Alumni Profiles | Joe Tong

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Master of Education (MEd) in Home Economics (HEEL)

Online cohort, 2014

 


Current Occupation

Home Economics Teacher

 


How was your experience with your UBC Home Economics program?

I had a wonderful time in the UBC Home Economics program, especially during cohort sessions and methods classes. The class size that we had in home economics was perfect (fewer than others) and Dr. Mary Leah de Zwart (our instructor) was an effective mentor and helped us to find our own style of teaching. During my MEd, I also had Dr. de Zwart as well as Dr. Mary Gale Smith. I enjoyed learning deeply about the history of home economics and choosing my own direction of investigation.


How did your UBC Home Economics program help you in your career?

Both programs prepared me to see that there isn’t one way to teach Home Economics. The programs helped me to question my own experiences during my high school home economics experiences and make educated decisions to teach students, especially with the current home economics curriculum which focuses on design thinking.


The field of Home Economics has evolved – what is your message to prospective students about the value and relevancy of this field today?

Home Economics is a creative, innovative, and relevant area of learning. In our province the evolving curriculum that includes design thinking as a framework for home economics has brought exciting opportunities for students and teachers to take creative perspectives to the area of learning. I would urge folks interested in pursuing home economics education in BC to to consider the stereotypes of what home economics is and how these stereotypes may be problematic.


What do you love most about the field of Home Economics?

My favourite aspect of home economics is the ability to connect many areas of learning through what we do. It exists as a unique area of learning that is truly about the essential learnings of life.

 

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