Name: Clarissa de Leon
Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario
Program: Master of Education
Favourite Young Adult Novel: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart (it was excruciating just choosing one!)
Hobbies: Creative writing, blogging/video blogging, learning new tricks with Lio (my greyhound).
1. What made you decide to go into education?
I’m a very relationship-oriented person. I’ve known since high school that I wanted a career that allowed me to work closely with others and be a part of a team. Also, I love learning. When I started volunteering as a tutor in my undergrad, I realized that teaching brought together those two interests.
2. Why did you choose Queen’s?
I chose to complete my Bachelor of Education at Queen’s because I wanted to throw myself into a completely new experience after five years at the University of Toronto (I took an extra year to complete my HBA). I quickly fell in love with the Faculty of Education and the city of Kingston so, when I decided to pursue my Master of Education, I knew I wanted to come back to Queen’s.
3. What was the funniest (intentionally or not) thing a student has said or done?
He wasn’t one of my students, but I knew a 5th grader who really loved dancing – to the point where he just couldn’t help himself whenever music started playing. One day we had a Jump Rope for Heart event at our school and, to this day, the mental image of him trying to dance and jump rope at the same time makes me laugh.
4. How did you find a research interest and stick with it?
I have many research interests but the main pillars of my thesis research are mental health and Reader-Response Theory. Specifically, I’m interested in how young people use literature to understand and cope with their anxiety. My Master’s research is deeply rooted in my personal experiences of growing up with anxiety and the emotional connection I had to books as a teen. When I found out that there is very little research currently out there about this specific topic, it became academically and personally important for me to pursue it.
5. Do you have a favourite age group to teach? If yes, which is it and why?
I have honestly loved every age group that I’ve taught – including the concurrent and consecutive teacher candidates I currently help teach as a TA. However, grade 7 will always hold a special place in my heart.
6. Who was your favourite teacher when you were in school?
I was very lucky to have three amazing high school English teachers whose guidance and lessons continue to influence me today: Ms. Bej (grade 11 and literature studies), Ms. Kaye (grades 9 and 12) and Ms. Dragicevic (writer’s craft).
7. Favourite spot in Kingston?
Cambodiana on Brock and Montreal! I’m a big fan of the Chef’s Special but I haven’t tried anything on the menu that I didn’t like.