Before I began my educational journey, I was unfamiliar with the different branches of philosophy that teachers and schools may choose to adopt. Due to my unfamiliarity with these concepts, I did not have a teaching philosophy of my own. From chapter readings and our in-class lecture I have been able to reflect on the type of teacher I aspire to be. I spent time reflecting on the textbook information which has guided me towards my own philosophy of teaching. This philosophy may not follow me my entire career, but it is a starting point for me as a future educator. Personally, I believe that the primary aim of education differs from student to student and with age. Essentialism allows students to learn basic skills that will help them in their future educational career. In addition, taking a look from an inclusion lens, students who experience exceptionalities may want to set goals that are unique to them. These goals will hopefully help them as they carry on through school or after they have graduated; this could include being able to express their needs to an employer when they seek employment or money management without having to depend on their parents. In the case of any student, education should aim to develop problem-solving skills (progressivism) that will guide them towards making our society a just one (social reconstructionism).

Currently, for me it is difficult to know what classroom management techniques should be incorporated into the classroom, it varies greatly from student to student and class to class. However, all students should be taught the importance of being responsible for their actions (social reconstructionism) and learning how to make decisions based on consequences (progressivism). I appreciate that the content from the textbook and our in-class discussions has improved my knowledge of what it means to be a teacher and the methods one can use in the classroom to foster growth. Without ECS 100, I most likely would not be able to say that I am in touch with these philosophies.

“Morganne demonstrates a natural awareness of what’s going on in the classroom and takes the initiative to assist the students or teacher as needed. She easily made connections with students and displayed a polite, respectful attitude to everyone. She is comfortable performing tasks or working with small groups of students”

I could not be happier with the evaluation Mrs. Trithart gave me, she is honest and I know that these were genuine words. I have a great amount of respect for her and plan to incorporate her teaching methods into my own teaching someday. I am thankful for the experience presented to me in the classroom. I have a lot of growth to do, but this evaluation has given me the confidence to push forward in my studies.

“Take a chance. That’s how you grow.” – Wally Lamb

Mrs. Trithart welcomed us into a class of 27 grade 3 students at W.S Hawrylak School every Monday afternoon for eight weeks. I enjoyed every moment of this experience. Even though my goal is to teach in a high school setting, the grade 3 students proved not to be as intimidating as I had once thought them to be. This experience gave me an idea of what the near future will look like as an educator and at times I could visualize myself in the position of an educator. The goal did not seem so far-fetched as it had on my first day. To say I loved every moment of it would not do the experience justice. I am beyond grateful this was an option as a first-year student. Though the subject matter mainly stayed the same from week to week, the students were always learning something new in their mini-lessons. Working in such a large class gave my partner and I the opportunity to work one-on-one with students either in small groups or individually. Working in these smaller groups helped me grow in certain aspects, most notably instructional competence, teaching strategies and most importantly interaction with learners. By the seventh week, my partner, Ms. Steele, and I had worked up the confidence to teach a mini-lesson to the students on Poundmaker. Had I been asked to carry this out on my third or fourth visit, I would have been hesitant. It helped that we remained in the same class and with the same students. There were a number of students I have gotten to know quite well, mostly through working with them one-on-one.

When I began this journey, I filled out a bull’s-eye for where I think I fit into being a well-rounded teacher. I filled one out our first class and recently filled the second out to see where I have improved. The improvements are not huge, some rather small. What is most important to me is that I gained the confidence to put myself out there and take a chance when it came to teaching a mini-lesson or helping a student with writing prompts.   

The links below are direct attachments to the well-rounded teacher that was filled out in September and the most recent in December.

Wheel

 

 

 

 

Inclusive education has always been an interest of mine and is one of the main reasons I have chosen to minor in it. The U of R has allowed me to follow this passion and supplies me with tools to incorporate into my inclusive classroom. Before, when I pictured inclusion, I strictly saw an image of children with varying abilities working in a classroom together. This idea has drastically changed for the better. My knowledge of inclusion stretches past the single idea of students with cognitive and physical exceptionalities experiencing the same teaching experience as their fellow students. This is a huge part of inclusive education, but the model in my mind left out other students who do not fit the “norm”. Inclusive education stretches into the realm of diversity, equality and how we are all unique. This semester one of my classes studied diversity and difference in the classroom and how we as educators can teach this. The methods presented in Inclusion of Exceptional Learners in Canadian Schools: a practical handbook for teachers are ones I would very much like to model my own teaching after. It is all about finding the right fit for our students through modifications and accommodations. Much of this textbook focused on methods of teaching students with exceptionalities, mostly those who require assistance due to cognitive or physical delays. I appreciated that Educational Foundations in Canada delves deeper into the concepts of diversity in the classroom and multiculturalism something I neglected to consider when inclusion came to mind. Both of these textbooks will help guide me through my journey which has just begun. Lastly, I have completely scrapped the word disability from my vocabulary, instead adopting the term exceptionality. I feel this term has a much deeper meaning, instead of saying someone is missing an ability they have a different method of completing a task. We should move away from negative views and approach them with a positive spin. Without the knowledge of these concepts I can say I would be stuck with the same assumptions as before.

 

The students in Mrs. Trithart’s grade 3 class have been studying Indigenous history in Canada with a focus on Treaty Four and a brief overview of Residential schools. Around the time of Remembrance Day, the students looked at the concept of peace and what it meant to them. My partner Ms. Steele and I decided to combine these two areas of study in a short lesson. The library provided us with a non-fiction book Poundmarker: Peace Chief by Joanne Stanbridge. This piece had a brief grade level history of Poundmaker, the Cree Chief who was a notable peacemaker and defender of the Cree people during the Northwest Rebellion of 1885. Stanbridge had broken the chapters into one-page excerpts including sidebars and images that related to the content of the book. We chose a few chapters that related best to the concept of peace, treaties and Indigenous history. Before reading, the students had a refresher on what treaties and reserves were; and if they thought that the treaties were fair to Indigenous people in Canada. I read the excerpts from the book to the students highlighting key areas that students had already reviewed. Once we had read the book, we listed a number of key concepts brought forth in the book. Standbridge’s book concluded with three questions for classroom discussion on the back page. As a class, we listed what peace meant to us and how we can help maintain peace in our community. The students had rapid-fire responses, barely giving me enough time to jot down their answers on the whiteboard. At the beginning of the school year there was no way I would have been comfortable teaching a lesson to 27 grade 3 students. I have a lot of growth to do of course, but standing in front of the class was not nearly as frightful as I thought it would be. At that moment, I realized that teaching is the right path, as my fears and anxieties melted away. I have a lot to learn and I am excited to continue to do so.