Student Teacher Practices Influence on Student Learning Experience
Students:
In the morning I noticed that two students had
placed their sign in rocks on the symbol that
represents being sad so I decided to find both
students and talk to them one on one about why
they are feeling sad.
While we were getting ready to come inside a
student tried to run away. He said that he wanted to
go home and he ran. Once I caught up to him I was
able to get him back to the school where we talked
about why he did and why were so scared when it
happened. The next day he mentioned the situation
and I was able to talk to him about it again and was
able to remind him that I was so scared because I
loved him and didn’t want him to get hurt.
During open play centres I took the time to visit
different students each day and I would sit and play
with them
Parents/Guardians:
It’s hard to get to know the student’s parents during
Covid restrictions but I think that it’s so important.
So my teacher mentor and I started alternating who
lets the kids in in the morning.
I contributed in parent teacher conferences where I
was able to talk to the parents about their child over
Microsoft Teems.
I could tell that the demeaner of both children
changed after I talked to them about how they were
feeling. They seemed more at ease and I think that
this helped prepare them for the day’s activities. For
the rest of the day they were also both very eager to
show me what they had accomplished at several of
the stations
The fact that this child brought up this experience
the next day showed me that he trusted me enough
to talk about it. During this time he was able to talk
to me about it calmly and I think that he understood
how much I cared about him and he was a lot better
with coming inside after this
This allowed me to get to students at a more
individual level. I was able to learn about their
families and what they were interested in. As I did
this every day the students opened up to me more
and even involved me in their play.
This has allowed me to become more acquainted
with parents and I have noticed that parents have
seemed more comfortable after just a couple weeks
of doing this. And I believe that having a positive
relationship with parents will always positively
impact their child’s learning.
As I communicated with parents during these
conferences I could tell that they were becoming
more familiar and comfortable with me. I think that
with this occurs parents will start to begin to trust
me with their learning which in the end will benefit
their students learning as they are able to be more
open with me about any questions or concerns
Peers
During morning snack time many of the students
were being very particular about who they would sit
by. They kept saying that they could only sit by their
friends, so I decided to assign their lunch spots.
While doing so I ensured that all students were siting
by students who they didn’t usually choose to play
with. I explained to them that I chose to assign their
spots because we are all friends and I wanted to help
them get to know their other friends better.
On several occasions I talked to students about how
important it is to accept everyone no matter their
differences.
School/Local Community
Throughout my PSIII experience I spent the time to
get to know other teachers in the school as much as
I could, even if it just consisted of talking to them in
the lunch room.
Student Teacher Practices
After each lesson that I teach I reflect on how it went This allows me to learn to learn about how to
and on how I could improve it for the next class. I
also think about weather I need to change the
direction of the successive lesson based on what I
learned about student’s knowledge.
I spend some time each day observing my teacher
mentor during my prep time.
The students were pretty resisted to the idea but
once they sat down and started eating they started
to chat with their peers at the table. This helped the
students get to know some of their peers that they
may not have chosen to interact with.
Students can’t learn if they don’t feel comfortable.
Therefore it’s so important to create an environment
where all students feel welcome.
Building relationships with other teachers helps both
the teacher and the student. As we get to know
others in our school environment we can help our
students feel more a part of the school community. I
was also able to gain new ideas from the other
teachers which benefited the students as I was able
to integrate different learning activities into their
lessons.
Influence on Student Learning Experience
improve my teaching which helps students learn
more effectively.
This allows me to continue observing different
teaching strategies which I can then add to my own
tool box. As I continue to implement different
strategies
Every week I spent time researching new teaching
strategies, activities as well as classroom
maneagement strategies
I sought out feedback from my teacher mentor,
school administrator and UC and implemented their
suggestions into my lessons
Student Teacher Practices
Effective Planning:
I planned for each lesson at least 24 hours in
advance.
In all of my planning for centres I plan for three
different levels of ability. I also provide an outline of
these levels at the centre so that every teacher/EA
knows what the goals are for each student.
If necessary, I adjusted my plans before teaching the
lesson to my second class.
In all of my lesson plans I included some time filler
options of things that could be addressed if time
permitted as well as items that could be skipped if
running out of time
Instruction:
Students are not going to learn be participating in
the exact same activities every day. They need
variety and to be exposed to new learning
experience every day. I was able to provide them
with more of this variety as I researched new ideas.
I acknowledge that I am new to teaching and that
other professionals will likely know ways that I could
improve my teaching. Thus, receiving and
implementing their suggestions made me a more
effective teacher.
Influence on Student Learning Experience
This allowed me to ensure that I had everything that
I needed before starting the lesson.
This allows each centre to be geared towards every
students specific needs and enables them to
continue to progress in their learning.
Being able to reflect on my lesson plan and change it
to better fit the students furthered my own learning
but also provided the students with a more effective
lesson.
This allowed me to be more flexible and able to
adapt the lesson on the spot if it was going
differently than I planned. Thus allowing me to
spend more time on the parts of the lesson that
students struggled with or were really engaged in.
I have started to implement some kind of movement
activity into the middle of each lesson that I teach.
Sometimes it was as simple as having the students
stand up and pretend to be airplanes for 30 seconds
before moving onto the next part of the lesson.
I typically followed the timeline that I had set in my
lesson plan so that I could cover each part of the
lesson. However, if students were really interested
in one part of the lesson we would spend more time
on this area.
I implemented new thinking strategies into my
lessons throughout my internship
Assessment:
I had an observation sheet at each teacher assigned
learning centre that allowed the TA’s and myself to
quickly make notes about what we noticed about
the student’s abilities at that station.
I took students aside one by one to assess their
recognition of letters and letter sounds as well as
their ability to recognize, replicate, extend and
create their own patterns.
After doing the alphabet and pattern checklists with
the students I had a better sense of where they were
at and was able to help specific students that were
struggling in these areas.
This helps students stay engaged for the entire
lesson instead of getting distracted for the last 5
min. Thus, allowing students to continue learning
throughout the entire 15 min lesson
Being flexible is so important, especially in
kindergarten. This flexibility allowed students to dive
deeper into the ideas that they were really
interested in allowing them to further their learning.
Providing students with new and different thinking
strategies allowed them to increase their own
thinking skills and I saw them make a greater
number of connections between things that we had
talked about
This allowed us to easily make notes about the
students as we visited their centre. It also allowed us
to assess the students without them knowing that
they were being assessed, which took some of the
pressure off of them.
This eliminated a lot of the distractions present in a
kindergarten classroom which allowed me to
accurately assess how much the students new in
these areas.
These assessments allowed me to focus on helping
the students in the areas that they really needed it
while also enabling me to push the students who
exceled in these areas.
 Student Teacher Practices
A student told me that another student in the class
was so fat and that they must eat all the food. The
other student didn’t hear the comment so I decided
to take the first student aside for a minute. I talked
to the student about how we are all different, some
of us have different hair or skin colours while others
might have different body shapes but we are all
beautiful and together make up an amazing class.
Throughout this we also talked about how important
it is to be kind to everyone no matter what.
A student who is typically behind academically spent
a lot of time working on a detailed picture of a T-
Rex. So at the end of the day when I gathered the
whole class together again, with his permission, I
showed them the picture that their classmate had
painted.
On several occasions we talked about the
importance of including and loving everyone. I also
addressed the fact that just because you don’t want
to play with someone at a certain time doesn’t mean
you’re not their friend. However, if you don’t treat
your friends with respect they may not want to play
with you anymore.
During each of our discussions, especially our
thinking routines, I encouraged students to share
their ideas even if their thoughts differed from their
friends and then I acknowledged every answer that
they contributed.
Student Teacher Practices
I read the “Snow Bear” book to the students and
talked to them about Inuit culture and the
connection that they feel with polar bears. I also had
Influence on Student Learning Experience
The student didn’t spread their thoughts about their
peer to anyone else and continued to work with that
peer throughout the remainder of the day. This
allowed both students to focus on the learning
centers.
When I showed this child’s picture to the rest of the
class his eyes immediately lit up. I could tell that this
gave him a little more confidence which may help
him feel more confident when participating in
learning activities.
Part of the learning experience in Kindergarten is
learning how to effectively communicate with those
around you. However, kindergarten children often
struggle to develop these skills and it is up to the
teacher to help them navigate this area within the
classroom.
As I acknowledged each of the student’s ideas and
created a safe space for them to share I was able to
see participation from each of my students.
Influence on Student Learning Experience
The students were very interested to learn about a
culture that they weren’t familiar with. This lead to
them asking a lot of questions and I think that they
this book available to students at the play dough
table where they could use the playdough to make
the ice formations seen in the book.
In our playground unit I showed the students a
picture from a residential school and we had an
open discussion about residential schools and what
those children might have felt.
A couple days after our discussion on residential
schools a student asked me why students were sent
away and I talked to the class about how they were
sent away because they were different (looked
different, different traditions, etc. ).
Student Teacher Practices
All of the plans that I created throughout my
internship, such as unit plans, lesson plans and long
range plans were built around the outcomes found
in Alberta’s Kindergarten program statement.
Every week as I prepared my lesson plans I reflected
on my unit and long range plans to ensure that I was
addressing every outcome that I had planned for.
I frequently reflected on the school goals which
focus on visible thinking, concept based teaching
and universal design for learning and ensured thar I
did everything that I could to improve in these areas.
I even chose to focus my PIP project on visible
thinking so that I could continuously work on helping
my students become visible thinkers.
learned a lot about Inuit people. It also helped to
have the book available in their centre because I saw
several students looking through it.
This experience allowed students to take the
perspective of a child that was taken away from
their family and sent to a school far away. Students
shared that they would have felt scared, sad and
lonely. This perspective taking is a huge part of
critical thinking and this activity allowed them to
practise this skill while also addressing a really
important topic.
After talking to the students about this topic the
student who had originally asked the question,
compared herself to a student with darker skin and
said, “but they have darker skin than me and we’re
friends” This comment sparked a great discussion on
diversity and how we should love everyone even if
they are different than us.
Influence on Student Learning Experience
All lessons that are prepared and taught to students
need to have a purpose. Creating alongside the
Kindergarten program statement allowed me to
ensure that I was teaching what I was supposed to
This allowed me to ensure that I wasn’t missing any
of the outcomes that I had planned to cover.
It’s so important to stay in touch with school goals to
encourage school wide unity. These goals are also
those that the administrators have deemed
important. Thus we need to help our students
develop in these areas.
 PLANNING FOR LEARNING - PSIII
Relevant School Goals:
- Students will demonstrate improved literacy and numeracy through support of diverse learning and social
needs
- Students will demonstrate innovative, creative and critical thinking skills in their learning and will be ethical
and engaged learners
- To create a safe and inclusive school environment through collaboration, health and wellness initiatives, and
supports for diverse learning and social needs

Goal One: Related Strategies Resources/Support Evidence of Timeline

TQS Required success
Goal: - Have students - pictures of a Can students
To Increase brainstorm ideas related variety of different defend the
students visible to the following topics: playground (from choices they 6 weeks
thinking skills 3 - What elements make the past and made when
playground fun present) creating their
- What elements make a - Chart paper for playgrounds
park bad/not fun brainstorm ideas such as; why
Inquiry Question: - Is it important for a - Materials for they used
park to be safe? If yes, building the certain
In what ways will how can we tell if a playgrounds materials, why
teaching critical park is safe? they chose to
thinking skills to - As a class we will include or 6 weeks
Kindergarten 3 build a park together exclude
children impact - Afterwards students playground
their visible will design and create a elements
thinking park
 Goal Two: Related Strategies Resources/Support Evidence of Timeline
TQS Required success
Goal: - Each week I will - Research on a - Students are
To increase student research and decide on variety of different engaged in the
engagement by a classroom classroom assigned
frequent integration 4 management strategy management activities 8 weeks
of new classroom - The chosen strategy strategies - Students turn
management will be taught to the their attention
strategies students on their first to the teacher
school morning of the when
Inquiry Question: week. This strategy will instructed
In what ways will then be implemented (through the
the integration of several times chosen weeks
new classroom throughout the day. strategy)
management 4 8 weeks
strategies each
week impact
student
engagement levels
 REFLECTING ON LEARNING - PSIII
Goal 1: Increase student’s visible thinking skills
Reflection at Midway Point
Achievements In Progress Future Considerations
- Students have started to - I am trying to get students to talk - Now that students are
understand the process of See more about their thinking so that I comfortable with See Think
Think Wonders. They are no can see their level of visible Wonder, I plan to introduce them
longer mixing up the different thinking. I am working on this by to more thinking strategies such as
areas. asking them to defend their claims Zoom In and Think Pair Share.
- We did an inquiry unit about (Why do you think that… etc.) - I also need to consider what
dinosaurs to answer this question - We just finished our dinosaur materials I am going to need for
“where the dinosaurs go?” inquiry unit. I am now starting to students to build their playgrounds
Throughout this unit students introduce them to different as well as how I am going to
provided some really insightful playgrounds for our next inquiry prepare them for this activity.
thoughts about what they think unit where we will attempt to
happened to the dinosaurs. As I answer the question “What makes
asked them to expand on their the best playground”
ideas I was able to start seeing
their visible thinking.

Reflection at the End of Term

- Throughout the integration of several different thinking strategies I was able to stretch students thinking
abilities as they contributed their ideas about different pictures related to our playground inquiry unit.
- Several of the students were also successful at considering other people’s perspectives, especially as we
discussed residential schools and the importance of being kind to everyone even if they are different.
- I found that the Zoom In activity was one of the most effective thinking routines when considering wanting
to assess their level of visible thinking because I was able to talk to them about how their thinking changed
throughout the activity.
- I also integrated the “What makes you say that?” routine into each of my thinking strategies which allowed
me to see what connections students were making and where their ideas were coming from.
- Students have started planning their playgrounds at home. However, due to Covid-19 we have not been able
to start building their playgrounds yet. Once the students have had the opportunity to build their playgrounds
I will continue to assess their visible thinking as they defend the decisions they made while planning and
constructing their playgrounds.
Goal 2: Increase student engagement by frequent
integration of new classroom management strategies
Reflection at Midway Point
Achievements In Progress Future Considerations
- I have discovered some - Throughout the first half of - I want to look into ways of
classroom managements strategies working on this goal it has become keeping the students at a calmer
that were not effective with my clear that different classroom level throughout the day instead of
classes such as having my management strategies do have an me having to continuously remind
students clap back a pattern to me effect how engaged students are them.
in order to gain their attention. I throughout the day. - I am also going to continue to
found that this attention grabber - I am still working to integrate a look into classroom management
was a little too complicated for new classroom management strategies that I could try out in
them and also caused them to be strategy each week. my classes
very silly.
- I have found that counting down
from 3 helps to get my students
attention when they are busy.
However, I just have to ensure
that I count down slow enough so
that students have sufficient time
to settle themselves down.

Reflection at the End of Term

- As I progressed through my internship I discovered that one of the most effective classroom management
strategies at the kindergarten level was to provide the students with movement breaks. I began to implement
these part way through each of my lessons and I saw a dramatic increase in student engagement. Some of
these breaks only lasted for 30 seconds but they were still very effective.
- Once I discovered the effectiveness of providing my student with movement breaks I realized that I should
integrate movement into the attention getter strategies. This lead to me discovering my the most effective way
to get student’s attention. This strategy involved me saying, “If you can hear me put your hands on
your…head… toes… knees… etc.” As I said this the students were very excited to follow along. When I
stopped talking I had the student’s attention and they were ready to start learning.
- Another strategy that I implemented was integrating more activities based on the zones of regulation.
Several times throughout the day I would asks students to determine what zone they were in and would talk
to them about how they feel when there in each zone and how they can get back into the green zone when we
are out. I found that helping students become more self-aware greatly increased my classes ability to stay in
the green zone throughout the day.
- When needed I also reminded students of which voice we should be using at different times of the day
(mouse, cat or lion) and we practiced each of the voices.
- Overall I found that it wasn’t that students needed new classroom management strategies each week but that
they needed classroom management strategies that were suited to their needs as a class.