Allan Clements

Background:

Wilfrid Laurier University:

  • Degree: BA

  • Graduating class: 1976 (77)

  • Division: General Arts

  • Major: World Literature

  • Concentration: Comedy

Queens University

  • Degree: BEd

  • Graduating class: 1978

  • Teaching subjects: English and Dramatic  Arts

 

What they did with their degree:

Currently: Retired

  • Worked briefly for Brant County Board of Education as a supply teacher.

  • Ended up with a half time teaching job, as home room, and math teacher for learning disability classes, at Paris District Highschool; Grade 8. I finished the year for a teacher who was unable to continue due to illness. I finished the year, filled in the report cards, went on a month long vacation to England; and never went  back into a classroom as a teacher again.

  • I worked for 20 years in live theatre, as a stage manager, production manager, and technical director; on freelance contracts, for various companies around Toronto, and Vancouver. I tried acting but found I wasn't very good at it, and didn't have the interest to put in the work, in order to improve.

  • I worked for 5 years in the accounting department of a large international pulp and paper company; as their A/R and Collections clerk.

  • I also worked as a Document Controller for a large international engineering firm, for 5 years.

  • Between jobs, I worked on temporary assignments in offices; proving myself and learning new skills.

  • I retired in 2016, had heart surgery, and am now living in a rent-geared-to-income apartment. My entire income comes from CPP & OAS.

 

Piece of Advice:

Never stop learning. By the time I went through university and teachers college, and started working with students in the classroom, I found that the students knew more about the subject than I did, in a lot of classes. You will find that there will be a lot of times when you will have to study a subject, how to get it across to students, and making sure you are up to date on a subject more than the students you are teaching.

  • Be honest. If you try to bluff something, the students could very easily catch you out, and you could lose their confidence. They are much more forgiving if you are honest about something, than if they catch you in a lie.

  • Understand your own personal motives and philosophies for teaching. Many times they will be your strength in a classroom. Teachers who have been working for several years can sometimes become quite jaded and not very helpful, when it comes to advice on how to deal with particular students and situations. Also, there will be many classes that will test your own convictions about being an "expert" on a subject; and leave you wondering why you are doing this to yourself. You will need the strength of your own convictions, to get through these times.

  • Look into what other options there are in the field of education, other than the classroom that you might be more suited to, and become more successful in. I met a man who had the same level of education as me, but didn't really like the classroom experience. He  travelled the world installing education programs in other countries. He seemed to be making a decent living and getting to travel and enjoying his life; and he was doing something he believed in. It's always good to know your options.