Hello Shanne and Su,

Thank you for taking the time last Tuesday to meet for the final interview of my
practicum! I hope to summarize my learning, the practicum requirements, how my
practicum has informed my identity as a practitioner, and the progress I have made
since our last session.

Essential Requirements and Practice Checklists

● We began the interview by discussing that I was passing the essential

requirements (professionalism and ethical behaviour; ability to accept, integrate,
and implement feedback; emotional self-regulation; and ability to take
responsibility for learning) and there remained no issues in these areas.
● We discussed that I had made progress in each of the seven practice areas. In
particular, we talked about how I had improved in the areas of Understanding
Multiple Perspectives, Commitment to Personal Health, Wellbeing, and Work-Life
Balance, and Commitment to Culturally Grounded and Decolonizing Practice
(specifics on actions taken are discussed throughout).

Goal Completion and Developed Learning

● We discussed the goals I had set out from the previous interview: being more
confident with other school staff members, expanding my knowledge of
decolonization and systems in practice, and becoming more aware of effective
self-care practice. I explained that I had met each of these goals (details below)
and that they were all connected to the three aforementioned practice areas.
○ I talked about how I have become more confident and assertive when
working with classroom teachers. I gave examples such as reaching out
independently to some teachers via email to do group work with some of
their students, and working alone in classrooms where I had more of a
relationship with the teacher. Su explained that the teachers we work
closely with have welcomed me into their classroom and consider me a
legitimate source of support for their students. I became a more confident
and self-sufficient practitioner through these efforts.
○ Su expressed that the recent news surrounding the children found at the
Kamloops residential school had facilitated discussion around colonialism
in our school. We also discussed how decolonizing practice involves
taking care of the Earth, environment and, LGBTQ+ people. I detailed that
I had had conversations with some non-LGBTQ+ youth about the
language they use in school (such as the reason behind not using “gay” as
an insult) and the importance of pride events in creating safe communities.
 These discussions and actions demonstrate my improvement in decolonial
and culturally-sensitive practice, and show my growth in putting
decolonization into action.
○ I explained that Su and I have had extensive discussions around self-care
and what it looks like in my practicum setting. I explained that I have
learned that self-care is not just doing relaxing activities (such as baths or
a nap) but involves more fundamental shifts in mindset, such as taking
days off when needed, debriefing with a trusted advisor, or not putting
oneself in certain situations. Achieving this outcome helped meet the
checklist area of Personal Health and Work-Life Balance.
○ I discussed how I have continued my journaling each day as a self-care
mechanism. I described how each day I write down what I did and how it
made me feel, including any emotional reflections or triggers I
experienced. I have found that this strategy helps keep me grounded and
has made me a more calm and emotionally aware practitioner.

Practice Frameworks, Identity as a Practitioner, and Strengths

● I discussed how my practice framework emphasizes belonging and how this is a

trait we strive to implement in my setting. I discussed how our program creates a
safe community for students through meaningful relationships and meeting them
where they are. I discussed how I feel one of my strengths is in creating
relationships where students feel comfortable talking about their identities,
challenges, and personal lives. While I had always believed belonging was
critical, my practicum has reinforced its importance and has given me the chance
to practice and become more effective at relationship building.
● I talked about how I learned more about my own privilege through my practicum
experience and how I became strong at recognizing my biases. I explained how
when I was in middle school, I prioritized academics and respect for teachers and
how this mindset was a privilege because I did not have to worry about having a
safe home or consistent meals. Recognizing this perspective shifted my practice
from focusing a lot on academic work to offering more ecological and
socioemotional support.
● I added that my practicum experience has made me sensitive to the salience of
identity within school settings. I gave the example of an Ethiopian student I work
with who has expressed that he sometimes feels isolated in his classroom setting
because of his race. I talked about how as a cishet White male, I have never had
to worry about feeling excluded at school and that I had not previously
understood how different identities and intersections impact social dynamics.
This realization was a key learning from my practicum and has shaped my
philosophy to be more sensitive to identity as an emerging practitioner.
Unexpected Learning, Learning from Supervisor, and Connections to Coursework

● I spoke about how I have developed a strengths-based orientation towards

practice. I have learned in our program to engage in activities that youth are good
at, including sports, art, and music. I learned about strengths-based practice in
previous coursework (such as CYC 100A [Introduction to Professional CYC
Practice, Part I]) and my practicum has shown me that this framework can
develop greater self-confidence in youth and helps form meaningful relationships.
● Su and I discussed how I have learned more about trauma and its impacts on
everyday life for our students. I talked about how I personally have never
experienced serious trauma and how I have become more sensitive to the ways
that it can impact reactions to different events and situations. I explained that
because of our discussions on the topic, I better understand that lack of focus on
school work or negative reactions to people in authority may be tied to traumatic
experiences. Our program is designed to offer respite from these experiences,
offering a safe space when classroom situations are too overwhelming. I have
become a more trauma-informed practitioner as a result of this practicum.
● Su and I also discussed the specifics of intergenerational trauma with Indigenous
students. I was aware of intergenerational trauma previously from courses such
as CYC 230 (CYC Practice in Indigenous Contexts) and spent the second half of
my placement paying attention to this challenge with our Indigenous students. In
many cases, these students had family members who struggled with addiction,
needed additional mental health support outside of school, and struggled
academically, all of which we discussed as connected to trauma and Canada’s
colonial past and institutions (i.e. residential schools, child welfare system). This
was learning I did not necessarily expect to take place but that I found valuable in
expanding my perspective on CYC work.
● We discussed Su’s role modelling of self-care within the setting. She discussed
how she recently took a day off following a stressful incident in order to fully
recharge and recover. I expressed appreciation for this role modelling and
discussed how it made more willing to prioritize self-care in practice.

Closure and Legacy Project

● We discussed how closure in a school-based setting comes naturally with the
end of the school year. Unlike other practicum settings, the youth we work with
will be departing from our program at the same time as me. We discussed how I
should simply go along with this closure process and treat it as a celebration of
sorts.
● We talked about how the end of the school year brings different emotions for
different students. Su explained that for some, the end of the school year creates
 a sense of restlessness and chaos, and for others, it brings sadness as the
school community is a source of comfort and continuity. I had never considered
these competing sides of school-based closure and appreciated the learning and
discussion in this area.
● I discussed my legacy project of a spiritual resources binder. I outlined that my
binder will contain religious and non-religious spiritual activities, academic
resources, activities in Indigenous spirituality, and mindfulness tools. I wanted to
ensure that students of all backgrounds have their spiritual needs met by my
resource binder.
● I explained that I took on this legacy project because I noticed that our setting
does not explicitly talk about spirituality very often. I also noted that spirituality is
connected to decolonization because it sees human beings as holistic rather than
just material beings. I wanted to fill a gap in our agency that contributes to
positive development of self for our students.

We wrapped up our meeting by expressing gratitude for the collaboration, effort, and
entire practicum experience.

Thank you both very much for making my practicum at Spencer Middle School such an
amazing experience for me. Please let me know if you have any further questions!

Sincerely,

Markus Meyer