I grew up in Quesnel BC. A small town located in central BC where both my parents were teachers. As a result of this I interacted frequently with teachers. My parent’s friends were teachers, my friend’s parents were teachers, and for a shamefully long time I did not realise any other professions existed. As long as I can remember I wanted to be a teacher.  It was the influential teachers I encountered throughout my education that made the idea of teaching as a profession take a stronger and stronger hold of me.

I was enrolled in a French immersion elementary school where I had a very influential teacher for grades 6, 7, and 8. As a result of having the same teacher every year I was very comfortable to take a more active role in the classroom. In my grade 10 English class I encountered my most influential teacher. His classes were all focused on critical thinking. As a result of his classes (which I made sure to take in grade 11 and 12) I began to take more autonomy in my education. I gained confidence in myself and began to take classes that would challenge me because, from his classes, I knew I had the ability to rise to the challenge. My experience with the incredible teachers at BCIT re-affirmed my belief that I was on the right career path. The courses were challenging but left a lot of room for creativity. It was with the amazing support we students got from the teachers that I began to consciously think about my teaching philosophy.

Teaching to me boils down to one thing: facilitating authentic learning. I want to instill in students a confidence in their own abilities; to guide them along the right direction to find the information they need; and provide a safer space for them to experience their learning.  By doing this we are creating the base work for lifelong learners. As shop teachers we have the tremendous advantage of being able to teach in a workshop environment.  We provide the safety and operating knowledge of the tools in our shops and let the students take a larger hand in their own education. The PLO’s of technology education lend themselves to this style of learning very well. With very broad PLO’s it leaves massive amount of room for student creativity. I believe that when a student is allowed to express themselves creatively and to have a direct hand in choosing what they are learning they will be more likely to succeed at school and later in life. Learning is a process not an achievement.