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Faculty of Education and You: Michelle Beaulieu

MICHELLE BEAULIEU, GRADE SCHOOL TEACHER.

Year Graduated: 2025

Program: MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Innovations in Mathematics Education

Michelle Beaulieu, a seasoned elementary school teacher, has built her career around student engagement and care. Teaching primarily grade 6 and 7 students in the Yukon since 2000, she has spent years exploring how students experience mathematics and how learning environments can invite confidence, connection and excitement.

The MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Innovations in Mathematics Education program was first introduced to Michelle during her time in the Alaska Highway Consortium on Teacher Education (AHCOTE) program. After completing her MEd, Michelle applied for the PhD in Mathematics Education.

I never planned on pursuing a doctorate. However, I loved learning after so many years of teaching, I was genuinely sad when the masters program ended. I missed it in my life, and that feeling is what motivated me to apply for the PhD.

The way we learned in the masters program mirrored the kinds of learning experiences I want for students. We learned by doing, exploring, solving problems together and engaging in rich discussion. It made me realize how different learning could feel when its designed with care.

There were a lot of opportunities to try new innovative ways of teaching that were quite different from traditional ways of teaching.

Michelle has been teaching at Golden Horn Elementary School, just outside of Whitehorse, for 22 years. She also leads the schools experiential outdoor program.

When our students experience the backpacking or canoeing trip from the outdoor program, they return with grit, confidence and strengthened collaboration skills; willing to take risks and face challenges.

Their experience carries directly into mathematics learning. Solving a difficult problem feels less intimidating when youve already proven to yourself that you can persevere.

Math has always been a subject that matters to me because so many students come into the classroom with anxiety, fear or a belief that theyre just not good at it.

One of the most powerful experiences I had in the masters program was developing my own relationship with numeracy as a learner. The program wasnt just about teaching math, it was about becoming a doer of mathematics again and seeing it as creative, accessible and human.

Everything about how I teach mathematics now is influenced by the masters program. My students engage in longer, more interactive sessions, and the feedback I receive from parents tells me that students who once disliked math are now enjoying it.

My advice to incoming students is to take the opportunity if its available to you. This program genuinely transforms classroom practice. If student learning is your passion, especially in mathematics, its an incredible way to grow.