Jessica Norwood

Hi there! I’m Jessica- an ESL teacher living in Ontario, Canada. I am a fan of photography, the outdoors, and DIY. Naturally, I'm interested in travel and education.

Because I can't travel ALL the time, I thoroughly enjoy teaching my international students from around the world. They often teach me more about their culture and country than I can teach them about English!

I have been working for a publically-funded Catholic school board in Ontario since 2010. Social sciences, humanities, and religious education are teaching interests outside of ESL. My current role as an ESL student success teacher started in 2017 when our board branched into international education- most of my students are studying and boarding here in Canada without any family. I think that makes my role even more important; having a strong support system in place for these kids who are so far from home is what makes or breaks our program.

I'm currently enrolled in Teaching ELLs Specialist because I have very little in the way of resources and support for my position. As one of only two formal ESL teachers on my publically-funded (rural) school board, I feel it's incumbent upon me to be the very best support I can be.

It is my goal to improve upon my STEP assessments, learn about some awesome resources from my colleagues, and to develop a good system for tracking, monitoring, and supporting our international students.

When I'm not teaching, crafting, or snapping pictures of my family you can find me chasing my two crazy boys or walking my golden retriever, Zeus.