Introductory Field Experience Final Evaluation

Field Experience Information:

Student Teacher:
Last Name: McIntyre

First Name: Miranda

ID Number: 1462186

Course Number: IFX325

University Facilitator:
Last Name: Fargey

First Name: Elizabeth

Mentor Teacher:
Last Name: Boulay

First Name: Greg

Placement Information:
Start Date (dd/mm/yyyy): 16/11/2015

End Date (dd/mm/yyyy): 18/12/2015

Subject(s) and/or Grade Level(s):Language Arts 6, Social Studies 6

School Information:
School Name: Eastview Middle School

School District: Red Deer Public School

School Address: 3929 40th Avenue

Postal Code: T4N2W5

School Phone #: 403-343-2455

City: Red Deer

Distribution:
Students should retain a copy of the Final Evaluation form for their own records. Please note that
potential employers may ask for a copy of this Final Evaluation.
A copy of this form will be emailed by the University Facilitator to the office of Undergraduate Student
Services, where it will be retained for a period of three years; no other copies will be retained by
Mentor Teachers, University Facilitators or employees of the University of Alberta without written
permission of the Student Teacher.
It is recommended that the Student Teacher receive a grade of:
Final Grade (Credit or No Credit):

credit

Date (dd/mm/yyyy): 18/12/2015

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The purpose of this Field Experience Final Evaluation document is to provide evidence and
communicate information regarding Student Teacher performance based on the Knowledge, Skills and
Attributes (KSAs) for Interim Certification.
For each category, the Mentor Teacher should provide comments that reflect strengths and areas for
growth in each category. Evidence and specific examples should be provided.
You do not need to fill the space provided; recommended length is 200-300 words per category. Write
only enough to provide necessary evaluation and evidence. Please do not exceed the space provided, as
lines of text that extend beyond the text box will not appear on printed copies; there is space for extra
comments at the end.
Use the KSAs and suggested topics as they relate to the category to guide your comments; not all need
to be addressed.

Description of the school and context of teaching

Suggested Topics (Not all need to be addressed): school size, urban/rural, special programs, class size, special needs students in class,
number of teachers, etc.

Eastview Middle School is a school of 700 students from Grades 6-8. The classes are grouped together
to form 2 pods per grade. Miranda taught in the Avengers Pod in Grade 6. Eastview is an urban school
in Red Deer with an average class size of 27-28 students. It is an inclusive environment where students
of varying ability levels take part in the regular classroom setting. There are a number of EAs in the
school who assist students who have specific learning needs in the classroom.

Fall 2015

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Preparation, Planning and Organization

Related Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (Not all need to be addressed):
KSA A: Teachers understand that contextual variables affect teaching and learning.
KSA C: Teachers use the Guide to Education and the programs of study to inform and direct planning, instruction and assessment.
KSA D: Teachers understand the subject discipline they teach.
KSA E: Teachers know how to identify students different learning styles and ways students learn and create multiple paths to learning for
individuals and groups.
KSA F: Teachers know how to translate curriculum and desired outcomes into meaningful and incrementally progressive learning
opportunities through short, medium and long range planning.
KSA M: Teachers identify and incorporate relevant learning resources into their teaching.
Suggested Topics (Not all need to be addressed): curriculum expectations, content knowledge, lesson plans, organization, time
management, diverse learning needs, etc.

Miranda took time to familiarize herself with the curriculum outcomes for Social Studies and Language
Arts. She ensured that the curriculum expectations were posted on the whiteboard for each lesson in
LA, and she posted the curricular outcomes for the entire Social Studies unit on the bulletin board in the
classroom. Her lesson plans explicitly addressed the curricular objectives, and she was able to adapt the
expectations in her lessons to enable students with different learning needs to be successful. Frequent
questions and discussions with her mentor teacher confirmed that she had a good handle on content
knowledge for each subject. Specifically, Miranda was able to utilize the help of an EA during Language
Arts to be able to work with students in regards to editing their expository, descriptive, and narrative
paragraphs. The EA was also utilized to help clarify understanding for students with different learning
disabilities.
Mirandas lessons followed the Madeline Hunter format for lesson design. She had an anticipatory set,
time for direct instruction and guided practice, as well as independent practice and closure. She was
able to bridge her lessons together, and used her time efficiently. She was able to organize her lessons
and plan using the school calendar in the agenda. This enabled her to have built in time to re-teach
various concepts after evaluating formative assessments. For example, after initially teaching about
government services in Social Studies, Miranda took in a quiz and determined that she would need to
spend more time reinforcing that specific part of the curriculum. She went about planning remedial
activities to strengthen the understanding of students. Miranda was able to tier the final assessment in
Social Studies as well to allow for kids with lower reading levels to manage the test. She also allowed
for a reader, extra time, and a scribe to be provided for students who needed it.

Fall 2015

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Teaching Skills and Strategies

Related Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (Not all need to be addressed):
KSA A: Teachers understand that contextual variables affect teaching and learning.
KSA D: Teachers understand the subject discipline they teach.
KSA E: Teachers know how to identify students different learning styles and ways students learn and create multiple paths to learning for
individuals and groups.
KSA F: Teachers know how to translate curriculum and desired outcomes into meaningful and incrementally progressive learning
opportunities through short, medium and long range planning.
KSA I: Teachers know and use a broad range of instructional strategies.
KSA J: Teachers use both traditional and electronic technologies to meet students learning needs.
KSA M: Teachers identify and incorporate relevant learning resources into their teaching.
Suggested Topics (Not all need to be addressed): learning strategies, sequencing/timing, flexibility, instructional strategies, use of ICT,
differentiation of instruction, student interest, cultural sensitivity, pacing, lesson/unit plans, etc.

Miranda demonstrated a good degree of flexibility in her teaching; she was able to handle the day-to-day
interruptions during class time in a professional manner. Also, because she was able to teach the same
lesson two times a day, she was able to quickly evaluate how well things went and then make
adjustments for the next lesson that afternoon. She was able to take suggestions from her mentor teacher
and quickly turned them into goals for herself. She learned to adjust and allow for sufficient time for
students to complete tasks, as well as work with individual students who had frequent absences from
school.
Miranda started out her teaching here at Eastview by inquiring about how students learn. She distributed
a sheet to each student asking how they learn best, and she used that sheet to inform her planning for
each specific class. She was able to see the variety of reading and vocabulary levels in the classes that
she taught, and took part in learning about Fountas and Pinnel benchmarking with the LAC.
In Language Arts, Miranda demonstrated good content knowledge and showed great ability to guide
students through various tasks such as formatting dialogue. Likewise, in Social Studies, she made efforts
to be sure that students were engaged in discussions, and was always positive and encouraging towards
them. She remained involved during independent work periods by monitoring and providing feedback
and praise to student efforts. She also grew in her ability to anticipate potential questions about
assignments, and addressed them as part of her direct instruction and guided practice. Frequent checks
for understanding were evident each day. Also, Mirandas use of the Red Deer City website was an
example of the use of a relevant learning resource that she incorporated into her teaching.

Fall 2015

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Management and Classroom Climate

Related Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (Not all need to be addressed):
KSA A: Teachers understand that contextual variables affect teaching and learning.
KSA G: Teachers create and maintain environments that are conducive to student learning and understand student needs for physical,
social, cultural and psychological security.
KSA H: Teachers know the importance of respecting students human dignity by establishing relationships with students that are
characterized by mutual respect, trust and harmony.
Suggested Topics (Not all need to be addressed): class tone, routines, rapport with students, conflict resolution, student engagement,
leadership, transitions, etc.

The use of a listening cue to get the attention of students was a key thing for Miranda. She was also
quick to re-establish the classroom rules and expectations of her mentor teacher. She established a
rapport with the students quickly by introducing herself and giving a presentation on the smart board
about her family and interests. She endeavoured to learn the names of students as quickly as possible
and learned to wait until she had the full attention of students before proceeding with a lesson.
The climate of the classroom was always one of encouraging students to learn, and Miranda displayed
very good conflict resolution skills. She was able to deal with students respectfully but firmly when
needed, and she continued to reinforce expectations throughout her time at Eastview. This was apparent
with one student in particular who displayed inappropriate behaviour. Miranda took him aside and
removed him from the situation by having him stand to the side while continuing with a class activity.
After the student had calmed down, she spoke to him and was able to successfully re-engage him in the
class.
Through constant use, Mirandas voice as a teacher gradually became louder and she was able to use it
to increase student focus. Miranda also made a point of keeping students busy with sufficient amounts
of work to decrease down time and potential disruptions. Students that finished work early always had
something else to work on. Specifically, Miranda used her own handouts as well as the NEWSELA
website for extra work for students.
Miranda has also made strides in her assertiveness with the classes that she has taught. Although she
was proactive in her use of a listening cue, she became aware of the number of warnings she was giving
to help maintain focus during various activities, and after realizing that it was too much, grew in her
confidence to enforce expectations more quickly. This also served to preserve an environment
conducive to learning, and showed the students that she means what she says. Another example of how
Miranda monitored the classroom climate was how, after a frustrating day, Miranda expressed
disappointment with student behaviour at the beginning of the next lesson. The students responded well
and made extra efforts to participate in class.

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Communication
Related Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (Not all need to be addressed):
KSA H: Teachers know the importance of respecting students human dignity by establishing relationships with students that are
characterized by mutual respect, trust and harmony.
KSA J: Teachers know how to use and how to engage students in using traditional and electronic technologies to present and deliver
content, communicate effectively with others.
KSA L: Teachers know how to develop and implement strategies that create and enhance teacher, parent, and student partnerships.
Suggested Topics (Not all need to be addressed): oral and written language, communication with parents/guardians, listening skills,
teaching/learning technologies, voice and language, etc.

Miranda has made a point to communicate her expectations clearly with students. She has allowed for
projects that involve technology, such as an inquiry based project on local government services in Social
Studies. She has also made use of spellingcity.com for spelling quiz reinforcement and has made use of
the smartboard in her lessons. Communication with parents was done in part through the homework
website. She has also had an opportunity to email parents directly to discuss behavioural changes on the
part of particular students. These emails related to things such as parent requests for feedback on
behaviour due to changes in medication, to relaying discipline issues with particular students.
Miranda has grown in her ability to pace herself and change her level and tone of voice when
communicating important items with students. She has learned to use a certain amount of wait time to
ensure that she has everyones attention before continuing to give instruction. She has also learned to
continue to give lots of repetition of instructions. Miranda also understands the need for a brain break
with students, and she allowed them time to refocus for the next class. She made a point of doing some
fun activities such as dancing and singing silly songs. This allowed for a further connection with the
students.

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Assessment Strategies
Related Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (Not all need to be addressed):
KSA K: Teachers gather information about their students learning needs and progress by using a variety of assessment strategies.
KSA L: Teachers know the importance of engaging parents, purposefully and meaningfully, in all aspects of teaching and learning.
Suggested Topics (Not all need to be addressed): appropriate questioning, adapted assessment, assessment variety, record keeping,
formative/summative, reporting, timely feedback etc.

Miranda has made use of formative and summative assessments in her time here at Eastview. She has
used her formative assessments to guide her instruction. One particular example was her initial quiz on
government services in Social Studies. Based on the marks she saw with students, it became apparent to
her that she would have to revisit and teach some concepts again.
As another formative strategy, Miranda gave feedback only to students in Language Arts in regards to
their paragraph writing. This was intended to have the students focus on areas they needed to improve
on in their writing, so that growth could be measured on their next assignment.
Miranda was able to have access to the various accommodation and modification checklists that are used
here at Eastview. These documents show the various strategies that are employed to help students in the
classroom and in testing. Miranda was sure to stay on track with the various accommodations already
being made for various students in her classes.
Miranda did not have any direct conversations with parents about student grades, but she was able to
enter marks into the gradebook online in a timely fashion. This has been a key form of communication
with parents so that they could stay current with their childs marks. Miranda also used the homework
website to her advantage, so that parents could see when assignments were due. This also allowed
parents to see when there would be upcoming quizzes and tests.

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Understanding Students Needs

Related Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (Not all need to be addressed):
KSA E: Teachers know how to identify students different learning styles and ways students learn and create multiple paths to learning for
individuals and groups.
KSA F: Teachers know how to translate curriculum and desired outcomes into meaningful and incrementally progressive learning
opportunities. Teachers understand the need to vary their plans to accommodate individuals and groups of students.
KSA I: Teachers know and use a broad range of instructional strategies and know which strategies are appropriate to help different
students achieve different outcomes.
Suggested Topics (Not all need to be addressed): Planning that includes all students and learning styles, alignment of strategies to student
needs, use of varied resources to differentiate instruction, assists all learners, understands contextual variables that affect teaching and
learning, etc.

There are a number of students with various learning needs in the classes that Miranda has taught. She
has been able to see which students need both modifications and adaptations made to their assignments,
in both Language Arts and Social Studies. Miranda did not have to modify any curricular objectives, but
learned to adapt her lessons and her assignments to allow for individual student success. Some of these
adaptations included preferential seating, use of EA assistance, having a reader for exams, adjusting the
design of summative assessments, granting extra time to complete tasks, and reducing the amount of
work expected on a given curricular outcome.
Miranda was able to balance her lessons with a variety of instructional approaches. She has made use of
debate, inquiry questions, direct instruction, movement and music, as well as games to keep students
engaged in class.
Another strong move by Miranda was her strategy with her seating plan. She grouped students together
in the first week so that strong students could sit with students who were weaker in order to allow for
some informal peer teaching and modelling to happen. This worked to Mirandas advantage because it
allowed for students to continue to engage in learning that was not always teacher directed, and it did not
call attention to the fact that a student may not know something, thus maintaining student dignity.

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Professional Qualities and Attributes

Related Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (Not all need to be addressed):
KSA B: Teachers understand the legislated, moral and ethical frameworks with in which they work.
KSA H: Teachers know the importance of respecting students human dignity by establishing relationships with students that are
characterized by mutual respect, trust and harmony.
KSA L: Teachers know the importance of engaging parents, purposefully and meaningfully, in all aspects of teaching and learning.
KSA N: Teachers know the importance of contributing, independently and collegially, to the quality of their school.
KSA O: Teachers assess the quality of their own teaching and use this to develop and implement their own professional development.
KSA P: Teachers guide their actions with a personal, overall vision of the purpose of teacher and they are able to communicate their
vision, including how it has changed as a result of new knowledge, understanding and experience.
Suggested Topics (Not all need to be addressed): work ethics, interpersonal skills, collegiality, initiative, energy, team work, attitude,
appearance, commitment, reflection, etc.

Miranda received the staff handbook upon arriving at Eastview to familiarize her with emergency
procedures, expectations, routines and schedules, and overall vision of teaching here at the school. In
the time that she was not teaching students, she was able to observe other classrooms and subjects being
taught. Miranda observed Grade 7 Science, Foods and Fashions, Art, and Grade 6 French. She has
volunteered to supervise extracurricular activities such as the Eastview Winter Concert at Red Deer
College, as well as to assist other teachers in the Culture Club here at the school (this included running
the activities herself for a day). The EA in charge remarked that she was impressed with how well
Miranda handled a group of all boys.
Miranda has shown herself to be a real team player. From the very first week, Miranda was ready and
willing to take on 50% of the teaching load, for a total of 4 classes (2 Language Arts and 2 Social
Studies). This showed a great amount of dedication, readiness and confidence to meet a challenge head
on. It is obvious that her volunteer experience within the Gateway Christian School has been of great
benefit to her.
Miranda also took part in staff meetings and PD sessions put on at the school with presenter Tom Hierck
entitled, Uniting Academic and Behaviour Interventions: Solving the Will and Skill Dilemma.
Miranda showed a keen interest in participating in staff discussions and made a good impression on
teachers and administrators alike. She has shown herself to be very prepared and organized, and has
demonstrated a genuine interest in students, even including student names in her examples on the
whiteboard.
It is very apparent that Miranda loves being in the classroom and working with the students. She has
taken the time to have positive interactions with students at lunch hour and in the hallways, as well as
during her observations in other classes. Each day, Miranda dressed in a professional manner, and her
overall demeanor was very approachable. This served to give a lot of reassurance to the students.

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Reflection and Self-Evaluation

Related Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (Not all need to be addressed):
KSA O: Teachers assess the quality of their own teaching and use this to develop and implement their own professional development.
KSA P: Teachers guide their actions with a personal, overall vision of the purpose of teacher and they are able to communicate their
vision, including how it has changed as a result of new knowledge, understanding and experience
Suggested Topics (Not all need to be addressed): establishes specific strategies to meet professional goals, demonstrates oral/written
reflective practices, engages in goal setting, communicates overall vision of teaching, etc.

Miranda was able to reflect on her lessons with her mentor teacher daily. She was also able to make
adjustments very quickly and applied them to her very next lesson. The ability to teach the same lesson
twice a day was a huge opportunity for Miranda to apply what she learned and show growth in her
teaching. Miranda also wrote daily reflections on her lesson plans of how things went on the back of
each lesson. These comments included her successes, areas for improvement, as well as questions,
discussions, and the notes that she received from her mentor teacher.
Miranda has expressed that she did not realize how much work goes into teaching, but that she still looks
forward to becoming a full time teacher. That statement alone reveals how much care and attention
Miranda puts into her work. It was evident that she gave her best effort in everything that she did.

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Additional Mentor Teacher Comments:

It has been a privilege to have Miranda working in my grade 6 classes these last 5 weeks. She has
maintained a terrific attitude and work ethic throughout each week, and was always willing to learn. She
possesses many qualities of a great teacher and is well on her way to becoming just that. I would have
no hesitations about endorsing her for any teaching position she applies for. She will be missed here at
Eastview.

Student Teacher Comments:

I am grateful for the opportunity I received to teach in such an incredible classroom. The environment
was extremely welcoming and I felt my relationships with the students grow every day. I will never
forget this memorable time in my life and having such a great mentor teacher helped me grow in so
many areas. My areas of strengths that I have grown in are my teaching voice and assertiveness. One
thing that I have improved on immensely with the advice/guidance of my mentor teacher is giving more
examples during my instruction for assignments/handouts. One thing that I would still like to improve
on that has been a learning curve for me is knowing exactly when I should shut down an activity if the
students are acting out instead of giving them continuous warnings. I am walking away from my third
year practicum as a stronger teacher. This experience has been amazing and I am truly going to miss this
school and teaching when I go back to school.

Fall 2015

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