HI, I’M MARK DESAUTELS AND THIS IS MY PHILOSOPHY ON TEACHING, AT LEAST TO THIS POINT IN MY CAREER!

Teaching Philosophy – Mark Desautels – October 2022

Quote from Anonymous – “Students don’t care about how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

I am now well into my fourth term as a Trades instructor in the adult education system, at TRU in Williams Lake. When I began my new journey as a teacher, it was with no small amount of trepidation. Although I had worked with apprentices on the worksite, I perceived the transition to a classroom full of students to be a daunting challenge, so I tried to focus on those qualities that might make an effective instructor. I decided that in order for me to be successful, all of my students needed to be successful. I realized toward the end of my first term, I had set myself up for failure. When, by the end of term I knew that a couple of my students were about to fail my course, I was personally devastated. I had a very difficult time reconciling this outcome with my vision of success. After some reflection, I decided I needed to fashion a more realistic vision of my goal as a teacher. “Not everyone passes all the time, no matter how much you might want it.” Prophetic words shared to me by a long term educator. I decided it was fine to take it personally, but I should use it as a tool to improve my methods. I think, if I am being an effective teacher, even if a student fails in the classroom, I will still have had a positive influence, and my students will leave my class having enjoyed their experience and acquired skills that will help them realize their future potential.

One thing I have come to understand, is that each student in my class is a unique personality with individual needs in regard to the learning process. My primary focus now, at the beginning of each term, is to try and identify those personalities, and determine how I can best motivate and inspire every person accordingly. Many of my worksheets are focused on both visual and repetitive instruction and learning, and seem to appeal to a wide range of students. In the classroom, I prefer an informal, relaxed atmosphere. I have been known to walk in, sit down and put my feet up on the table. I’m also not dictated by any specific seating arrangement, I am mostly concerned that my students aren’t intimidated by me. I find that if they are relaxed and at ease, there is far more interaction within the student group, and with me. I have also learned to value student input, whether on a particular subject, or in general as pertains to the class, the course material and my instruction methods. I encourage students to come to me with suggestions, ideas, even differences of opinion. I like to use an old cliche’ “There’s more than one way to skin a cat”. Just because I am teaching one particular method, doesn’t mean it’s the only way, or the best way. It’s simply the way I learned or have chosen to do it! This has, at times encouraged some of my critical thinkers to challenge me, which in turn challenges the entire class.

Being a Trades instructor, much of our curriculum is dictated by the ITA, and much of our time is spent in the field on the worksite. Within the classroom setting, we use the ITA source material and assess with section and final exams. On the worksite, evaluation and assessment are done through a subjective observation of students in the work environment, in different specific situations, understanding and utilizing tools, assessing and solving problems, and following proper safety protocols. When possible, I take the opportunity to have my classes complete small projects for staff and faculty around the campus, which sometimes allows for group design and build situations that otherwise wouldn’t present themselves. I encourage students to “think outside the box”. We used this opportunity once to redesign and build a couple of new engine support structures for our heavy duty mechanics class. We turned it into somewhat of a design competition, and it was a huge success. This allows the students to use tools and techniques thatotherwise might not be part of the normal curriculum, As well, within the guidelines of the ITA, I will continue to investigate how teaching technologies might be used to improve and enhance my students learning.

For the most part, my students tend to be complete beginners in the carpentry trade. As well, a good portion of my students come through the Youth Train in Trades program through the public school system. This has meant that every term, I have a wide range of ages and abilities to work with, which comes with it’s own unique challenges. I have found that I need to be flexible, the classroom tends to be fairly laid back, which seems to work for both young and adult students. I tend to be more effective using a softer edge, being more compassionate, and maintaining a good sense of humour.

Unfortunately, I am unfamiliar with most of the teaching technologies being offered up. I began teaching just before the CoVid ordeal, and we continued face to face instruction throughout the pandemic. One of my goals is to learn to use Moodle to it’s fullest potential to allow my future students the opportunity for distance and on-line instruction and learning. Having had students who were sick and isolated at home, Moodle would have been invaluable. There is also a new software in Microsoft Teams called Smartdraw that I am eager to explore. It offers things like flowcharts and floor-plans that could possibly be valuable to students as learning tools. I will also continue to improve, update and develop new worksheets and practical projects to challenge my students knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.

My desire as a teacher is to strive to be open to new ideas, to be able to get through to each one of my students as individuals, and believe in the students and their capacity for learning. I would hope that I will have instilled a sense of pride and accomplishment with my students, and they leave with the knowledge that they have acquired invaluable life skills, and hopefully continue into the Trades Apprenticeship Program to become Red Seal Carpenters. I am proud to be both a teacher and a certified trades-person, and equally proud to pass on any knowledge that I can to a new generation of potential tradespeople.