12 June 2, 2012 - ObserverXtra

THE OBSERVER | SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 2012
LIVING HERE
EDUCATION / ABOVE AND BEYOND
Together they’re making a difference
Floradale PS educators win provincial award for their approach to all-day kindergarten program
COLIN DEWAR
A new teamwork philosophy
has earned a
pair of Floradale PS educators
top grades from the
province. Teacher Janet
Martin and early childhood
educator (ECE)
Gloria Bauman are the
recipients of the Premier’s
Award for the Full Day
Kindergarten Team of the
Year.
Watching the “proactive,
productive professionals”
at work inspired principal
Vlad Kovac to nominate
the pair.
Early last month the
kindergarten team was
notified that they had received
the award, which
honours only one team
from across the province
for their work in a full-day
kindergarten program.
“We were shocked and
very honoured, but when
it comes down to it we are
just doing our job,” said
Martin, who has been a
teacher for 16 years.
The program is a paradigm
shift in teaching
philosophy; whereas
kindergarten was once
theme-based learning it
has now changed to an
inquiry-based learning,
Kovac explained.
The new curriculum is
currently being phased
across the province over
the next five years.
“It is really based on
the student’s interests. So
teachers are now coming
at this grade from a different
way or perspective.
Students are now asking
questions about things
and teachers help them
find the answers to their
questions,” said Kovac. “It
was identified early that
these two teachers were
not only doing well at it
but they were accelerating
with it.”
Through the new program
school has become
more of a hands-on experience
for the children.
“It is phenomenal to see
kids really engaged and
really enthused with it all
as they are learning what
they want,” said Kovac.
“It is incredible and very
powerful to see the students
learning in a different
way.”
To be recognized for the
award the kindergarten
team must be comprised
of a registered ECE and a
teacher who are currently
employed in a full-day
kindergarten class in a
publicly funded elementary
school.
Although the team has
only been working together
for the last two years
they have already worked
with the school board to
share their experiences
teaching the new model by
speaking to other staff and
leading discussions on
the professional development
that is occurring in
public schools. The ministry
has also sequestered
them to make videos that
will be shared with the
whole province about the
program and philosophy
behind it.
The two educators have
taken a different approach
to the classroom experience.
During the school
year they had their class
run a lemonade stand to
make the concept of money
real to the students.
They also made a bus
Auto Care Tip of the Week
Your brakes are your vehicle’s most important safety
feature! Keep them maintained! Signs that your brakes
should be checked:
- Brake pedal is soft or mushy
- Brake pedal is hard or resistant
- Brake pedal is too high or too low
- Loud, constant grinding & scraping sounds come
from your brakes
- MAYNARD BAUMAN
Janet Martin and Gloria Bauman, educators at Floradale Public School, recently received the Premier’s Award for the Full Day Kindergarten
Team of the Year. [COLIN DEWAR/THE OBSERVER]
and a fire truck inside the
classroom and taught the
children about wind and
magnets.
TEACHERS | 28
20 Oriole Parkway E., Elmira, ON N3B 0A5
Tel: (519) 669-1082 Fax: (519) 669-3084
info@leroysautocare.net
www.leroysautocare.net
NEW
LOCATION!
LIVING HERE | 27
CHEF’S TABLE / DIERRE
AND JACQUELINE
Celebrate
Dad – treat
him to
dinner
RECIPE
NOTES
Father’s Day is right
around the corner. I have
cooked for musicians, politicians,
cooking icons and
many special guests, but
the hardest man to cook
for has always been, you
guessed it, my dad. One of
our hors d’oeuvres inspired
by him and his traditional
tastes is the petite yorkie
with beef tenderloin and
horseradish mashed potato.
It is hugely popular and
loved by all, but very safe.
After beating stomach
cancer – a moment I was
never more proud – his
cooking sense and taste
buds awakened. Now he
is trying all sorts of new
recipes and cooking his
way through cookbooks.
Food has so many qualities
nutritional, soul satisfying
and as adventurous as you
make it.
The way to a man’s heart
is through his stomach?
Not necessarily, but I love
to try! This recipe is fantastic
in the oven or BBQ – just
keep the BBQ on med-low
to avoid the sugar burning.
We use Conestoga
porkloin: it is delicious! As
the season progresses you
can switch the apples to
peaches, plums and figs.
It’s a wonderful addition to
any Dad’s day meal.
CHEF’S TABLE| 28