Best There Is (BTI)

When I chose to do my placement at a Business and Technical Institute (BTI), little did I know that I would be stepping into one of the saddest schools in the TDSB. I was really surprised on my first day to find out that this school was slotted for closure at the end of the year, so staff morale was really low and student enrollment had been "declining" for the past few years. I almost cried after my first day because things seemed so desperate. It doesn't make sense to me that on one hand, we have a request for more trained technicians and applied tradesworkers, but on the other hand, TDSB is closing all of the high schools that provide opportunities for students to pursue these careers.

On the first day, I was feeling pretty nervous about meeting my host teacher. She had a long, Jewish last name, so I was imagining her out to be a tall, imposing woman with big hair (Karen Hitchcock-esque for my fellow alma mater mates). Fortunately, the educational assistant gave me the low-down on her before she came and told me that she was an Asian Jew (Chinese woman converts to marry Jewish man) and that she was crazy. After 4 days with her, I can see why people (including herself) call her crazy, but she's definitely a brilliant woman who cares deeply for her students. Watching her is like watching a sitcom--she's always making people laugh! I've learned a lot from her in the past few days, but I get the feeling that she's a treasure trove of which I've only scratched the surface.

Since the school is in decline, the class sizes are small. Small as in 2-13 students. It's been quite a change from the 30+ students and I realize the huge effect class sizes have on teaching quality. It can't be too small, but having less students definitely allows for more follow-up. Marking is so much lighter too!

What I loved most about the placement were the students. My host teacher was fantastic at commanding respect from them: compassionate toughness, she called it. These students have been sent to this school because they couldn't survive in the "collegiates." They struggle with learning disabilities, poor attendance due to late nights working/general laziness, hungry stomachs--stuff I'd never seen in my high school or the other schools I've been to. I felt that I was filled with love for each student I saw--another new phenomena I didn't experience in other schools. They weren't jostling for marks in order to get into university; they were showing up in class because they had to get their high school diplomas in order to get basic level jobs (like flipping burgers at McDonald's or garbage collecting).

The most inspiring end to my week was the final period when 3 former students separately came back to visit the school. One of them sat in with the class, who was spending the period working in the library, and shared about how he "did the crime, did the time" and realized he had to do something about it. He is now planning to open up his own fine dining restaurant. It was such an inspiration to see how the teachers at this school really make an impact on these students lives. It really isn't about teaching a subject, but using the subject to teach students about life and responsibility.

I'm looking forward to my return in April. If I can teach these students, I think I'm set. If I can't... I still have my B.Ed. year to learn.