Edcamp

Today is class we partook in our very own edcamp! I always thoroughly enjoy classes that are interactive with my peers, as they all have a wealth of knowledge that I am eager to learn from! Furthermore, I really am pleased with the amount of choice and personalization of edcamps. The ability to vote on session topics, choose which ones to partake in, and gear discussions in inquiring ways, makes for a very engaging class.

The first session I attended was on classroom management. I attended this session as it is a very important and slightly daunting task of an educator and I wanted to hone on strategies and ideas for effective classroom management. The ability to manage a class effectively requires patience, strategy, and an understanding of the needs within your classroom. During the session, we touched on the importance of setting clear expectations at the beginning of the year in order to guide the student to be accountable for their actions within the classroom. We also discussed the value of generating genuine relationships with not only the students in the class but also their guardians. This allows for a deeper understanding of the child and the things they may be experiencing. This understanding/knowledge that is achieved through relationship building allows for the teacher to better know how to develop strategies to manage their students individually and as a whole class. The teacher will learn the needs of their students and be able to provide for those needs in order to reduce the need for managing behaviours.

Photo by Element5 Digital

The second session I attended was on the topic of teacher/student mental health. We began the discussion by exposing the fact that everyone and anyone can be affected by mental health. For example, the students within the classroom may not be the ones struggling with their own mental health but perhaps are affected by bearing witness to someone they know who is struggling. The way for a teacher to be of assistance goes back to building relationships and curating a safe space for all within the classroom. Secondly, we discussed the idea of teacher burnout and the importance of allocating X amount of time for yourself to recharge. For example, switching the ‘teacher brain’ off at a specific time in the evening to ensure you have space for yourself at the end of the day. One of the biggest takeaways was pertaining to the fact that a teacher most likely cannot effectively teach when they are on the brink of burning out.

Photo by Adrien Converse

In conclusion, I have learned far more than what I have expressed here, thanks to my classmates. It was relieving to know that others posed similar anxiety, questions and concerns to the same subject areas, and that we were able to slightly diminish those feeling through the process of peer discussion and experience sharing. The really cool thing about camps is that everyone within the session obtains some sort of passion toward the same subject, and therefore are willing to share their knowledge and experiences for the benefit of the discussion as well as the learning of others. My overall experience was nothing but positive and I would love to conduct this style of learning within my classroom one day.