With our rapidly changing society today, I believe children need to be prepared more than ever for the future ahead of them. My past experiences working with students have shaped my view on education. It embodies three main notions: to share, to connect, and to grow. These notions align with both the new BC Curriculum and the Teacher Regulation Branch standards.
“Sharing is Caring”
I see education as an open process of sharing knowledge; transmitting information from one person to another, or collaborating ideas together. The ways in which we transmit information have become more influential, especially with the strong presence of technology. My recent practicum experience challenged me in how I could share knowledge with the students in various ways. I considered in my planning how my students would get to that knowledge – through group work, brainstorms, or research. I also believe sharing to be a celebration of diversity. Learning about different cultures in a classroom provides a rich learning experience for all. I believe every student has a place and a contribution to a classroom community, regardless of health, race, gender identity or religion. My time teaching in South Korea as well as the recent practicum enabled me to see the benefits of collaboration with colleagues. Educators each carry with them valuable experiences, areas of expertise and skills. Through collaboration and willingness to share ideas, an educator’s practice will constantly evolve.
“Making a Connection”
My vision for education is firmly stemmed on establishing rapport with students individually and collectively. I strongly believe that the foundation to a successful teaching practice is to build rapport with students; getting to know who they are as individuals, their strengths. I believe this is the foundation in personalized education; to simply connect with the student. Without it, there is no real trust between yourself and your student. This was the reality in my practicum experience. The effort I made in getting to know the students made it easier to feel respected as a guest teacher. When a student feels cared for and supported, their confidence and motivation levels can increase. Whether it’s a smile and greeting to the students every morning, or checking in and asking how their recess was, those actions can go a long way. My past experiences have also shown me the importance of connecting to your school community. Communicating with parents on regular basis and including them in the classroom is important, as they have an impact on their child’s learning as well.
“Grow”
One of the rewarding things about being an educator is to watch students grow. Whether it’s them finally grasping a math concept, or learning to self-regulate their behavior. What makes it extra special is when the students themselves realize that they have grown, when they are able to see their own progress. I was fortunate enough to have witnessed this in my practicum. The students wrote monthly journal entries which would be compiled at the end of the year for them to take home. The objective was to document their progress in writing, with low emphasis on corrections. One student in particular improved so much over the past few month, my school advisor decided to show how far they’ve come in their writing. Their pride was heartwarming and unforgettable. It’s moments like these I strive for. Reflections, journal writing and goal setting are excellent ways for students to track their progress and take ownership of their learning. The long practicum also reinforced my own reflective practice. In order to digest each day, I would take notes on what happened. What did I do well today? How can I make that better for next time? These are important thoughts that I believe educators should be thinking about daily. After all, how can we help students improve, if we don’t reflect on our own practice?