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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Welcome to Grade 8 - How to Prepare & What to Expect from High School
This is a 26-slide Google Slides Presentation and one-page Accompanying Handout on "How to Be Successful in High School." The presentation template is fully editable, allowing you to tailor it to your school and include photos and information as desired. The presentation provides a useful format to guide the structure of your presentation, whether you go into Grade 7 elementary classrooms at the end of the year (as I do), or when you welcome in the new batch of Grade 8s in September. In my
7th - 8th
School Counseling
Know Your Country: Map of Canada Assignment (& Accompanying Quiz)
This resource is now a Google Doc and therefore editable, should you need to, to meet your specific teaching needs!This four-page mapping activity is one I use for all my junior Social Studies classes. With this mini-project, students become more familiar with the geographic boundaries of Canada, its provinces and territories, and significant bodies of water within and around our country. Students also learn the capital cities and where they are located. Finally, in completing this project, s
5th - 10th
Canadian History, Geography, Social Studies
Example How to Write a Literary Paragraph (using Budge Wilson's "The Metaphor")
How do you teach effective writing? You model it, of course! After teaching students the basic form of an effective literary paragraph, I have found that the act of writing often still remains mysterious to them, like a code they are quite unable to crack though they have the cypher lying in front of them. If, however, you demonstrate those tools by showing them examples of effective writing, using relevant and real-world texts, they can use the examples as models from which to hone their craft
9th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
Short Stories, Writing, Writing-Essays
Alexander Beetle (song / poem by Melanie Safka) - Activities & Questions
Growing up, I loved " Alexander Beetle" song by Melanie (which is based on the A. A. Milne original poem, "Forgiven.") I used to play the record most every day, but " Alexander Beetle" was my favourite song, by far. I have long wanted to turn it into a resource for primary grades so a whole new generation of students could enjoy (and learn) from this wonderful poem, as well. This is a Google Document that is ready to go, with two formats so that you will have to make no (or very few) edits
1st - 6th
English Language Arts, Music, Poetry
DBT for Schools (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy) using A.C.C.E.P.T.S. & T.I.P.P.
For students who struggle with anxiety, depression, or suicidal ideation Dialectical Behaviour Therapy has proven useful and effective. DBT was originally developed to treat BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder), and developed out of CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy), yet it has been similarly effective with generalized anxiety, depression, and suicidality. Presented here is an easy-to-use, one-page handout that proves effective with children. Designed for in-school use, this DBT handout work
4th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
School Counseling, School Psychology
The Chrysalids: Written Discussion Questions — Suitable for Class Discussion
In this six-page resource, students will engage with the Big Ideas of the text. This is a written assignment that probes into the key themes of John Wyndham's The Chrysalids. Issues of personal values, prejudice, and individual's beliefs are all explored. In diving into these questions, students will be asked to empathize with the people of Waknuk, and take their perspective (if only momentarily). Then, students will examine their own belief-structures and see how they compare to those pres
9th - 12th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, Literature
Also included in: The Ultimate Chrysalids Bundle (Ten Resources In One)
Plagiarism Reflection Assignment Sheet
It is disheartening when a student plagiarizes, but we know it happens. When it does, I would prefer my students learn from it, rather than be punished by it. After all, everyone makes mistakes. This resource turns the plagiarism into a learning experience, which what it should be, really. The student takes responsibility for the act of plagiarism and makes it right, ensuring they master the original assignment's learning outcomes, but also the negative impact of plagiarism on them, their
8th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
English Language Arts
What To Do When You Don't Understand A Poem: 20 Tips & Tricks for Reading Poetry
I use this lesson/PowerPoint at the start of every poetry unit with my students. It offers up practice and achievable tips and tricks for what students can do to better understand poetry, in particular when they encounter a poem that gives them trouble. Included with the 20 Tips and Tricks in PowerPoint format, there are also accompanying teaching notes. These notes provide examples, offer fuller explanations, as well as pedagogic rationales that will more easily "sell" these tips and tricks t
8th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
English Language Arts, Poetry
Life Interview: Oral Interview Assignment & Self-Reflection
Here is a wonderful assignment for your students to find out more about themselves, but doing so through the eyes of another. It will have them practice their planning skills, oral presentation skills, interview skills, ability to self-reflect, and expository writing skills. Students will select a person who has known them well and long.Students will craft questions in advance of the interview.Students will sit down in a self-formal manner and conduct the interview, and record responses.Stude
8th - 12th
English Language Arts, Speaking & Listening, Writing-Expository
Coping with COVID: A Counsellors' Handout to Parents & Students
SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED RESOURCE WITH COVID19 IN MIND & DISTANCE LEARNINGAs school counsellors, it is difficult to not be there face-to-face to support our students as they are used to. In reaction their current social-emotional needs during this pandemic, I have developed this handout for students and parents that do the following: Let both students and parents know that they are not alone and that the school (counsellors, teachers, and admin) are still there to support them.Provide them with ef
5th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
School Counseling, School Psychology
Introductory Junior French Activities — First few days of class
This "Introductory Junior French Activities" resource is a resource designed for educators teaching Intro French (for students in Grades 7, 8, or 9). This five-page, fully editable, Google Document resource includes a complete lesson plan for the first day of Junior French class, along with activities like a getting-to-know-you "Classmate Bingo" and a school supplies translation "Word Search." The activities are intended to help students get to know each other, start communicating in French, and
7th - 9th
French, World Languages
Anxiety Grounding Exercise: 5-4-3-2-1
This is a series of ten Google Slides that can be projected or printed off as posters for the classroom or counselling office, or as handouts to give out to students to go over individually (in counselling) or together as a class. Included herein is one grounding technique presented in a few variations. Accompanying is a writing worksheet version (again presented in three minor variations). Together this activity/worksheet can help distract someone who is actively experiencing ANXIETY a
Not Specific
Psychology, School Counseling, School Psychology
Actual School Excuse Notes — Great Fun Start of School Year Activity (Grammar)
This is a great fun start of year activity that has students reading real-world writing of absent notes written by parents. There are 17 examples of excuse notes presented here for students to work through. Each note has an error of either grammar, wrong word, or unclear meaning. students (i) identify the (hilarious) stated meaning, (ii) determine what the intended meaning most likely was, and then (iii) write the correction down. In so doing, they practice both English grammar and writing i
8th - 12th
English Language Arts, Grammar, Writing
Fun One-Off Poetry Lesson Using Meryn Cadell's "The Sweater"
Here is a fun one-off lesson for poetry lesson using Canadian's Meryn Cadell's "The Sweater." You can find the free video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFfy0dMKIi8 Contained here in with the poem are three activities that will last at least two days. This also makes a good one-off lesson for a substitute, leaving more than enough work to keeps students focused and engaged throughout. Using this resource, students will read the poem, identify the humour and the connections they can fi
8th - 10th
Creative Writing, English Language Arts, Poetry
Showing 1-14 of 14 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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