The English language is constantly going through change; it is never static and steady. Teachers need to ensure that their students have strong foundational skills, not just for reading and writing, but for listening, understanding, and comprehending as well. It is important for a student to obtain and perfect these skills, as they will help them with connecting and communicating with the world around them. In a school setting, literacy skills are not just limited to the English Language Arts (ELA) program, but are also used in different subjects, as many disciplines rely on reading, writing, and comprehension.

When teaching literacy, it is important to offer your students choice, whether it be how they are assessed or what book they are reading. Having variety and allowing choice will allow students to understand that they are allowed to take charge and be involved in their educational journeys, instead of following everything that their teacher says. Learning should be a collaborative experience between the students and the teacher. Giving students choice helps with engagement, as the students will be genuinely interested in the things that they choose. This empowers them and gives them the confidence to develop independency in their educational journeys, becoming more self-efficient and reliant. 

As a teacher, it my job to create a safe space where students feel comfortable with being vulnerable and open. It is only through authentic experiences and heart-to-hearts, that students will feel genuinely cared about, thus motivating them to work harder. I will strive to ensure that students always feel like they're inspired to do work, as opposed to feeling like it is nothing more than an "obligation". 

My teaching metaphor this year is a chef. During the first wave of COVID-19, I spent most of my time refining my cooking skills. I was able to make many parallels between the two professions. Chefs start with raw materials. After looking at their ingredients, they may choose a dish that is compatible with what they have. In terms of teaching, we are entrusted with children as young as five. Still impressionable, it is up to us to make sure that each child reaches their highest potential as a student. When dealing with raw ingredients, we can use different culinary tools and spices to create something delicious. 

When cooking up different recipes, not all of them will require the same ingredients, spices, and tools. A student may need different types of assessments or differentiation activities to help them understand the task at hand, helping them academically grow. For example, when making whipping cream, you could use a fork, a hand whisk, or an electronic whisk. It just comes down to which of the tools fits the task properly and which will be the most efficient in completing it. Students are diverse learners and may need a different set of tools to achieve success, and as educators, it is our job to ensure that students are supported. 

I believe that being an educator and being a sculptor are very similar in nature of their work and the attitudes that they must possess. Every year, a teacher starts out with a batch of new students and as their educator, the teacher must recognize the potential in every student. Although clay appears dull and unrefined, it is an artist's job to find the beauty within the earthy substance. To educate them, the teacher must put time, patience, and effort into teaching their students. 

When a sculptor starts their art, they follow a rough plan because they know that they are prone to immediate change; therefore, they must adapt to any new circumstances to successfully create a work of art, whether the material be too wet or too dry. Teachers, despite creating lesson plans and planning activities beforehand, must acknowledge the possibility of change and embrace it within the classroom. Once the clay has been worked through, it is baked and painted in vibrant colours, unleashing the artists full potential. Every work of art is unique, no matter how similar they are in shape, colour, or size. Students are beautifully unique and are anything but ordinary.

Over the past year of my Field Experience, I have come to recognize a few of my teaching philosophy. The teaching strategies that my philosophy aligns with is Constructivism, Social Reconstructionism, and Progressivism. My philosophy mainly focuses on the student, as opposed to the educator. The young people of this generation are being brought up into a very globalist society. We are slowly closing the gaps between various nations and are continuously expanding our knowledge regarding other cultures. 

I believe that a classroom should always be a safe environment where students are allowed to socially experiment. By interacting with other multicultural students, the individuals are able to learn off of each other and see different perspectives. 

It is extremely important for students to practice their problem solving skills in order to develop metacognitive thinking. It is important for a learner to ask difficult questions in order to think deeply. Students should be able to recognize their own reasoning while respecting the ideas of others. 

In terms of my teaching philosophy, I tend to lean more towards the concepts of Progressivism and Essentialism. I believe that progressivism allows children to strengthen their social skills. Those interactions will allow students become better team players- a very useful skill to learn! As a future educator, my goal is to prepare students, not only academically, but as members of society. Aside from Progressivism, I believe that essentialism is also a very important factor when it comes to teaching as it can help students be aware of the importance of the skills required for daily life as well as academic and curriculum related skills. I know that if kids are able to reflect and think about why the think the peculiar ways they do in terms of academic work, this will also be very beneficial to them as they get find themselves and get older. Engagement in a student allows them to retain information better and helps them to  understand and acknowledge topics that are extremely important. Though, with the absence of these basic skills, an individual will be unable to put these philosophies to use. 

I believe that there are many possible parallels to being a teacher and being a toy maker! Both professions require delicate care, dedication, passion, and exemplary knowledge regarding the craft of toy making and teaching. Toy makers are careful artists, they craft the finest toys and put a ton of time, effort, and love into what they create. They're always following a plan- same with teachers! 

A wind-up toy can only work if you give it feed it energy. We aren't talking about electrical energy, or chemical energy from food. We have to wind it up from our own hands. Much like wind-up toys, students will only accept certain types of teaching methods that they resonate with the most. Once you are able teach your students, you let them into the world hoping that they are well equipped for it. After all, you can crank a toy's knob, but can't control the direction it moves in. Therefore, we must try our best to guide our students in the right direction while we can.