Hi there! My name is Abby Whitteker and I am a first year teacher at Cornel this year.  I am extremely excited to join my teaching colleagues and students!

I grew up in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. I spent the last five years studying at Bishop’s University in a small university town in Quebec. This is where I completed my Bachelors of Arts in educational studies with a minor in teaching English as a second language. From there I completed my Bachelor of Education in the primary division. Teaching abroad was always my goal and having spent time in Asia over the past summer I knew this is where I wanted to begin my career. I can’t wait to see what my journey to Taiwan has in store for me!

I am joyed to be teaching at Cornel. Having worked with a variety of levels, I have found that the younger levels are truly my favourite to teach. My goal as a teacher is to provide my students with an environment in which they feel comfortable, safe and motivated to learn. I look to build strong relationships with my students in hopes that we can form a community in our classroom. As a community, we will define and outline the expectations of our classroom and build a routine that is suitable for everyone. I will strongly encourage cooperative and collaborative learning, allowing the students to be active in their education. I look to provide materials and activities that will fit my classes’ interests and strengths. Through the use of engaging material that relates to the students lives outside the classroom, students will be able to make connections to their lives while learning academic material, providing my students the best chance at success. I also look forward to learning alongside my students during our outings to explore the city.

My goal is to keep busy exploring all of Taiwan in my spare time and truly immersing myself in the new culture. This will not only allow me to gain new knowledge and enjoy my experiences but also to bring this learning back to my classroom to build stronger relationships with my students. I look forward to spending my time in nature and exploring all of the amazing things Taiwan has to offer!