Ottawa teachers win PM’s awards

Three honoured for ‘outstanding, innovative’ work

A teacher who brings an emotional development program and “core life skills” such as problem solving, self awareness, goal setting and critical thinking into her classroom has received a prestigious national award.

Viviane Gaudreault, who teaches Grades 2 and 3 at First Avenue Public School, is among three Ottawa educators to receive Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching Excellence in 2013.

“In her classroom, students solve problems and seek creative solutions on a daily basis. They celebrate their differences and support each other to be the best they can be,” school principal, Jennifer Nutt, said in an email.

A summary on the awards website says Gaudreault “doesn’t just teach — she inspires her students to learn.”

Gaudreault’s students used an app to illustrate and write unique stories that were then shared around the world, it says, and she uses cloud computing software to share photos and videos and to interact with parents.

Another project resulted in a book about Bandjoe, a mountain gorilla who escapes from poachers and is rescued and adopted.

Gaudreault was “formally congratulated” by primatologist Jane Goodall for the class participation in Goodall’s Roots & Shoots program, the summary states.

Up to 50 awards are handed out each year to recognize “outstanding and innovative elementary and secondary teachers in all disciplines who instil in their students a love of learning and who utilize information and communications technologies to better equip their students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in a 21st century society and economy.”

Using technology to reach beyond the classroom is among the achievements cited for Shauna Pollock, who teaches Grades 4 and 5 at Churchill Alternative School.

Pollock’s class has a blog that has received more than 20,000 visitors over an eightmonth period, and uses Skype to interact with other classrooms around the world, according to the awards website. (The company even sent a camera crew to film Pollock with the class for a documentary that will be used for teaching and promotion, it states.)

Pollock’s students also came up with Project Thank You, which sees them thanking people through cards. Each recipient is told to write two or more cards and to pass them along to keep the chain going.

Robert Albert Filion, who teaches vocal music, music theory and choral repertoire at Ecole secondaire publique De La Salle, was recognized for his “determination, passion and organizational skills” that have raised the profile of more than 300 student singers.

Filion’s students participate in musical exchanges and their concerts are performed on major stages, such as the National Arts Centre, Carnegie Hall and Notre-Dame Basilica, according to the summary.

He also fixed up the practice facilities with a modern multimedia system, while his students have developed a promotional video about their music program and produce professionally-recorded CDs to pay for extracurricular activities, the summary states.

All winners receive a pin and a certificate signed by the prime minister.

Gaudreault was among 16 teachers across the country to get a national-level certificate of excellence, which comes with $5,000 that is shared between a recipient and his or her school.

Pollock and Filion received regional-level certificates of achievement, which come with $1,000. The money can be used for professional development or teaching and resource material.