Line Upon Line
A Reflection on My Learning Journey and the Teacher I Hope to Become
By Carolyn McLean
“Individuals carry the responsibility for generating meaning within their own lives – they carry the responsibility for engaging their minds, bodies and spirits in a practice of generating meaning.” — Chaa’winisaks, p. 11
My Journey: Line Upon Line
Four years ago, I began my journey into teacher education with questions, excitement, and a little uncertainty about what lay ahead. I knew I wanted to become a teacher, but I was still discovering what that would look like and the kind of educator I hoped to be.
Throughout my four years in EKTEP, every course, assignment, conversation, practicum, and relationship has added another line to my learning. From exploring astronomy and children’s literature in my first year to learning about Indigenous Education, inclusive practices, mathematics, reading, physical education, and the arts, each experience has helped shape my understanding of teaching.
When I first started, I thought a lot about what I would teach. Now, I find myself thinking much more about how I will teach, who I am teaching, and the relationships I want to build. My understanding of education has grown beyond curriculum and lesson planning. I am learning that teaching is about creating belonging, honouring different perspectives, building relationships, and recognizing that learning happens in many different ways.
My song, Line Upon Line, represents this journey. It reminds me that becoming an educator does not happen all at once. It happens through experiences, mistakes, questions, reflection, and the willingness to keep growing.
Where I Come From: My Self-Location
I am Carolyn McLean. I am a mother, a lifelong learner, a university student, and a future educator. I was born in the 1980s and have grown up during a time of significant social change. Over the years, I have watched conversations around inclusion, diversity, equality, and social justice evolve. I recognize that my own experiences have shaped how I see the world, how I understand fairness, and how I approach learning.
My journey has brought me to Cranbrook, British Columbia, where I live, work, learn, and hope to continue teaching. I recognize that I am learning and preparing to teach on the traditional and unceded territory of the Ktunaxa Nation. I also recognize the history and presence of the Kinbasket people and the importance of understanding the Indigenous peoples and histories connected to this region.
As a non-Indigenous learner, I recognize that I come to this learning with my own worldview, experiences, and assumptions. I cannot speak on behalf of Indigenous peoples or assume that my experiences are the same as theirs. I have a responsibility to listen, learn from Indigenous voices, question what I have previously understood, and recognize that there is still much I do not know.
Being a mother has also shaped the educator I hope to become. I understand how important it is for children to feel supported, encouraged, accepted, and valued for who they are. I want to bring that understanding into my classroom while recognizing that every child comes from a different family, culture, history, and set of experiences.
I am learning that self-location is not simply identifying where I live or where I come from. It is understanding how my identity and experiences influence the way I see the world and recognizing my responsibilities in the spaces where I learn and teach.
My Promises to the Teacher I Am Becoming
As I move closer to becoming a teacher, I want to make a few promises to myself.
I promise to keep listening. I will listen to my students, their families, Indigenous voices, and the communities around me. I will remember that I can learn just as much from others as I can teach.
I promise to keep questioning. I will challenge my own assumptions, question whose perspectives are represented, and remain open to learning things that may change the way I see the world.
I promise to create belonging. I will work toward a classroom where students feel safe, valued, respected, and encouraged to be themselves. I will celebrate differences and recognize the strengths each child brings.
I promise to remain a learner. Graduation will not mean that my learning is finished. I will continue to reflect, grow, make mistakes, and learn from them.
A Letter to My Future Teacher-Self
Dear Future Carolyn,
Remember why you started.
Four years ago, you began this journey with questions, excitement, and a dream of becoming a teacher. You didn’t have all the answers then, and you won’t have all the answers when you step into your own classroom.
Along the way, you have learned that teaching is about so much more than lesson plans, assignments, and curriculum. It is about relationships, belonging, identity, listening, and recognizing the stories that every child brings with them.
Remember that the classroom is not just a place where you teach. It is a place where you learn, grow, listen, and build relationships. You are not the only person in the room with knowledge to share.
Remember to honour the land on which you teach, recognize the histories that came before you, and make space for perspectives that may challenge what you have always known.
Keep your passion for music alive. Keep finding creative ways for children to express themselves. Keep making room for the quiet voices, the big questions, and the children who may need a different path to find their way.
You will make mistakes. You will have days when lessons don’t go as planned. You will question yourself. But remember that being a good teacher does not mean being perfect. It means being willing to reflect, take responsibility, and keep learning.
Most importantly, never forget that the children sitting in front of you are more than the curriculum you are expected to teach. They are individuals with their own stories, identities, strengths, and dreams.
Keep listening. Keep questioning. Keep learning.
Line upon line, we learned to fly, and now it’s time to teach.
With hope and purpose,
Carolyn McLean
My Closing Reflection
When I look back at the person who began this journey four years ago, I can see how much my thinking has changed. I entered teacher education wanting to become a teacher, but I am leaving with a deeper understanding of the responsibility that comes with that role.
Chaa’winisaks’ words remind me that meaning-making is something we each have a responsibility to engage in. Throughout this journey, I have had to reflect on my own experiences, challenge my thinking, listen to perspectives different from my own, and consider the kind of impact I want to have as an educator.
I know I still have much to learn about Indigenous pedagogy, and I recognize that this learning cannot end with an assignment or a university course. It must continue through my choices, relationships, and everyday teaching practices.
My four years in EKTEP have been built line upon line. Each experience has added something to the educator I am becoming. I may not know exactly what every line of my teaching journey will look like, but I know the kind of teacher I hope to be: one who listens, includes, questions, reflects, and never stops learning.
I am not finished growing. I am just beginning the next chapter.