EDAC5100
Junior Basic ABQ
Reflection #3 – The Junior Journey
I have thoroughly enjoyed the Junior Basic ABQ course, partly because of the amazing
wealth of wonderful material modeled and provided by the instructor, and partly
because of the super group of people taking the course with me. Although I have been
a teacher for many years, it is children of this age group which I most love to teach.
The ABQ course did not contain many surprises for me in terms of the nature of the
Junior learner and the Junior teacher. Rather, it provided me with a much more
thorough knowledge of different strategies and approaches which can be used. I love
teaching younger children, and am quite confident of being able to go into a Junior
classroom and be a great teacher. I think that the Junior grades are very exciting, as
children of this age group are beginning to reach out and discover, building on their
earlier basic knowledge. Their thoughts and approaches are beginning to move from
the concrete to the abstract, which can be a very difficult transition. They are also going
through many physical, emotional, intellectual and social phase changes, and to be able
to help them navigate these waters is an exhilarating feeling. In addition, most children
of this age range have not yet developed the rebellious ‘attitude’ which is apparent in
many older children, in the Intermediate and Senior grades.
One aspect of teaching at the Junior level which I personally find disturbing, though, is
the matter of personal interaction with the students. Children of this age group can be
quite affectionate and, in the past, it would be quite normal for Primary and Junior
students to make frequent physical contact with the teacher in the form of hugs, hand
David Keffer
Student #100257682
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EDAC5100
Junior Basic ABQ
holding, clinging, and other such interaction. In the current social and political climate,
this is not possible, and I find that a very sad situation. I have even heard of
Kindergarten classes having a ‘hand shaking’ policy. Further, the situation is very much
gender biased, as female teachers can get away with much more in the way of physical
contact with their young students than male teachers can. This is an issue at the
Primary and Junior grades, but seems to be less so in the Intermediate and Senior
grades. It is a very unfortunate situation, and is a strong negative comment on our
society. Having been out of Canada for seven years, I was not truly aware of how far
this climate had developed, and it came as quite a shock to me. For example, my own
daughter is nine years old, and I have been used to taking pictures of her during her
school sports days and other activities, which would typically not be permitted in
Canada today. I will find this a difficult matter for me to deal with as I enter the Junior
classroom, as I am naturally affectionate, and I do not yet know how I will manage.
It is patently apparent is that Junior teachers must be as
flexible as Elasti-Girl (from The Incredibles)! The range of
development and behaviour in a Junior classroom can be
quite wide, and the Junior teacher must accommodate
this by using a huge variety of teaching/learning strategies and approaches. Lessons
must be planned in order to address as many multiple intelligences as possible, with
material presented in different ways, so that all students can assimilate the material to
the greatest possible extent. Assessments must be designed to allow the teacher to
David Keffer
Student #100257682
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Junior Basic ABQ
accurately gauge the learning taking place, allowing the teacher to adjust the lesson
planning as needed. To be most effective, the students must be actively involved in the
learning process, which requires much more creativity on the part of the teacher than
simply delivering lectures. It is this aspect which I truly enjoy – that of guiding the
students, and encouraging them to discover and learn, rather than teaching. This is
very much the key to my own teaching philosophy.
Teaching at the Junior grade levels is typically much more work that at the higher grade
levels, where students are often on rotation, as the Junior teacher must generally
deliver lessons in most, if not all, of the core subjects. This contrasts dramatically with
the Senior teacher, who may have to prepare for as few as two or three courses. I
firmly believe, however, that teaching in the Junior grades can be much more
rewarding. I have taught students in the Junior grades before, but this was some years
ago, and philosophies and policies in the education field have changed since then. As I
set out to be a Junior teacher today, I can honestly say that I am looking forward to it
very much!
David Keffer
Student #100257682
Page 3 of 3
22/06/2005