I grew up in Vancouver’s lower mainland. There are three major influences in my life that led me to a career in education; the first being my mom. She is a deaf blind intervenor and through her work I was introduced to children with learning exceptionalities. Watching my mom’s practice defined my understanding of education. My mom took children who had no vision or hearing and taught them sign language, which gave her students a means of expressing themselves. With her thoughtful and deliberate lesson planning, her students were able to exceed institutional expectations and  communicate with the outside world. These early experiences definitely inform my current teaching practice and I am constantly aware that no two students’ measures of success will be the same.

The next influence in my life is, Stephen, a close childhood friend who has muscular dystrophy. When I met Stephen in grade one he was able to walk with the use of leg braces. By the time we were in grade two, Stephen was largely restricted to a wheelchair. Muscular Dystrophy is a degenerative disorder and throughout our lives Stephen’s mobility would steadily decline. I spent a lot of time with Stephen and as he adapted to changes in his body, I adapted with him. Eventually, Stephen started going for respite care at Canuck Place Children’s Hospice and I would frequently stay there with him and other children who had various physical and mental disabilities. I made several connections through Canuck Place, which led to me volunteering at different camps and at the B.C. summer games for children with disabilities. I also, became Stephen’s full time care attendant after high school. I continued working with Stephen and volunteering into my early twenties when I realised that I could help more people if I furthered my education. My relationship with Stephen remains a positive influence in my life as he continues to defy medical expectations and works as a spokesperson for Muscular Dystrophy awareness and fundraising.

I went on to study Biology at Dalhousie University in Halifax and later completed a Ph.D. in brain development and learning behaviour at Sydney University in Australia. Throughout my university career, I became more involved in research and less focused on volunteering. This led to great academic success but I did not feel personally fulfilled. I knew I wanted to change careers and pursue a job where I was more actively involved in my local community. Halfway through my Ph.D., I reconnected with Breanna, a family friend who was coming to Australia to teach. Breanna first worked as a teacher on call and eventually got a full time teaching contract for a grade one class. The more time I spent with her, the more I saw how much of an impact Breanna had on her students’ lives. Inspired by this, I decided to start working with Sydney University’s high school outreach program. While working as a science communicator for high school students, I realised that I was happiest when I was sharing my passion and curiosity for science with students. After my Ph.D., I decided to return to Vancouver and pursue a career in teaching.

I enrolled in the Teacher Education program at the University of British Columbia and I also began to volunteer with Make-a-Wish B.C. and Yukon. I love the challenge of teaching and meeting my students’ unique learning needs while watching them achieve personal success. I also enjoy the flexibility that a career in education provides and I have found that I can pursue my interests in brain development and learning behaviour as I work as a teacher. I am very excited about the opportunities that have already presented themselves to me as a teacher and I look forward to a fulfilling career shaping youth and contributing to the educational community.