Mr. S. Wilson, BA(Ottawa); BEd(Lakehead)

First off, I'd like to welcome you to my website. I have prepared a little bit of information to answer some of the questions students ask about me so, without further adieu.....

This is my eighth year teaching at Geraldton Composite High School. Before making the move up here I spent some time supply teaching in Marathon, Ontario where I was born and raised. I went to university at the University of Ottawa where I met my wife...so yes, I am married if you were wondering. Following Ottawa I spent a year in Thunder Bay at Lakehead University where I received my Bachelor of Education degree. I am an English Curriculum Honours Specialist with the Ontario College of Teachers and am also working on obtaining my Visual Arts Specialist, too. No, I don't have any kids yet, (I assume that's a follow-up question) but we do have two cats and, as of February 2010, a female black lab named Layla.

In terms of teaching, I love working with the English language. Teaching English gives me the opportunity to see the creativity of my students as well as assist them with a skill they will need throughout their lives. I really enjoy reading in class and see it as an important part of the learning process. I also like to focus on developing writing skills in class so we do a fair amount of that regardless of the course. The arts are fun because they allow for expression in an entirely different sense. I'm far from the greatest artist ever, but I love experimenting with different styles and media. You don't learn if you don't get your hands dirty!

If you're wondering whether or not we ever have fun in class, well, that depends on your definition of fun... I have to be here everyday just like the students so I at least try to make it entertaining... if only for myself. Hopefully students will learn something about the power of reading, writing and communication and maybe even leave with a smile on their face. Students work in a variety of ways including hands-on learning, in partnerships, groups and as a whole class. Assignments range from traditional quizzes and tests to more comprehensive learning tasks where students attempt to wow me with their creativity. Many students find the variety of assignments and learning strategies engaging so maybe that makes the class more fun. Hey, they say variety is the spice of life so if the class isn't always fun you can definitely count on it being spicy then.

If you're wondering, I love photography. I also enjoy the outdoors and exploring the area around Greenstone. Random bush road adventures in my vehicle are not uncommon. I am practising the art of being the area's worst fisherman on land, in a boat or on ice.

My favourite novel is J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye.

I was lucky enough to travel to Italy with an EF Tours Student Travel Group in the summer of 2008. If you'd like to read about the trip, click here to download my travel journal. Please note that you'll need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software for that file.

Well, that about sums it up. If you have something else you want to know about myself or what I teach please feel free to e-mail me.