Advanced Field Experience Final Evaluation

Field Experience Information:

Student Teacher:
Last Name: Ferguson First Name: Ashley
ID Number: 1448180 Course Number: EDFX425
University Facilitator:
Last Name: Hlibka First Name: Gloria
Mentor Teacher:
Last Name: McCloskey First Name: Tracy
Placement Information:
Start Date (dd/mm/yyyy): 10/10/2017 End Date (dd/mm/yyyy): l4/12/2017
Subject(s) and/or Grade Level(s): Grade 3 All subjects except music

School Information:
School Name: Velma E Baker School District: Edmonton Public Schools
School Address: 2845 43A Avenue Postal Code: T6T 1J9
School Phone #: 780 440 4088 City: Edmonton, Alberta

Distribution:
Students should retain a copy of the Final Evaluation form for their own records. Please note that
potential employers may ask for a copy of this Final Evaluation.

A copy of this form will be emailed by the University Facilitator to the office of Undergraduate Student
Services, where it will be retained for a period of time according to the faculty’s retention schedule; no
other copies will be retained by Mentor Teachers, University Facilitators or employees of the University
of Alberta without written permission of the Student Teacher.

It is recommended that the Student Teacher receive a grade of:

Final Grade (Credit or No Credit): Credit Date (dd/mm/yyyy): 14/12/2017

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The purpose of this Field Experience Final Evaluation document is to provide evidence and
communicate information regarding Student Teacher performance based on the Knowledge, Skills and
Attributes (KSAs) for Interim Certification.

For each category, the Mentor Teacher should provide comments that reflect strengths and areas for
growth in each category. Evidence and specific examples should be provided.

You do not need to fill the space provided; recommended length is 200-300 words per category. Write
only enough to provide necessary evaluation and evidence. Please do not exceed the space provided, as
lines of text that extend beyond the text box will not appear on printed copies; there is space for extra
comments at the end.

Use the KSAs and suggested topics as they relate to the category to guide your comments, not all need
to be addressed.

Description of the school and context of teaching

Suggested Topics (Not all need to be addressed): school size, urban/rural, special programs, class size, special needs students in class,
number of teachers, etc.

Velma E Baker School is an urban elementary school situated in Fountain Lake, in the heart of the
Larkspur community. There are approximately 530 students from Kindergarten to Grade 6. There is
one Principal, one Vice-Principal, 24 Teachers, one Music Teacher, one Library Technician, seven
Education Assistants, two Administrative Assistants and two Custodians. The school has a high ELL
population (English Language Learners – students whose families speak a different language at home or
who recently moved to Canada from a non-English-speaking country). Velma E. Baker School has been
involved in a program of student leadership and self-empowerment, based on Covey’s 7 Habits of
Highly Effective People. In addition, our school has been working on bringing together the character
traits of respect, responsibility, compassion, empathy, and perseverance, with a focus on the book,
“Have You Filled a Bucket Today?” by Carol McCloud.

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Preparation, Planning and Organization
Related Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (Not all need to be addressed):
KSA A: Teachers understand that contextual variables affect teaching and learning.
KSA C: Teachers use the Guide to Education and the programs of study to inform and direct
planning, instruction and assessment.
KSA D: Teachers understand the subject discipline they teach.
KSA E: Teachers know how to identify students’ different learning styles and ways students learn
and create multiple paths to learning for individuals and groups.
KSA F: Teachers know how to translate curriculum and desired outcomes into meaningful and
incrementally progressive learning opportunities through short, medium and long range planning.
KSA M: Teachers identify and incorporate relevant learning resources into their teaching.
Ashley worked very hard to develop quality plans for her lessons and mini-units. She created a binder
for herself which
Suggested Topicswas very
(Not all well
needorganized with the grade
to be addressed): 3 program
curriculum of studies,
expectations, lessonknowledge,
content plans, copylesson
of
student worksheets, time
plans, organization, school informationdiverse
management, and other resource
learning information
needs, etc. which has been shared with her.
Ashley was diligent in referencing all her plans to the appropriate areas of the Program of Studies and
showed a greater use of technology as her practicum continued. Examples of this included the creation
of power point presentations to teach both a variety of mapping concepts and to demonstrate concepts in
her Testing and Building in science. She also used the Smart Board as part of her math centres and
showed short clips on how to tell time. She developed her lessons to support a variety of learning
styles, i.e. visual, auditory and kinesthetic. She is aware young learners need to be actively involved and
to use their bodies as well as their minds. Her use of the document camera, smart board and student
leaders always gave students various ways to connect to the content and ensure learning occurred.
Ashley was strongly committed to ensuring her materials were ready and that her teaching plans
organized well. She understands that students learn at different rates and would offer additional support
to those students with literacy challenges. She has worked hard to successfully incorporate elements of
lesson design that include having a set, modelling, guided and independent practice. Her lessons show
an effective sequencing and she is flexible to accommodate for change as she monitors the students for
understanding. Her planning makes optimal use of instructional time and effective use of teaching
resources. She is open-minded to suggestions given and consistently seeks to incorporate feedback and
self-reflection into her instructional planning. She is to be commended for being a “risk taker” and
trying activities that take students out of their seats and possibly a teacher’s “comfort zone”! Examples
include using math centres involving a variety of scales and grocery items to teach about mass and
having students work in small groups with metre sticks to measure areas within the school building.

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Teaching Skills and Strategies
Related Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (Not all need to be addressed):
KSA A: Teachers understand that contextual variables affect teaching and learning.
KSA D: Teachers understand the subject discipline they teach.
KSA E: Teachers know how to identify students’ different learning styles and ways students learn
and create multiple paths to learning for individuals and groups.
KSA F: Teachers know how to translate curriculum and desired outcomes into meaningful and
incrementally progressive learning opportunities through short, medium and long range planning.
KSA I: Teachers know and use a broad range of instructional strategies.
KSA J: Teachers use both traditional and electronic technologies to meet students’ learning
needs.
KSA M: Teachers identify and incorporate relevant learning resources into their teaching.
Ashley most effectively engaged students in her daily teaching through her clear, sequenced plans and
ability to involve
Suggested Topicsstudents
(Not allactively
need toinbeher lessons. She
addressed): consistently
learning shares
strategies, the objectives of flexibility,
sequencing/timing, her lesson
and seeks to make connections with students to their previous learning. She creates a high level of
instructional strategies, use of ICT, differentiation of instruction, student interest, cultural sensitivity,
student
pacing, interest in classroom
lesson/unit plans, etc.activities with strong student engagement and participation. She
consistently uses an anticipatory set to activate students’ background knowledge and demonstrates very
strong modelling throughout all her teaching. Examples of this occurred during her math measurement
unit where, using the document camera, she would very clearly demonstrate how to measure an object,
where to line up the ruler, and what the difference was between the width, height or length of an object.
She had put careful thought into any possible trouble spots her students may encounter so that she could
be proactive and ensure their success. An example was when students were to work in small groups
around the school and she went through a variety of scenarios such as what would happen if there was a
fire drill, where they would meet up as a group and where she would be while they working on their
tasks. She consistently gave very clear instructions when asking students to complete a task and would
provide students ample reinforcement for their efforts. Ashley also clearly demonstrated her ability to
monitor and adjust her teaching to meet students’ needs and interests. When she noticed a particular
concept needed clarifying she would use her strong questioning strategies to ensure clarity was provided.
She kept her lessons moving along and could easily use whole class instruction as well as small group
work. She gave students lots of opportunities to talk with each other and share their learning. An
example was when students were discussing their opinions one person was to be the “summarizer” and
share back to the whole class. She used a variety of strategies to check for student understanding
including her steady circulation through the room as well as verbal cues of “thumbs up if …” and “stand
up if …” . Through her careful observation of students she could provide excellent feedback, such as “I
noticed XXX so I can see your personal referent is working well for you”.

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Management and Classroom Climate
Related Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (Not all need to be addressed):
KSA A: Teachers understand that contextual variables affect teaching and learning.
KSA G: Teachers create and maintain environments that are conducive to student learning and
understand student needs for physical, social, cultural and psychological security.
KSA H: Teachers know the importance of respecting students’ human dignity by establishing
relationships with students that are characterized by mutual respect, trust and harmony.

Suggested Topics (Not all need to be addressed): class tone, routines, rapport with students, conflict
Ashley easily undertook regular classroom routines and expectations to make a strong transition into
resolution, student engagement, leadership, transitions, etc.
full-time teaching. She always treated students with dignity and respect demonstrating a strong belief in
each student’s ability to learn. She continually provided students with positive encouragement and
support. She gave very clear expectations, “looking for people with their hands up”, and kept everyone
on track with her positive comments. Students knew what was expected of them in terms of behavior
and when necessary off task behavior was handled in a calm and controlled manner with minimal
disruption. Her politeness and enthusiasm motivated students to cooperate and do their best. Ashley
used a variety of signals to get student attention from humming to clapping to both verbal and non-
verbal cues. She consistently held students accountable by waiting until they were listening and by using
cues such as “hold your pens in the air so I can see who’s ready?”. She used our classroom
reinforcement routines of putting jelly beans in the jar, giving out stickers but also created her own
group reward system with prizes given out weekly. She encouraged students to take risks and always
maintained student dignity, “Is it all right if we measure the same thing and not get the same answer?”.
She reinforced an interdependent classroom where students were encouraged to assist and help others.
After transitions Ashley would comment and provide reinforcement to those students who had read the
board and followed the instructions or who had quickly followed the classroom routine of getting their
books out at a particular time. She recognized the importance of continually circulating through the
classroom while teaching and to ensure that all students are called on equally to share their thoughts and
opinions. Students were eager and enthusiastic to interact with Miss Ferguson, both in and outside of
the classroom setting.

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Communication
Related Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (Not all need to be addressed):
KSA H: Teachers know the importance of respecting students’ human dignity by establishing relationships with students that are
characterized by mutual respect, trust and harmony.
KSA J: Teachers know how to use and how to engage students in using traditional and electronic technologies to present and deliver
content, communicate effectively with others.
KSA L: Teachers know how to develop and implement strategies that create and enhance teacher, parent, and student partnerships.

Suggested Topics (Not all need to be addressed): oral and written language, communication with parents/guardians, listening skills,
teaching/learning technologies, voice and language, etc.

Ashley is an articulate speaker who can easily express ideas smoothly in an appropriate manner to her
students. She uses effective volume, inflection and tone of voice and consistently used the FM system in
the classroom to support her teaching. Ashley listens carefully to students and can probe for more depth
when needed. She has well developed questioning techniques including enough wait time and ensuring
all students are called upon, not just those who volunteer an answer. She can use her non-verbal body
language with a variety of appropriate facial expressions which are encouraging and reinforcing for all
students. Her strong oral communication was very evident as she monitored students in small groups by
providing suggestions, “Be careful with the scales”, or “Put your finger on it, show me where you
have…”. During goal setting conferences with students and families she could effectively share an
anecdote about the student with his/her family indicating her knowledge of each student. Her written
documents are clearly understood and reflect a logical organized manner.

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Assessment Strategies
Related Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (Not all need to be addressed):
KSA K: Teachers gather information about their students’ learning needs and progress by using a variety of assessment strategies.
KSA L: Teachers know the importance of engaging parents, purposefully and meaningfully, in all aspects of teaching and learning.

Suggested Topics (Not all need to be addressed): appropriate questioning, adapted assessment, assessment variety, record keeping,
formative/summative, reporting, timely feedback etc.

Ashley is developing a repertoire of assessment strategies through the process of triangulation (products,
conversations, observations). While Ashley is circulating throughout the classroom she notices which
students need assistance, which students are on the “right track” and where she may need to go back and
clarify a concept with the whole group. As Ashley continues to check regularly for student
understanding she can be clear about how the learning is unfolding in the classroom. This continual
shifting and reshifting is evident in her practice. When setting up a task with the class one of her
strategies is to model by using “self talk” which encourages her students to do the same. The use of
student work and/or exemplar papers also provide very clear expectations of what students are expected
to do and how well they are expected to do it. During special in-class presentations such as a visiting
geologist, Ashley had a clipboard and class list to note any particular questions students are asked or
answered to try to gauge their understanding in an oral fashion. Both during and after the completion of
a math unit Ashley gave students quizzes and marked each question and gave students specific written
feedback on why their answer may have been wrong. After a completed quiz Ashley would then go
over the correct answers with the class to have students correct their errors and question anything, which
may still remain unclear. At the close of her lessons Ashley would have students write an “exit slip”
which gave her a strong indication of how well they mastered a particular concept.

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Understanding Students’ Needs
Related Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (Not all need to be addressed):
KSA E: Teachers know how to identify students’ different learning styles and ways students learn and create multiple paths to learning for
individuals and groups.
KSA F: Teachers know how to translate curriculum and desired outcomes into meaningful and incrementally progressive learning
opportunities. Teachers understand the need to vary their plans to accommodate individuals and groups of students.
KSA I: Teachers know and use a broad range of instructional strategies and know which strategies are appropriate to help different
students achieve different outcomes.

Suggested Topics (Not all need to be addressed): Planning that includes all students and learning styles, alignment of strategies to student
needs, use of varied resources to differentiate instruction, assists all learners, understands contextual variables that affect teaching and
learning, etc.

Ashley has demonstrated a strong commitment to all learners in our classroom. Throughout her
instruction, she would monitor students’ understanding to decide if more modelling was needed or if
students could move into guided practice. Her consistent use of visual resources to support her daily
instruction benefitted a variety of learning styles. She learned how to pace her lessons to ensure
maximum student comprehension and to adjust the amount of content taught in a specific lesson
accordingly. In a large classroom, we have several students who are not at grade level and at least two
students who need a great deal of assistance to regulate their emotional well-being. Ashley has worked
hard with a small group of students who require literacy support and understands that during her
instruction they need help reading any written tasks and in some cases, scribing their answers. When
dealing with students who are in an agitated state Ashley works well to try and calm the student down
using a variety of strategies, from deep breathing to the use of an exercise bike in our classroom. When
working with students who have attentional difficulties Ashley may use proximity and/or have another
student provide extra support for these individuals. During her lessons Ashely is aware of her students’
emotional states and will take the time necessary, to chat privately and briefly with the individual to
ensure that his/her needs have been met. Ashley understands concepts may need to be explained and/or
demonstrated in a variety of ways to “catch” all learners. When creating small groups of students to
work on specific tasks, Ashley is well aware of group dynamics and which student groupings will make
a task more likely to be completed in a thorough and timely manner.

Fall 2017 Page 8 of 11

Professional Qualities and Attributes
Related Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (Not all need to be addressed):
KSA B: Teachers understand the legislated, moral and ethical frameworks with in which they work.
KSA H: Teachers know the importance of respecting students’ human dignity by establishing relationships with students that are
characterized by mutual respect, trust and harmony.
KSA L: Teachers know the importance of engaging parents, purposefully and meaningfully, in all aspects of teaching and learning.
KSA N: Teachers know the importance of contributing, independently and collegially, to the quality of their school.
KSA O: Teachers assess the quality of their own teaching and use this to develop and implement their own professional development.
KSA P: Teachers guide their actions with a personal, overall vision of the purpose of teacher and they are able to communicate their
vision, including how it has changed as a result of new knowledge, understanding and experience.

Suggested Topics (Not all need to be addressed): work ethics, interpersonal skills, collegiality, initiative, energy, team work, attitude,
appearance, commitment, reflection, etc.

Ashley portrayed a professional attitude in all that she did and said, with peers, colleagues and students.
She always arrived punctually long before the bell and stayed late every day. She was willing to take on
any tasks given to her. She contributed to the school community through her assistance with the
celebration of Diwali, Christmas concert decorations and the organization/supervision of a lunch hour
club. Ashley consistently demonstrated enthusiasm, positive attitude and a strong commitment to
teaching. She is also to be highly commended for sitting in on thirty twenty minute long goal setting
conferences with students and their families after school throughout the month of November.

Fall 2017 Page 9 of 11

Reflection and Self-Evaluation
Related Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (Not all need to be addressed):
KSA O: Teachers assess the quality of their own teaching and use this to develop and implement their own professional development.
KSA P: Teachers guide their actions with a personal, overall vision of the purpose of teacher and they are able to communicate their
vision, including how it has changed as a result of new knowledge, understanding and experience

Suggested Topics (Not all need to be addressed): establishes specific strategies to meet professional goals, demonstrates oral/written
reflective practices, engages in goal setting, communicates overall vision of teaching, etc.

Throughout her practicum, Ashley has grown greatly in her confidence and ability as an effective
teacher. She consistently responded appropriately and effectively to feedback, was not afraid to ask for
help when needed, and was thoughtful about the advice she had been given. She is reflective and open to
feedback and does her best to integrate it into her teaching practice. She is interested in and motivated
to improve performance by seeking additional resources and supports.

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Additional Mentor Teacher Comments:
I have greatly enjoyed having Ashley teach in my classroom! It has helped me reflect upon what I do
and to want to be a better teacher for my students! Ashley has impressed me with her dedication to
becoming the best teacher she can be. She is open to learning and is eager to try new teaching methods
and strategies. She has many strengths that are yet to be revealed, therefore she will be a great addition
to any school she may serve in her future. She will be missed by all the “Wise Wolves” in Room 11!

Student Teacher Comments:

It has been an absolute pleasure being in Tracy’s grade three classroom. I cannot express how thankful I
am to have gone through my AFX experience at Velma E. Baker. The staff were always welcoming, the
students are amazing, and Tracy was always supportive and extremely helpful. Prior to my practicum I
would not have felt comfortable taking risks with my teaching methods but with Tracy's guidance I was
able to step out of my comfort zone and experiment with different techniques, which often led to
success. I was able to attend a couple PD days which will help me in my future, both had an emphasis on
the importance of mental health! I now have a repertoire of teaching and classroom management
strategies that I plan to use in the future.

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