TO IRP, OR NOT TO IRP...that is the question!

How does the IRP help and/or hinder you as a beginning teacher?

As I read through the Integrated Resource Package for the first time, I couldn’t help but feel intimidated.  The lengthy lists of what teachers should consider while teaching English Language Arts, specific Prescribed Learning Outcomes and detailed diagrams left me with an overwhelming feeling of anxiety.  

I didn’t realize there were so many areas to consider when formulating a lesson plan for teaching language arts.  After a week or so of letting this information soak in, I decided to read through the IRP once again.  My experience the second time around was a little different than the first.  Yes, I still felt intimidated, however, this intimidation eventually lead to relief.  Relief that there is a resource for new teachers to get ideas from and PLO’s to base their lesson plans around.  The information presented in the IRP is intended as a guideline for teachers to work around and to help them “develop their school practices and plan their program delivery to meet the needs of all learners” (IRP, p. 11).  The rest of the work is up to the teacher.

I feel as though the IRP encourages individuality and creativity to emerge from teachers, rather than hindering it as other structured documents may do.  That’s not to say that all new teachers will allow their creativity to shine through during their first few months of teaching, in fact, most new teachers will be intimidated by it.  The general nature of this document, allows for some wiggle room, which may put a lot of pressure on new teachers to perform in a certain way.  Often times a structured lesson plan is the crutch they need to root themselves into their new position and find their confidence as a teacher.   

Each and every teacher has their own ideas and teaching methods and the IRP is a means to guide them in whatever direction they choose to go in.  The general nature of this resource package allows for new teachers to take ideas from it and use their imaginations to create engaging teaching methods and lesson plans, which will result in children of different backgrounds, abilities and interests, to continue developing strong language art skills.  This is who today’s ELA students are, which is another reason why the IRP is so significant and helpful for new teachers.  

Prior to reading the IRP, I was aware of the diversity in the classroom, however, I was not familiar with the different ways to accommodate children depending on their individual needs.  Although it only touches on this subject, such as working with the Aboriginal community, children with special needs and ESL students, it offers alternative resources designed specifically for teachers who haven’t had much experience in this area.  Often times in documents such as this, alternate resources are mentioned, however, they do not always prove to be beneficial.  In this case, they are extremely helpful and offer valuable information on how to approach these situations. 

The IRP also mentions that the curriculum “has been designed to create opportunities for greater balance and integration” (IRP, p. 8) in ELA, which I find very exciting.  It also touches on the ways in which teachers can incorporate the six language arts: speaking, listening, reading, writing and viewing.  As a future teacher, I found this extremely interesting as well as helpful.  When I first thought about teaching ELA, I thought it was necessary to follow a structured curriculum, teaching the six language arts separate from one another.  After beginning our ELA class, I realized that you can teach children language arts without them even realizing it, which has proven to be even more beneficial.  Language arts can be incorporated into all subject matter, just as the IRP points out (IRP, p. 18), allowing the complex ideas they encounter in other subjects to come to them easier, allowing them to “advance through the grades” (ibid).

Who today’s ELA students are and how they learn:

When I think about who today’s English Learning Arts students are, the first word that pops into my head is: diverse (just like my background!).  This has come up numerous times throughout the discussions in our ELA class.  Every child is an individual who learns differently and at a different rate than everybody else.  In the Physical Education class we are taking we were presented with a variety of games that can altered depending on the ability of the child.  If the goal of the game was met, for example, such as hitting a large target, a smaller target took its place.  This created an alternative challenge for the child.  If the student was unable to hit the target, and this proved to be enough of a challenge, the larger target would stay as is.  The same goes for language arts.  

In order for students to become successful learners, teachers must adapt their teaching method in response to their diverse needs (IRP, p. 26).  The teacher must be completely present within the classroom and take it upon themselves to form a relationship with their students so they get an overall sense of who they are and their capabilities.

It is the teacher's responsibility to make sure each of their students is having a beneficial learning experience within their classroom.  Another way for the teacher to understand the needs of the children is to ask them.  Having the opportunity to participate in decision making about their learning, while engaging in the classroom community (voice) and having options (choice), are two important elements the teachers should always offer their students (IRP, p. 26).  These two crucial elements can also be reinforced at home, by family members.  

The IRP explains that family members can support learning by encouraging their child/grandchild/sibling to use the six language arts in the context of real life (IRP, p. 11).  In our class discussions we have mentioned how conversation around the dinner table, for example, can prove to be an extremely encouraging activity and teach children about oracy. The parents/caregivers could ask questions about what they are learning about at school or a book they are reading.  Because the classroom is what children associate with learning, they won’t feel as though they are being taught a lesson.  The parents/caregivers may not feel as though they are teaching one either, but this interaction is important for their child’s development in ELA, which is carried forward into the classroom.  Many people may not view this as a beneficial approach to teaching language arts, but that may be because reading and writing were the privileged language arts of the past; the essentials to a higher education.  That may still be true, but they are no longer the only essentials or the most important ones.  Oh, if only educators knew then what we know now!