Biography

I want to acknowledge that I am honored to live, learn, and work on the traditional and unceded lands of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc within Secwépemc’ulucw, the traditional territory of the Secwépemc people. This is a place where teaching and learning has taken place for thousands of years.

I have chosen to pursue a career in education due to a variety of reasons that stem from both my past and present experiences. Firstly, my deep-rooted passion for physical activity and sports that I have fostered since childhood has enabled me to engage in coaching and mentoring young children. This has involved coaching young children in soccer and high school students in basketball, as well as facilitating physical activity programs for children during March Break activity camps. Secondly, I have been babysitting children from a very young age and have also been running youth groups through my church, which has enabled me to develop exceptional childcare skills. Thirdly, my Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology, specializing in Physical Education Pedagogy, has supported my love for sports and has strengthened my interest in encouraging children to be physically active and engaged in lifelong active learning. Lastly, my experience as a camp counselor for three years has been instrumental in helping me recognize the significance of one-on-one interactions with children. Despite having multiple campers under my care, I always managed to spend individual time with each one to understand their unique perspectives, experiences, and opinions. This experience has reinforced the importance of a dynamic and flexible classroom environment that facilitates individualized learning experiences for every student, as not all students may feel comfortable expressing themselves in group settings.

At present, I am endeavoring to actively engage in numerous professional development opportunities. Over the course of this year, I have participated in several conferences that revolve around the subjects of inclusive education and trauma-informed teaching. These topics hold significant value to me, as I am deeply interested in Special Education and its potential to cater to the developmental, behavioral, and physical needs of individuals who struggle in traditional classroom settings.

Teaching is a profession of paramount importance, as educators are entrusted with the responsibility of shaping ethically and critically astute leaders of tomorrow. As a prospective teacher, I take immense pride in my role as a shepherd of the next generation. To fulfill this obligation effectively, I am committed to creating learning environments that are inclusive and adaptable to cater to diverse learning styles of all students.