Learning Outcome #1
Actively engage in the work of the school and classroom to understand the role of all stakeholders [1] in creating and sustaining an engaging, inclusive, safe, and equitable learning environment.
Throughout my placement, I actively engaged in the daily life of the school and collaborated with various stakeholders to support student learning and well-being. While I am present during instructional time, I also participate in recess supervision, extracurricular activities, and school initiatives. For example, I regularly supervised recess and lunch, which allowed me to interact with students across different grade levels and observe how the broader school community functions. I also supported a school-wide initiative with my mentor, where I stayed after school to fold and stamp over 400 letters for a school program
Additionally, I developed professional relationships with administrators, including conversations with the principal, Ms. Banfield, about school practices and student discipline. I also worked alongside administrators and staff to prepare for the Confirmation ceremony at Blessed Sacrament Church, assisting with tasks such as steaming gowns to ensure the event was ready for the school community. This shows me how many behind-the-scenes responsibilities contribute to the smooth functioning of the school. These experiences helped me understand how collaboration between teachers, administrators, and support staff plays an important role in maintaining a safe, supportive, and engaging learning environment for students.
I supported the walk to Blessed Sacrament Parish by supervising and guiding students during that transition to and from the church. During this time, I was responsible for student safety, organization, and behaviour in a public community setting. I ensured students stayed together, followed expectations (e.g. staying on the right side of the sidewalk), and felt supported outside the classroom. This experience helped me understand how many stakeholders work together to create a safe and inclusive learning environment. I collaborated with my mentor teacher and other staff to supervise students, supported the students directly by keeping them safe and included, and participated in a school activity connected to the parish and faith community. I also recognized the role of the public community space we were walking through and how student behaviour reflects the school as a whole.
School initiative letters
Learning Outcome #2
Demonstrate a professional manner consistent with the Ontario College of Teachers standards.
Throughout my practicum, I demonstrated professionalism by maintaining punctuality, respecting school policies, and interacting with students and staff with integrity and care. For instance, I made it a point to arrive at school early each day, typically around 8:05 a.m. This allowed me to sign in, gather necessary materials, and prepare thoughtfully for the day ahead. This demonstrates professional responsibility and preparedness, which are essential aspects of Professional Practice (Ontario College of Teachers, 2025).
I prioritized respectful and open communication with students, staff, and administrators, fostering an environment where everyone felt valued, which aligns with the standard of Leadership in Learning Communities. One meaningful moment occurred during recess when students were making “mud cookies” and one child became excluded from the play. I calmly stepped in and prompted the group to turn their activity into a pretend bakery. This gave them a shared purpose again as they created a “menu” of treats and invited me to see their bakery (shown in the photo). What began as exclusion quickly became a collaborative, imaginative moment where the student was naturally welcomed back into the group. This demonstrated empathy and a commitment to creating an inclusive environment, aligning with the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) standard of Commitment to Students and Student Learning. Throughout the placement, I also demonstrated Ongoing Professional Learning by asking questions, observing experienced educators, and reflecting on my experiences to improve my teaching practice.
Reference
Ontario College of Teachers. (2025). Standards of Practice: Ontario college of teachers. https://www.oct.ca/public/professional-standards/ethical-standards
Learning Outcome #3
Develop professional relationships with students, teachers, and the school community.
During my practicum, I focused on building meaningful professional relationships within the school community, approaching each interaction with openness, respect, and positivity. I developed strong connections with my mentor teacher and other educators. Together, we frequently discussed teaching strategies, classroom management, and lesson planning, enriching my learning experience. In addition, many teachers across the school were welcoming and supportive during my placement. Teachers often helped me print lesson materials and offered advice on how to structure lessons or manage certain classroom situations.
I also had the opportunity to connect with the school principal, and through our conversations I gained insight into how to treat others in the environment as she always remembered to ask me how I was and specific questions related to my grade 3 class. The principal also fostered a welcoming staff environment by providing coffee and snacks during lunch, which encouraged teachers and staff to gather, connect, and build relationships. Observing these small but meaningful actions helped me recognize how school leaders can promote a positive and collaborative school culture. I also collaborated closely with another teacher candidate, Miss Lopez during multiple occasions. For example, during one Daily Physical Activity (DPA) period, we lead the game Octopus with our classes. This shows the ability to effectively co-lead activities while supporting student engagement in a structured way.
Meaningful professional relationships were reflected in small but powerful moments, such as when one student wrote me a poem and another gifted me a piece of their artwork. These types of gestures demonstrate the level of trust and connection that had developed between me and my students during my time in the classroom. Moments like this showed me that students felt comfortable approaching me and sharing aspects of their creativity and personality.
Learning Outcome #4
Actively engage in the work of the school to support student learning.
Throughout the placement, I actively participated in classroom instruction, assessment, and student support to contribute meaningfully to the learning environment. For example, I assisted in marking science, math, and assessment tasks, which helped me better understand evaluation practices and expectations for student work. I also supported small groups and individual students during lessons by circulating the classroom and providing guidance when needed.
A specific example is taking charge during a gala art project when I worked with my mentor teacher to figure out ideas and planned a painting activity where students worked in groups to create four canvases representing the seasons, using corresponding colours. I facilitated this activity by organizing groups, distributing materials, modeling painting techniques, and supporting students.
On several occasions, I facilitated entire lessons, such as teaching a media literacy lesson on identifying credible news sources, and creating a religion unit plan. These opportunities allowed me to practice instructional strategies while supporting student engagement and understanding. Additionally, I helped prepare and put up a hallway display outside our classroom that showcased students’ work. This display celebrated student effort and allowed other members of the school community to see the learning taking place in our class. Participating in this process helped me understand how teachers create environments that recognize student achievement and promote pride in learning.
I was also actively engaged in the work of the school day because I supported teaching and school functioning during times that weren’t just class instruction. I stayed involved every third recess by assisting my mentor teacher's initiative by helping set up and supervise the house handball games.
Learning Outcome #5
Reflect on how school structures impact student learning.
Throughout my placement, I observed how the organization and routines of the school contribute to a structured and supportive learning environment. For instance, I noted how transitions, such as recess supervision, lunch routines, and classroom entry procedures, are carefully managed to maintain order and safety throughout the day.
During recess, I observed how teachers positioned themselves at various locations around the playground to monitor play and ensure safety. They used a whistle system to signal transitions, which helped students wrap up their activities before returning to class. On my first day, I learned about the student pick-up process, where teachers actively coordinated to ensure that students safely left the school. They greeted parents by name, fostering a sense of belonging and warmth.
This learning goal showed up during my involvement with the girls soccer team, especially in the way the school organized communication. I helped run 7:30 a.m. tryouts and supported the teachers by doing soccer meetings during school breaks. Meetings helped keep expectations consistent across tryouts and practice, so students weren’t confused about what to do and could concentrate on skills and effort. Overall, these structured systems (scheduled timing, organized transitions, and teacher communication) showed me how school structure creates the conditions for students to learn and participate effectively.
Learning Outcome #6
Reflect critically on the links between theory and practice.
During my practicum, I actively reflected on the connections between educational theory and my practical experiences in the classroom. One specific theory I explored was constructivist learning, which emphasizes that students learn best when they actively engage in the learning process. I implemented this theory by designing hands-on activities that encourage student collaboration and problem-solving.
For example, in a math lesson on fractions, I introduced a cooperative learning activity where students used visuals and strips of coloured paper I cut out to visualize fraction concepts. This approach reflected Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) as, when introducing the concept of one-half, I guided students step-by-step where initially I demonstrated how to fold the paper to create two equal parts, and then scaffolded to allow them to see what they were working towards, as their understanding expanded gradually within their ZPD. As they became more comfortable, I encouraged collaboration by having students work in pairs to create their own fraction questions. This cooperative learning experience emphasized Vygotsky’s notion that social interaction is critical for cognitive development.
Drawing on the sociomaterial perspective of Risan (2020), I have started to notice how concrete artefacts in my practice, such as lesson plans, curriculum documents, assessment rubrics, carry theoretical ideas within them, rather than sitting apart from theory. Linking theory and practice is not a straightforward transfer, but an ongoing process and I am beginning to view myself as someone who participates in that work of experimenting, reflecting, and gradually shaping materials that better align with the kind of teacher I aim to become.
I was able to connect my kinesiology background and university learning directly to my practicum experience by supporting students during multiple athletics and leadership roles. During track and field tryouts, I helped supervise and support students by walking groups from Grades 3–6 to the track (about a 10-minute walk). While at the track, I timed races, supervised students during tryouts, prepared the long jump pit, and helped lead the events. Having a kinesiology background helped me feel comfortable and “in my element” while organizing students safely and confidently during physical activity.
Reference
Risan, M. (2020). Creating theory-practice linkages in teacher education: Tracing the use of practice-based artefacts. International Journal of Educational Research, 104, 101670.
Learning Outcome #7
Investigate learning from a micro-level perspective to support individual students.
Throughout my placement, I worked closely with individual students to better understand their learning needs and provide targeted support.
For example, during a racecar design science project, a student in special education became visibly frustrated during the construction phase. I approached him calmly, offered a brief break from the task, and then sat with him to co-regulate and re-engage him in manageable steps, while also offering small positive reinforcements. I provided the class with stickers to lift the overall mood in the room.
By combining emotional reassurance with concrete, step-by-step support, he was able to return to the activity and complete the project successfully.
This experience deepened my awareness that paying attention to individual students’ emotional states is essential for supporting their learning processes and that small, responsive interventions can make a significant difference in whether a student feels able to continue.
Learning Outcome #8
Observe and reflect upon the impact of Ontario Ministry of Education policy and/or documentation on learners and the school’s learning environment (e.g., Safe Schools Act (2000), First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Framework (2007), Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting in Ontario Schools (2010), Supporting Minds: An Educator’s Guide to Promoting Students’ Mental Health and Well-being (2013), and others).
During a Grade 3 school dance, I supported an individual student with autism who was initially disengaged and focused on a comfort item rather than participating. I used a gradual, student-centered approach to redirect his attention and encourage social interaction. By modeling appropriate behaviours, offering reassurance, and engaging with him directly (e.g., dancing together), I supported his participation in a new and potentially overwhelming environment. This experience reflects principles from Supporting Minds, which emphasizes the importance of creating safe, inclusive environments and using supportive, relationship-based strategies to promote student well-being and engagement.
I applied strategies such as providing reassurance, building trust, and supporting gradual participation, which align with the document’s focus on reducing anxiety and supporting students in social situations. It reinforced how responsive, student-centered strategies can positively impact a student’s ability to engage in social and school-based activities.
Learning Outcome #9
Observe and reflect on the impact of strategies and resources on learners (teacher talk, textbooks, technology, manipulatives, transitions, success criteria, timing, planning, assessment, etc.).
I observed how the use of hands on manipulatives and teacher talk impact student learning.During a science lab that I led on building structures, students used paper and tape to design free-standing towers while learning about strength and stability from the curriculum. This concrete, interactive task allowed students to test ideas, problem-solve, and see how structure shape and material use affected their success. The hands-on approach increased engagement and helped students better understand abstract concepts about strong and stable structures through direct experience.
Through this experience, I observed that clear, step-by-step instructions and modeling supported student success, while whole-class discussion allowed for immediate assessment and feedback. I also noticed that effective transitions and pacing helped maintain focus and maximize learning time. These experiences reinforced the importance of using varied strategies and resources to support diverse learners and enhance overall student comprehension and participation.
I have graded numerous assessments and observed that, while many students can perform procedures such as multiplication, they often lack understanding of the underlying reasoning and logical structure. Consequently, the communicative component of assessments is comparatively weaker. Hands-on techniques, such as my lesson involving folding paper to represent fractions, can help bridge procedural skill and conceptual understanding by making abstract ideas tangible.
Therefore, assessment plays a crucial role in identifying such gaps. From my mentor teacher, I learned how to design effective rubrics and assessments, which clarified what high-quality assessment looks like in practice.
Additionally, during my practicum I helped out with the track team as well as both the boydsand girls soccer team. I observed how different strategies and environments impacted student behaviour and engagement. At the track and during soccer, I saw students who struggle with attention in the classroom become focused, motivated, and confident when given physical, team-based tasks. This shows the learning goal because I reflected on how different approaches, settings, and structures influence how students learn, behave, and interact.