Gateway to Guelph

First, a health update: Last week I received another all-clear from the good doctors at Princess Margaret Hospital. An associate of Dr. O’Sullivan gave me the full scope-up-the-nose examination, followed by a thumbs up (not the nose), so I’m all set for another few months. Until then, heaven knows no nose scope is dope with me.

Moving on to teaching news, I have officially survived the first year of my Masters program, having submitted my last academic assignment last weekend. Despite my fatigue coming out of March break, I had a fantastic time finishing up my fourth practicum placement in Toronto. That grade 5/6 class was made up of a great bunch of students and a calm and confident male teacher, all of whom taught me so much about working with that age group.

As fortunate as I was to have landed a placement that suited me so well, it made me all the more anxious about taking on an optional fifth placement—a placement I would be solely responsible for arranging. Because Jeanette and I have our sights set on Guelph, I sent out letters to several elementary school principals in the Upper Grand District School Board. However, without the benefit of the practicum coordinator’s match-making expertise, I had concerns regarding what kind of classroom I might end up in. It turns out the fates are smiling on me still, for I landed at Gateway Drive Public School.

Let me just say that I have had incredibly positive experiences with all my practicum placements this year. Each of my teachers has been friendly, supportive, professional, and inspiring. But it is worth noting that they all had relationships with the Institute for Child Study and so were expecting student teachers. Gateway Drive PS has no such familiarity with ICS, yet they took me in and have made me feel more than welcome from the beginning. The principal has especially gone out of her way to see that I’m included, inviting me to meetings and checking in with me regularly despite how busy she is. The grade 5/6 students as well have taken me in their stride and made me feel at home in their classroom.


But best of all is my mentor teacher. Once again I’m with a male teacher and we couldn’t be a better match. He is well-organized, committed, and fun. He has been teaching for five years, long enough to know his stuff, but not so long that he’s forgotten what it’s like to be starting out. His tips and advice on getting hired have been invaluable. Meanwhile, we share all sorts of interests and our after-school chats have sometimes stretched passed five o’clock. Most relevantly, he is passionate about children’s literature, especially books for boys. In addition to having an impressive in-class library, he also runs a Boys’ Club once a week after school, where boys from all grades gather to listen to a book being read aloud, have some snacks, and play some games. Another of the male teachers, who has a background in professional voice acting, participates in the readings. His mastery of accents has made the current reading of Roald Dahl’s The Twits a joy to behold.

And speaking of books, here is one last interesting connection to Gateway. Until recently, the school boasted as one of its staff members the woman after whom Robert Munsch named his protagonist in The Paper Bag Princess. I spoke with Elizabeth while editing the 25th Anniversary Edition of the book, in which her photo appears. She now works for another school within the Upper Grand District School Board.


My own time at this school comes to a close this week, but if my good luck carries into 2010, Gateway will not be my last gig in the city of Guelph.