What do you love about your job?
It sounds cliche but my students make the job for me. That is, you could be having the worst day and a student will make a joke or they will say something really nice. They will be struggling with something and then they will finally get it and it’s a really really good feeling. They challenge me and make me a better teacher. So if it wasn’t for them I would probably be kinda stagnant in my teaching. Each of them are so unique and special. They bring something completely their own to the classroom which creates a sense of community in a virtual classroom. I currently teach all 3 cohorts in the Community Pathways Program. I get a variety of classes and they are all unique. I see them for one period a day. My first question as a VSS teacher was: how do I teach CPP online? I had to change the way that I teach. It took me a few months to understand it. I was putting too much pressure on myself. I decided to focus on creating a sense of community within the classroom. Instead of expecting them to do a bunch of google docs we would create a mood board. For example, the students were obsessed with the game Among Us. We created this version where the students would choose five or six songs.I would randomly choose a student and play one of their song choices and then I would go into a break out room. The students and the EAs would have to decide who picked the song. Basically, they have to decide who the imposter is by the song choice. We start the day off like this. We play lots of games which are great and this is helpful for the students to make social contacts. Lately, I don’t have to start the conversations anymore. They are initiating conversations with each other which is a huge win. If the conversations are really good then the lesson can wait while they talk. They joke and use sarcasm with one another and it’s a fun atmosphere. All the kids have their cameras on and they are engaged.
What was successful for you last year?
Something that worked was creating a sense of community, giving myself a break and not sweating the small stuff. I was focused on getting the students to know each other and build relationships. They didn’t have a bricks and mortar school, they didn’t have lunch time with each other, and they didn’t have time between classes with one another. This was the only spot within the classroom where they could make friends. If I spent the entire class teaching content then they would probably never talk to each other. Fostering friendships was very important for their emotional well-being and finding commonalities with each other. I provided the students with a doc and invited the students to put in their username for gaming on it and then they could play together. Another example is that one of my students is a gamer and invited everyone to meet outside of school hours. They ended up meeting (virtually) with each other outside of school hours.
What was a challenge for you last year?
The challenge is coming into virtual school where most of my colleagues already had a year of experience. I was a deer in headlights. So kudos to the people who were virtual from the start! Finding my way to connect with my colleagues and one of the barriers is that we didn’t have a staff room or workrooms. At first it was awkward sending an email to someone that I have not met. Therefore it took more time in a virtual school than a brick and mortar school to build relationships with staff and with my department. The good news is that now I have built those relationships and I text people my questions. This helped me consider how my experience in this setting was parallel to the students’ experiences as it takes them longer to make friends and have those important connections.
Tell us about a tiny victory
| My first year in CPP we had a communal lunch area because there were no other students in the school so we had the entire cafeteria to ourselves. An important win: I walked into the cafeteria and all the tables were quiet but my class was talking to each other! They were making true friendships and acting like high school students. They were a safe distance and they even reached out to talk to other students. They were truly coming out of their shells. |
What are your words of encouragement to HDSB staff?
| I think the best words of encouragement that I would suggest is to give yourself a break and don’t sweat the small stuff. If something goes wrong such as getting an upsetting email from a parent or a student acting up try to just focus on the wins. In virtual even the smallest wins are huge! We are teachers and we can get stuff done. When the deadlines seem overwhelming or that there is a lot of work to do just remember you always get it done and you will get through it. |
If you could eat only one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
My dad has a famous spicy hot chicken wing recipe and it’s a secret recipe. My dad does not use a measuring cup but the wings come out the same every time. He uses a deep fryer outside to deep fry the chicken wings. These are so good and my favourite meal ever. I love all things spicy. Once or twice a month we get together and have a chicken wing dinner.
What is something that would surprise people to. know about you?
| Since I was four years old I have been playing baseball and I played on a boys team. After that I went into men’s baseball as the pitcher or second base. I played double A and triple A boys hard ball. I played for team Ontario girls and it was a big part of my life growing up. We went on road trips and team tournaments every weekend. I played high up baseball until I was 18. Now I play recreationally with old teammates and their girlfriends. The teams are co-ed. We still play but we are not as competitive as before. I coached a boys softball team at another board. Baseball is a huge part of my life. It’s my favourite sport and I am a Blue Jay’s fan. |
