I am officially done my two week practicum, and it was so much more than I expected! I am excited to be back at UBC this week so I can see and connect with all my peers however it will take some getting used to. I will definitely miss all the students in my class and all the daily routines but it will be really nice to compare and share my experiences with my cohort. This week started off a little different as I had my formal observation Monday afternoon, I was extremely nervous and didn’t know what to expect. I was being observed during my SEL lesson on the book the dot, I had planned it weeks in advance and felt confident with the material I was going to present. However I made some last minute changes and one of my students wasn’t having the best day. As one can imagine this made for a very interesting lesson and had both successes and challenges. The students enjoyed the story and the video they watched, most were engaged and attentive. The activity that followed the read aloud also went well especially because I shared with them my example and a little bit about me, the final dots turned out nicely and most students completed the activity on time. Some of the challenges were connecting my video with the overall theme of the lesson and asking the “right” connecting questions. I also struggled with one student’s behaviour and the use of my language and direction with him. I was very patient and offered him choice both of which didn’t resolve the issues fully. As a result of this experience I now have some new tools and strategies that I can try with this student, I look forward to trying them in the future as well as building a stronger connection with this student. Overall the lesson was a learning experience and that is what the two week practicum is all about so in my eyes it was a success, things are never going to be perfect and I need to come to terms with that. Attending the pro d day at the inquiry hub was also lots of fun and full of inspiration and intrigue. I found one of the speakers particularly inspiring, he spoke about the teaching profession with great respect and dignity and reminded all of us of our responsibilities as future teachers. He shared a personal experience about his son that reinforced the idea that each student we will teach is an individual and has particular strengths, challenges, interests and personalities. In order for me to be the best teacher I can be I need to remember that each student is different and that’s what makes my future career so special I will have the opportunity to learn, teach and connect with so many unique and inspiring individuals. I know this is not an easy task but I am in for the challenge, it is my own personal responsibility to be an equitable teacher and one that embraces difference, one quote that I feel says this best is “every child is a different kind of flower and all together, make this world a beautiful garden”.