Know Your Profs is an ongoing series of profiles on the instructors at Camosun College. Every issue we ask a different instructor at Camosun the same 10 questions in an attempt to get to know them a little better.
Do you have an instructor who you want to see interviewed in the paper? Maybe you want to know more about one of your teachers, but you’re too busy, or shy, to ask? Email editor@nexusnewspaper.com and we’ll add your instructor to our list of teachers to talk to.
This issue we talked to Biology instructor Brooke Cameron about navigating the sciences as a woman and her possible Magic School Bus connection.
1. What do you teach and how long have you been at Camosun?
I’ve been teaching in the Department of Biology since 2018. I’ve taught non-majors Biodiversity (BIOL 102), non-majors General Biology (BIOL 103), Anatomy for Sports Education (BIOL 143), and AP Biology (BIOL 116). What a treat!
2. What do you personally get out of teaching?
I love when my students express excitement or interest in a course topic we covered in class. Receiving articles that students have found on ancient jellyfish or the latest research on genetic technology gives me such a buzz! Nothing feels better than watching my students find intrinsic motivation for the course material as the semester progresses or even after the semester is over. I adore seeing students find value in what they are learning and get just as excited as I am to talk about topics like nematodes or osteoblasts. Did you know that bone tissue is constantly being created and destroyed in your body? How cool is that? Life is beautiful.
3. What’s one thing you wish your students knew about you?
I try very hard to offer as much support as possible to have my students succeed academically and emotionally. Formative assessment (feedback not for marks), office hours, review—you name it. A lost mark on a small assignment is an attempt to motivate learning and correct small missteps so that for larger value assessment pieces, students are well prepared to succeed. Some students may view that as a lot of work for not a lot of marks, but I see it as a chance to shape and encourage their learning. I want each and every one of my students to grow and thrive at Camosun and onward in their careers.
4. What’s one thing you wish they didn’t know about you?
I’m secretly Ms. Frizzle? No, I kid (but keep your eyes out this Halloween). Honestly, being a woman in the field of science can be tough—your authority can be more easily questioned, as well as your ideas and input. Sometimes I may take a sterner or straight-laced approach due to my history with previous peers, colleagues, and students. I don’t want my students to see that attitude come across as anything but a demonstration that women deserve to be in the world of science and are still pushing hard today to be heard properly. I will continue to ensure that my students and I do not have to work in an environment like that of Rosalind Franklin.
5. What’s the best thing that has ever happened to you as a teacher here?
Nearly every day that I spend at Camosun is the best day—I mean it! My colleagues and students are a dream and each day I get to spend teaching and learning with them is a gift. I appreciate all the learning opportunities that Camosun offers to their faculty, such as the TELŦIN TŦE WILNEW course on Indigenous worldviews, and I know I will get to continue to grow and thrive here for years to come. Equally as moving is getting feedback that tells me that students appreciate what I am doing with them. I will constantly strive to make sure my students feel heard and encouraged in my courses, because their success is my own.
6. What’s the worst thing that has happened to you as a teacher here?
As mentioned earlier, sometimes it can be hard not to feel stepped over or unheard in academia as a woman in science. The community at Camosun College, however, has been overwhelmingly positive in my experiences so far.
7. What do you see in the future of post-secondary education?
I see a better blend and transition from secondary to post-secondary institutes. Right now, the secondary-school systems in BC are going through a major revamp of their curriculum. I hope post-secondary institutes in the province follow suit so that there is consistency for students who transition to college from high school. There is a concern that at post-secondary institutes we tend to “teach to a test,” when, in reality, we should be trying to get students to think critically about the world around them and develop the skills they need to succeed in their field of choice—which may not even exist yet! We are all learning and growing as educators, and I see that to continue to take place. Additionally, I see a continued movement to decolonize and Indigenize our courses and curriculum, incorporating Indigenous worldviews and engaging with the land with a more authentic and community-based relationship. Our world desperately needs that right now.
8. What do you do to relax on the weekends?
I am an avid rock climber, backpacker, and performer in improvised theatre. To really relax, though, I need to be taken to a Nordik Spa for the day. Oh, those are so lovely. Have you ever been?
9. What is your favourite meal?
Up until a few years ago when I reduced my meat intake, my favourite meal was a medium-rare steak smothered in Béarnaise sauce with mashed potatoes, peas, and a glass of nice merlot. Now, I suppose you could swap the steak out for a nicely BBQed portobello mushroom and I’d be just as pleased.
10. What is your biggest pet peeve?
Most folks do not take the time to truly listen to each other, especially when opinions differ. I wish we were better as a whole at recognizing different perspectives and acknowledging that where we are all coming from is unique and valid. Most of us just want to be good people and receive kindness in return, but insecurities can make us defensive and unwilling to learn from one another.