Educators value the success of all students. Educators care for students and act in their best interests.
This was evident in how I interacted with my students. For example, my practicum evaluator made an observation on my formal report ” I was particularly impressed with how helpful she was with some students that needed a little extra assistance. Despite only being at Lax Kxeen for a few weeks, it is also clear that she has developed an excellent working relationship with her Coaching Teacher (CT) and staff at the school.”
During my practicum, a few students shared with me some struggles they were having in their friendships. I supported with validation and mediated a conversation between students who were having conflict. Although, the challenges may still continue at recess where supervisors can miss these important interactions, I think it was important for me to address in the moment as the students who approached me appeared dysregulated. I offered them a safe space to share their feelings and took the time to address the issue. During lunch time, I pulled aside the certain student who had engaged rudely towards this one student. He seemed defensive and made an unkind comment towards the student. I think I did a good job using my classroom management strategies and teacher voice while I had him sit in front of the office until he was ready to reflect on his behaviour. I shared how it made the other student feel and asked him how he would feel if someone had treated him like that. He appeared apologetic and seemed to understand how his behaviour impacted his peer.
There was also a time during my practicum where my coaching teacher shared personal and sensitive details regarding a students homelife and past trauma and I understood that this information was confidential.
“Educators engage students in meaningful participation in their own learning”- I think I represented this standard in the way the students interacted in my lessons. I wanted to start off my practicum by seeing how much they knew about the topics I would be teaching on and what kinds of information they already were aware of. By doing the carousal method of learning, my intention was for the students to have the opportunity to take leadership in writing down what they knew and what they wanted to learn about. It also was a chance for all students to participate in a group discussion on the four subject topics I would be teaching. It was important to me to see what kinds of questions the students had about the lessons I would be teaching because I wanted them to be interested while they are learning. By incorporating material they are interested in there is high chance students would be engaged more in the lesson and learn more from it.
I would also say that I valued the diversity in the classroom. When I taught lessons on the Indigenous Crest designs, I asked the Indigenous students in the room to speak about the designs and they did. It was amazing to hear all the knowledge they knew and had learned from their grandparents. I think it is important to acknowledge the diversity in the classroom and to incorporate that into the lessons. Giving the opportunity for students to share about their culture gives them a chance to feel valued and heard.
Another aspect that is important in my teaching style is empowering students. One of my classmates mentioned “helping the learner rise vs having them feel like they have failed”. I agree with this completely. When a student is dysregulated, the most important thing in that moment is to help them feel safe and provide them with an environment where they can regulate. I think it is also important to know the student’s triggers to avoid any further escalation in behaviour. By allowing the student time to regulate, process and recover they are learning what they need in order to regulate. Working with students to create emotional wellness plans which support their regulating is helpful. By choosing a strategy when they are feeling dysregulated can help them learn to self-regulate. This concept relates to the three R’s. Regulate, relate and reason. Once the student has become regulated, a conversation can be had about what led to the behaviour. Discussing what was uncomfortable can lead to the student feeling like they are growing and learning about themselves. On the other hand, in the moment sometimes adults can resort to further damaging a child’s self-esteem if they are being questioned about their behaviour while in a state of dysregulation.
