Bio of a Mad Scientist

I was a “Mad Scientist”. In some ways - I still am. Before I was a licensed teacher, I worked as a “Mad Scientist”, AKA “Dr. Cool”, leading after-school science clubs and science summer camps for 5 - 10-year-old scientists.

Working as a “Mad Scientist” helped me lay the foundation for the kind of teacher I was to become. It taught me the joys of teaching through the power of humour, play and hands-on learning to make sense of the world. The most important thing I learned as “Dr. Cool” is - ALL children are already scientists before they come to school and to honour their intrinsic sense of wonder and inquiry.

Now, the pedagogy that I practice with elementary scientists is influenced by constructivist approaches to learning, especially Seymour Papert’s “hard fun”. I am very skilled at using STEAM approaches to learning to teach students how to THINK. If you joined me for a day of teaching and learning, you might find yourself integrating STEAM by coding robots or a video game during a literacy class, investigating” “Newton’s Laws of Motion” during P.E., presenting to parents on the need for virtual reality in a 21st Century education, collaborating with a team of teachers on integrating STEAM into their next Unit of Inquiry, or being a Maker guide for a student’s passion project. Whatever the learning engagement, you would also witness elementary inquirers and scientists highly engaged in academic rigour, collaboration, student agency, growth mindset and the joys of learning.

I am a passionate teacher, collaborator, coach and learner with over twenty years of unique teaching experiences and pedagogical knowledge of teaching students how to think, by integrating STEAM into learning. I am seeking an elementary educator position to continue collaborating with a progressive and dynamic learning community, impacting learning through increasing inquiry and STEAM presence - whether that be as an elementary homeroom teacher, learning coach, coordinator or “Mad Scientist”.