EDPR2000 will focus on the development of professional understandings and relationships within the school community. YEAR ONE (EDPR2000) placements begin in the winter semester and are one day per week, followed by a three-week culminating experience. All dates are subject to change based on Ministry of Education, school board or local health authority regulations. All portfolio submissions will be done electronically to ensure safe delivery to Practicum Facilitators and Mentor Teachers, and to provide TCs with valuable experience in working with online presentation formats.
What does this mean in practice?
- Teacher Candidates will have responsibility for participating actively in the work of the school for 100% of the school day.
- Participate in a wide variety of experiences (e.g., working with full class, small groups and/or individual students)and different school settings (divisions, non-classroom, rotary, ELL, special education, etc.).
- Deconstructing their understandings of teaching and learning with a focus on links between theory and practice.
- Facilitating classroom transitions.
- Co-plan and co-teach with the mentor teacher.
What documentation will be required for successful completion of the practicum?
- For EDPR2000, the Teacher Candidate (TC) will be responsible for conferencing with the Mentor Teacher (MT) throughout the semester to discuss progress relative to the Learning Outcomes for the semester, update the Mentor Teacher on the status of the Portfolio of Documented Evidence, share concerns, address challenges, set personal objectives, and plan next steps in support of the TC’s achievement of the learning objectives during the EDPR2000 practicum experience. Ongoing conferencing between MT and TC ensures that the TC is on track for successful completion. For TCs who may be deemed at-risk, both MT and TC should contact the York Practicum Facilitator and review the Mentoring & Teaching Resource Room (MTRR) for information http://mtrr.blog.yorku.ca/practicum-resources/teacher-candidates-who-are-at-risk/.
- Creation of a Portfolio of Documented Evidence is required. The Portfolio should be viewed and assessed as evidence of the process of achieving the learning outcomes rather than as a culminating project or product.
- The Mentor Teacher and Teacher Candidate will confer to create the MT/TC Conferencing Report. The TC and MT should each retain a copy. The Mentor Teacher is asked to email a copy to the Practicum Facilitator.
What might a portfolio look like?
Year-ONE-Learning-Outcomes_Portfolio-of-Document-Evidence
What is the rationale for this type of assessment?
-
Today’s TCs are the teachers of tomorrow. They will be responsible for self-assessing their professional practice and their learning needs for professional growth and development. The Ontario College of Teachers (n.d.) Standard of Professional Practice requires that members refine their professional practice through ongoing inquiry, dialogue, and reflection. It is important that teacher candidates begin this process of reflection, inquiry, and dialogue from the first day of practicum.
- The Ontario Ministry of Education’s (2010) Growing Success document lists guiding principles that apply equally well to teacher education. The Portfolio of Documented Evidence supported by ongoing conferencing with the Mentor Teacher respects these principles of assessment by ensuring that the process leads to enhanced and expanded understandings and achievement of the learning outcomes in a manner that meets the “interests, learning styles and preferences, needs, and experiences” (p. 6) of all TCs. To this end Mentor Teachers are asked to “provide ongoing descriptive feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful, and timely to support improved learning and achievement” (p. 6) throughout the semester and to encourage TCs to develop “self-assessment skills to enable them to assess their own learning, set specific goals, and plan next steps for their learning” (p. 6).
- As learners who are developing their self-assessment skills, Teacher Candidates require ongoing support and guidance from Mentor Teachers whose experience and mentorship instills confidence in the learner, affirms the TC’s growing understandings, provides support to address challenges, and guides next steps for continued development.
Should you have any questions, please contact your York University Practicum Facilitator.
Please click on the links to see a sample of the Conferencing Report. A blank fillable PDF version is also provided.
IMPORTANT - Please first download and save a copy of the blank Conferencing Report before completing it. This will allow you to save a completed document.
After completion of the form, please save to your computer. These reports do not upload to the Faculty from this site and will not be saved in the MTRR after you have exited.
EDPR2000 Documented Evidence- Support Document
EDPR2000 Conferencing-Report - Updated
SAMPLE - EDPR2000 Conferencing Report
SAMPLE - EDPR2000 Conferencing Report
