About Me

I was never one of those people who knew they wanted to be a teacher all their lives. I mean no disrespect to those who do, but as a child and later as a teenager, there were so many possibilities, it was never on the radar. Bill Nye was my hero, I loved building things and I always thought of math as its own beautiful language, not something to be feared. Taking all this into account, I jumped into the environmental engineering program at Carleton University. What an experience it was: I learned a lot, participated in some incredible projects and had a co-op opportunity that let me visit the Arctic for weeks at a time. I have no regrets about my time at Carleton but at the same time, I wasn’t getting the satisfaction I thought I would.

It’s easier to think about what you want to do when you’re older and more experienced, and that’s exactly what happened. I had the chance to reflect on what I enjoyed and the work or volunteer experiences that brought me joy, all of which had a common denominator, and that was working with kids. I started babysitting in a home daycare setting, worked four years with Sudbury’s summer camps, volunteered with the local science center and even in university, loved being able to share my knowledge through programs such as Let’s Talk Science. It was the joy, the laughter, and the fact that I can be such an important figure in a young person’s life that helped me make the change into teaching.

Having turned down an amazing opportunity in engineering, I took two months to drive across Canada in tribute to my grandparents (http://dinosuaursincanada.blogspot.ca/), then I started my Bachelor of Education at Western University in the fall of 2015. To this point, I’ve had three practicums. My first was at Parkside Collegiate during which I taught two MFM2P classes, the second at Beal S.S. in which I taught two MCF3M courses and a MPM2D course, then finally at Jack Chambers where I was in a grade eight classroom. Each of these experiences were very different, which helped me grow as a teacher yet I found there was a constant between the three. That was the importance of building strong professional relationships with the students and just how powerful a tool, making honest connections can be. I’ve found students are more excited about learning when they’re enjoying themselves and I’ve made every effort to put a smile on their faces every day and bring the same caring and respect for each of them, in hopes they may return it.

When I’m not teaching, I keep busy through volunteering and sports, or sometimes a combination of the two. I still volunteer with Let’s Talk Science and have also given my time to visiting schools and helping teachers within London. In terms of sports, I’ve played soccer, hockey, and ultimate Frisbee competitively. In addition to these three sports that I still play, I also enjoy tennis, badminton and volleyball. Combining the two, I’ve coached the senior boy’s soccer team at Lasalle Secondary School in Sudbury and assisted with Beal’s boy’s soccer team, even when my practicum finished. I’m passionate about what I do, so these are opportunities for me to share what I know and grow that passion in others.