Today’s EDCI 336 class consisted of a full EdCamp session (read about my previous discussion about EdCamp right here). Our class was presented with the opportunity to participate in 2 40-minute sessions, the topic options were as follows:

  • Mental Health (teachers and students)/ Work and Life Balance
  • Classroom Management/Relationships
  • Gaming in Education
  • Sub Life
  • Embedding Indigenous Pedagogy
  • Inclusive Education

The two topics that were of most interest to me were Classroom Management and Life as a Substitute teacher so I knew right away that I would be attending those sessions.

In the Life as a Substitute session I was pleasantly surprised that a lot of my questions were answered; mostly by our professor Joanna who has experience in the sub life. The session centered around sub-topics of internal workings of the job, how to build successful relationships as a sub, what substitutes should carry at all times, and overall how to make the most out of your short time in the classroom. From the outside looking in being a sub can seem very chaotic but after this session I felt reassured in the potential possibility of subbing.

The Classroom Management session was very impactful as I think all of us have some level of anxiety when it comes to managing student behaviour and expectations in the classroom. Some of the points covered in this discussion were using the first few weeks of school to build relationships among your students, setting the tone of the class, and learn what each of your students’ needs are. This topic is gigantic and my group definitely could have gone on talking for way longer.

I am so thankful that Joanna was able to switch up the course schedule in order to squeeze the EDCAMP session in I believe our whole class benefited from the discussions an walked away with newfound educational knowledge that we didn’t have before.