Reflections

What does “teacher identity” mean to you? What does your identity look like at this phase in your career as a teacher?

To me, your teacher identity is your professional personality. When I teach, I know I have to be able to be my own true self but also be able to maintain a sense of professionalism within myself. At this point in my career, I still am a little unsure about how I will look as a teacher, because I’ve only ever done student teaching opportunities, or opportunities where I didn’t feel totally comfortable to completely take control of the situation or class, whereas I expect that when I’m a teacher I will be comfortable because it’s my own class. I’ve noticed that I tend to balance out my other student teachers. For example, if one teacher is more outgoing, I tend to be more observant, and vice versa.

I know that I can read a room of students well and I am very good at being able to observe the class. I am very patient yet firm with my teaching, as that’s how I am normally. Students also tend to warm up to me quickly and trust me, as I am very personable, approachable, honest, empathetic, and trustworthy.

I am excited to see what I’ll be like as a teacher in charge of my own class and to see how my identity will blossom as I adjust myself to situations and adjust to what the class needs. I still need to work on incorporating myself into my professional personality, but I think I will get a better sense of what that will look like as I gain more teaching experience and get to really be a teacher and have my classroom in the way that works for me!

How did the type of school I was in shape my high school experience?

I went to Holy Rosary High School (“Holy”), which is the high school in the Lloydminster Catholic School Division. I am Catholic so I loved taking Christian Ethics as a class, probably more than my friends loved it, and I had many opportunities to take different classes such as band, jazz, photography, art, and computers. Holy Rosary tends to have classes that cater to students who want to pursue post secondary education, and the school really works with students who want to apply to university. The Lloydminster Comprehensive High School (“Comp”), the high school in the Lloydminster Public School Division, has many classes that cater more to students who are called to work in the trades (mechanic shops, hairdressing/cosmetology, etc.).

I loved going to Holy Rosary because I knew I wanted to do music and we had a stronger band and jazz program than the Comp. Many students from our program would apply to play in provincial bands and get in and there were many talented musicians. Our band teacher actually helped create the current Instrumental Jazz curriculum that Saskatchewan uses. If I didn’t go to school at Holy, I don’t think I would’ve had the calling or the tools to pursue music as a career. Being involved with the music program at Holy was very “instrumental” (ha, yes!) in my vocation and getting to where I am now. So, I guess going to a school that had the strong music program and the opportunities to take classes that I could use for university really shaped my high school experience because it allowed me to get to where I am today.