My name is Ellen Hardy and I live in Victoria, British Columbia. I have always wanted to be a teacher and feel very lucky to have a career that I continue to love after 30 years. I am always looking for new ways and ideas to help my students learn and grow.

I was born in Ontario and attended school there. I graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology, and the following year I attained my Bachelor of Education degree. Over the years I have taught students from Kindergarten to Grade 8 in different areas of BC. In a one-room schoolhouse on the BC coast my twelve students became my family. I was fortunate to have an opportunity to teach on the Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii) and it was there I met my husband. I now have two children, a daughter (age 21) and a son (age 16). For the past 20 years I have taught many grades and specialties in Victoria.

I travelled with the Canadian Coast Guard aboard the Sir Wilfred Laurier in the summer of 2006. I have had a wonderful time sharing my trip with the students in my school in Victoria and and so pleased to have this website to share the experience with the students of Canada. It was a once in a lifetime experience! I wish to thank the Canadian Coast Guard, Greater Victoria School District, Greater Victoria Teachers' Association and the British Columbia Teachers' Federation for their help and support with this exciting project.