INTERNSHIP PRACTICUM REFLECTIVE JOURNAL WEEK 2
ERDISTON TEACHERS’ TRAINING COLLEGE
POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN EDUCATIONAL
LEADERSHIP
DEL 108- ADMINISTRATORS’ CLINICAL
INTERNSHIP
REFLECTIONS WEEK 2
At the Princess Margaret Secondary
School, we often face the challenge of managing the negative behaviours of
students, which can sometimes obscure their positive attributes. I’ve observed
how our time, energy, and conversations can get consumed by recounting past
infractions and addressing indiscipline, as well as by frustrations with the
system’s slow response to these issues. To overcome this challenge, we need a
‘shift in our mindsets, in the lens in how we look at kids,’ (Wejr). Over the
years, I’ve come to realize the importance of intentionally seeking out and
acknowledging the talents, skills, and positive qualities of our students. They
are there, often just below the surface, and can be revealed when we make the
effort to look beyond our current negative circumstances. Lopez alluded to this
when he suggested that we should become strengths spotters. He further
explained that the strength spotter must have a strength mindset where he or
she believes that everyone has some valuable skill or talent to offer.
I’m certainly not suggesting that
we overlook or excuse misconduct. Addressing indiscipline remains essential,
but we must be cautious not to let the stress associated negative behaviours
overshadow our ability to see the potential within our students.
According to Chris Wejr, we can’t
teach children without connections or relationships and the best way to build
relationships is our recognition of their strengths. For many years, I have
been a guitarist, playing bass and rhythm guitar in various church settings.
Once, during a church family life session, we discussed how to bridge the
generational gap between youth and adults. I suggested that sharing skills could
foster stronger connections and allow us to mentor youth naturally. Following
this, I reached out to young persons who were interested in the guitar, and one
of them eventually pursued further studies in music at the Barbados Community
College. He now plays regularly at my church. Inspired by these experiences, I
began offering free guitar lessons to interested students at our school. Now,
three committed students attend weekly sessions where I support their musical
growth.
Remarkably, during a practice
session last term, I discovered that one of the students had a talent for
songwriting. This talent, like others, may not be immediately polished, but the
potential is there. Sometimes, our role is to be vigilant enough to notice
these tiny sparks and foster them. One student has shown exceptional interest,
and as the saying goes, "we should strike while the iron is hot."
Engaging with these students has not only helped them but has significantly
reduced my own stress as a year head. Witnessing their growth and seeing the
joy they gain from learning something they love is immensely rewarding and
reminds me of my own excitement as a young musician.
We currently have two original
songs, "We Are Determined to Win" and "Listen". I encourage our students not to compare themselves to others but
to look within themselves to discover the unique gifts they possess. Each of us
has been given something to contribute to the world, and I truly believe we can
help students find these strengths by building supportive connections with them.
Weir suggested that we could, ‘start with strengths of character and skill. He further
mentioned that ‘all kids have strengths,’ that need to be utilised. He even
suggested that confidence and resilience in students can be built when students
experience real success that naturally comes in the area of their strengths.
We need to build closer
relationships with our students to help us discover their diverse strengths and abilities. This could happen through conversations or simply by the teacher’s
observations over time. Lopez suggested that we need to, ‘catch people in
moments of excellence.’ We need to recognize every bit of talent and skill
seen. Lopez also suggested that strengths must be named and nurtured enough for
the extraordinary to be possible. We have to be intentional enough to record
our discoveries about our students and provide the necessary resources to aid
in the nurturing and development of our students. I’ve been encouraging fellow
teachers to stay vigilant in recognizing students' strengths and I believe this
approach will help us all manage our stress to foster a positive environment
that allows both students and teachers to thrive.
References
[TEDxLangleyED.Chris Wejr]. (2016, March 2). Want to Bring Out the Best in People? Start With Strengths [Video]. TEDxTalks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtduVS9BSxw
[TEDxUCCS.Shane Lopez]. (2018, July 18). Focusing on Your Strengths [Video]. TEDxTalks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlFPVhfPzNA
Comments
Post a Comment