We were lucky to catch up with David Schipper recently and have shared our conversation below.
David, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I would say that my purpose found me. I was not one of those people who knew what I wanted to do with my life at a young age. I always enjoyed tutoring, which I began doing as a teenager; I found it gratifying to help others attain their goals and get closer to fulfilling their dreams. I continued tutoring students in my neighborhood while completing my second university degree, a Bachelor’s degree in Education. I then continued doing this full-time until opening a tutoring center, 2Torial, in late 2007. However, what really changed my life was a phone call in March 2013 from a gentleman who inquired as to whether I would like to speak to the co-founder of Strategic Learning Centre, Karen Foley, about potentially taking it over from her. I became the director about six months later. I had heard of SLC many years prior to this when the mother of a boy I had begun tutoring said that they were going to try that instead of continuing with me; I was relieved because I was not a specially trained remedial reading teacher, which is what the boy needed. When I was in the process of becoming the director of SLC, I discovered its unique process and approach to helping students; we get to know the student through our consultation and assessment process, and then fill in skill gaps in reading, writing, and math, transforming the student into an independent learner. SLC is now in its 35th year of operation, having provided targeted support to thousands of students during that time. My purpose in life is to ensure that as many children as possible learn lifelong skills in order to pursue their passions.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I wear two hats. As the director of Strategic Learning Clinic, in addition to administrative duties such as business growth activities, my role is to meet all new families during an initial consultation, during which I gather pertinent background information prior to us doing standardized testing in order to determine the student’s skill gaps. At the same time, I am working on creating a coalition of education-related professionals who are willing to band together in order to devise solutions to ensure that no child gets left behind, unable to learn and pursue the career of their dreams. In essence, I want to be part of a team that contributes to much-needed reforms in the education systems of North America and beyond. I acknowledge that I am setting the bar quite high regarding what I wish to accomplish over the course of the remainder of my life.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
My most important quality is my resilience. I never give up regardless of the severity of any challenges I face. My number one piece of advice for anyone, young or old, is work extremely hard at whatever you do, take time to play hard as well, and get whatever support you need to continue on your path. Another important quality I possess is how much I care about each and every student whom I meet; I want as much for their future as humanly possible and will do everything in my power towards that end. There are way too many individuals in their twenties and thirties without a high school diploma and with few skills to obtain a higher-paying job; I want to change that. Finally, I never stop learning, whether it is through other people, books, media, or conferences. I possess this quality of always wanting to expand my knowledge, whether it is in the field of education or something else. I remain hungry for self-improvement; perhaps in the back of my mind, incremental growth is how I can better serve society.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
We are looking to collaborate with stakeholders in the education community; these could be school administrators, school board/district staff, teachers, other school staff, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and anyone else who works with and helps children become the best that they can be. In my experience, individuals who passionately care about student success and are seeking change in the methods traditionally used to help children are the best collaborators. Anyone interested in learning more can reach out to me at [email protected].
Contact Info:
- Website: strategiclearning.ca
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategiclearningclinic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SLCStrategicLearningClinic
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/strategic-learning-centre/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEIgmTQZAlK4HQVdAmYSN6w
Image Credits
Kathleen Girard/Studio Cookie Photo
