Please bear with me, as I am currently getting to know the ropes of blogging. It is my first year of the Middle Years PDPP (post-degree professional program) at the University of Victoria. It is my goal to learn and grow through my reflections in this blog. First a little bit about myself...
In 2001, I earned my Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Victoria. I promptly headed North to Alaska to work in the field of Fisheries Biology as an observer. What is an observer, you ask? An observer assesses fishing catch effort, fishing catch composition, takes various biological measurements from target and by-catch species, as well as observes vessel compliance. I deployed on American, commercial, trawl and longline fishing vessels in the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska. The vessels would head out to sea for 3 - 45 day trips (my contract was a maximum of 90 days). I experienced rough seas, viewed breath taking scenery, and met, shall we say... very interesting personalities. In between contracts I was able to travel extensively to New Zealand, Australia, Nicaragua, and all over the USA. After 7 years of working at sea, and more recently marrying my husband, I felt my compass shift. I have always been interested in teaching, so I began to volunteer at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre. By and large, I realized that teaching was where I belong. As I adventure on this next voyage in my life, I do so with great enthusiasm, excitement, and passion. Anchors a-weigh!
After being back in school for two weeks, I feel like I have a solid idea of what I would like my Language Arts classroom to look like, sound like, and be like. I want to see students working collaboratively in groups, and I want to see their representations on the classroom wall. I want to hear students listening and reflecting respectfully on what their peers have to say. I want students to work on material that is relevant to them, so that they will be engaged, and proud of the assignments they complete. I want to create an inclusive and nurturing learning environment in which students are not afraid to participate in activities that are outside of their comfort zones. I hope that my vision of a Language Arts classroom will continue to evolve as I learn more about teaching.
