Madisyn Gorman, Mckenna Wolstenholme, Chiara Gorgichuk, and Neve Aspeslet are just beginning their teaching careers in the Peace Region, but the four 2022 Edwin Parr award nominees shared their stories on the journey to the field of education and how they approach every day in the classroom.
St. Mary Catholic School grade 2 teacher Madisyn Gorman grew up an athlete and through different sports, she began to discover her passion for teaching.
“It feels awesome. To be honoured and recognized for that award, I was very surprised,” says Gorman. “I feel that it’s important to build relationships with all of my students. By building those relationships, you have more of an individual connection with your students. Each child is unique.”
Whispering Ridge Community School grade 1 teacher Mckenna Wolstenholme developed an interest in teaching after her involvement with the Northwestern Polytechnic Volleyball team. She started coaching and things really took off from there.
“Building relationships with my students is my first priority. Making them feel welcome and safe in our school and our classroom is very important to me,” says Wolstenholme. “I love seeing their smiling faces every day, watching them learn and grow, plus they teach me as much as I teach them.”
Crystal Park grade 6 teacher Chiara Gorgichuk comes from a teaching background, as her mother was a teacher and her brother and sister are also teachers. She tries to be as inclusive and welcoming as possible toward her students.
“I’ve been told that people can’t really imagine me being anything else. I would say during high school my passion for teaching really became clear to me. I was a coach and I also did summer camps,” says Gorgichuk. “I really want to get to know the kids in my classroom and be able to help them learn and grow.”
Springfield Elementary grade 2 teacher Neve Aspeslet traces her passion for teaching back to grade 7, citing some standout teachers in junior high that really inspired her to follow that path.
“I really just want to make it fun for the kids and I want them to enjoy coming to school, be able to move around during lessons, and keep them active,” she explains. “My other friends are also nominees for the award, so it’s great to be able to share that with them. It’s a pretty big privilege.”
The four teachers will be included in the names up for discussion by Nomination Committee in Zone 1 for the award, which recognizes excellent first-year teachers and is given to six teachers annually in the province.
