Title: Elementary School Teacher

Company: Tecumseh Elementary School

Location: Vancouver, BC

Vancouver, BC, Canada, May 6, 2011, Rosalia Dean, Elementary School Teacher at Tecumseh Elementary School, has been recognized by Elite American Educators for dedication, achievements and leadership in music education.

Music has always been a large part of Ms. Dean’s life. Upon graduating from high school, it made sense to her to focus on her singing during her time at The University of British Columbia, where she completed a bachelor’s degree in music. She was encouraged by Dr. Vinci of the Banff School of Fine Arts, with whom she studied voice and opera, to pursue a career in music because of her immense talent. Instead, Ms. Dean decided to bring her expertise to the classroom and teach children. As a child, she always held an admiration for her previous teachers and parents, who also taught in the public school system.

Ms. Dean obtained a certification in early childhood and a British Columbia Professional Teaching Certificate from Langara College and The University of British Columbia, respectively. She launched into her teaching career and has never looked back. Currently, she teaches a variety of subjects at Tecumseh Elementary School. She teaches music, dance, drama and physical education for kindergarten through third-grade students. She splits her time also teaching language arts, French, music, visual arts and intermediate choir to fourth- through seventh-grade students. Additionally, she teaches music reading clinics during the summer months.

During her extensive career, Ms. Dean has had many wonderful opportunities and experiences as an educator. However, she considers the year she spent in Australia for an international teacher exchange to be the highlight. Traveling alone, she found it to be a great period of self-discovery and independence. She developed an interest in Aboriginal culture and attended a conference on the topic in Sydney. At the conference, Ms. Dean befriended an Aboriginal woman who taught her many things about their culture one-on-one.

Ms. Dean is grateful to have had so many encouraging and supportive people along the way. She is especially thankful to all of her students and their families for continually teaching her about sharing, believing and inspiring each other to be the best they can be. Nearing retirement, she hopes to leave behind a love of learning and risk-taking for all her former students.

Contact Rosalia Dean