Introduce yourself and the courses you teach. What, in your opinion, is the best thing about being a teacher at Centennial Academy?
My name is Rezkia Robai and I teach French language classes.
As far as I can remember, my dream of helping students with learning difficulties has been very important to me. Now that I have the opportunity to work at Centennial Academy, I feel that my dream is becoming a reality. Having the privilege of making a significant difference in my students’ success is an extremely gratifying and fulfilling feeling.[/row]
What are the top 3 things that you think make Centennial Academy unique?
In my opinion the top 3 things that make Centennial Academy unique are:
- Our concern for the well-being of all our students
- The emphasis on staff collaboration in coaching the students
- The diversity of all those who help our students learn
Tell me about one of your favorite teaching memories/story?
One of the most significant moments I experienced as a new teacher was when a student, who almost never communicated verbally, raised his hand in class to answer a question. It was very rewarding.
What do you think your students like the most about you?
I think they appreciate the fact that
- I am patient
- I make efforts to understand their needs
- I am attentive
Describe a typical classroom experience or a typical day at Centennial?
The day often begins with supervision. Before I’m scheduled to teach, I make sure to get everything ready for my class.
After welcoming my students, I begin by explaining the lesson’s content. We start with a routine to validate previous knowledge or with questions as a way to introduce new concepts.
I then present the concept itself with a Power Point presentation or a video. I ask a lot of questions and make sure that the students find the answers themselves while guiding them to formulate the correct one. During this activity, there’s a lot of interaction with students.
Then there is a learning activity where students practice what they’ve just learned by using group / class and individual exercises. The exercises are then corrected.
At the end of the day the students are often asked to give examples of the concepts they’ve just learned or to use interactive educational computer games in a way that relates to the content.
When my classes are finished, I take a moment to rest while I’m eating, then I complete my lesson plans, and I correct or plan my next classes.
Describe in your own words the Centennial Academy Approach and how UDL really works.
The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a very inclusive approach that allows each student to have the same opportunity to succeed as anyone else. At Centennial, we’re honestly committed to doing this and I believe that everything we do really makes a difference in our students’ lives. Teachers put a lot of time and energy in making sure that our teaching methods and strategies are inclusive and give everyone the opportunity to thrive.