Oak Bay Secondary School

2151 CRANMORE RD, Victoria, British Columbia V8R 1Z2, Canada

Add A Teacher

Displaying all 83 teachers

Jared Adams

1.0

(1 reviews)
  Add A Review

Scott Alexander

5.0

(1 reviews)
  Add A Review

Murray Allen

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Dave Ashurst

2.0

(3 reviews)
  Add A Review
Ashurst is very easygoing, and if you have a heavy academic schedule his Bio 11 is a lovely experience. His passion for biology shines through in lots of local expertise, and he’s a very easy marker. There’s a fair bit of memorization, but there are plenty of bonus question opportunities - it’s very possible to get over 100 in his class, which obviously rounds down. His easygoing attitude, fun labs, and ability to make biology interesting make this a very fun and informative class. If you’re interested in biology especially, this class will be a blast for you; you can ask Mr. Ashurst almost anything about local wildlife and he’ll likely have an answer. I’ve heard many complaints about disorganization in his Chem 11 class, but his Bio 11 is a very positive, educational, and interesting environment, and all the test material was covered in class. I highly recommend flashcards as a study method for this class - handmade ones may allow you to better memorize through the writing process. The optional Nelson text is on classroom and in the library; it’s completely unnecessary but if you just find bio cool and want to hear information phrased differently, you may as well give it a look-through for any lessons you’re not comfortable with. Bio Mr. Ashurst is completely in his element, and he teaches his class with a lovely laidback, friendly, and humorous attitude. I strongly recommend him for his Bio 11 class, which I took in the 2019-2021 school year. Good luck!

Peter Atkinson

5.0

(1 reviews)
  Add A Review
Peter Atkinson is an amazing biology teacher, and a fantastic ally to have at Oak Bay High. I took Biology 11 in Atkinson's class, and it was by far my favourite science course of that year. Atkinson provides ample notes and information in a way that is acessible to all students, and follows it up with a great sense of humor and general likeability. I learned so much in his class, and even though I didn't have any classes with him in grade 12, he still said hi to me in the hallway everytime I passed his classroom. Biology with Atkinson is such a fun class, and if you see his name on your course list, be happy! The course requires studying, sure, but it's a fantastic community so have fun!!

James Bell

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Marie-France Berube

2.5

(2 reviews)
  Add A Review
Chem 12, 2020-21 Ms. Berube’s teaching style seems ill-fitted to the Quarter System, but she did absolutely adapt her curriculum between blocks for what made sense for each class. Occasionally there are poorly phrased test questions, in which case I don’t recommend asking for clarification, as it may lead you further astray. Berube is simultaneously very popular and unpopular, and your opinion will likely come down to learning style. For Chemistry 12 in a quarter system, you can expect 1-3 hours of homework every night if chemistry comes reasonably easy to you, or at least, easily enough that you’re taking Chem 12. Ms. Berube bases her marking system on “work ethic, ” so you can do reasonably well just by consistently doing the homework. Almost every assignment is due the next class, so if you have her class every day, you may end up pulling late nights. It is incredibly easy to fall behind, and she will absolutely testify to this. You absolutely should be doing every assignment on time, and do all of the monster review - put in your earbuds, commit a significant portion of your weekend, and slog through it - you will absolutely be glad you did. “But reviewer! ” I hear you say, “I have 27 extracurriculars! ” I was also one of you. Take a deep breath. You will be okay. With this class, the joy of the homework is it can be broken up into infinitesimally small fragments. This means that in your in between time, between classes, before heading out, during focus block, maybe during lunch, maybe while the other band section is tuning or during a choir mic check, or a scene you’re not in, take it a question at a time. Don’t put your textbook/binder/homework in your locker, bring it with you, because some little in between moments will be your saviour, and you may be able to get your homework done before you leave the building. You absolutely must buy friction-erasable black pens for this class. She is very picky about pen, and will deduct marks for pencil labs. She is trying to prepare you for university with the regular workload, self-directed monster review homework, and niche criteria. I highly recommend reading the textbook along with the classes; she usually teaches material in the same order, and hearing things explained/phrased a different way can be enormously helpful. This class will develop your study skills like no other, and destroy the last vestiges of your procrastination. Some students love this class, some hate it. A friend of mine dropped it for mental health reasons. Ms. Berube can come across aggressively or condescendingly, but she is well-meaning, excellently organized, and very direct. Slightly better lesson planning may be appreciated, as she sometimes may forget a verbal addition to her notes, but she is very cautious to mention key ideas enough times - 7 exactly - to cement them in your memory. This will likely not be a class you feel comfortable speaking out in; the environment is very unrelaxed. This will be your most work-heavy class. Expect to sideline your other courses somewhat. It’s very easy to lose sight of any appreciation of the subject for chemistry-lovers, and easy to burn out. In this case, I recommend flipping ahead through the Hebden - the Hebden is your best friend in this course - and skimming for some cool things. Look, funky graphs! Oh hey, that’s how batteries work! Try not to lose sight of the joy of Funky Chemicals. Ms. Berube can be out of touch with her students, as regarding past experience in chem classes (she tends to not quite know what her students already know, or rather, don’t know), class atmosphere (she seems unaware of the anxiety-inducing and generally silencing environment her class is), and how to answer questions. If you have a question, swallow your pride and just ask the person next to you. It’s not that she can’t answer your question, it’s that it may take a couple minutes for her to understand what your question is. This lack of understanding what the comprehension issue is is why I recommend not asking about test questions; you may get misdirected. Her concept demonstration is excellent. She regularly uses visual demonstrations with actual chemicals mid-lecture. If you have any choice - you likely won’t - I highly recommend sitting directly at the front. In the somewhat intimidating class environment it’ll be easier to ask questions, and more importantly, you will be able to get a proper look at chemical demonstrations. Certain worksheets have mistakes in the answer key; they are several years old, and I don’t believe Ms. Berube wrote them. Even if you’re used to being the student who notices mistakes in the answer key, please do not assume it is an answer key mistake. First, assume you are wrong, and confer with neighbours. Then ask for help from Ms. Berube. If she does the question the exact same way you do and gets the same answer, then suggest an answer key issue. Test multiple-choice questions may be misleading or may have multiple answers which could be right, depending on the poorly-defined parameters of the question. You may know exactly what happens in a process referred to by the test, and get it wrong because you got too specific. Do not get too specific. Overall, Ms. Berube is a highly controversial teacher, but she is highly competent, direct, and highly aware of university procedures. She will teach things a specific way solely because of how UVic handles a specific concept. She will absolutely prepare you for university, and will absolutely demand effort. She can seem aggressive, out-of-touch, and sometimes simply rude, but she truly does know her subject in-and-out, and you really can learn a remarkable amount from her class. Once you get to know her and consistently demonstrate effort, she’s actually very nice. All in all, the class is what you make of it. If you walk in with an attitude of disdain for Ms. Berube’s teaching style or attitude or seemingly arbitrary/pedantic marking criteria and the insane workload, you will hate this class. If you try to get along with Ms. Berube and buckle down for some insane studying, some collaborative learning, and some very late nights, you’ll come to appreciate the class, the material, and Ms. Berube herself. Flash cards. Read the textbook. Do all the monster review. Always listen to music when doing worksheets. Good luck! :) I have no frame of reference for Ms. Berube’s other classes, and her Chem 12 is frankly an experience of its own which likely serves ill as a metric of comparison. Grade 9 French kids, this is not the review for you. Personally, I enjoyed this Chem 12 class, and I like Ms. Berube.

Alana Beyer

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Alex Bowen

5.0

(1 reviews)
  Add A Review
Easy, shop class

Tim Bradshaw

4.7

(3 reviews)
  Add A Review
Comp Civ 11/12, 2019-2020 Drama 10, Drama 12 Musical Theatre This review may be biased, as I absolutely love Mr. Bradshaw from my experiences with him in Drama and Musical Theatre. He is very kind, funny, and a wonderfully supportive teacher who truly wants his students to succeed. In his Comp Civ class, units were structured around presentations. You make a presentation or project, present it/present on it, and design a 5-question quiz around your presentation, which the class will take. You will mark them, and give them back to Mr. Bradshaw. The last question will be a deeper-thinking question. You will take quizzes on everyone else’s presentations, and these, as well as your presentation mark, will make up your mark for most units. He has an excellently designed bonus-mark system which he uses in all his classes, so there is opportunity to recover if you make mistakes on a presentation quiz. There’s a significant amount of in-class research, a few mini-presentations (30 seconds to a minute), and at least one essay, in which he will walk you through the essay-writing process. Even if you have no interest in ancient civilizations, the world around you, or any culture anywhere, this class may be worth it for you simple for the essay structure. His essay lessons are better than those of any English class I’ve been in, and for any analytical thinkers or natural writers, the essay structure he provides will simply make sense to you. It confirms everything about how to communicate ideas to human people you already know, and all the sort-of-structure you’ve been sneaking into your essays all along. The class is wonderfully thought-provoking. It asks some lovely deep questions, fosters critical thinking, expands your worldview, and improves your understanding of How The World Works in a fun and witty way. The class atmosphere is fun and warm, and if you’re typically uncomfortable speaking in front of groups, the welcoming environment will provide a venue for you to have an excellent time while nerding out over ancient cultures. You can both have fun with your assignments and learn the material to an extent that affords you full marks. After taking this class, I strongly recommended his in-timetable speech and debate to a friend, who loved it just as much as I loved Comp Civ. Mr. Bradshaw’s academic classes are both wonderfully thought-provoking and good fun, and I can’t recommend his Comparative Cultures/Civilizations class strongly enough.

Kevin Busch

1.6

(5 reviews)
  Add A Review
the papers count for more than the exams; - memorize the key formulas in the beginning; - not all of the test material is reviewed in class.

Keith Butler

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Allan Carmichael

4.0

(1 reviews)
  Add A Review

Nathan Carr

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Jerry Carter

3.0

(2 reviews)
  Add A Review

Lara Chell

1.0

(2 reviews)
  Add A Review

Dean Christante

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Terrie Dalziel

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Yeta DiLalla

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Robert Ducharme

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Clarke Duggan

2.0

(1 reviews)
  Add A Review

Todd Evanchiew

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Kate Fisher

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Aaron Frampton

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Chris Franklin

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Brent Garraway

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Nichelle Garraway

5.0

(1 reviews)
  Add A Review
Garraway is an amazing teacher who really genuinely wants you to succeed! If you need help in any of her classes, go see her during focus hours and she'll be more than happy to help you out. Just be honest and open with her, she's very accommodating as long as you're actually trying.

Jackie Gillespie

5.0

(1 reviews)
  Add A Review
Don't slack on your work, it'll add up fast. Her deadlines aren't strict so it's easy to fall into a ditch and not finish assignments within the suggested limit, so avoid that if you want to succeed. Other than that, just talk to her if you're falling behind. She's very accommodating, supportive, and almost always in her room for focus if you need help. She also writes great reference letters if needed, so having a good relationship with her could end up being important! Great teacher and all around human being.

Dominique Guay

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Allen Gunderson

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Lillian Hansen

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Laura Horton

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Tina Horwood

5.0

(2 reviews)
  Add A Review
Having had Tina for choir for four years, I cannot express enough how wonderful a teacher she is. Her drive, kindness, and passion for teaching put her so far beyond the mark of a rating. The choir program can be an incredibly formative and wonderful experience, and to anyone considering joining - in any grade - I cannot possibly recommend it strongly enough. Tina Horwood is one of the most dedicated people I have ever met, and I count myself lucky to have had her as a teacher. Go join choir! :)

Chad Jacques

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Dan Jardine

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Dave Johl

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Rob Kinear

5.0

(1 reviews)
  Add A Review
Listen, hes smart.

Ron King

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Mya Kinnear

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Rob Kinnear

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Jeffrey Laird, 11 Computer Science

5.0

(1 reviews)
  Add A Review

Jeff Lard

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Sebastien Lienard

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Dave Lock

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Trevor MacKenzie

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Stephanie Mann

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Lorna Maximick

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Leanne McCarthney

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Alexis Mckinty

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Andrea McMorran

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Joyce Moreau

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Rachel Moss

1.0

(1 reviews)
  Add A Review

Lidstone Mrs

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Sally Murphy

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Joyce Preston

1.0

(2 reviews)
  Add A Review

Steven Price

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Saul Proctor

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Lana Rahn

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Christine Roberts

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Art Ross

5.0

(1 reviews)
  Add A Review

Matthew Russell

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Mike Sheffer

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Tammy Sherstobitoff

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Henry Shiau

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Mark Shippers

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Derek Shrubsole

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Eric Simonson

4.0

(1 reviews)
  Add A Review
Do not skip classes!! Everything is explained clearly if you're there and listening, but notes aren't normally put online, and when they are you only glean a little bit of an understanding. Showing up is super important, but if you do, you should be fine. Very math heavy and applying formulas that we're taught to situations. Essentially, if you put in the work and do studying on your own time the week leading up to a test, you'll be fine, but if you don't study or don't always show up, this'll be a rough course.

Corrina Simpson

3.0

(1 reviews)
  Add A Review
If you need anything specialized to you, like if it’s easier for you to type things out, or you have anxiety speaking in front of the whole group, she’ll be happy to accommodate. Also, there is a ton of material if you’re in get Psychology class so make sure you know what’s testable and what’s not.

Tim Spray

5.0

(1 reviews)
  Add A Review

Steve Sran

1.0

(2 reviews)
  Add A Review

Matt Staples

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Kibber Sunclife

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Sanjai Sundher, 9th, 12th Pre-Calculus

5.0

(1 reviews)
  Add A Review
Pre-Calc 12, 2019-2020 Sanjai is a very practical teacher. She’s upbeat, friendly, and energetic, and for those not confident with math, she’s an excellent teacher of how to solve questions. For those who prefer to learn about the reasoning behind the mechanics of the math covered, the booklets are a readily available resources, and she is wonderfully accommodating for those who prefer to study independently. She’s incredibly easy to communicate with and easy to reach, and she absolutely understands that people have other commitments. She can be intimidating due to her loud voice, but she’s very accommodating and friendly, and she’s one of the best teachers for consistent fair treatment of students. She is one of the only teachers I’ve ever had who doesn’t seem to have favourites. She is incredibly efficient in marking, responding to emails, and providing math help, and she goes out of her way to be available for her students. She structures her exams in a way that eliminates calculator advantage, and she’s very on-the-ball and enthusiastic. She’s well organized, she knows exactly what she’s doing, and she has a very friendly attitude. Both students who struggle with math and those who excel with it can get something out of her class. She’s very in-touch with her students, is very down-to-Earth, and completely understands the hectic and stressful manner of senior years. She adapted to online teaching flawlessly, and was the first of my 9 teachers to put something up on Google Classroom by two whole weeks. She provided information on how pandemic learning would work on her google classroom, and for those of us whose advisory teachers didnt provide that information, that meant a lot. If you put in effort, you can do well in her class, and she’ll put significant time into supporting students who put in the effort. Even as a student who prefers to figure out math for myself and prefers learning the Why to learning the How, I enjoyed her class. Sanjai is an excellent teacher in every regard. Even if it’s not your favourite block, you will absolutely enjoy her class, and if you keep up with the homework, you’ll almost certainly do well.

David Thomson

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Ben Turner

2.5

(4 reviews)
  Add A Review

Brenda Watson

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Jeff Weaver

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Mike Wilson

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Worsley

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Corey Wright

3.5

(2 reviews)
  Add A Review

Tracy Yarr

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Alan York

Be the first to leave a review!

  Add A Review

Koji Zolbrod

5.0

(2 reviews)
  Add A Review
I was in Koji's Environmental Science class and it was one of the most enjoyable classes I had in all four years of Highschool! It was, at least to me, very easy. It wasn't the kind of class that necessarily challenged your academic capabilities, it was more so about actually learning about different issues and the world around us. The class didn't have a single test, it was all project based, and we often went outside for class to get first hand experience. I still quote some of the things I learned to my family when we're walking somewhere I learned about in class! To do well in Koji's classes you really just need to put some effort in and spend the necessary time on each project, shortcuts aren't worth it in the long run. And for the love of god do not use AI!! You are not subtle, he can tell.