The Ontario Modern Language Teachers’ Association has selected Faculty of Education student Melanie Pretorius to receive the 2014 Helen G. Mitchell Award.
Education faculty member Salvatore Totino, who teaches Teaching & Learning Spanish in the Intermediate/Senior division course, nominated Pretorius for the award. “Melanie approaches the learning and teaching process with an open mind and is receptive to new ideas and suggestions and is enthusiastic about implementing a variety of effective methodologies in the preparation of her lesson plans,” said Totino. “I strongly believe that she will make a positive contribution to the teaching profession and will foster modern language learning in both Spanish and French.”
“I’m honoured to receive this award and am thankful to everyone who has helped me to improve my teaching practice,” said Pretorius. “There are some incredible professors and course directors at York’s Faculty of Education and I have had some wonderful mentor teachers who have contributed to my success in the program. I know that I will be a better teacher thanks to them and am excited about graduating and starting my career as an educator.”
Pretorius is a student in the concurrent BEd program and is presently completing her practicum placement at Markville Secondary School. She is applying and interviewing for English-teaching positions in Spain next year.
The award was presented to Pretorius during a special event held March 29. The award recognizes one graduating student from each Faculty of Education in Ontario who has achieved excellence in both the academic and practicum programs in the pre-service year, and has demonstrated the attributes of a potentially outstanding classical/FLS/international language teacher at the elementary or secondary level.