A Little About Me...
I find it difficult to explain who I am as a leader, without first giving a bit of background on myself as a person. Everybody has a story, and knowing a little about who I am as a person will hopefully help others to understand a little better how I view the world, and how I came to arrive at my personal leadership philosophy.
A Brief Biography
With my parents at U of A Convocation, 2005
I am a home town girl, born and raised in Bonnyville, Alberta, and am a kindergarten teacher at the local public elementary school. I attended Duclos School as an elementary student myself, and have had the privilege of working with some amazing educators who I have looked up to over the years, both as a student and now as a teacher!
After graduating from Bonnyville Centralized High School in 2001, I attended the University of Alberta. Although I had aspirations of becoming a teacher from a young age - even completing a work experience module at an elementary school during my early high school years - I went off to university with the intention of pursuing studies in design and architecture. As fate would have it, during my first year of studies at the U of A, I met several new friends who were intent on applying to the Faculty of Education, and the idea of becoming a teacher was once again on my mind. After almost a year of contemplating, I made the decision to switch majors, and was subsequently accepted to the Faculty of Education after my second year at the U of A. I completed my student teaching at St. Angela and St. Charles Elementary Schools in Edmonton before graduating with my Bachelor of Education in 2005. I fully expected to work as a substitute teacher for at least a year or two following graduation, but as luck would have it, I came across a job posting for a part-time Grade 4 position at Duclos School in the summer of 2005, and the rest, as they say is history! Over the past 7 years, I have had the opportunity to teach at all of the grade levels in our school, both as a substitute and as a home room teacher, and I am happy to have the opportunity to be back teaching in kindergarten, with my amazing Kindergarten Team - Ms. Alison Clancy, Mrs. Kathie Gibbons and Ms. Lindsay Anton!
I have been interested in the fields of technology and special education from the very beginning of my career, and am currently working towards completing my Diploma in Inclusive Education through Athabasca University. I will always be a life-long student, and am also looking forward to the opportunity of enrolling in a Masters program after completing my current program requirements through Athabasca University.
After graduating from Bonnyville Centralized High School in 2001, I attended the University of Alberta. Although I had aspirations of becoming a teacher from a young age - even completing a work experience module at an elementary school during my early high school years - I went off to university with the intention of pursuing studies in design and architecture. As fate would have it, during my first year of studies at the U of A, I met several new friends who were intent on applying to the Faculty of Education, and the idea of becoming a teacher was once again on my mind. After almost a year of contemplating, I made the decision to switch majors, and was subsequently accepted to the Faculty of Education after my second year at the U of A. I completed my student teaching at St. Angela and St. Charles Elementary Schools in Edmonton before graduating with my Bachelor of Education in 2005. I fully expected to work as a substitute teacher for at least a year or two following graduation, but as luck would have it, I came across a job posting for a part-time Grade 4 position at Duclos School in the summer of 2005, and the rest, as they say is history! Over the past 7 years, I have had the opportunity to teach at all of the grade levels in our school, both as a substitute and as a home room teacher, and I am happy to have the opportunity to be back teaching in kindergarten, with my amazing Kindergarten Team - Ms. Alison Clancy, Mrs. Kathie Gibbons and Ms. Lindsay Anton!
I have been interested in the fields of technology and special education from the very beginning of my career, and am currently working towards completing my Diploma in Inclusive Education through Athabasca University. I will always be a life-long student, and am also looking forward to the opportunity of enrolling in a Masters program after completing my current program requirements through Athabasca University.
My Family
My family helps to keep me grounded and they all ensure that I maintain some semblance of balance between my school life and my personal life. My grandmother (Baba), Mary Krywiak is one of my personal heroes. As a child, she endured more hardships than most people experience in a lifetime. Growing up in poverty in the Ukraine, she lost her mother to illness as a child, and was unable to obtain an education past the third grade. She survived the holodomor, as well as being a POW in a forced labour camp during the Second World War. As a young woman, she immigrated to Canada to join her father and brothers, and her new husband via an arranged marriage. My Baba has worked hard her entire life to provide for her family, and she has had more reason than anyone else I know of to complain about the hardships that she has endured over her 91 years, yet I cannot recall a time when I have heard or seen Baba be anything but thankful for all that she has. She has not only taught me that actions speak louder than words, but she has also taught me about the power of choice. I may not always have control over what happens to me in my life, but I am always in control of how I choose to act in any given situation. Baba has taught our family by example that when faced with adversity, it is more worthwhile to take initiative, work hard and seek solutions rather than needlessly waste time and energy complaining and wallowing in self pity over what could have been. She is an inspiration.
My Personal Philosophy
I believe that in everything that we encounter in life, we have a choice in how we react. How we choose to respond to all situations that we find ourselves in sets the stage for how we view our own lives. Happiness, love and success are not things that I am seeking to obtain for myself, but rather are things that I can choose to have in my life. I can choose to be all of these things - happy, loving, patient, kind - which in turn, will not only help me to demonstrate these characteristics to those around me, but will also become my reality as a consequence.