Jordan Puscus -E-Portfolio
About Me
My name is Jordan Puscus and I want to give you a bit of background on myself. I was born to my parents along with my twin brother in 1990. I also have an older brother and between the two of them, I have always had positive role models to look up to. I grew up being heavily involved in sports throughout my early years. Basketball was always my primary passion and continues to play a major role in my life. As I got older, I also began participating in other sports such as football, volleyball, and track and field. Throughout my time in elementary school, I was lucky to be on a number of teams that had success and this helped to grow my confidence. This success continued into high school and has always been a major part of my identity in building and reinforcing the values in my life. Through sports I have learned the importance of hard work, perseverance, time management and teamwork. These skills have become integral aspects of my work identity throughout the last 9 years.
I met my wife for the first time in 2009 or 2010. Unfortunately, it took her some time to realize that she was interested in me and we started dating in 2014. After spending a year dating long-distance while I pursued my Master's in Calgary, I returned home and we continued our relationship together. We were engaged in 2017 and got married in 2018. In December 2019 we welcomed our daughter into this world (who is pictured on the homepage). My wife is also a teacher and an inspiration to me about the kind of person that I want to be. She is kind, caring, selfless and has a great sense of humour.
The things that continue to drive me in my life are relationships. The relationships I have with my family, friends, co-workers and clients/students I have worked with are the things that keep me going. My passion for helping people has always been an important aspect of my life whether that is through volunteering, coaching or working and will continue to shape me as I transition into a new role as a teacher. I've always felt that my goal in life is to have a positive impact on other people's lives and I hope I have done that to some extent so far and wish to continue to do that in my personal and professional life going forward.
Land Acknowledgment
I would like to acknowledge the land in which I am situated on in Regina, Treaty 4 territory. This land includes the territories of the nêhiyawak, Anihšināpēk, Dakota, Lakota, and Nakoda, and the homeland of the Métis/Michif Nation. I recognize the sufferings that have occurred among Indigenous peoples at the hands of the Government through formal institutions such as schools and recognize my role as a teacher in promoting, encouraging, and living in a way that allows Truth and Reconciliation to be realized.
Professional Development
Professional Development has been a key component of my career thus far. As a social worker over the past 10 years, I have regularly engaged in ongoing professional development. An important recognition that I have is that learning never stops. There are always new strategies, approaches, and information that professionals can obtain after they have been working in the field. This is something that I value immensely and will maintain this vision as I continue into my career as a teacher. I feel as though this is even more apparent in teaching as it is essential to constantly refresh and revise your teaching approaches and techniques. In my past 10 years as a professional, society has changed dramatically in several ways and I imagine this trend will continue into the future.
Professional Experience
I began my career in April 2012 after graduating with my Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Regina. I began working as a Community Youth Worker with the Ministry of Corrections, Public Safety and Policing. This job was my first real exposure to the world of social work, and I gained very valuable experience in several different areas with a specific focus on one-to-one work with criminal youth and preparing reports for Court.
After working there for approximately 2 years, I decided to pursue my Master of Social Work degree at the University of Calgary. I chose to pursue this career path after having spent some time volunteering internationally and building houses in the Dominican Republic. I returned to Regina and began working as a Child Protection Worker with the Ministry of Social Services in August 2015. After spending a couple of years in this role, I was promoted to Assistant Supervisor. In this role I assessed safety for children at-risk of abuse, neglect or maltreatment and supported families in addressing their risk areas.
After a few years at Social Services, I transitioned to the role of Boys Counsellor at Cornwall Alternative School. In this role I provided one-on-one and group counselling to students who had been removed from their previous school placement for behavioural or attendance challenges.
After about two years in this role, I was presented with another opportunity to move into a role with Mother Teresa Middle School, which is a program I had always admired from afar for many years. In my current role I work with students as they transition out of high school and support them in pursuing post-secondary education or finding employment. This role is unique from anything I have ever done and has given me further insight into the education field and has helped to spur my desire to become a teacher.
Future Career Goals
My future career goals are somewhat unclear, but I do have a general idea of the direction I would like to head. After working at Cornwall Alternative School and Mother Teresa Middle School (MTMS), I have come to realize that I find joy when working directly with students in the classroom setting. My desire to work more closely with students to build those relationships and help impact them on a deeper level has led me to pursue a change in career.
Regarding my future goals, I hope to work at a school such as MTMS where I can use my social work experience and skills while teaching students. I believe that because of my passion and experience that I can provide a holistic classroom setting that can benefit vulnerable children who have faced significant trauma in their lives. In the future, I hope to use this knowledge and experience to work in a leadership position. I am not sure if this would be in a school, a non-profit, or another institution, but I do see myself as a leader and would like to take these skills, grow them, and work to create macro-level change in our world.