Katarina Baziw

EDU-487
Dr. Belcher
April 27, 2017
Ongoing Professional Learning: TRIBES Learning Communities
The standard of practice defined in this reflection is ongoing

professional learning. This standard of practice is defined as a commitment

to ongoing professional learning and sees this as imperative to promoting

student success and key learning. Professional practice and self-directed

learning in current research, practice and collaboration allows the teachers to

create classrooms for the ever-changing society and community of students

that a teacher will receive. As a future educator this strand is vital because

as a new teacher you soak up as much new knowledge as you can, so that

when you have the opportunity to be in charge of a classroom you can be as

prepared as you can be.

On December 16, 2017 I was given the chance to become TRIBES

certified and participate in the TRIBES learning community seminar held at

Redeemer University College. This eye-opening experience showed future

educators, as well as some current educators, new ways to engage our

students in their learning and how to create a classroom community that

involves all uniquely different students. With a focus on character education,

TRIBES aims to teach and aid the whole child, not just the academic. This

mentality truly inspired me to create some TRIBES activities in future lesson

plans, and incorporate many of the ideas of morning circle in my final

practicum from March to April 2017.

 There were two elements of the training that struck me as an educator

and impacted my professional practice. The first is the need to value

character education, and time allotted in class for that. To teach just the

academic robs the student of the potential to work on character building

skills, and to incorporate these activities and intertwine them with the

academic allows the student to begin to think critically and learn basic skills,

and allows the educator to build trust among students and allow for more

multi-dimensional activities in the classroom. The second element was the

importance of debriefing, reflecting and acknowledging through morning and

closing circles. Giving each student a chance to speak and also giving them a

chance to pass is critical and crucial at the elementary level. By having these

expectations and giving them their space when they need, allows the

student to feel like their opinion is valued, and that their mental health and

person is valued in the classroom. Being able to open up to the class and

subsequently, making a decision to pass and wait until the time is right is

amazing.

TRIBES provides students opportunities to grow in their learning

through hands-on, thinking outside of the box activities that hooks the

students immediately, and allows students to reflect on their learning and

build the skills to work in groups, independently and with their teacher

effectively and meaningfully. I hope to use more of these strategies in my

future classroom as I have in my unit planning for math, and my final

practicum every morning I taught 100% of the time.