MACKENZIE BOUCHARD

Trauma- Informed and Individualized Learning 

I am a huge advocate for individualized learning. I believe that all students need to feel safe and valued before they can truly get out of their comfort zone and start learning new things. During first practicum at NVSS, I worked with a female grade 11 student who experienced anxiety and would shut down when she felt overwhelmed. I worked to develop a trusting relationship with her before I began to challenge her. By the end of the three weeks, she was participating in group discussions and was contributing to her classmates' learning as well as her own. 

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Suicide and mental health were a big concern at my school for Practicum 2. We lost two students and the school was hurting and very somber because of it. I needed to make sure that I was being sensitive to those who were affected, and that I accommodated any need to miss class due to counselling appointments or time to grieve. I asked my Practicum Mentor to not be present in the class that was most affected by the deaths as little as possible. I did everything I could to provide a stable and safe environment for my students, and I wanted to reassure them that school would continue as normal. I also had the students look into careers for their future, and think about different social issues that they should know about when they are able to vote. I wanted to keep the focus on their bright futures.

 

Improving Buy-in for Students and Making Learning Accessible to ALL

On my third practicum, I had to really focus on buy in from students and getting them interested in course material. To do this, I used a lot of technology in my classroom. We did Kahoot! often in class, we used Plickers and Quizlet, and we also looked at different simulations to support the material they were learning in class.