PROFILE

of LEARNING and BELIEFS as an

ONTARIO EDUCATOR
Queens University Online Faculty of Education Junior Teachers Qualification Course, A Reflection of the Learning Experience of David MacLean As it Pertains to the Ontario Teachers Standards of Practice mandate David MacLean 3 August 2012
What does it mean to be a good teacher?
Recognition that I set the learning pace for many students Actively supporting all students and families with integrity, care, honesty, full communication, and ready availability Delivering equitable and accessible lessons to all of my students, appropriately assessing the needs and abilities of each person Remaining knowledgeable and involved in my field of interest at the same time as developing my educational philosophy, training, and practices

This portfolio is one way to practice the above commitments. It outlines my reflective learning process, hosts some of my documents which serve as indicators of these experiences, and allows me to comment on the meaning of these in relation to my own philosophy of education and intentions for further growth as a teacher. The Standards of Practice for Ontario teachers provides an excellent framework by which to explore my beliefs as an educator, specifically in relation to my experience during this Junior Qualifications course.

There are many aspects which contribute to the skill set, assumptions, and practical accomplishments of a good teacher.

Commitment to Students and Student Learning:

Every teacher must make their number one priority the students whom they teach. These are people who are eager to gain valuable skill sets, not just heads in seats, or statistics associated with dollar amounts. As an individual students desire to learn remains the assumption and personal mark of success for the educator, student learning will remain the priority for everyone, and student learning will occur. When these priorities those of the student and student learning are made secondary to any other aspects of his career, the teachers focus is distorted and his efforts made ineffective.

Professional Practice

Teaching is a profession which demands standards, a lack of bias, constant focus and reflection, clear communication, sensitivity and respect of all persons, and a willingness to represent a respectable system beyond ones own habits and interests and for the sake of rendering a fair and standardized service.

Leadership in Learning Communities

Educators inspire, guide, facilitate, and assess student learning for the purpose of upholding a commitment to meaningful, educational disciplines in every students career. Those who educate command authority as experts in a field not in theory but in practice, serving students, parents, and communities through the practice of teaching and through leadership in a specialized field. For this reason, teachers should never consider themselves to be no longer in the field of their expertise simply because they are teachers; they are also doers.

Professional Knowledge
Teachers and Administrators are knowledgeable go-to people whose leadership depends on their knowledge and familiarity with their various roles. Such roles include: demonstrating a command of the content prescribed by specific curriculum documents; setting appropriate expectations and habits for the purpose of developing relevant skill sets amongst students; gaining increasing expertise in assessing and evaluating student learning with a commitment to the various student learning modes and affiliated thinking behaviours; accepting and supporting exceptional students; and, using appropriate habits of communication with parents, students, and staff for the mutual benefit of all.

Ongoing Professional Learning

Professional educators can only expect a commitment and respect for the learning process from their students if and when they themselves demonstrate an active commitment to personal and professional growth by participating in a variety of courses, professional reading selections, conferences and workshops, and peer dialogue and reflection routines. Such endeavours are necessary to help a teacher rehearse her skills and reflect on both the meaning and success of her habitual teaching practices. The particulars of these dialogues must continually link theory with practical results in order to refine the goals being set at each level of an educational system.

Professional Practices Explored

Commitment to Students and Student Learning

Ongoing Professional Learning Professional Practice

Professional Knowledge

Leadership in Learning Communities

Click on each Professional Practice to open a separate document which explores several items I have contemplated, worked on, or committed over the last year as an educator, many of which were compiled through the activities governed by this Junior Qualifications Course. When finished reading, close the document and return to the next link on this page.