对Edward来说，教学并不像传统的工作——因为他参与着学生的成长过程。他说在深圳中加第一学年的期末，一个平时课堂上很安静的学生给他做了一份手工制作的礼物和卡片，这提醒他记住教师的责任，这个角色会对所有的学生产生影响。

Edward Hicklin

I received my Bachelor of Arts from Acadia University, one of Canada’s best schools of liberal arts. Though my education was broad, I studied primarily history, literature, and political science. Following a year of travel across Europe, I returned to Acadia University and earned a Bachelor of Education degree. Following my university education I began to write screenplays as a hobby and have since earned the following awards:

2021 Festigious Los Angeles International Film Festival (Best Dark Comedy)

2021 After Hours Film Festival (best comedy)

2021 Montreal Independent Film Festival (best Canadian script)

2021 New York Movie Awards (Best Script)

2020 Lost Angeles Movie Film Awards (best comedy)

2020 Los Angeles Independent Film Awards (best script)

2020 Los Angeles Film and Script Competition (Best comedy)

2020 Los Angeles Movie Awards (Best Script)

Horror13 Film Festival (Best Screenplay)

2019 Austin Comedy Short Film Festival (Best Screenplay)

2017 Los Angeles Cinema Festival of Hollywood (Best Screenplay)

2017 New York Film Awards (Best Script)

I teach grade twelve English at SCCSC and have been doing so for ten years. Because I teach grade twelve, however, I view my job as much more complex than mere language learning. My students are preparing for life in western university, and said preparation happens primarily in my classroom. After learning where and to which universities my students will be moving to, I take ample time to ensure they are very familiar with the towns and cities they will soon be living in and, of course, the universities they will be attending.

Teaching doesn’t feel like a traditional job to me – I get to watch my bright, enthusiastic students grow up while talking about subjects I love. It also gives me the luxury of travel and the privilege to experience different cultures from all over the world. A key moment for me was when I wrapped up my first year at SCCSC and a quiet, unassuming student made me a handmade gift and card. I was very surprised - among the more boisterous characters in class, I hadn't realised how much she'd been listening and taking everything in. It was a lesson in remembering the impact you have on all pupils and the responsibility that comes with that.

My education motto is ‘connections.’  I try to learn, very early in the year, what my students are passionate about. These passions often range from sports, ancient history, film, music, video games, and everything in between. I then attempt to incorporate these passions into my lessons to help build a bridge between the unit subject matter and the interests of the students. It’s not always easy, but these connections have helped create and maintain a level of student interest that was previously absent from my classroom.

-The most challenging part of teaching rests with those students who are often classified as ‘the most challenging students.’ Though rare at SCCSC, we occasionally come across a student who is partially, or even entirely, checked out. I will offer an anecdote: A few years ago I taught a student who wanted nothing to do with this or any school. He spent his time at the back of the class drawing pictures of weapons of war. He refused to take any part in class. One day, before class, I asked him to show me his artwork. He did so enthusiastically, and I was shocked at his talent. The drawings were genuinely remarkable. I asked him how he learned such an impressive craft, and he told me the story of his father’s years of teachings. Suddenly, the student began to partake in class. I continued to ask him about his art both before and after class, and before long he was sitting at the front of the classroom and was an active member of the team. Hence my motto, ‘connections.’

-Becoming a ‘popular’ teacher is a tricky achievement. In my experience, it starts with offering the students the respect they deserve. I teach grade twelve, and my students are therefore in their mid-to-late teenage years. They are not kids. They are intelligent, and capable of advanced thinking, should they be afforded the opportunity. I consider my classroom said opportunity.

-In addition to academic performance, I do my best to offer a map as to what it is to be a global citizen in 2022. Our students are on the cusp of attending western university, and these campuses swell with individuals from all corners of the earth. What do these different cultures have in common? What is it like to live in a multi-cultural world? These are questions that I begin to answer very early on in the year, so that when it is time for my students to graduate, they feel that they are more than ready to take the leap into a higher education. 

-The relationship between student and teacher is another tricky topic that will likely evolve throughout my entire teaching career. More than anything, I attempt to communicate with my students as though they are my equal and not my inferior. As stated before, my students are highly intelligent and capable of tackling deep subjects that may be beyond the intelligences of children. I therefor cater to this intelligence by showing respect for it. I am the leader of my classroom, but I do so with utter benevolence.