Ivy, May, and Megan's Inquiry III Project Google Document Link

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1v4EEOBh8IMaxSgYh2dPXYJkosf0_qVADtqRUmfZtgKs/edit?usp=sharing

 Symbolic Worlds 

                                             Local Matters Reflective Writing

I don't resonate with the claim "unpromising boys/promising girls", however, I do think that either teachers or students tend to categorize students according to their social background, thus inherited social behavior.  As a Chinese immigrant and studying in the BEd program, the feeling of  being an "outcast" was prevalent at the beginning.  I realize that there is an urgency for me, not only to improve upon the language skills required by the program, but also to understand the theoretic teaching practice under the Canadian cultural context.  When I present myself in the classroom, my social identity determines who I am as a teacher. The way I talk, the accent I bear, and the thinking I have could/would never be the same as those Canadian raised teachers.  However, my experience and background also give me an advantage over others. I understand better about my students, especially students from other social background. I am more willing to humble myself and listen to their voices. They don't see me as a "perfect" authoritative figure in the classroom, but someone who is easy to connect to. 

 I resonates with one line in the side note provided by Dr. Mati. She wrote" I can trace the development of values that drew me to the "figured world" of educators who prioritize the child over the curriculum, to my personal experiences of childhood trauma and loss".  I truly believe that teaching is not all about the materials I deliver, but more about caring the students' personal well-being. 

 

Mathematics for Human Flourishing

Francis Su’s opinion about the purpose of learning mathematics is so interesting that prompted me to watch his online presentation.  During his talk, he gave some powerful examples of how people love mathematics.  One example was a person went back to university to study mathematics at age of 40 and sitting with students who were half of his age.  It was not anything, but curiosity for mathematics that brought him back to university to take classes.  Another example was from the reading.  An inmate Christopher who self-studied mathematics in prison.  Living in an adverse circumstance, Christopher did not have the opportunity to truly enjoy education as other children did.  However, his love and desire toward mathematics had made him study many higher-level math courses, not for practicality, but for flourishing his mind.  They are persons who truly appreciate the beatify of mathematics, who see mathematics as a way of flouring their human minds.

Francis Su believed that “all of us have the capacity to embrace the wonder, power, and responsibility of mathematics by nourishing our affection for it”.  However, our way of learning and teaching mathematics is not for that purpose. Throughout their years of sitting in a math class, students are constantly reminded the importance of doing well on quizzes or tests, and how their final grades affect their future academic or career path.  When the objective of learning is not of learning the knowledge itself, students either quickly lose the interests and desire in learning, or only study for the purpose of have a high grade.  Following this path, we neither cultivate students’ affection toward mathematics, nor do we nurture thinking individuals.  As a new teacher, I apricate the critical point made by Francis Su in this reading that “mathematics is for human flourishing”, and would like to think deeply how to make my teaching more meaningful.

What does “every being cries out silently to be read differently” mean?

My understanding is that every student is different. We, as teachers, are obligated to help our students find and recognize their individual talent. We then need to encourage them to see through their talent and strive to reach their potentials.

 

 

 

                                        

Inquiry Experience Map 

 

  

Blog Post: Reflections on Your Practicum and Thoughts on Next Steps

 

1. Name: __________________Ivy Li ______________________________

 

2. Teaching specialty/specialties: _______Math _______________________________

 

3. Highlights of your teaching practicum experience:
1. Experiences that you remember with a smile (learning, growth, “I love this job!” sorts of things:

At the end of my practicum, one of the students from my grade class gave me a bar of chocolate and told me “Ms. Li, thank you for being such a nice teacher”. That was the moment I truly believe education is a rewarding profession (not for the chocolate though).  Students appreciate the hard work you have done for them.

 

2. Challenges: Things that were a struggle, perhaps in the “We learn and grow through challenges and hardships” category of “learning experience”

 

One of my challenges came from comparing which teaching pedagogy was better, the thinking classroom, or the traditional instructional teaching style.  Although I still don’t have an answer, I am sure that to be an effective teacher, I should always create an environment that allows students to think critically.

 

3. Ongoing learning: Things that, at the end of your practicum, had you thinking, “I want to learn more about, or work on developing my skills in .…” (?)

 After my practicum, I would learn more about assessment and how to connect the current secondary level to the post-secondary level. There is a clear gap in between the two, especially in the area of sciences. 

           

4. Reflecting on the way the video, “Message from the future II”, plays with the notion of messages across time: What is the most important thing that would write in a letter to your future teacher self (e.g. five years from now)?

 

The message delivered from the video was seemingly unrealistic.  However, as teachers, it is important to have an optimist mindset.  If I were to advise the future me, I would say maintain your professionalism and your principles.   

 

5. Post-BEd plans: e.g., if you have already secured a teaching job, what/where? Or, some other sort of job? Or, further studies? Or, if you don’t have solid plans, what are your hoped-for post-BEd options?): Note: The purpose of this question is to provide us (Amanda and Mati) some context to get a sense of your interests and potential needs as you move into your career

 

I prefer to work part-time and spend some time with my daughter. Meanwhile, if situation permitted, I would start master’s in education in two years.

 

6. Anything else? If there is anything else you would like to share, please do! Amanda and Mati would love to learn more about you –

 I appreciate the knowledge I received from Susan and Amanda from my previous semester. I believe that I will received the same in this semester from Amanda and Mati.  Inquiry classes have always been my favorite and I have a sense of belonging in this small community. I love the associations with my classmates and professors. It has given me and will continue give me an enriched learning experience. Thank you all of you!  

             

 

 

 

  

                                                               Course Reflection

When I went through the course blog, I wrote down some key words and I think they are my biggest take away from this course: creativity, innovation, inspiration, dynamic, and inquiry. These five words, no matter it is a noun or an adjective, represent the essence of positive learning experience.  What I have learned from this course is that positive learning cannot happen if every knowledge is given by the instructor. Rather, it will happen when the students are curiously engaging and seeking for the answers themselves.  By giving out every answer to our students, we are not foster creative thinkers and it will be detrimental to their independent thinking and learning process.  Therefore, as a future teacher, I really have to keep this in mind and try to implement what I have learned here into my teaching.  Our guest speaker (from another course) had said that if one day she stopped thinking, then she thought she should be teaching anymore. I cannot agree mor with her comment.  Teaching is a process of constant thinking and learning process and I want to be the same type of teacher as she does.

In addition, the inquiry project provided an opportunity for me to delve into the educational topic that I was interested, the enriched learning.  After the research, I have a better understanding about mini school’s teaching pedagogy and its history.  However, I haven’t got a chance to talk more about the social and economic aspect in terms of mini school. If possible, I want to see if I can come up with some topics that allow me to touch upon the social issues about mini school and education.