LTR: Hillei Arghandewal with Jennifer Pigeon; Joanne Lombardi, Practicum and Community Engagement Coordinator with Christina Gosnell; Colin Milligan.
Standout community educators recognized with annual Awards for Excellence
Since 1986, the Faculty of Education has recognized the dedication and commitment of our Bachelor of Education program community partners through the annual Western Education Awards for Excellence.
The awards recognize the outstanding contributions of the associate teachers, alternative field experience supervisors, master teacher mentors and schools that support the professional development of our teacher candidates during their field placements.
For the first time this year, our Teacher Education team took to the road to hand deliver the awards to the recipients in their schools, offering an opportunity for recipients to celebrate with their colleagues.
The following summaries of select recipients are based upon the nominations from their student mentees.
Jennifer Pigeon, Associate Teacher Junior, Ecole Arbour Vista, Upper Grand District School Board
Building strong relationships is at the core of Jennifer Pigeon’s teaching philosophy. She has been named recipient of the Associate Teacher, Junior Award of Excellence for her ability to apply this consistent and heartfelt approach with her students, her school community and her student mentees alike.
“Jenny inspired me to understand the true importance of building strong relationships with students,” said her student mentee Hillei Arghandewal.
“She knows her students deeply, what motivates them, how they learn and what they need to feel safe and valued. Because of her, I learned that strong relationships are the foundation of effective classroom management, not the other way around.”
For Pigeon, being an associate teacher is “incredibly rewarding.” She shared that she feels privileged to help new teachers find their voice and confidence and finds deep fulfillment knowing she has been able to pass along her belief in the value of cultivating strong relationships with students.
“My greatest hope that I have for my teacher candidates is the see the unbelievable value of the relationships that we develop in the classroom with our students,” said Pigeon.
“Being able to make all students feel cared about and valued is the most important thing. Teaching is more than delivering content; it's giving them the space where they feel safe to take risks, make mistakes and feel like they are part of a team.”
Arghandewal also highlighted Pigeon’s ability to create a welcoming environment where student teachers feel truly valued and supported with actionable feedback.
“She welcomed me not as just a teacher candidate, but as a true partner in the learning environment. One of the things I appreciated most was her exceptional system for feedback on my each of my lessons; it helped me reflect deeply on my growth,” said Arghandewal.
“I truly believe that students will remember Jenny for the rest of their lives, and so will I. She is the type of teacher who changes people. She changed me, both as a learner and as an educator.”
Christina Gosnell, Associate Teacher Senior, Medway Secondary School, Thames Valley District School Board
Christina Gosnell was recognized as the Associate Teacher, Senior Award of Excellence recipient for her passion for teaching and exemplary professionalism that inspires others to strive for the same level of teaching excellence.
“Christina consistently demonstrates impeccable instructional leadership, a dedication to student success and a genuine passion for mentorship,” said her student mentee Carlie Evans.
“She has strengthened my passion for teaching, shown me the power of thoughtful instruction and equipped me with the skills I need to become an excellent educator like her.”
Evans celebrates Gosnell for her dedication to activities in the school community, for her aptitude at cultivating strong parent relationships, and her ability to deliver differentiated instruction, creating an environment where all students can thrive.
“Christina is deeply committed to supporting each one of her students, providing accommodations to ensure every student can succeed,” said Evans.
“She understands the individualized needs of every student. She thoughtfully designs her lessons and teaching strategies to meet each student where they are.”
Gosnell explains that she is deeply grateful to be recognized for her mentorship and dedication to the noble profession. She views the relationship with her mentees as a mutually beneficial opportunity to grow and support one another.
“Teaching is hard, so to be recognized for something that you know is challenging, and to be recognized for something you love doing, is extra special,” said Gosnell.
“To me, the truth about mentorship is that it creates the opportunity to learn a lot about yourself through the process and mentoring is not about trying to make anyone like you – it is about honouring the individual and bringing out the best in them.”
Colin Milligan, Master Teacher Mentor, Faculty of Education Western University
Colin Milligan, instructor, coordinator for the transition to practice course, practicum consultant and a master teacher mentor at Western Education has been selected as the recipient of the Master Teacher Mentor Award of Excellence.
The master teacher mentor program is a small group course facilitated by a master teacher mentor who draws upon their teaching experience to model and set standards of excellence for teacher candidates.
Milligan was commended by his student nominator Matthew Turnbull for his ability to create a safe learning environment where students feel confident discussing challenging and uncomfortable topics. Turnbull also highlighted Milligan’s candor and ability to encourage student introspection prior to offering his own perspectives.
“Colin is the very definition of a ‘master teacher.’ His genuine love for what he’s doing shines through in his interactions with us,” said Turnbull. “His honest responses have truly helped us all to grow, perhaps more than any other experience in the program.”
For Milligan, the most rewarding part of his work is hearing how his students have applied his advice to their practicums and knowing they will carry this guidance forward. He hopes the master teacher mentor course inspires his students to be lifelong learners themselves.
“My greatest hope for the teacher candidates is that they consider the mentoring experience to be one of the most valuable aspects of their development as teachers,” said Milligan.
“I also hope that my impact is about internalizing the importance of being intentional about your own professional growth as a teacher. Once teacher candidates leave Western, I would be thrilled if they really commit to lifelong learning as a teacher.”
Below is a full list of this year’s award recipients, along with a carousel of photos from the award presentation visits.
|
Award Recipient |
Category |
Location |
|
Julie Trakinskas |
Associate Teacher Primary |
St. Marguerite d’Youville CES LDCSB |
|
Jennifer Pigeon |
Associate Teacher Junior |
Ecole Arbour Vista UGDSB |
|
Becky Stephenson |
Associate Teacher Intermediate |
St. Martin CES LDCSB |
|
Christina Gosnell |
Associate Teacher Senior |
Medway Secondary School TVDSB |
|
Louise Arbour FI PS |
Community of Excellence |
TVDSB |
|
Cameron Heights CI |
Community of Excellence |
WRDSB |
|
Sue Kwiecien |
AFE Supervisor Community Organization |
Cube for Teachers |
|
Diana Murawski
|
AFE Supervisor Ontario K-12 School |
A. B. Lucas SS TVDSB |
|
Nadine de Moras |
AFE Supervisor Other School Setting |
Western University |
|
Colin Milligan |
Master Teacher Mentor |
Western University |
