Matt Henderson (HANDOUT)
A Winnipeg teacher is a finalist in the 2013 Governor General’s History Awards for Excellence in Teaching.
Matt Henderson teaches social studies at St. John’s Ravesnscourt School and his Grade 11 students have now published their own book based on a class assignment.
The class took a field trip to the Hudson’s Bay archives and sifted through shipping logs personal journals from 200 years ago. Other field trips followed and before they knew it they were sharing their stories on how the fur trade affected the lives of those lived then. Students then compiled their findings in a book which they have published.
“Canada’s most passionate educators are now turning to social media, cyberspace and digitized projects to create interactive and novel lesson plans that are transforming their classrooms into time machines to transport students hundreds of years into the past,” said Deborah Morrison, CEO of Canada’s History Society.
Other Manitoba nominees among the 25 finalists include Connie Wyatt Anderson of Oscar Lathlin Collegiate in Opaskwayak Cree Nation, and Jennifer Janzen of the University of Winnipeg Collegiate.
The 17th annual awards recognize the outstanding contributions of Canada’s history and social studies teachers, ranging from elementary grades through to secondary schools. They will be handed out during a ceremony this fall at Rideau Hall in Ottawa.
