When did you graduate from the Faculty of Education at York University (program and year)?
I graduated from the Faculty of Education in 1990 and am presently a teacher with the Toronto Catholic District School Board.

How long have you been a York U Additional Qualification (AQ) course instructor?
I have been a York U AQ course instructor for the past 10+ years and am currently teaching the Special Education, Intermediate Drama and Reading AQ courses.

What have been some of the main highlights/achievements in your career?
Some of the main highlights/achievements of my career have been completing my Master of Education degree and my Principal’s Qualification Program. I have also held various leadership roles in curriculum, parent engagement, teacher advocacy, community and have learned a lot from students with special needs.

Why did you choose to instruct AQ courses for York U?
I became an AQ course instructor at York U to gain insight into various perspectives from different roles in education and to facilitate learning experiences for teachers in a collaborative, co-learning experience. Being an AQ course instructor has also allowed me to celebrate teacher voice and create a platform for teachers to explore, reflect, and learn among one another and to reinforce the importance of innovation and responsiveness in lesson design.

What are the best things about being an AQ Instructor at York U?
Being an AQ instructor at York U has provided me with an opportunity to meet and learn from teachers from across the province, each with their own distinct context and lived experience that they bring to the AQ course experience. My courses allow students to not only unpack teaching as identity work, but also the nuance in teaching/learning; honouring that no two stories are the same. By injecting that stance into AQs as a means of listening and amplifying students' stories, my AQ courses focus on responsive teaching based on equity, diversity and inclusion–listening to marginalized voices that bring 'new' learning to the forefront.

What do students value the most about your AQ courses? 
Students have commented that they value the active listening and learning that take place in my courses. My courses provide meaningful and relevant learning experiences for students that allow them to think critically about their lesson design in an environment that allows for divergent thinking and provides a variety of options for real-world application. 

When did you graduate from the Faculty of Education at York University (program and year)?
I graduated from the Faculty of Education in 1990 and am presently a teacher with the Toronto Catholic District School Board.

How long have you been a York U Additional Qualification (AQ) course instructor?
I have been a York U AQ course instructor for the past 10+ years and am currently teaching the Special Education, Intermediate Drama and Reading AQ courses.

What have been some of the main highlights/achievements in your career?
Some of the main highlights/achievements of my career have been completing my Master of Education degree and my Principal’s Qualification Program. I have also held various leadership roles in curriculum, parent engagement, teacher advocacy, community and have learned a lot from students with special needs.

Why did you choose to instruct AQ courses for York U?
I became an AQ course instructor at York U to gain insight into various perspectives from different roles in education and to facilitate learning experiences for teachers in a collaborative, co-learning experience. Being an AQ course instructor has also allowed me to celebrate teacher voice and create a platform for teachers to explore, reflect, and learn among one another and to reinforce the importance of innovation and responsiveness in lesson design.

What are the best things about being an AQ Instructor at York U?
Being an AQ instructor at York U has provided me with an opportunity to meet and learn from teachers from across the province, each with their own distinct context and lived experience that they bring to the AQ course experience. My courses allow students to not only unpack teaching as identity work, but also the nuance in teaching/learning; honouring that no two stories are the same. By injecting that stance into AQs as a means of listening and amplifying students' stories, my AQ courses focus on responsive teaching based on equity, diversity and inclusion–listening to marginalized voices that bring 'new' learning to the forefront.

What do students value the most about your AQ courses? 
Students have commented that they value the active listening and learning that take place in my courses. My courses provide meaningful and relevant learning experiences for students that allow them to think critically about their lesson design in an environment that allows for divergent thinking and provides a variety of options for real-world application. 

The Office of Professional Learning in the Faculty of Education at York University offers quality professional learning courses that educators across Ontario can rely on to prepare them to teach new subjects, new grades, and new disciplines. By taking an AQ that isn’t just another ordinary AQ, our registrants “raise their AQ” to the next level! Search courses and learn more