Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century

Thursday, March 30, 2023

OCT Standard: Ongoing Professional Learning

Last week's teaching conferences at Niagara were both enjoyable and informative. The wealth of knowledge I gained during these events was truly invaluable. I left all the workshops with a vast amount of teaching strategies and valuable resources that will help me enhance my teaching practice.

The two workshops I will reflect on are : The importance of trauma-informed practice with Jackie Eldridge and Mental health at school: support students in a post pandemic world with Gail Lalonde.

The importance of trauma-informed practice:

This workshop with Jackie was very interactive and engaging. She discussed the impact trauma has on students and ways we can work with them in the classroom. She talked about the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment for children who have experienced trauma. Some strategies she spoke about were promoting emotional safety, creating a calming classroom environment, and developing positive relationships with students, and most importantly providing them with effective social-emotional skills. I thoroughly enjoyed this workshop due to its engaging nature and the effective strategies discussed and taught. As aspiring educators, we must be mindful of our students, as many may have experienced trauma, which can significantly impact their ability to learn and thrive in school. This workshop provided valuable insight into trauma-informed practice and the importance of being trained in this approach to better support all students. I appreciate that the session was both enjoyable and informative, equipping me with the knowledge and skills necessary to create a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment that promotes healing.

Mental health at school: support students in a post pandemic world

I found Gail Lalonde's mental health workshop to be extremely informative and relatable. As someone who personally deals with anxiety, I understand the importance of having the right support in order to succeed. The session was particularly insightful as Gail covered various topics, such as the impact of the pandemic on students' mental health, how to recognize signs of mental health issues in students, and ways to create safe and supportive classrooms. During the session, she highlighted how the pandemic has had a profound impact on students' lives, with alterations to their daily routines, restricted social interactions, and heightened uncertainty, resulting in an adverse effect on their mental health. As a result, more students are struggling with anxiety and depression and because of this, educators need to prioritize the mental health and well-being of their students. This workshop provided me with valuable knowledge and skills that will enable me to promote positive mental health in my future classroom.