Educators contribute to the profession. Educators support, mentor or encourage other educators and those preparing to enter the profession. Educators contribute their expertise to activities offered by their schools, districts, professional organizations, post-secondary institutions or contribute in other ways.
Evidence 1: Creating an Interdisciplinary Unit Plan for Other Educators
While working on my Bachelor of Education at Vancouver Island University, I created a website which contains an interdisciplinary math and social studies unit. This unit fully adheres to British Columbia’s new educational curriculum, and is available free of charge for any educator who wishes to make use of it. The unit is a highly personalized project for grade 9 students, and can be tailored to the unique interests and abilities that exist within the classroom. As a student-driven project, the unit welcomes differentiated instruction, various presentation methods, potential group work, and stresses direct connections to First Peoples Principles of Learning. Within the unit, students embark on a cross-Canada “road trip” and explore the cities and stops of interest that personally interest the students. Learners will examine the basics of writing a research essay, how to create citations in APA format, and the financial literacy required to create a simple travel budget.
The website contains a myriad of resources to assist any educator who may wish to use them, including lesson plans, a math worksheet and answer key, a marking rubric, a student “welcome package” with written instructions, a detailed exemplar, and student success checklist. Essentially, I went over every resource on the website with a fine-tooth comb to ensure it contained everything an educator may need to incorporate this unit plan.
Through my experience creating this website, I learned how vital it is to support my colleagues entering the profession, and how absolutely essential it is to accept their assistance in turn. One of the most important things I have learned through my experience at VIU is how essential it is for educators to create a supportive, collegial community in which no teacher exists solo as John Donne’s proverbial island. Rather, the experience of creating this website – and my positive relationships with other educators – has bolstered my resolve to continue to make professional resources freely available for others.
My experience creating this resource has allowed me the opportunity to enter in to a “community of practice” (Wenger, 1998). As Lassonde and Israel suggest, “collaborative learning communities can inspire and energize teachers to commit to this type of professional development – to become part of a community of practice – as a priority in their work” (2010). I am convinced that students and professionals can only succeed when we foster a positive culture of collaboration within BC’s education system. Indeed, it is this collaborative culture that gives teachers the ability to improve student learning, to develop as professionals, and to make a difference in the communities we value.
Works Cited Lassonde, C. A., Israel, S. E. (2010). Teacher collaboration for professional learning: Facilitating study, research, and inquiry communities. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Evidence 2: History Resource Fair
As part of the post-baccalaureate Education program at VIU, my cohort and I engaged in a resource fair in which I presented a valuable history and social studies resource for my colleagues. This resource was the Association for Learning & Preserving the History of WWII in Asia (ALPHA Canada hyperlink). At this resource fair, I created a booth describing ALPHA Canada, critically reflected on its strengths and areas of improvement as a teacher’s resource, and guided my colleagues toward lesson and unit plans, first-person testimonials, and primary documents available on the website. I researched ALPHA Canada in depth and reflected with my colleagues how it might be useful for our future practices.
During the resource fair, I also had the immense privilege to move around the room and explore the resource stations of other members of my cohort. I remember taking page after page of notes, annotating handouts, examining potential lesson plans, and listening to the expert knowledge of my colleagues. One of the amazing things about the resource fair was how I was able to trust the knowledge and assessment of my colleagues; I was able to do this because of the immense knowledge base represented by my peers, as well as the trust and cohesion we are developing within the profession. During the resource fair, I was able to offer my own expertise to fellow student educators, but I was also able to learn and develop my own teaching strategies and resources based on the rich knowledge base of my peers. It is this mutual respect and ability to reciprocally learn that creates the underpinnings of good practice.
I feel immense gratitude for the opportunity I experienced in being able to support – and be supported by – my fellow student teachers. My experience with the history resource fair fits perfectly with the mandate of TRB Standard 8; through this experience, I have learned that I have the responsibility and privilege to contribute my expertise to fellow educators - even outside of the classroom and outside of the witness of my students. As I critically reflect on this experience, I have also learned that part of the great privilege of joining the profession is the ability to be continuously learning from my colleagues, other professionals, and from my students. Being cognizant and reflective of the ways we can utilize our skills to assist others, and demonstrating awareness that we can rely on others to do the same for us, is an example we can bring to our students. According to Philip Adey, mutually beneficial professional development is in line with Vygotsky’s theory that we learn best as social beings, and creates a positive example of collegial, respectful learning for our students (2004).
As I continue to grow as an educator, I know I will be supported by the knowledge, skills and experiences of other educators and professionals, and will also be fully committed to supporting the learning and growth of others in the profession. Collegial, mutual support will only benefit our collective students. These are students who deserve their teachers to be at their personal and professional best. In my personal vision for education, my professional experience and expertise is used as a source of development, strength, and learning for the benefit of my colleagues and our students.
Works Cited
Adey, P. (2004). The professional development of teachers: Practice and theory. Boston: Kluwer Academic. 10.1007/0-306-48518-4.