EDGE PRINCIPAL SEES THE FUTURE IN CHILDREN
Born and raised in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Keith Taylor has been principal at Edge School for Athletes since 2012, but joined Edge in 2006 as a chemistry teacher and assistant principal. Currently pursuing a master’s degree, Taylor took time to speak with wr
Q How would your best friend describe you?
A Caring and dedicated.
Q What can you not live without?
A My family and a meaningful career.
Q Did you have a favourite class, game or sport as a kid?
A Curling was my passion from late elementary school all the way through university. I played competitively for Nova Scotia at the nationals on a couple of occasions. And when I was growing up, my family spent a fair amount of time playing cards. We try to do that with our kids as well, playing cards and board games, having quality time that way.
Q Any hobbies or interesting side projects?
A Anything water-related: swimming, boating and kayaking.
Q Was there a formative experience that started you down the path to education?
A I always gravitated to working with people, particularly working with kids. I spent a fair amount of time in high school and university tutoring students — I always felt like that was a calling. I found satisfaction working with students who were struggling, helping them get over those hurdles.
Q Who do you find is the most influential teacher you have worked with?
A Teachers that have had the most influence on me are the ones that have that magical mix of content knowledge, the ability to connect with and relate to students, and the ability to make learning fun and relevant. My Grade 6 teacher, Sister Veronica Murphy at St. Anthony Daniel School in Sydney, Nova Scotia, had those qualities. She was very strict, but in a way that you knew she genuinely cared about you.
Q What is the biggest challenge you face at school this year?
A Our biggest challenge — which is really exciting — is that we’re planning for the addition of kindergarten to Grade 3 for the 2017-2018 school year, expanding Edge School from kindergarten to Grade 12. The really neat thing about it is that the older kids get great leadership opportunities to mentor the younger kids, and the younger kids get the opportunity to be exposed to some really great role models.
Q What does your school have bragging rights to?
A We’ve got an incredibly dedicated, talented group of staff members, very supportive parents, and students that are genuinely excited to come to school. Our students enjoy being physically active. Many train upwards of 20 to 40 hours a week in their given sports. Our facilities are second-to-none with two NHL-sized hockey arenas, a 10,000-square-foot high performance training centre, world-class athletic turf field, three band studios, a golf centre and six science labs, to name just a few. What sets us apart is our balanced approach to academics and sport. We want (students) to be successful in both, and that’s what our school allows.
Q What’s the best thing you’ve learned while being a teacher?
A That every child has unique challenges and unique talents. Our job as educators is to bring out the best in our students. The job for our teachers is (to serve as) catalysts to ignite the inner spark in our children. Our kids are our future. There is no more important career than education, in my mind.