Without a doubt, our first practicum experience was a huge learning opportunity and place to grow. However, I would like to focus on the moment I knew I wanted to become a teacher instead.
In 2015, I struggled to fit into a small, rural community in southern Chile. A town where I had signed up to teach English and assist with Public Speaking club, Debate and the “Ecological Brigade.” I struggled because of language, culture, professional expectations, differing priorities, speed of daily life and so much more. I thought of myself as adaptable, able to go from fast-paced city life to a low-key town without a supermarket. I gave myself too much credit. It took time, and there were moments during the school year when I just wanted to pack it in and go home with my head down.
During the initial five months, I had been thrown into more last-minute classes than I can count on my own two hands. With no idea what was going on, I tried the old “fake it till you make it” technique. Eventually, gathering up the courage to call a meeting, I shared my feelings and doubts in sloppy but understandable Spanish. Afterwards, I felt empowered and it showed in my teaching. Lessons began running smoothly, I could read a room, engage students and finally felt my classroom presence emerging.
During one memorable kindergarten English class, where we made fruit salads to build food vocabulary, I thought to myself “maybe this wouldn’t be a bad profession after all.” The idea was planted, I couldn’t get it out of my head. I started looking for more teaching opportunities back in Canada and was naturally drawn to it. If I hadn’t put myself in an unfamiliar environment, both personally and professionally, I’m not sure I would have gathered the courage to enter one of the most important professions.