Brian MacDonald

Physical Education Teacher K-7, French immersion and non-immersion students. Responsible for providing instruction to all students within the school, including all coaching duties, overnight trips, and after school clubs. Selkirk is a trauma sensitive school.

Physical Education Teacher - Selkirk Elementary School - Whitehorse, YT

(2008)

Physical Education Teacher K-7, French immersion and non-immersion students. Responsible for providing instruction to all students within the school, including all coaching duties, overnight trips, and after school clubs. Selkirk is a trauma sensitive school.

Outdoor Education Teacher - Selkirk Elementary School - Whitehorse, YT

(2020)

This newly developed program was developed by myself, providing outdoor experiential learning to students from grades 5-7. Have raised over $30,000 dollars to build the program through grants and other funding opportunities.

• Canoeing
• Hiking
• Shelter building
• Wall tent construction
• Quince construction
• Winter camping
• Snowshoeing
• Skiing
• Kick sledding
• Outdoor cooking techniques
• Plant identification
• Construction of snowshoes, wall tent frames, polks for transporting during winter conditions

Selkirk Coyote Carpentry - Selkirk Elementary School - Whitehorse, YT

(2017 - 2018)

This carpentry position included a weekly visit to Yukonstruct Workshop with a small group of students (grades 5-7). This successful pilot program ran for the duration of the school year and was offered to four different groups of students. Other elementary schools in Whitehorse adopted this program in following years.

• Beginning with hand tools (files, rasps, hand saw, scroll saw, sanding block, draw knife, clamps, hand plainer)
• Graduating to simple power tools (palm sander, jigsaw, cordless drill) appropriate for the level of each student
• Students designed, created and completed several small projects (jam paddle, guitar stands, small box for personal items, stove rack squirrel)

Guidance Coordinator - Paq'tnkek Mi'kmaw Nation - Afton, NS

(2015 - 2016)

• Developed and implemented programming to support career exploration and knowledge of career pathways
• Assisted and supervised high school students in the woods/construction classes at Antigonish East Education Center, Monastery, NS

Teacher - Riverfront Alternate School - Whitehorse, Yukon

(2004 - 2008)

Teacher of up to 12 students, responsible for developing and facilitating individual curriculum to students with severe behavioural needs. Additionally provided breakfast program, outdoor and physical educational teaching, field trips, work placements, prevocational training, from carpentry to river guide opportunities.

• Carpentry/Carving program Sundog Carving was introduced to the students and youth of Riverfront School and Youth Achievement in collaboration with Vanier Catholic Secondary School
• Involved with each aspect of the program, and was able to learn carving techniques, practice and demonstrate to students
• Carving entailed design, shop safety, laminating, knowledge and use of carving tools, finishing and painting
• Occasionally assisted students who were new to the Youth Achievement Wood-shop, creating familiarity in transitions and modelling positive working relationships

Carpenter's Apprentice - Self-employed (Various mentors) - Whitehorse, YT / Antigonish, NS

(2007 - 2016)

Apprenticeships under Jason Teasdale (2016, Antigonish, NS), Peter Buntane (2010, Whitehorse YT) and Georg Saure (2007, Whitehorse, YT).

• Framing, roofing, footings, drywall, window and door installation
• Basic wiring, basic plumbing, trim and finish work, flooring, tiling and painting
• Use of table saws, skills saw, hand saw, edger, drills, air tools (nail gun, brad nailer), sanders, hammers, files, rasps, coping saw, levels, chalk line, plum bob, measuring tape

Drywall & Paint Apprentice - Self-employed - Whitehorse, YT

(2010 - 2010)

Apprenticeship under Robert Forget.

• Cutting and hanging drywall, taping and mudding, finish work, returns and trim and painting
• Use of ladders, putty knives, trowels, saws, cordless drills

House Builder - Self (myself) - Jackson Lake, Yukon

(2006 - 2008)

• Designing the house, building foundation, constructing log house using power tools and hand tools
• Framing, building rafters, roofing, designing and assisting in building windows and doors
• Flooring, drywalling, basic off grid electrical, and basic plumbing (water & propane)

ShipWright Apprentice - Snyder's Boat Building - Lunnenburg, NS

(2002 - 2002)

Total retrofit on the port side of a double-masted schooner 154' in length (Highlander Sea).

• Traditional shipwrights hand tools (sledge hammer, splitting wedges, pry bar, caulking mallets, beetling hammers, reaming wedge horsing wedge, clamps, auger)
• Modern construction tools (power hand planers, impact drills, power drills, chainsaw, skill saw)
• Partial demolition and reconstruction work

Stone Mason's Apprentice - Self-employed - Rafuse Island, NS

(2002 - 2002)

Apprenticeship under Bob Bartlett.

• Marking, cutting and splitting stone for the purpose of building stone walls and deck patios for outside use
• Use of hammers and wedges, trowel, rock saws, mixing and application of mortar, using mixers and hand mixed

Masters of Education in Leadership - Outdoor Education and Inclusion - Saint Francis Xavier University (2019 - 2021)

Certificate - Technology Education - Dalhousie University, Agricultural and Technology Campus (2014 - 2016)

Bachelor of Education - Nova Scotia Teacher's College (1991 - 1995)