My name is Natalie Visser and I am a member of the Ontario College of Teachers. I am certified to teach both Intermediate and Senior Divisions in both Biology and Chemistry.
I reside in the small town of Wyoming, Ontario and have had the opportunity to complete many occasional teaching days in the area.
I have experience working with children and students from all age divisions, however, I am most experienced with the intermediate and senior divisions.
My Philosophy of Education
As a teacher, my main goal is to help students find and realize their passions and develop their skills in order to continue learning after they finish their secondary education. I believe that when students are learning about something they are passionate about, they are engaged in the material and want to learn more. My hope is that I can instill a love of learning in my students and help them develop critical thinking skills so they can set their own goals for the future.
When I am teaching I am constantly learning new things about my students and getting to know them better. This way, I can provide meaningful content to keep them interested, engaged, and learning. This also creates a space where all students feel safe to learn. By differentiating my lessons and providing many different activities and approaches to learning, I can reach every student, ensuring that the curriculum is taught in a way that each student can understand. As a science teacher, I like to provide students with inquiry-based learning opportunities, as these hands-on approaches provide rich learning experiences for students to gain meaningful skills. I make sure that my assessment strategies reflect my students’ authentic learning, and I use this information to help me prepare new lessons and activities. As I also have a passion for the environment and environmental initiatives, I often incorporate these issues into my teaching. I also incorporate the use of technology in the classroom on a regular basis. I find that when I use technology like the SMART Board, chrome books, and iPads in my classroom, my students are more engaged and tend to work more cooperatively. When my students leave my classroom, I want them to leave with both the knowledge of the subject matter as well as the skills to take this learning further, set goals, and work towards them.
As well as my commitment to teaching science, I am also committed to participating in extra-curricular activities for my students. I have a strong background in music, as I have been in many concert and jazz bands. I also have a commitment to personal fitness, with a specific interest in swimming, cycling, and running. I have also led a school eco team and coached various swim teams. I believe that extra-curricular activities can complement classroom learning and can provide students with real-life skills such as team-building, cooperation, interpersonal skills, and can help to develop self-confidence.