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Attended Grades 1 to 7 at Griffin Park School
It was at Griffin Park that I was taught by the first truly influential teacher in my life, my fifth grade teacher, Mr. Saranchuk. He was my first male teacher and was friendly, funny, and a little bit quirky. A lot of the qualities I see in my teaching today are reflections of the way I saw Mr. Saranchuk when I was a student. -
Junior High at Brook Junior High School
These were my tough years. I will forever be grateful to the teachers that put up with my nonsense and never ending disruptions. Moving forward as a teacher, I don't think Ill be able to ever have anything but a short memory and a long fuse for students that can't sit still and always want to be talking- because that was me in Junior High. -
Started playing competitive sports
I have always been active and participated in athletics and team sports, but it was near the middle of Junior High that I began to be very serious with basketball and golf, and swimming. The coaches that I had in both these sports through the years helped shape me holistically, and influenced me in ways that will affect me for the rest of my life, specifically in my future career in teaching. -
Graduated from Brook Composite High School
Mrs. Morris, my Math 30 and Calculus teacher, was highly influential in my education and my journey to become a teacher. If it wasn't for how much she cared about my individual success- taking extra time at lunches and after school to help me- I wouldn't have been able to get the grades in my math classes to get into the science faculty at the University of Alberta. I hope I can care about my students half as much as she did. -
Began lifeguarding and teaching fitness, physical education, and swimming lesson
It was through this experience that I was able to rediscover my love of physical education, and really decide on the fact that education, not dentistry, was the career path that I needed to follow. -
Transferred into the University of Alberta Bed program
After taking some time to work on myself and finalize my future career path, I was accepted to the University of Alberta Middle Years Program at Red Deer College. -
Service Learning Project coaching basketball
In the winter term of my third year, I was able to coordinate and complete a service learning project with a good friend and colleague. We allowed middle school and high school students of all skill levels to come use community gym space to develop their basketball abilities and make friends in a non threatening and inviting setting. The experience further reinforced my love of teaching and my deep desire to pass on the values I received from my childhood coaches.
