Reflective practitioner

I think this is a great time to reflect on my summer as a student. I can honestly say that I was quite stressed for the last two weeks. There was a lot of work to be completed and I still want to make the most out of my summer. The feeling of I have not done anything with my summer is a thought that I continue to have.  At times, it is best to take a step back and consider what you have actually completed in a time period.  This summer I have helped my dad renovate his upstairs (which included adding structural supports). I attended two concerts, Banners and One Republic. I read the Steven King book The Shining. During the week I played soccer on Wednesdays and I go to CrossFit 3-4 times a week. On my motorcycle, I went to Victoria Harbour, Devil's Punchbowl Falls, Albion falls, and many other adventures on the motorcycle. One of my passions is eating different foods. I went to Taste of Lawrence and the Taste of Danforth. Going camping is something I e...

This video reminds me that as an educator, I can miss a lot of cues if I am not looking for them. Inside a classroom, there is usually a lot going on and it is easy to miss small or large cues when you are not searching for them. How will I use this information to make me a better teacher? I will use this information to remember that I must be looking to better my students and create masters of tasks, instead of teaching my students how to get good marks. This video also reinforces my thought of trying to find out the potential for every student. If you are looking for it, you will find it.

One Republic  Miley Cyrus Sometimes I get so focused on reaching a destination, that I forget it is the journey that is important. During other times in my life, I am too afraid to really put myself out there and do things that really scare me. After watching the first video, I thought about how much that boy has accomplished and he has every excuse to do very little. Yet, instead of excuses, he lives harder.

Firstly, I want to thank my fellow educator for this resource. You can see her blog here : https://andreiasreflectionsasawayoflife.wordpress.com/ http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/brochure/meread/meread.pdf The read is about how to get boys engaged in reading. I noticed that a lot of boys are not reading. One thing I do is let students read whatever they want. If they want to read a magazine during the reading time they can read a magazine. Graphic novels (a.k.a. comics) read away. As long as students are reading, I am happy. https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/08/11/nyregion/mastery-based-learning-no-grades.html?referer=http%3a%2f%2fm.facebook.com After reading this article I really love the idea of not forcing kids to move on to other skills before they are ready. One area of concern I had is what to do with the students who are not driven on their own. This article is about students mastering skills before moving on to other skills at their own pace. Grades are n...

My philosophy starts with the question; why am I a teacher? To answer this question I will give a very brief history of my process to become a teacher. During my schooling years, many teachers brought out the best in me, even when it appeared I was committed to sabotaging my academics. These teachers went well above what is called “teaching”. Which leads me to the first part of my philosophy. What is teaching? Teaching is to show, share knowledge of, or explain to others a concept, an idea, a method, etc., in a way such that the person learning comprehends and is able to reproduce said knowledge, in the same or a different capacity. This was my original idea behind teaching, but it is so much more. Teaching is not a job but a calling. Teachers have the responsibility of creating a space where students can thrive and explore who they really are. This brings us to the need to move away from testing as the only way to measure academic success . I have always struggled with the pressure I...

A question was asked to me by a friend: if we had education credits would it make a difference? (education credits we are speaking about are from Illich concept of an alternative to the current public school's system. Instead of students getting one style of school, there are free credits to spend, and you get to pick your school) My response: I honestly think schools would start popping up because of the money to be made. This would also allow for specialist schools (example trade specific schools) in areas that have a high demand. I do believe the credit system would put pressure on the current system to change. If there were more options for people to choose, I believe the whole system would improve. If you really hated a certain type of school, you could choose a different style of school (public vs Montessori).  When ever these debates around schools come up, I usually ask the same question. If not everyone fits into "regular" society (we have institutions...

Two videos to consider: https://www.ted.com/talks/christopher_soghoian_government_surveillance_this_is_just_the_beginning/transcript?language=en#t-283866 https://www.ted.com/talks/catherine_crump_the_small_and_surprisingly_dangerous_detail_the_police_track_about_you On the positive side: https://www.ted.com/playlists/397/the_power_of_social_media https://www.ted.com/talks/wael_ghonim_let_s_design_social_media_that_drives_real_change