Three Fanshawe instructors honoured with award

Three Fanshawe teachers have won the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Leadership in Faculty Teaching Award (LIFT).

The award is given to Ontario teachers who demonstrate leadership qualities in influencing, motivating and inspiring their students and comes with a $20,000 reward over two years.

“It's an award on demonstrating leadership in the classroom,” said Cherie Hall, the coordinator of human services programs at the college's Woodstock campus, and one of Fanshawe's recipients. “It's looking at innovative ways to help students be successful, working with colleagues as well as coming up with new teaching initiatives.”

For Hall her focus while teaching is making the environment in the classroom one that encourages both learning and openness and making sure that the students aren't just coming to class because they have to, but because they want to.

“One thing that's really important to me is making connections with the students,” Hall, who has worked at Fanshawe for 20-years, explained. “I want them to feel respected, so I make sure they feel that I respect them and make those relationships and reports so we can have a relaxed atmosphere.”

“I received a notification from the ministry of education,” said Michael Pascoe, who also won the award. “They sent me a letter and I was on sabbatical in England at the time. It was one of my students [who nominated me] she said in her letter that I inspired students and cared.”

Pascoe, who has been with Fanshawe for 14-years, is a professor and coordinator for the horticulture technician and apprenticeship programs in London.

“We're a very close program, we work as a team,” Pascoe continued. “So I know every one of my students. And we [the faculty] make a conscious effort to go beyond the specific classroom.

“I liken what we do not as teaching classes, but building a team.”

As for the monetary award, both teachers have earmarked the majority of it towards building on their educations. For Pascoe some of the money will be going towards paying off his tuition from the year he spent getting a Master's Degree from England's Royal Botanical Garden's Kew. While Hall intends on earning her Masters of Social Work from the University of Waterloo in the near future.

Leigh-Ann Waller, a professor in the fashion design program, was the third Fanshawe recipient of the LIFT awards.