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Hello! I am Karen

I am a new teacher from Calgary, Alberta. I grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia, but moved to Calgary in 2001. I completed the Bachelor of Applied Child Studies program and a Bachelor of Elementary Education at Mount Royal University, and am very passionate about working with young children in many capacities. I enjoy being outdoors, running and walking, playing ultimate frisbee and curling, singing and playing the piano and guitar, and spending time with my family and friends. I am very excited to grow in my teaching journey!

Karen Trotter

Bachelor of Education - Elementary

Bachelor of Applied Child Studies

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

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TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Without devoting my time to get to know each student I cannot possibly predict or understand how that student might learn best; a strong relationship with each of my students is necessary in order for me to support each one of their learning needs. If I do not know a student well, then I will only assume the best of that student as we work on building a relationship. I ask my students many questions, both verbally and written, about who they are, where they are from, what they enjoy doing, what their favourite part of school is, who is important in their lives, and how they like to learn. In return, I am always prepared to offer answers to questions about myself: who I am, where I am from, what my favourite things to do are, and why I am a teacher. This openness helps me to foster a trusting and understanding relationship with each of my students.

I believe that each child is a unique human being that is inherently good.

In the classroom, I actively listen without interruption to a child’s response or question. I expect active listening in my students so I consistently model it during one-on-one conversations, group gatherings, meetings, and larger classroom learning experiences. I pay attention to student responses to the learning experiences to gauge their interests and motivations. If students are becoming disinterested, confused, unfocused, or uninspired, then I adjust the lesson to meet the students needs. After each lesson, day, or week, I reflect on my students, the lessons, and my teaching through journal-writing to analyze how I can regenerate inspiration for my students the next lesson, day, or week.

I believe that strong and positive relationships can be built through listening, respect, and genuine care.

In addition to the provincial curriculum, I believe that children should be supported in their social and emotional development, resiliency, relationship-building, independence, and self-confidence. If a student displays an undesirable behaviour it is not because that student is “bad”, but rather that the student is looking for one of these needs to be met. I use consistent observation and conversations with students to ensure that I understand their needs. I teach self-monitoring and self-assessment so that students can build skills to understand and advocate for their own needs. I consistently ask students to consider their emotions and experiences so that they can approach learning from a safe and open mindset.

I believe that a child needs a safe and inspiring space in which to learn.

I believe that students want to learn so that they can grow as a person and experience the many facets that make up our world. I believe that when authentic learning takes place it is exciting, surprising, challenging, and inspiring. I use songs and music, literature, drama, art, technology, and inquiry to build integrated learning experiences that reflect the many needs and interests of my students. I believe that the multiplicity that exists within the Canadian identity must be respected and supported in my classroom. Multiple identities exist within my group of students, therefore I am constantly analyzing the resources that I use in my classroom to ensure that they are culturally sensitive and appropriate. I believe in using these multiple lenses for teaching so that my students can appreciate the many perspectives that exist in our world.