James Hay, HBPhEd/BEd, OCT
Grateful Earthling, husband and father, educator, canoe tripper, scientist and mathematician, James has taught young Earthlings in school and outdoors for 30 years. He’s learned from a wealth of landscapes, colleagues, and families, created compelling math and Earth Science programs, and earned the Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Teaching. James found his initial Wild Places growing up between Mount McKay and The Sleeping Giant in Thunder Bay, Ontario, graduated from Lakehead University and then migrated to Toronto to teach school and raise a family.
With Educating Earthlings, James furthers the work on some of the most essential questions that emerged from his earliest days and sustained a rich career teaching children:
How can schoolwork lead us to know that our lives and the world are more and more interesting?
How would we best organize education today, starting from scratch?
How does ancient wisdom emerge in the modern world?
How can we best help one another to thrive, to learn and to belong?
AJ DeMarco, BA/MEd, OCT
AJ is an experienced teacher and an innovative tech entrepreneur who is enthusiastic about finding ICT based solutions that work for students and teachers. Coming back to education after a number of years working in different sectors provides AJ with a unique perspective and a broad set of skills.
Having completed an undergraduate degree at Lakehead University in Ontario, he engaged in project management and marketing work for clients in the corporate world. Combining his love of travel, with a desire to further his education, he decided to attend the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia.
Equipped with a Graduate Certificate in Education and Master of Education with a specialization in Curriculum Development and Educational Technology, AJ was an attentive and enthusiastic teacher and mentor to students in independent schools in Australia and then back in Ontario.
His passion for tech, life-long learning and research-based solutions makes Educating Earthlings a perfect fit for AJ. This endeavour presents him with a challenging opportunity to offer his skills and talents in service to young people, teachers, schools, and the wild planet.