I am a proud Kootenay person, born and raised! My grandmother was Winnie Harrop and my summers were filled with many happy memories of family on and around Kootenay Lake.
My teaching career began in the Coquitlam School district, where I worked teaching grades 2 to 4 from 1994 to 2001. While I thoroughly enjoyed my time and new experiences in the Coquitlam area, my heart and family were back in the Kootenays.
A wonderful 18 years later, I continue to live in Harrop with my family. I am proud to say that I have been part of the Redfish school community as both a parent and as a teacher.
I am an animal enthusiast as well as a passionate gardener and baker. I really enjoy connecting students with hands-on, experiential learning. Last year I created a math unit that taught fractions through cooking classes. Math never tasted so yummy!
My current position includes a variety of roles and allows me to work in each classroom supporting students and teachers. I am the Case Manager, helping develop educational plans and applying for funding for students needing some extra support, Learning Support teacher working within each class, Counsellor, and Prep time teacher (teaching either Science, Library, or Health and Career depending on the class I am supporting).
I believe in integrating learning across curricular areas to help reinforce multi layered language and knowledge building, students developing personal learning opportunities, and fostering students’ independence so they take ownership of their own learning.
Last year I was fortunate to be able to attend workshops with an inspiring educator named Shelley Moore. She has an amazing video that is only 6 minutes long and well worth the time to watch. In it she talks about creating flexible curriculum to meet the needs of the students and not trying to fit the students into a rigid curriculum.
Here is the YouTube link: https://youtu.be/Krec84KwbHE
Education:
* Bachelor of Education in Environmental Studies from the University of Victoria.
* Scholarship to study and conduct research at Bamfield Marine station for a summer.
* Masters of Education Degree in Reading Instruction & Learning Disabilities from Simon Fraser University.
“When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.”
~Alexander Den Heijer
