The Kind Of Teacher I Want To Be

I have always loved learning and have been fond of alternative education especially. When I took courses at university, I ended up moving towards the education faculty and even worked as an educational assistant in inner city classrooms for a period of time as my job. Today, as a public speaker, I regarly connect with educators and students alike in many types of schools and talk about the long lasting and positive impact certain educators have had on my life. I try to always get the students to thank the educators in the room and then I often share a story about a teacher I had once named Ms Holmes.

Since she was my teacher in grade 4, she has been a constant positive presence in my life. So positive, I even say she saved my life. It's been a whole 25 years later and today she is still in my life and is a positive presence, as the comment below illustrates:

When I originally made a post on Instagram I never expected a former educator to comment at all. But when she left her first comment it made me so happy. That comment reminded me of what it was like when I was a child and felt down and she would offer an encouraging word or even better her actions would demonstrate her care for me. The breakfast nook in the classroom, the deliberate ways she made sure every student was included. She made me feel like I was important to her not because she was my teacher and it was her job - but because I was a special person, deserving of unwavering support and encouragement.

But remember how I said first comment? You can see that once she watched the episode of television I was featured in, she came back and left ANOTHER word of encouragement! What??? So many years later she makes me feel like I'm still so special and her impact is so long lasting it's a constant course of inspiration for me. That's the kind of teacher I want to be.

Today I am a passionate street educator who loves alternative education and knowledge translation. My classroom is always changing but one thing remains: I want to make the people I am sharing with, teaching or speaking to happy, I want them to be smiling. I know from first hand experience that once I feel valued and taken care of - I could learn all day. I love sharing knowledge with others and am so excited to continue to find creative ways to do that while also making folks feel valued and deserving of support, despite their socio economic background, despite their family situations and I want them to feel like they can overcome any barriers they may come across.

I hope that I can keep leaving comments that make people happy too - doing the same thing Ms Holmes still does for me to this day. I hope that my actions can fill others with happiness and motivation too. I am excited to watch the successes and growth of the many students I've come across and learned alongside, learned from and shared with. I can't wait to comment on their victories and say I'm proud of them, and stay connected beyond whatever classroom brought us together so that I can be a support and a cheer leader for many years into the future. I hope my encouragement can reach many different types of classrooms and many types of learners too.

That's the kind of teacher I want to be!