Associate teacher Sherri-Lynn Soumis cites her mentors as inspiration in becoming an associate teacher herself (PROVIDED BY SHERRI-LYNN SOUMIS/University of Windsor)
By Kate Hargreaves
Sherri-Lynn Soumis’s mentor used to tell her to “pay it forward” whenever she could.
As a high school English teacher, Soumis is doing just that as an associate teacher, mentoring University of Windsor teacher candidates through their practice teaching placements.
Soumis explains that she takes inspiration from her own associate teachers who left a lasting impression on her.
— Published on May 7th, 2026
UWindsor alum, Indigenous graduation coach and Lancer football offensive line coach Randy Beardy (KYLE ARCHIBALD/University of Windsor)
By Kate Hargreaves
Randy Beardy never imagined himself becoming a teacher.
“I’m kind of a rebel at heart,” he laughs. “If you tell me to do something, I have a hard time doing it.”
Rather than following in his mother's footsteps — also a University of Windsor BEd alum, Beardy (BA Psychology ’17, BEd ’24) says he wanted to become a football coach.
— Published on May 7th, 2026
Teacher candidate Brett Bjorgan was inspired to follow his father's footsteps into teaching and coaching (KYLE SULLIVAN/University of Windsor)
By Kate Hargreaves
While having your dad teach at your high school may sound like a nightmare to some, for Brett Bjorgan, it was an inspiration.
“My dad is a secondary physical education teacher, and my high school experience was great having him there as a mentor and making sure I was doing the right thing and staying in line,” he says.
— Published on May 7th, 2026
Sanja Srdanov is a secondary art teacher and associate teacher mentoring teacher candidates from the Faculty of Education (S. SRDANOV/University of Windsor)
By Kate Hargreaves
No matter where secondary visual arts teacher Sanja Srdanov (BFA ’01, BEd ’02) is teaching, her focus is both student-centred and grounded in craft.
A Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate from the University of Windsor, Srdanov emphasizes the importance of being a practicing artist as a visual arts educator.
— Published on May 7th, 2026
Gender and Sexuality in Education Resources is now available as a free online pressbook (CANVA/University of Windsor)
By Kate Hargreaves
How can teachers ensure inclusion in gendered languages like French? What can they do to address technology‑facilitated gender‑based violence? What would an intersectional feminist approach to teaching the history of prohibition look like?
These are among the questions that a new pressbook out of the Faculty of Education begins to answer with resources entirely created by teacher candidates.
— Published on May 1st, 2026
Retired Women Teachers of Ontario celebrated its 70th jubilee at Devonshire Mall (MIKE FLANAGAN/University of Windsor)
By Kate Hargreaves
Teaching has been part of Gina Marcon’s (BA ’87, BEd ’88) life since she was six years old.
“I knew then that I was going to be a teacher,” she says. “Every time my cousins would come over, we’d play school, and I was always the teacher.”
— Published on Apr 16th, 2026
Elizabeth Dalla Bona upgraded her teaching credentials with a senior qualification in visual arts (FILE/University of Windsor)
By Kate Hargreaves
Crossing the convocation stage is far from the end of teacher education.
At the University of Windsor, continuing teacher education courses support new and established teachers in developing their skills and professional qualifications with a diverse range of program and course offerings.
— Published on Mar 27th, 2026
Year-two teacher candidates shared their service-learning projects with first-year education students at the Service-Learning Fair (SHIJING XU/University of Windsor)
By Kate Hargreaves
While experiential learning has always been central to teacher education — in the form of teaching placements in elementary and secondary schools — University of Windsor teacher candidates have the unique opportunity to participate in service-learning programs to broaden their horizons, expand their skills and give back to the community.
— Published on Mar 25th, 2026
Dr. Chenkai Chi (far left) is the instructor for the service-learning course Interdisciplinary Education for Sustainability, designed by Dr. Shijing Xu (second from left) (ANGELA KHARBOUTLI/University of Windsor)
By Kate Hargreaves
Elementary and secondary teachers play a critical role in building student skills in responsible environmental citizenship.
That’s why, when the Faculty of Education recently revised its B.Ed. course offerings, it was only logical that one of the new electives focus on environmental sustainability.
— Published on Mar 17th, 2026
Families and children from the Windsor-Essex region enjoyed a variety of learning activities at the Early Years Carousel (PROVIDED BY S. SHAHBAZI/University of Windsor)
By Kate Hargreaves
More than 300 local children and their family members enjoyed a day of play and learning as part of the seventh annual Early Years Carousel last weekend.
Organized by teacher candidates in the Early Years service-learning course in the Faculty of Education, the event was a morning of exploration, play and connection for young children and their families from across Windsor and Essex County.
— Published on Mar 13th, 2026
Associate teacher Sherri-Lynn Soumis cites her mentors as inspiration in becoming an associate teacher herself (PROVIDED BY SHERRI-LYNN SOUMIS/University of Windsor)
