I began this ABQ course because I needed my Junior qualification to maintain my teaching certification in Ontario. I was hesitant because I love Primary so much, but I am very glad I participated in this course because I have learned a great deal. It required me to step outside of my comfort zone and consider different perspectives; if teaching Junior age students, they would be more independent, with various interests, and would be expected to learn different things, and so my teaching practice would need to change to reflect that. Taking the course has by no means hindered my Primary experience; it’s added to it and made my current job better for it, and I am grateful. I have been able to conduct research, network with new people, and apply what I’ve learned to my current school in some aspects. I am in a rare but fortunate position of being able to compare and contrast my learning of schools in Canada with my experiences of teaching both in the US and in the UK. I know that when it comes time for me to move to Canada I will be in a much better position to come prepared. In the meantime, I have a list of educational goals I would like to work toward completing:
· Continue to take training courses here in England that will extend my current knowledge and push me to take what I’ve learned further. My current school is very generous and has sent me on an EAL course and an EYFS course, but I am hoping to take another course or two next school year as well.
· Look for other online AQ courses that would better qualify me for a teaching position in Canada. I am especially interested in Special Education and Kindergarten, but after taking this course I am now more open to considering other courses as well.
· Collaborate with my co-workers even further and contribute to the betterment of my school. I am very lucky in that my school has a new headteacher who is eager to be progressive and is very open to hearing new ideas. He is very approachable and if I came to him with new ideas I would have the support to bring them to fruition.
· Get into the habit of finding and reading educational news and research, and discuss its implications with colleagues. Here in England the big news is that all schools are going to be made into academies. The school trust I am a part of was the very first academy in England, and so it’s going to be very interesting in the next couple of years to see if our trust takes any more schools under its wing or if we decide to make any big changes regarding what an academy should look like.