It is now time to take a look back on the past twelve months of my BEd. So here we go!

1. Where have I come from?

 Looking back on where I was last September is harder than I thought it would be. It seems like it was years ago, rather than just over 11 months. The only valuable experience that I had in classrooms was when I was a student myself. My volunteer experience prior to the program took place outside of the classroom.

Growing up, I always loved school. I loved reading, writing, and just learning in general. However, looking back now, I did not just love learning, but doing well. I was that student that liked seeing straight A’s on my report cards; grades were very important to me. Even when I was in elementary school I remember always wanting to get a perfect score on my spelling or math tests. I thought that the majority of teaching involved a rigorous academic approach. Looking back at my favourite teachers, there was a common thread
that links them together. These teachers made school fun and engaging, but I remember learning a lot. That is why I chose teaching as my profession, because of those memorable teachers who made school an enjoyable, but challenging, place to be. They created environments where it was easy to enjoy learning and provided support to succeed.

  2. What are my educational commitments?

Like I said before, I used to put almost all of the weight on academics. I now realize that there is so much more to teaching than having students master content. In our Classroom Community class one article we read strongly resonated with me. The article spoke about each student’s “potential goodness” and the process a teacher went through to help a student realize their potential. Today it seems as if every other day there is a new tragedy on the news where the headline also centres around discrimination. I feel it is so important to bring different perspectives into the classroom to help students understand at an early age that the world has so many different, exceptional people and cultures in it. Compassion and empathy are learned emotions and teachers have a responsibility (or commitment) to teach them.

As important as it is to teach compassion and empathy, it is also important to do so in an environment where students feel safe and respected, not just by the teacher but by each other. I do not just mean safe from harm, but safe to question, explore, and engage with their learning.

3.How will I practice?

Over the last year we have been exposed to many different values, beliefs, and methods in our courses and from our different school advisors. There are three ideologies that have stuck with me and are ones that I hope to continue grow with as a professional and implement in my classroom.

From my teaching philosophy…

Over the course of my practicum I saw how valuable Place-based learning is. My students were shown what their environment has to offer them as individuals and as a community. We also explored how it was important to groups in other times. Place-based learning creates cross-curricular opportunities and can also put the teacher in the ‘learner’s seat’.

As I begin my career, I am constantly looking for tools and resources to help foster student learning and engagement and technology can help. When accessible and used correctly, technology can help with assessment, communication, and engagement. Incorporating new technologies in the classroom, whether it be in the form of an app, online presentation tool, or online portfolios, can have a steep learning curve for teachers and students alike. Once those barriers are crossed, teachers can have more tools in their ‘toolkit’ to help differentiate instruction and create a flexible space for student learning.

Finally, I believe that teachers have a social responsibility to help students learn empathy. This could look different class to class, but the core value remains the same. Teaching students about different perspectives and beliefs will help build respectful and generous communities. I feel this is extremely important in today’s society because children can be overexposed to media, violence, and aggression. Creating an environment of inclusion and empathy in a classroom will help students grow into inclusive and empathetic adults.

         4. How will I continue to grow professionally?

This last year I had the privilege to be a part of a group of exceptionally kind, passionate, and generous people. I consider the new friends that I have made in this profession the greatest resource I have. When we were planning for practicum, the casual conversations, shared projects, and overall support showed how much we can learn from one another. We all come into this profession with different strengths and weaknesses and there was such a willingness to encourage one another. I am so proud of my new friends and all they have accomplished and I look forward to sharing ideas and finding our places in the education community.

I was able to attend STA Convention in Surrey because of my practicum placement. I was so surprised at the variety of workshops that were offered for teaches. There was everything from “Yoga in your Classroom” to “How to cope with bullying in your classroom”. It was a tremendous opportunity for me and my fellow TCs. I believe teachers have a responsibility to capitalize on opportunities given to them to ensure that a Pro-D day is meaningful.

Lastly, I plan to grow professionally by taking risks. It is important to try new things and push oneself in order to continue to learn and grow. Taking risks creates opportunities for meaningful learning for one’s students. I tried to challenge myself during practicum by trying out risky ideas/lessons that I thought had potential and by implementing new technologies; some were successful, some were not, and others were learning opportunities that allowed me to reflect on what I would change and adapt for the next lesson.

Well that is all for this chapter! Now let’s see what September brings!

Now that my time here with SD 52 is coming to a close and I have had the opportunity to visit more schools, I have noticed some similarity in many of the classrooms. Many of the classrooms do not have desks! Instead, the class is set up with large tables and the students supplies are in bins around the room or in the middle of the desks. Now, I did not visit every elementary classroom, but the majority of the primary classes I saw were set up this way. One teacher even had students choose different places to sit throughout the day. I can see the appeal of setting your classroom up this way. There is increased mobility, flexibility, and all of these transitions would be more fluid. Setting classes up this way also increases more choice and autonomy at an earlier age. Students are more readily able to explore different working environments. They can easily choose to work with a group, in partners, or individually. I would very much like to explore this set up one day when I have my own classroom as it is quite different from my own teaching experience thus far.

One of the most unique places I went was the Sensory Room. I had never heard of a room with this purpose before. It creates opportunities for students who have varying abilities and challenges to explore different physical environments and to challenge themselves with respect to both problem solving and their fine and gross motor skills. Perhaps what was the most interesting is the different types of support needed within the room. Some students needed to imagine that the room was a “Minecraft” obstacle course in order to engage with the room, others dived right in without any prompting. The Sensory Room is an adapted learning environment for students who need it, but is then further adapted to the needs of individuals as well.

Another highlight from our time here was assisting during the National Aboriginal Day Celebrations. Unfortunately, the weather pushed us inside, but it was still an exciting day nonetheless! We helped run a complimentary coffee and snack station, which gave us opportunities to interact with members of the community. We were lucky to be able to take breaks and view some of the performances. The student drumming was my favourite. It was wonderful to see students performing with such pride and enthusiasm. We also had the pleasure to meet some of the Role Model students. This is a great program for all students to be inspired from. Seeing people who have been in your shoes and gone on to find success can be very inspiring and motivating. Events such as these, can greatly impact a community by helping to foster pride and belonging in a safe and positive environment – there is a place for everyone.

Well, that is all for now! Thank you Prince Rupert for letting us choose our own adventures and for making us feel so welcome! Hopefully we will see you again soon.

As my second week up in the Pacific Northwest comes to a close, I have come to a deeper understanding of the different kinds of support that the school community needs to provide for its students here. All of my classes at UBC discussed the difference between equity and equality. We explored equity and equality with respect to differentiated instruction based on students’ academic needs, but barely touched on the fundamental needs of students, such as food and clothing. It has been truly inspiring to observe the efforts that both the school district and individual staff members put forth to take care of their students. I have seen boxes of granola bars in teachers’ bags, washers and dryers to clean clothes, and even heard of a teacher who keeps racks of clean clothes that were left behind in the Lost and Found Bins for students who need them. Perhaps the most remarkable part of this is the humility that exists behind these acts; it is just part of the job here.  It has been a very humbling experience to see how schools work tirelessly to meet more than the academic and social needs of the community.

I have also had the privilege to sit on two meetings with the Aboriginal Education Department. Helping Teachers have been going through old resources and updating them to make sure that the units are authentic with correct spelling, naming, and accurately reflect BC’s New Curriculum and the First Peoples Principles of Learning. The district really emphasizes community through Aboriginal Education. The Clans and Crests are represented throughout the units and the schools and if a student or teacher does not belong to a local Clan, they become members of the Butterfly Clan. It has been a very educational experience to see how to incorporate the FPPL in an authentic way that is very inclusive to all students. The school district here not only acknowledges the Clans that its students come from, but celebrates them as well. The practices of the Aboriginal Education Department here in the Pacific Northwest could very easily be translated to other districts as well and I look forward to finding opportunities throughout my career to relay what I have learned here so far.

Almost finished our first week in Prince Rupert with School District 52! It is quite a change from the large district I have been with so far. One thing I have noticed, even in the short time that I have been here, is the emphasis on community. On Tuesday, my peers and I had the honour to help paint a rainbow bridge. It was wonderful to see teachers, counselors, administration, city officials, and of course, most importantly, students, coming together. I think it is important to acknowledge the work that went into making the rainbow happen. The rainbow bridge was the product of a year’s worth of effort between dedicated school officials, students, and the city. My fellow CFE students and I are very lucky that our time here happened to coincide with the actual painting.

Another amazing aspect of SD 52 is the emphasis on outdoor education. In the past two days I went on two outdoor excursions, one with an early primary class, the other with a middle school class. It was great to see how successful outdoor education can be with all grades. Both ages were exploring and interacting with their environment, asking questions, being physically active, and having fun! With the middle school class, I really appreciated the “choose your own adventure” opportunities the students were given.  Some students stayed at the beach and swam in the – extremely cold! – lake, some sat at the campfire with a book, a few went fishing, and a group joined me and another adult on a short hike along a creek. These opportunities help build the sense of community not just within a classroom, but on a larger scale. Students create memories and build connections to the place in which they live, which will help them grow into responsible citizens.

I am beginning to feel very grateful for the opportunities we have to be involved in. Like the middle school class, my peers and I are choosing our own adventures for our time in Prince Rupert. I’m looking forward to another week filled with rich and diverse adventures!

Also, here’s a shot of the finished bridge!

As my time in classrooms is coming to a – hopefully relatively short! – pause, I have found myself looking at participation with a much wider lens. Student participation is not just limited to verbal participation. There are countless ways that students can be active participants with their learning. In previous posts I have discussed how the topic of discussion can strongly influence the amount of student participation, but I have recently seen how important the environment is as well. I have noticed that the gym is also an important place to evaluate participation. Students that are not comfortable with class discussion can find autonomy in a more physical space. It is up to the teacher to recognize and celebrate these moments of participation. Until recently I had not thought much about kinesthetic participation. I had been placing a strong weight on what I hear students saying aloud. This was a mistake. Active involvement in learning takes more than one form and it is a huge part of a teacher’s job to keep their eyes open for it.

I have also recently seen how successful and meaningful learning can be when students participate with a hands on approach. Students may not verbally participate in a discussion, but will work with materials and be engaged with problem solving when it is right in front of them. During a mini science unit on magnets, there was some participation during discussions. However, as soon as we started small group work exploring whether or not materials were magnetic or not, all students were engaged and participating.

These past weeks have shown me how important it is to widen the lens from which participation is evaluated. It does not mean that verbal participation in a classroom is less important, but to also allow room for other forms of participation. Teachers not only need to be aware of when their students are using their “voice”, but of where and how they are as well. Student participation can be abundant if teachers create opportunities that are plentiful and diverse in nature.

As I explore strategies to promote participation in the classroom, my observations have led me to some new and unexpected outcomes. I have recently realized how important the topic or subject matter of discussion is when evaluating class participation. Some topics, such as “What was your favourite part of our field trip?” are much more approachable and, in a way, less personal. All students come into the discussion on equal footing, having just experienced the same event. My research, prior to this point, did not explore the relationship that classroom participation has to the topic of discussion. When topics are more personal, such as “Who is a wise person in your life?”, talking circles are a great classroom discussion platform to use. All students are given equal opportunity to share, but the choice to ‘pass’ – or not participate – is entirely theirs and also entirely respected. Lately however, I have noticed that more personal topics, such as the one above, result in much less participation.

While I have noticed the benefits of talking circles, a potential barrier that is starting to form. Talking circles have two rules…

1. Only the person holding the rock can talk.
2. When the rock comes to you, it is entirely acceptable to pass if you do not wish to participate.

I am starting to see that the second rule could easily become a crutch for students. Students can run the risk of falling into an “it’s okay that I don’t so I never will” pattern. So what is a teacher to do then? It is extremely important to maintain the integrity of the talking circle by not breaking the rules. When this barrier begins to build, alternate strategies need to be in place. One potential way to help students participate is to let them know ahead of time. Simply forewarning the student earlier in the day creates opportunity to prepare and plan. However, letting student know beforehand could also potentially increase anxiety as well. The student could be spending the rest of the day anxious and dreading the moment when it becomes their turn to hold the rock.

My experience with talking circles in the classroom has already led me to a place I did not expect. As much as I feel they promote participation and break down some barriers, for some students they create new ones. When these barriers start to form, it is up to the teacher to find ways to adapt and modify the teaching tool to help all students overcome these unforeseen obstacles. I plan to continue holding talking circles in my classroom, but now have to find further ways to equitably support all student participation.

As I spend more time in classrooms, I have been able to employ some techniques to help increase student participation. I have truly begun to see the value in talking circles. Creating a safe place where sharing is encouraged, but not mandatory, helps to build classroom community. No student judges the other for sharing or for not sharing. Behaviour is, for the most part, respectful and kind. When holding talking circles in a classroom, I think it is extremely important to have a zero tolerance policy for silly behaviour. Not only is it a meaningful, safe space in the classroom, but a very serious and valued cultural practice for many. Talking circles are one way to authentically bring Aboriginal ways of knowing into the classroom.

From my observations so far, talking circles have been well received. Students have generally been respectful and, for the most part, participation has increased. I think it is important to “mix up” the content of a talking circle.  Not every circle needs to centre around reflective and serious content. Using talking circles to share thoughts about lighter topics, such as “What was your favourite part of our field trip?”, helps keep the circles a positive, friendly space. Less intimidating questions will most likely illicit more overall group participation as well.

My biggest hope that has formed from using talking circles is the hope that the positive behaviour that happens in the circles will begin to trickle out to other areas of the classroom. The talking circles demand good listening skills, which is extremely important in other classroom environments as well. They are also safe spaces that are free of judgement. Once a teacher has established the guidelines of the talking circle – I recently decided to avoid calling them rules to help keep a positive tone – the teacher can begin to emphasize the importance of the behaviour demonstrated within the circle. Connecting this behaviour to other areas of the classroom, such as when the teacher is at the front of the class or a peer is sharing a recent journal entry, could help to extend the skills that the circles employ. I am looking forward to learning from future circles with future students and exploring how they influence classroom dynamics, environment, and, of course, participation.