From Student to Teacher Candidate
An Interview with Alumnus Jenna de Boer (’15)
Ms. Danielle Bird talking to Teacher Candidate and LCH alum Jenna de Boer
There’s no place like home: A popular phrase line and a familiar sentiment for alum Jenna de Boer (‘15) who returned to LCH during Quadmester 3 as a teacher candidate. Ms. de Boer recently wrapped up her Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) program at Redeemer University with a six week placement at LCH, teaching Integrated Arts (ALC) and a variety of Drama, History, and English classes.
“I knew that I wanted to do my final practicum in a high school because that’s ultimately where I want to end up, and I did my placement last semester in a public high school, so I knew that it was time to do one at a Christian high school to get both sides of the experience. And this school in particular is where I fell in love with teaching; it was in these halls that I decided, “This is what I want to do; this is where I’m being called.” So it’s really special to be able to come back in my last year for my last practicum to the place where it all began; it’s kind of coming full circle in a way which is really special.”
“Watching the students [in ALC] perform is a highlight because you watch them come in [initially] very shy and very nervous because they don’t know what to expect, and then watching them as the weeks go by, [you notice them] start to come out of their shell and start to get more into it. So that’s a bit of a sunshine/rainbow moment! *laughs* If you had told these kids to do the Commedia performances on like the first day and to bring it to a level 10, they never would have been able to do it on the first day. But overtime, you’re able to build them up and help them feel more at ease in the classroom.”
Since her time as a student at LCH, Ms. de Boer has observed a shift in approaches to learning. “The one thing that I’ve noticed is that the school’s doing a lot of purpose-based learning (PBL) now, which is kind of cool. I think there was a little bit of it when I was here, but now [when] I talk to most of the teachers, I hear PBL being spoken about everywhere, which is great. I love PBL. I love that it gives the students an opportunity to take control of their own learning and pursue something that they’re passionate about and they don’t have to just sit and listen to a teacher talk at them for two hours. They get to go out and do the research and develop those skills that they’re going to need for [post-secondary] – to research and to pick the important information and then present it.”
High School Memories
When asked about some of her favourite subjects while at LCH, Ms. de Boer replies, “Theatre…all of the drama classes! I did drama in Grades 9 through 12.” She also recalls helping out with three out of the four Senior Drama class productions. “I managed to sneak in there when I was in grade 10 and help out! The English classes I [also] really enjoyed; the Writer’s Craft course was one of the main ones that I liked for English. I also remember really enjoying the World Religions class that I had; it was something that I didn’t have a lot of knowledge of at the time, so it was really cool to kind of dive into some other religions and see what they believed.”
Outside of the classroom, Ms. de Boer spent four years both working on the yearbook committee and serving as a stage manager for the mainstage drama productions. She also recalls ‘discovering’ the book club in her Grade 12 year. “I was like, ‘How did I not do this the last 3 years here?!?’ That got me reading more – I actually was able to test read some of the new books that they were bringing into the library at the time and kind of give my opinions if it was a good fit for the school and for the library. So I wish I had done more of that when I was in high school.”
Pathway to Teaching
After high school, Ms. de Boer completed a double major in English and Theatre at Redeemer before entering their B.Ed. program. “Theatre has always been my main passion and I’ve always loved English too; I love reading and writing.” While her involvement in extracurriculars at LCH helped her explore her passions, Ms. de Boer believes that her experience in the Guidance and Peer Support (GPP) course inspired her post-secondary ambitions.
Image Above: Senior Drama class production of 12 Angry Jurors (2014-2015)
Image Below: Teacher Candidate and alum Jenna de Boer facilitating discussion with grade 9 ALC students (2020-2021)
“I kind of always had a feeling that I wanted to do something involving kids and something involving what I was passionate about, so that led very quickly to teaching. But in Grade 12 when I did that GPP, I spent a lot of time working one on one with groups [in Grade 9 Drama] and I could see them start to get into it and I could see them have those lightbulb moments about their characters and see them develop their own passions and find their strengths. I think that’s really what solidified it for me – being involved with the students hands on and working with them and seeing what they can do.”
When reflecting on experiences inside and outside of the classroom which stayed with her after high school, Ms. de Boer points to the skills she acquired through her involvement in the drama department. “From being stage manager, I learned how to manage my time, organize schedules and make decisions on the fly – smart decisions.” Ms. de Boer also believes she learned resilience through her drama courses. “[For example], maybe you try to perform your monologue and it doesn’t turn out the way you want and it gets you down and you don’t feel great about it. But you know that there are going to be other performances and other opportunities to practice and get better. That learning is really hard – learning that even when you’re down, you gotta get back up and try again. So, that’s something that I will always have with me that I learned on that stage [in the Performing Arts Room] time and time again.
“I definitely think the feeling of the school is unique,” says Ms. de Boer, “the feeling that this is a community environment, like we’re all one big family. I remember walking into some of the other schools for my placement just kind of like wide-eyed, deer in the headlights – like, ‘I don’t know anybody here! I don’t know what they believe, how they feel, what they’re going to say…’ and then I walked into LCH for the first day and it just felt like walking into a second home.”
