After more than 15 years in education, Kyle Hamilton still describes the profession with a sense of energy and passion. His desire to teach was shaped, in part, by a formative moment in high school — one that helped him understand what belonging can feel like for a young person. It started with joining an improv theatre group and meeting a teacher whose approach left a lasting mark.
“The teacher that facilitated that experience for us was amazing and I connected with her, and really made incredibly strong friendships with the other students that were part of that,” he says. “It was a real formative moment as I felt a sense of belonging within school. I had the thought that if I could play a role in replicating something similar for kids, that would be a really worthwhile way to spend my life.”
That spark continued to influence his work as he entered the profession. With each passing year, he became more interested in understanding the principles behind his teaching and in shaping a clearer sense of who he wanted to be as an educator.
“I found it really beneficial after having taught several years and starting to feel like I understood my own practice and my own orientation in the classroom. Starting grad studies then really provided me with an opportunity to more rigorously define the kind of teacher that I was aspiring to be.”
While completing his master’s degree, he was invited to participate in committees reimagining the Bachelor of Education program. Contributing to those conversations introduced him to the field advisor role.
“Being in the academic environment, but having a foot in both worlds felt really exciting,” he says. “My thought was, how can I do more of this?”
Pursuing a PhD, he realized, was the pathway that would allow him to stay in both spaces, teaching and academia, for the long term. In a full circle moment, Kyle found himself reflecting on that sense of belonging he experienced years earlier. He began to think about the conditions that make such communities possible.
“I thought about how community is built amongst a diverse group of young people, and it led me to consider complex social arrangements, diverse cultures and ultimately the connection between democracy and education.”
With this perspective, his began to narrow down his dissertation to focusing on understanding what it means for teachers to enact democratic habits and practices in their everyday work.
“I asked a group of teachers to take a risk and try to teach in democratic ways in their classroom,” he explains. “I wanted to find out what the benefits of that approach were and what were the significant challenges that they encountered in doing so as well.”
Much of the existing literature on democracy in education is American-centric and highly theoretical, offering few concrete examples of what this looks like in practice. His research set out to fill that gap by examining how democratic principles unfold in real classrooms, and what teachers actually experience when they attempt to embody them. For him, the work requires going in “with eyes wide open,” acknowledging the complexity of classrooms rather than holding onto romanticized visions of how such ideals will play out perfectly in day-to-day teaching.
In his dissertation, he identified several practices that can help teachers thoughtfully engage with democratic approaches. He encourages educators to embrace the complexity of classrooms. He also sees value in reimagining classrooms as communities of co-learning, where teachers and students navigate the work of living well together.
“When we create intentional spaces for students to exercise their freedom, where they make choices, take responsibility, and reflect on their experiences, we open the door for real agency and creativity to develop. That’s where meaningful personal and social growth begins,” he says.
He hopes his research might help teachers feel more supported as they navigate the realities of their work.
“I hope that it supports teachers in confidently wading into classroom complexities, and learning to see the richness of the classroom terrain,” he says. “It’s not easy, it’s tricky at times, but there’s real value in embracing that stance in the classroom.”
His findings have already shaped his own teaching practice.
“I think I feel a responsibility being so close to what I’ve learned through this research process to actively embody what it is that I’m advocating for others to do,” he says. He strives to create learning experiences where students meaningfully contribute, bring their cultures and experiences forward, and participate in shaping the learning environment.
Beyond the research findings, the doctoral process also reinforced something important about his own stance as an educator.
“A key takeaway for me is that as an educator, it’s my responsibility to always be a student of learning,” he says. “Every teacher is a learner, every learner is the teacher—simultaneously. The more you know, the less you know.”
In recognition of his doctoral work, he received the Stephen Daniel Pope Award. Receiving this award, he says, feels deeply meaningful.
“It’s honestly humbling. I have a lot of gratitude, and also feelings of imposter syndrome. I know there are many great educators out there who are deserving of this. It’s really humbling to be recognized by your peers for your accomplishments.”
About Stephen Daniel Pope Graduate Award
In memory of Dr. Stephen Daniel Pope, this award is presented to an Okanagan School of Education graduate student who shows great promise in the field of education. Dr. Stephen Daniel Pope is remembered for his passion for education and his significant contributions to the public education system of British Columbia in the 1800s.