We are fortunate enough to have Steve McGinley as our Inquiry Instructor (UBC EDUC 452B) this past year. Recently, we had an asynchronous activity that proved to be enriching – and useful, for us to add to our Best Practices.

Psst…. here is the secret… this is a mindfulness activity for YOU and adaptable for your future STUDENTS.

Activity follows:

Asynchronous Activities to complete:

Task #1

• Retake the TPI questionnaire and save profile- http://www.teachingperspectives.com/tpi/ (Links to an external site.)
• Compare with your original TPI from the fall.  Has anything changed? What has changed? Why?

Task #2 

1. Complete: A Walking Curriculum activity – teacher professionalism  (Links to an external site.)

1. Explore/play – Go out for a walk in your local community
2. TODAY’S REFLECTION – What values guide the professional lives of teachers?
3. Discover five types of tree or plant around campus/home/your community that appeal to you on the grounds they remind you of professional values that you have come to appreciate as important in the lives of educators.
4. Next Class, you will be asked to share:

(a) describe the tree/plant or object in particular detail, perhaps with a photograph, drawing or verbal depiction,

(b) make connections to the professional (‘heroic’) value that the tree/plant represents for you, connect this to TPI #2 reflection in task #1 above.

(c) explain the importance of that value to a robust sense of professional life, and

(d) discuss where you have seen (or wish you had seen) this value enacted in your experience as either a teacher or a student.

Task #3 – Post your short reflection and picture on the discussion page to share next class.

Thinking about the next deadline? Thinking about what to eat? Thinking about when the next Zoom call is? Thinking about what time you should wake up tomorrow? Thinking about …

But what is happening right now, in-front of you… at this very moment? With many tasks to complete – it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Feeling overwhelmed can lead to unnecessary distress. One way to prevent this is by practicing mindfulness.

“Mindfulness is the practice of purposely focusing your attention on the present moment—and accepting it without judgment. Mindfulness is now being examined scientifically and has been found to be a key element in stress reduction and overall happiness.” Help Guide

Click here for more information on mindfulness.

During the BEd program and recently with COVID-19, how have you adapted to the new demands of becoming a future educator?

Just like you, we both had to adapt to the transition towards remote learning. We have felt moments of stress and uncertainty. However, practicing self-awareness and adapting our coping framework has allowed us to navigate through this current situation and provide support to our practicum school community.

Working on our self-awareness leads to an overall development of emotional intelligence.

To read about how to manage working from home click here.