2019 Recipients – Teaching Excellence

Certificates of Excellence

2019 Recipients – Teaching Excellence

Alberta

Said El Mejdani

Said El Mejdani

One coding session led to a course and then a full computer science program led by this dedicated teacher; students created first-ever computing community events and prepare for technology-related jobs in the energy and other sectors.


Steven David Schultz

Steven David Schultz

From robotics to beekeeping, this "great listener" shares his wide-ranging passions with students and engages them through hands-on projects and activities that have inspired a surge of interest in STEM fields in central Alberta.


British Columbia

Michael Wilson Ross

Michael Wilson Ross

Young people build community and find their place in the world through comprehensive outdoor experiences program; hiking glaciers and sailing tall ships connects to the Grade 11 curriculum while fostering social and emotional growth.


Manitoba

Benjamin Alvin Paul

Benjamin Alvin Paul

Working in a diverse urban school, this teacher fosters inclusivity, enhances literacy across the school and gets teenagers outside, with a fishing rod in their hand.


Ontario

Louise Leclair-Bélanger

Louise Leclair-Bélanger

Nothing is impossible for this teacher who is always prepared to dive into projects her students propose. She encourages curiosity, risk-taking and active learning through projects that frequently arise from the classroom setting so that her students always seek to develop their skills and excel.


Lynn Wilkins

Lynn Wilkins

Respecting all students' strengths, needs and interests, this teacher develops elaborate hands-on projects—students in five grades at two schools formed companies to go to Mars—to foster inquiry and integrate technology.


Prince Edward Island

Frances Ann Squire

Frances Ann Squire

This award-winning children's author and published poet strives to bring out similar creativity in her students; they participate in literary competitions, display their art in local galleries and share their poetry with the public in a café.

Quebec

Sylvain Gauvreau

Sylvain Gauvreau

Concerned about both the very low graduation rate and the lack of interest among girls in science and technology, this teacher has made it his mission to develop a teaching style that speaks to his students' interests and reality, leading them to discover new passions through activities based on real-life and participation.

Saskatchewan

Karen Kennedy-Allin

Karen Hannah

Caring about students until they care, this veteran teacher adapts her approach to various learning styles, stresses innovative thinking and learning though trial and error through hands-on projects and formative evaluations.

Yukon

Marie Bélanger

Marie Bélanger

Cartoons starring her students; production of video capsules; setting up a flexible classroom: this teacher spares no imagination or creativity to make her teaching dynamic and engage her students in concrete projects that often extend beyond the walls of their school.

Certificates of Achievement

Recipients of Certificates of Achievement

Alberta

Carol Bilawchuk

Carol Bilawchuk

Innovative learning activities see children explore their senses by making slime at Halloween, building an earthworm habitat to learn about creatures that consume natural waste, "selling" classmates on books they like and designing maps.


Brendan E. Hagan

Brendan E. Hagan

The primary goal of this teacher's wildly popular band program is to show he will support them all the way to whatever they want to achieve; he instils respect for teamwork and has students work with professionals.

British Columbia

Van Chau

Van Chau

Encouraging independence, punctuality, perseverance and grit, this inspiring teacher uses games and hands-on activities to build critical and creative-thinking skills, and ensure students can do, know and understand the curriculum.


Jennifer Henrichsen

Jennifer Henrichsen

Through outdoor adventures, year-long mastery projects and opportunities to contribute to the community and even math class, this teacher inspires middle-schoolers for lifelong learning and success.


Mary Elizabeth McCaw

Mary Elizabeth McCaw

This active educator models being an active learner in her unique outdoor Kindergarten; students learn about science out in nature and under a microscope; they write and present original stories inspired by their outdoor learning.


Stephanie Musgrove

Stephanie Musgrove

Children in this teacher's multicultural class learn about where they come from and get to take home the Briefcase of Science to do an experiment with their family; class activities—even taking attendance—spark creativity and curiosity.

Manitoba

Orysya Romanivna Tsybukh-Petryshyn

Orysya Romanivna Tsybukh-Petryshyn

This proud Canadian of Ukrainian heritage has led the way in introducing Manitoba students to the Holodomor Genocide; students published a book on the event, with a related website and media resources; she spearheaded her school's involvement in a national Canada 150 educational event.


Greg Speiser

Greg Speiser

Always seeking ways to transform his teaching, this reflective educator gives students a solid conceptual foundation and then lets them lead their own learning through self-paced enquiries and group problem solving.


New Brunswick

Marc McWilliams

Marc McWilliams

30 years in the profession have in no way diminished this teacher's passion. Whether using robotics to change his students' attitude toward math, or coaching the school's volleyball team to help youngsters flourish, he supports students in a climate of mutual respect that encourages them to excel.


Northwest Territories

Deb Horen

Deb Horen

Students—the majority of whom are Indigenous—leave this teacher's classroom knowing how to code, sew moccasins, write persuasive essays and set a rabbit snare; they also come to feel acceptance, compassion and pride in their culture.


Nova Scotia

Melanie Kennedy

Melanie Kennedy

This teacher encourages a culture of respect, kindness and empathy in her classroom; students share their ideas with their peers and the world through performance.


Ontario

Catherine Chin Yet

Catherine Chin Yet

Seeking out community partnerships and experts to give students access to diverse voices and experiences, this servant leader helps youth of all abilities express themselves and care for each other's health and well-being.


Pareen Gill

Pareen Gill

For this thoughtful teacher, developing her young students' characters matters as much as academics; they learn how the brain works, practise mindfulness to self-regulate and focus better in class, and get opportunities to be leaders.


Douglas Hogue

Douglas Hogue

Approaching his young students from the "human side of teaching" has led this educator to use technology to level the playing field for children, explore the link between behaviour and success, and ensure children get plenty of outdoor time.


Kim Lussier

Kim Lussier

This teacher's flexible classroom and seating options suit learners of all styles, who collaborate on experiential projects and learn to use digital tools; at home, they fill their "I wonder…" journals with the results of their own research.


Julie Meloche

Julie Meloche

This teacher creates a culture of caring and inclusion in her classroom: social justice, leadership, and community service are some of the themes that help her students become complete citizens who are engaged and sensitive, who will then be able to transfer what they've learned to their community.


Craig Morrison

Craig Morrison

Running a small design and skateboard building business, this artistic educator warmly welcomes youth who do not fit into the regular school system; they learn with creative professionals, developing skills and increasing in confidence.


Terrance Alonza Saunders

Terrance Alonza Saunders

Having taught multiple generations in a neighbourhood with a high child-poverty rate, this inclusive educator ensures projects are relevant and gives students plenty of chances to build self-esteem and confidence through drama and dance.


Calvin D. Van Eek

Calvin D. Van Eek

A thoughtful listener, this compassionate educator, works to instil the same skill in his students, while working to understand where are coming from, prioritizing their mental health and setting them up with skill and knowledge for life.


Quebec

Jean-Philippe Bolduc

Jean-Philippe Bolduc

This teacher's goal is to bring students to thoughtful awareness through critical thinking and ethics, using activities where mistakes are encouraged and supported and where science and technology are learning tools that are both fun and rooted in the daily reality of our changing world.


Sarah Newton

Sarah Newton

Applying her extensive knowledge and experience, this teacher marries creativity and the basics through hands-on activities so children have fun learning but are also prepared for future academic challenges and real-life situations.


Marianne Rhéaume

Marianne Rhéaume

This teacher is always looking for new approaches and innovative activities to keep her students in a stimulating environment that encourages them to look at school as a living, concrete place of learning, open to our world that is constantly socially and technologically evolving.


Saskatchewan

Susan Brown

Susan Brown

This knowledgeable but humble educator creatively steps in to improve literacy—developing kits to prompt summer reading, broadcasting reading to build aural comprehension, and using vocabulary and word-matching games.


Michael Kurpjuweit

Michael Kurpjuweit

Digital tools in this talented musician's room help beginning players sound better and develop confidence, while all students learn about diversity through music from various cultures and perform at venues around the city.


Jeff Moore

Jeff Moore

Students explore poetry in nature, do science on the trail, go rock climbing and ice fishing, and learn Canadian history at local sites in a course created by a passionate environmentalist, earning five Grade 11 credits along the way.

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