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About me and my teaching philosophy 
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About me
I was born in Romania but moved to Canada when I was 14 years old. I have lived in many places throughout Canada and spent a short period in China as well. I have traveled extensively throughout Europe, North America, and Asia, but I chose Alberta as my home because I love the people, the mountains, and the culture. I have a hyphenated identity, shaped by the places I’ve lived, the people I’ve met, the languages I speak, and the cultures I’ve learned from. In all my experiences, I have come to admire the human ability to create beauty and meaning.
I committed myself to academic learning and earned a BA and an MA in Political Science from the University of Calgary. Following this, I earned a PhD from Carleton University in Ottawa and was awarded the Senate Medal for my thesis, “Alluring Freedoms.” However, the closer I came to an academic career, the more I realized that my true passion is teaching. This realization led me to Lacombe Composite High School, where I have been teaching English and Social Studies for over five years. I enjoy living in Lacombe and quickly discovered that the more I became involved in the school culture, and the more I learned about the students through various extracurricular activities, the more I enjoyed my work. I find teaching incredibly rewarding and cherish the opportunity to learn from my students every day.
I also enjoy spending time with my family, including my partner and our 13-year-old son, and traveling together. We have a chocolate Labrador Retriever who reminds me daily of the boundless energy a living being can possess. I am an avid skier and rarely pass up the opportunity to ski in the Rockies.
I was born in Romania but moved to Canada when I was 14 years old. I have lived in many places throughout Canada and spent a short period in China as well. I have traveled extensively throughout Europe, North America, and Asia, but I chose Alberta as my home because I love the people, the mountains, and the culture. I have a hyphenated identity, shaped by the places I’ve lived, the people I’ve met, the languages I speak, and the cultures I’ve learned from. In all my experiences, I have come to admire the human ability to create beauty and meaning.
I committed myself to academic learning and earned a BA and an MA in Political Science from the University of Calgary. Following this, I earned a PhD from Carleton University in Ottawa and was awarded the Senate Medal for my thesis, “Alluring Freedoms.” However, the closer I came to an academic career, the more I realized that my true passion is teaching. This realization led me to Lacombe Composite High School, where I have been teaching English and Social Studies for over five years. I enjoy living in Lacombe and quickly discovered that the more I became involved in the school culture, and the more I learned about the students through various extracurricular activities, the more I enjoyed my work. I find teaching incredibly rewarding and cherish the opportunity to learn from my students every day.
I also enjoy spending time with my family, including my partner and our 13-year-old son, and traveling together. We have a chocolate Labrador Retriever who reminds me daily of the boundless energy a living being can possess. I am an avid skier and rarely pass up the opportunity to ski in the Rockies.
Teaching Philosophy
My teaching philosophy aims to intertwine technology with a deep respect for history, tradition, and ancient wisdom, all while nurturing curiosity and a sense of wonder. I believe that expressing oneself—whether through speaking, writing, dancing, singing, drawing, or acting—are powerful actions that expand one's presence in the world and help shape a recognized identity. As a teacher, both in and out of the classroom, my role is to create an environment where students are encouraged to explore, develop, and cultivate their curiosity as they grow into the individuals they aspire to become.
I also place a strong emphasis on academic success. I understand the importance of assessments in all their forms and work diligently to help students improve their grades and overall academic performance in the short term. I am particularly attentive to students who have been wrongly convinced that they "cannot do well," striving to show them that they can improve and eventually master the subjects they study. While effective teaching does aim to enhance students' grades in the short term, its most crucial goal is to foster a lifelong desire to learn.
The confidence to learn—to know that one can tackle and eventually master any subject—is not something we are born with. However, it is a type of confidence I have been dedicated to instilling in my students over the years.
My teaching philosophy aims to intertwine technology with a deep respect for history, tradition, and ancient wisdom, all while nurturing curiosity and a sense of wonder. I believe that expressing oneself—whether through speaking, writing, dancing, singing, drawing, or acting—are powerful actions that expand one's presence in the world and help shape a recognized identity. As a teacher, both in and out of the classroom, my role is to create an environment where students are encouraged to explore, develop, and cultivate their curiosity as they grow into the individuals they aspire to become.
I also place a strong emphasis on academic success. I understand the importance of assessments in all their forms and work diligently to help students improve their grades and overall academic performance in the short term. I am particularly attentive to students who have been wrongly convinced that they "cannot do well," striving to show them that they can improve and eventually master the subjects they study. While effective teaching does aim to enhance students' grades in the short term, its most crucial goal is to foster a lifelong desire to learn.
The confidence to learn—to know that one can tackle and eventually master any subject—is not something we are born with. However, it is a type of confidence I have been dedicated to instilling in my students over the years.
