World Teachers Day 2016!

I always celebrate this special day every year. This is my 31st year working as an educator in a school, and I am still so excited and grateful that I chose this profession so long ago! I cannot believe how much I have learned from students and colleagues along the way! Teaching requires commitment and perseverance, but I have always believed that it is the best job in the world, as the learning is two-sided, and not a day goes by that I don’t get an opportunity to connect with a child, a family, a teacher or a mentor. Working alongside students on a daily basis gives me constant reminders of the purpose of teaching, to support our diverse student population and our whole community of learners. It is exciting to live in a time when connections are increasingly easier to make, as technology promotes collaborative practices and resources are so much more accessible than at the beginning of my career. It is a time of change, with new curriculum focusing on core competencies, but the importance of the teacher-student relationship will never change. Students remember how we made them feel more than what we taught them. I am so appreciative of all the great teachers who made such an impact on my journey.

Our Superintendent Chris Kennedy titled his latest blog post “How Many Can You Name?” Great question! I have to admit that I always loved school, from my first year in Kindergarten to my last session at university, so it is not very surprising that I can name every single grade school teacher I had growing up on the South Shore of Montreal! School has always been a place of discovery for me. And it’s a social place of learning.. I love people, and I love learning! I am thrilled to be continuing my journey of teaching and learning at Chartwell Elementary this year, where the community of teachers and parents work together to support our very hard-working students.Thank you to all my teaching colleagues for making a difference every day. Huge thanks to our Chartwell parents for offering a wonderful luncheon for us today!

Happy World Teachers Day!