Meet the Teacher: Sebastian Major
Subject: English, Drama, Economics, World Issues, Geography, World Religions
Grades: 8 – 12
Sebastian Major grew up in Aurora. He and his wife Beth were married in the summer of 2015 and had their first child, Miles, last year. Sebastian’s parents live the retired life in Collingwood and he has one sister, who lives in Bradford with her husband and two kids. His wife is the youngest of four sisters, so Miles has lots of aunties and cousins!
In his spare time, Mr. Major hosts an award-winning educational podcast called “Our Fake History” that looks at the many myths and misconceptions that complicate our understanding of the past. He is also an amateur musician and has been playing guitar in bands since his teenage years. In the summer, he loves exploring Georgian Bay in his sailboat, The Proud Mary.
When Mr. Major was in high school, one of his most inspiring teachers started his course with this quote from philosopher Hannah Arendt: “Education is the point at which we decide whether we love the world enough to assume responsibility for it, and by the same token save it from that ruin which, except for renewal, except for the coming of the new and the young, would be inevitable.” That quote stuck with him for years and reminded him of how important and essential education was. He started working as a camp counsellor, ski instructor, and a coach for disabled sailors as a teenager. When it came time to pick a career, teaching seemed like a natural fit.
Mr. Major has had the pleasure of directing the school play for the past three years. Every one of those rehearsals gets him laughing. He finds nothing more fun than watching students try new things onstage. Among his many talents, Mr. Major can play guitar behind his head!
