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From May 8-12, 2023, the department of applied psychology and human development celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week!

We sat down with some of our Master of Arts in Child Study & Education (MA-CSE) graduates and got to know them a little better. We gained a better understanding on their unique reasons of why they chose the teacher profession, what led them to ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½, and what they have been up to since grad school.

Meet our Teacher Appreciation spotlight for 2023 below and Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to all ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ educators!

Kendra Tatemichi
Read more about Ms. Tatemichi here.
Ms. Tatemichi graduated from the MA CSE program in 2021 and is currently in her second year of being a teacher at the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB). Ms. Tatemichi is also pursuing law school and just finished up her first year at Lincoln Alexander School of Law, while supply teaching from kindergarten up to grade 6 at various schools. 

"I am passionate about helping people. Teaching offered me an opportunity to explore this passion and little did I know I would fall in love with it. Being part of a child’s educational journey is powerful and I am grateful to have been mentored by some of the best teachers in the field. I was so moved by my experience as a teacher that I chose to attend law school to sharpen my advocacy skills and work towards making greater strides for my fellow education workers." - Kendra Tatemichi

James Ty
Read more about Mr. Ty here.
Mr. Ty graduated from the MA CSE program during Spring of 2022 and is currently in his first year of being a teacher as a LTO (Long Term Occasional) at the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). Mr. Ty teaches a Grade 1/2 split and teaches french language, mathematics, science, social studies, and visual arts. 

"I have had teaching on my mind ever since the end of high school! I have always loved working with children, especially as a summer camp counselor where I found I had a calm demeanor that worked well with kids." - James Ty

Shamya Phillips
Read more about Ms. Phillips here.
Ms. Phillips graduated from the MA CSE program during Spring of 2022 and is currently in her first year of being a teacher! She teaches all subjects except for drama, dance and french. 

"I have always wanted to be a teacher. My mom is a teacher and I always loved going into the classroom with her. Being exposed to this profession growing up made me realize I really love working with children and helping others." - Shamya Phillips

Walker Kitchens
Read more about Mr. Kitchens here.
Mr. Kitchens graduated from the MA CSE program in 2020 and is currently in his third year of being a teacher at the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study (JICS) Laboratory School. Mr. Kitchens started his career during the pandemic teaching Grade 4, but last year also started teaching Health and Physical Education. This year, Mr. Kitchens is the In-house supply teacher and administrative assistant at JICS.

"I learned that I enjoyed the process of designing and implementing meaningful learning experiences for others. I saw how transformative outdoor and experiential education could be – both for the participants in the program and myself as the facilitator." - Walker Kitchens