These GTA Teachers get an A+ for kindness
Meet the educators nominated by parents, students and peers for their inspirational work
The pandemic has been a challenging time for students across the GTA. However, many teachers have gone above and beyond to make their kids feel comfortable and supported.
We asked you to nominate an inspirational teacher in your life as part of CBC Toronto's Teacher Feature. We received tons of entries, now meet some of the educators who deserve a special spotlight.
Submissions have been edited for clarity and length.
Rebecca Mailer
Robert Munsch Public School, Mount Albert
A kindergarten teacher who has been an educator for 27 years.
"Last year, when the world stopped, Ms. Mailer (with the support of her ECE, Ms. Tayna Laverock) put together a dynamic educational program online for a lot of wiggly kids. They had fun, were engaged, and managed to find 'space' to play with each other. Ms. Mailer even made special home visits to drop off reading material and lessons. She is a beautiful soul and I will be forever grateful for the consistency her program brought to the lives of my son and his peers."
-Nominated by Kelly Phillips
Ms. Mailer's inspiration: "I decided to be a teacher when I was six because of a wonderful Grade 1 teacher. She made me feel seen and heard. My overall goal each day is to make sure I make each child in my class feel like I did: seen and heard. Once that happens, I feel that the learning will always follow. The kids give me so much joy and love. In what other job can you get 'invited' to birthday parties on a daily basis?"
Hasina Kara
York District School Board (Elementary Virtual School, Randall Public School in Markham)
A long-term occasional teacher (LTO) who teaches various grades at the elementary level.
"When people ask me how virtual learning went last year for my JK kiddo, I always respond with 'we won the lottery with an amazing caring teacher.' Ms. Kara always goes above and beyond to make sure each student is included and heard. To hold four-year-olds attention for longer than five minutes in person is a miracle, let alone online! From her lesson structure to engaging exploration stations, Ms. Kara's creativity and innovation are exactly what is needed for young minds. Any family that gets to work with Ms. Kara, will truly be given a gift."
Nominated by Jennifer Di Pietro
Ms. Kara's Inspiration: "I got into teaching because as a child I was told by my family that I asked lots of questions. I wanted to be in a space each day to answer those questions together with my students and to learn with and from them. Each day the students' smiles and their eagerness to learn and take action is what motivates me."
Will Gourley
Adrienne Clarkson Public School, Richmond Hill
A grade 4/5 and special education resource teacher who has been an educator for 13 years.
"Will is a teacher who cares deeply for all students. During school, in spite of all that was going on in the world, whether in person or online, his first concern is how his kids are doing. This man's dedication to the mental health and the well-being of his students makes him the kind of teacher that every kid will remember having. He is a charismatic guy, bright, funny, sincere, and a little wacky -- every student deserves to have a teacher like him at least once."
-Nominated by Erika Golden
Mr. Gourley's inspiration: "My goals have always been to bring social justice and anti-racist pedagogy into all aspects of my daily instruction while helping my students discover and develop that they are each 10 out of 10 at something. I want them to be excited about learning each day. For me, this happens by putting care and connections over curriculum first. Outside of the classroom, I do a lot of work with TED Ed and student's voice- helping students/educators develop their own TED talks."
Julia Donnelly O'Neill
Founder of The Toronto Nature School
Teaches grades three to nine.
"In the Fall of 2020, Julia founded Toronto Nature School, a program to connect children and education with nature. Julia's goal and the goal of Toronto Nature School is to continue to provide a space for students to learn outdoors, be themselves, and feel safe to explore the world around them."
-Nominated by Stacie Huculak
Ms. Donnelly O'Neill's Inspiration: "I am motivated by the magic that takes place when students are learning outdoors. My goal and the goal of Toronto Nature School is to continue to provide a space for students to learn outdoors, be themselves, and feel safe to explore the world around them all the while learning and making friends. My hope is to continue to make outdoor learning available to more children."
Melanie Korach
Coronation Public School, Oshawa
An educator for twenty years. Currently teaches a grade one and two split class.
"Melanie started a program ages ago, based on The Starfish Story ("I made a difference for that one") authored by Loren Eiseley, and calls it The Starfish Club. Her students thrive in her classroom, not as I have seen before. I have had to teach adults in a mixed environment of virtual and in-person and it is like running a marathon every 3 hours, so I heartily applaud our teachers who kept things going in virtual, mixed, or in-person classrooms throughout the pandemic. Melanie is not just their teacher, she's their coach and their loudest cheerleader."
-Nominated by Christine Newman
Ms. Korach's inspiration: I am extremely passionate about children's mental health and well-being. Daily mental health messages, positive affirmations and mental health practices are embedded within everything I teach. My goal is that every child leaves my classroom feeling like they matter. My classroom mantra is "I see you. I hear you. You matter!"
