EDBE8P43 Advice for Incoming J/I Teacher Candidates (What I wish I'd known) by

Hannah - What I would tell people just joining the program

2025-02-13 14:12:34 UTC

You know more than you think you know. It is so daunting before going into your first placement, I know, I've been there, but once you are there and actually in the classroom it is simply amazing. It seems like so much work and some kids won't want to participate no matter what you do, but you will get through it and probably end up enjoying yourself the entire time. You have support from your AT and your Brock professors and are going to be an amazing teacher. Don't worry, you got this!

Cassandra

2025-02-13 14:37:31 UTC

Teach what YOU are passionate about! The kids will be excited if they see that YOU are excited!

Advice for Future TCs

2025-02-13 14:38:14 UTC

It’s okay to make mistakes! That is where growth and learning takes place. It is important for our students to see us make mistakes and how we react to that as well.

Advice for New Teacher Candidates - Stephanie

rangers23 — 2025-02-13 14:38:26 UTC

Be gentle with yourself, your confidence with teaching will continuously grow with more time and experience!

Emma- New Candidates

emmabarton1304_ — 2025-02-13 14:38:52 UTC

Gather resources and organize them as you go. It is best to create a document or use padlet to have a general hub for your resources.

Grace - Advice for the Language courses

2025-02-13 14:39:13 UTC

To new teacher candidates, I would suggest using the resources that are provided in the courses and SAVING them to use in your future practice. Make a Google folder where you can store all of the resources to make lesson planning easier and to remember new strategies.

Advice for Teaching Language (Abigail)

2025-02-13 14:39:17 UTC

Be open and flexible, exploring a variety of resources and new ways to teach. Don’t get stuck in a stagnant routine because it’s familiar or easy. Be very observant of how students are doing, so you can return to concepts as needed and help them succeed. It’s scary, but you can do it 💗

Some advice…

2025-02-13 14:39:33 UTC

Go at your own pace, take risks, and make time for the things outside of teaching that fill your bucket.

The learning never stops.

Have fun!

Amber

2025-02-13 14:39:45 UTC

There are so many resources out there to help you, and don’t be afraid to use them!! There is not need to re-invent the wheel, use what you have! Lean on those around you, but be confident in your own abilities! You know more than you think you do!

Teaching language & literacy

2025-02-13 14:40:04 UTC

I think others should know that teaching language and literacy does not always need to be pencil to paper. There are so many creative ways like comics & trying to learn outside using chalk, which can make language & literacy lesson engaging and exciting for students.

Yasmin - Advice for New Teacher Candidates

yasminqhernan — 2025-02-13 14:41:53 UTC

Remember that although your first placement is intimidating, the students know you are still learning. Give yourself some grace and know that you don't need to know everything. You are human and will make mistakes, but this does not define you. Use it as a learning experience and constantly reflect.

Advice for new teacher candidates

2025-02-13 14:42:19 UTC

I believe that preparation and organization are two of the most important skills you can learn as a teacher! The job may get tough at times but the profession also brings a lot of joy! Have fun with it but also make sure you are over prepared and organized!

Advice - Lexi

2025-02-13 14:42:22 UTC

Sometimes a lesson doesn't go as planned and thats totally ok. Giving students voice and choice in what they are reading is also so important. Lastly, I would suggest taking all these resources and lesson ideas and form a bank that you can easily turn to when you need that quick or last minute lesson.

How to Succeed in This Class (Abigail)

2025-02-13 14:43:23 UTC

Learn as much as you can, save the resources that you’re shown, and be willing to explore unfamiliar or out-of-the-box ideas.

Emma- Teaching Students

emmabarton1304_ — 2025-02-13 14:43:30 UTC

Get to know your students. It is easier to engage them when there is common ground or they are interested. When teaching a mini lesson you can make a direct connections to subjects the students are interested in and passionate about.

Future Candidates

2025-02-13 14:43:31 UTC

For future candidates, being flexible, open, and creative are some key things to keep in mind which really helped me succeed within this program. This program is very collaborative, both class and placement, which is very different from undergrad. Being open, flexible, and creative will allow you to work well with others and get the most out of this experience.

Advice - Lexi

2025-02-13 14:45:36 UTC

Sometimes lessons don't go as planned and that's totally ok. Don't let that discourage you. I also would suggest taking all these resources and lesson ideas and forming a bank that you can easily revert back to when you quickly need a lesson idea during your placement.

Advice for New Candidates - Kayla

2025-02-13 14:47:09 UTC

Gather resources as you go. Start a platform to organize your resources, whatever that looks like for you (I use google drive but I've seen so many creative ways of organizing resources). Don't feel like you need to save everything. It can be overwhelming to have a resource bank that is so full of information you don't know where to start. Ask yourself if you can see yourself using the resource, if it aligns with your pedagogy, if the information makes sense to you, then add it to your resource bank. Don't be afraid to reach out to your peers for other resources. Collaboration is so important to teaching!!

New Candidates

2025-02-13 14:53:35 UTC

As long as you truly care about doing well on your placement, you will succeed. I remember being terrified of failing, but deep down, I knew I truly cared about the class and delivering quality lessons. By the time I realized I was succeeding, the placement was almost done, so make sure to enjoy your time and try your best.
Regarding coursework for all of teachers college ensure you spend enough time to do well in your work but do not overdo it. Sometimes, I spent hours working on a project or an assignment and received full marks, only to realize that I had spent an enormous amount of time on something I should not have. Make sure to work hard, but don't stress yourself out about the assignments.

Kevin - Set up time to meet with other candidates to discuss your experiences, share your worries and wins, and trade resources

2025-02-13 14:55:35 UTC

The best part about teachers college is all of the amazing people you meet. The caring, creativity, perspectives and positive attitude that everyone brings to the table is infectious. Sometimes it can be hard (espeically during placement) to find time to meet with people, though please try to put aside some time once a week or two to grab a coffee or food and catch up.

Two years goes by fast, enjoy!

Advice for new TC

2025-02-13 21:41:20 UTC

To new teacher candidates going into your placements, my first piece of advice would be to take initiative everywhere and anywhere possible in your class and your classroom. Always be asking for feedback from your AT for things that went well and that could be better after each lesson. Make it a priority to get to know your students over delivering the content because once they have your respect the rest follows.

Kristopher B

2025-02-13 21:50:17 UTC

1. The key to a successful placement is not about perfection. It is about genuinely caring for your students and your teaching. At first, I worried about making mistakes, but my focus on delivering meaningful lessons helped me grow. Within no time I began to grow my confidence more and more. Don’t let fear hold you back and embrace the experience. Make sure you make the most of it!

2. While it is important to put effort into coursework, overworking yourself is not always beneficial. I often spent excessive time on assignments, only to realize later that I could have achieved the same results with a more balanced approach. Make sure to prioritize your assignments, aim for quality, and avoid unnecessary stress.