Abel (my Grade 2 teacher), Merv Reid and others were some of the admin staff from whom I learned a great deal. Teaching used to be a very isolated experience – you worked alone. However, I learned that having other adults in the room was beneficial. Working with Educational Assistants, I was able to learn how to work with students with various challenges, or how to learn and adapt my teaching to better fit the needs of students.” After five years in education, Richard began collaborating with Teachers College candidates. “I learned just as much from them as I hoped they learned from being in our classroom. I told my student teachers that they would see some things they like, and some they may not, but to take away bits and pieces that they could use in their own practice. As well, you may learn what you won’t do in your classroom -- which is also valuable.” Since 2019, Richard has been involved in the Master Teacher Mentor Program: “What I try to instill in my students is a love for learning, to strive to do better, and to honour what they and others bring to the classroom. There is so much to be gained through this.” Additionally, Richard highlights, “In retirement, I still wanted to give back to the education community. The Master Teacher Mentor Program allows someone who has experience in the education field to work in small groups of about 12 students who come from all sorts of backgrounds, disciplines and a focus on: Early Years (pre-school); Primary (Gr. 1 – 3); Junior (Gr. 4 – 6); Intermediate (Gr. 7 – 10); or Senior students (Gr. 11 – 12). We meet about 16 times over the two- year program for two-hour sessions, and discuss everything from how to deal with cell phones, to discipline, to assessment, to how to get that first job and everything in between.” Over the years, Richard has been granted an Associate Teacher Award from UWO for his work with student teachers and was
also nominated for the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence. Most recently, Richard received the Award of Excellence in the Master Teacher Mentor Program at UWO. A student of Richard’s from the Faculty of Education wrote a letter nominating him for this award and he was chosen by Faculty representatives as this year’s recipient -- which he accepted last month. “As an educator,” Richard confides, “I was always moved by a thank you, or gesture. You collect ‘things’ (mugs, plaques, etc.), but the biggest thrill I get is when I see or hear from former students and catch up with what they are doing now.” Richard and his wife continue to tutor students, along with developing mathematics problems as part of a team for students in Grades 5 and 6. He concludes, “Teaching is a lot of work, but it is so very rewarding. So, this is a general thank you to all those who have touched my life until I get a chance to say something personally.”
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Hometown St. Thomas • June 2024 • Page 33
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