VOLUNTEER WORK
Giving Back
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DANFORTH COLLEGIATE AND TECHNICAL INSTITUTE
Teaching Apprentice
As part of my attaining my Bachelor of Education, I had to complete two practicums in two different public high schools in the same year. After completing my first three months at this school, they offered to have me back again as part of my second three-month practicum. I was extremely honoured by this offer and graciously accepted it. It spoke volumes about how valuable of a team member they saw me as. It was at this school that I learned the nitty gritty lessons of being an educator. Of all my learning experiences here, learning the importance of creating a good curriculum was the lesson I remember the most. For individual lessons to be crafted well one needs to be sure to fit them into a greater narrative; they are small pieces of a greater puzzle. I always try to understand this when creating my curricula.
COSBURN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Teaching Apprentice
Also as part of my attaining my Bachelor of Education, I had to complete a one month practicum at a public middle school. My university was focused on balancing experiential learning as well as classroom education, which is why I spent half of my program at a practicum and the other half of it in a classroom environment. This is something I noticed as well at this public middle school. Experiential learning was a key component to the lessons I observed and partook in. Sometimes people can get too focused on observing only one side of an issue ,or become fixated on one reason why a problem might exit, or obsess over one solution to a problem. Experiential learning enables the student to engage in the creative process of their brain and seek their own unique solution to a problem or task. I believe it is essential for educators to provide this to students in any modern-day classroom.
DR. NORMAN BETHUNE COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE
Volunteer Assistant Teacher
This was my first foray into the education career field. The staff at this school were not only extremely welcoming, but also very supportive and informative as well. It was here that I was introduced to the fundamentals of being an educator. I can confidently say that the most important lesson I learned here was the benefits of being organized and having systems/routines in place for all facets of work life. Whether it is a work routine, a classroom routine, or filing system, for a day to go smoothly for everyone, maintaining order and routines is vital. To this day I still carry these ideas of order and routine into my personal teaching philosophy.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Builder
I am, and have been, such a fan of Former United States President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter for many years. They continuously demonstrate their commitment to social justice and basic human rights by their multitude of forward thinking and humanitarian projects. Thus, in one of my summer breaks during my university days, I decided to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. It was hard work doing roofing, cleaning and drywalling, but there was a deeper lesson I learned rather than just how to swing a hammer. I learned about community. These people have no intrinsic loyalty to each other, and come from a diverse range of backgrounds, professions and opinions. Yet, they come together to fulfill a common goal of helping members of communities, that aren’t even necessarily part of theirs. This is that community is about. Growing the ideal of altruism that is commonly, and unfortunately, absent in many places around the world today. I was glad to have spent my time helping out for this great cause, even if it was a short endeavor.