Grade 1 Project Reflection

The kindergarten and Grade 1 students at Tremblay Elementary School were learning about animals and their habitats. The teacher of this class is a friend of mine and she sent me photos and this brief description of the project:

As a summative assessment, students were tasked with choosing an animal and creating a diorama of that animal’s habitat. They were asked to consider the physical environment, and to include both a shelter and a food source.

There was no written component to this task; instead, students gave an oral presentation in which they described their animal and the habitat they had created.

The photos show that students clearly understand what a habitat is. I believe this summative assessment was effective because it allowed students to demonstrate their knowledge in a hands-on and engaging way. In speaking with their teacher, I learned that this approach is especially valuable for younger students, as their developing literacy skills shouldn’t limit how we assess their understanding of subject matter.

This type of project also allows for a great deal of differentiation. Students were able to choose and cut out pre-printed elements included in their habitat or use available materials to create additional items. For example, some students made logs with holes or dens for their animals while others colored and cut out trees. The level of detail varied between students, but when combined with the oral presentation, it gave the teacher a comprehensive understanding of each student's grasp of the material.

This is exactly the kind of project I would use in my future classroom.

By the end of Field Experience I, you will develop strong observational skills that ask deeper questions about teaching, learning, and school culture.

During field 1, I believe I have developed strong observational skills that allow me to ask deeper questions about teaching, learning and school culture. Being in the unique position of currently working as a Grade 3/4 teacher, I was able to connect what I observed in the videos with my own practice. Each day, I found myself reflecting on how the teaching strategies I saw might translate into my own classroom when I return next week.

This experience has reminded me how valuable it is to step back and observe, not just what is being taught, but how it's being taught, and why. I’m looking forward to my next field placement in a classroom setting, engaging directly with students and continuing to learn from experienced teachers. There’s so much to learn from seeing how experienced educators adapt their approaches, respond to student needs, and refine their practice over time.

One thing that has become clear to me is that teaching is always evolving. What works well for one group of students might not work for another, and that’s okay. Teaching requires flexibility, reflection, and a willingness to try, fail, and try again.

Even with three years of teaching experience, this field experience has been humbling. It’s shown me just how much more there is to learn. The more I observe and reflect, the more I realize that growth in this profession is continuous, and that’s something I find both challenging and exciting.