Learning Outcome 6

Initially it was a very tough adjustment, but during this year-long practicum I met so many teachers and school staff at two different schools. During those interactions, I listened to and learned from their experiences. I will say I really tried to be respectful and professional as all of this was going on this is another way to be professional as an educator.

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At my first placement school, there was an additional teacher candidate placed with me in the same classroom, which limited my opportunities to take a lead role in teaching lessons. But what was most useful about the placement was working with many different teachers across grades and subject areas. My mentor teacher allowed me plenty of opportunities to differentiate instruction in my observations and placement. One thing I found quite memorable was sitting in on a Grade 1 music class. Unlike the far more structured music classes I had seen in Grades 4, 5, and 6, this Grade 1 class was very spontaneous with the focus on communication between students.

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This was definitely different from the music classes I had been to as a child, where I had read sheet music and played assigned instruments. In this first-grade class, he guided students to a simple pattern or model in rhythm that they could respond to using already familiar tools — their voices and hands, not complicated instruments. This approach not only built a foundation of musical literacy but shaped them in a way that started to form an inherent understanding of order and coordination within larger group activities. It was an important reminder that the strategies for teaching must evolve with the needs and developmental stages of each new class.

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Finally, on the second Wednesday in April, I witnessed The International Day of Pink, which students wore pink clothing to stand up to bullying and discrimination. For me it felt very refreshing and meaningful. I was especially moved by how much attention the students gave to this event and its message. It was a reminder for me that there is far more than lesson content to learn. Seeing students speak their mind in the assembly taught me that the school culture is coming to life. It is formed through those small experiences, those quiet moments, which accumulate over time and form the bigger picture of school values. It was a good reminder that we need to keep growing every day and be open to learning from the environment around us as educators.