Hello, my name is Dave Lear and I am the classroom teacher in the Applewood Academy Elementary program. I have been teaching Special Needs Education for approximately 25 years and have experience working within both the UK education system and the Ontario education system.
My original Bachelor of Education degree from King Alfred’s College (Winchester University UK) helped me to come to the realization that not all students benefit from the ‘one size fits all’ class lesson, but that all students have something unique to offer in school.
Further training in Special Education at Birmingham University (UK) has allowed me to specialize in teaching students with behavioural and learning difficulties in various alternative and mainstream schools. I have now lived and worked in Canada for about eight years and have every intention of staying here to experience more of this great country in the future.
When I am not teaching at Applewood you will find me coaching badminton and tennis in Belleville to junior players or discovering paddling routes in a canoe/kayak on Ontario’s numerous rivers. I also have a passion for property and vehicle renovation so I will often arrive in school covered in paint and oil from the previous weekend.
I firmly believe that all students have something unique to offer their school and I will encourage all my students to develop both academic and life skills through practical and hands on experiential learning inside and outside of the classroom.
Please feel free to make an appointment to visit our Elementary classroom at Applewood to see examples of our student’s work and practical projects and meet the Elementary staff team who work with our students.