Category: EDCI 336 (Page 1 of 2)

Relearning the Violin – Final Reflection 8

2026-03-27 / epaterson / 0 Comments

These past few months of relearning the violin has been a really rewarding and also humbling experience. At the beginning, I felt confident because some of my prior knowledge came back quickly, especially with reading notes and basic rhythm. However, I quickly realized that relearning isn’t just remembering, it’s rebuilding. I had to spend more time than expected focusing on fundamentals like finger placement, bow control, and keeping a steady tempo.

Consistency was probably my biggest challenge this semester. As I got busier, I struggled to practice regularly. I noticed that when I didn’t practice, I lost confidence and momentum, which made progress feel so much slower. This really reinforced to me how important consistent practice is when learning or relearning a skill.

Finishing the first book was a big accomplishment, but starting the second book showed me that I still have a lot to work on.

Overall, this experience has taught me about persistence, time management, and setting realistic expectations. Even through my progress wasn’t always consistent, it reminded me what it feels like to be an early leaner again, which is something I can carry into my future teaching.

Weekly Relfection 8

2026-03-19 / epaterson

This week in tech we focused on inclusion in education supported by technology. During my K-12 tears, I didn’t personally use adaptive technologies, but I did notice some students using tools like laptops or text-to-speech programs. At the time I didn’t connect these tools to inclusion, but I now understand that they were important in helping create a more equitable learning environment.

In my L2P, I saw how technology can play a key part in supporting inclusion. Adaptive tools like speech-to-text, audio books, and visual supports can help students with diverse learning needs participate with the class. When these tools are used effectively, they allow students to work more independently and feel more confident in their abilities. However, I noticed in the classroom that its success depends on how well the tool is introduced and supported by the teacher. Without proper guidance, students may struggle to use them effectively or may not benefit the way it was intended. For example, in my L2P one of our students who is unable to speak and was learning to use a text-to-speech program was normally given support by his EA. However she was sick one day and they didn’t have a replacement so it was just me and the classroom teacher. The classroom teacher attempted to give him support but she didn’t fully understand how to use the program so she kind of gave up and so did he.

Technology can be such a powerful tool for supporting inclusion in education when it is used thoughtfully. It is not just about having the tools, but how they are implemented to ensure that all students feel supported.

Link to the Assessable Resource Center – British Columbia

https://www.arc-bc.org

Pearson – How Adaptive technology empowers student success:

Relearning the Violin – Reflection 7

2026-03-19 / epaterson

This week my progress with the violin has remained slower than I anticipated. I have remained really busy with it being the end of the semester and we have begun preparing for our practicums.

Despite this, I did start working on the second book. I was excited to move forward, but I quickly realized that without regular practice, it’s harder to feel confident with the new material. The pieces are a bit more challenging than the last book and I found myself needing more time to go over the basics than I expected.

Since I didn’t have a ton of time, I paid more attention to my technique, specifically finger placement and keeping tempo. While these are skills I practiced a lot in the first book, it still felt like I was making some progress.

Overall, this week has been a big reminder than consistency is really important when learning a skill. Since I haven’t been able to practice consistently for the past few weeks I feel as if I’m falling behind. Moving into the second book feels like a big step but I think I need to manage my time a little better so I can actually keep up with it.

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Weekly Reflection 7

2026-03-14 / epaterson

Last week in tech we explored gamification and how game elements can support learning. After looking through some websites our instructor provided, I starting thinking more about how games can make learning more engaging for students.

One key idea is that games already include features like clear goals, challenges, and immediate feedback. These things can help motivate students and encourage them to keep trying, even when the task is difficult. Gamification can also make topics that students may not normally enjoy feel more interactive by turning learning into a challenge or problem to solve.

Something else that stood out to me was the difference between students playing games and creating them. While playing games can reinforce learning, creating them can deepen understanding. For example, students could use programs like Scratch to design their own simple games or challenges. This allows them to be creative while also thinking critically about the content they are learning.

Overall, this week showed me that gamification doesn’t mean turning every lesson into a game, but rather using game elements to make learning more engaging and meaningful.

Link to websites:

http://gamingenhanceseducation.weebly.com

http://pedagogylevelup.weebly.com

Link to Scratch:

https://scratch.mit.edu

Relearning the Violin – Reflection 6

2026-03-12 / epaterson

This week my progress with the violin was much slower than I had hoped. I’ve been very busy with school work and was only able to practice once. Because of this, I decided not to continue into the new book and instead keep working on the basics.

I thought it would be fun to try something I used to do when I played violin as a kid. I couldn’t find the exact video my music teacher used, but I found one similar. The idea is that I follow along to the video playing the violin without pausing, restarting, or looking ahead. This gives an added challenge when practicing notes of staying on rhythm while making sure I keep proper bow positioning.

I really enjoyed doing this as it helped me work on sight reading my notes, and be okay with making mistakes and moving on. I did this activity twice, the first time I made it to level 7 with no mistakes, and the second time I made it to level 9 with no mistakes!

Link to the YouTube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9qynMmBz30

Weekly Reflection 6

2026-03-03 / epaterson

This week in Tech we did our POD inquiry checkpoint presentations and completed a SAMR activity. It was really nice to see all the different PODs ideas as well as receiving feedback for ours. I also found it interesting how even though everyone’s topics were different, a lot of them had focus on students mental health, which is very important.

We discussed the SAMR and TPACK models that help with integrating technology into the classroom. In the activity, we redesigned a simple animal research lesson and explained how it fit into Substitution/Augmentation/Modification/Redefinition.

After looking at other groups ideas in the padlet, It was nice to see different approaches in applying SAMR. This activity reinforced how SAMR can guide intentional tech use, and I can see myself looking back to this model to make lessons more engaging.

Link to SAMR and TPACK models:

https://taylorinstitute.ucalgary.ca/resources/SAMR-TPACK

Relearning the violin – Reflection 5

2026-03-03 / epaterson

This week was exciting because I finished my first violin book! After falling behind the past few weeks I have been working hard to move on to the next book. It felt very rewarding to reach the end of the first book, especially knowing how it felt when I first began. Starting the second book made me realize how much I have actually learned, as I am able to approach pieces with more confidence than before.

That being said, I do not feel 100% confident with everything from the first book yet. There are still certain songs and transitions that feel shaky, and my tone is not always as consistent as I would like. Because of this I have decided to hold off on continuing the second book for a couple for days while I continue to revisit pieces from the first book. I do not want to rush ahead a leave gaps in my foundational skills.

This week had been a great reminder that learning is not linear. Moving forward does not mean abandoning material, but going back and strengthening what you have already learned.

I did not have a chance to record myself this week so I will update this post with a recording when I am able!

Weekly Reflection 5

2026-03-03 / epaterson

Last week we had the privilege to attend two Focused Ed Professional Development (PD) online sessions with teachers and school staff members. I joined one on The Digital Classroom with Lisa Read, and another on student cybersecurity with Mike Silverton. Both sessions felt very relevant to our future classrooms.

The Digital Classroom session walked us through different online resources available to schools and how to navigate them effectively. I appreciated how practical it was. One resource that stood out to me was 4 Canoes, because it was created through collaboration with Indigenous communities and elders. As a future teacher, I think it is so important to use authentic Indigenous resources, so learning about this platform was really valuable.

The cybersecurity session also made me think more deeply about digital literacy. It focused on topics like strong passwords, digital footprints, and online safety. I realized that we cannot assume students automatically know how to protect themselves online just because they grew up around technology. Overall, these sessions reinforced that teaching with technology also means teaching students how to use it responsibly and safely.

Link to Focused Education Resources:

https://focusedresources.ca/digital-classroom-access

Relearning the violin – Reflection 4

2026-02-26 / epaterson

This week was very similar to last week progression wise as I didn’t have as much time to practice as I had hoped. I was only able to practice a few times, but during that time I mainly focused on reviewing the same songs rather than learning anything new. Even through I didn’t make big progress, I noticed that I was able to pick things back up a little quicker than when I had first started. I still feel confident in my bow control and note reading, which shows me that the practice I have already put in is sticking. It was helpful to maintain the skills Ive been building instead of putting pressure on myself to constantly improve.

This week reminded me that learning is not always about major growth. Sometimes it is about consistency and maintenance. As a future educator, this is a great reminded that students will also have weeks where they are just holding onto what they have learning, and that is still valuable progress.

Relearning the violin – Reflection 3

2026-02-13 / epaterson

Over the past week, I have continued working through my first violin book and focusing on improving consistency in my playing. I spent time practicing scales and playing songs I already know while playing closer attention to my bow placement to reduce squeaking and creating a smoother sound. I can hear gradual improvement compared to when I first started.

I’ve been continuing to challenge myself by reading notes without writing in the note names first. Although this was frustrating when I began, I am starting to recognize patterns quicker, and my confidence is improving. This process has been a bog reminder that persistence and repeated practice is key in learning or relearning a skill.

This experience connects to my educational practice because it has helped me reflect on what it feels like to be a beginner learner. As I work through mistakes and gradual improvement, I am reminded of the importance of patience, encouragement, and proper scaffolding when teaching others. Relearning the violin has shown me how small, achievable goals help build confidence and motivation over time!