I also liked hearing about the Jenga game. I've done activities where I tried gameifying the classroom before, but this one sounded super cool. I can totally imagine my students getting really excited about this activity.

Overall, I found this workshop hugely beneficial. It's always so interesting to hear how people become teachers and what advice they would offer to those of us just beginning the job search. I found it reassuring that many of the panelists spoke about instances in their own practice where they learned and changed their minds. I often feel really intimidated at the fact that soon I will be the adult in the room for my students, so it's nice to hear that other people feel the same way.

In addition, I appreciated the advice to listen to your gut when deciding what teaching environment to enter. I have accepted certain jobs (in other fields) despite distinct misgivings, and have never been able to last in those jobs. In fact, I don't think my gut has ever been wrong.

It was also really interesting to hear teachers talk about how they deal with aspects of their schools that they don't like, such as the standardized testing focus. Since I know it's inevitable that even my dream schools will have some things that don't jibe with my values, it's good to hear some ideas about how you can find a way to work within that system while still being true to yourself and your teaching philosophies.

I also loved listening to the variety of perspectives and the tips were very useful (the idea of asking the interviewer about something you notice on the walls of the school=genius). I would honestly love to listen to this panel answer 10 more questions :)

The main takeaway from the workshop was the emphasis on avoiding complacency with what already exists. This echoes a sentiment I’ve encountered from a teacher back home. They demonstrate a common pitfall in the teaching profession: as teachers, there’s a risk of becoming too comfortable with the knowledge and values we’ve imparted over the years. Continuous reflection and adaptation are thus essential in the ever-evolving educational landscape. The reminder to seek consistent input and engage in lifelong learning is crucial to counter the tendency to cling to familiar thinking and practices. Despite the demands of a busy life, it is essential to find time to nurture our intellectual curiosity for personal and professional growth.

What I really valued coming out of this meeting was the variety of perspectives that were present, and how they all complimented each other to give me a much better sense of what it means to be a teacher in the US today. Navigating through complex issues, picking your battles, and finding the right fit with administrators are so key in making yourself happy in a volatile profession, and I really appreciated how truly sincere the presenters were.

I’ll most definitely be taking the Jenga exercise with me and adding it to my toolbox, as well as the anecdotes about when/where to stand for what you believe in. I am a pretty outspoken person, but need to learn how to regulate the when and where, so that was personally very helpful 😂. I will also walk away with the overall message that we as new teachers should be avoiding complacency at all costs, both for ourselves and our students. I feel this is so important, especially since I can already feel myself falling out of touch with my student’s lingo and pop culture, even though we are in the SAME GENERATION (crazy lol). I am hoping to do some exit tickets to get to know them better, and let them teach me about something for a change.

Of the things that I learned during this workshop, I think that learning about a school's culture and what it has to offer is an extremely valuable concept. Though this may be true of a myriad of jobs, I think that it is especially important for teaching. While we learned in this session that we shouldn't feel the need to stay in a school where we may be stagnating, we might still be at a school for quite some time. In such cases, it is crucial that we understand where we stand within the school. How does the school see us? What is it willing to allow for us? What does it restrict for us?

I have a lot of things that I want to do as a teacher; for one, I have never had an Asian American teacher in the traditional classroom. As such, the way my future school sees teachers of color is going to be incredibly important for me. I also want to leverage my own experiences in learning and teaching to provide a nuanced learning experience for students that might require some flexibility. Understanding the school that is right for this, and leaving if it doesn't mesh have been incredible ideas that I wasn't as sure about before attending this workshop.

It was also a joy and relief to hear the honest and candid accounts of first years in the classroom. Hearing these teachers speak about their experiences soothed my own anxiety about "messing up," and reminded me that one of the reasons I love teaching is because I love learning.

One thing left me with deep impression is how you should find your own voice in your teaching and things you have passion for. I always think that being a teacher means responsibility and tons of work. And I don’t really want to become a teacher who only cares about exams and scores. As a teacher, I want to grow together with my students and make them fall in love with school and studying. Therefore, the insights the teacher-panel have shared really reminded me of how I should stick to my passion and find my own voice in teaching.

And I’m also encouraged by how teachers as a group would always work together and help each other. This made me feel that I’m not alone and I can always learn from other excellent teachers before me.

I love listening to experienced teachers talk about their daily struggles and triumphs of teaching. While subbing, I often spend my free periods in the faculty lounge learning from older staff members. They often struggle, as Tina mentioned, the teacher-parent dynamics that are crucial in our field (in some school districts more than others). If you have the chance, I recommend asking similar questions to your mentor teacher or spending time in common rooms and listening in on what the teachers discuss; it has truly soothed many of the fears I have about entering the field!

Jenga games.