Assignment 1: Professional Development and Lifelong Learning

Ryan Hanna 268432

January 24, 2014 Education 455

Professional Development and Lifelong Learning Assignment 1: Individual Reflection

As a student entering my first year of the Education program I brought with me many preconceived notions about what it meant to learn, teach, and who I wanted to become as an educator. I want to start off with one of my favorite quotes and metaphors from our in class readings, teaching holds a mirror to the soul (Palmer, 1997, p.15). I formed an instant connection with this metaphor, as it summed up almost exactly how I feel about teaching. As a student I know that the teachers I learned from most were those same teachers with which I had formed connections with. These were the teachers that loved to teach, educate and engage with us as students and it was not hard to tell that they loved their profession. This is something I have unknowingly carried with me and has helped guide me into an exciting career in education. The journey to this program was anything but straight forward for me as I struggled to find direction as a post secondary student. Growing up I was a talented academic student throughout school, it came easy to me. Unfortunately gliding as easily as I did through school did not allow me to properly develop sound, successful study habits. I didnt have to study at all until I got into university, which turned out to be a wakeup call on my approach to learning. Growing up in a small town in British Columbia I knew all the teachers and students in my schools. I was one of the lucky students who just got it when it came to learning and
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Assignment 1: Professional Development and Lifelong Learning

interacting with my teachers. I think that being a good student and having my teachers react amicably to that gave me an advantage over some of my classmates. As I continue my education as an adult learner, it is only now that I truly realize just how fortunate I was as a child. The school system and the way the curriculum is taught tends to favor, and continues to favor, those students who transition more smoothly into the model of education that we grow up with. Looking back on my education and school experience, I feel that my success and ease with which I progressed through the grades may have had both a positive and negative affect on my skills as a learner now. My academics were always near the top of the class from elementary all the way to the end of high school. As mentioned earlier, I had minimal problems or trouble with my subjects along the way and this had a detrimental effect on my study habits (which were essentially nonexistent). A real reality check came during my first year of post secondary education at the University of Victoria. I was a first year anthropology student but was taking a calculus course to broaden my options for later program choices. I was still not aware of the jump in both expectation and difficulty level between high school and university, and this class enlightened me to this fact. I had my first calculus quiz coming up just a few weeks into the semester and like I had always done, I had put minimal to no effort into studying for this. In the middle of the test I began to feel a real panic set in that I had not felt before, I thought, I have no idea what to do here. I was not prepared, but then again I had always approached my tests with same indifference because I knew I could always figure it out, I was smart or so I thought. My so called giftedness from grade school had diminished my ability or drive to develop any transferable studying skills into the university setting and it was now coming back to bite me. I ended up getting 3 of the 10 questions on the test and had my first failure in school. I was still
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Assignment 1: Professional Development and Lifelong Learning

somewhat in shock after this test and fully unprepared to adjust my study habits so I dropped the calculus course. Looking back, I realize this moment was a major turning point for me as I transitioned into an adult learner. For the first time I knew that what I had come to expect from my education experience and learning style would not be sufficient if I wanted to succeed at the post-secondary level, and so began my journey as an adult learner. I started to organize myself, and my subjects like I had never had to before. I joined study groups, and made friends with others who were motivated to do well like myself. This new outlook on learning changed everything for me. During my second year of university I took a Greek and Roman studies course that happened to become one of my all time favorite courses. I still remember my professors name, Dr. Greg Rowe, even though that course was taken almost ten years ago. There was something about the way he taught, and the passion with which he delivered his lectures that captivated me. He was truly holding up a mirror to his soul and by doing so had me, as well as the majority of the 200 + students, engaged in his class. This is when I first started thinking about education not as a means to an end but as a way of life. If he could teach the same courses every year and still be this excited to tell us about it, then he must truly love what he does. The reason that his class was so intriguing and so memorable is because he made it so, he made it his own and let his students share in his passion with him. The excitement and enthusiasm with which a teacher approaches their class is contagious and in doing so, they can weave their subject matter, their students and themselves all into one classroom experience that transcends any teaching style or technique (Palmer, 1997, p. 16). Why cant that be me? I had always loved sharing my knowledge with people; whether it be my
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Assignment 1: Professional Development and Lifelong Learning

mother, who wanted to know how my day at school went, my younger brother who wanted to know what I was doing in those two grades ahead of him, or my classmates who would come to me for help because they knew I got it. Even coaching a childrens soccer team during high school had planted the seed of teaching inside me, I was just unaware of its growth until I started to understand and discover who I was as a learner and who I wanted to be. My motivation for learning has now changed as I get older and more focused. Originally school and classes were a fun task to complete and get As in, with no real end goal in sight except for summer vacation. Now after completing my science degree and well into my first year of the Education program here at U of C I have had another change of perspective on learning. I want to learn because I want to be a great teacher for my students. I now know that learning doesnt end with a diploma or degree but that it is in fact a lifelong process and its up to you to take control of that process and make it your own. Learning is always more meaningful when you have a vested interest in the subject matter. The motivation for learning as a preservice teacher is building the necessary skills to help inspire a desire to learn in our future students. This is both an exciting and intimidating prospect to think about, but I look forward to the challenge because nothing is as rewarding as seeing your teaching work its magic on a child. As an adult learner I bring many past experiences and knowledge to my classes. This is going to affect how I perceive and understand new information. Sometimes prior knowledge and notions can be detrimental to your learning experience but hopefully, more often than not, it can be used as an asset. Sometimes your prior notions are transformed or modified in the process of learning and you have an ah hah! moment like the one I experienced in that first year calculus class (MacKeracher, 2004, p. 33). These moments of failure are, more often than not, more critical in the process of learning than your successes.
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Assignment 1: Professional Development and Lifelong Learning

As I write this paper I am reminded of an article I read on transforming school culture. The education system in Canada, and more specifically Alberta, is on the cusp of some major changes, making this an exciting time to be entering this profession. It is we as future educators that are going to be on the front lines, engaging our students and trying to find a balance between policy and practicality, curriculum and expectations. Teachers are especially critical to the process of reform, because they control the quality, mood, and tempo of daily instruction (Smith and Stolp. 1995, p.24). This quote is an important one, as it highlights the fact that although administrators may inform and make policy regarding education, it is we as teachers that are responsible for bringing this to our students and making it work. We need to be willing and able to take expectations and tailor these to our students to make sure each and every one of them reaches their potential. I know as a teacher I will learn as much from my students, both about myself and my teaching, as they will learn from me. Due to the reciprocal nature of learning in a healthy classroom I know that my desire, my obligation, to continue developing and learning as an educator will never wane. It is only now as an adult learner working through these courses that the proper and adequate introspection/reflection has allowed me to discover what has driven me, and continues to drive me, towards this path in lifelong learning.

Assignment 1: Professional Development and Lifelong Learning

References
MacKeracher, D. (2004). Making sense of adult learning. University of Toronto Press Inc. Palmer, P.J. (1997). The heart of a teacher: Identity and integrity in teaching. Change, 29, 14-21. Stolp, S & Smith, SC. (1995). Transforming school culture: Stories, symbols, values & the leaders role. Clearing House on Educational Management, 1-34.