Erin Little

Hello, I’m Erin. I’m a mother and teacher living in Ottawa.

I had not originally planned on becoming a teacher. When I went to McMaster University I was pursuing a career in the health field because I really wanted to help people through my work. Yet the more time I spent in school, the more I realized that I was not just interested in helping others, I also held a deep love for learning. With this realization, my passion quickly became education and I was soon off to North Bay to obtain my B. Ed.

I began my career in England teaching maths in a town south of London. Although this experience helped me hone my classroom management skills, I did not love the British schooling system so I returned to Ontario to pursue a teaching job. My first teaching position in Ottawa was in high school math and I have been excited to see the learning and teaching in this subject area evolve with interesting and diverse methods. Ten years later, I am finally ready to branch out into special education and achievement centre courses. This semester I am teaching a K-level course to many of our inclusion students. This has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my teaching career and it has really helped renew my love of teaching. I am also working with some at risk students to help them achieve credits through more hands-on, broad, individualized projects, with the hope that school can become a place that interests them rather than worries them.

I hope that Guidance Part II will help me gain a better understanding of pathways and options for the new students I am teaching so I am better able to direct them towards the areas they are interested in and hopefully help them have a more positive educational experience. I could also use help with counselling students not only to help the new students I teach but also to help with the ever growing number of students that are experiencing mental health issues and anxiety.