Q&A with Blyth Academy Burlington Teacher and Guidance Counsellor Ms. Taylor Kitchen

Meet Ms. Taylor Kitchen!

• Years in Education: 13
• Years at Blyth Academy: 5 

After completing her undergraduate studies at the University of Waterloo and a Master of Science in Education at Medaille University in New York, Ms. Kitchen began teaching in 2011 and joined Blyth Academy Burlington in 2019. In 2020, she led our virtual Orbit Middle School and transitioned the program to a hybrid model when she joined the Burlington campus again in 2021 as the Elementary Lead. Now, as both a teacher and Guidance Counsellor, Ms. Kitchen supports our students both in the classroom and across campus as they navigate their individual pathways in education. Outside of school, Ms. Kitchen enjoys travelling with her husband and 2 children and being a dog Mom to her French Bulldog, Diesel.

What/who inspired you to become a teacher? 

I have three younger brothers who are the reason I wanted to be a teacher. From a very young age, I always loved planning things for them do to (read: bossing them around), and as we grew up, this naturally transitioned into a passion for education and teaching. 

If someone walked into your classroom tomorrow, what would they see, hear, and feel?

My hope is that someone walking into my classroom, or my office, would experience a multi-sensory invitation to be curious! Lamps and LED lights, wobble stools and wheely chairs along with ambient music give different people different ways to connect with their learning space and to feel comfortable and ready to participate in the day.   

What is one of your favourite memories as a teacher? 

It's actually a really simple one. I had a student who had experienced a really difficult situation with a classmate and they were having a hard time processing the entire interaction. We spent some time talking through each part of what had happened to get a better understanding of how they were feeling and at the end of our chat the student said, "You know, Miss? You're really good at explaining things. My teacher at my old school never really explained these things to me." I will never forget that phrase and I will never underestimate what a little time and patience can mean to my students! 

What is most rewarding about being a teacher? 

For me, it's definitely the opportunity to reshape a student's relationship with school and learning. When they know that we are as invested and interested in their success as they are, it changes everything.  

What is one skill you think every student should learn? 

I may be biased, as a French teacher, but I think that everyone should learn another language- even if it's just a few words! In a world where we are finding new and more efficient ways to travel to other places on our planet, we are very much global citizens and should look to expand the ways we can communicate with one another! I speak 3 languages and learned to speak, read and write Bosnian fluently in my twenties. It's never too late and it's always possible.    

Want to learn more about Blyth Academy Burlington?

Blyth Academy Burlington is a private school catering to students in Grades 5-12. Our campus focuses on small class sizes with individualized attention and  Advanced Sports Training for athletes in partnership with Conacher Athletics.

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