Module 1: The Junior Learner

Introduction

This module was an overall introduction to the course and the age group. We began with a sort of diagnostic assessment activity to determine what we think we know about the junior learner. The following T-chart includes both pre-taskwriting and post-taskwriting, completed at different points in the module. Click to enlarge.

Theorists
For our next task, we utilized a webquest to explore learning theorists and link their theories to our belief statements about teaching.














Developmental Phases
I really enjoyed perusing the resources in the developmental phases section. The videos at http://www.learner.org/resources/series172.html
Although they were a little contrived, when focusing on the strategies and the actual practice, they were quite insightful. A questions that I pondered based on the resources were:
Question: How do we as educators ensure that each of our students finds relevance and therefore interest and value in what they are learning? With students of varying skills and needs, is it possible to point out relevance to each and every student?

Inclusion
Our next task was exploring inclusion through the article, What Makes a Classroom Environment Welcoming to New Canadian Students: Lessons Learned from the Alternative Teacher Accreditation Programme for Internationally Trained Teachers (ATAPTIE) by Susan Lloyd and Nancy Mark. We then posted inclusion ideas that could be used in the junior classroom. Here is an updated version of my posting:

Activity
We had a choice in this final section and I chose to create a developmental timeline for the junior learner. Looking back with all the knowledge I've acquired since then, I feel this could have been more detailed.