Dave Jones, B.A., B.Ed., O.T.C.
Founder, Turtle Concepts | Ontario Certified Teacher
Dave Jones didn't set out to become a speaker—he became a teacher. With degrees in Sociology and Education and certification to teach in Ontario, he entered classrooms ready to make a difference. Over thirty years, those classrooms took many forms: Senior Kindergarten circles where young minds first discovered confidence, Special Education programs where every student mattered, Outdoor Education spaces where nature became the lesson, and Ojibwe language classes where culture and identity came alive through Anishinaabemowin.
But something happened in those years. Dave noticed a pattern—people struggling not because they lacked ability, but because they lacked permission to be confident. Society had taught them to shrink, to apologize, to hide. As a trained educator, Dave knew there was a difference between telling someone to "be confident" and actually teaching them how. So he built Turtle Concepts, grounding every workshop in the same pedagogy, structure, and accountability he brought to his classrooms.
His work has been recognized with the National Dreamcatcher Award for promoting education and the Distinguished Alumni Award from Algoma University. But the real measure of his impact is in the thousands of people across Indigenous communities and beyond who've learned that confidence isn't about ego—it's about survival, healing, and the courage to show up as yourself.
At On My Way..., Dave will share how a teacher's heart led to a life's calling, and guide you through conversations that challenge, heal, and transform.
