Hello, this post intends to connect my E-Portfolio contents and the completion of my goals to the BCTC Professional standards. This post is for those purposes only, so if you would like to dive deeper into the actions I took to complete my goals and see evidence of my learning, please visit the other posts present in this e-portfolio that I created for EDCI 330.

Action Plan Goal:  Increase my knowledge of and ability to assess student learning

BCTC standard 7: Educators engage in professional learning

BCTC standard 3: Educators understand and apply knowledge of student growth and development.

A large part of being a teacher is assessing and reporting student learning. Therefore, I outlined how I would increase my knowledge of this topic as one of my action plan goals this semester. I had developed a basic understanding of multiple assessment models from my course that I took previously as part of my Bachelor of Education Program at UVic. However, I had yet to take a deep dive into the concept. The first step I took in increasing my knowledge of student assessment was to examine multiple report cards and compare them with a few of my classmates. This proved to be a valuable learning experience; not only did I discover examples that matched up with my pedagogical values, but I also found examples that were contradictory to my beliefs. I found that taking parts from the ones that I liked and the lessons that I learned from those that were not my favourite furthered my knowledge and did so in a real-world example. Furthermore, I wrote multiple papers on assessing learning to demonstrate some of my understanding and give myself a resource for the future. Additionally, I created numerous evaluation tools myself for the same reasons I listed previously, displaying my learning and creating tools I can use later. By conducting this research and fulfilling my goals, I engaged in professional learning to help me in my career as a teacher. Furthermore, I was able to increase my knowledge of student growth and development.

Action Plan Goal: Increase my confidence using educational technologies (EdTech)

BCTC standard 7: Educators engage in professional learning

BCTC standard 1: Educators value the success of all students. Educators care for students and act in their best interests.

We live in a world that uses technology constantly, and teaching is no exception to this technologically advanced world. Therefore, I set out to increase my confidence in using technologies that I can use for teaching and learning, often referred to as EdTech. I explored multiple digital tools and used many of them to complete my assignments this semester (I’m doing it right now). One aspect of digital technologies for learning that I fell in love with was making learning more accessible. Inclusion is the driving force behind my pedagogy, so you can imagine how thrilled I was to discover so many new ways to include a more diverse range of learners. By developing new skills and knowledge that I can use in my career, I engaged in professional learning. Additionally, because I discovered new ways to support a broader range of learners, I displayed my commitment to valuing all students’ success and acting in their best interests. 

Action Plan Goal: Work on my visual art skills

BCTC standard 7: Educators engage in professional learning

BCTC standard 6: Educators demonstrate a broad knowledge base and an understanding of the areas they teach.

When I entered my post-secondary career to become a teacher, I was pretty confident in learning the core subjects’ content requirements, ELA, Math, & Science. Still, I was pretty nervous about some other areas, art in particular. I took one art class in my first year and another in my second, but I still felt I lacked both skill and knowledge in the area. Therefore I set high goals for myself this semester to increase my knowledge and skill in visual arts. I registered in an online course, and I 15+ hours each week studying art theory and practicing drawing. I am pleased with the abilities I gained. But, the actual progress I made was discovering new things about the learning process. I learned about learning because I reflected on my prior knowledge of education that I gained the last three years as I learned new skills and gained new knowledge. By engaging in this act of self-improvement and reflection, I was engaging in professional learning. Additionally, I was broadening my knowledge base of the areas I teach.

By achieving the goals outlined this semester, I feel like I met many of the BCTC standards for educators. Furthermore, I gained skills and knowledge directly applicable to teaching, and I look forward to implementing them during my upcoming practicum and beyond.