This week went by in a flash! With only 3 full-teaching days due to the track meet and Reading Day, it was a hectic schedule. However, it was such a great experience taking part in the regional track meet on Wednesday. A few of the SEL cohort TC’s got to reconnect with each other at the meet, which made the day even better! We were in charge of judging the finish-line, which was definitely a challenging task. We had to keep close watch on each runner that crossed, and at times it was a very close call. It was not easy determining the place for each runner! Thankfully we had 5 of us to keep a solid watch as each student completed their race. The weather was beautiful and we met a lot of great kids- CC students did terrific too, and many moved on to the district meet! This was definitely a huge highlight of my practicum experience so far, as I really enjoy participating in extracurricular activities/coaching athletics.

Our Reading/PJ Day on Friday was also a wonderful event to have had the opportunity to engage in. Most students dressed up in their pajamas and brought their stuffy in for a day full of reading. We were lucky enough to have 3 guest readers join us in our room- even a radio host from PEAK FM attended. All the readers brought some of their most favorite books to read, and the class enjoyed listening. The teachers/staff also put together a fun parody video of Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off” – changing the lyrics to “Read all Day” and sung by 2 of the Grade 7 girls. The video turned out awesome, and was such a riot to watch. It was amazing to see all the students engaged in the stories throughout the day. We even participated in a “school wide” DEAR time. Students had the chance to go sit outside in the hallways with their class buddies and read for 25 minutes at the end of the day. It was truly a great way to engage students in the importance of reading and that reading is fun! Mrs. S and I thought it would also be a great idea if they held other subject days- i.e. “Science” or “Math” day. The energy in the school was terrific and it made for a fun, lively Friday.

The last 2 weeks have also given me the opportunity to teach at 100% capacity. The feeling associated with having the classroom to myself provides a sense of accomplishment and excitement. Knowing that the students respect you as their teacher and mentor is one of the best feelings I have ever experienced. The management has become so much easier, and we have had the chance to dive into some interesting, inquiry-based lessons that have truly captivated student learning. Our Fairy Tale play has been a great success, and the roles are set. We have been preparing the props, and will be sending out invitations to our parents next week. This week will be another busy one, with our Grouse Mountain trip on Wednesday! So many great things to look forward to in the final 3 weeks!