We were so fortunate to be able to have the opportunity to take over the library at Harwin Elementary on Thursdays for 6 whole weeks! During those days, we would go into a classroom with 1-2 other teacher candidates and teach for one hour. We were able to receive feedback from, and write lesson plans for, a group of actual students.
[ID Begin: A group photo of the teacher candidates in the library at Harwin. Everyone is smiling! ID End.]
I am so grateful to have been given this chance to co-teach with fellow teacher candidate Karlea Simmonds. Our ideas blended together so beautifully and we really connected over how lessons should be run. We were wanting to give the students the best experience that we could offer by meeting them where they were at. Our final series of lessons with the students was creating art inspired by Canadian Indigenous artists. We wanted the art to be displayed on folded paper boxes that would contain notes of kindness that the students had written. These boxes were going to be put somewhere in the school for students/staff to find and have their day brightened a little! Some of the final results are pictured below.
[ID Begin: A close-up photo of several paper boxes. Many of them have jellyfish designs. ID End.]
Overall the experience we gained at Harwin over the weeks was invaluable as I moved into my three week practicum. I cannot thank the staff and students enough for allowing us to be guests in their school.