This practicum was monumental in my growth as an educator. I learned how to place most of the class to work so that I could help/mitigate issues with one or two students in a private manner. This class had diverse students with so many backgrounds and experiences that made this practicum so unique to me, students shared their loved experiences through discussion and assignments, which demonstrated trust and the beginning of a relationship. It also shifted my views on how to teach in diverse classrooms. Many students had routines which were needed to be followed by any educator in the room, such as going to take medication in the morning, or making sure to check that another had theirs at home. I believe that I learned classroom management techniques that I will carry into the rest of my years as an educator. Mainly a layered approach with increasing specificity each time, the first time a positive reminder to the whole class, a recognition of correct behaviour, and finally addressing the student or students directly.
I enjoyed building relationships with the students and working to make a positive connection with every student. These students helped me learn, grow, and become a better educator, and I was able to teach them different subjects, and show them empathy. Relationships are definitely the root of my teaching pedagogy alongside reflection, I wholly believe there is no learning without those two pieces for me. I was excited to learn the importance of relationship and see how that functioned in a classroom. I loved lesson planning, writing all my thoughts and ideas down on paper and figuring out the best way to tackle subjects with the class or with my small group.
I want to feel confidence about including Indigenous, Metis, and Inuit content into my lessons, without tokenizing or misrepresenting content. This is extremely important to me as it truly represents Truth and Reconciliation in Canada and is important to helping repair broken ties.
My next steps in learning are assessment based. I would like to feel confident in assessing students and using that information to inform further instruction, looking at results and making assessment a circle, with no real beginning and no real end – as learning does not stop. Formative changes the way that instruction happens and summative represents the end, but I believe that summative changes the way that succeeding instruction should happen. I am excited to push myself next semester to try and accurately assess and inform my own teaching and learning to benefit my future students.
In the end, I have made massive personal and professional growth. I have learned how to build relationships, change lessons to fit the students while teaching, enjoy planning, and how to be confident in front of students – even when I make mistakes because I am learning too! I am incredibly grateful to have worked with my CT, she was encouraging and an inspiration in so many aspects. I loved my practicum class, and I am excited to learn further.
