Educators have a broad knowledge base and understand the subject areas they teach.

Educators actually do not have a broad knowledge base and do not always fully understand the subject areas they teach. At least beginning teachers probably don’t. What if, as a new classroom teacher, you receive a different grade group for the first few years of your career? Educators do not come preloaded with that sort of stuff. That is what I learned in my practicum.

There was a lot of lesson planning going on during the 10-week. In between all this planning and constructing of units, I studied and read about the topics I was going to teach. No, I did not become an overnight expert; but I did want to be able to explain knowledge and answer extension questions my students may have. Who are the Musqueam? Why do we vote? What is tension? What is a serving of food? How do we find the area of a polygon?

What does this show? This standard is in direct relation to two other standards: that educators have to be able to implement effective practices and that educators need to engage in career-long learning. To me, it means that our teaching – whether it be the pedagogy or the curriculum – will be ever-changing. To understand subject areas that have yet to be formally implemented does not only require a broad knowledge base, it also requires flexibility and adaptability. That is what I am working towards.