Brett Profit

Welcome!

My name is Brett Profit and I’m a graduate from the University of Victoria (UVIC) where I received my Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) degree with physical education and social studies as my two main teaching areas. In addition to my education at UVIC, I'm currently enrolled in the Additional Basic Qualifications (ABQ) course Junior Division at Queen's University. I'm originally from Canora, SK and attended UVIC after being recruited for the University of Victoria Men's Ice Hockey team for the 2012/13 season. I enjoy participating in a wide variety of physical activities, such as: golfing, snowboarding, fishing, hiking, and hockey (as mentioned above). I've played hockey since I was 5 years old, but over the years it became more difficult to play for a competitive team due to busy school and work schedules. After graduating from UVIC I took the opportunity to travel throughout Canada and abroad, not just for relaxing vacations, but to further broaden my knowledge through a whole different perspective and for the first hand experiences. During my travels I prioritized locations that relate to my historical interests and to topics I will be teaching throughout my career.

University of Victoria Bachelor of Education Class of 2018

At present, I am employed as a Grade 5 Homeroom Teacher with The Oxford School in Woodstock, ON. I teach a wide variety of subjects, such as: Social Studies, Math, Drama, Language Arts, Science, and STEM. The Oxford School has provided me with the opportunity to gain a diverse and comprehensive experience, as I am able to implement different strategies and develop appropriate lesson plans for various skill levels. During my time at The Oxford School, I strived to integrate myself into the school environment and take part in extra activities . However, due to COVID-19 limiting the availability for many extra activities not only within the school, but also the community, I took the initiative to start a school ball hockey league during recess that will be able to continue for years to come. Previously, I was employed as an Occasional Teacher with The Oxford School and Standing Stone School, which is located on the Oneida Nation of the Thames in Southwold, ON, and as a Secondary Occasional Teacher with the Avon Maitland District School Board in Seaforth, ON. Being an Occasional Teacher for a variety of schools has been invaluable for my professional development and has given me the opportunity to teach children and adolescents at all grade levels. For instance, teaching students ranging from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 has enabled me to further develop my skills in implementing creative teaching strategies and in developing lesson plans for various learning levels and classes. These experiences have also strengthened my ability to be flexible and to establish respectful and collaborative relationships with school personnel. In addition to working as a homeroom and occasional teacher, I have also pursued teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) as an independent contractor through VIPKid, which requires me to teach English through an online platform to children ranging from age 5 - 14 primarily living in Beijing, China.

The Oxford School Grade 5 2020-2021

My first practicum experience was at Invermay School in Invermay, SK. Invermay School serves as a kindergarten to grade 12 school with a small population of ~110 students. The school provided me with the opportunity to teach physical and health education (PHE) for all grades (kindergarten - grade 12), Social Studies 7/8, and History 20/30. During my time at Invermay School I volunteered to help coach after school sport programs (badminton and track and field), supervised a full day field trip, and gymnasium and outdoor supervision during breaks. Outdoor supervision at Invermay School was a different experience than many other schools. Due to the more remote location of Invermay and the school being situated on the outskirts of town, dangerous animals have actually wondered into the school yard, such as black bears and moose. As a result, you truly have to expect the unexpected and be aware of the surroundings to ensure everyones safety.

My final teaching practicum experience was at Parkland Secondary School in North Saanich, BC. The grades 9 - 12 school has a population of ~575 students, many of whom are from surrounding Indigenous communities and international. Parkland offers unique programs for their students that are not offered at any other institution in the district, such as a hockey academy, judo academy, sailing academy, and the marine technology institute. Parkland uses a 4 block schedule and during my practicum I received the opportunity to teach two blocks of Social Studies 10, a PHE 9/10 for girls, and be a part of the coaching staff for the hockey academy. While at Parkland I also volunteered for after school track meets, gymnasium supervision during breaks, invigilated final exams, and attended Parkland's Open House to discuss the school's programs with future students and parents.

Furthermore, I utilized Google Classroom as it's a great tool for teachers, accessible from anywhere, and is easy for everyone to use. I use Classroom to post my slides, handouts, assignments, reminders, class announcements, provide feedback, and more. Classroom is an uncomplicated online platform and provides an easy form of communication with students and parents. Another important factor is teachers have full control over comments, posts, and requires the teachers invitation to join the Classroom. Overall, I feel very fortunate for the opportunities, experiences, and the welcoming environment both schools provided for me during my practicum experiences. Lastly, I've attached a link to a copy of my Summary Report of Student Teaching from my final practicum for your viewing below.

NOTE I have intentionally blacked out the signatures of my supervisor, mentor, and my own. If you are interested in viewing the document with the signatures, please visit the Contact page**

Click here to view my Summary Report of Student Teaching from my final practicum.

Photo retrieved from the 2018 Parkland Secondary School yearbook - Students vs. Teachers Hockey Game

In my final year of high school I was part of the drama program and volunteered to help build the set with one of my peers. The set was for a very emotional and serious theatre piece called "The Truth About the Sparrows". The Truth About the Sparrows is a story about a group of Jewish children who were imprisoned in a concentration camp during World War II. At night the children would sneak out of their barracks and meet at a secret location in the camp only they knew about where the had their own club and pretend to be free. The group of children called themselves "the Sparrows". Due to the drastic change of scenes, the set required an intricate design that could quickly be changed between a long gated fence with "razor wire" at the top to a large rectangle to represent the inside of a room. Our drama group hosted this theatre production for the community for over a week and performed it in festivals. Each time we performed this production people from the crowd were left in tears and some had to leave the auditorium due a variety of reasons, such as the deep emotional connection to the story and the realization and empathy for the people who suffered in concentration camps during World War II. Not only was I one of two people who constructed the set, but I also participated in the production as a German soldier. Although my acting wasn't recognized as nothing more than average, the set was. My fellow peer and I received a provincial award, the Bob Hinitt Technical Performance Award, via the Saskatchewan Drama Association in recognition for our set design.

Photo retrieved from the 2008 Canora Composite School Yearbook

I’ve had the opportunity to voluntarily coach ice skating, ice hockey teams, and middle school basketball. Most recently, I was one of three experienced volunteer coaches at the Parkland Secondary School Hockey Academy in North Saanich. Coaching has improved my understanding of a variety of strategies, such as how to attend to individual needs and how to work collaboratively, all to achieve success. I’ve also been involved with other community events that typically focus on the betterment of adolescents’ livelihoods, such as Bell Walk for Kids Help Phone, Skating with Santa, and also Relay for Life. Overall, my volunteer experience has provided me with better understanding of time management, teamwork, communication, and also provided me with a sense of making a positive impact in the community.

Bell Walk for Kids Help Phone Team - Canora, SK

Central Middle School Girls Basketball Team - Victoria, BC

Prior to my post-secondary education, I was a Construction Safety Officer (CSO) in the oil & gas industry. As a CSO my job entailed, but was not limited to: orientation of employees, developing a company safety manual, training in various areas, leading company safety meetings, site inspections, and successfully completing an Enform Certificate of Recognition (COR) audit. Overall, my job as a CSO greatly developed my leadership, problem solving and adaptability, management, organization, and safety skills. More recently, I was employed as a lead hand/sandblaster in the oil & gas industry and performed various other tasks, such as operating equipment, equipment inspections, and site safety inspections.

On November 27, 2018, I proposed to my fiancé at Wascana Park in Regina, SK. It took some convincing, but she finally agreed to join me for a short walk on a freezing cold day in Saskatchewan, which she was not dressed appropriately for as she was under the impression we were just going out for a fancy dinner. While sliding across an icy parking lot I specifically remember her saying "I'm not happy right now" and my immediate thought was "I have two minutes to change that". I took her to a spot that extends into the water where we went on our second date and had a photographer hiding to catch the moment. She was in complete shock when I asked her to marry me and after asking if I was serious she replied "yes!".

Initially, our wedding was set for June 6, 2020. However, due to COVID - 19 we were forced to spend a lot of time planning and replanning, scheduling and rescheduling, but we were able to successfully have our wedding in Kingsville, ON on October 24, 2020 and I truly couldn't be more excited to spend the rest of my life with the most wonderful person.

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