After class upon class about learning how to teach, there is still no replacement for the experience itself. Here are some of the best lessons I learned during my practicum:

  1. Learn how to collaborate.As new teachers, we often feel as if we have much to prove, which may not be completely incorrect. What is incorrect, however, is that we must do it all on our own. One of the most important lessons I learned during my practicum is that it is important to know when to ask for help and that it is always in our benefit to collaborate with our colleagues. In a profession where we will never be experts in everything we have to teach, and where our students are so diverse, it is critical that we find ways to enrich our lessons in any way we can. Collaboration isn’t always easy, teachers are busy people, so it is important that you find a time that works for all parties involved and that you create a relationship that is mutually beneficial.
  2. Find ways to connect with students outside of class.As much as I made a conscious effort to get to know my students during my practicum, after it was over I felt that there were some students that I still had never made a very strong connection with or even that I had ever had a significant conversation with them. What a disappointing realization. I tried to get to know my students by regularly starting class talking about whatever it is they wanted to talk about, and by always including personalized questions in my exit slips. Additionally, I stuck around after school and helped out with sports teams so that I would have an opportunity to get to know them outside of the classroom environment. Those that I saw frequently, I was able to build a solid personal relationship. I felt that I had won their trust and we were both interested in the life of the other person. Although this was helpful in making real connections with my students, there were still some that I had little face time with. My advice to myself and to all of you other new teachers out there is to find the time! Do whatever it takes to make sure you touch base with each and every one of them.
  3. Continue to get to get to know your students.Never feel as if you know enough. Students are always changing and so are their lives. It is important to continue checking in with students and to always try to get to know more about them. At the very least they will tell you about their latest personal interests and hobbies, at the most they will recognize that you are a source of continual support and they will feel safe in coming to you should they ever need your help.
  4. Find ways to get outside!During my Community Field Experience, a three-week practicum that we did in an alternative learning environment, I was at the UBC Farms working with young children in an garden based learning project. The experience was amazing! What was even more amazing was the shift I found in my mental health and wellness. Being in the outdoors in a space where I felt so connected to the earth made me feel so alive, energized, and HAPPY! Coming from being inside the classroom full time for the previous three months, I felt like my creativity had been stifled, I felt so tired. This really opened my eyes to the importance of learning in alternate settings, especially in the outdoors. My suggestion to all teachers, find a way to get outside. Not only do the outdoors provide learning opportunities for all teaching disciplines, but it makes learning more experiential, and students love it!
  5. Ask them what makes a space safe for them.As teachers, we are often seeking to find ways to make students feel safe in our classrooms. We may search the internet, ask our colleagues, and test theories of our own. However, we should be making an effort to ask students what they need in order to feel safe, we may realize there is something simple that we can change to accommodate their needs. For example, a student in one of my classes felt unsafe when they were given the opportunity to create their own groups because they felt like they were always the last one picked and they felt like a “loser” when they had to ask a group if they could join them. He told me about this insecurity and it was a simple change for me to make when it came to group work. No one knows them better than they know themselves.