Lindsay Wilson

Grade 4 Teacher – Captain R. Wilson PS

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What do you love about your job?

“It is such a privilege to have an important role in someone’s life.”

There are so many things that I love about my job such as teaching social justice, bringing the world to my students and that there is a new thing every year. Although you may be teaching the same grade, there are new students and new people. Part and parcel of that is making connections with people. The part I enjoy the most is being with these little kiddos and getting to know them, as well as seeing them change over the years. It is such a privilege to have an important role in someone’s life.

When I taught teenagers, I was talking to one of my friends and she said “You are the teacher you wish you had when you were twelve.” I realized that I am! Having had a rough childhood myself, I am proud that I am able to be that port in the storm for kids if they need that in their life. Perhaps it is through something as simple as my patented jokes of the day: What kind of coat can only be put on wet? (answer at the end of the interview) Whatever it is, I’m glad that I get to be that person to some people. 

In this challenging couple of years, what have you tried that is working? 

I think the longer I teach the more that I lean into the idea that we are guides more than we are teachers. It’s our job to facilitate the discovery and the skill building. Letting kids be the experts has helped me through my career. For example, last year when we did coding, we started off doing some things with Scratch and we had the students in expert groups. The kids were able to help each other to share and learn. In addition to this one student was into Python.  I was thought myself “Woah. Python. I can barely use Scratch!”.  After a deep breath I decided that we were going to do it.  The kids helped each other and they were the experts.  There was lots of choice in the project and lots of entry points for whatever the students could do. I learned along with them and I was very transparent that I didn’t know what I was doing.

What is a challenge / isn’t working …. yet?

I have two examples that were challenging, one from me and one from the students. Something I have struggled with the whole time that I have been a teacher is the work life balance. I don’t know how to do this job in the hours that we have in the day.  I have not figured it out…yet. The second thing that I am having a difficult time with in my class is coping skills and how to be with other students. I think this is partly due to the pandemic. We have these big gaps in curriculum knowledge and our interpersonal knowledge. My students are missing experiences with social situations. We are working on this day by day. I ask my students to pause and take a breath. So we do mindfulness everyday to build those skills.

What is one of your tiny victories or quick win for this year?

A student gave me a gift today. It is  a picture that says “Happy Fall” and a hand made woven blanket for my cat. It is really sweet that they like me enough to think that I am the best teacher ever. There are these lovely moments of thoughtfulness that I would hope my child would do. My number one priority is them, but also to teach them how to be kind and deal with their emotions. To me this is our bigger job.

Have you ever had a nickname? What was it?

It’s Peaches. The reason my nickname is Peaches is because I do not like the fuzz on peaches. My cousin and I used to live together and she would always eat half the fruit and this was very annoying.  I thought the half fruit in the fridge was a nectarine (a safe fruit for my health).  As I went to eat my breakfast I picked up half of the nectarine so that it would not go to waste. I picked it up and I noticed that it was a PEACH!  I threw it on the ground.  My cousin came around the corner and could not stop laughing. From then on my nickname is Peaches.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I would love to change my level of self-confidence. I second guess myself a lot and suffer from imposter syndrome.  I would love to see myself the way other people see me.

What words of encouragement do you have for staff members?

I think one of the most amazing things about our job is that it is a collaborative field. I have always had amazing teams. It was heartbreaking last year to not physically be with my people and not have the opportunity to collaborate.  My mental health really suffered because of that situation. I would encourage new teachers to reach out, build that network and be honest when you are struggling. Be a part of it and choose to be a part of it. There is no shame in not knowing it all.  You need the people.