Unit 2: Evaluating Resources: Authentic vs non-authentic materials

 I chose two video clips that outline the difference between authentic and non-authentic materials. I thought I understood both clearly but as I watched the videos I realized that I had never considered that flashcards, word searches etc. were not authentic! I suppose I hadn't really thought too much about it but I would have thought that if they were connected to the content and created by the teacher that they would be authentic. I needed to think of authentic as materials that are not primarily meant for the classroom but that can be used in the classroom to enhance, engage and provide application of the skills taught in class. I really see the importance of incorporating authentic materials into the classroom.

Video 1: Authentic vs non-authentic materials
Video 2: Authentic vs non-authentic materials

Unit 1: Developing materials and copyright

This is definitely a challenging area, as there is a fine balance between wanting to share resources that you know will support learning and monitoring what can and can't be shared. I think that the Copyright Matters! booklet(see resources for link) put out by the Government of Canada should be a document that teachers keep on hand at all times when planning units. There is a little more leeway and freedom since the amendment in 2012 but it is still essential that teachers review the document prior to using materials in their original format. I think that we are fortunate to have all the accessibility to video and audio recordings that we do now to use in our classroom. I also appreciate being able to look on line for starting points for lesson plans, with a few tweaks to meet the needs of my class I can save time by adapting materials that already exist.






Noel, W., & Snel, J. (2016). Copyright Matters!: Some Key Issues Questions & Answers for Teachers. Council of Ministers of Education, Canada. Retrieved from http://cmec.ca/Publications/Lists/Publications/Attachments/291/Copyright_Matters.pdf

At the end of this unit/course I spent some time reflecting on what I had learned (the link is at the end of the post). There was some new learning that I wasn't expecting or looking for and some validation for past practices. I learned about proficiency tests, holistic and analytic rubrics and through the course posts, the myriad of ways students interpret and express their learning.
As educators, that moment when one says 'I know all there is to know about teaching' is the moment when a teacher needs to retire-regardless of age. For I believe that we are in this job because we value learning and know that it is a never-ending quest. A quest to find the right way to get our message across,  the need to add or change a lesson plan to make it more engaging or to find more information to expand the thinking of our students. This is the purpose behind formative assessment. We analyze what our students know or don't know and plan our teaching accordingly. It is not just about the destination (summative assessment), it is about the journey (formative assessment).

Self-evaluation