Reflective Teaching Toolbox

After reading several chapters assigned by our course instructor on the topic of reflective teaching, we were asked to respond to the readings using any method that we chose. Typically, I would have felt most comfortable writing a paper on my understanding and experience with reflective teaching. I felt prompted to step outside of my comfort zone and respond in a way I had never done before. I decided to express my understanding by creating a collage. What would have likely taken some people an hour or two to create their "masterpiece" seemed to take me forever...I seemed to put so much thought into ensuring I represented my thoughts with the pictures and I was worried that whoever viewed the collage would perhaps not understand my rationale for some choices. Then the "lightbulb" moment came...The wonderful thing about reflective teaching is that it can mean different things to different teachers at different times...It would be alright if whoever viewed the collage didn't "get" everything I was trying to express in the representations...The viewer would get what they needed or wanted.

Integrated Curriculum Unit of Study-Ducks

Please see the photos below depicting the integrated unit of study our group created for grades one and two as a requirement for the course Literacy In The Early Years II. Thank you to fellow group members Tammy Jeffery and Carla Butt.

The "Hook"...A duck wearing socks and underpants...A character from the e-story "Ducks Don't Wear Socks"

Some 'Egg-cellent' texts to share with the class

Writing...labelling the duck and an anchor chart for students to use as they write

Poems, assessment tools. storysacks to share with home, and children's writing Ducks Have...

Ducks Can... Ducks Are...

Math games to use at center time, Word wall words, and a shared reading text

Life cycle of a duck, more books to share, math games, duck feed for children to explore,

parent letter outlining unit on ducks and plans for field trip to Ducks Unlimited