PAST
For my inquiry before practicum, my question was how can identity exploration be assessed in the classroom? This ongoing question of assessment does not and cannot have a definite answer, as we continue to question whether assessment of ever-changing humans is even an ethical or effective practice.
However, during practicum, the question became: how can I better create projects relevant to students, so that they can explore their identity in the first place? In secondary Art, as the grade levels go up, the themes go from focusing on self expression to creating social change with the power of art (from local to global). Although Art is inherently related to self-identity, I found it difficult to get students to personally relate to the Social Justice themes in our projects. This, and other factors created classroom management issues for me.
The other factors that created classroom management issues for me were poor planning of time, setting and transitions, and language (turn off your academic art and education brain!). I got the feedback that I was holding too tightly to my want of a Social Emotional Learning classroom with intrinsically motivated students, but could not run my ideal class without having classroom management first. From my (mis)understanding, classroom management was supposed to come from me being nice according to SEL! I later learned I was being too nice which became detrimental to myself and to my students. During my Community Field Experience, that was when my mentor introduced me to what is no longer taught in teacher education: classroom management through extrinsic motivation.
PRESENT
Taking my feedback from my advisors, my concerns shifted internally. I believe that change in others starts from within, meaning myself and the way I interact with the world. Coming back to UBC, although I had taken the course on Social Emotional Learning and Classroom Management, I chose to take another on Positive Behavioural Support and Classroom Management. Although the theory of extrinsic versus intrinsic motivation are conflicting, the knowledge of both completely shifted my way of envisioning my teaching. Read more about my new teaching philosophy HERE.
FUTURE
Going into my supplemental practicum in the fall, I will be equipped with what I find to be the greatest and most useful tool I’ve learned in this program: classroom management. In saying this, I know that there will be other challenges that I will need to face head on. The journey to becoming a great teacher is lifelong. Read more about my professional goals HERE.