Blog · December 8, 2016

Dec. 8: Dynamic self-talk

Over the course of my studies, there have been many opportunities that have challenged my thinking about how learning takes place. This fall, in particular, I have noticed a convergence between how I see my role as a teacher and how I approach my own learning. The inquiry that was initiated by Gunner’s “I Wonder” img_5526leaf caused me to think deeply about how I view learning in my class. If I understand the curriculum to be an emergent, living process, my posture as a teacher needs to be one of a listener and observer – one who “wonders” right along with her students. My field study data indicates that I am beginning to rethink these pedagogical decisions with a greater “constructivist” mindset. My decisions should support a student-centred inquiry that is meaningful and significant to the learner.

Paralleling this discovery, I am learning to better articulate my own reflections. As in my pedagogy, I am reframing my thinking with the questions “where am I heading, where am I now and what can I do to get there?”  This self-talk creates a dynamic and formative approach that is often rift with question and uncertainty. I am seeing this tension as necessary for moving towards best practice and constructive life-long learning. I feel an uncomfortable yet, compelling shift in my practice and in my understanding of how learning happens.