USask student brings versatility and international experiences to the classroom

A French translation of this article can be found here.

Although her initial thoughts were to pursue a degree in pharmacy at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), Wardrop gained interest in teaching while working as an educational assistant following her graduation from high school.

“I thought that I should look into an education degree because it’s something that I’m passionate about and the students were receiving me well,’” said Wardrop.

She frequently observed how rewarding the role of a teacher could be as her mother has taught primary students for 23 years. Her mother’s influence is why Wardrop feels drawn to early years education.

“I really like teaching reading and writing skills. I think it’s super fun to do the basics. [Kindergarten to Grade 5 is] probably the age group I’m most comfortable with.”

With a French language background combined with a secondary teaching area of science, Wardrop wanted to strengthen her language skills to better shape future multilingual students.

“When I heard about the Language Teacher Education Program (LTEP) opening up, as a French immersion student it was neat that [the College of Education] offered French immersion education classes,” she said.

Wardrop was introduced to and took classes from College of Education PhD candidate Katryne Dubeau. The two would end up working together on a research paper that discusses how integrating social justice education into mathematics could impact negative attitudes and math anxiety among elementary school pre-service teachers.

“Katryne really brought in that social justice and mathematics idea, which I had never seen before. The two concepts effortlessly combined,” said Wardrop.

Wardrop and Dubeau were recognized for their research at the North American chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME-NA) during the 2024 conference in Cleveland, Ohio, last November.

“The conference in Cleveland was amazing. I was extremely grateful that Katryne brought me on board. Going to the conferences, people were presenting ideas that I had never thought about or heard about in education,” said Wardrop.

As a presenter and attendee of the conference, Wardrop’s scope of pedagogy greatly opened up. She was able to learn from and engage with international educators to expand her knowledge. Wardrop thoroughly enjoyed the space and opportunity.

“One of the sessions I attended was on children’s literature and mathematics and merging those two together to help in younger years. I thought that it was a fantastic idea to have books that aren’t technically math-specific, but can bring mathematical concepts into it.”

Wardrop admits that she gets nervous when presenting and public speaking. The conference provided a great opportunity to build confidence in this area.

“Working with Mina was delightful,” said Dubeau. “She presented the topic quite well and responded to questions with enthusiasm and knowledge. You would not have noticed she was nervous at all.”

“Attendees were impressed to see an undergraduate student presenting and showing excitement around mathematics education even though it wasn’t her primary teaching area. They have already been asking if she will be presenting again at the next conference,” added Dubeau.

Immediately following the conference, Wardrop flew out of Cleveland to begin her international teaching practicum at the British Columbia International School Bangkok (BCISB) in Bangkok, Thailand. The six-week practicum offers teacher candidates the opportunity to engage in a field experience opportunity paired with collaborating teachers/mentors in international educational settings.

USask’s College of Education encourages undergraduate students to pursue research projects in areas that appeal to them. Wardrop, the college and BCISB worked collaboratively so that Wardrop was able to present and then start her practicum without any issues.

“I was fortunate I had two co-operating teachers and was able to bounce between two grade four classrooms,” said Wardrop. “I could really enjoy the experience and make connections with the students, embrace the culture, embrace a new city, and embrace an opportunity at an international school. It was unlike anywhere I had ever been.”

Wardrop highly encourages undergraduate students in education to apply for the international practicum. She is able to compare and contrast the educational structures in various environments and apply the best aspects into her own teaching.

“I’d say definitely go for it, especially if you’re interested in teaching internationally. Teachers [at BCISB] were so helpful and each of them had different teaching experiences. Some of them had taught in other international schools. Some people had even taught in different areas in Canada,” Wardrop said.

When reflecting on her journey through education and travel, Wardrop invites others to value, embrace and celebrate each person’s diversity.

“I think it’s really important to be accepting of people, their backgrounds and their cultures, especially as someone in education,” Wardrop said. “You will have students from all around the world in the classroom. I think it’s important to be able to give them the best tools to be able to navigate this world and give them opportunities to succeed.”