Standard #8. Educators contribute to the profession.

“You are going to be a teacher on the Welcome to Kindergarten day.” I told two groups of the current Kindergarten students as I was teaching them how to make a paper crown. During my practicum, I had a privilege to be involved in the preparation and implementation of the ‘Welcome to Kindergarten’ event. This year the event was organized as student-centered so it was the current Kindergarten who run every station.

I was in charge of Arts stations and I spent a month preparing for the event with the students and other teachers involved in the event. I really enjoyed working with other teachers and the students on making a ‘Welcome to Kindergarten’ video and book, and practicing a presentation for the event. Twice a week for a month before the event, I spent a short period of time with my two groups of students assigned in Arts stations and taught them how to make a simple paper crown, which was what they had to teach back to the 4-year-olds on the ‘Welcome to Kindergarten’ Day.

Although an amount of my workload increased in addition to my regular teaching responsibility in class, I was thankful to be given an amazing opportunity to contribute my passion and expertise in arts to the event. I felt like I gained more by contributing to the event in terms of having had an opportunity to work with other students and other teachers and experience in firsthand how to organize and implement a ‘Welcome to Kindergarten’ event.

As a teacher I am aware of the fact that my responsibilities do not only include teaching in a classroom but also contributing to the school and community. This artifact is an example of how I contributed to the event organized by school in collaboration with other teachers and staff members.