My previous employment opportunities have helped me begin to develop the skills and qualities that make for a successful educator.
Employed as a Field and Outreach Operations Assistant
From July to August in 2019 and 2020, I worked as a Field and Outreach Operations Assistant for the Lillooet Regional Invasive Species Society (LRISS). During my time with LRISS I learned about native and invasive species in Canada, carried out invasive plant field work and aquatic sampling, and did outreach events and activities. Every part of this job was a valuable learning experience, but the outreach events and activities were most impactful for my teaching practice. During these events and activities, I would educate local community members and visitors on a variety of topics. This helped me develop my communication skills, my ability to act as a leader and team member, and my interpersonal skills. These skills and qualities will allow me to be a more successful teacher as I will be able to connect to, communicate with, and work alongside my coworkers, students, and parents/guardians.
Employed as a Summer Program Coordinator
From May to August in 2021 and 2022, I worked as the Summer Program Coordinator for the Lillooet Public Library. With this job I gained experience creating and following structured day plans, supervising large groups of children of all different ages (ages 5-14), supporting the individual and diverse needs of students, and more. With this job I also developed my ability to be compassionate and creative, learned the importance of professional development, and learned how to become a better leader. This will be useful for my teaching practice as I will be able to build stronger relationships with my students so that I can better understand their needs, be more creative with my teaching, and be willing to continuously improve as an educator.
Employed as a Tutor
In November of 2021 I had the opportunity to tutor a 17-year-old student in the foster care system. During this experience I worked with the Ministry of Children and Family Development, high school staff, the student, caregivers, and Indigenous community partners to create a plan that would best support the education of the student. As I got to know the student, I realized that there were significant barriers for their education. This realization was impactful for my teaching practice, and I know realize the importance of building positive relationships with students so that I can support my students to the best of my abilities.