A note about me!

With this being my 6th year teaching Kindergarten at Marysville Elementary School, I have come to understand that parents may have some worries when sending their child off to school for the first time. I am sure many questions arise, one of which being "who is this person I am sending my child to school with?". Well, I thought I would take a moment here to tell you all a bit about myself!

I have been passionate about working with children and teaching ever since I was a little girl. My mom recalls many play dates with me "teaching" my friends and stuffed animals! I have played many roles in a variety of child care settings - summer camp counsellor, day care staff member, nanny, and have supported children with special needs in their home and integrated in programs. I completed my Bachelors of Child and Youth Studies/Bachelors of Education at Brock University in Ontario. I moved to BC soon after completing my degree and spent two years working as a teacher-on-call, a part-time nanny and a support staff in local daycares. I started teaching at Marysville Elementary in 2010, the first year we introduced full day Kindergarten. I have recently completed my Masters in Early Childhood Education, with a focus on emergent curriculum and the value of outdoor play. I thoroughly enjoy reading articles and books about early learning, and combining this reading with conversations and workshops about various educational practices allows my thinking to change and evolve. I am very open to change, and eager to learn from others.

As an educator passionate about early childhood education, I am particularly interested in play (play-based learning, learning through free play, solo play, group play, risky play, outdoor exploration) and building relationships/connections. The key principles guiding my planning for this year are ensuring that learning is purposeful, social, emotional, empowering, and representational.

In my time away from school? I really enjoy exploring the beautiful area we live in and travelling further as well. My husband and I love hiking and camping in warm weather, and cross country skiing in the winter. I feel very fortunate to have many friends near and far, and thoroughly enjoy spending time with them. I enjoy various "crafty" activities (painting, card making, felting, sewing, baking/decorating), as well as reading, yoga and zumba. The kids at school will soon take part in zumba each Friday afternoon- it is such a blast! 

I truly value open communication, so please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. I am SO looking forward to getting to know each of the children coming into the classroom this year!