As a teacher candidate, one of the most meaningful parts of my learning journey has been participating in our Worker Bee Prep Class. This class was designed to prepare us for working one-on-one with students, supporting their learning needs while building confidence in teaching science in real, human-centered ways. It’s not just about lesson plans and curriculum, but building that connection/relationship with the student. The class was preparing for our animal diorama class we will be doing and learning the Ktunaxa word for their animal. q̓u¢a¢ is my animal with my student. It is a chipmunk.
One of the highlights of this experience was being paired with a student and creating a personalized animal science workbook for them. This is a student I have gotten to know over the semester when I have gone into their class for other insitus. This wasn’t a generic worksheet package, it was designed around the student’s interests, learning level, and curiosity. We focused on one animal and built activities that explored:
- interesting fact
- what they eat
- where they live
- their Ktunaxa name
This experience also connects to the overall goals of the BC Science curriculum, which emphasizes inquiry-based learning, where students ask questions, explore, and communicate their understanding of the natural world. Creating a personalized workbook supported these curricular competencies by encouraging curiosity and meaningful engagement with scientific ideas. The focus on the chipmunk and its habitat helped build understanding of the natural world while also supporting the development of scientific literacy. Additionally, the integration of Ktunaxa language and perspectives reflects the curriculum’s emphasis on First Peoples knowledge, place-based learning, and developing a sense of responsibility for caring for living things and the environment.
Connecting Science to Ktunaxa Ways of Knowing
An important part of this project was connecting our science learning to Ktunaxa perspectives and ways of knowing. This meant thinking about animals not just as ‘topics’ to study, but as living beings connected to land, story, culture, and responsibility. That is what I tried to bring into the booklet and plan on sharing with my student at our insitu. This connection helped me grow as an educator. It reminded me that science education is richer when it is grounded in community, culture, and relationship to the land.
Worker Bee Prep Class helped me develop:
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Confidence in planning and adapting lessons ( I have colouring sheets that are at different levels)
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Skills in differentiating learning for individual students (making a booklet that is planned to my student who I have gotten to know)
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A deeper understanding of student-centered instruction
Final Reflection
This experience reinforced why I want to be a teacher. Teaching isn’t about delivering content, it’s about connection, care, and creating learning experiences that help students feel seen, capable, and valued. The animal workbook project and the integration of Ktunaxa perspectives reminded me that education is strongest when it is rooted in relationship with students, culture, and the world around us. It was also helpful and rewarding that as our cohort shared their ideas and worked together, as we do, and come together. I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn through doing, and I’ll carry these lessons forward into my future classroom.
As someone who connects deeply to music, this experience felt a lot like learning a new rhythm. At first, the steps of teaching felt awkward and uncertain like trying to find the beat. But through Worker Bee Prep Class, building a workbook, and will be learning alongside my student, I began to find my flow. Each small success, each moment of connection, added another note to my growing confidence as a teacher. Just like music brings different sounds together to create harmony, teaching brings students, culture, curiosity, and care into one meaningful learning experience. This experience didn’t just teach me how to teach science, it helped me find my rhythm as an educator.
Resources
Chatgpt.com (Image)