Am I teaching enough content? How do I fit in every celebration? What SHOULD I be teaching?
Whether you’re a new teacher, a teacher returning from a leave of absence or a teacher in a new grade level, I’m sure these will be some of the many wonderings that you’ll have.
TEACHING IN ALBERTA
Personally, I’ve found that one of the main privileges of teaching in the public system in Alberta, is the freedom to choose how to teach the Alberta curriculum. This means that you can truly craft your teaching to reflect your personality. The government simply specifies the outcomes that are required to be taught and the minimum number of hours to be spent on each subject. Teachers therefore choose how and when they teach the required outcomes in each subject. School districts promote teacher individuality by not enforcing specific plans, resources or learning systems.
NEW TEACHERS? TEACHERS RETURNING FROM LEAVE? EXPERIENCED TEACHERS NEW TO A DISTRICT?
For teachers that are new, returning from a leave, or maybe experienced yet new to a district, this freedom can be very overwhelming. Especially when you first enter your new room and it’s bare, with only tables, chairs and storage cupboards/cabinets inside. Naturally you’ll have many questions so don’t be afraid to ask them!
Something that I’ve learned is that no matter which district, province or country you teach in, all schools are different and each school will have their own policies and systems in place. Earlier in my career, I taught in schools that promote consistency by defining every little detail from required planning templates down to the colors of bulletin boards. Though I appreciate all that I’ve learned from strict teaching protocols, I’m extremely grateful that I’ve been able to teach in my own way by applying strategies that I felt provided the best value for my students and myself.
I’m lucky that when I first taught in Alberta, I had four-years teaching experience to draw from, which enabled me to ask the right questions to set my students and myself, up for success.
AM I TEACHING ENOUGH CONTENT?
Now, as a teacher coach, I’m often asked, “How do I know if I’m teaching enough content?” The answer is simple, as long as you’re teaching the required outcomes, you’re teaching the expected content. Always refer to your year plan that you create at the start of each academic year so that you’re aware of your time schedule for teaching different units.
Also, I often hear teachers comparing themselves to their colleagues at school about activities and strategies they notice being completed and wondering if they should be doing the same. Teaching can be a lonely job, especially when teachers don’t venture far from their room, however if you see or hear about an activity or strategy that you feel is awesome, first of all, compliment the teacher and then think about including the activity or strategy with your students. When deciding about incorporating the same, do so because you want to and not because you feel that you should. Far too many teachers, put themselves under tremendous pressure by doing what they feel they should do instead of doing what they feel is best for their students and themselves. Have the courage to try new things and take risks with your students, so that you find what works best for you all.
You’ll probably have heard the saying “It takes a village to raise a child.” The same is said for teaching, so create your village by finding the right people to ask the right questions to!
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