Reflection and Artifact: Week 12

“Teamwork makes the dream work”

I have chosen the video “Taking Care of the Globe” for my reflection this week. This video was very interesting. The video opened my mind to global issues that we been affected by, even though it may not have been in our own country. The crashing of the economy in 2008 was one of the examples the speaker used, it affects the world as a whole. The speaker’s message is powerful, he discussed initiatives he’s taken personally to be a positive contributor in society. He uses his family garden as an example and touches on taking care of the earth and the things that sustain life. The speaker stresses teamwork and how we need to help each other to be successful

I took many valuable points away from this video. The messages are strong and relate directly to my profession as an educator. The speaker uses the garden as a visual. He explains that he can’t make plants grow but he can do everything in his power to position them to grow. This is very much like teaching. We as educators can give students the life skills, the knowledge and advice to be successful individuals in society, but is up to them what they do with it. We as teachers can’t live their lives for them or determine how they will live their lives but we can set them up to be the most successful individual they can possibly be. The same idea goes with parenting. Parenting is teaching- they go hand in hand.

To make positive strides in economic growth we need to work together, we can’t lose site of the “big picture” and we need to ask questions. The speaker discusses the code of ethics and a checklist one can live by. We need to help each other and not be so individualized in how we live. One particular student sticks out in my head, for doing such a nice deed. Over the March Break one of my students went door to door asking teachers if they had any extra school supplies they could donate, so she could bring the supplies on her vacation and give them to the not so fortunate living in the Dominican. I thought this was amazing for a grade 8 girls to focus on such a nice task, when most are focused on laying on the beach and soaking up the sun. I donated some soccer balls and tennis balls. A ton of takeaways from this video and starts to make you think about the global issues we face and the self-centered approach we are moving towards.