Canadian educators who weren't afraid to change the traditional school day model are honoured with the 2014 Ken Spencer Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning.
TORONTO, Feb. 19, 2014 /CNW/ - An ambitious group of Canadian educators are changing the culture of school by working tirelessly to provide their students with the space to follow their passions and contribute to the development of their own learning pathways - in the process, these learners have become way more engaged.
For an electronic booklet with photos and videos about all 15 Ken Spencer Award finalists: http://reports.cea-ace.ca/story/9609
| First Place | The X-Block Changing the culture of school by unleashing both students' and teachers' passions Len Wood Middle School - North Okanagan-Shuswap School District Armstrong, BC |
| Second Place | Building Futures Constructing real world learning for students, from the ground up George McDougall High School - Rocky View Schools Airdrie, AB |
| Honourable Mention | Oskāyak High School Renewal Empowering a generation of aboriginal leaders by blending traditional teachings with 21st century learning Oskāyak High School - Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools Saskatoon, SK |
| Honourable Mention | Through a Different Lens Helping teachers look at learning through the eyes of students Princess Margaret Secondary School - Okanagan Skaha School District Penticton, BC |
| Honourable Mention | The Futures Forum Embedding 21st century learning across the school district Waterloo Region District School Board Kitchener, ON |
| Honourable Mention | We Are All Treaty People A powerful way to bring treaty education to the classroom Palliser Heights School - Prairie South School Division Moose Jaw, SK |
| Honourable Mention | Découvertes pédagogiques (Pedagogical Discoveries) A mission to motivate at-risk learners École des Sentiers - Commission scolaire des Premières-Seigneuries Québec, QC |
This year's Ken Spencer Award winning programs leverage teacher expertise beyond their subject areas to provide inquiry based real-world learning that takes the classroom outside school walls. Many of these programs involve regular teacher collaboration that focuses on motivating students at risk of not completing school, while others blend indigenous teachings with 21st century learning. They all demonstrate a common commitment to the quality of the relationship between teacher and student.
"Many of these great ideas were built by determined educators willing to push the boundaries of traditional schooling to better engage their students," says Canadian Education Association (CEA) President & CEO Ron Canuel. "But the real challenge still remains for school districts to embed this type of disruptive change beyond individual classrooms and schools."
Ken Spencer Award recognition ceremonies are being planned in the communities of each of the seven winners. This is the fifth year of this award, and CEA would like to thank all of the school and school district staff for their time and effort in the preparation of the application packages.
The Ken Spencer Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning was established with the generous contribution of Dr. Ken Spencer to recognize and publicize innovative work that is sustainable and has the potential of being taken up by others; to encourage a focus on transformative change in schools; and to provide profile for classroom innovation within school districts, schools, and the media. http://www.cea-ace.ca/kenspenceraward
Founded in 1891, the Canadian Education Association (CEA) is a network of passionate educators advancing ideas for greater student and teacher engagement in public education. CEA does this by conducting research and spreading useful ideas through its publications, website, workshops, symposia, blog, videos, and social media channels, and supporting education systems to be more adaptive to the rapidly changing needs of all learners in an effort to reverse the trend of students 'tuning out' of their learning opportunities. http://www.cea-ace.ca
SOURCE: Canadian Education Association
Max Cooke - CEA Director of Communications (bilingual)
416-427-6454
[email protected] Twitter: @max_cooke
www.cea-ace.ca/kenspenceraward
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