Faculty

I have taught both Fundamental Math and English courses at UFV, and at present, I am teaching the UUP Multi-level Fundamental English courses. 

As a literacy/numeracy specialist, in 1979, I started teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) to Vietnamese migrants at Fraser Valley College (FVC), followed by teaching Adult Basic Education English courses in the College and Career Prep. Department. From 1986 to 1990, I taught ESL to Francophones and immigrants at New Brunswick Community College in Fredericton. After I returned to Agassiz, BC from 1992 to 1997, I co-ordinated and taught basic Adult Education upgrading courses at the Seabird Island First Nations Community Learning Centre. In 1997, I returned to teaching upgrading English at the UCFV. In 2006, I started teaching UUP Fundamental Math courses; then, in 2018, I returned to teaching Fundamental English courses.

Although I started with teaching elementary school (B. Ed. Elem.), I  switched to teaching adults after completing my MPE in Exercise Management, Dance, and Movement Education. My research thesis focused on the effects of Body Awareness Movement Exercises on body concept and self-concept in young female university students. While I was teaching ESL courses to adults, I continued to take courses in teaching ESL. Now, as a life-long learner, I have continued to study Adult Education at UFV completing my Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) certificate in 2019. At present, I am completing my Integrated Learning Design associate certificate.

Adult Basic Education Association of BC.

My goal is to empower my students to become self-directed, self-reflective, independent, and collaborative learners in their learning community classroom.  How  students learn is as important as what they learn; taking responsibility for their learning is key to their success. Students need to feel valued as persons and validated as learners. Because I teach students and not subjects, wherever possible, I use student-centered active learning activities. Since I believe it is important for students to participate in their learning assessment process, I encourage self-assessment, so they can tell me what they know and don’t know, and what they need help with instead of me telling them.

Developing and using activities that involve students in collaborative learning while supporting individual learning motivate my teaching. Also, encouraging students to self-assess their learning process and progress by using reflective activities is important for student evaluation.

Studying the effects and impact of teaching metacognitive skills on the learning process of students has been the major focus of my research. Active learning, student-centered learning and collaborative learning are also important topics of interest for me.