About Your Instructor
Dave Haisell
After graduating with a B. Sc. from the University of Toronto, I spent a year researching radiation biology at U of T. I then spent a second year at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto as a cancer research assistant. After, I managed a farm for a year and spent two years at the University of Guelph as an agricultural research assistant. Following that, I spent two years with IBM, one of which was in Toronto while the second was in Poughkeepsie, NY, where I helped develop third-generation computer software for the IBM 360 series.
Upon leaving IBM, I launched a twenty-seven and a half year career as a college professor at Humber in Rexdale, teaching Systems Analysis, Computer Programming and Math. I developed the Systems Analysis and telecommunications program curricula for both full time and continuing education students at Humber. Ten of those years, I was also a Chair in the School of Business. I also chaired the Advisory Committee for Computer Studies at Humber, working with employers to ensure the programs met their requirements. During this period, I also helped structure the curriculum in Systems Analysis for the Higher Colleges of Technology in the UAE. I spent time in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, and Sharjah during implementation, working with the colleges and prospective employers of future graduates in refining their needs.
It was while I was at Humber that I learned about Kumon Math from another Humber professor who had recently opened his own Kumon Centre. We were both aware that many first-year students at our college struggled with college-level Math courses and consequently had to sign up for remedial Math before being qualified to take our prescribed first semester courses. Helping to better prepare both elementary and secondary school students for University and College level Math was a strong motivator in my decision to train at Kumon and to open my own centre in Cambridge, which I did in January 1993.
During the first couple of years after leaving Humber, along with operating my Kumon centre, I also accepted a position as VP Marketing with A & L Computer Software Ltd., one of the largest suppliers of medical software in Ontario, based in Richmond Hill. Coincidentally, the company was owned by one of my former College graduates from our computer software program.
After two years at A & L the opportunity to buy a second Kumon centre - this time in Waterloo - arose, so I resigned from A & L and ran two Kumon centres for the next thirteen years. I sold my Waterloo centre and now dedicate all my time to my North Cambridge centre.
My background also includes many years of involvement in the arts: in music, writing, and photography. I am a published author and have a professional music background, which includes being both a singer song-writer and recording artist, and along with two other musicians, running two folk clubs in Metro Toronto where we also had our own TV show, "Live At The Wooden Gate." I play both acoustic and electric lead and rhythm guitars. I also received the commission to compose and record the campaign song for the Right Honorable Robert Stanfield when he ran against Pierre Trudeau for Prime Minister of Canada.
I have enjoyed both the science and art aspects of my career and feel both helped prepare me well for the many years in education with which I have been involved, and immensely enjoyable.