Sep
5
First day of School
Posted by: Natasha Chiang | September 5, 2012 | Leave a Comment
It is completely different being in school learning about how to shape a classroom and assume the teacher’s role (in approx. 14 months!!). This had been a program that I’d dreamt of attending, as a first step, for years and years and years of my undergraduate. It wasn’t because I knew what to expect.. but I knew in my heart that I wanted to be an educator and that the first step into that career would be by completing this bachelor’s in education.
I loved my first day of school. It was my favourite first-day-of-school, and I usually love all of mine. The first day I walked into Jamieson Elementary school was confusing, and I don’t remember much of it (because I didn’t know enough English to encode that memory properly?); the first day of the UBC Transition Program was overwhelming because we were told that we would speed through the Gr.10 curricula in three month’s time; the first day of UBC was less overwhelming because I was used to the campus; the first day of our Busolwe (Ugandan) kindergarten was coloured with uncertainty and improvisation..
Today, we took a dive into our course content. The framework of the program is centered around both practice and theory, and it is a unique experience identifying some of my past experiences working with children and youth using some new terms and concepts we discussed today. During our discussion about diverse learners, I contrasted the students I worked with in Vancouver versus those from Busolwe; and during our discussion about literacy and language learning, I reflected on the learning needs of all my ESL students at the Academy. We were, and will continue to be, challenged to identify and/or reconsider our biases, assumptions, convictions, and strategies in our teaching philosophy. I am truly excited to grow as a teacher! There is so much to learn!
The best part about today was that I learned with other students and teacher candidates who love kids, and teaching, and self- discovery, and all have similar sparks of passion for learning and discovery that I have always had.
Jul
30
teaching tidbits
Posted by: Natasha Chiang | July 30, 2012 | Leave a Comment
Teaching is about the dynamic: every mood, focus, and student’s motivation. I am tested on my patience every single day. My triggers are: students acting out, not taking their work seriously, constant disruptions, a tedious slow-progressing day, sleepiness. But peace is: seeing students adopt good work habits, respectful attitudes towards others, and confidence in their own ability to do well. Thinking about the positive outcomes allows me to stay constant and maintain as unaffected as I can be by the negative moments in my teaching day.
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Outgoing students are easily distracted by external stimuli—that is more controllable and measurable than students who are extremely passive in their learning. Shy students tend to be distracted inside, as if they withdraw (e.g. daydream, are distracted, etc.).
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When a student cheats, he gets a big ZERO in my book because even if he got 100% on that particular assignment, it means nothing.
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Teaching is repetitive, structured like any other job, but it has more outcome. To me, it is very satisfying. It requires me to serve as guidance, practice humility, patience, love, and support, and requires me to be the best person I can be, to model good citizenship and good work habits for my students. I am too often tempted to give up at times, but I keep teaching as a form of investment in their futures, because I believe it makes a difference.
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However distraught I am, tired or distracted, I stay strong. I have been sleeping early, eating healthy, and being the best me I can be, so that I am a happy, witty, encouraging teacher for my daily classes.
May
15
“Is it that you can’t, or that you don’t want to?”
Posted by: Natasha Chiang | May 15, 2012 | Leave a Comment
I am reading LouAnne Johnson’s “Teaching Outside the Box”. In one chapter she refers to the question that her mentor once asked his student: “Is it that you can’t, or that you want to?” He challenged his student to replace all his “can’ts” with “don’t want to”. The statement, “I can’t solve this problem” becomes “I don’t want to solve this problem”, which is usually false for most students. They do want to. They just don’t have the confidence or assertiveness to attack the problem and solve it. It is must easier to go with “I can’t”.
Today my student told me he “can’t be a leader”, and that his homeroom teacher always tells him so. I asked him, do you really think you can’t, or do you simply not want to?
No one wants to fail at anything. I know he wants to be a leader, to be trusted with responsibility. He just always assumed he “couldn’t”. So, he took on an apathetic attitude towards everything he tries. He lets things he tries disappoint him because he expects to disappoint. He shows indifference to protect himself from “failing”, which he assumes he will do if he tries. I told him that he must not take what his homeroom teacher assumes, to be his own assumption.
Today he realized he could (do anything), as long as he acknowledged that he wanted to.
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