1. Me

I’m Anna. This is me.

I am about to start my second year as a primary teacher at Ashburton Borough School. 2016 will also be my second year as a Provisionally registered teacher.

My Mindlab journey started mid way through my first year of teaching. I was teaching a Year 4 class and am moving into a Year 5/6 MLE environment in 2016. It is hard to pinpoint my individual teaching style after only one year in the classroom. I am a collaborative teacher, believing that two heads are better than one… and four are better than two. Collaborating with my fellow teachers has lead me to begin creating a teaching style which is adaptable and ever changing with the teaching environment. This fluid style is keeping my personal approach to teaching current and willing to evolve with the students.

I believe in allowing my students the chance to learn the best way they are comfortable with. In a modern learning practice classroom, the students are more empowered in their own learning and take some of the control of the learning. This is the practice that want my own students to follow in their learning. The students become individuals and they develop a strong sense of their own abilities. They are able to identify their weaknesses and put a plan in place to strengthen them. As the teacher, I follow suit. I am able to identify my teaching weaknesses and find ways to grow strength in these areas. I become a stronger teacher in this teaching approach.

I get inspired in many different ways. A main approach is through quotes. For example, this quote by Einstein below. These sorts of quotes often motivate me into opening my mind, broadening my view on my class or just allowing me to maintain a level head. This sort of motivation creates my teaching style. I believe that I am becoming a firm but fair teacher, hoping that the students create respect and maintain the respect for me throughout the year.

In the classroom, I have strengths in three areas mostly. In Literacy I find I am able to guide the students with relative ease in extending their vocabulary and their creating a passion for reading and writing. In Performing arts, giving the students an outlet for their creativity through dance and drama is an opportunity for me to see the students in a whole new light. Those who are not able to flourish in their academics, are able to shine through physical activity. Lastly, in technology. Since beginning my teaching career, I have found that I easily adapt to different technologies, being able to integrate them into my teaching, allowing the students to use them as tools in their learning while creating an energetic atmosphere in using the technologies in the classroom daily.

My Mindlab journey allowed me to see outside my classroom, outside my school, and most importantly, outside the box. I look forward to sharing my new view.

 

 

Picture Sources:

1. http://blog.core-ed.org/blog/2014/10/modern-learning-environments-flexible-or-purposeful.html
2. http://empowerednz.blogspot.co.nz/2015_04_01_archive.html
3. http://quotesgram.com/by-albert-einstein-quotes-about-fish/