Frame of Reference

“Knowledge emerges only through invention and re-intention, through the restless,
impatient, continuing, hopeful inquiry human beings pursue in the world, with the world,
and with each other.” – Paulo Freire

I
remember sitting at a desk, wondering about everything in the world. I would find the flattest rock I

could and skip each stone into the glassy pond dreaming of who I will become. Now, I am standing on

the other side of the pond. The students are the stones

and the ripples of water created are the endless effects of

teaching, whether I see the final product or not.

I want my students to dream and believe that they

have a say in what they want to learn about. It is my job as

their teacher to discover how best to teach each individual

student and prepare them for their dreams. When creating this dream being able to build a positive learning

environment is a critical starting point because it is necessary to adopt healthy attitudes towards learning. To

build this sense of community, I display compassion by encouraging and supporting them through every step

of their education. I display communication by not only listening to their needs but also by contributing to

their learning in ways that meet those needs. I illustrate the importance of teamwork by creating a unified

environment where all can be accepted without discrimination. Lastly, display community by showing them

commitment; I reflect on my teaching every day and I consider what I can offer the students - and what the

students can offer me – to create a more cooperative classroom.

Organization and Planning

It is a mission of mine to always integrate aboriginal/indigenous perspectives into my practice by using the

First Peoples Principles of Teaching for resources on instruction and assessment. I organize and plan for my

classroom by creating daily, weekly, and monthly lesson plans. However, I keep in mind that it is important

to adapt to the needs of the classroom and I will change plans as needed to fit those needs of the students. I

also, recognize the importance of student ownership. I encourage my students to create goals that they can

reflect upon and work towards, as well as, be able to work with me in creating these goals through various

forms of feedback and evaluation strategies.

Facilitation and Engagement

It is important to consider the learning styles of all students by using multiple tools such as

technology, visuals, and hands-on learning such as outdoor school. Once the lessons are tailored to fit the

needs of the classroom/learners then we can start to see students build on their critical thinking skills.

Classroom Management

It is important that I work with students to promote self-regulation on and off the playground. I use

the Response to Intervention Model (RTI) to help students take ownership of their own actions. To support

those students in Special Education support I find that Working with Hope: A Resilient Model for Assessment

and Planning for at Risk Youth (Krivel-Zacks, Koeker & Oglivie, 2005) does wonders in the classroom to

break down each individual learner so I can then plan and facilitate a support system for each student.

Assessment and Evaluation

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 As stated above, it is important to me that students help contribute to their learning. I recognize that

children are very passionate about new ideas and the world

around them so as an educator, it is important to build a

classroom environment that promotes inquiry and questioning

when a learning opportunity takes place. I believe that in order

to celebrate student learning we need formative and summative

assessment in the classroom. Both assessment techniques allow

for both the student and educator to have a concrete

understanding on the learning that has been achieved.

Collaboration and Teamwork

I value the involvement of my community by using them as a resource in my classroom. All speakers

are welcome into the classroom to teach on different topics so my students can be taught from multiple

perspectives, and create their own inferences though what they learn. Valuing collaboration is central to my

philosophy. It supports my growth and encourages new ideas/perspectives of education.

Caring and Inclusiveness

I embrace diversity in my classroom by accepting every student, administrator, or parent with respect.

I build this positive relationship at the beginning of every year by introducing myself to every

parent/guardian and inviting them to my classroom if they ever have questions. I teach children the

importance of diversity by teaching course outcomes through the eyes of different cultures and making sure

that I always integrate exciting lessons using a variety of new technology and resources.

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