I've been teaching grades 4 - 8 core French in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for over 10 years, and before that, I taught visual art and English in upper grades. I've also written a young adult novel (Signs of Martha, 2011) published by Great Plains Publications, and have published a number of short stories and illustrations.
Many students in our school are newcomers to Canada, so I use visual support through handdrawn illustrations to build language skills. I appreciate the communicative approach to language learning too, where students learn through authentic opinions and experiences. Language-learning through visual arts and drama also engages diverse learners and opens more windows into French and French culture.
Moon Beam Children's Book Award for writing (2011), for novel Signs of Martha.
Visual Arts/English at University of Waterloo, Ontario; Humber School for Writers; additional qualifications in French, Special Education and Visual Arts and English as a Second Language
Other big interests? Two beautiful (of course) teenaged kids, Alice the poodle, yoga, our log cabin on Georgian Bay, reading graphic novels and drawing and drawing and drawing!
3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, Adult Education, Homeschool, Not Grade Specific
English Language Arts, Grammar, Specialty, Science, Environment, Social Studies - History, World Language, French, Other (World Language), Arts & Music, Visual Arts, Drama, EFL - ESL - ELD, Foreign Languages, Canadian History, Life Skills, Classroom Management, en Français, Oral Communication, Holidays/Seasonal, Halloween, Winter, Earth Day, Informational Text, Classroom Community