What have I learned, who am I as an educator, and what’s next? These three questions postulated within the prompt for our final e-portfolio prompt have been on my mind since December 3rd, the final day of my practicum for EDUC 491. What an experience.
I have learned a seemingly indescribable amount of things throughout this experience. However, if I was to focus on the major themes, I have learned much regarding the ebb and flow between classroom management, and student connection. I feel confident in the direction my assessment skills are developing, my ability to create positive connections with a variety of students, as well as how my understanding of, and preparedness for readjusting in scaffolding has continued to grow.
I also learned that my perseverance and grit are able to sustain me through challenges I had not given them credit for. I am learning how to claim my voice as a professional, and the line between constructive and close-minded is becoming increasingly defined. I am getting more and more confident in incorporating feedback and suggestions given by my colleagues without feeling the need to defend what I already know, marking each instance as an opportunity to learn from and build off of regardless of situational tone. I have known for a long time that a variety of teaching styles are qualitatively good. What I am learning is how to read between sometimes present lines, and see the value of the knowledge present beyond the criticism.
I have also come to a deeper understanding of my own need for community within my career. I thrive on positive collaboration, and participating in such collaboration with like minded colleagues has been both overtly, and meta-cognitively rewarding. This also largely represents the core of who I am as an educator; Namely, collaborative. I see Education truly as an industry of people. A collective of learners each contributing in some way to the ongoings of school life. Myself, I will always prioritize collaboration with optimistic, open-minded, and continuously growing professionals within the field. That is who I am.
As far as what comes next, I have some things to consider. Likening it to a Tolkien riddle, I am looking for the answer for who to speak with to come to terms with what I feel regarding the directions that lay ahead. If that seems convoluted, good. It is supposed to. The truth is, I do not know what is next. I have answers I need to find for myself, scars I need to mend, and connections I need to find, before I can provide an honest answer. What I know for sure, is that whatever it is, it’s going to be my decision.