Theresa Gerritsen was living in Creston, BC, working online as an ESL teacher when she made the decision to enrol in the WKTEP Secondary program.
Q1. Can you tell us a little bit about your background?
I have a BSc in biology. I came to WKTEP having a few careers under my belt including marine mammal biologist, media relations, fundraising and crisis counsellor. I have travelled extensively and had my own businesses making documentary films and also leading meditation retreats.
Q2. How did you hear about WKTEP?
A friend of mine was in the first cohort.
Q3. What inspired you to go into teaching?
I was looking for a new career. Teaching online felt natural for me and I knew teaching was something that would be ever-changing and hold my interest and excitement in the long term.
Q4. Did you have a favourite educational topic or class that you especially loved, or one that made an impression on you?
I love learning ways to include all students in the classroom through project-based learning, voice and choice. In particular, I love teaching math. There aren’t a lot of examples of project-based learning for higher math classes, and there is so much to learn about and create.
Q5. Have you encountered any challenges or learning curves, and if so how did you overcome them?
Experiential, project-based learning has a lot of challenges in the classroom, especially for a new teacher who is also learning how to manage student behavior and class time. Additionally, there aren’t a lot of classes doing experiential learning in my school and there are limited resources online. I have had to rely on brainstorming with teachers in my school and getting creative. Sometimes this means I am learning alongside the students. I try to let go of my expectations and go easy on myself when it feels like “lost” time in class. I’m creating a learning environment for my students now and 10 years from now.
Q6. What was your biggest takeaway from practicum?
Classroom management is required to get anything interesting done. Community building is needed, but a loose structure results in wasted time and disrespect from students.
We are the new wave of teachers who are tasked with truly bringing the innovative, inclusive BC curriculum to fruition in our schools.
Q7. What is the one piece of advice you would like to give to a potential WKTEP student?
We are the new wave of teachers who are tasked with truly bringing the innovative, inclusive BC curriculum to fruition in our schools. Sometimes we don’t have a model of what this looks like in action, and we need to allow ourselves to experiment and make mistakes in our classrooms. Sharing our victories and failures with other teachers can serve as a model to others.