Katelyn Day

About

Bio
Personal Education Philosophy

Katelyn (She/They)

Currently, I’m a Junior Intermediate Teacher Candidate (Grades 4-10) at the University of Ottawa and my teachable is General Sciences. I’m very excited and inspired to be pursuing a career in education, but I didn’t always know that I wanted to become a teacher.  

When I finished my Bachelor’s Degree in Biology I was excited to enter the world of science communication. I’ve always loved science and I am passionate about making science accessible to everyone. After graduation, I had the opportunity to do a Science Communication Internship at Science North in Sudbury. Working at a science center was a real dream come true for me and at Science North no less; one of the best science centers in all of Canada! One of the major tenets of Science North is the value of hands-on learning. I am very aligned with this value and have taken it with me into the rest of my teaching.

I am also a strong and outspoken advocate for equity for all marginalized groups including the queer community. As such, I was honoured to work on a Sudbury Pride event as my main project at Science North. The event was called Science Werks and brought together science demonstrations, queer nature facts and drag queens into one amazing fun evening! 

  • Science Werks | Sudbury Pride 2023 | A Drag Show for Nerds | Tuesday July 11th | 7 pm at the Alibi Room (19+)
  • The Science Communication Interns visit Sudbury’s Big Nickel!
  • Katelyn's wrist with a beaded bracelet and an image of the coresponding DNA sequence.
    We made bracelets with beads that match a real segment of DNA!
  • Tour of a nickel mine in Sudbury
    Taking a full tour of Sudbury’s amazing science centers. Here we’re exploring deep in a nickel mine.
  • Forest fire activity involving blowing through straws with cotton ball obstacles.
    Prototyping our interactive exhibit about forest fire smoke and how it affects the respiratory system.
  • Katelyn brushing sand off a fake dinosaur fossil in a large sand box.
    Who says the sandbox is only for kids!? Science centers are my happy place.

Next I worked as Programs Assistant at the Great Lakes Museum in Kingston where I designed and led STEM programming for kids in kindergarten through grade 8. I did in-school workshops as well as full-day museum field trips. All of my programs followed the Ontario curriculum and included engaging hands-on activities. It was in this job that I fell in love with teaching kids and decided to go back to school to get my teaching degree. 

  • Testing the buoyancy of our tin foil boats
  • Water may look clear but is it clean? Taking a microscopic look at our lake water.
  • The Round Goby is an invasive species in the Great Lakes. Students have a chance to take a closer look at our many specimens.
  • Kids were able to push their postcards through the mail slot on the historic SS Keewatin. Postcards created by myself.
  • A porthole into Lake Ontario. We explored our local aquatic species through art.
  • Can we use dirt and rocks to clean water? We made our own water filters to find out!
  • Our camp group toured an Edwardian era steamliner. The SS Keewatin is docked right outside the Great Lakes Museum in Kingston.
  • Keeping the craft closet organized is a thankless job but an important one!

My time in teachers’ education has given me the confidence to teach about more than just science. I especially love teaching language and reading, as I am a strong communicator. In fact, I minored in English at university and worked as a copywriter for two years after graduation. My varied experience has informed the teacher I am today and my personal teaching philosophy.

My Education Philosophy

If I had to choose just 3 values to describe my teaching style I would choose: inclusivity, hands-on learning and critical thinking.

Inclusivity

I am a strong advocate for anti-racist, anti-biased, queer-inclusive, culturally sensitive and trauma-informed pedagogy. I strive to make my classroom a safe and supportive space for all. I am continuously learning how to better support marginalized students and am always open to feedback.

Learn More

Details here.

Hands-On Learning 

Studies show that hands-on activities prompt students to ask deeper questions and retain information at higher rates. When students can be playful and creative they learn the most! In my teaching practice, I include hands-on activities and playful learning as much as possible.

Critical Thinking 

I believe that the most important thing we can teach children and youth is the process of learning. From identifying fake claims online, to writing essays, to following the scientific method. Across every subject, I teach students how to ask strong questions and how to find the answers themselves.