Officially a teacher but always a newbie...

It's official.  Exit conference is complete.  The good-bye and congratulation speeches in the auditorium are done and now I'm left feeling slightly average after completing an 8 month whirlwind learning experience.  I'm sure I've learned a lot... far more than I will probably ever be able to articulate.  The sun is shining and warm today, and as I walked home from class for the very last time, I just turned my face up and let it all soak in.  Every tear, every joke, every friendship, every aha moment has added depth and meaning to what is now my official title of teacher.  I don't think I've fully grasped the meaning of being a teacher but after listening to some inspiring words from an alumni member, I've left this experience feeling more optimistic about my future than before. 

I am ready.  Ready to make my mark on the world, to learn, to teach, and to reflect and embrace every moment every step of the way. 

I need to start thinking about packing since I go home home on Friday but I'll just leave you with this quote that the alumni teacher showed us during her speech.  Over her ten years of teaching she has always kept this in her bag to remind her everyday what it means to be a teacher.  I think they are very powerful words to remember, especially when the going gets tough.

Congratulations to everyone entering the workforce and happy teaching :)

“I've come to the frightening conclusioin that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It's my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized.” -Dr. Haim Ginott

 

 

 

6 days left...

I don't know how but, somehow, I made it through teacher's college.  I have 6 days till my exit conference where I'll have to show my peers all the learning I've done, the things I've accomplished and my predictions of where that will take me in the future.

I don't think I have ever worked as hard, cried as much, and laughed as much as I have this year.  It's been an empowering experience gaining confidence in a field that I'm deeply passionate about.  I've learned a tremendous amount about my strengths and weaknesses and it has really taken my awareness to a deeper level.

In honour of this occasion I've compiled a list of some of my favourite teacher quotes.

Enjoy and happy teaching!

"The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called 'truth.'"  -Dan Rather

"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." -Henry Brooks Adams 

"A teacher's purpose is not to create students in his own image, but to develop students who can create their own image." -Author Unknown

"The task of the excellent teacher is to stimulate "apparently ordinary" people to unusual effort.  The tough problem is not in identifying winners:  it is in making winners out of ordinary people." -K. Patricia Cross 

"A master can tell you what he expects of you. A teacher, though, awakens your own expectations."-Patricia Neal

Night at the Museum

Some of you may have been wondering where exactly I've disappeared to but I've just finished my alternative practicum at the Royal Ontario Museum!  To say this was a dream come true would be an understatement.  Ever since I was a little girl the world of dinosaurs, space, animals and ancient Egypt  has always captured my eager attention.  To  work in an environment where I could go behind the scenes made me a little giddy.

I worked mostly in the interactive hands on discovery galleries, where I facilitated kids, families, and any other visitors to become engaged with museum related items through an interactive discussion.  It sounds fancy but really it was an opportunity for the public to not just read and listen about artifacts, but to touch, wear and hold things and develop their own critical thinking in a variety of subjects.

We had a sandpit with casts of dinosaur fossils, we had replica medieval helmets and breast plates to try on, we had tipees and real buffalo fur along with meteorites, real snake skin, animal furs and skeletons.  Definitely a sensory overload experience but in a place normally associated with the "no touch" mentality.  It was such a great learning experience for me; I had to learn facts and stories about these various items in a short amount of time, interact with a variety of people (from foreign tourist groups to inner city school groups) and meet the experts behind the artifacts displayed in the museum.

The learning opportunities offered in a museum are just phenomenal.  I wish more schools could take advantage of the resources, experts and artifacts they have available for teachers and students alike in these fascinating topics.  It's the best possible interpretation of interactive learning on curriculum relevant topics as far as I'm concerned.  On top of teaching people, I got to also wander around the other exhibitions, take audio tours, and meet the museum teachers that teach specific topics to school groups who have booked a tour.  I got to touch authentic ancient Egyptian artifacts, real fossils and discuss research excavations that these amazing people have undergone to attain these type of items.

The three weeks whirled by...so quickly I had barely any time to finish up my last set of assignments let alone write on my blog.  I can safely say that the movie "Night at the Museum" really had the right idea ... the museum is definitely full of life! A culmination of earth's history in every sense, the very atmosphere is awe-inspiring, especially when you consider the immensity of what life is.

Last Day

I can't believe how many good things have happened to me today.  We had a great day of art, games, conversations, laughter, some tears and see you soon instead of goodbyes.  My associate had the whole class sign the inside cover of a beautiful leather notebook.  I thought I might end up having another tearful goodbye but this block was much different.  Instead I found myself teary eyed on my own in the middle of chaos as the grade fives and sixes cleaned out their desks and organized the classroom.

I spoke earlier of the FACE student.  He's been giving me a hard time and challenging me every step of the way.  I wrote out a contract outlining an agreement among the grade fives to treat each other with respect, avoid put downs, encourage and celebrate each others successes.  He wouldn't sign it, claiming that he didn't want to celebrate people's success.  I was hurt, but I told him that it was his right to not sign it and simply stapled it to the bulletin board.  I told everyone they were free to add their names if they wanted to.  Everyone signed it immediately except for him.  

Today I looked at the contract and saw his initials there.  It's been almost two weeks since I stapled that contract and he finally signed it.  I stood there in front of the bulletin board with tears in my eyes while everyone was busy cleaning their desks, handing out assignments and organizing their bags before they left for March Break.  I couldn't have asked for a better gift on my final day at my associate school.  

And the cherry on top...I have a contract job as a music supply teacher for a school board in my area for May and June! I can't believe how lucky I am.  I have a chance to get my foot in the door as early as May!  I was so worried about my career outlook and my employment chances and it's a huge weight off my shoulder.  

So overall it's been a great day despite the sadness of saying goodbye for good.  But maybe the next time I go to visit my school I'll be a full-time employee!