Arnprior District High School Science Teacher Recipient of Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence
Peter Cudmore recognized for his innovative and entertaining instruction in science, physics and robotics
(Renfrew County) The Renfrew County District School Board is pleased to announce that Peter Cudmore is a 2016-17 recipient of the Prime Minister's Awards (PMA) for Teaching Excellence. Peter teaches Grades 9-12 science, physics and robotics at Arnprior District High School (ADHS).
"Even though this is an individual award it is not one that can be achieved individually,” said Cudmore. “It is a testament to an incredible school environment at ADHS with administrators willing to let me try a different way of running a class, colleagues willing to share and most importantly students willing to step outside their comfort zone.”
Launched in 1993, the Prime Minister's Awards (PMA) for Teaching Excellence honour outstanding and innovative elementary and secondary school teachers in all disciplines who instil in their students a love of learning and who utilize information and communications technologies to better equip their students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in a 21st century society and economy.
The PMA for Teaching Excellence are administered by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on behalf of the Prime Minister.
“"Peter is an exemplary teacher, whose continuous dedication and insatiable curiosity have made him an incredible asset to our school,” said ADHS Principal Tom Havey. “He inspires students to think and be creative – to be future leaders in creativity and technology."
To qualify for the award, teachers have to meet the following:
- Be certified to teach in a public or private school in a Canadian province/territory.
- A nominee's teaching certification must be in good standing with their provincial/territorial governing body.
- Nominees must have taught in a Canadian school at the elementary or secondary level at least 2.5 days per week in a classroom setting for a minimum of three years and must still be teaching at the time of nomination.
Cudmore created an interdisciplinary robotics course funded through partnerships with local tech and manufacturing companies like GE Hitachi and Ontario Power Generation. The partners provide both professional mentoring and give students access to tools and training otherwise unavailable to them.
Working with his robotics team, he designed and constructed an augmented reality sandbox as a hands-on learning tool for the local primary schools. The innovative device is one of only a few hundred in the world and only one of five in Canadian schools.
"Students are headed into a world where automation and artificial intelligence are making skill based jobs and knowledge based jobs obsolete,” concluded Cudmore. “When we switch the format to a student focused classroom where the teacher is a guide not the source of all knowledge, students can excel. When a student not only gets a concept, but is excited and can use the information, that’s when we know we’ve succeeded.”
For further information, please contact:
Jonathan Laderoute
RCDSB Communications Manager
office: 613.735.0151 ext. 2231
mobile: 613.635.3528
laderouteja(at)rcdsb.on.ca
@RCDSB
“RCDSB creates outstanding educational experiences that will honour the uniqueness of your child”
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