I am a man of European descent with Dutch and Scottish grandparents, and I grew up in Salmon Arm, BC, graduating from Salmon Arm Secondary School. I then started my undergraduate studies at UBCO before finishing my BSc in mathematics at UNBC. I am now a teacher candidate at UNBC. Outside of school, I enjoy being in the woods whether I’m mountain or gravel biking, cross-country skiing, or hiking. I also like reading fantasy novels.
As a learner I am passionate and curious, and I really enjoy problem solving which is why I enjoy math. It lets me get curious and learn all sorts of new concepts that I can then apply to solve new-to-me problems. It is in this way that I also like teaching. Each student has unique ways of learning and seeing concepts, so I, as a teacher, get to learn from them how to best explain a tricky concept to their specific needs as a learner. It is also an opportunity for me to share my joy in learning math with them.
I have worked as a tutor and teaching assistant for several years where I have developed my sense of who I want to be as a teacher. To me it has felt like a very natural experience.
I haven’t discovered anything. I’ve only found out what I know.
Leo Tolstoy
In the first few weeks of the BEd program, I have resonated most with the discussions of becoming the best teacher that I can be rather than conforming to a perfect mould of what a teacher ought to be. It is this inner teacher that I am excited to find as I progress through the BEd program.