drvan
218 Followers
Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
About the store
I have over 20 years teaching experience in high schools, adult ed, university and private tutoring. I have also taught at learning centres for middle school and high school-aged students.
My background is in English Language Arts and Art History, incorporating cultural studies and literary theory. Like many English teachers, I teach short stories, novels, Shakespeare, poetry, grammar, essay writing, media studies, and career preparation and planning.
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Stereotypes, Prejudice, & Discrimination (Oral Presentation Poster Project)
This is a comprehensive lesson for any unit that deals with social injustice based upon stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination (or racism, specifically). It was originally designed to work for my novel units of In the Heat of the Night (by John Ball), To Kill a Mockingbird (by Harper Lee), The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini) and The Chrysalids (by John Wyndham). That said, any English novel, short story, or socials unit that deals with social justice or current events would be well-suited fo
7th - 11th
English Language Arts, Other (ELA), Social Studies
"The Painted Door" - Visual Mood Poster Assignment (Sinclair Ross)
This is a post-reading companion assignment to Sinclair Ross' short story, "The Painted Door." The focus is an examination of MOOD/ATMOSPHERE as students are asked to portray the mood of the story using VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS. 1. Included is a one-page handout, explaining the visual poster assignment in detail. 2. Also included is a class starter activity (pre- and during- reading) which has students examine the author's word choice and how such choices convey a mood to the reader. 3. A rubri
9th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
English Language Arts, Reading, Short Stories
Greek Mythology Group Poster Project and Oral Presentation
There are so many Greek gods, goddessess, heros, and monsters. Rather than memorize them all — and then promptly forget them — I would rather students become experts in one, and share their knowledge with their peers. This assignment has students delve deeply into one of forty-five ancient Greek mythological figures and then present their findings to the class by way of a poster and oral presentation. Students, working in groups, will be assigned by Zeus himself, from up on high on Mount Olym
7th - 9th
Ancient History, Other (Social Studies), Social Studies
Counsellor's Corner (for school newsletter) — 39 weeks in all!
Most schools have a weekly newsletter, both to staff but also to parents and/or students. This resource offers 39 weekly messages, psych-education, uplifting thoughts, and psychological truisms, all designed to increase community, understanding, and social-emotional education. With 39 messages, that is more than enough for a standard school year. I trust it will provide your Counselling Department a fun, attractive, and useful messaging to share with staff, families, and/or students. This is
6th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
Psychology, School Counseling
"What you say here, stays here..." Counsellor Confidentially Wall Poster
Counseling / Counselling Counselor / Counsellor (Never know which one to choose. Is it an American / Canadian / British thing?) The resolution of this pdf file is good enough to print, as I do, on legal-sized paper, or even bigger. Put it up in the Counselling Office and use it as a discussion point upon meeting a student for the first time. Also good to use as refresher every so often with students, of the importance of confidentiality in counselling, but also of its limitations. I have fo
Not Specific
School Counseling, School Psychology
Year Round Celebratory Slides for School Monitors - (Google Slides)
Get information out in your school in an attractive and engaging way! Contained herein are OVER 50 SLIDES that you can use around your school throughout the school year on your hallway, office, and classroom monitors. Bight, colourful, and attention-getting, these visually attractive SLIDES CAN BE DOWNLOADED AS JPEG FILES and placed on monitors around the school to provide valuable information about upcoming dates of note. In this Google Slides presentation, they are organized first by mont
8th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
For All Subjects
COVID In-School Counselling Preparation (Door Poster)
This is a Google Drive resource, available and editable in English, Français, y español. Contained are seven versions of two signs that can be used in your school counselling office. All are colourful, attractively laid out, and are suitable to print or put up a computer/TV monitor. The first series of signs reads: Before meeting with your counsellor...… please put on a FACE MASK before entering the office, covering your nose and mouth.… please use the HAND SANITIZER, before entering th
5th - 12th, Higher Education
Health, School Counseling
Counselling Poster: People Change When They Are Ready To
This is a poster about how people changing when they want to. It is fit for a counsellor's office, or to display on school monitors. I have found that it can be used as a fabulous discussion starter (in class or in counselling). I have created it in Google Sheets, provided over ten variations in style and design, and they are, of course, fully editable should you wish to make changes. The quotation on the poster is from Lori Deschene as seen below: No one changes unless they want to. Not if
4th - 12th
School Counseling, School Psychology
The Calm Equation: Helping Students Take Control of their Anger & Anxiety
This is something simple, but effective that I have used with high school students from Grades 8 through 12. A clear and easy way to keep calm in stressful situations, whether in anger or in fear. Talking about this three-step strategy and practicing it beforehand, gives students more power and agency over their emotions and responses in stressful situations. Contained herein are both wallet-sized, poster-sized, and an in-between sized (what I call office-sized [used when working with the stud
5th - 12th
For All Subjects, School Counseling, School Psychology
Good News Stories - School Monitors OR Creative/Expository Writing Prompts
This is a Google Document (Slide Presentation) but can be downloaded as a Microsoft PowerPoint, as well. I use these Good-News Stories from to offset so much of the negative news that permeates all of our lives and takes a toll on us and our mental health. I use them on the SCHOOL MONITORS (one a week), but also in my English classroom as fun and positive EXPOSITORY or CREATIVE WRITING PROMPTS. These Good News Stories come from 2019 (a year in review), though they can be used in the classro
6th - 12th
Writing-Expository
Showing 1-10 of 10 results
About the store
Experience
I have over 20 years teaching experience in high schools, adult ed, university and private tutoring. I have also taught at learning centres for middle school and high school-aged students.
My background is in English Language Arts and Art History, incorporating cultural studies and literary theory. Like many English teachers, I teach short stories, novels, Shakespeare, poetry, grammar, essay writing, media studies, and career preparation and planning.
Teaching style
My philosophy of education centres on interdisciplinary studies and the development of critical reasoning skills. I believe that as modern life becomes increasingly complex and interconnected the need to teach how all subject areas interact is ever more important. As such, I habitually infuse my lessons with visual and popular culture, demonstrating how the material is relevant to students’ lives and thereby making it more accessible. Similarly, I contextualize the source material to its socio-political milieu to facilitate learning while students uncover how a text’s meaning changes over time.
Awards & shining teacher moments
Outstanding Teaching Practicum Award
My own education history
B.Ed., B.A., and M.Ed in School Counselling.
Additional biographical information
I'm a nineteenth-century boy, stuck in a twenty-first-century body.
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