Our Teacher 5 étoiles stars
A career in teaching is a rewarding one, filled with curious faces, extraordinary progress, the need for discipline, original lessons, raised hands, mischievous smiles, new ideas, valuable collaborations, encouragement and signs of progress. So full, in fact, that it takes talent, creativity and patience to keep up with students during the school year.
Now imagine a teaching career where you can touch the stars. Yes – stars. You know, those teachers who have a gift for teaching and for languages, exploring cultures, encouraging progress, innovative teaching methods and turning learning into a passion. French Immersion teachers are the stars of the teaching profession in this country: Teachers 5 étoiles.
Do you know any? We do! Here are four we want you to meet: Hannah from Halifax, Nicole from Kitchener, Sarah from Edmonton and Olivier from Yellowknife. Follow the stars!
“Choose a star and don’t take your eyes off it… it will take you far, without fatigue and without pain.”
– Alexandra David Neel
Nicole Verhoeve
Kitchener
Grade 9 (Geography) and Grade 10 (French) teacher at Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate
Born to an English-speaking family with a father of Dutch origin, Nicole grew up in Niagara Falls and chose late Immersion in Grade 5. After completing her high school education in French Immersion, she earned a bachelor’s degree in French Literature and went on to get her teaching certificate while playing on a competitive baseball team. Nicole is deeply committed to environmental and sustainable development values imprinted on her heart.
A yoga enthusiast and mother of two young daughters, she has chosen to live in downtown Kitchener to avoid car travel, grows a large garden to feed her family, is actively involved in community action putting the environment first, and uses her geography classes to engage her students in protecting our beautiful planet.
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Hannah Reid
Halifax
Graduating student in the Bachelor of Secondary Education program at Université Ste-Anne (DALF C1 certified)
A tutor for young students, a swimming instructor and ocean lifeguard at Lawrencetown Beach, Hannah is a bilingual Francophile born to an English-speaking Nova Scotia family. Although her great-grandmother was Acadian, the French language was not passed down to the next generations because her great-grandfather prohibited speaking the frog language in his home.
Hannah therefore made it her mission to bring French back into her family and other Canadian families, first by studying late Immersion in Grade 7 and then by enrolling in French Immersion secondary school education programs. While waiting to get her teaching certificate, she has ramped up her tutoring and mentoring with students to whom she freely talks about her passion for her second language, which took her to study in Dijon for a whole year.
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Olivier Fortin
Yellowknife
Grade 6 Middle School Science Teacher and Science Mentor at École William McDonald Middle School
Olivier, who hails from Quebec City, completed a bachelor’s degree in Secondary French Education at Université Laval before being approached by the Yellowknife Education District No. 1 to go and teach French and Science to Immersion students.
He embraced this adventure and has been bringing his unique touch to Yellowknife for the past four years. Olivier incorporates his love of role-gaming, board games and the outdoors into his teaching, organizing major game events, Indigenous learning fairs and outdoor excursions of all kinds (fishing, canoeing, camping, climbing). He often takes his classroom outside to the school’s island campground or the prospector-style tent that is permanently installed on the school grounds for his Science classes.
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Sarah Fedoration
Edmonton
French Immersion Program Consultant for Edmonton Catholic Schools
The ever-smiling Sarah comes from an English-speaking family in St. Albert, Alberta who chose French Immersion programs for their children from an early age. A French Immersion teacher for the past 15 years, Sarah is also an inspiring and active education consultant to Immersion practitioners. When she is not working, she is passionate about dance, jigging and traditional French Canadian music.
She dances with the semi-professional French-Canadian dance troupe Zéphyr and hosts dance evenings (veillées) for people of all ages. There are even rumours that she is tattooed with the Immersion colours because language and culture have always been an integral part of her DNA. Sarah also loves travelling, languages and good food.