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The Value of Accessing Professional Development in Your First Years of Teaching

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By Deanna Gerjol

I remember graduating from my Bachelor of Education program with a wealth of knowledge about teaching practices, but knowing comparatively little of what implementing these practices would look like in my own classroom.

After my first week of being in a long-term occasional role, it became very clear to me that learning about being in the classroom is not the same as actually being in the classroom. Luckily, I was immersed in a department that genuinely fostered both student and teacher learning. I quickly realized that in order to truly thrive in my practice, my learning shouldn’t stop just because I’d graduated.

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Deanna Gerjol is a high school English teacher. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Toronto Metropolitan University, and her Bachelor of Education from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. In her spare time, Deanna enjoys blending her passions for technology and writing through posting poetry online.

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Deanna Gerjol
Deanna Gerjol
Deanna Gerjol is a high school English teacher. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Toronto Metropolitan University, and her Bachelor of Education from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. In her spare time, Deanna enjoys blending her passions for technology and writing through posting poetry online.

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