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Michel teaching in 1972 on the Base at Uplands and didn't make very much money back then. To put himself through university he did construction work made more money the four months he was working building the appartments there ($400 a week) than his whole first year of teaching ($4,500 a year). His first day on the construction site at Alta Vista Towers  he was 22 floors up, he had to climb over the ledge to remove the wooden forms from the concrete slab above the top balconies. He wore a safety harness held by another worker called Joe who told him not to look down. With a crowbar he had to pry the 2x6 wooden forms around each slab. The first one took him half an hour as he was very afraid to make a fatal mistake especially when he had to pass the loosened pieces to Joe over the ledge. The next one took a little less time and by noon he finished all fourteen slabs. He certainly cured himself of his fear of heights. He never enjoyed lunchtime as much as that day!

 

At Saint-Charles parish he wanted to be a teacher back then. He always had a passion for helping kids and enjoyed teaching sport skills to the youth group. When he started teaching on the base the TV program "Welcome Back Kotter" was on the television and very popular. They would call him Mr Kotter, he looked a little bit like the character and apparently acted somewhat like him. The students he taught loved his personality and outgoing nature. They were younger than the the actors on the tv show. He was a fun teacher but they also had to behave themselves and never disrespect him and he would never yell. Gave that teacher look of his, by staring them down.

 

He taught grades 6 7 and 8 when teaching on the Base and knew many of the parents from playing hockey and softball with them. The children knew they couldn't get away with anything. It was a community and Michel knew some of the officers as well and would go to the mess were the beer was cheap. It was the best teaching job he ever had.  All the teachers getting together for TGIF (Thank God It's Friday) they'd have a great time partying, laughing and joking till it was time to leave. The kids he taught if they needed help he'd stay after school and made teaching a joy by telling his jokes, the students learned better that way. It was the best time ever to be around and even now he's had children in his class finding out he taught one of their parents. Kim's sure most likely some of their grandchildren as well.

All Those Years Ago How Time Flies By and He Still Loves Teaching, It Keeps Him Young.