Hello, my name is Emily, and I am a teacher candidate at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC). I am a creative person who enjoys arts and crafts, writing stories, sketching, hiking, swimming, biking, and travelling. Creativity, curiosity, and learning are important parts of who I am, and I hope to bring these traits into my teaching and learning environment.
One of the experiences that first sparked my interest in becoming a teacher happened during my math upgrading year, when I had the opportunity to volunteer in a classroom at my old hometown elementary school. I was assigned to work with a student individually who was struggling to understand the concept of money. I would take him to a small room outside of the classroom, where we worked throught the different values of coins and bills. Instead of explaining the concept only one way, I tried to make it fun interactive game and creating silly little scenarios. We imagine having a certain amount of money and deciding what we could or couldn’t afford. By doing this creative approach of learning money in different ways he gradually began to understand it.
At the end of the week, his teacher calls upon his name and ask how much this amount of money is worth, and to everyone’s excitement, he was able to answer correctly. He looked at me and said “I got it, Miss Emily!” I remember feeling proud of him, but I also wanted him to recognize that he should also feel proud of himself too. That moment showed me how meaningful it can be to help a student find a way of learning that works for them. As one way may not always work out, it is good to have backup plans. I would say from this experience gave me my spark of “I want to do this.”
As an educator, I want to create a classroom where students feel safe, respected, included, and comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, being creative, and learning in different ways. I believe every student brings their own strengths, interests, experiences, and perspectives into the classroom. I want to also build respectful relationships with students, families, and communities while recognizing and valuing the diversity within each learning environment.
As I continue through the UNBC teacher education program, I know my understanding of teaching will continue to grow and change. I want to engage in ongoing reflections and professional learning while remaining open to different perspectives and continuing to develop my teaching practices. I also recognize my responsiblity to learn and respect the histories, cultures and ways of knowing and being of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples in Canada. Lastly I hope to become an educator who supports the success of all students and encourage them to discover what they are capable of and to be proud of their own growth!
Artifact
“I got it, Miss Emily!”
A moment that reminded me why I want to teach: sometimes helping a student learn means finding a different way to help them see what they are capable of