personal reflection: Week 5!!

After taking a week off from reflecting publicly during March Break, I had time to look back on the 4 blogs I published prior to this one and how I envision the 5 upcoming weeks. Oh, and if anyone was wondering where I went on vacation or what I did during my week off, let me tell you: unit planning, lesson planning, grading, eat, sleep, repeat. I am so proud of the work I did. It allowed me to set myself up for success for the last half of my practicum. Keep calm and carry on was my motto. 
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During the March Break, I caught wind of a podcast called: Truth for Teachers, hosted by Angela Watson. It just so happened that one of her recent episodes caught my eye. It was called: 7 ways teachers can push past imposter syndrome.  Take a listen to it by clicking on the title. 
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Believe it or not, Angela describes what I have felt throughout my practicum title the Imposter Syndrome: “It’s that feeling of being a fraud, an almost panic-inducing sense that at any moment, other people are going to figure out you have absolutely no idea what you’re doing and have no business being given the level of responsibility you have.”
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At the beginning of her podcast, she reads some quotes that pertain to self-doubt and shortcomings. This one by Dr. Margaret Chan, former Chief of the World Health Organization really stuck with me: “There are an awful lot of people out there who think I’m an expert. How do these people believe all this about me? I’m so much aware of all the things I don’t know.” That last part – I’m so much aware of all the things I don’t know. Wow. Isn’t that the truth? Why have I been focusing so much on the things I DON’T know during my practicum instead of congratulating myself for all of the things that I DO know and that I do WELL? However, Angela also gives me an answer to this… In her podcast, she says: "Anyone who is analyzing their work and striving to be better is going to feel like an imposter at times. Reflecting on your shortcomings is an important part of growth and improvement, so don’t shy away from it because you’re worried that you’re not going to measure up.” 
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​This made me think even more… Are my reflections creating this feeling within myself and diminishing my confidence? I am evidently striving to be the best that I can be, I am very self-aware and I am always looking to grow and better myself. As much as I need to be aware of these shortcomings, I also need to continue to have good self-talk and inner dialogue

Help me out? Have you ever felt the IMPOSTER SYDROME? Is this a real thing? What did YOU do about it… 
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​An EDU-Hero, warrior and inspiration to me also posted a tweet that highlighted how self-doubt can impact you towards reaching your goals. Mentally we have to make sure we aren't getting in our way of reaching our goals. 
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Now, looking back on this past week. Well, this week was special, I taught some tougher lessons and some really engaging lessons; I received my first evaluation and finished the week at a conference in Montreal.
 
Comme je l’ai mentionné ci-haut, je La dernière partie de ma semaine (jeudi et vendredi) j’étais au REFER à Montréal.
 
Premièrement, un gros merci à Nathalie Couzon pour l’invitation de collaborer avec elle et les élèves du Collège Durocher Saint-Lambert de la ville afin de promouvoir la #voixdesélèves. Pendant les 2 jours de la conférence, j’étais choyer de travailler alongside une collègue dont j’adore : Joannie Girard. Notre équipe dynamique a travaillé fort pendant le congrès afin d’animer une activité de clôture vendredi. Je suis tellement fière des élèves qui ont pensée, réfléchit, coopérer et discuter de sujets qui leur tiennent à cœur. Le tout a été très bien réussi. Bravo les filles! Voici quelques idées de ce qui a été dit :
 
Deuxièmement, j’adore réseauter pendant ces congrès. Plusieurs gens m'ont donné une nouvelle énergie! En interagissant avec des leaders pédagogiques comme Maude Lamoureux, Marius Bourgeois, Jean-Pierre Dufresne, Marie-Andrée Ouimet, Stephane Hunter, etc. Ils continuent de m’inspirer à travers les beaux projets qu’ils animent et leur ouverture à discuter avec moi.