Technology has always been there for Brian Auld, even at the very beginning of his teaching career.
Back in 1996, Brian’s first two years of teaching were as a computer teacher as the school board recently investing in computer labs across the county.
When he wasn’t teaching computers, he was still using the bricks and mortars of education – the blackboard and the overhead projector.
Fast forward to today, and those big bulking computers he first taught in 1996 have shrunk in size but have grown in dominance in the classroom.
Even at the elementary level, Brian says technology is a cornerstone to learning now from smart boards in the classrooms to tablet related activities.
But just because technology has changed the appearance of the classroom, it doesn’t mean the students have changed.
While Brian notes that kids today may have a shorter attention span than the years prior due to the amount of tech in their lives, the overall teaching method he puts out hasn’t changed that much as it is about connecting with the students and the parents.
He said on the offset of any year, he makes it clear to the kids and to the parents that they are all on the same page.
His goal is to ensure the child does their best and thrives in the classroom.
During the nomination process, several people put forward Brian’s name from students who had him years ago to parents who have students with him now, all echoing that he has a unique way of connecting with students and getting the absolute best out of them.
Despite tech being a part of Brian’s teaching life from the offset, it still was a tricky transition to virtual learning.
While he was grateful to still have ways to educate his class, he said something is lost when you aren’t able to look at the students face to face while you are teaching.
He says non-verbal cues from the class would show if what he was teaching was connecting or not, and he’d adapt accordingly.
That’s a little bit harder through a small window on your computer or tablet.
He said it also was important to him that all students had the resources they needed as he was aware some students could not meet certain classroom timelines as siblings would be sharing a computer and have overlapping meetings.
Brian has spent his career teaching in Norfolk County and loves teaching in a small-town community.
The educator says it is special being able to go out into the community and seeing the students going about their day.
He also has the privilege of having the opportunity to teach students whose parents he also taught.
Brian is currently a teacher at Lynndale Heights Public School.
His full interview can be heard below: