For the Love of Learning: A Teacher’s Tale I’ve always loved learning. I could never get enough information. When I was three, I watched Jurassic Park for the first time. It soon became my obsession, “dinosaurs are cool, and I need to know everything about them!” I started telling everyone that I wanted to become a paleontologist, even going so far as to prove my commitment by just casually spelling “paleontologist” during conversation. Three-year-old me didn’t understand evidence, or anything resembling proof, or how to carry a conversation for that matter. I started volunteering at an elementary school during university. I was so happy. I mean who wouldn’t like being around twenty bright-eyed and energetic kids (given a healthy dose of caffeine)? But here is where my journey as an educator really begins. A month after graduation, I moved from New Brunswick, Canada to take a job in South Korea teaching English as an Additional Language. I went expecting a f...
When I was three, I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wanted to be a doctor, then I learned I didn’t like needles. But, when I was five, I definitely knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wanted to be a dancer, and then, very painfully, I learned I have no control of my flailing body. But everything changed when I was 7, I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wanted to be and ice skater, then I realized, I have never even been on the ice before and I really hate being cold. So, when I finally made it to 10 years old I knew it! I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wanted to be a mathematician. I love numbers. I love crunching numbers. I love applying numbers and equations to the real world. It just made sense. But then, as a 10 year old does, I changed my mind and didn’t want to be a mathematician. The cycle just continued I’d have an epiphany, it would last about 3 months and then I’d get tired of it. Flash forward to high school gr...