Perspective. This is a word that I’ve thought about a lot this week. Last night, I was lucky enough to be involved in the Kindergarten Orientation at my new school for September. As I was asked to introduce myself and share about my teaching experiences, I realized that next year will be my tenth year teaching Kindergarten. While it’s only my second year teaching it as part of the Full-Day Kindergarten Program — and while I’ve taught it at many schools with many different grades in between — it’s still my tenth year. And 10 is a big number. Or, at least it seems like a big number until I hear from people that have taught it longer — like 15 or 20 years. Perspective.

Our new room for next year. Excited to re-look at this space with my partner & students. pic.twitter.com/mhitk6cgbq

— Aviva Dunsiger (@avivaloca) June 14, 2016

I have to share a look at our classroom, which was so very exciting to see on Monday night!

It’s as I think back over those 10 years that I gain more perspective. I think back to my most challenging students when I started teaching. 

• One child wouldn’t sit on the carpet. He never came. I sang. I called him over. I demanded that he come. And now I’d probably ask why does it matter? Is carpet time really the best option anyway (or the best option for all students)? When he wouldn’t come, what was he doing? What was he telling me that he needed? What could I have done differently?
• Another child threw toys. They were usually small toys — often plastic cars. Sometimes he threw them at his friend. Sometimes he threw them at me. I never tried to find out “why” he did this. I only knew that the rule was “don’t throw,” so he was expected not to throw. I wish that I took the time to find out “why.”
• One child refused to colour the pumpkin the right colour. It was supposed to be orange … not green and blue and red combined. And the whole pumpkin was supposed to be coloured properly. I could not understand why she just drew lines of colour throughout. I remember meeting with her mom and talking about my concerns. I remember figuring out next steps for “following rules” and developing the “fine motor skills necessary for this type of colouring.” Now I’d question why I even did these worksheets in the first place, and if they met the needs of any of the students. What could I have done instead?

Problems change. How we interpret them also varies. And with each new experience that we have, some of our problems from before, don’t seem so big anymore. Perspective.

In 15 years, I’ve taught at six different schools: from inner-city Hamilton to the west-end mountain area, and everything in between.

• I’ve taught students with autism.
• I’ve taught students with Down Syndrome.
• I’ve taught students with developmental disabilities.
• I’ve taught students with learning disabilities.
• I’ve taught students that are gifted.
• I’ve taught students that are English Language Learners … including students that have learnt their first words of English in our classroom (an incredible experience).
• I’ve taught students that come from wealthy backgrounds.
• I’ve taught students that live in extreme poverty.

For a while, I taught different grades at the same school and I had many of the experiences in these grades that I listed above. I thought that these different grades gave me perspective, and then I had some new experiences and my perspective changed again. 

• I realize now that I had to move schools to see things differently.
• I realize now that each new experience that I have changes how I view future ones.
• I realize now that “kids are kids,” but they are not the same kids, and maybe we need the varied experiences to continue to have some important “perspective.”

What do you think? How do you gain perspective, and how does this perspective impact on your teaching practices? I know that while in a couple of weeks, I will be leaving Dr. Davey, my “Dr. Davey perspective” will continue to stay with me — along with the many other “school perspectives” that I’ve acquired over the years — and I’m interested in seeing the impact that this has on my Rousseau teaching experience. Rousseau will give me a new perspective too, and for that, I’m also very grateful! 

Aviva