Mr. Roo was the first teacher to give me a chance. He saw potential in me and instead of hounding me for my struggles; he nourished my love for film and television and introduced me to the acting chops of Robert De Niro as well as the musical talent of Louis Prima. Not long after, I was enthralled with the history of Egypt, as he found a way to reach me with his passion, ultimately leading me down a path of enriched discovery.
Each student has a preferred teacher for whatever reason. It is not to say the others that educate them are not of value or even respected, but we all have that one teacher that took that extra time, that saw us for who we were in our heart of hearts and helped us draw out of our youthful shell and blossom into a compassionate and kind adult.
That is no small task. Children can be taxing at the best of times, especially little ones similar to me growing up who struggle with personal matters derived from a poor relationship with someone outside of the classroom. For students who have a charming demeanour and perhaps have a wonderful family life may be just as influenced with the power of positivity from a loving and caring teacher.
For those students, parents or caregivers that would like to recognize their child’s teacher for their tremendous efforts in helping their young ones grow; there is a new Award for Excellence in Education the Premier of British Columbia implemented.
Nominations opened on Monday, April 23rd 2018 in an effort to acknowledge those wonderful teachers.
“B.C.’s talented teachers, administrators and support workers deserve to be honoured and celebrated for the important work they do,” said Premier John Horgan. “We are focused on investing in British Columbia’s education system, and developing new relationships with our education partners that are built on trust and respect.”
Shortlisted nominees will be announced in late August. Finalists will be invited to an awards ceremony at Government House in Victoria on World Teachers’ Day, Oct. 5, 2018. Premier Horgan and Fleming will be in attendance. Winners will receive a $3,000 personal bursary for professional learning, and a $2,000 contribution to their school community for professional learning.
Deadline for submission is June 18, 2018.
With that said, who is your Mr. Roo?
