My Brock University: Faculty of Education story

Months ago, I was emailed by the writer for the Faculty of Education at Brock University. The Dean had informed him that I had moved on to my first career and that she wanted him to interview me. Well, being busy with teaching I never got back to him until today. Below I have copied and pasted the interview questions with my response. Enjoy the read!


1.      Can you tell me a little bit about yourself – where you grew up, how you ended up at Brock, thoughts on your program, what you’d like to ultimately pursue moving forward.I grew up in Burlington, Ontario with the dream of being a teacher or a lawyer. While my senior year of high school I involved myself in many extracurricular activities that gave me valuable experiences that led me into the Concurrent Education (Junior/Intermediate) program at Brock University. I remember the day I got my acceptance letter on May 1st, my birthday. I accepted almost immediately! I had only toured Brock, no other schools, and when I was on campus I knew it was where I was meant to be!

Upon my graduation in May, I knew I wanted to take a break from teaching as the 5 year program exhausted me. It was not the program itself, it was my years working for many departments on campus including the Department of Residence and the Student Union (BUSU).  During the summers between the academic year, I always traveled often with the Solidarity Experiences Abroad (SEA) program through the the Faith and Life Center on campus. I led two trips to Peru and Ecuador on a volunteer trip providing rural communities with classroom resources and English Language classes. After walking across the stage shaking nearly everyone's hand and hugging the Dean of Education, I backpacked Europe then returned to BUSU to work as the OMBUD's Coordinator. Months into being back on campus, the opportunity to teach in Northern Ontario arose and I accepted that immediately.

2.      How did your education propel you to the field you are in now?
My education at Brock University gave me a variety of educational experiences both in and out of the classroom. I am grateful for the teaching staff, Professors and the Academic Advisors in the Concurrent Education office; without them I am not sure my path through University would have been as smooth.
3.      What took you North, what will you be doing there and where will you be?
A phone call from my best friend whom I met at the SMART Start program during our very own orientation. She met in the Fishbowl, we were making our first year schedules together before we even knew one anothers name. We graduated together in May 2014 and we made the move to Aroland, Ontario in August and when a position at her school became available she phoned me knowing I would be an asset to the teaching staff. Without second thoughts and only a slight hesitation, I put my teaching portfolio and resume together for the Principal. It feels like a dream now, but I was flown from Toronto Pearson Airport to Thunder Bay Airport for an interview and before my flight home I was hired. For the past four months I have been working as the Grade 7/8 teacher and will continue to be for the remainder of the school year. I plan to return for 1-2 more years and even more if my experience continues to go so well!
4.      What would you say to people who think that the Faculty of Education only produces Teachers?
I would inform them that going through the Faculty of Education graduate as global citizens and life long learners! If you soak up the experiences that the FOE and Brock University provides to you, then you will have a resume that easily competes with all others when walking into an interview!
5.      How has your education prepared you for the present and the future?
My education from the FOE has inspired me to be the best ambassador for Brock that I can be as a teacher and as a person. I know that being a teacher takes dedication, planning and creativity all of which I took from studying at Brock. I am able to speak highly of my education and experiential learning opportunities during interviews and with my co-workers up here in Northern Ontario. For the future, I know that blogging and reflecting allows for consolidation of learning as a teacher.
6.      Please feel free to include any pertinent information you’d like.

The experiences I am exposed to up here are different than any others! I am able to spend time with my students and fellow staff members in ways I could never if I were teaching in Southern Ontario. Once a month, the Native Language teacher and other staff members plan a Culture Day. Fortunately, the first day I arrived at Johnny Therriault School in Aroland was a craft day making birch bark baskets. Since then, we have made dream catchers and ice fished. All during the school day! I have attached some photos for you to see!

Teaching on a First Nations reserve is very majestic. The students know more about nature, hunting and the Earth than I do. Often, I will pull a chair to the front of the room and I will ask questions about moose, wolves, fish, weather, and their culture. They often laugh at my ignorance however they thrive in the moments that they can teach me. They have the utmost respect for their elders always giving a helping hand without being asked and are eager to learn about the world. We have even skyped a current Brock University student named Jessica Lewis who is a famous Paralympion who was happy to share her story with us over Skype. As a teacher, I am fortunate to have access to many classroom resources and even a SMART Board. It is truly a blessing to be working in the position that I currently am. Life is full of opportunities, you just have to keep your head up and your heart open.

Thank you Marc for taking the time to ask me these questions!

A new level of shovelling

This weekend was the long Family Day weekend and it could not have come at a better time.. just after report cards were handed in. I am finding teaching to be ongoingly stressful and a lot of work. Don't get me wrong I absolutely love living in Nakina however the amount of work it is to keep up with everything happening at school and all the Ontario curriculum expectations I need to teach is difficult. I have come to realize it will be tough for my first year especially since I am just developing all my units and how I would like to teach them.

To celebrate being done reports, I spent a lot of time relaxing with friends and getting things done. One interesting and only in North thing we did was shoveled off a friends roof. When the snow piles up it is necessary for the snow to be shoveled off so the heat does not escape nor pile up. With two hands on the shovel and 4-5 people alongside me we were done in no time with a turkey dinner as our payment! What a treat!

The joys of teaching in Northern Ontario #2

My class is currently working on a "Symbolic Self Portrait" of themselves to answer questions relating to their goals, fears, journey and who they really are. I have shown them a few examples and they mainly finished their rough copy today in preparation for their good copy. While working on their rough copies, one of my students turned to me and asked what my favorite chips are .. "Sweet Chili Heat" I responded. Then he asked me my favorite pop .. "Diet Coke" I said. Someone else yelled out "But, Miss diet pop is bad for you!" Yes, yes all pop is bad. Then they all shouted out other questions. What really occurred to me was their specific questions being related to pop and chips. The cost of food up here is expensive and has a fast expire date. I bought three packs of blackberries at No Frills a few days ago and they are beginning to get moldy. I have learned to love frozen fruit! :)  Fruit does not last long here! Also all produce is  more expensive than anything else. If you Google "Cost of food issues" many articles will appear. I say it is expensive however I am comparing the cost of food to Southern Ontario prices. The real issue around cost of food is in Northern Ontario (yes, more North than I). The people up there order food to be delivered by flight. A few of my friends work at the airport and they have told me that a brick of cheese can be $25.... The First Nations people living there pay a lot for groceries to be delivered and for the groceries themselves. A contentious issue for sure!







May I emphasize, that the nearest No Frills to buy our food is an hour away in the town called Geraldton. The only store in town is called the Northern Store that has only a few aisles of food. Luckily, they have some fresh produce for when the roads are bad or when you need something in a hurry.

You can see I live in Nakina and we drive to Geraldton for groceries. Wondering were the nearest Starbucks or mall is? ... Thunder Bay.

Learn more about this concern by reading these links below:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/some-thunder-bay-families-struggling-to-afford-healthy-food-1.2929335

http://www.naho.ca/jah/english/jah08_02/08_02_food-security.pdf

http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2012/02/23/northern_reserve_goes_bananas_for_fresh_produce_from_ontario_food_terminal.html

Culture Day: Birchbark Baskets and Canoes

Students learning directly from the elders who mainly speak Ojibwe.

On this Culture Day, everyone was given a piece of real birchbark, roots and a nail on a piece of wood (a special craft tool). We were to fold the birchbark to make whatever we wished! It was a difficult task however it allowed me to get to know the school staff, students and some of the elders! "Ever sick" as they like to say up here.

My very first day at school with a JK student and our birchbark canoe we made together.

Culture Day: Learn to make moccasins

Miss. Nora is an elder at the school, a women who I have the utmost respect for.

You can see here that she is trimming the extra piece of hide around the front of a students moccasin.

In December 2014, our entire school gathered in the gymnasium for the entire day to participate in the schools fourth Culture Day. The students and staff sit in front of a few elders who explain the task (in this case making moccasins). From there, every student no matter the age participates. On this day, they were all given a needle and artificial sinew (this is used instead of regular thread for the leather) with hide and fleece.

The joys of teaching in Northern Ontario #1

Two months (minus the two weeks I went home for the Holidays) have flown by! My class is a Grade 7 and 8 split class that consists of 14 students - only 3 girls and the rest are boys. In some way or another they are related, either as cousins or siblings. At first when my Educational Assistant (E.A.) told me that I did not believe it. But for the most part they are. The weeks before the break were spent getting to know my class, establishing new norms as I was their third teacher just this year. Never mind how many teachers they had in years past. It was a bit of an adjustment however the respect and re-pore was built almost instantly. My students have an indescribable understanding of animals, wildlife and the outdoors. There are times when I let them just teach me. I allow them to laugh at me and I show them it is okay to not feel embarrassed about something you do not know. I am honest about how my life was in the city and they think it is crazy that I did not spend much time outside because I did not like the cold... whereas the cold in the "South" (aka Southern Ontario) was rarely below -15. I have come to realize that in the south it is such a damp cold because of the lakes whereas it is not as cold here. Here it is cold.. very cold but in such a different way. Because of our average -30 weather, indoor recess is common and you rarely hear them complain about it. I recall being a student and strongly disliking indoor recess. The students are great and I look forward to being with the Grade 8s until they move on to high school and with the Grade 7s next year for their last year before leaving the only school they have ever known.

Who is this girl?

This girl is Canadian living in Northern Ontario in a small town called Nakina which is barely on the map. I graduated from Teachers College at Brock University this past June with many passionate memories of working, volunteering and studying during my 5 years at the St. Catharines campus. Following my Graduation, I backpacked Europe with no immediate ambition to teach. It was not long until my best friend rang me to ask me to move to the North. I laughed, made a sarcastic comment back and before I knew it I was on the VIA train from Toronto with 24 hours ahead of me before arriving in the small "town"of Nakina. This is my blog to share my experience of teaching a Grade 7/8 class in a 120 student First Nations School.