Professional Competencies
Professional Competency #1: Act as a cultural facilitator when carrying out duties
Theory: EDUC 380 ELA
The most significant learning in this class was HOT which the higher order thinking. I learned how to help my students develop critical thinking by planning lessons that will help my students to think critically and dig in depth to read between the lines. I also learned about the ELA competencies and how I can target these competencies through my lessons. Adding to that linking the lesson's content to my students' culture, for example, reading the Apple Book for immigrants or low-income students who may not know that the Apple is the symbol of New York City.
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Practical:
While working with grades 3/4, I read the novel “The One and One and Only Ivan.” I read about 15 pages daily. For each reading, I prepared prompt questions for my students to engage them within the book and help them develop their critical thinking. ![]()
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Professional Competency #2: Master the language of instruction
Theory: TESL 232, BIOL 202, HIST 210, GEOG 220
Since English is my second language, my vocabulary covered only some subjects. For my electives, I planned to take classes from different departments to increase my vocabulary in all subject areas. TESL complemented my language development with an explanation and reasoning of how the English Language works. I learned what to use and when to use it. |
Practical: In my stage, I was able to implement all the learning. I helped my students develop their language by using the mathematical language I learned. For example, students learned to use denominators and numerators instead of saying top and bottom. Moreover, I passed my love of grammar to my students. I passed what I learned in TESL to my students. For example, when to use many and when to use much.
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Professional Competency #3: Plan teaching and learning situations
Theory: EDUC 387 Math II
It was my first experience in learning how to write lesson plans based on the QEP objectives. During this class, I learned about the QEP competencies, key features, progression of learning, and big ideas. Moreover, I learned about misconceptions and how to plan lessons than can unfold students’ misconceptions. To add, I learned to state examples on what mathematical concepts my students will be performing to meet my objectives. I also learned how to predict different students thinking in solving and learning new concepts and to differentiate my instruction based on my students thinking and struggle and what I would change for my students to meet my objective. Finally, I learned how to provide my students with prompts questions to develop their critical thinking and become more autonomous.
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Practical:
In my stage, I planned a math unit for my students. The unit covered all the math competencies and big ideas related to measurement. The unit followed a sequence where I started by unfolding prior knowledge and experiences and building upon them. I practiced adapting the situational problem to meet the diverse needs of my students. ![]()
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Professional Competency #4: Implement teaching and learning situations
Theory: EDUC 388
In this class, I learned about the learning target. There are two types of learning targets: one that can be written in a language for the professionals to understand, and the other one that has to include the same objective but written in a simple language for students to understand. I planned a lesson where I practiced including the two learning targets. |
Practical:
While teaching math for grades 3,4,5,6, I wanted to practice writing and implementing the learning target for my students. Students were surprised initially and seemed not to have a clue about what I was saying, even though the wordings were simple. Over time, I learned to connect my students’ work to the learning target throughout the lesson. By the end of the lesson, I would share my students’ work with the whole class and try to connect them to the learning target together, which helped my students to understand what a learning target is and why it is essential. |
Professional Competency #5: Evaluate learning
Theory: EDUC 301
In this class, I learned the difference between evaluation and assessment. Evaluation is more about documentation, and assessment is about measuring the skills or the performance. I also learned that there are two types of rubrics: Holistic and analytic rubrics. I had the chance to practice developing the different types of rubrics. By practicing and making mistakes, I learned that rubrics should be consistent. |
Practical:
During my first and second stages, I had the chance to practice evaluating and documenting students’ learning. I sat with my CT while working on their report cards. Also, for each lesson, I planned a method for assessment. I practiced developing assessment methods like rubrics, checklists, favorite drafts, and rating scales. In my last stage, I practiced preparing for tests and exams and then grading them. |
Professional Competency #6: Manage how the class operates
Theory: EDUC 222 Exploring Movement with Children
In this class, I learned about the attention span of adults and children, which is usually between fifteen and thirty minutes maximum depending on the age. I also learned about the importance of movement and the recommended time for movement per day for both adults and children. Most importantly, I learned about teachers’ role in fostering healthy lifestyles for their students by implementing exploring lessons and movement breaks. I concluded that attention and movement are keys to building positive relationships with my students and increasing class engagement. ![]()
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Practical:
Throughout my internships, I designed movement breaks for most lessons or during periods where I observed the most challenging behaviors. It was so thrilling to see how a small activity could prevent behavior challenges and eliminate low engagement. With my five-year-old students, I designed a movement break for relaxation time, which helped many students achieve this period's goal. With my grades four and five, we played "Simon Says," which was their favorite. With my grade five and six students, I designed math and language art movement breaks where students learned while moving and having fun. ![]()
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Professional Competency #7: Take into account student diversity
Theory: EDUC 450 The inclusive classroom: Educating Exceptional Children
In this class, I learned about the universal design for learning. I was fascinated with the concept as it can meet our student's diverse needs. Meeting students' diverse needs are complicated, as every child is unique. In some cases, certain students can benefit, but in reality, many others can also benefit. One example that I was able to connect with this concept is using closed captions for students who used sign language, I benefited as well since English is not my first language. Discussing this idea with other colleagues, I realized that all students find it helpful to have closed captions. Therefore, I learned adding closed captions can be one aspect of implementing a universal design for learning to meet our students' diverse needs. |
Practical:
During my internships, I learned about students’ diverse needs. I asked my CTs to share their intervention plans. Comparing the different intervention plans, I realized that students with the same diagnosis would have different objectives and needs. I worked in collaboration with my CT and other professionals at the school to get advice on how I could help these students meet the QEP objectives. One suggested strategy was to revise early literacy skills as it can benefit not only the targeted students but all students. Also, reading a book met children’s diverse needs where non-reader students who had high comprehension skills were stimulated as well as other students. |
Professional Competency #8: Support students’ love of learning
Theory: EDUC 400 Teaching across the curriculum
In this class, I was able to observe how a teacher can be a facilitator rather than a dictator who assume all the knowledge and students should learn from. My instructor modeled what we read in theory; therefore, I was able to see how a teacher can build positive relationship with her students and make them feel that they belong as everyone was contributing to the learning. Her prompt questions and the readings made us curious to learn more about the topic and helped us to be the constructor of our learning and lead further learning independently while collaborating with other students. |
Practical:
Having such a great model in EDUC 400, I decided to follow the same path with my students. I established a culture where I announced to my students that I do not know all the answers, but we can help each other learn and grow. The strategy encouraged my students to believe in themselves and be more autonomous. I also implemented the big class and small group discussions to foster collaboration between my students and to get to know more about the students who are shy to share in the big class discussion. Finally, to connect the learning to their real-life experiences, I designed word problems that included them and their interest, as well as a Bitmoji character that looked like them. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1SQYhIgkqHWey1UqOEvQda4Vt6pxXfjCwK0pp_d9Dt2I/edit?usp=sharing
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Professional Competency #9: Be actively involved as a member of the school team
Theory: EDUC 211 Child Development (team work)
I was challenged to move out of my comfort zone and collaborate with people who I do not know to plan and learn how we can better help children in their development. The class was enormous, and the instructor determined the group I had to work with for an assignment. My group included six members from various programs, ages, and diverse backgrounds. This experience was an excellent practice for me to learn methods and strategies to collaborate with colleagues for short and long-term planning. |
Practical:
The group work experience helped me be more flexible and provided me with different tools to collaborate with different CTs. On the other hand, I also had to cooperate with the lunch monitors to ensure students’ health and safety. During lunch, I stayed in the class to finish some work. I observed a student with a sandwich that looked like Nutella. Even though it was my break time, I went to the student and asked her what she had for lunch, and it was what I imagined. I immediately talked to the lunch monitor. After investigating, the lunch monitor came to me and thanked me as the girl was eating her sandwich next to a girl with severe nut allergies. |
Professional Competency #10: Co-operate with the family and education partners in the community
Theory: EDUC 264 Communication: Child, Parent, and Teacher
In this class I learned about parent-teacher conference, and I was encouraged to reflect upon different elements. One idea I learned is to ask parent to answer some questions prior to the meeting about their child’s strength and what to improve. What I found helpful the most to be able to establish a good relationship with the parents is a checklist for reflection after each meeting as it will help me develop this competency throughout my whole career. ![]()
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Practical:
After my first stage finished, my CT invited me to attend the parent-teacher conference. I was thrilled to have this opportunity and went. I revised the points that I learned in EDUC 264 to be able to observe and compare. After the meeting, I did the self-reflection as if I was my CT to see the strength of the meeting and what to improve for real meetings where I will be all by myself. ![]()
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Professional Competency #11: Commit to own professional development and to the profession
Theory: EDUC 395/396 Kindergarten teaching seminar
EDUC 395/396 is the first class where I started the reflection process. My first journal was about who I am and how this is reflected in my practices and my goal to become a teacher. Using the required reading for this class, I reflected upon different topics in education and considered factors that can help make a change in the world of education. |
Practical:
I continued the reflection process in three ways. The first is by writing my reflection about the lesson, including my students' objective and the competency that I set for myself. The second is by discussing my CT feedback about the lesson, like what went well and what to improve for the following lesson. Third, I was fortunate to have my supervisor visits twice, where they observed my lesson and provided me with feedback. I incorporated the comments received in my following lessons. |
Professional Competency #12: Mobilize digital technologies
Theory: EDUC 307 Integrating Digital Technology and social media in Learning Environments
In EDUC 307, I learned about the nine elements of digital citizenship. Learning about them helped me be better prepared to integrate technology into my practice while ensuring it is ethical. I took this class during the pandemic. It was an excellent opportunity for me to observe how many citizens may need better access to technology, even instructors, and how we all developed digital literacy navigating platforms that we have yet to use. ![]()
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Practical:
During my internship, I saw how schools might not have good access to technology as the WIFI was down many times, and I had to change my plan last minute. Also, I used technology to foster inclusion in my students. I used audio recording in my presentations so non-reader students could access the information whenever needed. Also, I helped my student learn how to record their voices on a PowerPoint to eliminate the writing obstacles when it is different from the lesson objective. ![]()
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Professional Competency #13: Act in accordance with the ethical principles of the profession
Theory: EDUC 297 Internship II: Observation and Evaluation in Education
In EDUC 297, I practiced writing observation about my students. I learned how to be confidential by using pseudonyms names or initials. I also learned to write what happened exactly and to avoid interpretation of the situation when writing my observation. |
Practical:
I continued to use the same method learned in EDUC 297 in my seminars, where I did not share names. Moreover, I was careful to keep events private from my classmates who may have access to these schools or students. Also, by observing school staff, I learned that I would not share parents’ emails with the whole staff members during lunch as it looks unprofessional and breaks the parents’ confidentiality. |