Close Shave for Associate Teacher
When students at Oxbow Public School in Ilderton began their annual fundraiser for cancer research, Pamela Mears, a Grade 2 teacher and Associate Teacher for Western’s Faculty of Education, decided to go the extra mile to encourage donations.
With $2000 raised last year, Ms. Mears challenged the school to raise the bar to $3000. If they were successful, she promised her students she would have her head shaved at the school’s annual Terry Fox assembly.
Inspired by this and other initiatives, the students, staff and community pulled together and raised an impressive $5000.
Leona Buck is a teacher candidate from Western’s Faculty of Education, currently on her first practicum placement in Ms. Mears’ Grade 2 class. Leona was “thrilled and privileged” to be part of the school’s fundraiser and to be present at the assembly when Ms. Mears, true to her word, courageously shaved her head.
Leona says “The Vision for the Thames Valley District School Board is a caring sharing community. As a teacher candidate, I was grateful and amazed to see this vision in action. With the dedication and passion of my Associate Teacher, I have come to understand that teaching is a way of life. Teaching is a platform from which we can work with our students to help them understand that they can make a difference.”
