Mr. Ralph Fraser

I have a geography degree, and when I taught in the public system, I taught music as well as social studies and geography, because you never really had schools big enough to have a full-time music program. So, at Shawnigan, I moved laterally after a time and went into socials and started picking up extra courses here and there. And then gradually that moved to a complete withdrawal from the music department.

 

At that time, I also got into coaching full-time. So that’s where the soccer and hockey and all of that started. This was before Shawnigan joined the CSSHL. I did the CSSHL for one year, then I realized that there’s no way I could do that and teach full-time. Some people do it, but I certainly couldn’t.

 

I would describe myself as enthusiastic. I couldn’t envision being anywhere else but in a kid’s world. I think my most exciting time as a kid was high school, being surrounded by this energy. That’s probably why I think I’d like to come back to Shawnigan on a part-time basis. And not in teaching, but something completely different.

 

I identified early on that you had to be a specific type of person to be here at Shawnigan. It’s kind of like that Jack Nicholson movie, The Shining, but not in a scary or bad way: the building pulses and it doesn’t matter who is here, but the building, the institution shapes everybody. And I find that if you don’t have the ability to go with the flow and handle all the shifts, and timetable changes, and kids that are away… There’s a specific camp of people that can handle this. And the others who can’t are not here.

 

What I love about Shawnigan is just being able to teach and to get to what you need fast, and the connection – knowing that the kids are but a building away. I’ll never forget when, at some point in a discussion with us all, the Headmaster at the time joked that there’s no excuse for students not getting things done. Because, and I quote, “You know where they sleep.” So that part of it, the administration of teaching, was so much easier, and the resources that are available and the opportunities for professional development are great. Pro D is like date night to me. I’ll choose the Pro D out there that really affects me.

 

People, friends, very close family friends who were also teachers at the time said I wouldn’t last here, that I wouldn’t be supported because I step out of the mold. It doesn’t matter what your beliefs are. You’ve got to stand up for something and respect people for their different beliefs. If I found something that I was passionate about and I knew I could make a difference, boy, there was nobody that would stand in my way. And here is the gift: knowing the difference between which is which and not spending my time on the front end.

 

What I’m most grateful for here, I think it’s going back to both the teacher body and the students. That’s what it really comes down to. And these kids are thankful. They are very thankful. I think it’s just innate. It seems to be everywhere here. And we stress that. We see these kids so much that you know when something is working and you get that reinforcement.

I think what I’ll remember the most is the intimacy that you have all around with staff and activities and being part of a community.