Teaching and Learning: Foundations

The following global ideas guide the design and delivery of this course:

• Teaching and learning are interdependent processes which are integral roles of classroom and community support practitioners.  Teaching is the act of providing opportunities for learning; learning is the adaptation to changes in situations, information and interactions.
• Teaching and learning are lifelong activities which occur across all life domains and environments.
• Individuals are unique in how they teach and learn.  Classroom and community support practitioners can enhance the teaching and learning processes by identifying, recognizing, respecting and responding to learning characteristics of the people they support.
• Effective practitioners plan strategies to maximize the learning potential of each situation, adapt and use unforeseen opportunities and experiences, and rely on their intuition in responding to changing contexts.  Their awareness of their personal teaching and learning styles increases field effectiveness.
• Observing, recording, interpreting and reporting are the basis of effective teaching and learning.
• Planning, implementing, evaluating and revising are integral elements of teaching and learning.  Positive approaches, methods and language are bases for skill building and enhancing individual self esteem, self worth and self -confidence.
• The principle of caring underlies the classroom and community support practitioners actions and interactions in all aspects of teaching/learning and supporting individuals as they become active, participating members of their communities.