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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1997-09-24, Page 18[brs/NG•RErIta[ TRUCK tember 24, 1997 1117.7 �raj , EELEf • s New releases Everyday 3 day rental on a variety of Rentals Noun: Sun. • Thurs. 10 a.m. • 10 p.m. Fri. & Sat. 10 a.m. - 1.1 p.m. Calf 235-3803 New teachers, new ideas New teachers bring fresh ideas to South Huron District High School By Chantall Van Raay TA Reporter EXETER - It's back to school, and for many teacher's it's like entering grade nine again. For new teacher's, that is. While new teacher's must adapt to the workings of their. new - school; they also bring change with them, because with new staff on board, change is in- evitable, -as each- teacher brings something fresh and innovative into the realm of education. South Huron District High School is not inept to new teach- ers and the changes that follow. This year the school has hired on five new instructors in - eluding Mike Soldan, , Janis Dougal, ,Phillip Conley, Peggy Schade and Dale Greenwood. Mike Soldan is the new eng- ,lish and Canadian studies -teach- er. Soldan said his previous. .skills helped him integrate, well into his new position. Working -at the Blue Water Correctional Center in- Goderich forthe past nine -years meant that he had to learn how to become a coun- cillor to kids who committed some of the most violent crimes. He explained the _students he teaches at South Huron are _not much different from the stu- dents he taught at Blue Water Correctional Centre. atfq Mike Soldan tutors 1 grade 11 student Pat Foster. "I accept students for who they are, and I try not to judge people cin their "past ex-. —periences hes ! aids adding h has been able to develop a'nen- judgmental approach to his stu- dents by/accepting them for who they are. He said he .dogs not Ia- 1 L TRUCK SALE Featuring: cars, pick-ups, passenger vans, 12'-24' vans, flatbeds, tractors Fri., Sept. 26 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sat., Sept. 27 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. All vehicles are well maintained and sold certified. Vehicles are windshield priced to sell. Trade-ins are welcome. Applicable Pollock and factory warranties included. On site Royal Bank financing will be available. fel POLLOCK r L EASING•RENTALS AP Certified Used Vehicles POLLOCK RENTALS LIMITED HWY. 81, STRATHROY 245-30 0 ell bet them on their past offences, no matter how criminal they may have been. Soldan said dealing with vi olence for so long has given him skills - he could not: have,- ob- tained anywhere else. "I'm very tolerant," he said. "Blue: Water isa good. place for teachers because it teaches them. counselling and, management. At Blue Water we were coun- sellors to -.the students, .maybe even more than we were in- structors." Janis Dougall and that is you need to make a difference in kids lives. You need to help kids enjoy learning, and make high school enjoyable for them. You need to motivate them, and -make "school chal- lenging, because high school is one of the mostimportant times for them. .. "Everyone is faced with the same challenges, no matter who it is." he explained. "The chal- lenge is making the -kids really believe in 'themselves, because they have a lot -working against them." . Peggy Schade] ' • , For Peggy - Schade. the ..new -Janis,Dpugall teaches special crhe,mistry teacher,- classes are education, and said she also "fun". - - '-"You' can- play: You, go to.a- lab and it's a lot of fun. It in- vbfves. doing and learning,- be- cause it's hands-on." Schade believes learning should be about -applying' what you learn at school with what you do outside pf school: - "I want my students to under stand that• chemistry. is every- where. It' really isn't alt new knowledge to them, it's just ap- plying what they already know,' sothey can go .home and they can understand it." Teaching the students how to-. connect chemistry with every- . day life is important to Schade. "Today we're making slime," she said, adding that the chem= hopes to also have/an influence on her students. "I hope to . get my studeals more involved in regular activ- ities, and have other students from other classrooms come in and get to know,them." , . t For Dougall, one of the great- est satisfactions is building a - rapport with her students. "I find it rewarding when I see Amy student~ achieve something, but especially when they come up to me and give me a hug 'in . the .morning." Phillip Conley Another new teacher at the school is Phillip Conley who -was a principal at The Christian Academy of Western in London for the past 18 years. He -said he left the Academy because he be- lieved it was time for a change. "About seven years ago I took a course in special education. and I've always been interested in it," he explained, adding that was the reason he decided to ap- ply for a job in this field. But Conley is not new to spe- cial education. In fact, he helped set up a special education course at the Christian Academy. He said the philosophy he created at the Academy is the same as the .)ne he introduced to South Hu- ron. J"My philosophy is the same, icals used in slime are what they are studying, but putting it into more understandable terms makes it more fun for the stu- dents. "They can even use it for hal- loween if. they want," Schade laughed. Another new . face : at the school is: math teacher Dale Greenwood.- Greenwood admits he teaches his subject thorough- ly. "I like to think I know my subject -area thoroughly and that I know how' to communicate _it clearly. I enjoy knowing that I feel I can teach my students well." Still, being a new teacher can sometimes be stressful, 'Green- wood said. - -A= lot of time is spent with preparation, . and since it's my first time through. I'm still fig-- uring out what I should• and shouldn't do along the way." 1 Although_clasc is_ -sometimes -stressful for Greenwood. it sure- 'ly isn't always that way. he said. • "Once you've .developed a certain rapport with your class; you find that it can be very re- warding," - Greenwood not only has an in- terest in mathematics: He hopes t� integrate some of his other in- " n - into the system as the year progresses. He --is an en- thusiastic chess player, he is fa- miliar with computer operating systems and he is - an amateur musician. • -/ Dale Greenwood Greenwood said the fist few weeks of school have been go -'ing very well for him. Thisi, seems to be the general /feeling • of all the new teachers.at the school. But Greenwood said he , sees the first few weeks as the honeymoon stager "The first two weeks are like -a honeymoon period, where eve- ' ryone is -on their best behavior. - But after that I think you have to • prepare yourself for what the neR'-stage will bring, when the honeymoon's over." New gym working out in Lucan LUCAN - Lucanites can now save wear and tear un their carswhen they want to go to the gym. Tracy Morris has transformed the former site of her Technique Hair and Body business at 243 Main St. into Bl;ttcr Your Life Gym and moved the beau- ty salon to the top floor of the same building. The gym features free weights. weight and car- ,Ino‘ascular machines (step. stationary hike, rower, treadmill) and Morris' personal training services. "There's everything to work every muscle of the body." Morris said. Morris also holds aerobic classes and does per- sonal training 'house calls'. The most unique part of the gym is its hours: its open anytime. even in the dead of night. to ac- cornmodate those on shift work or parents of young Children. "There is no reason for you not to come here and work out." Morris said. . She established the gym for a couple practical rca- sons:..the closest gyms are in London and a small one in Parkhill and when she set up Technique Hair and Body she found out there was a Jot of competi- tion in the village. • She also had a more idealistic reason for starting the gym. "(Working out) makes you more confident and love who you are." she said. Six month gym memberships cost $150 and a .year costs $200. The personal training house calls cost 525 per hour. -Morris said the club has about 25 members. Technique Hair and Body offers the full range of beauty services including hair cutting/styling. body massage (including aromatherapy). acne and cel- lulite treatments, reflexology. facials. manicures, pedicures. tanning; waxing and artificial nails. For more information, call Morris at 227-0368. Pumping Iron. Lucan's Better Your Life Gym owner Tracy Morris gets down to business herself on the shoulder machine.