Educators implement effective planning, instruction, assessment and reporting practices to create respectful, inclusive environments for student learning and development.

Clear connections to the curriculum and competencies are important to me. Previous to the UNBC B.Ed. Program, I do not recall having been told what the learning target of a course or assignment was. Essentially, I would do the assignment for the assignment’s sake and get on with life. However, when I entered the B.Ed. Program, and was told for the first time what I was aiming at, the learning suddenly became much more relevant. Although it was not easier, the learning was more meaningful because I knew and understood what specifically I was trying to show. Due to this experience, I find that sharing the learning intentions with my students and being extremely transparent with them is helpful. When the students understand why they are doing something, and how it connects to the larger picture of their lives, they are much more likely to buy into the process.

This may seem obvious, but in order to do it successfully, a teacher needs to be fully prepared and planned in advance. As much as the UNBC lesson plans seemed tedious the first few times I used them, they became more valuable to me as I started explaining the connections in my lessons to students, and like former me, the students became more engaged when they knew what was going on. They had more ideas about ways they could show their learning and became invested. Therefore, I believe that effective planning is essential to all teaching and learning.