Block One, Week Seven

This week I got to observe at a new school, and I couldn’t help but compare this new school to the ones in my previous observational Tuesdays. The last school that I was at was a rural school outside of Prince George, and before that I was at one of the school districts venturing schools. All of these three schools I have had the opportunity to attend have been very different experiences for me.

For example, one of our observational prompts this week mentioned how family and community intersect with the school and its educational contexts. When attending my practicum at the rural school, this connection between school and homelife was very evident. When talking to one of the teachers at this school, he stated that “if a student doesn’t like mudding, hunting or horseback riding, then they might not fit in here, but we have actually never had that happen before”. In this school, student interests were very present, in fact, students often loved to try to connect with you by talking about what they do on their free time. In the intermediate grades, the teachers often implemented a project-based approach so the students could use their interests to motivate them in their own learning.

It was also brought to my attention by one of the teachers that sometimes it can be hard to engage these students in their learning because some parents are okay if their kids are not interested in school. A lot of the parents in the area are employed by forestry, lumber mills and logging companies. Due to this background, they feel that it is okay if their child isn’t interested in school because these trade jobs are always an option. This parental perspective means that the teachers try to engage the students with their own interests every chance they get to keep them focused on their learning. From what I was able to observe, this project-based approach seemed to work very well in keeping the students excited and present in the classroom.

At the school I visited on Tuesday, the learning environment was very different. I was in a grade three class and the classroom management was very structured. The kids were also more independent than either of the schools I had previously visited. In the morning, the students came in from outside, sat down at their desks and quietly started reading without instruction to do so. During lessons, they sat quietly, raised their hands when they had questions and repeated after the teacher when prompted. Throughout the day, the teacher never had to raise her voice or had to repeat herself more than twice.

Amazed by the student’s listening and cooperation, during lunch I asked the teacher how she did it. She stated that it is very important that the students know what is expected of them from the first day of classes onward. She also explained that a set daily schedule can be very beneficial, so the students know what they are doing throughout the day. Not having this agenda can make some students nervous and constantly asking questions about what’s next. I found this information and classroom experience to be very beneficial and eye opening.

The one thing that was uncomfortable to me was how with this classroom structure, it wasn’t until recess and gym that I got to see each student’s personality and learn about their interests. Being in class, a lot of the students seemed quiet and reserved. However, when I got to see them in a less structured setting, I got to witness their goofy and outgoing personalities. To me, it seems like although the very structured classroom management allowed the students to learn throughout the day, it restricted their individuality a bit as well. Those little students were adorable, and it left me a bit sad that I didn’t get to know them better throughout the day.

Personally, I would like to find a balance between these two teaching approaches. Student choice is important to me and I believe that it creates a way for students to motivate themselves and engage in deeper learning that is long-lasting. I also think that classroom management is a huge part of teaching and fostering a safe, inclusive learning environment. Finding a medium will be important to my personal pedagogy so that students can feel free to express their personalities during class while also creating a structured space where the students they can excel. It is also important for me to think of the particular students in the class, and their individual needs. I am excited for more opportunities to learn and observe other teachers so I can see where I fit in as an educator.

Note: Interested in my practicum experiences? Find these posts under the practicum section in the menu. Thanks for reading!