Haley Kuchar

“I’m from out of province and came to Montreal with basic French skills. Going to Concordia was a great opportunity to improve my French and learn about the language in a way that I was genuinely interested in.”

Growing up in rural Alberta, Montreal was a big change for Haley Kuchar – but one that led to an enriching life full of art and community. As an artist and educator, Haley explores her interests and creative potential through teaching internships, printmaking courses and Montreal’s vibrant art scene.

What does an average day look like for you?

Right now, I get up and go to my teaching internship. Depending on how many classes we have that day, I’ll be teaching anywhere from two to four classes per day. Sometimes I have class at Concordia in the evening, but usually I’ll go home after and decompress. I love queer life in Montreal, so I spend a lot of time doing activities with Montreal’s queer community.

Why did you choose to study in Montreal?

I did an exchange program with the YMCA when I was 17, so I came here for the summer. That’s how I started learning French and got connected to the city. Something about Montreal just stuck in my heart and kept pulling me back. The art scene in Montreal is incredible. Being from a more rural area in Alberta, I had never experienced life like we have here in Montreal. It’s amazing just being able to go outside and have everything you need. There’s so much life here and you never run out of things to do.

How is your French coming along?

Before coming to Concordia, I had never taken a class fully in French. I was scared at first, but you quickly become comfortable in the language. My French skills have gotten better in my day-to-day life by doing things like going to the store or to appointments. I feel comfortable now to live my life in French. Even though my studies and a lot of my friendships are in English, a big part of my life is now in French. I took a Linguistics class in French, and it was cool to study an actual subject in my second language, not just the language itself.

What do you like about your program?

The program is small and tight knit, so you make great connections. I feel so lucky to be in a program where I genuinely feel like professors care about me. Not just about your grades, but they care about you as a person. Most of the professors have a lot of hands-on experience in Art Education, so they’re well-equipped to help you along the path you want to pursue and show you new opportunities. I’ve worked in art galleries, camps and schools. Right from your first year of university, you start working in schools. I’m in my last year and I’m teaching five days a week, so you have lots of opportunities to see if teaching is right for you.

What have your teaching internships been like?

My first internship was one day a week at an elementary school. I was working with kids who have specific trauma or behavioural needs, so they really benefit from a smaller classroom situation. In my second internship, I was in a different elementary school working alongside a generalist teacher, which was lovely. Now I’m in my final year and teaching visual arts at a high school five days a week. Over time, the internships slowly transition to you getting more and more hands-on experience and taking responsibility for how the classroom is being run. I love getting to interact with the students every day, seeing how they’ve matured over the year and being part of a strong community.

How did you find your community at Concordia?

My program really encourages us to branch out as much as we can to develop our artistic expression and pedagogical beliefs. I found a community through Print Media at Concordia. I didn't have a lot of experience with printmaking before I came to Concordia, but I had elective space to take a few classes. It’s one of the places that I've felt most home. They have access to amazing facilities that you can’t come across in a home studio. There are not many places in North America where you can do stone lithography, so having the chance to do that at Concordia is huge.

Never studied French before? Find out more about learning French at Concordia!