Discipline/Teaching Area: UACE (Upgrading for Academic and Career Entry) and Education Advising
I have been a faculty member at the College since 1987, teaching math and English at various levels, career planning, and physics. I am also an education advisor, helping people with career and educational planning, and I conduct assessments for placement, program entry, and apprenticeship applications. I also facilitate personality workshops for businesses and post-secondary institutions on teamwork, conflict resolution, communication skills, and relationship building. I love my job and especially love working with students – helping them experience success and reach their goals.
I have a bachelor’s degree in math and physics from Queen’s University, a Provincial Instructor’s Diploma (post-secondary endorsement) from Vancouver Community College, and a Master of Education in Distance Education from Athabasca University. I am a certified facilitator in True Colors and Personality Dimensions, I participate in professional development regularly, and continue to be a life-long and life-wide learner.
I have held many roles at the College and served on numerous committees – both local and provincial. I chair the Education and Career Planning articulation committee and am part of the ABE articulation steering committee for curriculum collaboration and transfer agreements between BC colleges and universities. I am the Fernie campus harassment and discrimination representative and have been the College of the Rockies’ Status of Women committee rep for the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators.
Most recently, my passion has been in open resource projects, and I’ve taken part in provincial online course development, instructor resource development, authoring a Student Success textbook, and being a conference speaker. I believe strongly in education and am highly engaged in initiatives within the post-secondary education system.
I try to meet students where they are and help them get where they need to go, encouraging and supporting them along the way. In the UACE classroom, every student is in a different place. They have different goals, needs, strengths, challenges, and experiences from their previous schooling. Student success looks different for every student. Regardless, I am there to help them experience it. In my classroom, students will find a welcoming, casual atmosphere, and an approachable instructor with a positive attitude, a love for learning, and a desire to pass along that love of learning.
I strive to help students experience learning that is motivating, inspiring, thought-provoking, and challenging. I hope that students experience success in many ways – much more than just academic and I provide opportunities to apply their learning in meaningful and relevant ways. I commit to incorporating different approaches and teaching techniques in order to meet students’ unique needs. I hope their learning instills confidence, connection, and community.