I am
an occasional teacher for Upper Canada District School Board and Ottawa-Carleton District School Board in eastern Ontario. I also tutor and work retail to help ensure a steady income. That’s what I get paid to do. In addition, I do some volunteer work for the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF), currently with the Occasional Teachers in District 26 (Upper Canada). I volunteer from time to time with the Ottawa International Writers Festival and The Royal Ottawa. I never feel like I have done enough for any of these organizations, but I give it my best shot. All of the views on this page reflect my own views and not those of any of the organizations which I represent from time to time.
I am passionate about education: what it means, how to do it well, what we can do to improve the lives of students, how I can further my own education. I am also really passionate about the brain and how people learn and think and do. I am working on a Psychology degree at University of Toronto (very slowly as I have time/funding) and ultimately am interested in educational psychology with an eye to how we can help people learn better to become their best selves. I tend to see the big picture and often wonder how we can shift things systemically to make them better for everyone. I like ideas a lot. I like to try new things. I care deeply about other people. I think and reflect, almost too much sometimes. I like to listen and learn new ideas from everyone I meet. My ultimate goal in life is to leave the world a better place than I found it. Some days I feel like I am doing this well; others not so much, but I keep working hard to try to align myself with the person I want to be.
My knowledge and passion in terms of subject area leans towards math, although that was not always the case and I do love doing things across a wide variety of disciplines. I am proud to be the product of a liberal arts education. I like teaching learners of all ages, but tend to lean towards upper elementary and secondary. I believe deeply in the power of people to grow and improve and do amazing and impressive things. While I really appreciate authentic, “real world” learning, I also appreciate the power of some lesser authentic activities to open up our minds to possibilities beyond what we can see and feel and experience in real life in the aim to become more imaginative, creative, and innovative people. I like a good challenge and exploring good challenges with other people. Also, I have a thing for PD, whether that be professional development or personal development.
In my life outside of education, I am married to Ben Wood and have a beautiful Boxer-Border Collie 
mix named Charlie. I love going for long walks with him, especially when we can walk along the Ottawa River. I also like exploring, especially in nature, but also small towns, random places, and looking at things with a sense of wonder. I used to play competitive hockey, including for Colgate University once upon a time, and still enjoy lacing up the skates whenever possible. I also like going for a run, working out/lifting, climbing, and otherwise staying active. I really enjoy reading, game nights, and the occasional foray into the creative arts (although I am not very talented in that category). I am extremely busy far too often so I don’t get to spend enough time on any of these things, but I absolutely love when I get to do them. 
