Hi, Evan. It’s been a crazy year.
Technically, I am in my third year of my Education degree but this is the first year that I was fully in the College of Education, as I completed my Bachelor of Music Honours through the College of Arts and Science. I have taken Music Education classes but this was really the first year that I had taken actual Education classes, through the college.
It was a very difficult adjustment for me. I had come from a small department where I knew everyone very well. My graduating class was an impressive seven people. I was very used to smaller class sizes because of how tight our department is and I knew all of the professors almost at a personal level.
I was really excited to start my journey through the College of Education. I was moving out of the dorms I had lived in for four years, I was graduating with my Bachelor of Music that took four years, and I was excited to start a new chapter of my life in a new college and living in a new part of town.
My very first day of Education was very discouraging. At 7:50am I realized my fish died so he had a viking funeral down the pipes. I went to class and was very intimidated by the class sizes. In all of my classes in that first semester, there was one other music student with me in classes of about 75 so I am very thankful for that. I had to take first and second year classes which made me feel frustrated because I was in my fifth year of school and I have had a reality check, unlike many of the first years in my classes.
I felt simultaneously ahead of many students because I have had experiencing teaching in Music, but I also felt behind because I didn’t know what PGP’s were, how to plan UBD units, and even make lesson plans through the College’s template. It was a very frustrating and difficult adjustment. I joined a couple ensembles to perform with because I realized that I needed to keep playing music and keep doing something that I love so I didn’t go out of my mind.
Even though I had a lot of frustrations, I learned many things and there were many blessings that came out of this year. I definitely still want to be a teacher and I am excited for my internship next year. I met lots of new people who are genuinely kind human beings. I think it such a blessing that this College is full of people who will always share their ideas and resources. I also met lots of professors who have great ideas of where education is headed and how to prepare for it. After I took most of first semester to settle into my new normal, classes were more enjoyable and less frustrating. I am also thankful that I had to work in group projects because that was a skill I had to learn and I am thankful that I am learning how to be a better collaborator. It was a highlight for me to be more sensitive to diverse people, to learn how to work together in a group setting, and how to think more like an administrator. I have already learned how to teach music and I have the degree to show that, but this year I learned more about what it takes to be an administrator, a planner, and a professional.
ECUR 165 