GET TO KNOW
MS. CHAMBERS
By Leona Liu & Aria Martin. Grade 5.
Do you want to know all about the new teacher, Ms. Chambers? In this article, you will get to know her better and learn what makes her a wonderful teacher at Crofton House School.
Why did you choose to teach at Crofton House? I wasn ' t actively looking for a new job. I was working as a TOC( Teacher on Call) at various different schools. I had been working at another private school, West Point Grey, and I knew I liked the private school system. I had subbed here one time in a Grade 3 class, and I really, really loved it. I wanted to come back because I loved working at an all-girls school. The staff was also very supportive, and it felt like a great community. I knew I would love to be a part of it. Then an opportunity came up because Ms. MacGowan had left. Andrea reached out to me, and I was very excited about the opportunity and jumped right on it. Now I’ m here working with Grade 2, and I’ m very excited to be here.
Did you teach at a school before coming to Crofton House? If yes, which school? If no, what were you doing? I taught at a couple of different schools before Crofton House because I was working as a TOC, which is a substitute teacher. I worked at West Point Grey and a few other schools in North Vancouver. I was also working as a swim coach at the Vancouver Vikings Swim Club. Some of the girls here actually swim for the club, so I was able to see some familiar faces, which was nice.
If you could choose any subject to teach, what would it be and why? I would probably choose English because I love poetry and the freedom that comes with it. But my biggest passion is athletics, so I would also choose Physical Education. I love teaching resilience, drive, and allowing students to try sports as I did. I swam in university, so I love giving kids the opportunity to experience sports and making movement fun so they continue to enjoy it.
What are your learning values, and why are they important to you? I definitely value resilience and having a growth mindset. The growth mindset is a really big one. I try to make sure students follow that, and I also pay attention
3 to the language I use when I speak to students. I want to encourage‘ can-do’ thinking instead of‘ can’ t-do.’ Resilience is very important to me, especially because I started as a swim coach. That’ s how I realized I wanted to become a teacher. I loved working with kids and seeing their progress. Some kids always wanted to be there and try their best, and others didn’ t always want to be there, but they still showed resilience. I think that’ s a really important skill, and I like helping students develop it.
What are you enjoying most about your first year at Crofton House School? I’ m enjoying a lot of things. It’ s my first time teaching at an all-girls school, so that has been really fun. I enjoy making connections with the girls, and it feels like a different environment. It’ s a bit calmer, which is nice. Everyone here has been very supportive, especially the staff. It was easy to transition into the school, even in the middle of the year. The rest of the AT team has been very supportive, and they are also close to my age, which is something I haven’ t experienced before. I also have loved getting to know the students and building connections.
What is the best part of teaching Grade 2? I think Grade 2 is a special age because you can really make connections with them. In Grade 1 and Pre-K, the students are very cute, but it’ s harder to have deeper conversations. In Grades 5, 6, and 7, students are older and fully understand everything. Grade 2 is unique because students are starting to develop their personalities and grow more confident.
What’ s the hardest part of being a teacher? One of the hardest parts of being a teacher is having patience sometimes. I always want to stay respectful, calm, and create a positive experience. For example, when the class gets loud, sometimes you might want to raise your voice and say,‘ Class, be quiet!’ But instead, you need to stay calm. I also want to help every individual student when they are struggling, but it’ s hard because you can’ t be everywhere at once.
What is one thing you hope your students remember about you as their teacher? I hope that when students look back, they don’ t have any negative memories and just remember that Ms. Chambers was fun. I also value curiosity and kindness. I want students to be open to each other and feel that