Certificates of Excellence
2019 Recipients – Teaching Excellence
Alberta
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.
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.