EARLY LEARNING TEAM LEAD

Hello, my name is Terri.

I grew up on a farm in southwest Saskatchewan on Treaty 4 Land.

My family is Scottish and English.

I have spent time in Arizona, North Carolina, and North Dakota. I supported families as a Speech Language Pathologist in Cree and Dene communities in northern Saskatchewan before I moved to the Yukon.

I am excited to lead the Early Learning team. I walk along with Learners on their journeys by supporting school staff and caregivers in the classroom, and on the land.

I like to travel to communities to meet and learn from community members about their land, culture and relationships. I work to ensure this is reflected in their local instruction.

I aspire to give space for caregivers and learners to be seen, heard, and supported.

In addition to this work, I enjoy cross-country skiing and camping.

EARLY LEARNING COACH

I am grateful to be an Early Learning Coach on the Traditional Territory of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council.

I was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario on the Traditional Territory of many First Nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the Anishinaabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat Peoples.

I am of English and Scottish ancestry. Despite growing up in a busy urban neighbourhood, I often found myself exploring the banks of the local, often hidden, river system, delighting in the rich, natural world in the middle of a city.

I attended teacher’s college in Toronto, and specialized in early years pedagogy at York University.

After teaching in the inner city, I worked with the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada to become a Forest School Practitioner.

I used this training to start my own Forest School program in the same ravine that I explored as a child. In 2019, I ventured beyond the urban wild of Toronto to live here in the Yukon with my husband and two children.

I have taught for the past five years in Whitehorse schools, where I have implemented play-based and inquiry-driven programs in both indoor and outdoor classrooms.

In the summers, I love to lead children in outdoor programming to connect them to the land and a sense of belonging.

When I am not guiding young Learners in play and inquiry, you may find me on a ridge or riverbank with a stack of books and a journal. I also love Nordic skiing and playing in the forest with my children.