Helping Where I Can

Whenever I walk into the Achievement Centre period three, I always say to Mr. Morris “Wait, it’s already (today’s date)?” He usually laughs and expresses how he can’t believe how fast the time flies as well. It’s crazy to think I’m almost finished my first month or so of my growth in Mentorship. Reflecting back on these past few weeks, I’ve become much more accustomed with how the Achievement Centre works. I have my own little routine to follow everyday, yet I still find myself learning something new each day. For instance, I learned that whenever I’m confused or have a question, I know that it’s okay to ask for help. More often than not, I’m a soft-spoken person who has a bit of trouble communicating that I need help because I like figuring things out on my own. Getting help from my teachers is okay, and it really does help me work better and more efficiently in the class.

One particular challenge I faced this week was the first time I had my class with a supply teacher. Mrs. Fernando and Mr. Morris had gone to a meeting for the day and I was left with the rest of the class. At first, I was a bit intimidated at the fact that I would have to help everyone instead of my usual two or three students. However, this was not the case. The supply teacher helped with a few kids while I took on the rest, which I did my best to not get overwhelmed by the workload. In my head, I divided my activities and lessons into smaller tasks that were more manageable, despite being the same amount of work I had to complete. This strategy helped me immensely that day. As the period carried on, I helped the supply teacher with little tasks such as helping with attendance and explaining what everyone was working on. Luckily, Mrs. Fernando had left notes on what I was supposed to be doing so I had an outline of what to work on. All in all, this experience made me feel a lot more prepared if I do end up having another supply teacher in the achievement centre.

All, if not most, of the students in the achievement centre have really grown on me throughout my time in the achievement centre. There were some students I knew from the previous years I’ve been at Pearson, but I’ve also been introduced to kids who are new to Canada entirely. One instance in particular that surprised me was when one of them called me ‘Miss’ for the first time. I had never been referred as ‘Miss’ from someone younger than me in a formal manner. It was weird because I still saw myself as a student just like them. Either way, I’m getting to know the students individually. I’m sure I would have never had this kind of personal connection if I were in a bigger classroom with a lot more people. I found that it was okay to share a few jokes even when I’m helping them. I know that there are some students who really struggle with math in my class, so I want them to like coming to class, even if they’re learning something they don’t excel in. I’ve also helped more students than what I’m used to, both due to having a supply and because there were more students starting math now. I would say that this week has really been testing my adaptability with teaching and helping the kids.

I’ve already started thinking about what I’m going to do for my “Create a Space” assignment that is due at the end of the month. I talked to my mentorship teachers about where I would set up my visual project and both of them were extremely open and willing to help me with my project. I brainstormed some ideas with them and talked about what would be best for the students within the achievement centre. I really do feel like I’ve lucked out with some of the best teachers for my mentorship class; both Mr. Morris and Mrs. Fernando are fairly flexible as to what I am able to contribute to their classroom and are able to help me if I ever need it. Even so, they leave me to my own devices and allow me to learn on my own, which I appreciate because that is one of the best ways I learn. 

These past few weeks have presented its challenges, but I adapted well to the different situations. I will add that one of the highlights of last week was definitely getting a nickname from Mr. Morris, since he does that with all of his students and I love it. Briefly, I always look forward to my period three class and I am ready to tackle any challenges that may come my way.

Attached below are the wholesome meme and inspirational quote of the week! I hope that these help you stay motivated and energized throughout the rest of this week.