Winning Teachers 2007
Danielle Honour
Grade 2 Teacher
Norseman Junior Middle School
Toronto
A parent nominated Danielle Honour for “her remarkable ability to inspire and motivate children to learn.”
The Grade 2 teacher at Norseman Junior Middle School in Toronto’s west end is described by a colleague this way: “Danielle has never needed a title to serve, and has never sought recognition for her service. She quietly finds jobs that need to be done, helps when help is needed and does what she does out of a genuine commitment to, and love for, those she serves.”
Ms Honour started a glasses club when she noticed a child uncomfortable with her new eyewear (any glasses will do). She created a Harry-Potter-esque house program named for the Norse gods Ravens, Serpents, Wolves and Eagles. The multi-age groupings co-operate in sports, fundraising and other spirit activities. Danielle took a lead role in raising funds to build a school house in Kenya and helped with a production of The Wizard of Oz.
But the initiative most often mentioned in her nomination papers was Danielle Honour’s Friends Across the City project. Working with a former colleague, she connects her class with another Toronto school with a different ethnic and socio-economic make up. The children write to each other and meet for special events such as Diwali and during shared field trips.
And it all connects to the curriculum and follows a theme. A Science study of animals links to social studies on Africa which links to the school house in Kenya which links to a trip to the zoo with the Friends Across the City.
All that, while completing an MA in education.
It’s hard to imagine doing more but Ms Honour laments, “I have the kids for such a short time. Ten months pass so quickly….there are so many things I want to do with them.”
Watch her in action in this video.
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