My final practicum felt like the perfect season finale to your favorite T.V show. It felt like that moment where you look back and think; all of those turns and curve balls, all of those mole hills I turned into mountains, and all of those hurdles happened for a reason. They happened to get me here.

Big Lake Elementary made me feel so welcomed and so supported. I walked into that school and felt at home. That welcoming extended beyond the school and into the small rural community.

If you were to ask November 2020 Mariah what she wanted out of a practicum she would say

1. Rural community
2. Outdoor education
3. Multi grade classroom

Big Lake elementary delivered all of that and then some.

So I will break this down into those three sections

Rural schools

I have always been so passionate and adamant on working in a rural school. I myself grew up in a rural school and I look back on those times with happiness and fond memories. My concern going into the practicum was that I had built up rural schools in my mind based on my biases of my childhood, however, I soon learned that rural schools were right for me. Big Lake allowed me to see the benefits of rural living and the sense of community and connectedness that goes along with that. Every day the entire school was able to come together safely and do a morning greeting. The sense of belonging and safeness was evident to anyone within that circle. All of this lead to more engaging authentic learning as we all felt like a family within the school. Students were engaged and connected with one another. They were able to interact with people on many levels and engage in the developmental benefits that come with that. The teachers here feel like a small family and the sense of support that provides makes the trials of being a student teacher seem nonexistent. I felt supported and heard by every staff member at that school. I felt supported by the parents as they allowed me to come into their Childs life and learn along side them.

Now leading into outdoor education. Rural schools allow for that outdoor education more naturally and efficiently, its easy to engage in a nature walk when the nature is outside the school building. During the practicum we started every morning outside in a circle doing our morning greetings, where we got to say hello and connect with the world around us. We would then go on a walk every morning down by the lake. This allowed the students to connect and have time in the morning to interact with one another. It also allowed for authentic lessons that lead to conversations about our land and place and where we are. These walks soon became one of my favorite parts of the day. Following our walk, I would start my math lessons outside with the primary class. We would read books, bring rulers, and find anyway to make our learning take place in the outside world. I realized quickly that all learning can take place outside if you are set up for it. Learning outside has so many benefits and this practicum solidified that passion in me.

Lastly, I really wanted to see what it was like to plan and teach to a wide range of learners. This practicum did that for me. Teaching students in a class of grades k-2 is so beneficial. I found at first, I would ask my teacher “where I get this from the curriculum”, or “I cant do this with the grade k’s because its not in the curriculum”. Often what she would tell me is “teach them at their level but know that what the students take from it is what they are READY to take from it” It does not matter what grade your learner is in when they are ready, they will get there. Teaching and planning for multi grades was incredibly challenging and defiantly provided me with a learning curve. As I began to learn my students and what they needed as well as take what my coaching teacher said to heart, I soon saw all the benefits that come with teaching a multi grade classroom.

Having students in a multi grade classroom allows students to learn and challenge themselves academically but also provided social emotional learning, social engagement, growth, and human interactions. Students are able to lean on each other. Students are able to lead one another. And students are able to see how their actions impact others on a wider level. If you have everyone the same age the students tend to realize things all at the same time, but a multi age classroom encourages growth at many different times throughout these students lives. Planning for multi grades was a challenge but worth the challenge in my opinion. It leads to amazing thinking and growth for your students and if your willing to put in the effort I encourage multi grade learning whenever possible.

My final practicum was amazing and as I embark on my next step in life as an educator, I am happy that I can look back and be nothing but thankful and empowered by my experiences.

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