I’m starting my last term in the MET program, with this course and 530 my last two courses to complete. This course is a bookend for me, as I completed 522 with David in my very first term. I think that was a fortuitous occurrence, as the learning curve for the course delivery was high. However, I appreciated that the learning was not spoon-fed, and that we had to really engage with the topics. I’m looking forward to this learning mode again.
I have been teaching high school science for 32 years, the last 29 at the same school. I primarily teach senior physics and chemistry, but I have avoided stagnation by being our science department head for the past couple of decades. That’s not contradictory, I find being department head forces me into interactions with not only all of the subject teachers in my department, but with the other departments as well (if only by proxy). Daily interaction and collaboration are values that I have really encouraged in my department–none of us can say that we have found the one and only way to teach a thing. The interaction is so important for me, that during the design phase of our replacement school building, I specifically asked that all three of our storage and prep areas (for Physics, Biology, and Chemistry), only be accessible via walking through part of a classroom (no hallway access), forcing staff into each other’s physical spaces regularly.
I have been coaching volleyball at the high school and club level for longer than I have been teaching, and coaching was my inspiration to become a teacher. I will likely continue coaching well after retirement. I’ve illustrated a couple of my other passions below (my MX-5 and photography)
Dear Allan, it seems to me that your name is the only familiar one so far. If I am not mistaken, we were in “Foundations of Educational Technology” together. I look forward to our productive cooperation here.
I’ve been the university administrator for six years, not the head of the department, was aiming higher, but the war mixed all the plans. Still, your experience in enforced interdepartmental communication is worth further studying, lol! I personally believe that an administrative position in a big educational institution teaches humility, communications, and flexibility like nothing else. It can also help you survive.
So, thank you for sharing a bit of your huge and successful teaching story with us and congratulations on completing MET. By the way, are you planning to visit the graduation ceremony? I hope to finish the program this year, but I would love to go to Vancouver in spring/summer. I have never been anywhere outside Toronto yet. Regards, Anna
Hi Allen, nice to see you again in another course! I admire your passion for coaching – your athletes are lucky to have such a dedicated mentor.
As a fellow Science teacher, I can appreciate the enforced interaction between staff members. Our department head has Science Dept. breakfasts during report writing and pro-D days. I am also a coach, badminton rather than volleyball, and I love having both club and team practices. I love that students get a different side of me when I play and coach… even the PE teacher said I surprised her with my competitiveness 🙂