A St. John's teacher has won a national award. Her secret? 'I love what I do'

A St. John's teacher has received a national award not just for her work in the classroom, but for going above and beyond her job requirements.

Nancy Ryan, who teaches at St. Matthews School, has been given the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics).

"I love it — I love what I do," said Ryan. "I've always wanted to be a teacher, even as a child."

Ryan has been sharing her love of gardening with her students through the Little Green Thumbs pilot program, which aims to teach children about farming. She was one of three teachers to introduce the pilot program to students at her school.

I want them to be inquisitive. I want them to wonder.- Nancy Ryan

"It's all about teamwork. It's all about collaboration," Ryan said.

"At the time we had three Grade 3 English classrooms, so right away, I said, 'We need three gardens, please.'"

Ryan was keen to take on the project because she has always been an avid gardener, growing vegetables for as long as she can remember.

Thanks to her role in the project, Little Green Thumbs has spread to 102 classrooms across the province — and there's a wait-list of other schools that want to sign on.

Hiking and chess clubs, too

Ryan said having to tend a garden teaches the children valuable lessons, like co-operation and patience.

"With regards to food they learn how much time, how much energy, how much care goes into growing something from a teeny tiny seed," Ryan told CBC's On The Go.

But it's not just the gardening program that Ryan does with students; she helps with the school breakfast program, and after-school hiking program, and chess club.

She also helps out other teachers with coding and robotics clubs.

As the daughter of two teachers, Ryan credits her upbringing for her love of teaching, learning and volunteerism, and the reason why she does so many different activities with her students.

"I lead an amazing life, and I want the children who come through my classroom door, or come into chess club, or go hiking, to have whatever amazing experiences they can have in their lives," Ryan said.

"I want them to be inquisitive. I want them to wonder. I want them to feel comfortable asking questions and to feel amazing about learning new things and knowing that it's OK to fail."

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