The Republic of Kitchissippi
The Ottawa River watershed or as I like to refer to it, the Republic of Kitchissippi, can truly be given a valid defence as the best whitewater paddling destination in the world. The Rocher Fendu section of the Upper Ottawa River, The Rouge, The Dumoine, The Pettawa, The Madawaska, The Noire, The Kippawa, The Coulonge the Lievere and the Gatineau. Each of these rivers is of international renown to whitewater canoeists and kayakers around the world. They are all a day trip from Ottawa. In winter Nordic and Alpine skiing is the great secret of this region. With more than 400 km of groomed nordic ski trails, over 100 km in the urban core itself, the region is a nordic skiing dreamland and envied by nordic skiers from around the world including those from the Nordic nations of Sweden, Finland and Norway. In terms of Alpine skiing, the West may have the big mountains but we have the most ski areas accessible in a day's drive in all four directions. From World Class ski resorts like Mont Tremblant to an honest big mountain, and the only Eastern Ski area to host a winter Olympics (twice). Easy days drive to the Eastern Township Ski resorts of Bromont, Orford, and Sutton and the ski resorts of Northern Vermont including Jay Peak, Stratton and Smugglers Notch. Then in every direction are the smaller local hills Calabogie, Pakenham, Fortune, Mont Cascades, Edelweiss, Vorlage and Mont Saint Marie, the opportunities to be a lifelong Alpine skier in this region are varied and endless. Lately, it is the trail network for both summer mountain biking and winter fat biking that has solidified the region as a multi dimensional outdoor adventure sport paradise
I also believe we need to invest in nearby nature wilderness recreation infrastructure such as trails, access infrastructure, day-use facilities and signage along with programming services. Wilderness recreational activities in nature clearly demonstrate value to our health, mental well-being, and physical fitness. In fact, nature and wilderness parks provide a location for recreation that far supersedes a built environment for delivering evidence-based long-term improvements in physical and mental health. Wilderness recreation infrastructure investments are also far more cost-effective than investments in purpose-built recreation structures, and return greater long-term sustainable health improvements for a much wider diversity of the population than recreation centres in all their forms and sports purposes.
As an outdoor education professional, I am proud of my contribution as a member of the team that established and developed the curriculum and teaching guidelines for Eastern Canada's premier program for developing the next generation of outdoor industry professionals. As part of the start-up team for Algonquin College’s Outdoor Adventure Diploma program, I helped write the curriculum guidelines and course plans for a number of the outdoor adventure skills courses. Following this In the first three years of the program, I was the lead educator for courses in whitewater kayaking, raft guiding, mountain biking, nordic skiing, and also taught alpine skiing, camp cooking, and nutrition in support of other lead instructors.
Within the outdoor industry profession, I have worn numerous hats including management positions in guest services, training, and operations. In addition, I have participated in several sponsored expeditions and have designed and led numerous group wilderness programs. As an entrepreneur in 2014 in partnership with Joe Kowalski of Wilderness Tours, we established an urban outdoor adventure company Ottawa City Rafting. In 2015 we won the best new tourism company in the National Capital region as awarded by Ottawa Tourism. The company is now an established tourism provider in the City of Ottawa and despite COVID we continue to grow and expand with new programming.
I am also committed to our civic process. As a result, I have volunteered my time to numerous local projects and organizations. I have been a past board member of Whitewater Ontario and the Ottawa Riverkeeper organization. I was also a part of the team that brought the Britannia Winter Trail to my neighborhood and I continue to volunteer my time here. I have also followed my civic belief that environmental issues need to be given more recognition and priority by the government. To demonstrate this and to advocate for a change I have run for the Green Party in two Federal elections 2019 and 2021 and continue to serve as the Riding Association CEO.
Last but not least I am blessed with two daughters whom my partner and I have raised together in Ottawa's riverfront west end community Britannia, where we are fortunate to have nature at our doorsteps. Though I have traveled far and wide Ottawa is the perfect community for us with its beautiful green spaces, amazing people, and vibrant neighborhoods that are safe and welcoming.
As a lifelong learner and some would say almost a lifelong teacher, my path to a full-time certified teaching career has been a joyous journey filled with the privilege of sharing my love of the outdoors and other passions with students of all ages. Whatever the topic, be it geography, historical travel, ecophilosophy, environmental activism, business, eco tourism, outdoor education, photography, media, politics, bannock baking, or the philosophy behind dropping the knee in telemark skiing, my message always returns sooner or later to the same heuristic: if you want to learn anything about anything, you need to immerse yourself in it, you need to experience your subject fully, deeply, and preferably with stories shared at an open fire, with stars twinkling in the night sky. If what you’re wanting to learn happens to be outdoor education, environmentalism, geography, history, or a combination of all three, you need to read and listen broadly while out on the land, preferably self-propelled, and certainly, though not always, navigating by map and compass away from urbanity.
As a teacher, I confess my style is more that of a guide in that I lead the students to a setting where the learning happens naturally. With technology, there is no requirement for a classroom purely for the sake of having access to high-quality resources. With digital computers in our hands that are also high-powered photo, video and recording devices, portable computing and power, overhead survey devices in the form of lightweight drones, and short-throw display projectors, any location is a classroom and any surface is a place for non-permanent vertical surfaces. In fact presentation, and analysis of a vast library of academic material in the field are possible at a higher quality than that available in a classroom even five years ago. As I have a Socratic style of teaching, with lessons always student-centred and filled with my compassion for people, I create safe places for everyone to learn. As a Spec Ed specialist, I authentically believe every student has the ability to learn, and our role as educators is to nourish the student's desire to learn. In this respect, we can only do this when we build relationships that are meaningful so that we can meet our students where they are. Of course, it just happens to be my belief that the best classroom for all learners is that provided outside in nature.
Below you will find the courses I am currently teaching or that I have previous delivery experience. For a more in-depth look at my courses and images related to my teaching practices within those courses click on the course-specific titles below.
Curriculum Courses and Delivery Experience
Forest School Grades 1 to 6
Grade 7/8 Physed/Outdoor Ed
Outdoor Ed Grades 10-12: PAD20, PAD30, PAD40
As an outdoor experiential educator, I combine teaching movement skills and personal development with a sense of place and community. There is a proven link that when students find community alongside an activity they become lifelong learners and participants in healthy living.
Geography
Curriculum Courses and Delivery Experience
Grade 9 Geography, Grade 12 Geography
As a geography educator, I focus on developing in my students the fundamental skill of spatial thinking. This includes; understanding, using, and creating maps in both the traditional and the digital format, and how to conduct geographic research and analysis to develop spatial perspective and understanding of landscapes and place.
Environmental Science
Curriculum Courses and Delivery Experience
Grade 11 Environmental Science SVN3M
As an Environmental Science educator I feel my most important role is to teach students the relationship and inextricable link between environment and sustainability. As well physical science research occurs in the context of natural spaces. Taking students to rivers and lakes to conduct water quality testing and monitoring, Digging through dirt and working on agriculture sites, forest, peat, grasslands, and shorelines to conduct soil testing and analysis. Organic agriculture and organic waste management has us working with composting systems, and gardens. Greenhouses are where we learn about greenhouse systems and greenhouse gasses. On the River Shorelines and at Hydro dams we assess drainage, flooding, Green energy, and On the waste management and rehabilitation, permaculture, organic agricultural and organic waste management, understanding forest as both a resource and ecosystem including forestry management, to wildlife monitoring studies. For students to conduct field research in the natural environment surrounding the school brings the science in the environment to life.
History:
Curriculum Courses and Delivery Experience:
Grade 7 and 8 History
As a history educator, my classroom philosophy focuses on living historical experiences, place-based learning, and understanding the perspective of historical memory. Applying historical perspective and developing meaning through an inquiry-based process as the past relates to modern-day is critical for students to find engagement.
Civics and Careers:
Curriculum Courses and Delivery Experience:
Grade 10 Civics
When teaching civics, I believe strongly in engaging in the civic process and actively participating in citizenship, while engaging youth participation in this process. When youth see themselves as community participants, ‘place-makers,’ and civic actors, locally and/or globally civic change can happen. This change is personal, collective, and socio-ecological and can result in transformational growth. The students also learn to navigate the intricacies of our democratic and global political spheres. How do organizations and governments facilitate or sometimes work to inhibit change? What is the process of becoming a politician, starting an NGO, or running a campaign? As a course, I foster the skills for Civic engagement.
In the careers component of this course, students explore their own personalities, desires and dreams with how personal characteristics match which opportunities. Students learn socio-economic skills such as public speaking, presenting, body language and media skills. Students also examine all the possibilities that the world of employment and post-secondary education has to offer. This is also the opportunity for students to apply language arts and numeracy skills in relation to job interviews, resume building, and financial planning such as budgeting, investing. personal finances and credit