Tanya's February Reflection
What were your main responsibilities and tasks during your co-op placement? How did they relate to your academic studies?
Some of my main responsibilities include managing volunteers for our partner organization YRES, being a camp counsellor/leader, teaching English, math, and science to students, and supporting the employee life cycle in recruiting and onboarding phases. Being a psychology student, working in HR does not feel out of my element as I have taken courses in organizational psychology, as well as in sociology. There is a lot of theory being put into practice and ensuring that the actions I carry out are evidence-based practices that would benefit the company. I have also taken developmental and educational psychology courses as I am pursuing a career in the education industry, and the knowledge gained from these courses informs my behavior when interacting with students during classes and campers.
How did your co-op experience contribute to your personal and professional development? Were there any unexpected challenges or benefits?
Personally, my co-op experience has fueled my passion for working with children. I have been volunteering in educational programs for children since high school but now having practical experience under my belt, I can confirm that it is something I want to pursue professionally as a career. As I am assigned to teach children of various age groups, my co-op experience has allowed me to identify which age range I am most comfortable with teaching and which age range I am not as adept at teaching so I can further develop my skills. Furthermore, working with different groups of children across different settings is, in a way, a breath of fresh air for me. Their minds are so brilliant and curious. At the age of 5-12, they still hold their interests close to their heart as they generally are not burdened by stress and pressures from different aspects of life.
Can you describe a specific project or accomplishment from your co-op that you’re particularly proud of, and how it helped you grow as a student and a professional?
As of the end of February, I am proud that I successfully led the Cantonese Fundamental classes at Angus Glen Library and ensured a great experience for the students. I had to prepare the slides for each week’s class and ensure the learning content was suitable for my students, all of whom were on the extreme ends of the 5-12 age range. There was a significant amount of pressure during the first two classes as I worried the students would not find the learning content interesting or that they wouldn’t like my class structure/teaching style, which would not be a good impression on the parents. However, the parents helped break the ice by engaging in conversation with me on the first day in front of their children to make the classroom seem less foreign. In all our classes, everything went smoothly and the kids were always engaged with the learning content. One child disclosed to me during the second or third session that his mother told him he didn’t need to return to my classes if he didn’t like it, but he liked it and wanted to come back. The mother and son duo expressed their sadness to me on the last day that we weren’t running the classes anymore for the term. This experience has reinforced the idea in me that hands-on learning experiences are important in learning as not everything can be learned through reading text. With every child being unique in their skills, abilities, and thoughts, being able to adapt well and quickly is important to maintaining a good relationship with them to continue working with them. As someone who was born and raised in Hong Kong and thus did not learn Cantonese in the classroom, this experience has also given me insight into how I can create a fun Cantonese curriculum, unlike the curriculums of cram schools.