“She engages their bodies, their mouths and their minds. She reaches out, touching lives and teaching everywhere she goes—like Midas she leaves behind a touch of gold wherever she passes—golden opportunities to think clearly and critically about what and why we teach, how we use language to build community and how we can best help others to do the same”. This is a typical student portrait of Olenka.

Using such strategies as the “tree,” the “circle,” and her “success-guided Language Instructional Model,” Olenka has a sense of powerful context at the heart of helping students make sense of theory, problem solving, and identity shifting.

Recognized for her teaching excellence at her institution, Olenka has also won 16 other awards to develop Native and heritage language programs, as well as the Alberta Government Centennial Medal for Contribution to Ukraine-Alberta International Relations.

This ambassador for Canada has pioneered ESL and teacher training programs around the world. She was made a “Native Sister” for Cree language development. Her Dean writes: “Olenka is held in high regard as an expert and friend, by educators in Japan, Korea, Mexico and many other countries. Her gift as a teacher is ‘bone deep.’”

According to her students, Kim is “inventive, cheerful, exuberant, witty and most of all caring; an undeniable treasure; a jewel.” A great role model, Kim has earned awards for teaching excellence at Queen’s, UBC, and now McGill, which has also bestowed on her the prestigious Chair in Tax Law for her scholarship.

In the words of her Provost, Kim has “transformed the discipline in Canada and generated unprecedented enthusiasm in her students”.

Renovating a notoriously unforgiving subject, tax, dry by any account, Kim has taken a leading role in defining interdisciplinary teaching. Kim’s interdisciplinary interests found a natural home in the Institute for the Public Life of Arts and Ideas, which she helped to establish. Kim has also convened student research conferences within her faculty, created a space for queer theory in the curriculum, and led seminars on feminist theory to audiences across Canada.

Not surprisingly, teaching is a calling Kim loves. She has embraced technology to promote active learning, used creative assessments, and even engaged students until the early hours of the morning to generate critical thoughts on the federal budget, thereby reaching a wider community. Her Dean remarks, “Kim’s commitment to developing research and scholarship on pedagogy well beyond the boundaries of her discipline marks her achievements.”

3M Speaker
Discipline of Study / Research Field: Law

Presentation Topic/s: Happy to present to topics related to engaging students in the classroom.

Kim.Brooks@Dal.Ca

“There is a crack in everything / that’s how the light gets in.” Anthony says the simplicity of Leonard Cohen’s lines revealed to him how “learning arises in moments of curiosity, intrigue, confusion, doubt, and uncertainty. These moments are precious gifts.” Anthony was similarly inspired—and taught—by overhearing a plain-spoken teaching and learning conversation between a builder and his young apprentice.

Taking these epiphanies to heart, as a student says, “Tony practices what he preaches,” believing inquiry and reflection are the defining features of professional practice. Anthony is a prominent and inspiring researcher and mentor locally, nationally, and internationally, and he can list literally scores of publications on pedagogy in higher education. An elementary school teacher has watched “the ripple effect of Tony’s work” throughout an entire school district. Awards like UBC’s Killam Teaching Prize attest to his excellence, but one of his students insists, “Excellence in teaching is someone who empowers students for successes that surpass self-perceptions of what is achievable.”

And Tony is modest. Deferring to students, colleagues, and mentors, Anthony’s file closes with these words: “This is their story as much as mine.” But, again, a student says it best: “Not only a great teacher, but a great person.”

Described as both a “pragmatist” and a “visionary,” Clare Hasenkampf is not content just to share her very extensive knowledge and experience of biology with large first-year classes. She is determined not to forget this underlying motivation: it is all driven by her celebration of the wonderment experienced by the scientist. This excitement is communicated effectively to her students, one of whom says, “It’s worth the bother to come to class at 8:00 am, because her style of teaching just makes me happy.”

When her first-year students arrive in her third-year classes, “they are the scientists.” At both levels, she views her courses as stories with plot-lines; the students become the key players, and are empowered by her student-centred strategies, such as her success at aligning grades with objectives. She demystifies both her subject and the role of the teacher in the lives of her students, such that she has been asked to direct her local teaching centre, news that will be well-received by the student who wrote this simple declaration on a course evaluation : “I love you!”

“Angie is an activist and personal role model who was the most influential force during my time at St. FX.” Many students echo this view, saying they have been inspired, even transformed, by this charismatic teacher of human kinetics who embodies and celebrates their own aspiration to wellness, energetic enquiry, and social engagement. She lives out her university’s traditional commitment to service-learning and social justice, as she challenges her students to become advocates for health promotion in their communities and in the world.

The transformative magic begins in her classes, where she and her students are a team who warm up their minds, work out, and cool down. Her commitment to students is unconditional: “She teaches her students first and her courses second.” True to the code of ethics and responsibility she shares with her students, Angie reaches out to places as diverse as Antigonish and a Ugandan village, supporting young people whose health and intellectual development are at risk.

3M Speaker
Discipline of Study / Research Field:

• Human Kinetics,
• Children,
• physical activity,
• sedentary behaviour,
• obesity,
• health,
• hands-on learning experiences (i.e., service learning)

Presentation Topic/s:

• Health (with a focus on disease prevention/postponement),
• stress management,
• adding physical activity to your everyday,
• behaviour change,
• children and their physical activity (or lack thereof), etc.

I can talk about a LOT of different things related to physical activity, sedentary behaviours and health overall.

akolen@stfx.ca

Dr. Marini is the inspirational source and founding Chair of Brock University’s large, vibrant Department of Child and Youth Studies. From small to huge enrolment classes, the student verdict has invariably been the same for close to a quarter of a century: “Amazing class. Thank you!”

Zopito not only engages and fascinates, he changes lives. One former student summarizes the feeling of many: “Through his teaching and love of learning I have become the strong, caring and knowledgeable educator that I am today. I have been truly blessed to have Dr. Zopito Marini touch my life.”

Not only does he change the lives of his students, Zopito’s transformative touch has extended beyond the University walls, most noticeably to the whole Niagara region: “He shares his expertise generously with numerous social agencies, schools and parent groups.” With almost 150 glowing letters, notes, and e-mail messages received in support of his nomination, waves of gratitude carry Zopito into the 3M National Teaching Fellowship.

Obituary: Zopito passed away suddenly on October 23, 2017. A link to the Brock University release can be found here.

This down-to-earth yet renowned geology teacher has had a stellar influence on students, one of whom remembers him as having “made all the difference; I could not stay indifferent.” His environmental concerns, diverse strategies and use of technology underscore the presence of the gifted teacher in their midst.

His students are engaged by the clarity and resonance of his Welsh voice; enthralled by his rich, personal, world-wide experience; and inspired as they discover how this dedicated geology teacher has shaped the delivery of his subject, in Canada and beyond. Alan Morgan’s enthusiasm for his discipline has reached many thousands of people beyond his university: aspiring young scientists who read his texts on geoscience careers, distance-education students, high-school assemblies, and adult groups including those who enjoy his community Geo TimeTrail.

This recipient of two Royal Society awards for Public Awareness of Science inspires trust in his expertise, experience, and passion, and former students speak of their respect and his encouragement when they remember the larger-than-life pioneer who has shaped both their education and their lives.

«À l’époque, nos salles de cours n’avaient pas de fenêtres. Quand l’électricité coupait il fallait quitter les lieux. Jean était le seul à continuer, dans le noir, à captiver son auditoire à la grande surprise des anciens profs.», rapporte un collègue. Rien de surprenant de la part de ce professeur de génie mécanique dont les étudiants n’ont de cesse de rapporter comment il a illuminé leur parcours d’apprenant. «De la matière la plus détestée, (ses) cours reliés à la dynamique (deviennent) les plus appréciés». un des principaux moteurs d’une refonte en profondeur du programme de génie mécanique, son enthousiasme, loin de trouver son compte dans la satisfaction du succès de la refonte, le propulse plus loin, plus haut : Il se lance dans la création” d’un l’aventure d’un microprogramme de 3ième cycle où il entreprend d’affronter la tâche colossale de «concilier les cultures de 3 facultés et 17 programmes». Il réussit à susciter l’enthousiasme général, à commencer par celui des premiers étudiants à profiter du microprogramme. Les prix jalonnent le chemin parcouru: au niveau du département, à l’initiative des étudiants, puis au niveau de la Faculté des sciences, puis à celui de l’Université, puis au niveau international avec la reconnaissance de la France, qui le fait Chevalier de l’Ordre des palmes académiques. Il manquait le niveau national…

The key to Uttandaraman Sundararaj’s success as a teacher is best summed up by one of his students: “Teaching ability is only part of being a great professor. The relationship a professor builds with his students is an equally important aspect of great teaching.” UT (as he is better known) actively engages students, connecting engineering concepts to their life experiences, developing the skills of a professional engineer, and sharing his passion for the work of engineers.

They build Lego robots, learn the concept of capillary break-up by analyzing a video produced by UT and his wife Suzy, discover more about each other and about teamwork on the basketball court, and play with silly putty to learn about how polymers flow. Challenged by his principle of “continuous activity” and supported by diverse learning opportunities, his students rise to high expectations, while “having so much fun, you just want to learn more and more.”

UT is a generous colleague. He led the development of active learning and co-led effective assessment practices in Engineering and cultivates teaching development through peer consultation, mentoring, and teaching triads. A colleague observed, “Dr. Sundararaj has had a profound impact on the level of scholarship of teaching and on the teaching effectiveness of the entire faculty.”

3M Speaker
Discipline of Study / Research Field: Chemical Engineering/Polymers Presentation

Topic/s:

• Active Learning (Education);
• Conductive Polymer Nano Composites (Research);
• Morphology in Multiphase Polymer Materials (Research)

ut@ucalgary.ca

Last April, Dr. Elizabeth Wells stood to introduce a concert featuring the best in-class performances by students from her new Beatles course. “I’m Dr. Elizabeth Wells,” she said – and the room erupted into deafening cheers: “Best professor ever!” Symphonically, Elizabeth Wells blends the characteristics of exceptional teacher and influential leader. Her research into music pedagogy is both elegant and distinguished. Her powerful contributions to other teachers in her discipline, through practical, research-based workshops and presentations, changes pedagogy.

But, in the end, Elizabeth insists, “What good students want in a university education is good teachers. No one looks back on their 20-year college reunion remarking on the number of NSERC grants their professors received, or the sheen on a lovely new floor, or even a well-stocked library. They remember good teachers and good teaching.’

A former student cannot hold back her enthusiasm: “I have never seen a more effective classroom teacher” than Elizabeth Wells. Her career has instilled her passion for music in other teachers and, most importantly, in her students.

3M Speaker
I would be interested in speaking on any of:

• Integrating the Arts into everyday life
• Work/Life Balance
• Formulating an Empowering Mission.

ewells@mta.ca