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Mr. Durk

Who is this guy anyways?

What should you expect in this course?

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Where is he from?

Mr. Durk was born in Toronto, but moved to Guelph when he was 9 years old. He went to Centennial CVI and then went on to Western University.

At Western, Mr. Durk earned two Bachelor degrees in Physical Geography / Earth Science (BSc) and Education (BEd).

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Why does Mr. Durk like Geography so much?

Mr. Durk has always had a fascination with how the Earth processes work and interact with each other. He also has a passion for travel and learning about new and unique places around the world.

Mr. Durk’s favourite topics within Geography are Astronomy, Geology and Meteorology. Outside also loves learning about economics, real estate and Bitcoin!

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Mr. Durk at John F. Ross

Mr. Durk came to Ross in 2004 (after spending his 1st 2 years teaching in Mississauga). He has been at Ross ever since and will probably stay until he retires….one day. This is his 23rd year of teaching and 21st year at Ross!

Ross is such a great school because we are able to offer so many unique and diverse programs. We also have a fabulous staff and students to truly care about making their school a great place to learn and also have fun!

What do you love about JF Ross?

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What would you change?

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Mr. Durk’s favourite things to do when he’s not teaching….

  1. Spend time with his family. Married to my amazing wife Diane since 2004, has two boys ages 17 and 15 (grades 12 and 10).
  2. Coach Baseball: Mr. Durk coaches the Ross Baseball team since 2009.
  3. Travel, Travel and more travel...Mr. Durk has lead over 15 international trips over March break at Ross since 2006. He has travelled to 46 countries in total with family, friends and on school tours.
  4. Financial Literacy and Real Estate Investing: Mr. Durk and his wife also have an interest in investing in real estate and learning more about financial literacy & Bitcoin specifically:)

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What does Mr. Durk teach?

Mr. Durk has always taught Geography and the Earth / Space Sciences.

Currently Mr. Durk teaches Co-op (P3 & P4) & Earth & Space Science (P1)

Where can you find Mr. Durk? (Remote: Email or message me using the UGCloud platform)

Co-operative Education Office (between room 126 & 129) or you can email him to set up a call or google meet. idurk@ugcloud.ca

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Mr. Durk’s Rules and Expectations

  1. Think about others always and show respect to your classmates and teacher.
  2. Show up on time with an open mind and ready to participate! If you are late and the door is closed you are to knock and you may be asked to wait in the hall until Mr. Durk lets you in.
  3. Cell phones need to be away during all lessons (in your bag or pocket). THe last 10 minutes (11:35 am) of class will be “Tech Time” as long as NO ONE is caught on their phone during class time.
  4. Try new things, explore, ask questions and take ownership for YOUR own learning!
  5. Check the Classroom and communicate with Mr. Durk (email or come ask me questions or let me know your concerns)
  6. Be kind! Treat other with respect and make an effort to try to understand each other’s perspectives.

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Questions / Concerns?

Are you prepared to work hard and achieve your goals for this course?

You will be asked to set your goals, so you may want to think about what goals you have this semester in this course and as a whole!

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Were you paying attention?

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  1. How many years has Mr. Durk been teaching?
  2. What university did Mr. Durk attend?
  3. How many countries has Mr. Durk been to?
  4. Name ONE other hobby or interest of Mr. Durk other than travel.