Tyler Jesse
Tyler Jesse grew up in Medicine Hat and went to the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta to pursue a combined B.Ed. and BSc in mathematics. He has lived in Olds for 20 years, teaching in Sundre, then transferring to Didsbury High School in 2019, where he is now acting principal. He is deeply passionate about working in rural schools and is a major fan of the Dave Matthews band, having attended 8 of their concerts throughout the United States.
What was it like growing up in Medicine Hat?
“Medicine Hat is a really unique place because it's actually geographically isolated. So if you think about where it is in the province, it's in that bottom Southeast corner of nowhere… So when I was growing up, the things I remember about Medicine Hat is it's a city, right?... But it was very much segmented into areas, right?... So, really, you did your community school and when you were a kid, you didn't move out of that, right? Like, your parents might drive you, other places in Medicine Hat, but you really, you rode your bike in your neighbourhood. They had parks, you had everything there. So that was kind of your little community. And so when people say you grew up in a big city, I'm like, well, not really. I kind of grew up in a really small community - really close. And some of the fond memories I have of being a kid is like, my school was so close that I could walk to school… I grew up on a really closed block. A lot of the people actually still live there from when I was a kid. And it was the classic, you know, we had a little cul-de-sac, and we played road hockey, we’d do all of the things. But our block was really close and it was a really cool place to grow up, and to have the same people around you as you grew up, it really gave you that sense of community, right?"
What was it like transitioning from life in Medicine Hat to life in Olds?
“It's more like Medicine Hat to Central Alberta, right? When I landed in Sundre, I just realized I didn't want to live in Sundre because it's an extra 30 minutes every time you go somewhere, right? So that's how I landed in Olds; it's a nice middle ground. Now by that time, my wife was in her last year of education. So, I was also thinking, I'm like, okay, I have a job, but she doesn't. So, what's central? Where can she sub? And if we're in Olds, you know, you can go to Bowden, you can go to Didsbury, you can go wherever, right? So that's how we landed there, but I spent 13 years in Sundre as a teacher and as an administrator. I was vice principal at Sundre High. I learned a lot about small town values. I think I worked with some very, very, smart people… We had teachers that had just grown up in Sundre and always worked in Sundre and they'd never left Sundre and they were amazing. They introduced me to the West country, they introduced me to Ya Ha Tinda, and all of those places that I didn't even know existed in Alberta, right? But they were also the type of people that were- their work ethic was strong. And I know Sundre has a- sometimes a bad name. It's a little wild. And it is. There are people like that, but that’s also really like any small town. There's really, really a core of good people that value others, that supported, you know, rallied when, you know, somebody lost a family member or… something went bad… I grew up as a teacher in that environment, and I think that really formed who I was as a professional, and I'm forever grateful to all of those people, and I could sit here and name each one of them, but they know who they are.”
What sparked your interest in education?
“And the reason that I chose my education degree- to go down that path, actually, was I went back and talked to my math 30 at the time, 30 peer teacher at high school, when I was having that crisis moment of like, what am I actually gonna do? What does life look like for me? And she was a very stoic lady, very stern, but she also had a heart of gold. Her name was Linda Gagley, and I don't feel bad about saying that because she was an amazing woman.”
“But she said to me, she said, ‘Well, Tyler, have you ever thought about teaching?’ And I went, ‘no.’ I just got away from high school last year. Like, I want to run away from school. And she's like, ‘Well, you should maybe think about it.’
And I said, ‘Why? Like, why teach?’
And she said to me, and I still remember, she said, ‘You know, Tyler, you weren't one of those kids that would just sit down and get it. You had to work really hard. You were the kid that had to come at 7 in the morning to get extra tutorial help and those types of things,’ mainly because my parents forced me to.”
“And she said, ‘the people that are best at math specifically are not the best teachers because their brains think differently. They just get things and they go, well, then why don't you get it? They can't think in other ways, right?’”
What do you think others should take away from your story?
“One thing I would want known about my story is I'm forever thankful for the communities and the people that I've been surrounded with all my life. You learn something from everybody else. And I think something that we've lost - in small towns, not as much - sometimes, you need to not talk. You need to listen, and by that, I mean, there's some really amazing people in every community. Sometimes they're younger, sometimes they're older, and sometimes we just need to shut up and listen… You know, step back and ask your grandparent, your aunt or uncle questions. Ask them about their life. Ask them about what's important to them, right?”
“And I think the other thing I would take away from my story is, in a world that is forever increasingly disconnected - we think we're more connected, right, with social media and everything else - we're not. We're actually so isolated and so disconnected. It's not connection to be sitting in your basement looking for likes on Instagram. I'm sorry, it's not. We need to get back to the ideas, the core fundamental ideas that brought this community, this country, this province, to where it is, which is community and support. Look around, connect with somebody, right? Care about your neighbours. Get to know them, right? Go out, volunteer, help, right? It fills you, you know, if you can give [and] donate.”
“I come from a family of 3 brothers, now 2, and I lost a brother. He was 7 years old at the time, and he actually passed away from a brain aneurysm… It was very traumatic and very tragic. And, you know, I look at that event now, and I think one of the things people should take away from my story is always believe that everything happens for a reason. So whether you're religious and you believe that there's a religious drive to that or component or plan, or you just believe in a universe and you go, you know, things happen. Why do they happen? I do strongly believe everything happens for a reason and sometimes it takes years or decades to get the perspective of why. And I think the reason I bring up my brother is, I think back to when he passed away, and seeing the tragedy in my family and seeing my parents brought to their knees. They were, as adults. And at the time, I was 17 years old, and my other brother was 14. And you look at that, and you go, you've never seen your parent like that, I can guarantee you. And I saw 2 people that really loved each other and wanted to support each other, because it's really easy to blow apart… One of the reasons my brother had to go was it instantaneously brought our family close. Like, it was just like a nuclear reaction where everything just came right together.”
