Competency Presentations

The Class project this year for field experience was to complete a forty-minute presentation on a grouping of the UVIC teacher competencies. My team was tasked with presenting on competencies five through eight on collaboration and community engagement. Group projects are always an interesting setting for seeing how projects develop. I have found that I am generally successful in groups because I focus on ensuring we are all envisioning a similar end goal, and then each person can achieve it in their own way. This vision was shared by my peers and allowed us to create an engaging presentation that featured each person’s unique communication style and approach while still contributing to the larger theme. A highlight of the presentation for me was watching Ryan demonstrate her activity, which showed that when people in a student’s circle fail to communicate, it is the students who are affected the most. The activity carried emotional weight, allowed for class participation, and emphasised the importance of collaboration and community engagement very effectively.

Participating in a presentation develops individual skills and exposes individuals to public speaking. However, it also provides the opportunity to learn from one’s peers. I find that I often get the best feedback and the largest variety of different ideas and approaches from the other students in my cohort. Their interpretations and approaches to projects and problem-solving are so varied that they allow for thoughtful analysis of my own teaching practice. Furthermore, each student in the cohort has different strengths, and the way they incorporate them into presentations and group work is always dynamic and interesting, allowing me to absorb the material effectively. I find that an equal amount of this learning happens outside the classroom, when discussing projects and ideas, as it does inside the classroom, when we are experiencing the summative product. Throughout the program, it has also been exciting to see the other candidates develop and become well-rounded teachers in terms of approach and style. Overall, the presentations were all fantastic and made me feel excited about working with the group in the future and remaining colleagues and friends throughout our respective careers.