Part F
Reflective Summary

This reflection examines my journey of growth and development and my personal experiences during the DipEd programme that impacted my teaching and learning.

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I embarked on this DipEd journey after having applied several times. Although I became despondent, I decided I would try one last time, and to that end I was successfully admitted.  I kept an open mind despite the discouraging accounts from others about the programme’s demanding nature and the stress that came with it. Our schedules were packed with back-to-back sessions four days a week. The rigours of working at a remote school coupled with evening classes, assignments, research and balancing home, health and family life were certainly challenging and at times, made it exhausting to keep abreast. Words of encouragement, advice and support from our lecturers were instrumental while sailing rough waters. Our group gelled to build a community of practice that supported each other to adjust to the new routines. DipEd demanded that I push and challenge myself and through this I have strengthened my capabilities.

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Despite difficult moments, I am truly grateful for this opportunity and can vouch for the programme’s ability to tap into my unknown potential, illuminate my mind and transform my practice. Over the past ten months I have gained a plethora of knowledge that has helped me to understand myself as an educator and a deeper insight into the impact I can have on my students. Exploring learning theories during our foundation classes has given me a broader understanding of the hidden curriculum, to build stronger relationships with my students and cater to diverse needs in my classroom. I have become open to critiques, learning from my peers, and becoming a reflective practitioner who is constantly looking at ways to improve her teaching.

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Understanding the structure and phases of a lesson and applying appropriate techniques has been one of the most important and useful lessons for me and brought much needed clarity. Our field days were instrumental in establishing these routines in my practice and our productive discussions on strategies and delivery helped improve my style. Lessons that would have taken me hours to plan, is now done seamlessly and efficiently in a much shorter time. I now apply context to everything I intend to teach. My resources are aligned, my objectives clear and my linguistic focus refined. I no longer feel uncertain and owe much gratitude to my lecturer who was our beacon of light to guide the way not forgetting my peers for our collaborative efforts.

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My initial philosophy on teaching was likened to a gardener. That gardener was an agriculturist, tending to her fields. In the hopes that they would thrive and yield more she would over-water her crops. She did so without careful measure, or methodology, lacking deeper understanding of plants, their environment, and optimum conditions for their growth. This gardener has now enhanced her knowledge as an agriculturist, studying her plants, understanding their specific needs and environment, watering strategically. With a deeper understanding, the gardener transcends mere cultivation.

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Through this metamorphosis, I have become an agent for change firstly by sharing my knowledge and best practices with my colleagues. I am more driven to advocate for the changes necessary to provide better resources and opportunities for my students and for the success of foreign language at my school. My action research was a process that made me cognizant of developing 21st century learners and the impact technology has in my practice. I am now equipped with many tools for motivating, inspiring and engaging my students and skills to address issues through research and meaningful solutions.

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It has renewed my passion for teaching, given me a fresh perspective, and increased confidence in meeting my objectives, as these techniques and approaches are credible, and research backed. I am eager to continue planning units, developing resources that are well scaffolded, integrating technology as well as collaborating with my colleagues in other disciplines. Through this transformation, I hope to awaken a passion for learning and a love for the subject area and its cultural underpinnings. Beyond communicative competencies, I aim to broaden my students’ horizons through discovery and exploration and to be well positioned to navigate immersive experiences.