My Strengths and Areas of Growth
Establishing RelationshipsOne of my major strengths as a teacher is my ability and desire to establish meaningful, respectful, and professional relationships with my students. It is a vital condition of learning to know my students as individuals, and I believe this is one of my greatest strengths. A product of these meaningful relationships is careful observation of each student’s learning needs, styles, and interests. I must continually grow in this area, developing my ability to deliver personalized learning.
|
Understanding CurriculumI have begun to think critically about the subject matter and curriculum taught in Alberta’s classrooms, and must continue to build a creative understanding of each topic. My observation and listening strategies in the classroom are beginning to take shape and contribute to my Philosophy of Teaching. It is essential that I continuously build these strategies and begin to reflect on the students’ own reactions to the material taught and how these reactions may aid in my overall understanding of curriculum.
|
Preparing To TeachThe complexities of personalized planning is one area of growth in my journey as a teacher. As I reflect on what constitutes effective and meaningful lesson planning, I have begun to question current teaching practices and wonder if student learning and engagement are being achieved at their potential. This philosophical questioning, combined with the worthwhile learning experiences, assessment practices, and classroom supports that I have collected during my field experience, demonstrate my growing understanding of the intricacies of teaching.
|
Becoming a ProfessionalAnother area of strength for me is the effective, professional, and respectful communication strategies I have developed. Over the last two months, I have established meaningful and professional relationships in both the academic and field sites. In my field experience, I have involved myself in School Learning Teams (SLT) as part of my professional growth and as a means of reflecting on ways Board policies and initiatives are implemented at a school level to improve student learning.
|