Know Your Professor With Zhyryn!

Welcome back to Know Your Professor With Zhyryn, a weekly feature of The Cadre! Each week, we spotlight a professor from across UPEI’s faculties to help students connect with the inspiring educators shaping our campus. This week, we have the Faculty of Education Professor Dr. Rachelle Gauthier, a dedicated educator whose passion for teaching and research has deep roots in Prince Edward Island’s French-speaking community.

Professor Rachelle holds a BEd and MEd from UPEI and a PhD from the Université de Moncton. With 25 years of experience as both a teacher and a school administrator in PEI’s French school system, she brings a wealth of practical classroom knowledge into her university teaching. Her research explores identity development within French linguistic and cultural minority communities, as well as bilingualism, multilingualism, and translanguaging. Fully bilingual herself, Professor Rachelle conducts research and teaching in both English and French.

When asked what inspired her to transition from the school system to university teaching, she shared that her motivation came from a desire to explore education from a different level. “I wanted to have that other experience of teaching at a different level,” she explained. “I enjoy doing research, and I enjoy working within academia. Teaching people who want to become teachers is very rewarding.”

For Professor Rachelle, the classroom is more than a space for lectures. It’s a dynamic environment where future educators learn by example. She teaches primarily in the Bachelor of Education program, where she not only discusses effective teaching methods but also models them in practice. “It’s not only about talking to the students about how to teach,” she said. “It’s also showing them examples of how to teach. They see what I’m doing and can take away from that.”

Her classes emphasize student-centered, active learning, rooted in a socio-constructivist approach. Rather than relying solely on lectures, Professor Rachelle incorporates group work, partner activities, and collaborative discussions to help students engage deeply with the material. “The students do most of the work,” she said with a smile. “They’re engaged in topics of conversation, readings, and presenting. It’s a very active learning environment.”

When asked what advice she’d give to students beginning their university journey, Professor Rachelle stressed the importance of connection.

“It’s really important to make connections with people, Sometimes it’s hard outside of class, but instructors can help create those opportunities within the classroom. Being open to those connections can make a big difference.”

Although Professor Rachelle prefers to keep her personal life private, she expressed deep pride in her roots. “I grew up here on Prince Edward Island,” she said. “I feel it’s a privilege to work at UPEI, especially knowing people come from all over the world to be here. I’m proud to live and work in the place I call home.”

Getting to know professors like Professor Rachelle reminds us that education is both a personal and professional journey. Be sure to check back next week for another edition of Know Your Professor With Zhyryn, where we’ll meet another remarkable UPEI faculty member!