My name is Rianna Stiller and I grew up in Chilliwack, British Columbia. My childhood was filled with weekend sports, bike rides with my family, and kayaking Cultus Lake. I had thought about being a teacher since elementary school. Maybe it was because I was the oldest sibling and would play teacher with my little brother and cousins or because my aunt and uncle are teachers, but regardless teaching always felt like where I wanted to end up for my career.
I did not always have the easiest time in school, but I think that just fueled my desire to go into the profession. When I got to high school I began to question if I wanted to be a teacher because all my friends talked about wanting to go into engineering, medicine, or some other career that sounded fancy and impressive. It was not until I went on a year long Rotary Youth Exchange that I had the time and space to really look into what I wanted to study when I got back to Canada and graduated. It was during that time that I compared all of the Bachelor of Education programs and found Thompson Rivers University. I found a career and school that felt right and have been excited to be on this path to becoming a teacher ever since.
How I want to shape my teaching style and future classroom to be an inclusive space for learning
When people feel safe, they can participate and begin to grow as learners and members of the community. Through the holistic teachings of the medicine wheel throughout the school year, my classroom will embody inclusivity through the lenses of emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical wellbeing. Through the emotional and mental lens, students will be respected by their peers and I when it comes to their emotional and mental health, and encouraged to recognize those feelings and ask for help when needed. Through the lens of spirituality, students of all beliefs will be respected by everyone in the class through their actions and words, and made to feel that they are safe to express their beliefs without the fear of being judged. Finally, through the lens of physical wellbeing students will learn the importance of making a safe classroom environment so that all students feel physically safe to learn.
In addition to the foundation of the medicine wheel, my classroom will be an inclusive space through my teaching and demonstration of empathy and equity. There will be value placed on making the classroom a welcoming environment for all learners. I will acknowledge diverse learners, work with their differences and unique needs in order to meet every student where they are at in order to help them grow to the best of their abilities. My classroom will be full of passionate and compassionate learners who work individually and together to solve problems. I see a safe place where my students can explore who they are and where they fit in the world. I will continue to be open to new knowledge and learn just as much from my students as they learn from me.