tool

1 Reflect upon each of the competencies related to the Teaching Quality Standard and how
you have attended to these in your practices (Note: The Teaching Quality Standard
document includes numerous examples of how each competency may be achieved).
Use the ATA online tool at www.abselfreflectiontool.com to begin reflecting upon your
confidence level in relation to each of the competencies in the Teaching Quality
Standard. Then, reflect upon your specific achievement of each compentency using
this tool. List the manner in which competencies have been demonstrated in the left col-
umn titled “Student Teacher Practice” and then highlight how those practices influence
student learning experiences in the right column. Use a different
ff colour pen during each
professional semester to track changes over time.

2 Use the reflection to identify an area for inquiry/ goal related to your teaching practice.
U
Then complete the remainder of the Planning for Learning guide by identifying
Th
strategies, supports needed, evidence of successful achievement of the goal and a
timeline for its completion.

3 SSh
hare your work with this document with your Teacher Associate and University
Consultant during practicum.
C

4 When completing PSIII, consider school goals and other school initiatives prior to
W
id
dentifying your professional learning goals.

Faculty of Educaiton 3
TTQ
R
QS e Teaching Quality Standard

1 A teacher builds positive and productive relationships with students, parent/guardians, peers
and others in the school and local community to support student learning

Student Teacher Practices Influence on Student Learning Experience

Thursday September 7th: Thursday September 7th:
It is the first week here at the school and I have These strategies seem to be working well so far.
been working hard at building productive Students appear engaged and accept help
relationships with the students. To do so I have during class. They are coming for extra help
been making sure to find points of interest for after class if they need it and are asking the right
the students that I could integrate into the questions during the more one-on-one sessions.
classroom. I have also made sure that I circulate One thing I would love to be able to foster more
the class so I can help the students out who is the contributing to discussions.
seem to be struggling or praise those who are
doing well. This seems to have been effective so
far. I have let students know where they can find
me for extra help at the end of the day and I
have had two students come by so far to get
some help which is honestly more than I
expected.

Thursday November 11th: Thursday November 11th:

One of the things I have noticed in my time at
various schools over the past three semesters is
the prevelance of anxiety and stress within the
students. As a result, this semester I have
started a Mindfulness and Meditation Group
during Thursdays at lunch. I provide easy
mindfulness strategies that can be used in
everyday situations or more stressful ones such
as tests and assessments.
It started off slow (only one student came to the
first one) but I have slowly been getting more
students to stop by. I have also noticed that the
students who have started coming seem much
more calm than they did when they first came.
The student’s from my classes who stop by
seem to be much more relaxed during tests too,
something they had struggled with before.

4 Professional Learning Tool

TTQ
R
QS e Teaching Quality Standard
2 A teacher engages in career-long professional learning and ongoing critical reflection to im-
prove teaching and learning
p
Student Teacher Practices
Tuesday, September 28th:
Today I implemented a lesson where I took a
step out of my regular comfort zone in order to
engage more students and it paid off
tremendously. The students were engaged with
the learning activities and their peers far more
than I had previously seen. I also had more fun
with the energy of the class. This step to
implement this lesson occured after feedback
from my University Consultant which I had been
reflecting and replanning on.
Thursday, November 4th:
I have been implementing the use of a modified
modelling technique that was suggested to me
by the Principal at my placement school after he
performed an observation of my grade eleven
classroom. I have been inspired by Kelly
Gallagher’s modelling in writing throughout my
teaching journey thus far and have found it to be
very effective at getting students to know what is
expected of them. I did something, and then
they did an attempt at using the same strategies.
I did find, however, that some students had
troubles getting started after the modelling
session. After the observation the Principal
suggested that I add a third step to the process.
Instead of an “I do then you do” process, I have
been now implementing an “I do, we do, you do”
process. This allows the students to have more
direct guided help and simultaneous feedback
as we move through writing techniques.
Influence on Student Learning Experience
Tuesday September 28th:
Students were far more engaged in their lessons
and were applying their knowledge much more
during the activities.
There was also much more discussion about the
topics at hand between students, something
which certainley helped solidify their
understandings.
Thursday, November 4th:
I have found that the “I do, we do, you do”
technique has helped immesurably in student
confidence in completing activities. Now,
students not only get a model for what to do but
also get to practice it before moving to do it on
thier own. Any questions that students may have
been to embarrased to ask in front of the class
are addressed as part of the group work and the
students are left with a starting point to continue
off of on thier own. I have also found that the
students are able to complete these activities to
a greater quality as they have any possible
misunderstandings addressed through the we
do portion.
Faculty of Educaiton 5
TTQ
R
QS e Teaching Quality Standard
3a teacher applies a current and comprehensive repertoire of effective planning
practices to meet the learning needs of every student
Student Teacher Practices
Friday, September 17th:
I have begun keeping a notebook in which I take
note on student’s performance, interests, and
instructional strategies that have worked.
Friday November 19th:
This far along into the semester I have been
able to better know what the individual needs
within each of my classrooms are. This has
allowed me to be more intentional in my weekly
planning to create resources that can be used
by all students to help them succeed. I have also
been able to create supplimentary resources for
lesson to help students who need a little more
support or who need a little more challenge with
the material to keep them engaged.
6 Professional Learning Tool
Influence on Student Learning Experience
Friday, September 17th:
This notekeeping will help me gain a better
understanding of the individual needs within the
larger classroom dynamics. I will be able to
implement strategies to address these needs
within my planning so that students will be able
to feel they are getting the support they need
without as much need to intervine (although I will
be able to more directly target the areas when
intervention is needed.)
Friday, November 19th:
I have noticed that with these carefully planned
and supplimentary resources, students have
been more engaged with course material as a
whole. I am able to simultaneously challenge
students who are finding current work too easy,
and help students achieve outcomes that they
find challenging. This has led to less frustration
from students in class and I have also noticed
that students come to see me more often out of
class time to clarify a few things. They seem to
be more confident and in charge of their own
learning.
TTQ
R
QS e Teaching Quality Standard
3 teacher applies a current and comprehensive repertoi e of effective
practices to meet the learning needs of every student
Student Teacher Practices
October 6th, 2021:
This week I was struggling with keeping
students on track for a filming project that is
going on. In order to help students better fit their
needs I thought up a system that helps keep
groups accountable while offering plenty of time
for individual help. I had them fill out a sheet of
where they would be, what their goal was, and
evidence that the goal would be completed. I
order to best help each group and student, I also
gave them staggered check-in times. These
were fifteen minute intervals where the students
would come back and check-in, show the work
they had done, ask any questions, and get
advice on how to best approach the written
portion of the project.
Influence on Student Learning Experience
October 6th, 2021:
I found that this practice was a great success
with the students. Not only were they setting
goals for what to get done, the check-in
sessions provided incentive to get that work
done and have something to present to me. This
made it easier for me to keep an eye on how
they were doing, while providing individualized
support and advice. I found that the students
had more focused products by the end of the
class that they were excited to get further work
done on in future classes.
Faculty of Educaiton 7
TTQ
R
QS e Teaching Quality Standard

3 teacher applies a current and comprehensive repertoire of effective

practices to meet the learning needs of every student
Student Teacher Practices
October 14th, 2021:
This week I implemented conferencing
techniques in order to touch base more directly
with students. I did these conferences during
periods where students were working on class
work and ensured that I prefaced what the
conferences were before I called the students up
to my desk as to not have them feel as if they
were being singled out.
Influence on Student Learning Experience
October 14th, 2021:
I found that the students were much more open
about how they felt they were progressing with
the learning. I got much more feedback on both
successes and apprhensions around
assessments, enabling me to better reflect on
what may be better practices for the classes
going forward. I also found that after these
conferences, I had a greater amount of students
coming to see me for help during flex periods.

8 Professional Learning Tool

TTQ
R
QS e Teaching Quality Standard

4 A teacher establishes, promotes and sustains inclusive learning environments where diversity
is embraced and every student is welcomed, cared for, respected and safe
Student Teacher Practices Influence on Student Learning Experience
Friday, September 24th: Friday, September 24th:
I have been ensuring that the classroom is safe I have noticed that students have been coming
and respectful through the regular review of to flex for extra help even when I have not
constructive feedback in discussion. The explicitly asked them to. This is a sign to me that
students not only know the general guidelines they now they can get help if the class material
for the constructive feedback, but also have the does not click and are not intimidated by the
behaviour modeled through my adherence to classroom environment I have fostered. I have
these guidelines. I have also ensured that also seen increased participation from the
students are aware that I am here to help them students which has been great as this has
through conferences at in flex and during lunch waterfalled and caused students who normally
so that they feel supported throughout the don’t participate to offer up a voice in class.
semester.

Faculty of Educaiton 9
TTQ
R
QS e Teaching Quality Standard
5 A teacher develops and applies foundational knowledge about First Nations, Metis and Inuit
ffor the benefit of all students
Student Teacher Practices
October 21st, 2021:
As we are reading through Touching Spirit Bear I
have been taking the time to have research
ready to have discussion about Indigenous ways
of knowing. The first of these was reflecting on
the use of Justice Circles and implementing a
circle learning activity within the classroom.
During a discussion related to the book, we had
a circle discussion on “how does this book
remind you of your life”.
10 Professional Learning Tool
Influence on Student Learning Experience
October 21st, 2021:
I found that the students are excited to learn
about these different ways of knowing. They
have questions about Indigenous terms that
come up and being able to answer them to the
best of my knowledge is important. I have also
found that my demonstration of recognizing
where the knowledge is coming from has led the
students to think more critically about the things
they have been taught about Indigenous culture
as well. During the circle discussion I found that
more students were open to participating than
usual, led by the safe environment this practice
helps create.
TTQ
R
QS e Teaching Quality Standard

6 A teacher demonstrates an understanding of and adherence to the legal frameworks and poli-
ccies that provide the foundations for the Alberta education system

Student Teacher Practices Influence on Student Learning Experience

October 28th, 2021 October 28th, 2021
I have kept a strong dedication to referring my The students are sure to be learning all the
lessons to the program of studies to ensure I am required outcomes and be well prepared for final
teaching the required outcomes for all classess. and provincial exams.
Following the class I reflect to ensure I have
touched on the outcomes and, if I missed any,
be sure to plan on how I will cover that in the
next lesson.

Faculty of Educaiton 11
 PLANNINGfor
Planning FORLearning
LEARNING- PSI
PSI
Related Resources/ Evidence of
TQS Strategies Support Required Success Timeline
Inquiry Question:

Goal:

Planning for Learning - PSI

Related Resources/ Evidence of
Inquiry Question: TQS Strategies Support Required Success Timeline

Goal:

12 Professional Learning Tool

 REFLECTING ON LEARNING PSI
Inquiry Question:

Inquiry Question:

Faculty of Educaiton 13
 PLANNINGfor
Planning FORLearning
LEARNING- PSI
PSII
Related Resources/ Evidence of
TQS Strategies Support Required Success Timeline
Inquiry Question:

Goal:

Planning for Learning - PSI

Related Resources/ Evidence of
TQS Strategies Support Required Success Timeline
Inquiry Question:

Goal:

14 Professional Learning Tool

 REFLECTING ON LEARNING PSII
Inquiry Question:

Inquiry Question:

Faculty of Educaiton 15
 PLANNING FOR LEARNING PSIII

Inquiry Question:

Goal:

Inquiry Question:

Goal:

16 Professional Learning Tool

 REFLECTING ON LEARNING PSIII
How can you integrate technological tools and programs to create more engaging learning activities
Inquiry Question:

! •! Integrated ! •! Utilizing technology ! •! Which activities are

technology to facilitate class
participation (Mentimeter)!
! •! Utilized technology
to get students engaged in
vocabulary review (Playfactile)
! •! Utilized technology
to facilitate formative
assessment (GoFormative)
to allow students alternative better suited to digital?!
modes of creation (Canva, ! •! Which activities are
Photoshop, Music Creation better suited to analog?
Suites)! ! •! Which digital tools
! •! Utilizing technology integrate in such a way that it
for students to have a base of appears seemless to the
reference materials made students?
collaboratively in class

This semester I have certainly found that carefully considered implementation of technological
tools can create more engaging learning activities. I have been able to facilitate learning that
would never have happened through these tools. For example, in one of my classes that was
very non-participatory I was able to use Mentimeter to get students engaged in material. This
engagement from the tool then spilled into peer-to-peer engagements throughout those lessons.

How can my teaching in the classroom be enriched by reading outside of the classroom?
Inquiry Question:

! •! Reading two ! •! Finishing “What ! •! Researching further

articles a week! Great Teachers do Differently”! books to learn and reflect
! •! Reading that has ! •! Continuing to find upon teaching strategies!
informed my rubric creation relvant articles to my teaching ! •! Reflecting on the
and therefore my PIP (class demographics, literacy strategies that were
! •! Reading which has teaching, rubric creation) implemented to ensure they fit
informed me of intentional with the classrooms I am
teaching strategies. working with at the time.

I have found that the continued reading of academic material has allowed me to reflect on my
current implementations of teaching in comparison to those I read about. I am then able to
reflect on whether or not it would fit within my teaching context and philosophy. Through this
reading, I have also been able to reflect critically on the way assessment functions in my
classroom. Through the study of how rubrics are used in various classrooms, I was able to
create rubrics collaboratively with students and have them use them as learning tools in
conjunction with them being assessment tools.
Faculty of Educaiton 17
 NAME:

Fostering
Effective
Relationships

Adhering Engaging in
to Legal Career-Long
Frameworks Learning

QUALITY
TEACHING
in
ALBERTA
Applying
First Nations, Demonstrating
Métis and Inuit Professional
Knowledge Knowledge

Establishing
Inclusive
Learning
Environments