A teacher in the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) has been recognized for her passion and commitment to teaching English to newcomers in the community.
Ruth Engel is the recipient of the 2016 Sparks of Excellence Award.
Engel has been an English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor in the UGDSB for more than 25 years.
Every year, the Teachers of English as a Second Language Association of Ontario (TESL Ontario) celebrates educators who create lessons for their learners that are not only relevant but engaging and challenging, who use different teaching methods for each student’s learning style and needs, who utilize new technologies to enhance learning, and who connect their classroom to the community.
Award recipients are committed to providing students with an exceptional learning environment, demonstrate a passion for teaching, inspire others to pursue excellence, share their knowledge with colleagues and are continually striving to improve.
In describing this year’s award recipient Engel is regarded as helpful, caring and supportive.
Engel works out of the St. George’s Centre for Adult ESL in Guelph. Most of her students are new immigrant adults who have settled in the area.
Over the past few years, this population of learners has grown to include newcomers who came to Canada as refugees.
For Engel, the students bring the world to her in a wonderful way. She embraces their diversity and “feeds off their energy.”
As part of her work, Engel collects as many resources and researches as much information as she can. She typically teaches three levels in her classrooms, but is able to engage everyone in her lessons.
Engel received her award from Ontario’s minister of immigration Laura Albanese at TESL Ontario’s 44th annual conference in Toronto at the end of November.
