To say that this has been a whirlwind of a first month in the Education Program is an understatement. My self-development, learning, and teaching goals have been solidified, along with my understanding of the education system in place today.

Some of my biggest learning thus far has been about myself, and the history and cultural implications of the education system. We have explored some of the acts of reconciliation in terms of the First Peoples Principles of Learning (FPPL) and the Professional Standards for BC Educators. Delving deep into these concepts has been absolutely eye-opening for me as both a learner and a teacher.

One unexpected, and welcome, piece of learning this past month has been my own understanding of my learning style, my self-discipline, and self-guided learning. I will discuss this in more detail below.

I have always embraced diversity. At least I thought I did. I like to think of myself as a capable teacher, but I admit that I have had a narrow-minded approach in the past. I am highly visual, and I suspect that the majority of my teaching techniques are also visual. Seeing the teachers in action at my first day of practicum, I was amazed at their ability to incorporate visual, oral, hands-on, and reflexive learning techniques.

We are getting practice teaching by doing presentations, especially in EDUC346 and EDUC446. We are getting the opportunity to work with other Teacher Candidates in order to more effectively convey information to learners (our peers).

I am learning about myself throughout this first month of learning at the UNBC Education Program. I am a very social person. This is nothing new to me, as I recognize my own social needs. What is new to me, however, is the essential nature of these social connections. Connecting with our peers on a personal and professional level will lead to better success in this program. Furthermore, knowing our own needs and learning style will help us to become competent teachers.