CBE 182
Follow us on:
  • The Stories
  • About CBE 182
  • Write For CBE 182
  • Calendar of Writers

CBE182 Day 42: Natasha McKay, Learning Leader, Prince of Wales School

11/7/2016

1 Comment

 
​“What the teacher is, is more important than what he teaches.”


As a teacher I want my students to think big, be brave and to take risks. To question the world around them and to figure out where they fit in. I ask my students to look deeper and be willing to get out of their comfort zone on a daily basis. Learning new things is hard and uncomfortable, and that’s o.k. I tell my students all the time that if something isn’t hard, you aren’t learning anything new.
Everyday I give this message to my students, and yet I was hesitant, scared even to challenge my thinking, to get out of my own comfort zone, to do something that was going to be hard.
When I was given the opportunity to move to a new grade this year I was scared and nervous and full of doubt. Moving from my comfortable world of grade 2 with a curriculum I loved terrified me. I was a grade two teacher for many years. I Love the grade two curriculum and I loved the fact that I knew the curriculum like the back of my hand. I could make connections and create tasks that hit every part of the curriculum plus more. I liked the comfort and confidence that came from the ease of teaching the same grade for many years. Not only was I going to teach a new grade, but it was 5/6 split. Two new curriculums, plus the pressure of PAT’s at the end of the year. What was I thinking when I said yes!
Now I was being asked to take a risk, be uncomfortable, do something hard.
I was asked to move out of my comfort zone, to challenge my thinking, something I ask my students to do everyday and yet it terrified me.
Then I stepped back and thought as teachers we expect things from our students, but are we willing to do the same things in our practice? Everyday I ask my students to take risks but why was it so hard for me to do the same thing?
If I want my students to be brave, to do things that are difficult and challenge their own thinking, then I too need to be willing to do the same.
It is now 3 months into grade 5/6. I am happy I made the move but it has definitely been a HUGE learning curve. Grade 5/6 is a whole new world…
It is hard, uncomfortable, exhausting and scary some days. I have been challenged in my thinking and pushed out of my comfort zone everyday (even writing this article challenges me to try something new, difficult and uncomfortable). Taking risks is hard but it is what I want my students to see me as, someone willing to challenge their own thinking and practice and to learn it’s ok be uncomfortable, because that means I am learning something new too!
1 Comment
Jan Connery
11/20/2016 01:37:13 pm

Well done for being courageous

"The wisdom of Pooh Bear"
Think about all the exciting things that are going to happen today (particularly on Monday mornings)
"When you wake up in the morning Pooh,"Said Piglet at last,"whats the first thing you say to yourself ?"
"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh."What do you say Piglet?"
"I say , I wonder whats going to happen exciting today?" said piglet
Pooh nodded thoughtfully."it's the same thing ," he said.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Do you want to get an email notification of all new posts? Enter your address below!

    RSS Feed

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Archives

    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    Categories

    All
    AB Government
    Ability
    Administrator
    Assistant Principal
    Awareness
    Boys School
    #cBEwell
    Challenge
    Collaboration
    Connections
    Courage
    Daily 5
    Design Thinking
    Director
    Elementary
    Engagement
    Environment
    Expectations
    Experience
    Goal
    Growth Mindsets
    Highschool
    High School
    Inquiry
    Introduction
    Kindergarten
    Learning Leader
    Learning Specialist
    Lessons
    Literacy
    Maker
    Math
    Meaningfullearning
    Meaningful Learning
    Middle School
    Multiple Entry Points
    Parent
    Passion
    Perseverance
    Physical Education
    Physical Literacy
    Play
    Positivity
    Principal
    Process
    Real Learning
    Relationships
    Resource Teacher
    Say Something
    Specialist
    Student
    Student Leadership
    Students First
    Student Teacher
    Student Voice
    Teacher
    Technology
    Trust
    Trustee
    Visitor
    Willingness

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.