Get to Know Our Apprentice Teachers! Part 1

The Apprentice Teacher program at Greenwood is a great way for new teachers to develop their skills and gain real-world experience. Apprentice Teachers also conduct a research project in the program. In this two-part series, we’ll introduce you to our Apprentice Teachers this year and their research projects!

I was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba and prior to Greenwood I trained as a senior years English and History teacher. I spent a year teaching in a town just outside of London, England, and then a year in Winnipeg before making the move to Toronto. 

My roles include being responsible for my main class (CSS8), assisting with Grade 10 English and Grade 9 Math, and also facilitating our after-school service learning program at Lescon Public School. 

The research project I undertook this year stemmed from the feedback I received in the Panorama Surveys. It focused on how to create clear instructions in the classroom. It was a simple concept but, as teachers, we often focus on what material we're delivering and less about how that material is delivered, even though they're both equally important. So, using some in school resources provided by Mary Gauthier at our weekly meetings, and many studies grounded in English as a second language learners, I was able to alter my delivery to align with the best practices I found. 

Something that stood out to me at Greenwood was the level of kindness and support I received from day one. Being a new teacher in a new system can be jarring at times. Thankfully, Greenwood staff and students have been the most welcoming and supportive community to me and to each other, so it's great working in a place that fosters that type of culture. 

Greenwood has really helped me learn about the power of a supportive community. There are always a lot of amazing things going on at Greenwood and it can get overwhelming. Having a community of learners and staff to ask questions to, or to reach out to for help, has been invaluable this year. 

In my spare time, I'm often cycling or taking photographs. I truly believe cycling is the best way to see a city and can be an equitable way of creating a more inclusive society. Toronto has a lot of great bike trails to enjoy and I've also had the chance to bike to some notable cities close by like Aurora, Hamilton, and Niagara Falls. I often try to take photos on those trips, which has led me to pick up film photography recently. 

Before coming to Greenwood, I graduated from OISE's Master of Teaching program with a specialization in Junior/Intermediate (Grades 4-10) and a teachable in English. I wrote my thesis on supporting digital literacy in Canadian schools which included specific supports for teachers, but also expanding our general idea of digital literacy to be critical of texts, including online media. In addition to being a master’s student, I also spent my free time tutoring to get hands-on experience.

 

My course load as an Apprentice Teacher is shadowing Sarah Ewen in all her classes. We work with Grade 7s in Math, Advisor, and GLE. I also support Wendy Herod in her Grade 11 GLE class. One of my favourite things about the Apprentice Teacher role is our Wednesday morning Service Learning program. Watching the Grade 7 and 8s during Reading Buddies at Davisville PS is a special experience.

 

My research project is focused on the use of manipulatives in Math class and what this looks like in mostly digital classrooms, as well as how it evolves in older grades. Bringing manipulatives into Grade 7 Math classes was a great learning experience. We did "Clothesline Math" (number lines and converting from fractions to decimals to percentages), fraction strips, and a fun activity where students moved around the classroom to demonstrate collecting like terms. Manipulatives are something I will always use in my future math classrooms because of the strong research backing them.

 

My favourite part about the Greenwood community is the amount of support I have from my colleagues. Whenever I have a question, there is always someone I can go to. Greenwood's staff care about the school and it shows!

 

A valuable thing that I have learned this year is the importance of communication and collaboration, especially because I am paired up with other teachers in their classrooms. These skills also come up in settings like coaching.

 

One thing I am involved in during my spare time is volunteering with the camp that I grew up attending. Being able to give back to the community that deeply influenced my childhood has been awesome. I am also currently training for my second half-marathon which is also taking up a good chunk of my spare time!