Back Here Again

WEEK 1 – EDUC 471 D100 – September 8, 2017

It’s official. A hat-trick of teaching at SFU as a sessional instructor. Honoured. I return back to teaching EDUC471 – Curriculum Development: Theory and Practice. It’s a morning class instead of late afternoon and I’m in the main building, not in a portable building. I am feeling pretty lucky. As promised to my students, I have committed to writing a blog entry as they are asked to write a reflective journal each week. This week is introductions. Who am I? Why am I here? What do I expect to learn in this course?

Who am I? I am a former secondary mathematics teacher with 16 years of experience teaching in public schools. I am also a secondary science too. I have taught Math 8-12, Calculus 12, Science 8-10, Chemistry 11/12, and Earth Science 11. Currently, I am a sessional instructor at SFU and school trustee on the Sunshine Coast. I have facilitated workshops on BC’s New Curriculum, been on the Math K-9 Curriculum Development Team, and tutored mathematics from my home. My greatest accomplishment is finishing my Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership at SFU. I successfully defended on August 17, 2017 and will be participating in convocation in October. I can’t wait.

Why am I here? The official question asked to my students was why did he or she choose to take EDUC471 as a face-to-face course on campus. For me, you apply to what courses you wish to teach and hope that you are selected to teach at least one of the courses you’ve applied for. I say that because I taught EDUC454 last term and did not initially apply for that course, but loved it in the end. It’s amazing how life leads you in a particular direction and you have no clue where you are going but realize that you were meant to do it. I learned a tonne in EDUC454. It’s an honour to have EDUC471 again. Many professors I speak to love teaching EDUC471. It was the first course I’ve taught at SFU and feel that this is an excellent opportunity to revisit the course again.

What do I expect to learn? I hope to learn more about the students in front of me and how I can hone my craft as an instructor to provide a learning experience that is engaging, thought provoking, and interactive. The learning intentions are not as specific as EDUC454, which focused on environmental education and quantitative approaches. I hope not to fall into the trap of doing what I had done last year. It’s not about “reinventing the wheel” but it’s more about being a critical friend (to self) and identify what didn’t work out that well last year and how I can make it better. I have already found myself “in a trap” and can’t seem to see a way out of it. It’s nor here or there, but it could be better. I will have to think about that one. I might make some adaptations.

My Reflection

Overall, it was a really good first day. I’m always curious about not having a full attendance on the first day but those who did attend are pretty keen about getting started. I think about sitting in someone else’s class to see how it’s run because my students seem to get confused soon after my first class about the makings of my course. We spend the entire first class going over the detailed syllabus and Canvas. I appreciate their questions, but I wonder what I am doing (or not doing) that is not clear. This will be my test this term. How much am I willing to flex with the design of my course.

I find it very interesting how many emails I have received over the last few days. Some emails are from students trying to get into the course. Some emails are from students looking for some clarification on assignments and activities. While other emails are about the course itself and where to find things. This class is certainly not shy about asking questions… which I like. They are also willing to “break the rules” or ask for changes… which I like as well. What I have to consider is how I will answer them and where my boundaries lie. It’s not possible to be accommodating to everyone, even though I may want to be. I will do my best, but it will remain a balance as to who leads the course.

I am glad to be teaching this term at SFU. It gives me some time to figure out my next steps and see what’s out there that is a best fit for me at this point in time. Life now not as a student means to get out there in the big world “to make a difference.” Teaching makes a huge difference in a student’s life. I need to determine what kind of impact I would like to make on student learning. My lifelong goal was to complete a doctorate degree. All that I have done has led to this achievement. Now that I am here, I have to figure out what’s next. I look forward to this and the next 12-weeks with EDUC471.