Faculty Profile: Michael Moody
Supervisor - Student Services
As a dedicated athlete and coach, Michael Moody has a focused and disciplined work ethic, which is evident in his work here at LCC. Teaching was a natural progression for Mr. Moody. A longtime camp counsellor and basketball coach, he discovered his passion for working with youth and children and found his true calling in education. Mr. Moody’s studies in sociology led him to teaching positions at various schools and he is currently studying early childhood education at Concordia University.
Mr. Moody previously worked at FACE, Dunrae Gardens, Pearson Adult Career Centre, Sunshine Academy and ECS, before coming to LCC. A one-year assignment to undertake supervision and substitute teaching has transformed into an eight-year stretch (and still counting) at LCC.
Mr. Moody was asked to take on more responsibility by running the community service program during the coordinator’s maternity leave and helping with the kindergarten classes. Today, he continues to focus on substitute teaching, supervision, and, as a sports enthusiast and athlete, he was recruited to coach boys’ and girls’ basketball.
“Throughout my time in the classroom, I have come to realize that teaching is really what I want to do,” Mr. Moody says. “I want to continue working with children in schools, especially with kindergarten kids. They’re honest, they have no filter and they are clean slates. A teacher plays an important role in molding them, and that is a huge responsibility.”
Mr. Moody tries to share his passions with his students, whether it is his love of poetry or sports; he tries to open their eyes to new things and hopes that they will experience all that LCC has to offer.
Mr. Moody approaches his students as individuals, acknowledging that no two students are alike. “When I’m in a classroom setting or coaching, I try to teach in many different ways because I find that students learn differently from one another and I have to adapt to their needs and ways of learning. I try to always be available to them,” he says. He notes that his door is always open and that he is sure to keep a few extra snacks on hand.
Mr. Moody hopes that he can influence his students to develop into well-mannered, free-thinking young adults. In turn, he appreciates the way in which the students have an impact on him as well. “I learn something from my students every day and I look forward to interacting with them on a daily basis,” he says.
The welcoming and family-like environment of LCC is what makes this school special for Mr. Moody. “I’ve worked in many different schools,” he says, “and have never experienced the same degree of support. Evidently, Mr. Moody’s colleagues feel the same sense of camaraderie towards him. In 2015, he won the Non Nobis Solum Award, a biannual recognition presented by the headmaster based on nominations from LCC staff for outstanding contribution to community.
Mr. Moody’s most important message to his students is to never give up. “If they gain a true understanding of what it means to try, to simply put one’s best foot forward, without intimidation, that's something that they can to carry into adulthood,” he says. “If you don’t try in life, you will never know what you can achieve. By facing challenges head on, you develop so much character and that is my goal as a teacher – to help every child develop character and to excel in life.”