Connecting The Dots
Two years ago I decided to become a teacher. There was no big pull or push or eureka moment that lead me to this decision. Just a slight whisper and nudge inside myself that told me I should do it.
I am so glad I listened.
From the moment I entered the classroom, I knew it was the right path. As the dots connected and I engaged in the world of education my path became clearer. It wasn’t easy. In fact, the right path is rarely the easy path. I do not know where this path is taking me, but the lessons I have learned have impacted my life in a profound way, and have changed the way I see myself and the world around me.
As Steve Jobs said in his Stanford Commencement address in 2005:
“you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
The most impactful lessons were not of lesson planning, curriculum or assessment but about diversity, equity, and inclusion. These lessons have had a profound impact on my teaching which in turn will hopefully impact my future students in a positive way. Here are a few of my greatest lessons and how I have connected the dots so far on my path in education.
Lesson #1: You must remove the blindfolds of privilege
I have been blinded by privilege for most of my life. It was in my Schooling and Society class during my first semester that Dr. Awad Ibrahim introduced me to my own privilege. This revelation changed my lens, changed the narrative of my life and my future path in teaching and education. I am grateful for Dr. Ibrahim’s class and for my decision to join the Urban Cohort, as it has opened my eyes to a whole world that I was completely unaware of. I know better and because of this experience, my purpose, my mission, and my life have changed for the better.
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
Lesson #2: Find the champions of equity and take action
I have long suspected that the education system is a broken system and my fear was that I would be unable to fulfill my mission as a teacher in a two-tiered system riddled with inequity. Luckily, in the Urban Cohort we were introduced to inspiring educators who have prioritized equitable education in their schools. Educators such as Geordie Walker, principal at Hillcrest High School, and Kristin Kopra principal at Hawthorne Public School are fighting on the front-lines for educational equity and reform in their schools. I am ready and willing to join them in the trenches as a teacher on this mission as soon as possible.
Lesson #3: Honour diversity and unleash individual potential
My mission going forward is to create a classroom that allows for all of my students to reach their full potential. Every student is different and has their own personal needs, strengths and weaknesses. We must assess the individual needs of the students and stop grouping them by criteria based on their learning disabilities, language, behaviour or race. Every student is different and an inclusive classroom must honour those differences. Diversity is something to celebrate and I want my classroom to reflect that. I want my students to see themselves reflected in my classroom and in the lessons that I teach them. I want to honour their differences and seek out their passions in order to motivate and engage them to unleash the best version of themselves. Every student belongs and can thrive in any classroom where proper support is in place to address their learning needs. I realize that is not an easy task and it will require a lot of preparation and consideration for the different needs of the students, but I am looking forward to the challenge.
“Do not train children to learning by force and harshness, but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.”
I do not know where the dots will connect in the future but I trust that I am on the right path. I am so grateful for every lesson I learned along the journey and I am excited for my future in education. Only time will tell how the dots will connect but if I keep trusting my gut, I know it will lead me on the right path.
Thank you to all the professors, associate teachers, classmates and students who I have met along the way. You have all played a part in guiding me throughout this journey. A special shoutout to Linda Radford and Shari Orders for their great leadership and inspiration as leads of the Urban Cohort. You are both champions of equity and inclusion and I would not have learned all these lessons without your guidance.
