2010 Winning Teachers

September 29, 2010

UNESCO inaugurated October 5 as World Teachers’ Day in 1994. As part of its recognition of this special day, the Ontario Teachers’ Federation will present the seventh annual OTIP Teaching Awards on September 30, 2010 at Enoch Turner Schoolhouse in Toronto.

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

Once again this year, three teachers will be celebrated for their demonstrated passion and professionalism to education and to teaching.

The following educators received the OTIP Teaching Award:

2010 Winning Teachers

September 29, 2010

UNESCO inaugurated October 5 as World Teachers’ Day in 1994. As part of its recognition of this special day, the Ontario Teachers’ Federation will present the seventh annual OTIP Teaching Awards on September 30, 2010 at Enoch Turner Schoolhouse in Toronto.

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

Once again this year, three teachers will be celebrated for their demonstrated passion and professionalism to education and to teaching.

The following educators received the OTIP Teaching Award:

Beginning Teacher Category

Matt Biggley

Vincent Massey Secondary School, Windsor

One of our categories is reserved for teachers in their first five years of practice. This year’s nominations in this category were incredibly impressive. The passion and innovation demonstrated by our newest members of the profession are confirmation that the future of education is assured. All of the promise of our newest teachers is found in this year’s honouree, Matt Biggley.

Matt is a History teacher at Vincent Massey Secondary School in Windsor. History is a subject with great scope for engaging students. The challenge is that students often bring preconceptions about history – not always positive ones. Matt is determined to bring history to life to his students and make it relevant to their contemporary and active lives.

Elementary Teacher Category

Alice Désormeaux

St Anne Separate School, Hanmer

In the category of Elementary Teacher, this year we recognize Alice Désormeaux.

When parents send their children off to school to become our students they are sending us their hopes. One parent who wrote in support of Alice’s nomination said, ”Alice is a strong believer in making learning fun and enjoyable for all.”

Her colleagues also can see Alice’s great strengths. Her nominator wrote, “Alice engages students by focusing on child-centred teaching. Alice believes in nurturing the whole individual and focuses on all students’ strengths. Her dedication to her students is rooted in her belief that she will treat all the students in her care as if they were her own children.

Alice’s classrooms are indeed fun and happy places of learning.

Secondary Teacher Category

Colleen Drew-Baehre

North Hastings High School, Bancroft

Colleen Drew-Baehre is a teacher who exemplifies numerous qualities of a good teacher. She expresses caring and compassion towards all students; creativity in design and use of teaching methods and an inquisitive sense of community.” This statement was made by the colleague who nominated Colleen for this award.

The rest of her nomination paints a picture of a teacher who is engaging and innovative. Colleen makes her courses relevant to her students, integrated into her community and rooted in the here and now. She is well respected by her colleagues, her students and their parents.

As a geography teacher, Colleen focuses on environmental awareness and understanding. Her vision of education entails giving her students real experience of what is to be valued in Ontario’s vast natural environment.