Engaging in Career-long Learning

The world around us is ever changing and so are our students and their needs. As a teacher, I always aim to find ways to improve my teaching practice. Some ways I have done this is by participating in a STEM design project where my group created a Minecraft project that can be used in a Grade 7 Science classroom. I was able to collaborate with other student teachers to build personal and collective professional capacities and expertise in the engineering design process, as well as the concepts in the Grade 7 Science programs of study. This project allowed me to maintain an awareness of emerging technologies to enhance knowledge and inform my practice by using video games and forms of media that students of this generation use. By presenting this project during a STEM showcase, I was able to seek feedback and further enhance my practice. I have already had the opportunity to participate in several Professional Development workshops including inclusive classroom practices, addressing anxiety, assessment practices, Indigenous pedagogies, concept-based learning, and mindfulness in the classroom. Over the course of my career as a teacher, I aim to continually work with my peers and engage even further in professional development workshops that allow me to learn more about various pedagogical theories and practices that I may not yet be familiar or comfortable with.