Month: November 2021

The Summer Job That Lead Me Into Teaching

On November 15, 2021

Growing up I always loved swimming. My parents have always wanted us to excel and do well in life, so as soon as I expressed interest in becoming a lifeguard I was registered for all of the courses. I was so nervous on my first day and did not want to go in, my mother made me go and at least try it out. That was one of the best things to happen to me. Working as a lifeguard at the Terrace Aquatic Centre you also had to be a swimming instructor and janitor since we are such a small facility. I was also trained as a receptionist and would fill in as needed as I gained more seniority.

Out of all the different tasks I had, teaching swimming lessons was my favorite. I taught classes for babies who were 5 months old, to classes for adults whose ages ranged from 20-70 years old, and everything in between. I felt like I got a taste of what it is like to be a teacher working at the pool, not every day will be perfect and fun but it is so rewarding. During lessons, we did attendance every day, if a child missed 2-3 classes in a row without being notified of a reason we would have to call home and see what was going on. We also had to do long-term lesson plans for each swimming level as well as daily lesson plans for the classes we were currently teaching. For the daily lesson plans, we had to include the criteria that we had to watch out for (to make it easier to note down on the record sheet) along with a rough time estimate for each game and activity. Halfway through each lesson set, we would end classes early to have parent/guardian lesson updates on each child we taught. We had to tell the parents what exactly the student needed to work on and how, skills or behaviors, and something that they were doing well at in class. As a swimming teacher we would also have to write report cards, not all parents would take the news well if their child didn’t pass and I learned to stand my ground and be confident with my assessment and decision and back up what I was saying.

Teaching people how to swim required a trusting relationship between teacher and student. So many children and adults are trying to get over their fear of water and drowning when they come to you for help and guidance. It was during my training that I learned everyone learns in a different way, some can listen you give directions and be able to try it, others need to watch you first and some need to physically do it themselves to really understand. In each lesson, we had to incorporate all 3 learning methods in a fun and safe way. I enjoyed seeing students overcome their fears or master a skill they have been trying for so long and see how happy they were. This was the part of the job that kept bringing me back to the pool. I love working with people, especially children, and making a difference in someone else’s life. I wanted to turn that into my career so I began looking into the requirements for becoming a teacher.

First Observation Report

by lisaann

On November 15, 2021

In Reflections

The topic I am writing about is school culture, general feelings, and climate. Rebecca and I are visiting Hazelton Senior Secondary for the first round of our observational practicum. On our first day after the bell, when the students finished homeroom, the principal, Mr. Boisvert, gave us a tour of the school. You could tell that he was very excited that the school had two former Olympians graduate from the school, and they still had the wrestling training mats that the gold medal winner used to train. He also loved carpentry, metalwork, and art, not the “standard” academic classes. The school’s primary demographic is First Nations students, yet, there is a lack of their culture represented on the walls or from what I could see.

Tuesdays at the high school are only two blocks due to the changes from Covid. In the morning, we were in grade 9 Science with Ms. Bob. While we were waiting in the staff room, Ms. Bob gave us a brief overview of her class and that half of the students were identified, but she had no help. She also explained that it is hard since up until grade 10, students get passed through each grade no matter if they pass or not, which makes it hard for classes that need a solid foundation before you can learn the next topic. Walking into the class, the atmosphere was somewhat stark, the first class in the morning students tend to be tired, but this felt like more than that. We asked her what she thought was the school’s culture, and she responded by saying that there is a lack of culture throughout the school. Not just a lack of Gitxsan culture but the “typical high school culture”. Ms. Bob has been at the school for many, many years, and she noticed that the school spirit has diminished, where before students would run from class to class trying to recruit for the yearbook or student council, now that is gone. She noticed a significant decline in these activities, especially since Covid. Current students could not watch former students run these activities since everyone had to attend school from home.

After lunch, we observed in Mrs. West’s grade 8 Humanities class for the second block. The atmosphere was different, not sure if it was because it was the afternoon and after lunch, but these students were energetic and animated. The class was learning about culture, what it is, and what it means to each individual. Mrs. West emphasized Gitxsan culture since that was the land they were learning on and the nation that most students belong to. When teaching the lesson, she would often refer back to Gitxsan culture as examples and emphasize the point she was trying to make, which I liked. That was something I never had when I went to school. She utilized movement a lot in her class. If the students were getting restless or struggling with their assignments, she would recognize this and take a small break. In the school, they were only allowed to give the students a 10-minute break, but I noticed most teachers did not follow this as 3 hours is a long time for students to be sitting in one course. When we asked Mrs. West what she thought the school’s culture was, she gave us a very similar answer to Ms. Bob. The culture and feelings of the school have declined most notably since covid, and the supports are not there to help the students, either with staff numbers or from home.

Overall, the general feel of Hazelton Sr. Secondary was that most were struggling, that even though they are mostly First Nations, there was not much culture infused in the school as a whole. On our second day of observation, we were in different classes with different teachers, and the vibe we got from them about the school’s culture, perceptions, and beliefs were similar to Mrs. West and Ms. Bob’s. They all love what they do and find it fulfilling, but they find it a challenging school.

Cross Curricular Reflexive Writing One

by lisaann

On November 14, 2021

In Reflections

Entering the Education Program here at UNBC has opened my eyes to what it truly means to be a teacher and make a difference in children’s lives. I had taught swimming lessons on and off for ten years and I believed that that combined with growing up with a mother who is a teacher gave me enough insight as to what goes into it. The idea that teaching involves more than knowing your subject and being able to tell others about it is a concept that not many people outside of the profession understand. Children do not all learn the same way, nor does the material always need to be delivered in the “standard” way. Throughout all of my classes we have taken a more holistic approach to teaching which has given me ideas about how to create an inclusive and welcoming environment before our practicums have even started.

In one of our readings “The Heart of a Teacher” a quote that resonated with me was “Here is a secret hidden in plain sight: good teaching cannot be reduced to technique; good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher.” (Palmer, 1997). I understand that to mean that children are very good readers of energy, and when someone is not authentic with them or if they see that the person loves what they do and displays a passion for it that they feed into that. This concept intertwines with our Aboriginal and Indigenous Education class, authenticity and honesty are key. For example, you do not need to be a First Nations person to teach children about the history of the people from your area, traditional plant use, hunting, or Residential Schools. If you are straightforward with the students that this is not your story and you are sharing this information so it isn’t lost, that is okay. Christopher Emdin follows this belief, classrooms and teachers should be alive and full of energy. I love that he incorporates new age practices and theories into his classroom instead of the old way of just lecturing while the students take notes, which only a small number of students learn in that way.

Holistic learning is a concept that I really took to heart, that the child’s mind, body and spirit need nurturing in order to fully learn. It has been proven that breakfast really is an important meal and programs have been put in place in school to ensure that every child has something to eat. Another important aspect is community, that means that the child is supported at home as well as school. Parents, guardians and even coaches all play an integral part in a child’s wellbeing and can help build self-esteem. This concept is one I’m not sure how to implement or encourage because as a teacher you don’t have any control or input if the other component is not willing to put any effort in.

While I agree with Emdin that the key to teaching is who you are as a person (Emdin 2013). I also believe that going to school and getting education, degree, and instruction how to teach is vital as well. In emergency situations we fall into habits, to get my OFA3 we were told to practice every single step because when dealing with emergency we don’t think just do. In the classroom there won’t always be an emergency going on, but in times of stress, like a child acting out and throwing a tantrum, we will rely on our training. Knowing the concepts and practical application are like two sides of the same coin for becoming a good teacher. And even though after we receive our Education Degree, our learning is never done “This is the paradox of education: Education is always teaching the past with the finest intentions of helping the future, but unwittingly stymieing the present learning. If we teach the students what we know, we at times also put limitations on what they can know.” (Johnson, 2009).

References:

Johnson, B. (2009, November 20). Why do we teach? Edutopia. Retrieved September 22, 2021, from https://www.edutopia.org/teacher-role-redefined.

Palmer, P. J. (1997). The heart of a teacher identity and integrity in teaching. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 29(6), 14–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/00091389709602343

Emdin. C. (2013, October). Teach teachers how to create magic. (n.d.). TED. Retrieved September 24, 2021, from: https://www.ted.com/talks/christopher_emdin_teach_teachers_how_to_create_magic?utm_source=tedcomshare&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=tedspread.