Duncan Whiskin

Born and raised on Vancouver Island, Duncan grew up in a small town on a big lake. As a child, he would spend his time in the bush exploring the vast wilderness behind his family home. Never a dull moment as there was always somewhere new to explore and a new skill to learn!

While growing up Duncan was active in many parts of the community. He was involved in groups like Cubs and Scouts. This is where he honed his kinesthetic approach to learning as he developed skills and abilities through direct experience. He was part of faith-based organizations and a member of search and rescue. Paying attention to detail and looking for clues helped guide him through the associated adversity and challenges. These experiences helped him to develop a strong connection to his home and a broader understanding of who he is.

Duncan applied with an organization called Canada World Youth (CWY) when he was in his mid-twenties. CWY is a volunteer organization focused on cross-cultural learning and working as a part of a community. In the program, you are partnered with a person from another country. You live and work separately but the group of eighteen is bound to work and experience together. You learn to work cohesively as a team to build and foster healthy community connections that influence how you interact and see the world. This is a true embodiment of Tutoring…With a Twist’s “circles” approach to learning: there are so many people on your team willing to help you succeed! (See the circle in our Twisted Process.)

Duncan enrolled at Malaspina University, now VIU, to advance his education. There he took a plethora of courses. After a few years of study, he decided to travel. He wanted to see Canada! So, he drove across the country visiting old friends from CWY and making some great new ones along the way. Not long after that, he got his TESOL, TEFEL, and Advanced English teacher license. He decided to leave the country and went travelling again! This time he left for the Middle East. He took a job in Kuwait, which allowed him to have a home base where he could branch out and travel from. While there he ended up teaching in an American-run private school and taught a year of grade 3 math. He had his own homeroom, but his responsibility was to teach grade 3 math to the four separate divisions. He took this opportunity to travel extensively throughout the region. This was a truly eye-opening experience. He re-enrolled in the university upon his return to Canada and received his Education Degree in 2014.

This led Duncan to where he is today. He has had the opportunity to educate himself through formal and informal practices and now wants to impart that knowledge to his students. His journey to this point in his life was anything but a straight one, and he hopes to show his students that it’s perfectly okay to find their path in whatever way works best for them, even if some “miss-takes”  must be made along the way. (See the clapperboard in our Twisted Process.) He’s been working with our homeschoolers with great success!

Learning Style Scores:
Visual: 15
Auditory: 16
Kinesthetic: 16

Favourite Movie:
The Matrix

Ducan can get Twisted in the following subjects:

• English: All Grades!
• Math: KG – Grade 10
• Online Learning: All Subjects!
• Project Based Learning
• Homeschoolers