2009 Winning Teachers

September 30, 2009

As we approach World Teachers’ Day, the annual OTIP Teaching Awards Ceremony will be held in Toronto on October 1, 2009 at Enoch Turner Schoolhouse.

The Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan (OTIP) sponsors the awards which are administered by the Ontario Teachers’ Federation.

The Ontario Teachers’ Federation received numerous nominations for the OTIP awards from students, parents and colleagues.

The following educators received the OTIP Teaching Award:

2009 Winning Teachers

September 30, 2009

As we approach World Teachers’ Day, the annual OTIP Teaching Awards Ceremony will be held in Toronto on October 1, 2009 at Enoch Turner Schoolhouse.

The Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan (OTIP) sponsors the awards which are administered by the Ontario Teachers’ Federation.

The Ontario Teachers’ Federation received numerous nominations for the OTIP awards from students, parents and colleagues.

The following educators received the OTIP Teaching Award:

Beginning Teacher Category

Eyal Levine

Ashton Meadows Public School, Markham

In the category of Beginning Teacher, the honour goes to Eyal Levine.

When a parent writes about a teacher saying,“As my child is the most precious part of my life, I am proud to say that I entrust this valuable person to the teaching of Mr. Levine”, it is clear that we are talking about a special teacher and a special person.

And this is a teacher who has just started his fourth year of teaching. To have engaged his students and parents so completely, Eyal Levine must have been born a teacher.

Kindergarten is the very important foundation to learning and formal schooling. While we are seeing more men teaching Kindergarten, there are still such small numbers as to make them notable.

Eyal is a Kindergarten teacher because he knows that this is the age group with whom he can have the most impact, see the greatest learning growth and provide the best starting point for the newest learners.

Eyal Levine has the ability to engage his students’ thirst for learning and their capacity for fun in one classroom. Just watch and I’m sure you’ll agree.

Elementary Teacher Category

Cindee Karnick-Davison

Regent Heights Public School, Scarborough

In the category of Elementary Teacher, this year we recognize Cindee Karnick-Davison.

Teaching is a profession that requires a lot of enthusiasm and energy. And a teacher’s demonstration of those two attributes is reflected in his or her students.

The parents of Cindee Karnick-Davison’s pupils sent such glowing testimonials in her nomination that it was hard for the jury not to have chosen her as this year’s outstanding elementary teacher. The Grade 4/5 students in this teacher’s classroom became completely enthralled with learning.

Integral to Cindee’s classroom, in the words of her nominator, is giving each of her students “…a voice and a significant sense of confidence and hope by developing in them an awareness of themselves as important, significant individuals with the power to effect change in the world.”

That is an awesome achievement one student at a time. But

Cindee Karnick-Davison is also “…extremely well known in the school and the community as being everyone’s favourite teacher.”

As we drop in on her classroom, you will see why…

Secondary Teacher Category

Greg Rogers

Brebeuf College School, Toronto

In the category of Secondary Teacher, the honour goes to Greg Rogers.

Greg Rogers was nominated for his work at Brebeuf College School, but he is now on secondment to the Toronto Catholic District School Board so that more and more students can benefit from his work.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. That piece of wisdom comes to us from Margaret Mead the anthropologist. And it could be Greg Roger’s motto as well.

At the heart of his teaching philosophy is the virtue of social justice for all. In empowering his students’ leadership skills, he teaches them that leadership is not about the influence of power, but rather, it is the power to influence.

By his own behaviour, he demonstrates that an inspiring leader is also one who thinks about those less fortunate. He is not only a leadership role model for his students, but also for his colleagues.

Much of Greg’s teaching takes place in non-traditional places and in non-traditional ways. But as we are about to see, his students testify to the strength of his teaching.