Shelby Arnold

Background:

My name is Shelby Arnold (BAH ’13 Major - Drama, B.Ed ’14 - Intermediate/Senior, teachables: Drama/Geography) and I am originally from Kingston, Ontario.

What they did with their degree:

I currently live in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador and I work in a non-profit setting teaching marginalized youth 16-29 who have left school and are looking to complete their high school education. I offer foundational skills, GED preparation and examination, and support with career planning. Our program is special because we provide wrap around supports through a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive and harm reduction lens, and our small team of 3 is made up of two educators and a social worker. Each year we support nearly 100 youth to increase their skills. I also love to chat and am happy to connect with other teachers interested in teaching in alternative settings!

Piece of Advice:

At its core, education is relational. We may deeply love our subject and want for our learners to love it too; however, it’s more important that we have strong relationships with everyone that comes through our classroom door in order to help them build resiliency and to feel cared for. You could be the only person that smiles at a young person, or says hello to them in a given day. We have to actively work to deconstruct power dynamics in the classroom in order to effectively meet the needs of learners and help them foster their strengths.