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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Student Self-Assessment of Work Habits (Strengths & Weaknesses) for Report Cards
Studies show that when students pause and evaluate themselves, their evaluation is more meaningful than those evaluations performed by teachers. Students take ownership over their own progress. Moreover, people are more likely to achieve their goals when they write them down. THREE-PAGE FULLY EDITABLE WORD DOCUMENT:Two-page self-evaluation tool (which can additionally be used for [student-]parent-teacher conferences).One-page self-evaluation tool (which can be used well for students to send ho
5th - 12th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, For All Subjects
Speech Assignment / Oral Presentation - PEER-FEEDBACK FORM
This is a great way to keep the audience engaged in student-presentations, but also allow the audience to provide meaningful feedback to students. What did they do well? What does the audience want to see more of? How many times did they unknowingly say "Ummm," "Ahhhh," or "So..." Contained herein: The same form with very slight modifications: One for "Oral Presentations" and the other for "Speech Assignment." Each of those, however, has two formats: One per page (usually I use this for the
7th - 12th
English Language Arts, Social Studies, Speaking & Listening
Real-Word Editing Grammar Diagnostic/Worksheet/Quiz - Using Cinderella Fairytale
I've often asked myself, "How effective are grammar worksheet that focus in on one error?" I don't think they are very useful because they don't use any meaningful or real-world writing. When we ask our students to proofread their work, it isn't a worksheet, but a piece of writing in which many errors can be present. This five-page document uses the well-known Cinderella story to present a real-world text to students. Students read and must locate the twenty-five grammatical errors in the sho
7th - 12th
English Language Arts, Grammar, Reading
Generic Movie Analysis Using Short Story Terms & More — Great for Substitutes!
It is important, I believe, to keep students accountable when purposefully watching a film in class. These worksheets are meant to do just that. These worksheets are generic enough to be used for any film, but also has students apply what they know from short story terminology onto a movie's storytelling structure. They promote active viewing, as students need to think about how the elements of fiction. While each page is unique, they can be used all together for a film-response booklet, or i
8th - 12th
Drama, English Language Arts, Short Stories
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
"The Eagle" by Alfred Lord Tennyson (poetry analysis worksheet)
This attractively, uncluttered seven-page document is a quick and easy way to get your students looking for SOUND DEVICES, IMAGERY and more in a short, seemingly simple, but jam-packed poem. Students are presented with Tennyson's "The Eagle" (a six-line poem), and asked to locate the sound devices and other literary devices. Each line has at least two devices so there are lots for them to explore and discuss. Further, students will learn (or review) what PERSONIFICATION is, and there are four
7th - 12th
Close Reading, English Language Arts, Poetry
Loneliness in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men (Graphic Organizer w/ full Answer Key)
Loneliness is a fundamental motif in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. This activity allows students to take a better look at how all the characters (with perhaps the exception of George and Lennie) all suffer from extreme loneliness, each for different reasons, and expresses this loneliness in their own way. This documents is five pages: one-page graphic organizer; four-page comprehensive Answer Key. Students are given a graphic organizer with the characters of Candy, Curley, Curley's wife, Croo
8th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
Close Reading, English Language Arts, Literature
Start of Year: Fun Memory Mnemonics Name Game: Learn Students' Names in One Day
This is an EASY, ENGAGING, and downright FUN activity for students and teachers alike. This activity can be used in the first week of class to quickly and easily learn students’ names, while you also learn a little about the students, too. In turn, students learn a bit about their teacher. It takes, at the very minimum, one full-class, but I always return to it for a day or two afterwards, to reinforce the learning of the study technique of "memory by association" and show students that practic
5th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
For All Subjects
Current Events Oral Presentation: Worksheets, Rubric, & Student Self-Assessment
This project-assignment is perfect for any high school Socials or English classes, where students need to seek out, select, read, reflect, and present a news story that is important to them, sharing it with the class and leading a brief class discussion. In doing so, students take ownership over their own learning. I have also found this a great way for students develop civics by engaging in current events at a local, provincial/state, federal level, and even an international level.
This proj
8th - 12th, Adult Education
Civics, English Language Arts, Social Studies
Analyzing Poetry Worksheet (Good for any poem!)
If you have no other plan for a poem, this worksheet is for you! If you want to provide a structured approach for your students to delve into and better understand (interpret and analyze) a poem, go no further! If you want to provide your students with thoughtful, thought-provoking ways to uncovering the meaning of poetry for themselves, you've come to the right place! :-D Contained herein is a three-page worksheet which has been set up to both be probative when it comes to encountering a poe
8th - 12th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, 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
Emotion Simile Poems: Junior Poetry Creative Writing Activity
This is an engaging creative writing poetry activity which has students learn about similes, practice writing them. Through a scaffolded process, students will write their own Emotion Simile Poem and illustrate it. An idea for an extension activity is included, as well, as I return to this assignment later in the year, and have students use what they created as a springboard for another creative writing assignment. I use this with my Junior English students (recommended for Grades 6-9). Contai
6th - 9th
Creative Writing, English Language Arts, Poetry
Year-Round Current Events Oral Presentations: Perfect for ELL, English & Socials
This product is perfect for any Socials class, especially ELL/ESL, where students select and present a news story that is important to them and share it with the class. In doing so, students take ownership over their own learning. I have also found this a great way for students to engage in current events at a local, provincial/state, federal level, and even an international level.
This activity also allows the rest of the class to interact with the topic, as well, as they get to ask question
7th - 12th, Adult Education
Social Studies, Speaking & Listening
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
Lateral Thinking: Thinking Outside the Box in Visual Rebus Puzzles
This is a fun Google Drive presentation to show your students and get them practicing lateral thinking skills. In a series of eight different Rebus-like images, student have to work out what the doctored (photoshopped) photos represent. The Answers: An iPodGatoradeA NightmareA Pool TableA Card SharkA Light Beer (Perhaps not the most school appropriate, but I leave that to your good judgement.)Whole MilkTap DancersIf you like this product, you may also enjoy two other resources which focus on la
8th - 12th
Close Reading, English Language Arts
Also included in: Lateral Thinking Skills Bundle - 3-in-1 - Save 25%
How Much Is One Billion?: A Math Lesson In Scale
This is a lesson I devised in conjunction with an Eighth Grade Math Teacher. I was teaching Humanities (English/Socials) and I were were looking at world population. The students were, understandable, having difficulty trying to grasp what 7.8 billion people actually looks like, especially here in Canada where we don't have population density like that in New York, Tokyo, or Manilla. So, in true cross-disciplinary team teaching style, we collaborated and came up with this lesson. How do y
6th - 9th
Applied Math, Math, Social Studies
Safety Plan (Two editable versions w/ possible inclusion ideas) for Counsellors
Herein you will find TWO VERSIONS of SAFETY PLANS for your students, to be filled out by a trained professional who has the proper educational training ( e.g., school counsellor or school psychologist). These Safety Plans are GOOGLE DOCUMENTS and, therefore, fully editable, should you need to make any changes ( i.e., local area resources or crisis lines). T Of the two versions, one is a one-pager (which I like for that reason) and the other is a two-pager, and goes into more detail. Also
5th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
School Counseling, School Psychology
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe: Five Vocabulary Activities for Chapters 1-4
Beginning to read a novel can be quite exciting for some students, pure drudgery for others, and an overwhelming prospect for still others. I find that a mixture of activities, of course, is beneficial to build up exciting and anticipation for the story, engaging readers and increasing their desire to read and find out more. The block of new vocabulary when opening a new novel can often put students off, so for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe I created this 15-page resource with five di
3rd - 7th
English Language Arts, Vocabulary
Winter Holiday / Christmas Reading Log
This is a Reading Log for the Winter Holiday Break ( a.k.a. Christmas Vacation). I designed it to encourage my students to read — especially the reluctant readers — by keeping up the momentum we established in the regular school year. This is a fully editable Google Document, so that you can tailor it to suit your own purposes and taste. I use a similar one over the Spring Break / Spring Vacation, as well. What I have included on this reading log is... a place for them to put their name
4th - 7th
English Language Arts, Reading
Also included in: Bundle: Spring Break & Winter Break Reading Logs - SAVE 15%
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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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