Kyla Baker ∙ 50645167
EPSE 308: Human Development, Learning & Diversity
16 December 2016
Auto-Geography Reflection
The artifact I chose to represent my identity is a soccer ball. For myself, soccer represents so much more than just a sport or form of exercise. It was through this game I gained skills, the attitude to persevere, life-long friendships and my first teaching experiences. At the age of six when I began playing soccer I also simultaneously fell in love with 
learning. I wanted to know everything about soccer: how to dribble more effectively, how to challenge players and get past them, how to stop someone who was trying to get past me, the various ways to kick the ball, and so on. It was also around this time that I began to learn that I did not necessarily need someone there to teach me new things; I could figure it out on my own. Soccer also led to the realization that hard work and practice did pay off—I began trying out and making local and interprovincial teams. Although I had experienced teachers that I was not the biggest fan of by this point in my life (age 14), I had little control over this. However, I could make a change through soccer. I had experienced quality coaches where I had gained substantial amount of new information and skills but I had also experienced coaches—usually a parent—who were there because no one else came forward. This made me realize that had I had a less enthusiastic coach during my first years of soccer I may not have fallen in love with it. This motivated me to start coaching soccer.
After discussing my artifact in class I was made aware of the idea that as a teacher I do not wish to be the all-powerful, all-knowing individual person in the classroom. This notion contrasts with the idea that I also do not want to be my students’ best friends. I want to create a classroom where the students and I have a mutual respect for each other while appreciating each others’ individual skills that we bring to our learning experience. A concern that presented itself was how to address students who do not wish to be a part of the team I hope to make. In this case, I would hope that in time this student would come around. I would also try to incorporate various styles of group work in the hopes of them becoming a part of the team atmosphere.
Considering McGregor’s (2004) article one can see how easy it is for teachers to become content in their teaching methods. When she speaks of how she teaches now I can relate to her transformation of a setting where she has “power with the students, instead of power over students … [by] substitut[ing] the word ‘student’ with ‘co-learner'” (How I Teach Now, para. 6). It is this feeling which is necessary in a classroom to develop a team atmosphere. Furthermore, in keeping an inquiry-based mindset in the classroom one would avoid getting stuck in their teaching methods.
Pertaining to teaching, in my classroom I hope to create a team atmosphere: we are all here together, we are all working towards the same goal, and we will leave no one behind. I hope to encourage students to learn not only from me but from themselves and from each other. I want them to feel empowered to learn or achieve new goals on their own, but with the background knowledge that I, as well as other classmates, can help them if they want/need it. I want my students to know that learning comes in all different forms whether it is a book, a video, an experience, or from another person; and not one of these sources is better than the other but the value is in how we utilize them. Additionally, I would hope that parents/guardians of my students feel welcome to contribute to the learning process, whether this be through sharing their experiences or simply transporting students for field trips. Overall, I want my classroom to feel inclusive while open, safe while malleable, and challenging while achievable.
Reference
McGregor, S. (2004). Transformative Teaching. We Teach Who We Are, In: Kan – Forum, Vol. 14, no. 2.