It's Katie, just Katie.

Everyone always asks, what's Katie short for? Katherine, Katrina, Kaitlin, and it goes on, but it's just Katie. I'm named after one of my great-grandmothers, whose actual name was Grace, but everyone just called Katie, so my name is just a nickname in origin. But it's just Katie for me, nothing more, nothing less. I grew up in the Lower Mainland of BC and continue to live here in respect of the traditional, unceded, ceded, and ancestral territories of the First Nations peoples that I am so fortunate to live, work, and play on.

I have devoured books and stories for as long as I can remember. For birthdays and Christmas, I would ask for books and then sit for the rest of the day and see how far through my stack I could get through before the night's end. Which then led to me doing my BA at Simon Fraser University, graduating with a major in English and a minor in Archaeology. And like almost every other English major I plan to teach! I am now pursuing my BEd here at UBC, as well as my IB Diploma. Teaching to me has always been a passion. I've grown up coaching in soccer and figure skating, ages from 2 to over 60, and have thoroughly enjoyed watching the light go on behind someone's eyes when they finally get that skill they've been working so hard on. My go-to saying when I'm teaching is there's no I can't, there's only I try.

The nostalgia of physical copies of books still holds a special place in my heart. Still, as the world moves into the digital age, digital media is now how the vast majority of the population gets their information as well as their entertainment.

I would describe myself as a consumer online rather than a producer. I'll still post photos to my Instagram occasionally, but it's a casual interaction with my presence online. However, digital media consumption is a constant feature of my daily life. As a self-proclaimed iPad kid and recently diagnosed with ADHD, I have a continuous need for input, whether it's music, videos, audiobooks, you name it. While this has many benefits, it also has its detriments, something that I know many youths are also learning how to balance today, especially in a classroom environment.

This is an interesting dilemma that teachers are now learning how to juggle in the classroom because digital media has so many benefits, and digital media literacy skills are an essential requirement for most careers nowadays. But it also has its dangers and firm boundaries that need to be established so today's youth can stay safe and mindful while being online.

This relationship between the benefits and consequences of digital media walks a fine line, one that I am excited about and also wary of.

What kind of teacher do I want to be?

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