In between his daily Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practices, Brendon May has helped more than 200 OVS students make sense of Functions and Advanced Functions.
Keep reading to learn more about the man behind the screen as we share our recent interview with Mr. May!
First off, how long have you been teaching?
I began my teaching career in 2014 and started teaching for OVS in early 2019.
When did you realize you wanted to become a teacher?
I would say as early as 9th grade I knew I wanted to pursue teaching.
Where did you go for post-secondary and your teaching degree?
For my undergraduate studies, I went to University of Toronto (St. George) and earned an Honours Bachelor of Science, specializing in Mathematics. From there, I pursued my Masters of Teaching degree at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at University of Toronto.
Do you prefer teaching online or in a classroom? How do they compare?
I thoroughly enjoy teaching both in the classroom and in an online environment. Both are incredibly rewarding and each have their pros and cons from a pedagogical point of view.
What is your favourite part of being a teacher?
My favorite part of being a teacher is being able to change students’ perspectives towards math. Teaching students who dislike mathematics or have a reluctance towards learning it is always rewarding for me as a teacher. Empowering students with knowledge and seeing their attitudes slowly change towards the subject as a whole is incredibly rewarding.
At the end of the day, providing students with the confidence that if they put their mind to it that any student can accomplish great things is my favorite aspect of teaching.
What are some of your favourite pastimes, aside from teaching?
Teaching is only one part of my life as I have pursued many other hobbies, sports, and business ventures. For instance, I actively pursue Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). I train and teach BJJ at least 6 days a week and it has become one of the central aspects of my personal life.
If you couldn’t be a teacher, what career would you most like to have?
Another career I was very strongly considering was being a software engineer. So, I suppose I would’ve pursued something along those lines if I wasn’t a teacher.
What kind of music do you listen to?
I am constantly discovering and exploring new artists and albums. One song I’ve been listening to a lot lately is ‘Under Different Welkins’ by Novelists. I am very into progressive metal music and follow bands like Periphery, Erra, Novelists, and Spiritbox, just to name a few.
What is your favourite TV show?
One of my favorite comedy shows of all time is The Office. I will never get tired of watching that show!
What is one piece of advice you would like to share with your OVS students?
Start thinking about what your interests are and what type of career you could see yourself pursuing in the future. Remember, school is a vehicle to help prepare you for your future career. Start thinking about what you want to do now, reach out to businesses and do some volunteer work to get an idea of what the job is like, and structure your educational future towards reaching that goal.
If you pursue a career involving something you love and are passionate about, the quality of your life will increase significantly, so begin thinking about it now! The earlier you begin exploring, the better!
What Our Students Say About Mr. May:
“Mr. May was fantastic to work with. He emailed back quickly and marked tests very fairly. Overall the experience was great!” – MHF4U Student, May 2021