Mac Bishop, Grades 3 & 4 Classroom Teacher
Welcome to the new school year! I grew up in the small farming community of Greenwich, Nova
Scotia. My family has been in this province since the mid 1700s. I was educated at Horton High
School where I was involved in music and drama. After high school I went into business as a
photographer (yes there were pictures before digital cameras!) My university education was at
Acadia University in Wolfville. I came to Digby County about 20 years ago, and worked at
Islands Consolidated School. My background is in history and special education, and I began my
teaching career as a resource teacher. Since that time I have taught in elementary, junior and
senior high classrooms.
Since being in the area I have been involved in a variety of volunteer groups. I was on the original
CAP committee on the Islands, and my great passion is being part of the Fundy Ground Search
and Rescue team, and as a Sea Scout instructor. I also trained as a first responder and recently
completed the small boating inspection program. I also work with Scouts Canada, and am
involved as the Skipper of 1st Digby Neck Sea Scouts. My hobbies include fishing, being
outdoors, woodworking, and collecting tools.
Throughout my adult life I have always been involved in working with children. One of my
fondest memories is being a cadet instructor and working with scouts. I’ve done some travelling,
both in North America and in Europe. My most recent professional experience was being
involved on the lead team for the Active – Readers program for the TCRSB. This was a multi
year commitment and I greatly enjoyed working to introduce this successful elementary program
into junior and senior high classrooms.
I am a great believer of teaching language arts across the curriculum, and incorporate literacy in
social studies and science this year. Class will be structured with a daily schedule that will
include time for reading, writing, speaking, and thinking. In particular each day will end with a
short “class meeting” where students have the opportunity to draw together daily activities and
see what they have learned. We will also be using some of the “Project Wild” program to show
that learning about nature is both enjoyable and educational.
School should be a place where students enjoy participating in a variety of activities. Of all the
skills learned in school none is more important than literacy. In the middle grades this consists of
being read to, reading to others, reading to yourself, and writing.
Journals, stories, poems and the like are venues for both expression of ideas and growth of
vocabulary and spelling/grammar skills. Reading is both for enjoyment and for the gathering of
knowledge. As such students will encounter both fiction and non-fiction text throughout the year.
Writing is a process and it allows a student to show both creativity and show understanding of a
topic. To be effective there must be a balance between ideas and the “nuts and bolts” of spelling,
editing skills, and structure. Each student will have a portfolio for writing and we will publish and
share their best work throughout the year.
Science and Social Studies will focus on the outcomes set in the Public Schools Program.
Investigations will involve observing, making predictions and experimentation. We will be
exploring topics such as the way animals and plants grow and change, light, and how
communities of organisms form based on habitat and environment. In social studies we will be
examining the impact of technology on communities, how technology changes through
inventiveness and innovation, and explore our local environment.
Technology is a fact of life in the 21st century, and students will be involved in research skills
using the world wide web and to use word processing and digital imaging as well as presentation
software to communicate ideas.
Hands on art activities will include multi media to form visual expressions of ideas. This will
include painting, sculpting and how to show others what the world looks like through your eyes.
There will be some homework, usually reading or gathering materials and information to bring
for class activities. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. You can call
the school, (834-6600), or my home, (834-2204), in the evenings.