Teacher Professional Name: Samantha Lange

Date: January 18, 2024

Growth Plan

Artifacts- link to google drive:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/18Fa2ZiFrzIelbIOTWFVoosDIt8g8KHjp?usp=drive_link

Professional Practice
Fostering Effective Relationships
Standards for the Teaching
Profession (TQS)

A teacher builds positive and productive relationships with students, parents/

Competency Description
guardians, peers and others in the school and local community to support student
learning.

My Areas of Strength My areas of strength within the TQS competency of Fostering Effective
Relationships include:
● Acting consistently with fairness, respect and integrity: One of the most
valuable things to me is to treat everyone fairly. I believe that fairness
ensures that every student receives equal opportunities and is treated
with respect, which in return fosters an inclusive learning environment. It
sets the expectations and builds trust within the relationship and dynamic
of the classroom to see all students seeing myself giving all students the
same opportunities.
● Demonstrating empathy and genuine caring for others: Empathy and
caring comes natural to myself, and is one of the reasons I believe I make
a great teacher. I think this protrudes off my personality and is
demonstrated in every interaction I make.
● Providing culturally appropriate and meaningful opportunities for
students and for parents/guardians, as partners in education, to support
student learning: As a student teacher, I have little experience with
working with parents to support student learning, but within my lesson
plans I am always intentional to make all my lessons inclusive and
meaningful for students. I believe this makes learning deeper for students
if they are able to directly make connections to what they are learning.
My Areas for Growth My areas for growth within the TQS competency of Fostering Effective
Relationships include:
● Inviting First Nations, Metis and Inuit parents/guardians,
Elders/knowledge keepers, cultural advisors and local community
members into the school and classroom: I have not yet invited any
community members into the classroom this far into my teaching
experience. I have also not yet witnessed any of my partner teachers invite
an Elder into the classroom either.
● Collaborating with community service professionals, including mental
health, social services, justice, health and law enforcement: During my
field experiences, the IPP documents have already been made from my
partner teachers and external community professionals, and I have not
yet been able to collaborate myself in this department. I have seen social
services come into the school and talk with one of my students, however,
it was a personal conversation and I did not attend.
● Honoring cultural diversity and promoting intercultural understanding:
Within my field experience III, there were many different cultures within
my class, and I was able to talk openly with these students about their
cultures and backgrounds, what they celebrate and how, etc. However,
within lessons, this is one thing I would like to work on to make sure that,
knowing the cultures in my class, I can include a few things that will relate
directly to them and promote knowledge for other students as well.

1. Enhance my understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing and find

My Goal(s) from Growth meaningful and authentic opportunities to integrate these perspectives
SMART GOALS (ex. into my practicum.
strategies, teaching practice, 2. Develop my capacity to create an authentic IPP.
instructional methods,
3. Intentionally incorporate intercultural understandings of students into
personal routines/habits)
classroom learning and within my lesson plans.
My goals from growth include inviting an Elder into the classroom to not only
enhance the knowledge and learning of the students but for myself as well. I just
am not sure where to begin on this goal, who I would invite, and what the specific
purpose of the visit would be, other than just a general knowledge on Indigenous
education. A second goal is to be able to sit through the process of an IPP being
made or revised to be able to get first hand experience creating these documents. I
have only been able to go over them with a teacher after they have been made, to
review so I could better understand the students' specific needs second hand. I
have also replicated IPP documents based on mock student profiles in University.
Yet I think working with a community service member would deepen my ability to
create an IPP. My last goal is to better incorporate intercultural understanding of
the cultures of the students in my classroom within our lessons and classroom
discussions. I believe this will create a deeper sense of belonging and community
for the students.
Plan As for my first goal to invite an Elder into the classroom, I will begin by talking
Actionable plan and/or and asking other teachers for their insights to gain more information on how I
resources to support might go about this. Last semester I took an Indigenous course, and could also
reaching my goal(s). reach out to my professor as well. As well, perhaps google may have some websites
where you can reach out to Elders to come to your classroom. My goal to
collaborate with community service professionals may not be as easy as just
reaching out and them coming into the classroom. These would have to be more
specific cases. I could ask my partner teacher, when the current IPPs need
reviewing, which I believe is every couple months, if I could sit in. I am not sure if
community members are there at every reviewing or if only at the beginning of the
year. My last goal to incorporate and promote intercultural understanding will
begin with knowing which cultures and backgrounds are in my classroom. I know
there are Muslim, Jamaican, and Hindi backgrounds, I could start by looking into
these cultures. I could also start with a fun activity that allows students to engage
themselves in getting to know their classmates' backgrounds as well.

Plan Rationale- why you Fostering effective relationships includes more than just students or even other
chose this goal teachers and parents. It's important to incorporate others in the school and local
community to support student learning. There are school liaisons, student aids,
student learning assistants, community workers and FNMI individuals who are
important individuals that teachers need to have relationships with in order to
best support their students and their learning. Teaching is a collaborative work
environment and the best way I can support my students and their learning is to
exercise a shared commitment to the well-being of all students.

Reflection As an educator, I prioritize building positive and productive relationships

Thinking about evidence in within my teaching practice. Building relationships has always been important to
support of professional me, so as an emerging teacher, I see relationships with my students, colleagues
growth. Considering HOW and even parents as an important and natural part of my practice both inside and
the selected artifact(s) outside of the classroom. As some of my artifacts show, I received several
provide evidence of meeting
heartwarming cards and touching notes from my students, partner teacher, and
the competency and relevant
even a parent, which eloquently expressed their feelings and affirming the depth
indicators.
of our connection and relationships created from my field experiences.
Relationships are one of the main reasons I decided to become a teacher. As an
outgoing and social individual, demonstrating empathy and a genuine
caring for others comes naturally to me. As I create these relationships with
students, I am able to better identify who the students are, what their strengths
and areas of growth are, and this has allowed me to design appropriate and
meaningful lessons that support student learning as demonstrated within
my artifact. I consistently embody fairness, respect, and integrity to help
cultivate an inclusive environment where every student feels valued. Within my
Canva PowerPoint presentation, I incorporate continuous interaction strategies
aimed at engaging students, gauging their understanding, and enriching their
learning experience. This deliberate effort fosters a positive relationship dynamic,
an indispensable element for deepening and supporting their comprehension
during our lessons. This interactive approach not only enhances student
engagement but also creates a conducive environment for meaningful and
effective learning development.
 My professor was able to attest to this as well as she was able to visit my classroom
multiple times to observe my teaching practice, providing additional validation of
these experiences, and highlighting them in detail within my narrative
assessment. As quoted from this assessment, “Samantha has demonstrated a
natural aptitude for building positive relationships with students, and I commend
her dedication and commitment to fostering relationships with students.
Samantha was observed engaging with students individually and in small groups,
enhancing their learning experiences and cultivating connections. Her caring and
respectful demeanor significantly contributed to her success in this area.” As my
professor made positive comments on my relationships with my students, I would
like to work on extending those relationships further within my school community
to continue building on my professional practice.

Professional Practice
Engaging in Career-Long Learning
Standards for the Teaching
Profession (TQS)

A teacher engages in career-long professional learning and ongoing critical

Competency Description
reflection to improve teaching and learning, and completes professional learning
on the code of professional conduct for teachers and teacher leaders.

My Areas of Strength My areas of strength within the TQS competency of Engaging in Career-Long
Learning include:
● Collaborating with other teachers to build personal and collective
professional capacities and expertise: Collaborating is a huge part of
teaching and will make for a much better teacher, teaching experience,
and more successful students when we collaborate, therefore I make it a
priority.
● Actively seeking out feedback to enhance teaching practice: Feedback and
reflecting are things I do on a daily basis, as I am always trying to learn
and improve myself.
● Building capacity to support student success in inclusive, welcoming,
caring, respectful and safe learning environments: I am always open to
enhancing my learning and engaging in professional development to
support my students in all ways possible.
● Maintaining awareness of emerging technologies to enhance knowledge
and inform practice: I have always been very tech savvy, and I can see the
benefits of emerging technologies in the classroom to enhance student
learning.
My Areas for Growth My areas for growth within the TQS competency of Engaging in Career-Long
Learning include:
● Seeking, critically reviewing and applying educational research to
improve practice: As I am always looking to improve my practice, I
haven't taken part in much research. As a teacher, we should constantly
engage in researching information and be able to apply it to our practice. I
have taken courses in University and done some research work here, but
once University is finished, this is something I would like to continue.
● Enhancing understanding of First Nations, Metis and Inuit worldviews,
cultural beliefs, languages, and values: I have taken an Indigenous course
within my University and this was a huge learning curve for myself as I
had been introduced to many FNMI practices. However, this is still
something I would like to continue to increase my knowledge on so I feel
more comfortable teaching.

1. Integrate current research findings into my instructional strategies.

My Goal(s) from Growth 2. Actively pursue professional development opportunities every year that
SMART GOALS (ex. deepen my understanding of First Nations, Metis and Inuit cultures,
strategies, teaching practice, fostering a sense of cultural competence and confidence in teaching these
instructional methods,
subjects.
personal routines/ habits)
As a new teacher, we already feel like our plate is full, and adding more work
seems nearly impossible. If I can begin to incorporate these goals into my teaching
practice right away, I feel I will be much more successful. My first goal is to keep
in touch with current research and to keep informing my teaching practice based
on this research. Secondly, I would like to continue to grow my FNMI knowledge
and education so that I feel more comfortable teaching it to my students. When
teachers feel comfortable themselves, they are much better able to teach.
Plan With access to scholarly journal articles, that would be the first place I would start
Actionable plan and/or to find current and reliable research and resources to help inform my teaching
resources to support practice. I would start by writing a list of topics I am interested in such as
reaching my goal(s). classroom management or assessment, and begin by just reading articles that
seem interesting and informative. It would be good to try to read one article a
month and see if this goal is achievable. My plan for my second goal is to attend
more professional developments, these could also be online zoom courses to begin
with. I know the Alberta Teachers Association has a few professional development
courses on their website.

Plan Rationale- why you Engaging in career-long learning means that you commit to professional learning
chose this goal/ why this and continuous improvement. You identify areas for professional growth and
goal is important build capacity and expertise. We can never be an expert in every subject, and
every area as a teacher. It takes lots of years of experience and continuous
learning. I believe these goals will only help push me in the right direction of
bettering and improving my teaching practice.
Reflection I continually prioritize career-long professional learning and engage in
Thinking about evidence in ongoing critical reflection to elevate teaching and learning experiences for
support of professional both students and myself. As a teacher, we are always learning and I don’t think
growth. Considering HOW we can ever be expert enough on a topic to not continue learning, especially as our
the selected artifact(s) practice is always changing. During my practicum experiences, I sent every lesson
provide evidence of meeting
plan I made to my partner teachers actively seeking out feedback, then took
the competency and relevant
this feedback and made appropriate changes. My Canva slides were based on a
indicators.
lesson plan that I sent to my partner teacher and used her feedback to finalize my
artifact. My reflection artifact shows evidence of how after each lesson I would
reflect on how the lesson went, what went well and what could be improved for
next time and I also made journal notes reflecting on each day as a student
teacher about practices that worked or did not work. I was constantly
collaborating with other teachers in my field experience, both my partner
teacher and grade team to promote consistency, resource-sharing, individualized
support, problem solving and building capacity to support student success.
As outlined in my artifact, my narrative assessment, “Samantha has exhibited a
commitment to career-long learning and ongoing critical reflection. She
collaborated with her partner teacher in identifying topics and outcomes for
lessons and consistently sought feedback on her lesson plans. Open to considering
the feedback, Samantha effectively integrated it into her teaching practice.”

Professional Practice
Demonstrating a Professional Body of Knowledge
Standards for the Teaching
Profession (TQS)

A teacher applies a current and comprehensive repertoire of effective planning,

Competency Description
instruction and assessment practices to meet the learning needs of every student.

My Areas of Strength My areas of strength within the TQS competency of Demonstrating a Professional
Body of Knowledge include:
● Planning and designing learning activities: All lesson plans I create
address the learning outcomes outlined in the program of studies and I
make sure these outcomes are met in a fun and engaging way for all my
students to connect with and are relevant to students. My expectations for
my students are always high, as I believe they will strive to reach their full
potential if you have these set expectations of them.
● Using instructional strategies to engage students in meaningful learning
activities: Knowing my students allows me to better design lessons that
are meaningful and help students develop as learners individually as well
as collaboratively. Lots of my lessons will also include KWL charts,

My Areas for Growth
My Goal(s) from Growth
SMART GOALS (ex.
strategies, teaching practice,
instructional methods,
personal routines/ habits)
Plan
Actionable plan and/or
resources to support
reaching my goal(s).
Plan Rationale
discussions, and pre-diagnostic assessment to be able to understand my
students prior knowledge and experiences.
My areas for growth within the TQS competency of Demonstrating a Professional
Body of Knowledge include:
● Applying student assessment and evaluation practices: I have been
expanding my knowledge about how to assess students and using a
variety of methods for students to demonstrate their learning. I used to
start with just checklists to see if students could either demonstrate their
knowledge or not, but realized it is much more expansive. As I am still
learning the new grading system, I am also expanding my evaluation
practices. I have marked art, worksheets, and have used conversations
and observations to inform my evaluation. I find it difficult if I don't write
it down right away though, to remember all my conversations with
students. I have also found summative assessment harder to evaluate
without a test format, and am testing different ways I can summatively
assess. However, all my marking is done with use of reasoned judgment
and fairness across students and standards.
1. Consistently explore and implement innovative assessment methods for
students to showcase their mastery of learning outcomes, encompassing
both formative and summative approaches.
My goal in my Field Experience III is to continually test and try out new methods
through which students can demonstrate their achievement of the learning
outcomes, both formatively and summatively. I also would like to get a greater
grasp of the new grading system. There are approximately 6 or more different
categories, and I feel if I have a better sense of each of those I will be better able to
identify which category students are in.
When I have come into my field experience, I never asked my partner teacher how
they assess students. I just started assessing in my own way, as I figured that
would be what my partner teacher wanted. I will begin to approach this goal by
talking with my partner teacher and try to incorporate ways that they assess their
students, as well as continually trying new ways. I will also print off the new
grading system and begin to look at it more often to help increase my confidence
in the different scales.
Assessment and evaluation is a necessary and mandatory responsibility of
teachers. It's important to be able to provide students with a variety of ways to
express and demonstrate their learning and knowledge.
Reflection I strive to demonstrate a professional body of knowledge within my
Thinking about evidence in
teaching practices to meet the learning needs of every student. Within
support of professional
every lesson plan I make, I address the programs of study and it's evident
growth. Considering HOW
within my Canva slides artifact that even the pictures are addressing the learning
the selected artifact(s)
outcomes for the Grade two Science unit on sound and light. As well within my
provide evidence of meeting
Canva slides, you can see that there are multiple lessons within my artifact to
the competency and relevant
reflect short, medium and long range planning for this Unit. This artifact
indicators.
also reflects my adept ability to incorporate digital technology and
resources, as appropriate, to build student capacity. It's important in my
teaching practice to use my relationships with my students along with my
specialized knowledge to use instructional strategies to engage
students in meaningful learning activities. My canva artifact shows
multiple strategies to create a meaningful lesson for students, such as pictures,
videos, activities, hands on, using full body senses, and cultural engagement.

Professional Practice
Establishing Inclusive Learning Environments
Standards for the Teaching
Profession (TQS)

A teacher establishes, promotes and sustains inclusive learning environments

Competency Description
where diversity is embraced and every student is welcomed, cared for, respected
and safe.

My Areas of Strength My areas of strength within the TQS competency of Establishing Inclusive
Learning Environments include:
● Fostering equality and respect with regard to rights as provided for in the
Alberta Human Rights Act and the Canadian Charter of Rights and
Freedoms: I treat all students equality and with respect in my classroom. I
provide individual support and scaffolding for students as they need in
order to be the most successful in their learning.
● Using appropriate universal and targeted strategies and supports to
address students’ strengths, learning challenges and areas for growth:
During lesson planning, I make a dedicated section to differentiation and
ways that I can scaffold the lesson for all students.
● Recognizing and responding to specific learning needs of individual or
small groups of students, and when needed collaborating with service
providers and other specialists to design and provide target and
specialized supports to enable achievements of the learning outcomes: I
have worked one-on-one and with small groups to ensure these students
receive the same success as other students within my class. I have also
worked with teacher aids, although I have yet to work with service
providers and specialists.

My Areas for Growth
My Goal(s) from Growth
SMART GOALS (ex.
strategies, teaching practice,
instructional methods,
personal routines/ habits)
● Incorporating students’ personal and cultural strengths into teaching and
learning: When designing lessons, I always try to incorporate students'
strengths. When students are successful they are more motivated to learn.
● Providing opportunities for student leadership: Often during my lessons,
the students at higher levels who finish their work first, I will get them to
go around and help other students. When students are teaching others,
this is where they learn best as well. I also have an extension to every one
of my lessons for those who need it.
My areas for growth within the TQS competency of Establishing Inclusive
Learning Environments include:
● Communicating a philosophy of education affirming that every student
can learn and be successful: Although I believe this to be true, I think I
could do a better job at communicating this to my students and having
more group conversations affirming their confidence to be successful at
school and beyond.
● Being aware of and facilitating response to the emotional and mental
health needs of students: I feel this is a natural part of teaching, especially
in elementary, and feel competent in helping students when in need.
However, I could do a better job at trying to use prevention strategies to
ensure positive emotional and mental health of my students.
● Employing classroom management strategies that promote positive,
engaging learning and environments: In my field experience II, this
particular class had a much harder time listening and my classroom
management seemed difficult at times. My field experience III, the
classroom management is much more effective. I believe my partner
teacher has done a great job at setting those expectations, but I know
there will be classes that could use some work, and I would like to be fully
prepared. Without classroom management, learning cannot be successful.
1. Ensure effective communication with students by emphasizing the
importance of their potential for success.
2. Implement preventive techniques to promote emotional and mental
well-being within the classroom.
3. Enhance classroom management skills and strategies.
I would like to focus on making sure I communicate with my students the things
that may seem obvious. I think it is obvious to myself as a teacher that all students
can be successful, and I make sure that I incorporate this into my lessons and
lesson plans, but communicating this to the students is also just as important.
Another goal is to make sure I am using preventative techniques within my class
to make sure I promote emotional and mental well-being, rather than just acting
on it when an issue arises. Lastly, I would like to increase my professional
development by having tips and tricks for classroom management. I have taken
one PD course, and have seen my field III partner teacher use lots of techniques.
Yet within the classroom, when you are in charge, it is important to maintain a
strong teacher presence, exuding confidence to stop a lesson and restart if you
lose control.
Plan In order to be successful in my first goal of communicating with students the
Actionable plan and/or importance of their potential success, I would try to make sure that once a week
resources to support this is a discussion I have with my students. I think it would be best to start the
reaching my goal(s). beginning of each week with this notion. I could include this in the morning
meeting or greeting as a simple way to include it into something we are already
doing. There are many ways to implement preventative techniques to increase
positive well-being in the classroom. I could start with getting some posters
around the room as inspiration, taking the class outside more often, doing
mindful activities, and incorporating it into lessons. I think I will start with one
small task, and slowly build up. The easiest one for myself as a pre-service teacher
would be to incorporate mindful activities. I have seen lots of breathing
techniques for younger children, like” bear breaths” that students will also think is
fun. Classroom management will get better with more experience as a teacher, but
I don’t want to be the new teacher, who cannot gain control of their class.
Therefore I want to work on this skill right away. Trying new techniques and
strategies and finding what works for me might take practice. I do not have a loud
voice, and I also don't want to have to yell to get students' attention. I currently
use attention grabbers, such as “Hands on top, that means stop” and I find
attention grabbers really work for me. But I would like to find another way to
increase my management skills. I have seen some teachers use reward systems, so
I think I will start there. Such as filling a pom pom jar, or gaining enough points
for a fun day.

Plan Rationale Communication is key in a classroom, and I think when someone, especially
young children, knows the reason behind why they are doing something, they will
be more likely to engage and be successful. It is a teachers responsibility to help
build confidence in students, and both my goals tie hand in hand, that students
who don't have positive mental health, will not think they can be successful
learners. Therefore, building a positive mindset in students can help build their
confidence and help increase learning. Lastly, classroom management is the basis
of how learning can take place. If students are not listening to you, off-task, or
disengaged, learning cannot take place. This is extremely important to build a
classroom with expectations and rules to ensure a positive environment.

Reflection I place high value on establishing inclusive learning environments within

Thinking about evidence in my classroom and among my students. Ensuring I create a classroom community
support of professional and culture where every student is welcomed, cared for, respected and
growth. Considering HOW safe is of my highest priority. Within my artifact I ensured using appropriate
the selected artifact(s) universal and targeted strategies and supports to address students’
provide evidence of meeting
strengths, learning challenges and areas for growth, as there are many
the competency and relevant
diverse needs of students in my field experience. Within my Grade 2 class, there
indicators.
are some students who are reading at a Kindergarten level and some at a Grade
four level. I made sure to provide entry points for all within my Canva artifact. I
made sure to use pictures, videos and hands-on activities for the students at lower
levels, and provide opportunities for student leadership for those students
at higher levels. Within my narrative assessment artifact, my professor outlined
how she witnessed this in action. “Samantha has proven her ability to create an
inclusive learning environment in which students feel welcome, cared for, and
respected.” However, I still strive to find more ways to employ classroom
 management strategies that promote positive, engaging learning
environments to maintain an inclusive learning environment.

Professional Practice
Applying Foundational Knowledge about First
Standards for the Teaching
Profession (TQS) Nations, Métis and Inuit

A teacher develops and applies foundational knowledge about First Nations, Métis
Competency Description
and Inuit for the benefit of all students.

My Areas of Strength My areas of strength within the TQS competency of Applying Foundational
Knowledge about First Nations, Metis and Inuit include:
● Understanding the historical, social, economic and political implications
of treaties, legislation and agreements, and residential schools: During
University, I took an Indigenous Education course, where we went into
extensive detail on these concepts, researched, and had discussions with
an Indigenous leader with first hand experiences.
● Using the program of study to provide opportunities for all students to
develop a knowledge and understanding of, and respect for, the histories,
cultures, languages, contributions, perspectives, experiences and
contemporary contexts of First Nations, Metis and Inuit: I try to
incorporate FNMI knowledge into my lessons or within my classroom,
such as games, story book and sharing circles to help increase my
students knowledge and understanding in Indigenous Education.
● Supporting the learning experiences of all students by using resources
that accurately reflect and demonstrate the strength and diversity of First
Nations, Metis and Inuit: Within my Indigenous Education course, we
were given a guideline on how to properly identify Indigenous resources
that properly reflect their culture. As well as I always read any materials
beforehand before presenting to my students.

My Areas for Growth My areas for growth within the TQS competency of Applying Foundational
Knowledge about First Nations, Metis and Inuit include:
● Supporting student achievement by engaging in collaborative, whole
school approaches to capacity in building First Nations, Metis and Inuit
education: I have not been a part of any whole school approach to build
capacity in FNMI education. I have seen the school do land
acknowledgements but that is about as far as I have seen.

My Goal(s) from Growth
SMART GOALS (ex.
strategies, teaching practice, approach to FNMI education, is a much more difficult goal for me to accomplish
instructional methods,
personal routines/ habits)
Plan
Actionable plan and/or
resources to support
reaching my goal(s).
Plan Rationale
Reflection
Thinking about evidence in
support of professional
growth. Considering HOW
the selected artifact(s)
provide evidence of meeting
the competency and relevant
indicators.
1. Engage in a whole school approach to First Nations, Metis and Inuit
education.
My goal for supporting student engagement in a collaborative whole school
by myself. This would have to have involvement of admin, as well as the
coordination of an Indigenous leader to come into the school.
For this goal, I would start by talking to the administration to see if they have any
upcoming school assemblies that are already engaging in FNMI education. Even if
they did not have a plan, I could invite an Elder to come into my classroom, and
we could invite other classes to join as well. That would be a good stepping stone if
we could not get a whole school assembly.
It is important to develop and apply foundation knowledge to support the process
of reconciliation. As I did not grow up in this culture, we need to advocate for
Indigenous peoples and show our support. It is also important to educate our
students to develop their knowledge and understanding of FNMI histories,
culture, languages, contributions, perspectives and experiences.
I actively engage with and apply foundational knowledge about First
Nations, Métis, and Inuit to benefit all students. My commitment to this
competency is evident through a nuanced understanding of the historical,
social, economic, and political implications that I have gained through a
course on Indigenous Education. I prioritize using the programs of study to
incorporate FNMI into my lessons as evident in my Canva artifact. Within our
Science unit, we explored how light behaves, and how Indigenous people use this
knowledge to catch fish. My class also begins every day with a sharing circle
passing around a talking stick, a traditional Indigenous practice, to practice
communication and respect for others. My professor was able to witness myself
lead a sharing circle and attest to my implementation of FNMI. Within my
assessment my professor wrote, “Samantha's efforts to integrate First Nations,
Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) practices into her lessons, such as the sharing circle,
demonstrated her commitment to applying foundational knowledge about FNMI
for the benefit of all students. She provided equal opportunities for students to
express their thoughts and ideas while modeling good listening skills, fostering an
inclusive and respectful learning environment.” I have also used Indigenous story
books and games within my classroom and have made sure these resources
accurately reflect and demonstrate the strengths and diversity of First
Nations, Metis and Inuit. Although I feel competent in this competency, I still
think I can never receive enough knowledge about Indigenous Education. The
more knowledge and understanding I gain, the better I can help my students. We
are forever learning and growing and I want to continue in this direction.
Professional Practice
Adhering to Legal Frameworks and Policies
Standards for the Teaching
Profession (TQS)

A teacher demonstrates an understanding of and adherence to the legal

Competency Description
frameworks and policies that provide the foundations for the Alberta education
system.

My Areas of Strength My areas of strength within the TQS competency of Adhering to Legal
Frameworks and Policies include:
● Maintaining an awareness of, and responding in accordance with,
requirements authorized under the Education Act and other relevant
legislation: Within my Education I have examined and become well aware
of these policies including the Education Act, and ensure as a pre-service
teacher that I follow these standards.
● Recognizing that the professional practice of a teacher is bound by
standards of conduct expected of a caring, knowledgeable and reasonable
adult entrusted with the custody, care or education of students: I am well
aware of my professional duty as a teacher, and my first priority is the
duty of care for my students.

My Areas for Growth
My Goal(s) from Growth
SMART GOALS (ex.
strategies, teaching practice, administrators, fellow teachers, parents, and students is crucial to ensure they
instructional methods,
personal routines/ habits)
My areas for growth within the TQS competency of Adhering to Legal Frameworks
and Policies include:
● Engaging in practices consistent with policies and procedures established
by the school authority: I have engaged in many case studies to practice
what I would do if situations arise as a teacher, however, I have not had
real situations where I have had to deal with ensuring I am not crossing
any lines of the policies and procedures. - keep reviewing and
feedback/reflect to make sure I never have to
1. Maintain open communication about the why behind my lesson plans and
regularly review legislation to prevent legal issues in teaching.
To avoid legal complications, maintaining open communication with
understand the why behind my lessons or activities as a teacher to ensure there
are no misunderstandings that could lead to an issue. If there is a lesson or
activity, such as taking my class outside to read, make sure I connect it to the
program of studies. Regularly reviewing legislative documents and reflecting on
my teaching practices ensures clarity and minimizes the chances of
misunderstandings, preventing potential challenges and sticky situations.
Plan Have a printed copy of the Education Act, Professional Code of Conduct, and
Actionable plan and/or Teaching Quality Standard at hand. As well to make sure any contract I receive is
resources to support reviewed thoroughly and discussed with administration. Every year review these
reaching my goal(s). documents, especially if there are updated versions, and reflect on how my
teaching practice aligns.

Plan Rationale I aim to proactively avoid any legal complications in my teaching role by staying
informed about relevant documents, ensuring a proactive approach to prevent
potential issues.

Reflection As a part of my University degree, I have taken a course on Ethics and Law in
Thinking about evidence in Education where I diligently reviewed and examined relevant legislation
support of professional including the Education Act, Code of Professional Conduct and Teaching
growth. Considering HOW Quality Standard. I worked on case studies to engage in practices consistent
the selected artifact(s) with policies and procedures considering teacher behavior within the ethical
provide evidence of meeting
and legal frameworks of our profession. My artifact on this case study research
the competency and relevant
demonstrates an understanding of and adherence to the legal
indicators.
frameworks and policies that provide the foundations for the Alberta
education system. Recognizing the gravity of my role, I understand that my
professional practice as a teacher is bound by standards of conduct.
However, I am not as familiar with the Freedom of Information and Protection
Privacy Act (POIT). As an emerging teacher, I feel it would be important to have
discussions and conversations with administration and fellow colleagues to
increase the dialogue and knowledge for this information. In order to maintain
and increase my knowledge and understanding of an adherence to legal
frameworks and policies, I will continue to review these documents, keep
dialogue open, discuss mock scenarios, and ensure I am taking a proactive
approach in maintaining a professional practice.

Connect (approximately 500 Name: Samantha Lange

words)
Date: January 18, 2024
Consider how your artifacts, experiences, and understandings connect to each other and bridge academic
knowledge with your life experiences. What gaps did you notice and how might you address these gaps?
What did you learn from your peers during this process? How were you able to integrate peer feedback
into your portfolio?
As an emerging teacher and professional, my teacher identity is starting to take shape. I believe that who
you are on the inside reflects in your teaching style, and I recognize numerous strengths within myself
that will contribute to my success as a teacher. I am a passionate individual who values and emphasizes
my relationships to ensure the success of my students. This protrudes into my other competencies to
become more effective and successful. Establishing meaningful relationships with my students is of
utmost importance in my teaching practice. When students feel a personal connection with me, it
enhances their motivation and engagement in the classroom, making the learning experience more
meaningful and impactful. Understanding each student individually has allowed me to tailor my teaching
methods to their unique teaching styles and establish an inclusive learning environment.

Establishing connections is equally important when interacting with my colleagues, as demonstrated in

my Field III experiences. Our Grade two team met every Wednesday after school to convene, and the
experienced teachers graciously shared resources and best practices with me, allowing me to gain insights
into their perspectives and teaching styles. I thrive in collaborative environments, and am always open to
new ideas to inform my teaching practice. One of my strengths is my ability to consistently incorporate
critical reflection into my daily life. After each teaching day, I took time to reflect on how the day went and
what worked well for myself and the students. Engaging in critical reflection is paramount for my
professional growth and the enhancement of my teaching practice. This ongoing process allows me to
continually assess the effectiveness of my instructional strategies, identify areas of improvement and
build on my strengths.

I am increasingly developing and applying my foundational knowledge on Indigenous education. I try to

include it into our daily classroom, such as starting each day with a sharing circle, include in each of my
lessons, play games and use story books that accurately reflect First Nations, Metis and Inuit. These
experiences have been impactful for both students and myself. However, I would still like to decrease the
gap of how my relationships with my students can develop their knowledge and understanding of FNMI.
In order to do this, I will continue to grow my knowledge in this area by engaging in continuous
professional development, inviting an Elder in the classroom, and increasing the whole school approach.

Reflecting on the Teaching Quality Standard has allowed me to recognize my strengths and areas for
growth. Collaborating with peers emphasized the importance of teaching with a heartfelt approach and
good intentions to support students' learning and achievements. This realization reinforces my
commitment to the six competencies and inspires ongoing success in my teaching practice.