Before entering the classroom as a Teacher’s Candidate, I knew that I wanted to inspire curiosity and adventure in students … like Ms. Frizzle from The Magic Schoolbus. How I was to achieve this goal was … fuzzy.
The practicums have been a key learning tool for me. I have written and taught many lesson plans in many subject areas. I learned that preparation, hard work, and practice make lessons go smoothly. I have learned strategies for catching and holding the students’ attention, redirecting students, and using repetition techniques to encourage deep learning.
I love to get the students outside. After my practicum, my students said their favourite lesson was an egg drop that I developed as part of a lesson on gravity. We spent the majority of the class outside, and the students were engaged, competitive, and smiling.
I have found that my art background is useful when developing cross-curricular as well as ADST lessons.
My language skills have helped me create relationships with students who are either shy or building confidence with their use of language.
I am learning how to be inclusive—to meet the needs of all students. As the practicum went on, I got better and better at recognizing and addressing students who were struggling or who were not paying attention. I believe that all students deserve attention and the benefits of a useful lesson. I come from a minority group in a large country with a central government that legislates a common language for the country. As my language and culture are pushed aside, it makes me sensitive to others who have or are facing similar struggles. I am, for instance, very aware of how aboriginal peoples are working tirelessly to save, teach, and in some cases reimagine their cultures.
I am a good listener, so I gained a lot of useful advice about how to improve.
I have a strong appreciation for different cultures. For example, I have been successful at integrating aboriginal art and story into some lesson plans.
Now, I know that to engage the natural curiosity and sense of adventure in students, I need to be well-prepared, knowledgeable, hands-on, outside, creative, attentive, and observant. I know that I am in a constant state of learning, so although I have a much better idea of the type of teacher I am, I am still evolving.
