Category: Education 2017

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.

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***

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.

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.