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Geo-literacy in the Classroom

As a lover of all things history I was excited to be able to take a course that centred around geography. It is a subject I have little experience in. During my practicum I did very little in my lessons that related back to geography and the movement of people. It was not for lack of interest but rather a fear of not adequately teaching the information in a manner that did justice to the topic. I am happy to say that after only three weeks of focusing on geography and its many relevant connections to history, I will be using geo-literacy within my future career. A part of me feels that I missed out on many valuable opportunities to connect content to knowledge with my students during my ten week adventure as a teacher candidate.  I know moving forward I will not miss those same opportunities in my teaching practice.

Geo-literacy focuses on three main topics: Interactions, Interconnections, and Implications. As a social studies teacher working within the themes of interconnection, interactions and implications it can be a relatively straight forward task. However, my experience during my three week geography course has indeed shown me that using the movement of people and commodities can unearth a new perspective for how we view history and connections between groups and individuals both locally and globally. Exploring those connections in a meaningful manner is something that geography has helped me understand more clearly. Using a number of different techniques and tools, I believe that I now have a skill set that will allow me to bring geography into the social studies classroom in a much more holistic and meaningful way.

My biggest take away from a geo-literacy perspective was just how much geography could be used in conjunction with social studies lessons. From the movement of people to why individuals are located in the areas they are, based on political, economic or social reasons, geo-literacy is beneficial to the educational development of students across the curriculum. Geography fits in with the new B.C. school curriculum in many areas. The emphasis on inquiry based learning allows for students to use different geo-literacy skills to develop their own interpretation surrounding the movement of peoples, and goods.

As I moved through the course I realized that a number of activities we did could be adapted to fit into a grade level more appropriate with the high school curriculum. Of particular interest to me, and something I can see myself taking into my own teaching practice, would be neighbourhood mapping and online video games (e.g. Field Studies and Simulations).

Neighbourhood mapping, or a field study, was used to look at the five themes of geography: place, location, region, human-environment interactions, and movement. Having students look at a neighbourhood that they live in, or near, allows them to have a better understanding of the world they live in and inhabit. Simple tasks like taking photos of the houses in the neighbourhood or keeping data of people that live in and/or work in the area can help to have a better understanding of the makeup of the area. For me, I found this exercise extremely useful as it forced me to look past the standard ideas of a neighbourhood and dig deeper into what factors make a neighbourhood unique with relation to place, location, region, human-environment interactions, and movement.

Attached are two examples of field studies relating to the five themes of geography (geog themes) (Geog 2017 -urban-land-use-and-neighbourhood-discovery-kate-j-travis-daniel-emily-e). 

This exercise directly relates to the following core competency for social studies – human geography 11:

A geographic region can encompass a variety of physical features and/or human interactions. 

As technology grows to be more and more prevalent in the classroom I feel that it is important to use it whenever I can to engage students in the learning process. Using simulation games in the classroom that can showcase weather patterns, climate change and the relocation of citizens due to the fight against global warming can have very powerful effects on the student body. Using a game like Stop Disaster (stopdisastersgame.org) as a tool to show students the implications of global warming and severe weather events puts them in direct control of the response to geographical issues. Another simulation game to be used is Third World Farmer (3rdworldfarmer.org). This looks at the effects on the agricultural sector of societies both pre- and post-industrial revolution. While both of these are educational tools, they also serve to keep students engaged in the learning process as they are using technology which undoubtedly holds their focus for the class. It shakes things up and takes kids into a realm that they are increasingly becoming more and more comfortable with. Fighting technology integration is, in my opinion , a losing battle . The more often we can use interactive technology within our spaces to assist in the transfer of knowledge, the more often we connect with new students of an increasingly technologically forward generation.

This exercise relates directly to the core competency for social studies – human geography 11:

Human activities alter landscapes in a variety of ways.

As I move forward with my career I know that my work in this geography course will have far reaching benefits to my teaching style. I have a greater appreciation for the movement of people and the interconnections, interactions, and implications that effect many social studies topics. I look forward to using what I have learned in this course in my own classroom knowing that it is adaptable and relevant to a wide array of grade levels and topics.

 

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My Educational Evolution

My journey into the Bachelor of Education (BEd) program began over a decade ago. Unhappy with the industry I was working in I decided to enroll in courses at Langara College to do general upgrades. While undertaking required courses my love for history was re-ignited by an eccentric professor who clearly loved his job. It was at Langara that I began to toy with the idea of becoming an educator.  Upon being accepted into the University of British Columbia I immediately began working towards completing the required courses to get into the BEd program. After graduating in 2014 with my Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree I took time off to focus on other ventures. I was burnt out from school and felt unsure of my path moving forward.

During my time off I started volunteering with Pathways to Education, a program that supports students on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. The work was daunting at first. Students were from low income families and were often dealing with a number of issues that far exceeded my training to that point. Although a learning curve, I was heavily supported by a great staff and fellow volunteers. By the end of the first week I knew that working with youth in an educational setting was something that I was passionate about. Within three months of volunteering I had applied at UBC for the2017 intake for the Bachelor of Education program.

The program thus far has been beneficial in preparing me for the career I seek after graduation. Having the ability to collaborate with fellow teacher candidates of all disciplines has greatly expanded my scope of understanding when it comes to education. My experience during the 10 week practicum teaching Socials 8, 9, 10 and 11 was very positive.  Having fellow teacher candidates to share the experience with has created lasting bonds built on mutual respect and strong academic collaboration that transcends past subject areas and focuses on the student bodies ability to understand and retain the information presented.

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My Educational Journey in 2017

My inquiry question focused largely around an incident I saw during my short practicum in November. During a grade 10 socials class a student called another student a homophobic slur. The incident went without reprimand, it shocked me. I immediately began to wonder how this unquestioned/unchallenged scenario affected the dynamics of the classroom. As an open member of the LGBTQ community I felt that this incident could never be something that happened in any of my classes. My research led me to the conclusion that confronting a student who bullies another in the classroom can have both positive and negative effects. The positive is that students are made aware that certain language is not tolerated in a classroom. This allows for healthy discussions about appropriate vocabulary and actions that are suitable in both the school and larger community that it services. If handled in a rash manner by the teacher the negative effects can be damaging to future relationships with students. My biggest discovery was how to address the situation in a manner that does not further enflame the issue.

When I entered my long practicum I was steadfast that classroom rules and expectations needed to be addressed and understood by all members within the space. Although it was obvious some students felt it unnecessary to rehash classroom rules half way through the school year I felt it important to forge ahead with my plan. After reading literature surrounding my inquiry question it was clear that one of the most effective ways to counter bullying/name calling in the classroom was to have a set of classroom rules that both students and the teacher create and agree upon together. The procedure to create classroom rules was done in three sections. First, students were asked to come up with rules and expectations independently from one and other. They were given a simple handout with prompts so that it may be less trying to think of rules they may need to abide by. After they completed their handout they were to discuss their rules in small groups and come up with three rules that they all agreed on. Finally, a class discussion was held where all rules and expectations were examined and decided upon. After the class had decided on what was expected of them a “classroom charter” was drafted and all students were asked to sign the official document. This simple step was brilliant in being able to refer to in the weeks that followed should anyone of my students stray from the rules or expectations that was agreed upon by everyone.

I was pleasantly surprised during my practicum that what I thought was going to be an issue turned out to be a complete non-issue in all my classrooms. I believe that the clear expectations set out by the classroom charter, created by all students, helped stop any issues from arising. I also believe that the generation of students going through high school currently has a much more tolerant view on sexual orientation and gender identity.

***For access to weekly journals completed during my practicum experience, please see the Journals link on the side menu***

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My Educational Commitments

The Principles of a 21st Century Social Studies Teacher:

Creating Inclusion Through Perspective

 

I believe that education is integral in developing the mind of a student so that they are aware of the communities that surround them. I will encourage students to take an interest in the social justice issues that are present within their local communities in order to foster well rounded, insightful citizens.

As an educator I believe that we have the power to create long lasting impressions on the youth we encounter in the classroom from year to year. As a social studies teacher I feel strongly that we are helping shape the citizens of tomorrow, today. By encouraging insightful discussion that question both sides of any given issue I hope to encourage pupils to understand that well thought out opinions and ideas are valuable and important, even if not necessarily agreeable to all. I will use my knowledge of events to provide perspectives from a vast array of cultures, ethnicities and social groups. Doing this will help influence students to find the relevance and connection between topics and their own lives and communities. I will be cognitive of current events and issues within the community I teach. This knowledge will provide me with the opportunity to engage youth in extra curricular activities, which directly connect them to the community outside of the classroom walls. Instilling within youth the democratic principles we are fortunate to embody as Canadians I hope to produce individuals that have an insightful thought process while recognizing that our multicultural society thrives on the diversity of every member within it.

I believe that school needs to be a safe space that is inclusive of all identities within it. I will be vigilant in providing a safe space in my classroom that encourages individuality in both thought and expression.

It is the right of every student and teacher that walks through the doors of a school to feel safe and accepted within that space. As an adult within the school system I will create an open and inclusive environment in my classroom to ensure that no youth ever feels alone. I will accomplish this by being active in the school community (ie. Gay-Straight Alliances, after school sports, lunch programs, etc.). Connecting with students in a friendly yet professional manner in the school will be paramount in building trust.  A fine line exists in balancing the complex relationship between teachers and students in a professional manner. Setting guidelines to ensure a working relationship exists between the teacher and students will be instrumental in balancing the connections I hope to achieve. By making personal connections I believe an environment can be created that embodies the principles of inclusivity and safety. Through an open door policy I will make myself available to any student or peer who is looking for support both academically or personally. I will work with existing programs and structures to foster an inclusive setting while always being open to developing new programs that encompass the needs of any individual seeking a safe haven from prejudice, discrimination or bullying.

I believe that the subject matter I teach students can and will be informative, interesting and unique. I will foster the open minds of youth while encouraging critical thinking to better prepare students for their role in communities by looking at various perspectives throughout history.

I will work hard to produce course activities and lesson plans that evolve from year to year while being sure to address the educational needs of my pupils. I will evaluate and reflect on techniques and teaching tactics that worked and failed in previous years. Once I have addressed the issues faced I will be active in reworking my lesson plans to counter the previous years shortcomings. I will not be stale in my practice as an educator. I will continuously seek out new, unique and interesting topics in the hope that students can connect fully with the material in meaningful ways. Working with a variety of individuals I will intertwine lessons with different perspectives in order to engage all students. I believe it is essential that a teacher seeks to expand the mind of youth by looking at multiple perspectives of the same story. I will face difficult topics head on, I will not shy away from having an educated and reasoned discussion surrounding issues that pertain to the students needs and wants. Working with students I will encourage critical thinking by helping develop the tools needed to succeed. I believe that questioning students to think outside of their zone of experience is necessary in the learning process. I will be willing to present bias opinions on both sides of any argument to ensure that a full discussion is held and students truly exhaust their opinions regardless of where it falls on the spectrum.

I will be open to new methods of teaching and the continued understanding of youth. I believe I can personally adapt to social changes, allowing my teaching methods to keep up with the changing practices of the profession.

As my career grows and develops I will seek out new information and ideas in order to stay current within my pedagogy. Being open to suggestions from my peers as to how better guide pupils through the education system is of utmost importance while in the field of pedagogy. Listening to the advice of fellow teachers who have extensive experience within classrooms will be essential to my understanding of social structures within schools. From the perspective of the student I will work to stay informed of current events and ideas which form their social settings. I will continuously look for advancement in technologies that can further enhance the education of youth. I will not be afraid of change. I will not be afraid to embrace a teaching styles that work for me. As an educator it is important to know what works best and use it to the advantage of yourself and your pupils. Our job is not to reinvent the wheel, it is to engage youth in exciting and relatable thinking that makes them a better citizens.

I believe I will create an educational environment that encourages thought provoking discussions, inquiry based development, and inclusion of perspectives that are often left untold. I will create a learning environment that is equal for all.

Within the classroom an environment of encouragement for individuality will be fostered and developed through positive reinforcement of diversity. Students learn at different rates, in different ways and with different mediums to accomplish the same educational goals. Students need positive encouragement to develop thought provoking questions that push them toward expanding their inquiry process, arguments, and conclusions.  As a leader in the space I will encourage my pupils to expand their existing idea of what education looks like and instead have them consider a process that works best for them. It will be important to set guidelines that all parties abide to in an effort to enhance and elevate the learning experience of all participants; I believe this is achievable. Working towards inclusion will be both my hardest and greatest task as an educator. I will work hard to ensure I am sensitive to the perspectives and opinions of everyone in the classroom environment. I will work everyday to make sure all voices are heard through complex discussions centered around multiple perspectives.

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My Educational Growth Continued

Reflect, Collaborate, Have Goals!

As I continue on my path as an educator I will work hard to constantly reflect upon my pedagogical practices. I believe that it was my process of reflection during my practicum that helped me grow as a teacher and become a better facilitator to my students over the 10weeks I spent in the classroom. Being able to reflect upon lessons that went well, needed alterations or outright failed made the process of facilitating much more effective. While reflection can seem tedious at times (especially during the BEd program), it is no doubt an effective way of seeing where you have come from and where you may be going in lessons, units and the school year as a whole. Perhaps what I found the most useful with reflections of my days and weeks was how I handled situations that arose with individual students. Being able to take yourself away from the situation and look at it from a distance is extremely beneficial. I learned early in my practicum that youth will test the limits imposed on them, how you as the teacher react is important to the classroom dynamics and the one-on-one relationships that are built with students throughout the school year. Having a written account of what transpired in the classroom becomes a very good tool to re-evaluate how you handled the situation when it originally occurred. Was the reaction justified? Did the punishment fit the offense? Should I have been more firm with my expectations? Was this issue as big of a deal as I made it out to be at the time? Was it clear to the student why I was frustrated or reacted in the manner I did? These questions and many more are answerable during the reflective process.

Being a part of the school community and collaborating with fellow educators will be another tactic I use to continue growing as a professional. Collaborating with my colleagues can be one of the most beneficial tools I use to create exciting lessons and meaningful units for my students. The expertise and creativity of fellow educators is remarkable.

Moving through my professional career it will be important that I continue to find new goals for myself. Accomplishing goals set out for myself has always been a priority for me. I am driven to succeed, do well and find new ways to improve. Creating both short and long term goals, year in and year out, will only help me grow as an educator. Achievable goals will also set in motion a purpose for my pedagogical practice as I navigate the world of a high school teacher. Setting goals and working hard to achieve them is a process I will work hard to actively accomplish as I move throughout my career.

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Week 9

I should have been phasing out this week; however with my SA in Europe for a school trip to Vimy Ridge I have maintained my full time status. I’m actually quiet glad it’s worked out this way. I am enjoying the extra time with students. Students really have been the highlight of this experience, the relationships I’ve formed with a number of students over the last 9 weeks has been profound.

This past week was busy. With a short week I felt that I had to fit in a lot of content.

My grade 8s are preparing for a field trip next week to a synagogue. I am looking forward to getting my feet wet with an off property opportunity. My SA and I will be meeting students at the synagogue on Thursday morning and bus back up to school with them after that. I have wrapped my explorers unit and am waiting for assignments to come into me on Tuesday. I am expecting a number of creative “Explorer Brochures.” Overall the students were less talkative than the week prior and I felt we were able to get a lot accomplished. I was working to set up a smooth transition for my SA who will be teaching more Canadian content. I ended the unit with a look at Cartier and Champlain and their contributions to the founding of present day Canada.

Grade 9s have been a lot of fun. We are just 2 classes away from wrapping my Fur Trade unit. I am amazed during this process how much I have adapted my unit structures. Originally I had planned to have 7-8 classes set aside of the Fur Trade. I have whittled that down to 5 classes and I feel content with it. Students are learning the difference between the Hudson Bay and North West Companies. We are constantly discussing the impact on First Nations Peoples and their role in the starting of what is now Canada. With the New France unit that preceded this we discussed a lot of overlapping facts. I feel confident the students are comfortable with the material surrounding New France and the Fur Trades impact on the future of Canada.

Grade 10s are continuing our WWII unit. Both classes have picked a different form of assessment. This coming week we will have both a test and a project due. I am looking forward to the projects that will be presented on Tuesday as they are focusing on major battles of WWII. Both classes had a very interesting class on the decision to drop the atomic bombs in 1945. Class discussion was diverse and robust. Students were diligent in examining the evidence and making sound decisions. It was a fun class to facilitate. I’ll miss my 10s the most when I leave.

I continued my discussion on First Nations issues in current day context by showing my grade 11s a very interesting documentary called “Cut-Off.” It is made by Vice News and shows how individuals live on the Shoal Lake 40 Reserve in Manitoba.  Students were responsive of the documentary and our discussion following was very interesting. I felt it was a documentary that students would relate to as it is so recent. I felt that it was a positive choice to show this documentary.

Highlight of the week: My current event. I looked at Malala Yousafzai  as she recently became an honorary Canadian citizen. I asked all students to tell me as many facts as they could about Malala. It was very surprising to see the level of knowledge surrounding her. It also gave me a great opportunity to reinforce that regardless of age, gender or obstacles you can be successful. Students can make a difference. It was a very positive and nice way to start classes.

Goal for next week: MARKING!!! So much marking! Also, try not to be too sad its all ending. I’ll miss a number of the students and staff when we say goodbye.

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Week 8

This week was an improvement from last. I feel that students were settling back into the routine of classes and school as they start the final push towards the end of the school year. I felt that it went very fast, too. My SA left for Vimy on Thursday and I have been working with a TOC. Its always interesting and insightful to hear the opinions of other educators. I think this is a positive experience for me to go through during my practicum.

My grade 8s were very talkative this week. I had to talk with them both classes. On Thursday I kept two students behind who were especially bad. We had a productive conversation about respect and what that looks like in a classroom setting. I let them know that this was their warning. If the issue persists they know they will be moved to new seats. This week will tell all for those two. I remain optimistic they were serious with their apologies and acknowledgement of the issue at hand. They are both very good students. They engage in classroom activities, ask insightful questions and do well on all assessments. They just talk A LOT!

This week also saw me dealing with the school counsellors over a student in my Socials 8. I held a pop quiz and structured its timing so that the class had just worked on a review together. Students did well with the class average at 10 out of 12. The student in question got 2 out of 12. He is an ELL student and I have been told his parents speak no english at home. I pulled him aside this week and asked him if I could do anything to help him, moving forward. He was clearly ashamed of his lack of understanding of english and would not look me in the eyes while we talked. He continuously said he did poorly due to a lack of attention to class material. I do partly believe that statement, however, it runs deeper than that. After talking with the counsellor it became clear that this student had fallen through the cracks and was in classes that are too advanced for his level of english. I have talked with my SA about this and I am hoping to spend a bit more one-on-one time with him in class. I hope that next year is a turning point for him. He needs more support.

My grade 9s were my highlight. They did well on their tests for the New France Unit and we quickly jumped into the fur trade with a lot of excitement. It was nice to tie the two concepts together. Students seem to really be making sense of the timeline. I’m going to be sad to say goodbye to the grade 9s. They are a lot more work due to the large class size but they are fun to interact with. They get excited about the content.

Grade 10 was moving deeper into the social issues of World War II. We looked at The rise of Hitler, Anti-semitism, Japanese aggression leading to pearl harbour and finally Japanese interment in Canada. Students like this content. I think its one of the first units they can actually connect with. Maybe a grandparent or great-grandparent lived through the event and they’ve previously been exposed to it in some context.

I have created a bit of work for myself by allowing each of my grade 10 classes how they want to be assessed for this unit. Of course one class picked a test while the other chose a project. The decision to be assessed in a format they pick was, I think, a powerful exercise for them as students. The project has been introduced and students seem excited about it. I will give them one more work class this week to prepare for their presentations.

This week also saw an exchange student come right out of this shell. He is from Germany and he clearly connects with the material for this unit. I think prior knowledge is a huge confidence booster. We examined the Rise of Nazism this week and the student was more engaged than ever before. I hope this week sees the same level of engagement with the material being covered.

Finally, the 11s. I feel that this class is my least engaged. They are all great students, very respectful and many are very talented in other areas of academia. Yet, I just cannot seem to crack them, I thought I had them after week #7 but I am not so sure after this week. Their level of energy is always so low. I find it hard to get them excited.I am going to get them moving this week. Up and out of chairs. Working together. I am going to use my same timeline activity from my 10s two weeks ago but this time focus on events of the entire 20th century. I am hoping movement sees a change in their classroom engagement.

Highlight of the week: Talking to the counsellor about my grade 8 student. I trusted my instincts and I got it right. I want to help this student and I think any information the school obtains is vital. I hope my conversation with the counsellor further encourages administration to take appropriate steps in getting this student into the classes that will help him further his understanding of topics at hand and the english language.

Also, talking with students about Kendall Jenners pepsi ad and comparing it to protests in reality. It was very interesting to hear students perception of the situation.

Goals for this week: Finish strong! 8 days to go. I want to wrap up units in the next 3 classes of each grade. It will be ambitious but I can do it. Looking forward to the challenge.

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Week 7

I will not lie. This week was tough to get through.

I think that both students and teachers had a hard time getting back into the groove of academic life after our two week hiatus. My students were exceptionally chatty this week, especially the first two days.

My classes overall went very well. My grade 10 classes were my favourite of the week. I started my WWII unit with both classes and students are very engaged already. Its a topic that most students can find some interest in. I am excited to keep moving forward with this. I was observed by both my FA (formally) and my SA (informally) for the Introduction lesson of WWII. I must say that I was nervous with the outcome of the lesson as I was asking the kids to create a blind timeline of events for a topic we had not discussed yet. I was pleasantly surprised with both classes. Students seemed to really enjoy the activity. I asked for feedback from both classes, the majority of students enjoyed the exercise and found it useful to the beginning of the unit.

My grade 8s have been a test of classroom management this week. This class has been the most chatty during our first week back. The students asked for a new seating chart before Spring Break and I obliged them with one on Monday. Overall, I am happy with the placement of students and how we have reconfigured desks —I think we finally found a happy medium where all students can see the white board and I am not trapped in a corner. With the change of seats come a new amount of chatter. I am okay with it to a level but have often had to remind the students to keep the volume low. I am hoping that this coming week students will have less to talk about now that they are established in their new seating chart and school is truly back in full gear. My SA observed me in my class on Friday. It went very well. Students have just finished a mini-unit on Reformation and Martin Luther, it was productive and my SA witnessed our final class on the topic with a very thorough review of the material covered. I am happy with the students progress.

I did learn that religion is a very interesting topic for these students. During my lesson on Wednesday we often seemed to veer off track as students questioned a number of issues surrounding all world religions. While it was an informative discussion I am happy to have, it did not fit with my timeline so I had to cut it short. I wonder what students retained when they did their World Religion project in November when I was on the short practicum. A number of questions seemed as if students really did not understand the basics of some religions. This is obviously understandable as they are only 13 and religion is a complex issue, however It makes me think that having group projects where one set of students only focus’ on one topic is not overall great for the learning process of everyone. Just a thought I had…

My grade 9s have been my hardest workers. They have fallen right back into the work cycle and continue to impress me with their knowledge of New France. Their ability to recall information during daily reviews makes me believe they understand the content and are eager to learn. This coming week both my grade 9 classes will write a quiz on the topic as we prepare to study the Fur Trade and its implications on Canadian history next week.

I took my biggest risk with my grade 11s this week. I have formatted the class to have different lecture topics each class while students work at home on one research paper. I have chronologically began working my way from 1945 up to the present day. This week was focused on the late 60s and early 70s. On Friday I held a class on LGBTQ+ history. I started with Stonewall and ended with Bill C-38, Canada’s recognition of same-sex marriage equality in 2005. I used primary sources and an interactive lecture to facilitate the learning process. Students read a conservative newspaper article the week after Stonewall in 1969. It was littered with discriminatory language and condescending remarks directed at homosexuals. Students were asked to answer a serious of questions about the document as well as highlight any language they thought was offensive. It worked well. I took the advice from early in the week and had the article on a powerpoint as well as individual handouts for students. It made teaching it much easier with one large visual for the whole class to dissect. We discussed Harvey Milk, the AIDS epidemic and finally legalization of same-sex marriages in Canada. I decided to out myself to the class during this lecture. I thought it was necessary for both them and myself in order to have a truly authentic discussion about the topic. I wanted them to know that not only is this an important topic but it also holds a deep personal meaning to me. When students were dismissed I felt very happy with my decision to lead the class in the manner I did. I am used to students saying goodbye and thanking me when class is over at this point in the practicum. I do not expect it but it seems to be a trend, many students have very good manners. This class was different though. I had two different students come up to me and thank me for talking about the topic. Both students said they felt it was a necessary topic to cover and one that schools often only brush over. One of the students even said I was brave to come out to them. I did not do this lesson for me, it wasn’t and isn’t about me. It is about the students and their lives, their struggles, and their confidence regardless of sexuality or gender. I want to be a teacher because I believe I can make a difference. On Friday I felt like I made a difference and that makes me proud.

I am looking forward to the following week. With only 3 weeks left I am starting to wrap up my final units and prepare to hand classes back to my SAs. I am going to continue trying to have my students move around. Changing up desks and students was very rewarding last week, it brought new discussions and debates to the forefront. I wish I had been doing this earlier in the practicum. Now that I know I can get more out of students when they are in groups that do not just include their friends I will use the technique more.

Highlight of the week: My grade 11 LGBTQ+ class. Students were engaged and asking great questions regarding the topic. Having students come up and thank me after class nearly made me cry (I held strong). It was truly a moment that made this whole practicum and academic process seem completely worth it. I felt like I made a difference.

Goals for next week: More wait time for student attention in grade 8. Continued engagement of my grade 10s while we unwrap WWII with interactive lessons. And survive 🙂

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Week 6

This week was interesting. With Spring Break looming it was obvious during the latter part of the week that students had mentally checked out.

The start of the week was smooth and business as usual. I wrapped two units and have successfully started a unit with my Socials 9 group on New France. My Socials 8 and Socials 10 classes each had unit tests. I was happy with how I administered the tests as well as the results from students. In each class a couple of students did poorly, this was nothing more than a reflection of their commitment to the course material. I was not surprised by any of the results.

Overall the week has been all about adapting. Multicultural lunch day, Collaboration day and a Safe-teen talk with my grade 9s has meant I am rearranging lessons to cater to the events happening in the school. I wonder why they have packed so many “alternative” days into one week, it has caused extra work for teachers (or maybe just teacher candidates) and students have been easily distracted. I feel that some of that distraction comes from Spring Break starting on Friday, however, having the last week of classes be interrupted so frequently has surely contributed to student disengagement.

My grade 11s were my toughest class this week. On Tuesday we worked so well together. Research papers were developed and students actively participated in question and answer sessions. By Thursday the tides had turned. It was near impossible to get any involvement out of them. I tried small group discussions, whole class discussions, working in pairs…NOTHING! It was by far the most frustrated I have been in the six weeks of this practicum. I maintained my composure but internally I was struggling. I think the issue was a combination of unclear learning objectives from me and their knowledge that Spring Break was nearly here. It didn’t help that I assigned work to them that was due at the start of class. Once that was handed in I had lost the class. At least thats how I felt. The students and I have a good rapport and overall the class was pleasant, I just could not get them to do any work. It took all of my patience to get through that class. I am hoping that was an anomaly and it does not become common place moving past the break.

We had our mid point meeting this week. I was very happy with the outcome of it. I realize that I have been too hard on myself during this process. This is honestly just me, I have very high standards for myself. I want to be the best I can be at everything I do.

After Spring Break I will be focusing on the feedback I have received from my SAs and FA. I will work on my content and the amount I put into my lessons. Less is more! I will focus on my wait time and guiding students rather than telling students.

With six weeks down I am feeling good about where I am at. I still have work to do but I feel up to the challenge. Spring Break will be a nice chance to recover from the busy six weeks we have just have and refocus on the finish line. I am ready for the last four weeks!!

Highlight of the week: While conducting one on ones with my grade 10s I was expressing to one student how much I appreciated his contributions to class. He responded by telling me that he thought I was doing a good job as a teacher candidate. It was nice to hear this from a student.

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Week 4

My week was busy! At 80% load factor I definitely felt the pace pick up. My 8’s had a test and an assignment due last week. I suddenly had a substantial amount of extra work to complete on top of lesson planning. I managed to finish marking it all and it will count towards their term 2 marks. I’m happy with my time management skills thus far. I am maintaining the pace of the program while staying ahead or on top of all my commitments. I feel confident moving into the next 4 weeks of 100% load factor that I can succeed.

I feel most comfortable with my 8s. I believe it has to do with my SAs choice to give me full reign over the class. Outside of evaluations and the odd changeover after breaks I have been largely left to my own devices with the students. I appreciate this. My SA and I are in contact everyday at some point.

This previous week I gave the students a Machiavellian Test (which I catered to their level of understanding) unbeknownst to them. I covered it as a simple survey from administration. I asked them to not place their names on the survey but instead draw a unique picture they’d remember if they ever saw the forms again. After they filled out the surveys I showed them part of a documentary on Machiavelli and his infamous book the prince. Towards the end of the clip the documentary starts to ask questions that the students had answered earlier in the class. It was oddly rewarding when they all clued in to what had happened. I told the class they could either take the test with them or leave it nameless and submit it to me to go through the online test. The response was great and I am happy to say the majority of my students fall under the low machs category of the test. Its nice to know they do not feel like they have to be ruthless leaders to succeed in the world. That same class I had one on ones with students to give them their quiz marks from the previous week. Having the one on ones was a really good tool to build more rapport with some students I’ve yet to really connect with during class time. I’m happy with the decision to use the documentary as a way to teach but also allow give me time to conduct one on ones.

My 9s were a work week. I rolled out a current events project that is due Monday and Tuesday. I am excited to see the work they produce. On Friday I held four students back after the bell who came into class with food from the cafeteria 5 minutes after the bell had gone. Upon reflection I wish I handled it a bit different. I should have given the students a chance to tell me why they thought it was a good time to go to the cafeteria before my class. Instead I told them it was unacceptable and I would not tolerate it in the future. This would serve as their warning. I remain steadfast that I needed to let them know I was not happy with their choice, yet I should have heard why they made the choice. Lessons for the future incident.

Grade 10s and I seem to work well together. I was nervous taking them on. Much more so than the 9s the previous week. Yet, here I am one week in and most excited about our week ahead. The course content is the first that I am teaching something I studied during my undergrad. I have a group project planned for a one day lesson which is a bit more interactive. I look forward to seeing how that is met with students.

Moving into the first week of my full load I am going to continue to focus on time management and staying ahead of myself by at least three days. I am looking forward to starting the grade 11s and rolling out their Inquiry project that we will work on for the next 4 to 5 weeks.

All in all, I am feeling very optimistic going into week five.

Highlight of the week: Going to a Boys Club meeting. Joining the Tennis program at school. Having students say “goodbye” and “thank you” to me at the end of classes 🙂

Goals for next week: Stay positive. Have fun. and Teach.

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