First, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge that for thousands of years the Malahat Peoples have walked gently on the unceded territories where I now live, work and play. I am grateful for this land I inhabit and cherish the lifestyle that it affords me and my loved ones. Huy chq'u.
As for me personally... I am a mother, wife, and a proud educator. I live in the beautiful little town of Mill Bay on Vancouver Island and I love the fact that I get to live a 'westcoast' life. I engage in as much outdoor recreation with my husband and two energetic kiddos as I possibly can and that almost always involves hiking with our very tall, fluffy Poodle named Forest.
This year teach grade 7 part time at our local elementary school and I love every second of it. In the past I taught Junior High school for the Foothills School Division in Alberta, and I have had the opportunity to work with students in grades Kindergarten through seven, and I have been a part of the incredible special education teams at every school I have been a part of.
As an educator, authentic engagement through best practise has always been my focus. I am passionate about inquiry and Understanding by Design and I believe that adopting a varied assessment practise with a strong focus on formative assessment helps to create a sense of belonging and purpose in the classroom.
Universal Design for learning (UDL) is a vital part of my practise. "There is no single style of learning, even for the same person; students' levels of expertise on different topics will influence how they tackle each one" (Chen, 2008). I believe this whole heartedly and have tried my best to model my teaching practise accordingly. UDL also serves me well in my personal life as both of my children are diagnosed neurodiverse.
It is a busy life, but I am truly blessed!
References
Chen, Eva. 2008. The Importance of Universal Design for Learning: Eliminating Barriers in the Design of the learning environment to make curriculum accessible to all. Usable Knowledge: Relevant Research for Today's Educators. Retrieved from https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/08/12/importance-universal-design-learning.