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University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education

PROFESSIONAL SEMESTER THREE

Final Report

PS III is a five-course equivalent integrated semester including half-time teaching and professional study in curriculum
design, leadership, advanced methods, and reflective practice. Intern Teachers are assigned full time to schools for the
semester during which they assume responsibility for approximately one-half of the teaching day. PS III professional study
is designed to complement and enhance the internship. The professional study components may occur on or off-campus
and are coordinated by the University Consultants in collaboration with Intern Teachers and school personnel.

Education 4571: Elementary Education Internship

INTERN TEACHER: Brianna Nolan

SCHOOL: Uplands School

Grade Level(s): One

Teacher Mentor: Dillison Buteau

Administrator: Carolyn Bain

University Consultant: holly.godson2@uleth.ca

Checklist

Final Conference Date: X Date: April 6, 2021

Review the Portfolio: X

Review the Professional Inquiry Project X

U of L: PS III Final Report: (Revised: January 2021)

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University Consultant Comments:

I have had the pleasure of supervising Brianna during her PSll / PSIII Practicum in Uplands Elementary
School in Brooks, Alberta during the Spring of 2021. Due to COVID19, Brianna’s PSII Practicum was cut
short in March 2020. Therefore, Brianna completed her PSII, during the month of January, and PSIII
Practicum, February - April, at Uplands School. Brianna taught grade one and her inclusive classroom
consisted of seventeen very active and engaged students with diverse learning and cultural needs. Her
teaching assignment included Grade One - Math, Science and Social Studies. On top of her duties within the
school, Brianna was responsible for attending four University Seminars, completing her e-Portfolio, and
completing and presenting a Professional Inquiry Project. Brianna met that challenge and exceeded
expectations.

During both practicums, Brianna consistently demonstrated an ability to plan detailed and engaging lessons
using a wide variety of teaching strategies. Organization and planning were definitely Brianna’s strength. She
was very conscious to plan a variety of instructional strategies to address the learning outcomes, subject
matter and varied learning styles and student needs within her class. She was very methodical in the
selection and incorporation of appropriate resources and instructional / assessment strategies that supported
and guided student learning.
Brianna integrated digital technology and resources into instruction, where appropriate. She used technology
to actively engage students in their learning (ie. Class Do-Jo, Kahoot, Movement / Brain Breaks, Smart
Notebook, Youtube... etc) . As part of her practicum, Brianna took a special interest in incorporating Number /
Math Talks into daily routines, and continued to expand, build and diversify her assessment tool kit.

Brianna was a storyteller who had the ability to incorporate, connect and transfer strategies for motivating
students using relevant and interesting subject matter and activities. Her ability to reflect and rethink through
her approaches to instruction and assessment, as well as a strong desire to meet the needs within her
inclusive classroom, became the hallmark of her teaching style as I watched her grow as an empathetic,
enthusiastic and confident teacher. Within an inclusive classroom - with diverse learning and complex needs,
Brianna was able to modify, adapt and re-teach where required. She used a wide variety of formative /
summative assessments (ie. checklists, observations, conversations, questioning, checking of daily work,
performance-based and written assessments) to guide her planning, student learning, and reporting of student
progress. She maintained anecdotal records, copies of major assessment rubrics and feedback, marks and
teacher notes, and additional rubrics and checklists.

Brianna was a true professional in every sense of the word. Being the engaged learner that she was herself,
Brianna would actively seek out additional supports within the school (i.e.: education assistants,

I have read the complete Final Report and certify that the assigned grade is Pass

4/6/2021
University Consultant Signature Date

U of L: PS III Final Report: (Revised: January 2021)

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University Consultant comments (Page 2 continued):

colleagues, administration...), Grasslands School Division (i.e.: PD Opportunities, Outside Agencies...) and
University to support and improve her own practice. She was very respectful to the diverse needs within the
Uplands Elementary School and learning community. She attended collaborative team meetings, staff
meetings (presented her PIP project to the staff and was invited in by colleagues to demonstrate) and
on-site and off-site professional learning. She treated her students with dignity and respect and was very
considerate of their circumstances and learning needs. Her enthusiasm and passion for teaching and
working with students and staff was evident. She will be a strong leader and role model in whatever
learning community is lucky enough to hire her. Good luck with all your future endeavors, Brianna!

I have read the complete Final Report and certify that the assigned grade is Pass

4/6/2021
University Consultant Signature Date

U of L: PS III Final Report: (Revised: January 2021)

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Intern Teacher’s Descriptive Report:

My PSIII practicum was completed at Uplands Elementary School in Brooks, Alberta, the City of 100
Hellos. Uplands Elementary has a diverse student population of 450 students. At Uplands, I was teaching in one
of three grade 1 classrooms and was supervised by my teacher mentor (TM), Dillison Buteau, and administrator,
Carolyn Bain. This class had 17 students - 9 boys, 8 girls. Of these students, 9 were English Language
Learners and 1 had a Behaviour Support Plan.
Going into my final practicum in the midst of a global pandemic, I knew relationships were of the utmost
importance, especially with young students. Knowing that students thrive on relationships and routines, I knew I
would have some adjusting to do when entering the classroom. I quickly adjusted to many of the classroom
management techniques already in place - a daily schedule, calendar routines, and seating plans. Additionally, I
was able to add in some of my own classroom management techniques including clear student expectations.
From the very beginning, my students were receptive to the expectations I had of them and showed the best
work they could.
Relationships are the key to classroom organization and student behaviour. I wanted to get to know my
students quickly to benefit them and myself. The first week of my practicum was in the form of at-home learning,
where I joined my TM in Zoom sessions with students. These daily Zoom interactions allowed me to learn
student names quickly making in-person interactions more personal. When students returned to in-school
learning, I was confident calling them by name and was ready to learn more about each one. In addition, I had
the opportunity to connect with parents in various ways - newsletters, interviews, and Dojo messages as these
relationships are key to student learning. Building relationships with other staff members was also an important
piece of my experience. From visiting other classrooms to sharing books, I aimed to make a difference in more
than just my classroom.
Throughout the duration of this practicum, I planned units for mathematics, science, and social studies. In
math, I taught two units - 2-D/3-D Shapes and Measurement. In science, I taught two units - 5 Senses and
Building. In social, I taught one unit - Citizenship. If other opportunities for teaching or assisting arose, I jumped
on them to maximize my learning.
While planning my lessons and units, I aimed to keep consistency for students and utilized the use of their
calendar and daily math routines as well as their GoNoodle movement breaks. The daily calendar routine helped
students learn and practice basic life skills - reading a calendar (months of the year, days of the week),
identifying important dates and holidays, and counting money. Continuing the daily math routine helped students
practice different areas of the math curriculum each day (Monday - Patterns/Algebra, Tuesday - Number Sense,
Wednesday - Geometry/Spatial Sense, Thursday - Measurement, Friday - Data Management). Keeping the
consistency of these routines allowed me to help my students connect their learning in meaningful and relevant
ways.
Throughout this practicum, I performed math talks with my students at the beginning of every math class.
Through daily math talks, I hoped to increase student confidence with math concepts and reduce anxieties that
may be forming. These math talks were performed in a low-key environment so that students could feel
comfortable. I introduced my students to math talks with the concept of ‘Which One Doesn’t Belong’ (WODB).
For this method, students were shown 4 related images and asked to explain which one they

4/5/2021

Intern Teacher Signature Date

U of L: PS III Final Report: (Revised: January 2021)

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Intern Teacher’s Descriptive Report (Page 2 continued):

thought was different from the others. WODB encourages each student to share their thinking and allows for
each student to be correct! As students got more comfortable explaining their thinking, I expanded the forms
of math talks we completed introducing basic algebra to students. Including other forms of math talks allowed
students to push themselves into deeper understandings of more concepts. As a teacher, I saw engaged
students who were building confidence and making the most of their learning.
Technology was another key piece to student learning. The use of Smart Notebook allowed students
to come up to the board to participate and demonstrate their understanding of concepts. Another way, I
incorporated technology was through Kahoot! For most students, this was a first, but it was exciting! In
addition, I started incorporating the Class Dojo points system into my lessons. Every Friday, I lead students
through a ‘Dojo Calendar’ routine where they would receive a point for answering questions. Students would
be picked through the use of the Dojo randomizer, which kept students on edge and built excitement each
time! Class Dojo also allowed me to communicate with parents whether it was regarding after school pick-up
or student privileges.
Interactive activities were incorporated into lessons where appropriate. I had the privilege of finishing
the exploration of the five senses with students in science which brought the opportunity to conduct
experiments to test out their senses. While COVID-19 changed the kinds of experiments students could
complete, I overcame the challenge and found ways that students could learn and explore. While I knew
students were familiar with their senses already, I thought it was important to help them make predictions,
conduct experiments, and form conclusions. Through these experiments, student learning was maximized.
Throughout the duration of this practicum, I assessed students’ learning in many different ways.
Formative assessment was embedded into every lesson through questioning, discussion, check-ins, and
worksheet completion. Summative assessment was embedded near the end of each unit, where students
demonstrated their learning for the unit. To finish off my first math unit, I assessed students on a one-on-one
basis - connecting with each student to assess their learning was a unique experience.
Throughout the duration of this practicum, I demonstrated professionalism in many aspects, building
on each strand of the Teaching Quality Standard. I built relationships with students, parents, and staff as I
knew this was going to be a key part in success. This practicum experience presented a wide range of
professional development (PD) opportunities that I could attend. Through my time at Uplands, I attended two
divisional PD days - one on wellness, the other on instructional strategies. School-based PD, staff meetings,
and grade-level team meetings were an important part of working with a collaborative team. Through these
experiences, I had the opportunity to share my Professional Inquiry Project with staff members throughout
the school. I also attended the Southern Alberta Teachers’ Convention and while this event took place in a
different format than normal, an immense amount of learning still took place.
Overall, building a wide network of support was an important piece of working through personal and
professional challenges. I learned that as an educator - it takes a team to meet the diverse needs of
students, staff, and the learning community.

4/5/2021
Intern Teacher Signature Date

U of L: PS III Final Report: (Revised: January 2021)

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Teacher Mentor Comments:

Evaluation for Brianna Nolan

University of Lethbridge PS III - Elementary - Internship
February 1st to April 16th 2021

Miss Nolan was an intern at Uplands Elementary School. She completed her PS II with us before moving into
her PS III internship. For her half-time internship (PS III) she was responsible for Grade One Social Studies -
Citizenship, two Math units - 2D & 3D Shapes and Measurement as well as two Science units - Senses and
Building Things units.

Miss Nolan made special efforts throughout her internship to familiarize herself with the students on a
personal level by visiting with them and making herself available through the day whenever possible. She
was friendly and approachable and had a patient listening ear. She related well to the students of this age
and took the time to give advice or further explanation when needed. As a result, she established a friendly
rapport with students and passed on her interest and enthusiasm for the subjects she taught, especially in
Math. Miss Nolan was well liked by the students, helping them feel comfortable when they needed to ask for
assistance or if they had any questions.

Miss Nolan maintained a well-managed classroom. She discussed her expectations in the beginning with the
class and was consistent and fair ensuring the students understood the expectations that were required.
She implemented a variety of strategies to get the students ready to learn and she used the strategies that
were established by the classroom teacher to maintain consistency of classroom instruction. Positive
behaviours were rewarded with verbal praise and compliments.

Miss Nolan was always well planned and had material prepared before lessons began. Her lesson plans
were detailed and thorough including the proper components, learner outcomes, strategies and evaluations.
She used classroom resources and researched for other materials to enhance lessons. The use of the
SmartBoard to deliver her lessons, in particular her Math Talks, was used effectively throughout her
teaching. She also demonstrated a good knowledge of the subject areas she was responsible for. Her
lessons were varied and included activities where students worked individually or with a partner. Miss Nolan
always taught with outcomes in mind and was very adaptable, flexible and willing to accommodate for any
changes within the course of any given day.

Miss Nolan developed and used a variety of formal and informal evaluation techniques. Evaluation methods
included the use of monitoring daily work, quizzes, student’s feedback/self-evaluations and anecdotal
records. She was responsible for completing report card marks and comments for the subject areas she
taught. Additionally, she participated in Parent and Teacher interviews as well as assisted with on-line
teaching.

4/6/2021
Teacher Mentor Signature Date

U of L: PS III Final Report: (Revised: January 2021)

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Teacher Mentor Comments (Page 2 continued):

Uplands Elementary School. She associated with staff on a professional and social level. She attended staff
meetings and professional development days during her internship. She also presented one of her Math
Talks to a Grade Six class at our school during her time.

Throughout her internship, Miss Nolan demonstrated enthusiasm, professionalism and commitment to the
teaching profession. This was truly a unique year to be completing a professional internship. I feel she had a
successful experience at Uplands Elementary School.

4/6/2021

Teacher Mentor Signature Date

U of L: PS III Final Report: (Revised: January 2021)

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Administrator Comments:

It has been our pleasure to have Brianna complete her PSIII practicum at Uplands School. Brianna joined
us in January 2021 and has been teaching and learning in Dillison Buteau’s grade one classroom.
Brianna has had the opportunity to teach during the Covid-19 pandemic. With this, she met her students
on-line for the first week of the practicum and then has adjusted well to all the Covid protocols and
changes to routines since being in-school for the remainder of the practicum.

Brianna has demonstrated throughout this practicum that she has chosen the right profession for herself.
She is very dedicated to all aspects of her work; planning and preparation, fostering effective
relationships, classroom management, teaching strategies, and overall professionalism. Brianna stepped
into her role with confidence and has taken every opportunity to grow throughout the time she has been
at our school.

During my formal observation of Brianna’s teaching, she demonstrated strong skills of classroom
management, instructional strategies and assessment in a variety of ways. She was very in tune with the
needs of the students throughout the lesson and monitored these needs throughout the time I observed.
Her lesson was well organized and it was clear that she had developed a strong rapport with the
students.

Brianna started the lesson with a movement break which got the students up and out of their seats after
their lunch time. The students were excited and participated eagerly. Next up was a number talk which
included a variety of mathematical concepts. Although there were very specific objectives which came
through in the instruction and questioning, the opportunities for differentiation were very evident. The
students were very engaged with the number talk and I was very impressed with the level of their
responses. Their use of math language and their willingness to take risks in sharing their responses was
really great to observe.

The main body of the observed lesson was on measurement. Brianna used the students’ prior knowledge
and understandings to build on the day’s lesson. She involved the students with effective questioning
and used familiar and relevant materials to engage them in the lesson. Brianna was aware of all the
students in the classroom throughout the lesson and brought students back to task when necessary in a
calm and respectful manner. The lesson was appropriate to their level of understanding and stretched
their learning as intended.

4/5/2021
Administrator Signature Date

U of L: PS III Final Report: (Revised: January 2021)

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Administrator Comments (Page 2 continued):

Brianna has contributed to our school community during her time with us. Although Covid-19 has limited
extracurricular activities and other usual activities, Brianna has found other ways to become involved.
When Brianna was exploring topics for her PIP project, she gathered information about the needs of the
school and chose Number Talks as her topic of study. When asked to share at a staff meeting, she
jumped at the opportunity and then followed up with individual teachers. We appreciated that she was
able to share her knowledge of Number Talks so that other teachers and students could benefit from her
experiences. It is evident that this is one of her passions and I am pleased that she chose this topic for
her project.

We have been fortunate to have Miss Nolan at our school for her final practicum. She has done an
excellent job and I have enjoyed getting to know Brianna in this capacity. I wish her all the best and
know that she will have a very successful career in teaching.

4/5/2021
Administrator Signature Date

U of L: PS III Final Report: (Revised: January 2021)