Educators understand and apply knowledge of student growth and development.
These are my connections/ relationships…
- The topic of student-teacher ‘connections/relationships’ is a popular one and one that has been discussed for years. Within my teaching journey thus far, I have experienced and fully embrace the importance of educators building positive ‘connections/relationships’ with their students. Now, more than ever, I realize that my own personal success and the success of my students will largely be dependent on building and sustaining strong ‘connections/relationships’ with my students, their families, our communities, all within the context of people, place, and land (Duneneh-people, Hoonzoo-a nice place and Keyoh-land). Having been in the school environment and working as an educational assistant, it is important to know what characteristics I need to become an effective relationship builder. I have recognized that being an active listener is a critical component of building ‘connections/relationships.’ Further, it needs educators to be caring, empathetic, honest, and trustworthy.
This is my land…
- When I think of schools and communities, the phrase ‘it takes a community to raise a child’ comes to mind.’ Learning is a shared responsibility that typically occurs in the classroom environment, yet has many learning partners who help take learning from the classroom and apply it to the real world, to our ‘’ Bringing community into today’s classrooms is an important part of learning, especially in certain population such as Aboriginal learners. Community members share their knowledge through stories of the people, places, and things that have shaped their identity. Our ‘land’ and our connections to our ‘land’ will enrich one’s learning experience and is foundational in experiential learning.
This is my place…
- As a future teacher, I look forward to the many experiences that I will gain both in and outside the classroom. I recognize that I have lots of future learning and aspire to being a lifelong learner. I consider this my ‘place’ within the educational system. My ‘place’ is to commit to always see the whole child, a philosophy that is best described as progressivism, the idea that education comes from the experiences of the learner focusing on the whole child and their relationships with the community. I will also strive to believe in the potential of each child. I want to contribute to an educational landscape where students of all ‘walks of life’ have positive and empowering experiences in education, enabling them to value their identities, cultures, histories, and communities. My ‘place’ – my commitment to my students.
Conducted this lesson with my students – reflection on ourselves and where we are now, where we want to go, what we want to be – growing and developing as lifelong learners.
As a teacher, I will always strive to
- design my lesson plans include an aspect of planning for diversity and meet the needs of all of my learners
- design my lesson plans to be appropriate for age and grade
- design my lesson plans to account for cultural worldviews, perspectives, and differences
- always keep an assessment journal to keep up to date with all my student’s progress and growth in areas of development develop a portfolio of all my students work throughout my time with them
- always bring in prior knowledge and provide my students with countless opportunities to embrace their own personal discovery and their own heritage
