Beginning a new career path is a textbook example of Cwelelep, known to the Lil’wat First Nations peoples as learning that occurs through being in a place of dissonance and uncertainty. While in this program we all come from different backgrounds, we are all here now with a common goal: to become the best teachers we can be. Entering this program, I am sure we all have had our own ideas about education; I know I had my own about teaching and learning, and these preconceptions have been both helpful and eye opening. The experiences that have guided my thinking about education up until that point in September were just that-my experiences. And while these experiences have been hugely valuable in situating my own worldview and providing me with a personal connection to education, they have also provided insight that my experiences are a narrow representation of the educational experiences of others. While it seems simple enough, recognizing that there is significant diversity in our schools and in methods of teaching and learning has been crucial in developing my own teacher identity.

Reflecting on my experience from September until now, there have been a few noteworthy highlights in both the personal and professional preparation and collaboration and community engagement teacher competencies. I moved to Victoria in early September, and for me, moving to a new city and beginning a new career path and school program with virtually no friends or family nearby to rely on for support was a slightly intimidating experience. However, this personal hurdle demonstrated the power of a growth mindset and the positive outcomes that come from putting yourself in uncomfortable positions. For instance, I learned that while I am in an uncomfortable state I am more likely to jump on opportunities I may have otherwise let pass by. While this was more of a personal challenge than a professional one, it directly translates into how I will navigate my new career. By keeping an open mind and embracing the uncomfortable or unknown, I will have new experiences and will be able to grow from challenges and become a better informed and experienced educator. Additionally, over the past couple of months I have had opportunities to immerse myself in the education world. Entering this world for the first time in the (student) teacher role was nerve-wracking and a little overwhelming at first. Again, these experiences of being uncomfortable and uncertain provided me opportunities of growth, and a chance to develop my own self confidence in the teacher role. I have been able to make profound connections with many students, educators (both from the university and local high schools), as well as my own cohort colleagues, from which I have received loads of information, insight, advice, and support. These relationships have been fundamental in my own journey to become a teacher, and I will continue to value my colleagues and prioritize relationships in my career moving forwards.

Another significant idea I have developed throughout the semester is a deeper appreciation for the complexity involved in both teaching and learning. In our own university classes, I have been hyper-tuned into what is “working” and what is not, in terms of meaningful learning. As a learner in these scenarios, I can appreciate teaching practices that are engaging and thought provoking. I have been inspired in these situations to be the teacher that I would want to learn from; a teacher that provides options, flexibility, clarity, support, and guidance. At Reynolds, I have had the opportunity to observe many teachers and their specific teaching styles and techniques, as well as how students are responding to these methods. These experiences have been instrumental in my understanding of complexity in education; no two students are the same, nor two teachers. My emerging teacher identity is based on this principle. There are many ways to learn, and each student will be slightly different in the methods that work best to facilitate their learning. Providing options and flexibility in my classrooms, as well as forming meaningful relationships with my students so that I can better accommodate their learning needs, will be instrumental to my success at being the teacher I strive to be. 

On the front of community engagement, I have learned some valuable lessons this semester. In terms of in the classroom learning, collaboration and community engagement are invaluable. Students have openly stated that what they enjoy most about learning is its applicability to the so-called “real world.” This perceptive division between the “real world” and academia is disheartening for me, especially as a prospective teacher, and I think the new BC curriculum is accurately striving to address some of this disconnect. Community engagement is a great tool to bridge the gap between the two, and provide a space for students to connect with both the real world and the academic world simultaneously. This also provides an opportunity for teachers to make connections with “teachers” outside of the education system and create professional networks that extend beyond district boarders. This is exciting for me as I recognize that there are many different perspectives and it is important that students are exposed to a variety of them, especially in a field such as social studies. Additionally, collaboration with colleagues will continue to be an invaluable aspect of my teaching practice. Throughout the semester, we have experienced firsthand the breadth and freedom of cross-curricular education. We have designed lessons that incorporate multiple subject areas and support many different core competencies, as well as relate to the “real world” (!!!). We have also completed numerous group projects and co-taught lessons, whereby the results are undoubtedly more complex and stimulating than what one could accomplish on their own. These experiences are the tip of the iceberg for collaboration, and I personally look forward to continue collaborating with students, teachers, and community members to enhance the learning experience.

Overall, I have had many interesting experiences this semester that have contributed to my ever-evolving teacher identity. I have established the core principles that are essential for me to communicate to my students and my teaching community. The core principles that I have mentioned above include building strong relationships with my students and colleagues/school community, providing flexibility in my classroom, and embracing diversity. Something I perhaps have not mentioned explicitly so far, which is equally as important to me, is my personal dedication to being the best teacher I can be. I suppose this seems obvious, but I have been giving this a lot of thought and how I will go about it. To be successful at this goal, I need to continue to foster a growth mindset and keep my own personal growth in my career as a priority. I recognize and am fully comfortable with the fact that this journey will be a challenging one, but as the saying goes, nothing worth having comes easy (excuse the cliché) and I am fully committed to improving my own practice and growing as teacher and as an individual. This includes being open minded and self-reflective, as well as being brutally honest with myself and checking aside my ego when things get challenging. All of this considered, I am feeling deeply inspired and am excited to continue learning as much as possible.