2010 Governor General's Awards

Six Recipients, Six Schools, Six Approaches to History
Canada’s National History Society is proud to present the new, expanded Governor General’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching Canadian History. Six teachers will receive a medal and $2,500. The recipient’s school will also receive a $1,000 prize.

The deadline for submitting nominations is April 30, 2010. For details call 1–800–861–1008.

The Program
Canada’s National History Society established the Governor General’s Awards in 1996 with the following aims:

• to recognize excellence in the teaching of Canadian history regardless of the curricula in which it is taught
• to inspire teachers and schools to strive for excellence in Canadian history education
• to promote and facilitate the sharing of best practices and innovative teaching ideas within Canada’s teaching community

The Award
Canada’s National History Society is looking for Canada’s best teachers of Canadian History and Social Studies. Whether you have been teaching in the classroom for three years or 30, the Society is seeking to celebrate leadership and innovation in teaching our young people about Canada’s past. We welcome submissions from elementary, middle and senior school classroom teachers. Teachers can submit a project, a body of work, or a group or school–wide initiative.

A committee of judges will select six recipients based on a submission outlining the nominees’ achievements and innovations in the field of teaching Canadian History or Social Studies.

• Six recipients will be selected and awarded $2,500, a medal and a trip for two to the award ceremony.
• Each recipient’s school will receive $1,000.

If you or a teacher you know deserves recognition, enter your nomination by filling out the attached form. All recipients will be notified in September 2010.

Eligibility To be considered, nominees must demonstrate that they have excelled in the teaching of Canadian History or Social Studies.

Entrants must:

• be residents of Canada
• work directly with students in a school setting
• teach grades ranging from K–12 during the 2009/2010 school year
• teach units or full courses that include a significant component of Canadian history at any grade level

Self nominations are encouraged. Posthumous nominations will not be considered. Team teaching and school–wide initiatives are of particular interest to the Society, however, group recipients will be expected to share any financial rewards equally among the team.

Past recipients may not reapply. The Society will provide flights and accommodation for two individuals to attend the award ceremony.