About Alison

All About Alison…Is this how my students feel when I give them this activity at the beginning of each year? As much as I don’t love writing about myself, I also know that the “About us” tab is always the first tab I search on when I go to a website because I want to know more about their story. So here it goes…

I am a Vice Principal and classroom teacher at an outdoor learning public school in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. However my teaching story starts long before now. I completed my Early Childhood Education Certification 20 years ago and had the opportunity to work for the City of Surrey’s preschool program. It was here that I was fortunate enough to work in a heritage school that was surrounded by forest, trails and ocean environments. It was during my time here that I discovered my love for taking my students outdoors.

As time went on I finished my teaching certification and began my journey into teaching. I still managed to incorporate some outdoor learning practices into my primary classrooms but not as much as I would have hoped for. I wanted more and needed to figure out a way to do this. I went back to do my Masters and recently completed my degree in Ecological Education. This gave me the tools, confidence and skill-set to develop my own teaching practice around getting outdoors and connecting my students to their place and community. Surrey’s Outdoor Program (EKOLogy: East Kensington Elementry Outdoor Learning) is succesfully entering its third year and I am fortuante enough to be a part of an amazing team of inspiring and like-minded colleagues.

Through all of this I also get to juggle being a mom to, two fun, energetic kids and my husband who also teaches in the Surrey School District.