Born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland, I was lucky enough to be surrounded by a supportive family and a close group of lifelong friends that was formed during elementary school. Summers were spent in the quiet gaelic-speaking islands of Scotland, with the school year jam-packed playing in various sport teams. In my pre-teens, basketball became my sport of choice and helped keep me on the straight and narrow as I transitioned through my teenage years, eventually being lucky enough to play for my country. A sense of humour, consideration, team work, dedication, relationship-building, and work-ethic were some of the skills I developed during my youth and have remained important to me throughout adulthood and into my teaching career.

I completed a BA (Honours) in Psychology at the University of Strathclyde, before moving to beautiful York, England for work. After a couple of years, I craved more of an adventure and moved to Vancouver, BC, for what I initially thought would be for one year of fun and travel. Four years later, I have fallen in love with the city, have my permanent residency, and i’m following a new career path as I work towards becoming an elementary school teacher.

 

While I have always been drawn to caring professions, I haven’t always wanted to be a teacher. My work for the last six years has been in the mental health field, in roles such as Assistant Psychologist, Homeless Outreach Worker, and managing mental-health group homes. These roles have been rewarding and challenging, yet frustrating. I came across many youth and adults who had descended into a life of mental health issues, substance use and homelessness, the majority of whom suffered the severe and enduring effects of a troubled, or trauma-filled childhood. Many of these individuals simply lacked having a positive role model in their life. I found that I was no longer making an impact and thus started to consider teaching, with the hope of becoming that positive role-model to the many children that fall through the cracks.

 

I’ve found that working with children is something that has always come naturally to me. During university, I spent a few months working at an American summer camp, and was a Youth Outreach Worker delivering basketball programs in deprived areas of Glasgow, Scotland. When I decided to make the change into education, I spent some time as a Volunteer Classroom Assistant at an elementary school in Coquitlam, and as a Mentor at The Writers’ Exchange, a fun, literacy-based program for inner-city kids in the Strathcona area. I volunteered as a mentor with a 10 year old girl with ‘Big Sisters’, and started coaching with the Vancouver Eagles, a youth basketball training program associated with the Steve Nash League. Thus, the transition into teaching has been almost instinctive. I am absolutely loving this journey, and wish i had considered it sooner…

 

This decision to change careers has given me a new purpose in life, and I finally feel as if I have found my niche. I’m intrigued to see where the next few years will take me, and i’m excited to get into the classroom and work towards being the best teacher I can be – to be that role model that can positively impact so many important lives…