About Me
CURRENT TEACHING EXPERIENCE
My current teaching assignment is at St. Francis Xavier High School. I am the Justice, Community Safety, and Emergency Services lead Specialist High Skills Major teacher. I also teach the following courses: IDC4U - Criminology, Paramedicine, & Public Safety, IDC4O - Emergency Services, IDC3O - Police Science, and CHC2D - Canadian History. I am passionate about offering hands-on and deep learning experiences for students in order to prepare them for real world challenges in these career paths.
In February of 2024, I became a successful candidate on the Department Head eligibility list for Contemporary Studies in the Ottawa Catholic School board. I am grateful to the administration at St. Francis Xavier High School for supporting me in this leadership journey.
In February of 2024, I became a successful candidate on the Department Head eligibility list for Contemporary Studies in the Ottawa Catholic School board. I am grateful to the administration at St. Francis Xavier High School for supporting me in this leadership journey.
In the current school year of 2023 - 2024, I have also been participating in a Learning Innovation for Teachers project, in which our school board has supported me in training to become a fully licensed drone pilot. The ultimate goal is to leverage this training to introduce drone education across our school board. I have also created a Drone Crew for St. Francis Xavier High School students. Students are trained in how to properly use drone technology to film school events. Additionally, I will be completing a ministry and school board funded training program to become a fully qualified drone pilot.
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I have also completed five curriculum writing contracts since 2021. For the Ottawa Catholic School Board, I developed content to integrate Edge Factor's career exploration activities to support SHSM lead teachers of: JCSES, Environment, Sports, Transportation, and Hospitality & Tourism sectors.
For the Ontario Council for Technology Education (OCTE), I wrote reviews of Basic and Advanced Augmented and Virtual Reality tools for educators looking to integrate said programs into their curriculum in the summer of 2021. In the summer of 2022, OCTE hired me to identify and address gaps in their SHSM related resources on their website. I was also hired in the 2022 - 2023 school year to create a Basic Drone Pilot Training website for students, and to create a coding curriculum hub for Ontario teachers.
For the Ontario Council for Technology Education (OCTE), I wrote reviews of Basic and Advanced Augmented and Virtual Reality tools for educators looking to integrate said programs into their curriculum in the summer of 2021. In the summer of 2022, OCTE hired me to identify and address gaps in their SHSM related resources on their website. I was also hired in the 2022 - 2023 school year to create a Basic Drone Pilot Training website for students, and to create a coding curriculum hub for Ontario teachers.
In the 2019 - 2020 school year, with support of one of our previous principals, Sean Kelly, I had created a new course titled: IDC4U - Criminology, Paramedicine, and Public Safety. The course required review and approval from our school board's leadership team of Superintendents, Directors, and our Ministry of Education. The course continually evolves to be hands-on with the support of community partners (a special mention to my father, Michel Ruest, a retired Paramedic with three decades of experience, who has been instrumental in providing guidance on our Paramedicine curriculum). It has been taught at St. Francis Xavier High School since the 2020 school year, and has expanded from two sections per year to three.
In the school year of 2022 - 2023, I expanded our JCSES program to offer Firefighting experiences in a new course offering: IDC4O - Firefighting, Paramedicine, and Emergency Services. It continues to be offered as an elective course.
In the school year of 2022 - 2023, I expanded our JCSES program to offer Firefighting experiences in a new course offering: IDC4O - Firefighting, Paramedicine, and Emergency Services. It continues to be offered as an elective course.
In January of 2019, I was informed that I would be eligible to transfer to a 1.0 permanent teaching position at St. Francis Xavier High School. By the end of the 2018 - 2019 school year, I expressed interest in and became the new lead of one our school's Specialist High Skills Major program: Justice, Community Safety, and Emergency Services (JCSES) for the 2019 - 2020 school year. It is my responsibility since then to provide students with opportunities to explore careers in said fields. I have also been one of the coaches for the school's E-Sports and Baseball teams.
PAST EXPERIENCE
During the 2017 - 2018 school year, I was fortunate to have been hired at a .33 permanent position as a history teacher. I'm very grateful to Susan Arbour for having given me this opportunity, and the St. Joseph staff have been a wonderful team to work with. I was fortunate to have been increased to .5 permanent, along with having LTOs throughout the year in courses such as: Cooking, Geography, World Religions, and English. I was also a Ottawa Capital Cappies program Editor Mentor, a part of a Thinking Symposium team, supervised the weight room twice a week, assisted with student council (supervision of events), took part in fundraisers, and began hosting a Retro Gaming Club.
During the 2016 - 2017 school year, I was fortunate to have had a variety of teaching experiences at All Saints High School. During semester 1, I taught Grade 12 International Law, Grade 11 English, Grade 10 English, and Grade 9 Geography. Through these courses, I honed my teaching abilities, classroom management skills, and encourage students to participate in deep learning activities. Some of these included creating solutions to "real life" issues, such as how to handle issues within the Canadian economy, city planning, and policing challenges. I was also fortunate to be able to include my network of contacts within the criminal justice community; students were able to ask questions of people in civil law, corporate law, social services, and even Skype(d) with a correctional officer. I also gained experience teaching in the intermediate level with grade 8 Religion and Science courses. I was also an assistant coach for the ASH baseball team.
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In the second semester of the 2015 - 2016 school year, I began teaching a section of ENG3C at St. Paul High School, and May, I was hired on for a 1.0 LTO contract in Resource and English. During this time, I also continued to be an assistant coach for the Varsity Baseball Team, and continued to be a home instructor for two students. I also took part in preparing our students for the OSSLT test in March. You can find a link to a series of grammar videos (which were accompanied by Kahoots) here. I also collaborated with teachers to create cross-curricular lessons to prepare out Grade 10s for the test.
In the 2014 - 2015 school year, I was fortunate to work on a regular basis with teachers who are Seconded Professors at the University of Ottawa, thus sharing some of their responsibilities on a part time basis. During this time, I also completed Additional Qualifications in Senior Law and Special Education Part 1. I also became a Google Certified Instructor. I have also had the opportunity to lead extra-curricular activities at St. Paul High School. I facilitated a Drama Club, assisted with supervisions of play productions, and was an Assistant Coach of the Varsity Baseball Team. I was also placed on the OCSB's LTO Roster and also taught Grade 11 University English during the summer semester.
I have continued to work as an Occasional Teacher and a home instructor in the OCSB during 2015 - 2016 year. I was also excited to have been asked to become a member of the National Capital History Day's steering committee. Our May event was successful! I have also supported student led extra-curricular activities at St. Paul High School, such as Model United Nations. I am also excited to have been nominated for the Faces Magazine's 2016 Award for Best Teacher.
In the 2014 Winter Semester at the University of Ottawa, I sought to expand my knowledge in one of my teaching areas: English Literature. I also took a course to 'brush up' on historical research methodology. While I had resumed my studies, I also participated as a Judge in the National Capital History Day event in Ottawa in April of 2014. It was a unique opportunity to connect with other professionals in the teaching and historical fields, as well as Ottawa's young historians. At the end of the 2013 - 2014 school year, I began working as an Occasional Teacher at the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
At the conclusion of the 2013 summer season, I pack my bags and moved to London, England for a chance to gain some Occasional Teaching experience. From September 2013 to December 2013, I was a supply teacher in a variety of schools in the South West London Area. I particularly connected with the students at one school in particular: Norbury Manor Business and Enterprise College for Girls. I spent an estimated 4 weeks there in supply teaching hours; I covered for a set of Sociology and Health & Social Care classes for 3 weeks. In the time I spent in England, I discovered what I wanted to refine in my teaching craft. I returned to Ottawa to enroll at the University of Ottawa for the 2014 Winter Semester.
In the concluding year of my Undergraduate degree, I was offered acceptance into the 2012 - 2013 Bachelor of Education Program at the University of Ottawa, in which I specialized at the Intermediate to Senior Grade level in the History and English subjects. I completed two successful practicums, one at All Saints High School and one at St. Paul High School. During this year of teacher training, I also volunteered as a tutor at the Pathways to Education program in Ottawa, a program which provides academic support and services to at-risk youth. In the summer after my Bachelor of Education Program, I also helped to develop the initial phase of the SWAG program (Students Will All Graduate), a program that is designed to increase the high school graduation rates of at-risk communities in the Ottawa area.
In my third year of my Criminology degree, I was hired on with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's Youth Engagement Section in the National Crime Prevention Services. My role was an English Writer for the former blog which was name www.deal.org, a website which had youth friendly blogs would deliver information about crime related issues. We also maintained fact sheets on other topics such as: health, drugs, 'how to' section (personal management skills) and violence (bullying, cyberbullying, abuse). I also participated in the creation of various government reports. In 2011, I was invited to be a chaperone for the Youth Leadership and Project Development Workshop which was held at Depot in Regina, Saskatchewan. I met youth from across Canada and they taught me about different issues youth in their community face on a daily basis. I was awarded an Official Commendation for Professionalism and Compassion for my contributions to this event.
During my time as a University of Ottawa Student and City of Ottawa Employee, I was given an opportunity to work with an initiative called Youth Futures. Youth Futures is a program that was founded by the University of Ottawa which aims to give youth from economically challenged backgrounds an opportunity to experience post-secondary education. Not only do they have a taste of what post-secondary education is like, Youth Futures aims to help these youth develop the means to sustain their academic studies. My role in this program (along with a French Coordinator) was to deliver a Leadership Program which would empower these youth to develop vital workplace skills.
Not only did I achieve success in the City of Ottawa in the year of 2008, but I had also successfully obtained admission into the University of Ottawa's Criminology program. I had a keen interest in Legal issues, particularly those involving criminal law. Despite choosing a program with a legal focus, I still hoped to one day obtain a Bachelor of Education. Therefore, I declared my university degree to be a Bachelor of Social Sciences with a Major in Criminology and a Minor in History.
In 2008, I was given the opportunity to be a Leadership Development Coordinator. My task was to be a part of a team that would design a Leadership Program for youth. We would teach some of the following skills: communication skills, team building, workplace skills and long term planning (most participants would be prepared to work in a City of Ottawa camp placement for at least 2 weeks). It was an exciting opportunity to hone my skills as a youth mentor, and it would be a vital experience that would prepare me for a career in the teaching field.
In 2006, I was hired on at the City of Ottawa as a Program Leader for after school programs, a position I worked in until 2013. After a year of working for Parks and Recreation, I was promoted to a Program Coordinator Position for the After School programs in the 2007 - 2008 school year. I became responsible for not only running engaging activities for children in a safe environment, but I was also responsible for the well-being of staff and children. I also became responsible for the management of City of Ottawa equipment, reports and enrollment forms. I also had to ensure that all City of Ottawa procedures and operational guidelines were followed.
Born and raised in Ottawa, I attended St. James Catholic Elementary School and Holy Trinity Catholic High School. I began my journey to a career in the teaching field when I became a volunteer camp counsellor. I worked at two general interest camps for children ages 6 - 12. At the age of 15 (2005), I began my work experience at Dairy Queen, and after a few months, I became a supervisor. I was responsible for delegating tasks to other shift members, maintaining quality customer service and ensuring the security of the restaurant.
Work Experience
Volunteer Work
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Experience with Youth
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Teaching Experience
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