Teacher

Language and Literature are my subjects! I speak and write English, Portuguese and French, fluently – so when I began teaching, I naturally gravitated toward foreign language acquisition.

My teaching journey began in the private school sector in Ontario, teaching French as a second language to children in grades four to eight. These early years in the profession taught me so much more than any formal training ever did: lessons big and small in scale, such as the real meaning of community in a school setting – beyond the physical walls, the ability to be mentally and intellectually (dare I add physically) flexible and although flexible: plan, plan, plan, then be prepared to ajust, ajust, ajust!

I quickly learned how true and particularly pertinent Hericlitus’ words were:

Change is the only constant in life.

Hericlitus

After marrying my best friend, I took some time off to raise my three beautiful, intelligent, creative and inspiring children! Once my youngest made his pre-K début, I decided it was time to get back to my other job, and fate brought me to an independent school that I really loved working at! It was a long-term occasion teaching position, and as great schools will, they had no faculty openings for me following my occasional term.

I did however, land a decent job, closer to home, teaching the most varied grade mix: junior kindergarden to grade seven! Juggling teaching a 40-minute grade seven group, then rushing upstairs in the next breath to teach a class of preschoolers was undoubtedly a challenge, but the variety kept me on my toes- the little ones who clung to legs at story time, and thought I was a brilliant entertainer gave me a welcome break from the blazé pre-teens – and vice-versa!

As my own children continued to grow upward physically, also surpassing me intellectually in so many ways – they never left me behind – they let me grow with them. By the time they were young teens I had enrolled in my translation degree program driven by a strong sense that it was time to move on. Once again, my path circled back to that same independent school that I had done the long-term supply work for. This time, teaching FSL in the Senior School, and having the opportunity to branched out to teaching Spanish, as well.

I truely love my students: they keep me young! We are silly together, we laugh, we share stories and experiences that will forever remain in our hearts, if not in my slippery half-century old memory. My Global languages department team was my rock: we were known for being the most stylish department – and more importantly, the most fun! You could always hear us laughing, joking and playing music through the halls.

What’s next for me? I had been leading my students and colleagues through yoga sessions since those first days of my long-term supply work at the school. I finally decided that I should get some formal training and completed my RYTT program and Yoga Alliance certification in 2022. I loved sharing this safe space with students – and colleagues. Yoga has an innate therapeutic effect and in the wake of the pandemic lockdowns, reconnecting others with their ability to slow down and breath amidst the chaos, helping build the resilience we all need to push forward has been something I have cherished like never before.

More recently, my personal journey has led me to learn Thai Yoga Massage which has deepened my practice and helped me to better understand and serve my students.

You can read more about my yoga journey by clicking here, or on the Yoga tab.