Typical issues you tackle

The main issue I need to tackle is helping students understand the concepts outlined in the curriculum. If a student is struggling with a concept, it is imperative that I notice that and give them the attention they need. We are fortunate to have streamed mathematics classes based on skill level, which helps students work through the material at a comfortable speed.

 

What tools do you need to succeed at your job?

You need to have a very specific personality to be a teacher.

First and foremost, you need to be patient!

You need creativity, stamina, and flexibility. As I was saying earlier, you can never plan your day as a teacher. If you spent a day with any teacher, it would be mind-numbing. The number of questions, activities, and extra things you need to do is a lot for most people to handle, especially since they’re all thrown at you without warning – it’s crucial that any teacher is flexible.

That being said, you also need to be consistent and unbiased to every student and really act as a role model for them – even if you’re having an off day.

Teachers must be experts in their subject area and have a passion and interest that evolves with their discipline. For me, that may involve keeping up with technology and teach my students how to use new tools.

 

What brought you into teaching?

Teaching interested me because I’m a people person. I needed to find a career that allowed me to be with people.

Originally, I was in hotel management which had a lot of interpersonal contact, but it wasn’t rewarding to me personally. While I was working, I volunteered at schools and with Occupational Therapists and I thought that was the career path I might follow.

Ultimately, I chose education because it would give me more options career-wise, and I could teach different age groups.

 

How’d you end up in your current position?

I started in the Vancouver school district and helped pioneer a Montessori high school program. Working in that area really showed me the importance of connecting disciplines, as all of us teachers worked together when we developed our curriculums. I taught science and math.

My husband got a job here in Victoria, and I was fortunate enough to find a one-year term position at St. Margaret’s which turned into a permanent job, and I couldn’t be happier.

 

Why’d you pick Math as your discipline?

I always liked working with numbers, so math was a natural fit.

I was pretty good at math, but it is a tough discipline to grasp. My minors in university were Math, History, and Learning Disabilities. I picked Math & Learning Disabilities because they really connect with each other, and if I taught math, I thought the Learning Disabilities courses would help me to help my students understand the curriculum.

Education courses may give you a background to the material, but teaching is totally different. You need to work students through it, and know how they can use it while having fun. Math can’t just be drilled into you; you need to know why you’re learning it. My background allowed me to not only grasp math concepts, but understand how to relay the information to my students.

 

What are some major projects you’ve accomplished?

Yikes! Where to begin? In my many years of teaching, most of the work I’ve done is a project! Two recent ones come to mind:

Ms Infinity is something I organized and coordinated last year. We had 350 girls from schools around Victoria come together and show them the importance of young women in Math and Science. There were speakers from as far as Waterloo, and we mixed in a bunch of interactive labs and activities for the students. It was great.

The other one I can think of off the top of my head is Wellness Week. At the start of every school year, teachers will plan a week’s worth of activities for our students. There are tons of options for students to choose, like going surfing in Tofino, learning sewing skills, or taking part in the “creature feature.” The one I run – Wellness Week – focuses on nutrition, exercise, and relaxation and balancing the three of them in your life. We go to Salt Spring, we do yoga, we cycle, we create fitness routines, we bead – it’s a great way to kick off the school year.