september 2009 issue

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The Heart of Teaching

Their nominators tell us that they inpsire, motivate, influence and encourage their students. They are the best science and math teachers in Alberta, and 16 of them now have a 2009 APEGGA Teacher Award to prove it

YOU’RE THE BEST, TEACH Student nominators flank teacher award recipient Crystal Chudley (third from left) who teaches math to Grade 6, 7 and 8 classes at Fort McKay School. The award was presented by Wayne Kosik, P.Eng., the Fort McMurray Branch Outreach coordinator (second from left).

BY JEANNE KEASCHUK
Supervisor, Outreach Program

It’s true. You will remember an exceptional teacher all your life; his or her influence is profound and long-lasting.

Outstanding science and math teachers can and do make a difference in the education and lives of students, in the careers they choose, in their school community and in the greater community. The work these teachers do today is reflected in the workforce of tomorrow.

They know how to make school and learning cool. We heard it over and over again in the hundreds of comments we received from 1,172 nominators, in the 2009 APEGGA Teacher Awards. In all, 157 Alberta teachers were nominated.

Students past and present, parents, teaching colleagues and school administrators wrote to nominate science and math teachers. Their comments, like those that follow, were very telling.

 “I got lucky and was in Mr. Sobolewski’s class in Grade 2. Then I got lucky again and got him in Grade 3. For two years I had the best science classes of my life. Mr. Soboloweski changed my view of the world, not just science,” wrote a student.

“I appreciate her commitment to preparing students for high school and university,” writes a parent about a nominated teacher. “All her preparations help to give them the tools and confidence to know that they can be successful.”

“He has no idea of how smart he is or of the profound and very positive effect he has on anyone who has contact with him,” wrote a university professor about the teacher he nominated. “I was officially his teacher and he was my student, but I learned a lot about science from him. I was surprised, no stunned by his knowledge of and devotion to science.”

“My daughter is now in university. She and I will be eternally grateful for his tutorship, understanding and dedication,” wrote a parent and teaching colleague about a teacher.

“I will remember Miss Joyce (Shigehiro) for the rest of my life because she had a way of inspiring me in ways I could not have imagined,” wrote a student.

APEGGA extends its sincere thanks to all the nominators. More of you wrote to tell us about science and math teachers in 2009 than ever before, and more teachers were nominated, too.

Two additional awards were presented this year, increasing the total Alberta teacher award recipients to 16. The cash award to the school of each teacher award recipient was $2,000. Award recipients choose how the money will be spent at their schools to enhance science and math education.

Each winner also receives a certificate and a copy of his or her nomination package, and is honoured at an event hosted by APEGGA and its branches.

President Jim Beckett, P.Eng., has sent letters of congratulations and thanks to all award recipients and nominees. Nominees also receive certificates of nomination and their nomination package.

In Alberta we are fortunate to have many advantages. Among them are the many remarkable science and math teachers who teach K-12. Thank you for your enthusiasm, your excellence in teaching, and your inspiration to Alberta youth.