Being a new teacher...

"I am a new teacher fresh out of university. I moved up north and started teaching within four days of accepting the teaching position. Nothing that I took in university prepared me for this experience. I find each school day to be full of challenges and rewards. You need to really reflect on what classroom management means to you. If you expect students to attend school everyday, raise their hands, sit still for any length of time you need a reality check. These students need hands on activities that are engaging, relevant and meaningful to their schemas. My biggest fear of teaching up north for a long period of time is that I will lower my expectations or give up on these kids. The children I teach do not get to leave their baggage at the door."

---Amberlee

Teachers

"I don’t think I’ll be a teacher forever, maybe a couple more years. I don’t think my heart can take it."  ---Fifth Grade Teacher

I recently met with a number of teachers who were struggling to meet the challenges they were facing in their schools.  The dilemma was that students came to school with numerous personal problems ranging from violence, lack of food, addictions, sexual abuse and poverty (among others) and these problems were not being addressed.  School administrations focus on literacy and mathematics.  So how can we bridge the gap?  Training quality school counsellors and psychologists that understand the needs of the students and are able to respond in a way that encourages personal as well as educational growth is a good start, but most importantly we need to realize that teachers are much more than sources of curriculum.  In the eyes of our children teachers are often the first place to turn.  TJS

Behavior, Teachers and Students

All behavior comes from within! Never from an outside stimulus. Choice theory, founded by William Glasser, M.D., asks teachers to try and understand that student behavior is rooted within the mind and heart of the student. The implication is that yelling, suspending, threatening and bribing simply will not work. We need to see the inside of our students. We need to like them. We need to be their friend.

The result is obvious. When we have a friend we treat them well; at least most of the time. A healthy relationship allows the teacher to see that all behavior is linked to a feeling, hurt or struggle going on within the child. To work effectively with students we must respond to their 'inner needs.' TJS

Education

“Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.”

B. F. Skinner

Self-Efficacy

How do you affect the children you teach? What do students at all levels learn about themselves from their teachers? Do you inspire and build self-esteem? Teaching, like psychotherapy, should help people find their inner strength! Psychologist Albert Bandura said it this way:

"Educational practices should be gauged not only by the skills and knowledge they impart for present use but also by what they do to children's beliefs about their capabilities, which affects how they approach the future. Students who develop a strong sense of self-efficacy are well equipped to educate themselves when they have to rely on their own initiative."

Albert Bandura

The Freedom to Learn

It may have been written decades ago but, in 'Freedom to Learn' Carl Rogers offers insights into successful, meaningful teaching that are profound today. He wrote:

"It seems that to most people, teaching involves keeping order in the classroom, pouring forth facts usually through lectures or textbooks, giving examinations and setting grades. This stereotype is badly in need of overhauling."

He noticed the 'obvious' that students preferred learning environments in which they were engaged in collaborative learning activities. Students sharing their ideas with each other, carrying out their own enquiries and classroom discussions that invited multiple levels of thinking. Teachers should be ‘facilitators of learning’. Teachers give the students the freedom to learn! As professionals the teacher is then able to provide enough support and challenge to structure activities. Students have all the ability in the world if we give them room to discover and explore!

How to learn

“What do you first do when you learn to swim? You make mistakes, do you not? And what happens? You make other mistakes, and when you have made all the mistakes you possibly can without drowning - and some of them many times over - what do you find? That you can swim? Well - life is just the same as learning to swim! Do not be afraid of making mistakes, for there is no other way of learning how to live!”

Alfred Adler

How to teach

“The educator must believe in the potential power of his pupil, and he must employ all his art in seeking to bring his pupil to experience this power.”

Alfred Adler

Listen to your life!

If you do not express your own original ideas, if you do not listen to your own being, you will have betrayed yourself. Rollo May

Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.
- Oscar Wilde

A better life!

Hi Everyone,
Our class believes that we need to stop drugs and alcohol. Too many kids are doing them. We need an education to get a better life. A better life is full of friends and good parents. ---A cool class

"DO THE RIGHT THING"

You only live this life once so do the right thing. Stick to your beliefs and follow what you know in your heart is the best thing to do. If we all did this there would be no violence, drug and alcohol addictions, no homeless or neglected children from addicted parents. Your heart will never lead you astray. Your heart will never tell you to bully, lie, cheat, steal or do drugs. Just do the right thing and you will get to where you want to be in life. If you are a student, you can just listen and learn, this will get you what you want, if you want to graduate. If you make a mistake, realize it is just a bump on the road of life, accept the consequences and move on, if you keep making the mistake worse, your road will be much rougher and bumpier. It will also take you further from your goals.

Show integrity and respect to yourself and all the people around you. Then you will be much happier and proud about the person you are and others will respect you also. We hope you do the right thing in your life because you are the one that has to live it! We love you!

From the 'neighborhood spider class,' Lorne, Rance, Jens, Andrea, Wyatt, Myles, Mrs. C and Mr.S

SMILE!!!

Teaching is not always easy....neither is being a tutor. One of the keys to success is having fun with the kids. Letting them know that school is a safe place to laugh, goof around and have fun. Learning hinges upon the interpersonal connections we have. Laugh with kids and kids laugh with your teachers. Sometimes we just worry way too much! TJS

A new way to teach!

It's different than most universities teach. People who care adapting teaching styles in a way that involves emerging curriculum. Curriculum that comes from the spirit and movement of kids. In northern communities this is particularly true. Kids learn with movement, song, dance and lots of outdoor education. Rows of desks followed by a mantra of 'sit still and be quiet' simply don't work. Teachers and administrators who recognize that kids learn differently and that meeting their emotive/physical needs will raise their academic performance will thrive. Many of the northern staff throughout Canada know this and need administrations and governments that support unique approaches to education that serve groups of people that have often been neglected and expected to fit within an old European paradigm. Way to go teachers that care and teach outside the box!!!!!!! TJS

Northern Grads 2009!!!!!

"It is the most wonderful experience and accomplishment. The feeling that you are one step closer to pursuing your dream. When I am fully done school my plan is to attend NORPAC in La Ronge for two years. When I accomplish that I plan to move further on into the medical field to become a dentist." ---Jasmine


"The completion of high school is a huge accomplishment in life. So why quit there? I plan to further my education. Although I am not 100% sure of what I want to do I intend to pursue my dreams of working in the health field." ---Felicia


"Graduate of 2009!!! I've been waiting for this day to come and it's almost here! Then I'm off to SIAST to pursue a career as a medical laboratory technologist. My goal is to provide a great life for my daughter, Hannah because she deserves nothing less than the best!!!" ---Belinda

Life

"I used to think that all life is about is being the best at everything, but now I know it's about not caring what people think of you and doing what makes you happy. And you have to care for people and what makes them happy." -----Matthew

SUCCESS!

"If you want to be successful in life and do whatever you want to do just go through life with a positive attitude and you'll get there. Forget whatever other people think, just do what you do and have fun while doing it. I want to become a dentist and I have to finish school with high marks." ---Jack

Our School is Cool!!

"What inspires me? I like coming to school and my family supports me! Because I actually come to school for an education. I don't do drugs or alcohol because I know they will mess up my goals in life and I don't need them like I need a house for shelter, and food and water. That is usually what inspires me. I may not stick around after I graduate. I want to get a good job so I can support a wife, house and raise a family and then die with a full life lived! " ---Kato


"Our small town is a good and small place to live. You can't do that much stuff but you can play hockey and the school is cool. We learn lots of stuff and have lots of cool friends!" ---A nice young lady

Losing your dad sucks...

"I lost my dad on December 18th and I watched him get buried on Christmas day. It makes me feel angry and I am angry because I had a shitty Christmas day this year."

Doing the wrong things for fun...I guess.

I live in a small community and when you look around this town you don't see anything. So you find things to do, as in play games, but then when you play those games, you end up playing them too much. Stay up way too late and that affects your schooling. You won't have enough rest, don't feel like working and when you don't have enough rest you get cranky. So I end up challenging my teachers as in fighting pointless battles. I can help myself by not playing games and going to bed earlier. Turn off my ipod and listen to the teacher, and do my work. I know what I am doing is stupid and pointless. ---Skyler