Some of my most influential personal moments in terms of teaching and learning have been while travelling. Fun fact! I have been to 13 countries!
Each country I have been to, has taught me something about myself as well as the culture, people, and land around me. One of my most memorable experiences was taking public transportation in Paris and getting lost. Being lost, overwhelmed, and out of place allowed me to practice problem solving, self-regulation, as well as self-reflection. I remember feeling scared and anxious about being able to find my way back to my hostel, but at the same time feeling determined and ambitious to complete this “challenge.” This was a very internal learning experience for me. Another memorable experience was travelling through countries such as Costa Rica, Portugal, and Spain, which exposed me to amazing cultural diversity like language, food, and history which are all so different from our Western culture. I think it is so incredibly important to experience other parts of the world that we live in, in order to step outside our comfort zone. As with teaching, I think it is so important that students are allowed to see the real world through multiple lenses in order to become successful worldly, knowledgeable citizens. When I think about the lessons I have learned (about myself and others) during my travels, I realize I would like to incorporate these lessons into my teaching. In order to be successful students, students must learn how to be independent, resourceful, confident, and able to solve problems. These are all skills I have learned and attempted to implement during my trips. Traveling has also helped me ground my learning intentions and core competencies in a place of authenticity, passion, and connection.There are so many beautiful places in the world to experience, and travelling has taught me even the simple act of stepping outside and venturing to the coffee store or beach around the corner can lend valuable and unforgettable lessons about people, place, and land.
I took this picture of a mural in Venice Beach, California. I chose to use this picture of these wings as my “teaching metaphor” because, for me, they represent that creation of my identity as an educator. Even though I know this is possibly one of the cheesiest metaphors (if not THE cheesiest metaphor out there), I see my journey to becoming a confident and knowledgeable teacher as a metamorphosis from my current state. I see the art work on the wings as the unique experiences I have had (and am yet to have) that have shaped important pieces of my identity, strengths, and weaknesses.
