Learning Map

WHY?

I truly feel that ‘never stop learning’ best describes my journey through the Vancouver Island University’s education program as well as being a saying that I live by in my life. Being an Education Assistant for the past 20 years in School District 79 I have learned an enormous amount, but have always wanted to learn more. I guess this is where my journey begins… why?

WHY BECOME A TEACHER?

Since working in classrooms for 20 years and observing teacher after teacher educate hundreds, if not thousands of students, seeing all the different teaching styles I realized that I had began developing my own. I am also a father of three and every parent, whether they believe so or not, is a teacher. Coaching youth sports is also a passion of mine. When you add all these reasons together I asked myself why should I not become a teacher.

LIGHTBULB!

I started to see it! Student after student year after year. What is this that I started to see? The lightbulb. And it was incredible to see it. The lightbulb refers to the way students would react when the concept that has been a struggle finally becomes clear. I have to say that the feeling that I started to get became infectious. One after the other I would see this in students I supported and I became hooked.

THE START OF MY JOURNEY

That brings me to the start of my journey to become a teacher. The leap from being a education assistant and supporting students in classes to becoming a teacher who’s role and job is to develop and provide instruction to not one, but to an entire class of students. With all my experience and the years of working in School District 79, the many teachers I have had the opportunity to observe and learn from, and there have been some very supportive teachers that have even given me the opportunity to teach lessons and lesson plan, I am now in the VIU Education program on my journey.