“Educators understand and apply knowledge of student growth and development.”
“Educators are knowledgeable about how children and youth develop as learners and social beings.
Educators demonstrate an understanding of individual learning differences and needs. Educators
recognize the importance and connection of cultural identity, ways of being and worldviews to
student learning. Educators use this knowledge to inform decisions about curriculum, instruction
and assessment. Educators work to create a positive, safe and inclusive learning environment to
best meet the diverse needs of students.”
Throughout most of my late teens and my young adulthood I have always worked with youth who were younger than me in some form, be it as a summer camp counsellor at Ootsa Lake Bible Camp, a soccer coach in Burns Lake, or a tutor in Prince George. Now, having absolved a number of professional practica in the teaching vocation, I have had the opportunity to further my understanding of child development at various stages. I have come to the realisation that every child has their very own unique journey as a learner, which consists of a plethora of different factors. These factors include, but are not limited to things like the child’s home life, their friend group, any exceptionalities they may have, their interests and passions, and their cultural identity. It is a teacher’s greatest challenge to design their instruction in such a way that every student in the classroom can benefit from it. Frankly, I doubt that any lecture format can meet this very important expectation.
That is why I find it essential to actively investigate and follow student growth on a one-on-one basis. In the current system it is very difficult to have those targeted conversations and observations with every single one of your 30 students in an 80 minute period. On the other hand it is also important to allow student growth to happen naturally and give them the time they need to develop their skills. Regular check ins are the bread and butter for this, and I think that no student should be forced to move on to a new skill or topic without being confident and competent in the current one. Applying this to every student individually will not be easy, but this is a skill I am looking forward to growing for myself in the future. Learning never stops, after all.