Nicki has degrees in both Child Studies and Psychology (Honours) and has her teacher certification from Ontario, Canada. She has additional qualifications in Special Education and Live Event Learning. Nicki has been a teacher in elementary schools for thirteen years in Canadian public schools. For the last two years she has taught overseas in Saudi Arabia at the International Programs School.

Nicki is a lifelong learner and she strives to inspire all her students to love learning. She believes that students learn best when they are happy at school and they have an active role in their own learning. Nicki’s classroom is student centred and through differentiated instruction she ensures that all her students succeed. Her goal is to find out each student’s individual needs and learning style so that their learning is personal and their needs are met which results in opportunities to excel. Nicki believes that each student is unique in his or her interests, aptitudes and learning styles. In her classroom every student is included, every student is challenged, and every student is successful.

Nicki is a Tribes teacher; she promotes a community of learners where they work together. By allowing students to bring their own stories, experiences, and ideas into the classroom, they enjoy opportunities to work together, to learn from each other, and respect each others’ differences. Not only do students have the potential to make a difference within our society, they can grow as individuals in the process. This approach has the benefits of empowering students and building their self-esteem and problem solving skills. She believes that students learn best through real-world experiences which are meaningful to them.

Through the integration of technology (she has utilized Smart Board instruction, using the internet for guided reading, audio learning, and classroom computers into her lesson plans to better engage students), her students are engaged and developing the skills required for success into the 21^st century.

She consistently provides both formal and informal ongoing feedback to her students to evaluate understanding and steer lessons in a direction that better meets student needs. With her assessments and feedback she can give them ownership and understanding on how to improve. Nicki gives her students the Success Criteria so they know what is expected of them to reach their goals.

Teaching is Mike's second career; he was an award-winning journalist who decided to become a teacher after having his three children (aged 6, 4 and 1). He has his B.A. in Politics and a Masters in Education from New York, United States. He has recently spent two years overseas with his family, teaching in an international school in Saudi Arabia. He has a lifelong passion for sports. He is a long distance runner who has completed multiple marathons, half-marathons and 30 kilometre races. Mike feels that running teaches great life skills, from the dedication and perseverance it takes to train properly for a marathon, to dealing with disappointment and setbacks. He tries to pass on these great life skills to all of his students.

While teaching in a boys' only class the past two years, he was able to make connections with his students through our mutual interest in sports. Mike strongly feels that teaching needs to be done inside and outside the classroom. It is important to be part of a team and to help create a positive school environment. He is always actively involved in the extra-curricular life of schools that he has taught in, with a focus on coaching sports teams and running intramural programs. He has coached soccer, volleyball and cross-country running in various schools, as well as basketball and football teams in the community.

His educational philosophy is contained in that all students can succeed. Mike’s goal is to help each student discover his or her own path to success. He works to motivate students and give them skills that will help them throughout their lives as critical thinkers and lifelong learners. In journalism, Mike realized that language is the key that unlocks the world. In his classroom he believes in Live Event Learning, where he brings the real world into as many lessons as he can.

He feels that it is important to be part of a team and to help create a positive school environment. Mike is always actively involved in the extra-curricular life of schools that he has taught in, with a focus on coaching sports teams and running intramural programs. He has coached soccer, volleyball and cross-country running in various schools, as well as basketball and football teams in the community.

Mike has a strong writing background as a result of working as a professional newspaper reporter for 10 years. The strong writing and communication skills that he acquired during this time have helped him as a teacher.