Why I Teach

Amanda with her brother Matthew ’96

Terry in the computer science lab

Whitney leading a group yoga exercise

Terry Prezens, Whitney Elliott, Amanda Thorne, and Joe Commisso on why they call the classroom their home.

Joe celebrating a lacrosse championship in the pouring rain with, from left, coach Christopher St-Cyr, Ben McMullen ’22, and Riley Knox ’22.

Department: Computer Science and Engineering Started at SAC: 2005 Years Teaching: 29

I teach because I can. It’s a most rewarding career because it provides purpose and growth. The purpose is knowing I may impact a student’s life, and the growth is due to the students’ direct and often candid feedback, which is usually positive. I firmly believe that fate is the hunter, and a week before being asked to author this article, I was inspired by three events that transpired during the first month of the new school year. These events prompted me to post an update on social media about how fortunate I am to be a teacher. First, on a beautiful Sunday right after church, I FaceTimed with an Old Boy who updated me on his progress at Johns Hopkins University and wanted to discuss whether to continue his master’s degree at MIT, Stanford, or elsewhere. It felt incredible that a former student would involve me in this life decision.

Next, I received an email from a recent Old Boy – less than one month at the University of Waterloo – updating me on an eye-tracking system he and his mechatronic teammates developed in a hackathon. He credited his quick success to his preparation in our engineering courses, specifically, a project for the visually impaired that he worked on while in my class. Finally, I heard about the recent passing of an Old Boy who visited the school less than a month prior as part of his bucket list. Seeing him during the school visit, many years my junior and in a wheelchair, was moving, yet difficult. His kind words about the small part I played in his career direction emphasized what a rewarding career teaching can be and what a special place SAC is. Cultivating students’ enthusiasm for using computers to help others is a passion for me. And exposing SAC students to resources and technologies that other schools cannot afford has inspired them to pursue and complete incredible projects. Students have created quadcopters, uncrewed submarines, VR vision systems, remote-controlled robots and industrial machines, phone-controlled hockey training machines, motorized remote control skateboards, and even a bionic hand. One student told me, “In this course [Computer Engineering], I feel like I am getting my money back.” I am often struck by the dozens of former students who continue to share updates on their lives and careers and have shown me that even students I didn’t know enjoyed my courses have learned from them.

Were it not for my university classmates urging me to consider teaching simply because of my university tutoring skills, I may not be a teacher today. As I recall that fateful bus ride to the University of Toronto more than 30 years ago – on the last day to submit a teacher’s college application – there are no regrets. I applied to see what would happen, and, I guess, teaching was my destiny. The possibilities in STEM are limitless and can be lifesaving. All students have incredible potential, and St. Andrew’s provides the environment for my students and me to realize our potential. I teach because I can, and SAC affords me the resources to do it.

Department: Grade 6 Core and French Started at SAC: 2006 Years Teaching: 17

The school year always begins with the excitement of a new opportunity to put our passion into action. This is a unique gift we have as teachers at St. Andrew’s College. Because our jobs extend well beyond the classroom walls, this allows us to develop, share, and explore our interests with the groups of students we are lucky enough to be surrounded by. When I first walked through the front doors of Rogers Hall in 2006, I immediately knew this was where I wanted to be: a setting that encourages arts and academics, athletics and exploration, and a school that grows and adapts as the world changes. The fact that I get to be surrounded by an amazing group of colleagues, participate in sports, practice yoga, play the saxophone, and be intellectually challenged, all while working on a beautiful 126-acre campus, makes me feel like I have the best job in the world. Like all teachers at St. Andrew’s, I wear many hats. As Co-Chair of the Wellness Committee, I work with teams, classes, clubs, and staff on educating and promoting well-being through yoga, mindfulness, workshops, and crafts. Spreading emotional and physical well-being is a passion of mine. It is always exciting when students come to a yoga and mindfulness class, reach out for a new resource, or even share how much they benefitted from taking a deep breath to calm themselves before a test or a game. Understanding at such a young age that they have the tools within them to help their mental health was more than I knew at their age, and I hope it is something they carry with them for the rest of their lives.

As a Grade 6 Core teacher, I work with enthusiastic, creative, and hilarious individuals every day. As the year progresses, the group that begins as 18 individuals morphs into a family. We have our routines, inside jokes, celebrations, and traditions. We know each other’s strengths and work to build them even higher, and we gently work with each other’s weaknesses to nurture them along the way.

While our day follows the school schedule, the most significant lessons are learned during the in-between moments, and the lessons go two ways. During a recent mid-morning class walk along the Quad, a student pointed out a “magical tree.” The autumn sun was shining on just one maple, the tree with the brightest and most colourful leaves. I almost missed this gift of nature as I walked along, distracted by something else, but he reminded me to look around and absorb the beauty surrounding us. Suddenly, what was preoccupying me seemed much less significant. Children can teach us so much if we take the time to watch, listen, and learn about the world through their eyes. I love when former students come back to visit, either venturing over from the Upper School buildings or those who graduated many years ago. I love knowing I was a small part of their journey during such an important part of their personal and emotional growth. I have never forgotten the teachers who shaped who I am today, and I hope my students look back at their Grade 6 year with the same fondness.

Department: Science Started at SAC: 2001 Years Teaching: 24

St. Andrew’s has been integral to my life for the last three decades. My father and Aubrey Foy, former Director of Admission, father of an Old Boy and grandfather of a current student, met in the early 1980s through their involvement in the choir at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Newmarket. It was Aubrey who encouraged my family to enrol my younger brother, Matthew ’96.

Over the years, I saw the magic of the St. Andrew’s experience through the unique opportunities my brother had that I did not have a chance to experience at my public high school: the wider variety of sports and arts activities, the many school events like Homecoming, Carol Service, and Cadet Inspection, and the strong sense of family that comes from attending a small, close-knit school. Seeing the influence that St. Andrew’s had on him and how his teachers helped him to develop into the man he has become inspired me to embark on my own journey at the school to help support and influence the next generation of Andreans.

I am one of the luckiest teachers at the school, as I engage with the students in two vastly different contexts. As a senior science teacher, I share my love of chemistry with Grade 12 students, helping them to explore and understand the physical world and, hey, who doesn’t love to blow things up in a safe and controlled environment? As the Associate Director, Academics and Student Support, I have the privilege of working with students whose academic success does not come as easily. These students struggle to stay organized and on top of their work and may need to go over a lesson multiple times to understand a challenging concept. When I see one of these students have an “aha moment” – that sudden dawning of true understanding of a problem that the student has wrestled with for a long time – that’s when I know I am achieving my goal of making a difference in the lives of the students at St. Andrew’s College.

Department: Upper School Geography Started at SAC: 2013 Years Teaching: 9

As a young man, I engaged in activities that connected me with various groups of people. Whether it was sports, music, fashion, or working retail, I was passionate about my hobbies and drawn to a team environment. I am naturally energetic (some might say eccentric), and I wasn’t sure if my personality traits would help or hinder me.

Working as a camp counsellor during university was a significant lightbulb moment. I began to understand the concept of leadership and how strong leaders build relationships, respect others, and never stop learning. Teaching was the perfect calling for me, fitting my personality and fulfilling a need to make a difference in the lives of others. In my years at St. Andrew’s, I’ve had so much fun, feeding off students’ energies and learning and growing together. Every year, a new crop of boys keeps things interesting as we steer them in the right direction, in the classroom, on the fields, and through extra-curriculars like community service and coaching. Starting my career at SAC introduced me to peers who understand that leaders lead by example and build positive relationships. All my peers have varied skill sets and teaching styles. The most significant example of this was my officemate and mentor, Dr. David Joiner, recently retired Head of Canadian and World Studies. On paper, we were as opposite as human beings could be. He liked Star Trek; I liked Nike. He coached curling; I coached lacrosse. But it was an incredible partnership based on one key ingredient: our desire to be part of a team and positively impact the lives of those around us. We have completely different leadership styles, but we found a way to complement each other. My leadership style is based on trust and respect. I truly enjoy getting to know the students, and I hope to bring energy to everything I do at St. Andrew’s and inspire enthusiasm in the boys. They also inspire me! My role as Head of Community Service allows me to see students in a completely different arena. We worked with Habitat for Humanity a couple of years ago, and one group member was very shy. However, as soon as we started framing a wall, he instantly took the lead. You can tell his peers were surprised to see his wealth of knowledge. It was an opportunity for them to see him in a different light and for me to remember that there’s much more to students than we see in the classroom.

I was surprised and humbled to have been honoured with the Biafran Award last June. The 2022 graduating class selected me as the person who meant the most to their year. It was a significant milestone in my career that I’ll treasure and has affirmed what a privilege it is to teach at St. Andrew’s. X