Innovation & Hospitality

I learned about building relationships with students as it is the heart of successful teaching. I took note that encouraging an inviting and supportive environment is important for creating a safe environment where all students feel valued, respected and always ready to learn. I’ve learned that for students to thrive, it’s important to create a space where they feel trusted and can express themselves without being judged. I noticed when students feel a sense of belonging, especially by setting clear boundaries and being consistent, it helps students feel supported and encouraged in their learning. This helped me acknowledge that hospitality in teaching is about making all students feel invited to participate in their own journey in their learning.

Space, Place & Boundaries 

One of the powerful views in my placement was the classroom environment, it immediately made me feel like I belonged. Entering one of the classrooms, during my time at field I felt an immediate sense of belonging, as if I already knew that teacher and was already part of the classroom. One of the classrooms played a role in this, there was a cozy corner, student art work displayed all over the walls, and seating arrangements that promoted individual and group learning. I’ve taken notice of how important it is for students to feel like they belong. When they do, they feel valued and more like to manage in learning. It made me really understand how necessary it is to create an environment that’s physically welcoming and emotionally safe, where students can have a voice and be heard. I also took notice that boundaries were key for maintaining a positive learning environment, making sure that students knew those expectations and could direct the space with respect from their classmates.

Inclusive Education, Diversity & Differences 

During my placement, I really saw how essential it is to create an inclusive classroom, one where diversity is recognized and where students feel valued. From observing students from different backgrounds, and watching the teacher’s role in understanding and respecting the differences is necessary for building a fair learning environment. While the classroom was diverse, I took notice of the teaching methods that can either encourage inclusivity or accidentally leave students behind. For instance, using group work allows the students to engage across different backgrounds, and how the teacher made efforts to make sure that every student had a voice. Even though I did see some areas where more could be done to accommodate diverse outlooks into the curriculum.

Truth and Reconciliation 

I took notice of a few small but significant steps towards adding Indigenous perspectives into classrooms, this would be classrooms displaying Cree words on walls or having “Cree word of the day.” These attempts are important for building awareness and furthering respect for Indigenous languages, but there are very few things about Indigenous history, culture, and languages compared to what I believe is needed. One of the teachers that I worked alongside shared that there needs to be more accessible resources and teaching material on Indigenous content, referring that she mostly has to create her own unit due to the lack of resources. This acknowledges the gap that still continues in classrooms when it comes to fully emerging Indigenous content into learning. I know that with small gestures like Cree words on the walls are a good way to start, but there is a larger need for meaningful Indigenous content and resources to be more available to teachers. As a future teacher, I see this as an area that I want to learn more about, to make sure that Indigenous perspectives are incorporated truly and often in the learning environment.