Professional Development Goals
One of my biggest individual professional needs right now is continuing to build confidence in classroom management, as that is the area in which I felt the weakest during my practicum. I also would like to keep expanding my assessment strategies so that I can better support a range of learners. And I always want to keep thinking of different ways I can include Indigenous perspectives in respectful and meaningful ways. In the coming year, I would like to focus on areas like inclusive education, differentiation, and supporting student engagement. I know every classroom is different, so I want to become more adaptable and better prepared to support my students. I am definitely interested in professional learning that helps me support diverse learning needs and create a positive classroom environment. I also want to keep learning from experienced teachers, as they are familiar with the profession and will have learned things throughout their time teaching. In the future, I want to keep looking for opportunities to learn from others so I can keep improving as an educator and be the best teacher I can be.
How I will contribute to the profession in the future
One way I think I can contribute is by being willing to support other educators and future teachers. Since I am still in the process of learning myself, I know I can benefit from the people around me, but I also think I can offer support in return. I also think I can be open with my own experiences and challenges, because that kind of honesty can help create a more supportive environment where people do not feel like they have to have everything figured out all the time.
Another way I plan on contributing to the profession is by supporting student teachers or newer educators when I eventually have that chance. I know from just having gone through the program myself how helpful it is when someone takes the time to encourage you, answer questions, and support you through your journey, and so I would want to be that kind of person for others. I think mentorship matters a lot in teaching because so much of the profession is learned through relationships, observation, and reflection. Overall, I see Standard 8 as a reminder that a part of being a good teacher is being a good colleague.
EDTE 4110 Activities and Reflections
Cover Letter
Heinzig_Zakary_Cover-Letter-1
Practicum Reflection
1. What did you learn that you did not expect to?
One thing I didn’t expect to learn was how to plan for double block classes, since we had a week where we did that.
2. Best part?
The best part was the connections made with my students.
3. Worst part?
The worst part was the long nights prepping stuff (lack of free time).
4. A humorous part?
I can’t think of any standout “humorous” part, but the funniest parts of my practicum were some of the boys in my Physics 11 class during tests that would try to get me to give them the answers, as well as some of the answers my Science 10 class would write on their quizzes.
5. A discipline part – what you do?
I never had to discipline my students more than calling them out for being too loud. My students were fantastic.
1 Question about resumes
How far back should the stuff I include be? (should I have stuff from 8 years ago?)
2-minute teach
How to solve the white side of a Rubik’s Cube (would have Rubik’s Cube):
-make a white cross
-line up the corner pieces opposite the cross
-do a series of turns based on the positioning of the corner pieces (will demonstrate)
-done!
Mock Interview 3-2-1 Reflection
Three things I did well during the mock interviewing were using examples from my teaching practice, being clear in my answer, and showing my care as a teacher. Two things I need to work on during the mock interviewing are answering with more confidence in my voice and not overthinking what I’m saying. One question I still have about interviewing is how important my answers to the questions are compared to my presence in the interview.
What I talked about in my 1-minute About Me Recording
• My age (22)
• How I present to the world
• My gender identity
• That I love my girlfriend
• That I love consuming media
• That I love life
• My complicated feelings on people (I love the people I love but I find most people ridiculous)
• That I am generally a pleasant person lmao
Why I chose to be a teacher
I have had my eye on this profession ever since I was 15. I never knew what I wanted to do when I was older. All I knew was that I wanted to do something with math, since I loved math. Then, in Planning 10, we had to write a placeholder for the career we wanted, and I thought about it for a while before I ended up landing on teaching. I suddenly realized how perfect it was for me. I have always been a personable person, and I enjoyed the school environment as a kid. Plus, I knew I was very good with children and enjoyed leading them. So I figured that once I was older, I would be able to work effectively with kids who were the age I was then. As I kept getting older and began my post-secondary education path, I grew stronger in knowing that being a math teacher is exactly what I wanted to do. I love the educational environment. Knowing that I’m making a difference and impact on students’ lives fulfills me like nothing else. I think about the teachers who did that for me, and I want to be that person for my students, too.
I chose teaching because I want to make a difference in the lives of young people. I have always been drawn to work that is meaningful and relational, and teaching brings those things together. Growing up in a smaller community helped me understand how much a supportive adult can matter in a student’s life, and when I think about the teachers who made an impact on my life, I want to do the same for my students. One of my biggest goals on this professional journey is to create a classroom where students feel encouraged to learn, ask questions, and grow with confidence. I hope to become a teacher who builds strong relationships with students and helps them develop not only academically, but also socially and emotionally. I want students to leave my classroom feeling more confident in their abilities and more excited about learning than when they came in.
Takeaways from Guest Speakers
The main thing that resonated with me from Laurel’s presentation was how many teachers there are in the district. I never would have guessed that there were so many teachers in the district. Unfortunately, not much else stood out to me. The hugging thing was interesting since it’s different from what I’ve heard previously, but it didn’t really jump out at me either. And the rest of the things were standard and didn’t jump out at me either. I enjoyed listening to her, though.
One thing that stood out to me from Jordan’s presentation was how strongly Four Directions is built around the idea that students do better when learning is flexible, personal, and connected to culture. I think it stood out to me because it shows education can be adapted to meet students where they are instead of expecting everyone to fit the same model, which is so important to keep in mind since everyone is coming from a different place, and not everyone can fit into the same mould. I want to be there for all learners so they all feel supported.
I enjoyed Jamie’s presentation on using the TRUBOX website to set up our portfolio. It’s an interesting website, and her walkthrough on it was very helpful. I appreciated her check-ins with us to make sure we were understanding what she was doing. I’m excited to keep exploring the website and setting up my portfolio.
Pooja’s presentation today was good, although it was a bit redundant for our cohort. We had a very similar presentation at the start of our program, and while it was nice to take in that info after the context of our practicum, it was still stuff we already knew. I liked going over what to expect in our interviews, as I have mine later this week, but otherwise, there’s not much else for me to take away from it.