Hello Everyone,
I am a retired teacher who taught computer science for the most part, but also many other computer-related subjects. While I did my best to design, plan and deliver the curriculum to my students, it came to my attention recently that in the early part of my career, when I was teaching at Don Mills C.I. (2000-2003), there were students who clearly did not appreciate what I had to offer them.
To those students, I apologize fervently for anything I said in class that was inaccurate or contradictory. I did not mean to do that. I was going through a very tough time in my life back then. I was just starting out as a full-time teacher after having suffered a serious car accident in which I was seriously injured and in which someone else was injured, as well. It was a "freak" accident. That happened in the spring of 2000. It took me 8 full months to recover completely. Two years later in the winter of 2002, I lost my mother in another serious car accident in which our car spun out in a heavy snow storm and hit a hydro pole directly on the driver door. I survived this accident, which killed my mother and injured my father. No one was ever held at fault. I can only surmise that it was also a "freak" accident - an act of God. The fact that I survived as a full-time teacher during this incredibly difficult time indicated to me that I was meant to be a teacher. I could just as easily have walked away from teaching at Don Mills because of the horrific emotional toll my life was taking on me. But, I stuck it out instead and because of that, I finally got a much-coveted permanent teaching contract, full-time work with a pension, benefits, and a future.
After leaving Don Mills C.I. in 2003 due to being declared surplus to the school board, I was then hired to teach at Albert Campbell C.I. in 2003. In the fall of 2005, my youngest sister lost her year-long battle with lung cancer and died. Meanwhile, despite my grief at losing her, I continued to teach computers there until 2015 when I retired due to ongoing health issues. I've taught at least 16 different courses (not including course code changes) and I've done my best to conduct my professional teaching life the way all teachers are expected to do. I love to teach, and my students, for the most part, like being in my classes. I don't have any reason to think otherwise. Hopefully, I will be going to the UK later this year to start teaching again. It is my hope that I'll be teaching computer science, as well. For certain, it will be the beginning of an exciting new phase in my life.
If you want to find out more about my life, read my fictional books (based on real life experiences). The first one is called "My Short Stories (Book One)" and the second one is called "My Short Stories (Book Two)". These books are available at online retailers, like Amazon, in hard cover, soft cover, and e-book format. My second book is also being made into an audio book and will be available in the spring of 2016.
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