This week marks my last week in practicum 491. This practicum experience has validated for me my deepest and most sincere passion in being in the teaching profession, which is living my “path with heart.” First and foremost, I feel very blessed to have been born and raised in PG, being able to continue my post secondary studies in the place I call home. I have, and continue to appreciate how place, land, and experiential learning was a primary focus at UNBC. I have made many lifelong friends and a lifelong support network that I know I will carry for a lifetime. Throughout our studies, the tight-knit cohorts made it possible to deeply connect, both on a personal and professional level. The instructors created holistic, open, and transparent learning environments that met the needs of all their learners, always making sure that each candidate was able to be their own individual with their own needs.
Perhaps the most learning I have experienced at UNBC was getting to know who I was. This was a huge focus for every instructor, always saying the phrase, “in order for you to be a successful educator, you need to know who you are.” That phrase was instrumental in being able to successfully navigate through the program and shaping the path to find ourselves. It feels so good to genuinely know who I am – this has strengthened my confidence, self-esteem, and self-determination to always appreciate the perspective that an individual brings to every aspect of their lives. This is so true when working with every student – know who each student is, where they come from, what they need, what they want, and what each brings to their learning experience. Uncovering this is key to making sure every child experiences success. This, in a nutshell, is ensuring that each child knows their identity through exploration of people, land, and place – as aspect of experiential learning that is necessary in today’ schools.
One aspect that was very challenging and difficult for me in my last year at UNBC was having to learn via ZOOM. The absence of human connection was very tough – something that, at times, felt hopeless and de-motivating. Being an extravert, human connection is how I best learn. I thrive on peoples’ energies and their presence. I owe tremendous gratitude to our instructors and fellow teacher candidates who made the learning as interactive as possible, creating virtual tea times, one-on-one check-ins, lunch and learns, and countless opportunities to ‘always be available’ no matter what. Thank you so much! You have made learning in a pandemic possible and as enjoyable, as could be.
Undoubtedly, being a student in a pandemic has made me better appreciate how each student is diverse and how each student learns differently. I know I am a better teacher for having lived through that experience. I will no longer take certain things for granted such as face-to-face learning and teaching. This has given me insight on how much human connection with people, place, and land is so important in today’s curriculum where learning needs to not just happen in the classroom, but in our outdoor classrooms connecting ourselves to mother earth, our land, and our virtual classrooms.
Together, let’s celebrate the positive aspects of learning and teaching in a global pandemic, where new challenges and new opportunities will continue to shape and foster how we adapt and alter our teaching to meet the needs of all of our learners.
