Know Your Profs is an ongoing series of profiles on the instructors at Camosun College. Every issue we ask a different instructor at Camosun the same 10 questions in an attempt to get to know them a little better.
Do you have an instructor that you want to see interviewed in the paper? Maybe you want to know more about one of your teachers, but you’re too busy, or shy, to ask? Email editor@nexusnewspaper.com and we’ll add your instructor to our list of teachers to talk to.
This issue we talked to Mental Heath and Addictions instructor Jody Watson about public speaking, cell phones, and the importance of challenging our comfort zones.
1. What do you teach and how long have you been at Camosun?
I teach in the Mental Health and Addictions Program and in the Interprofessional Mental Health and Addictions program.
2. What do you personally get out of teaching?
I am constantly learning and growing from my students. They bring fresh ideas and perspectives to our program.
3. What’s one thing you wish your students knew about you?
I was a student too for a long time—it took me forever to get my schooling done. I get that it can be a challenging road. I found school extremely difficult, but I am very grateful that I stuck it out even when I wanted to quit. That difficult road led me here.
4. What’s one thing you wish they didn’t know about you?
I still find public speaking difficult. Actually, maybe that is a good thing for students to know. It’s good to push ourselves out of our comfort zones, I think.
5. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you as a teacher here?
I don’t have one stand-out moment. But I can honestly say I love my job, and the best part of my job is building relationships with students.
6. What’s the worst thing that’s happened to you as a teacher here?
I don’t know about the worst, but certainly the most embarrassing and humbling was lecturing students about having their phones turned off during class while a phone was ringing, only to discover it was my phone.
7. What do you see in the future of post-secondary education?
More hands-on learning. Many students learn best through talking through ideas, experimenting, and challenging their own ways of thinking, and through doing.
8. What do you do to relax on the weekends?
Hang out with my family and friends. I lake or ocean swim most Saturday mornings (in a full wetsuit—I’m a cold wimp). I do lots of camping and hiking with my family and also love to cook when I have the time.
9. What’s your favourite meal?
Not much has changed since I was in college—it’s still pizza.
10. What’s your biggest pet peeve?
People scrolling on their phones… I don’t get it. I think people miss out a lot on life with distractions.