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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Formal versus Informal Writing
This resource is both for Formal vs. Informal Language, as well as Sophisticated Language. In a two-page handout that explains how to write formally, or more specifically, how to recognize and eliminate informal diction from writing. In a table format, informal writing is labelled and exemplified, a more formal (replacement) wording is provided, and (most importantly) a brief explanation as to why is provided. This is a great two-page reference guide for students to use all year. I give it to
8th - 12th
English Language Arts, Grammar, Writing
An Easy Guide: "How to Write a Literary (Analysis) Paragraph" with Quiz
This is a six-page step-by-step PDF document that contains everything you need to set your students on the "write" track to writing an effective literary (analysis) paragraph. PAGE ONE: Handout including the 11 tips, tricks, and "rules" of writing a literary paragraph PAGE TWO: A Student Writing Checklist to ensure students write in accordance with the conventions of writing about literature. PAGE THREE: A Student-Teacher "Contract" to keep students accountable to their writing and avoid turning
9th - 12th
English Language Arts, Writing, Writing-Essays
3 (Grouped Chapter) Quizzes for The Chrysalids with Answers
I developed these three quizzes to keep my students accountable for reading the novel, The Chrysalids, by John Wyndham. By design, the answers to the majority of these questions are NOT found in online or store-bought study guides (e.g., Spark Notes). I intended them to be used as quick in-class quizzes, and to evidence that students have done the required reading. As such, the questions are comprehension-based. Each quiz is out of 10 marks. There is an accompanying answer sheet with answers
9th - 12th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, Literature, Reading
"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
The Oxygenator: An In-Class Self-Regulation Activity (Stress, Anxiety, & Nerves)
Contained herein is a one-page handout to help students who struggle with anxiety, nerves, or stress in the classroom. This handout teaches them an easy self-regulation strategy to better ensure their ongoing success by calming their nerves and anxiety. Additionally, I have included a three-page article by Moran Cerf from November 2017 published online at Quartzy (available for for free here: https://qz.com/quartzy/1132986/) that explains and supports breathing techniques. I have found this u
Not Specific
School Counseling, School Psychology
Interagency Contacts & Record Log
This resource will be useful to counsellors, administrators, learning support teachers, learning integration teachers, or any other role which finds you as case manager for students. In many districts, it is more than an organizational tool; it is a necessity for your record-keeping. Herein are two formats for recording Key Contact Information and then a Contact Log Record. This is useful when writing IEP (Individual Education Plans), taking a student's name to SBT (School-Based Team), or prep
School Counseling
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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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