Year: 2021 — Province: British Columbia
Certificate of Achievement Recipient
University Hill Secondary School
Grades 8 to 12 – business education and computer science
Vancouver, British Columbia
Quote
“Jaswinder has an innovative and active teaching style, with a priority on digital literacy and creativity. This is key to the success of her students. But she does not stop there. She gets students involved in their communities, and she helps students to realize their full potential by teaching them, guiding them, encouraging them, and getting them involved in projects and areas where they would otherwise never be exposed to.”
Teaching Approach
Jaswinder uses project-based learning to engage students in real-world scenarios, challenges, and problems in order to foster critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and self-management. The problems students solve can be presented to community leaders to address in their own community. She presents the material through real-life situations. This makes concepts easier to understand and learn. It sparks interest, excitement and engagement.
In the Classroom
Jaswinder understands the essential role that technology and creativity play in the classroom and she works hard to ensure that her students have access to the opportunities to improve their digital and creative skills. For example, she has introduced coding to her students. These sessions help students prepare for a technological future. It develops their approach to problem solving, logic and mathematical skills. The sessions also illustrate how code is used in everyday life, going beyond what could be learned from a textbook.
In the current COVID learning context, Jaswinder recognizes that online learning can bring about isolation. To address this, she deliberately creates social moments. She runs a page on Microsoft Teams for the class where ideas are shared and discussed. This alleviates a number of potential mental health issues during these uncertain times.
Outstanding Achievements
The online world is not without its perils. Jaswinder transmits the risks as well as the ethical dimensions of the internet to her students. To ensure that students think critically, behave safely, participate responsibly, and maintain their health and wellness in the digital world, she educates them about the steps necessary to protect oneself and others. She teaches students how much of their personal and financial information is appropriate to share. She also teaches the proper use of images, the proper citation methods, and addresses issues like plagiarism and the respect for intellectual property. Students also learn to evaluate the accuracy, perspective and validity of online content for their projects, making the most of the online world while avoiding the pitfalls.
Jaswinder encourages students to participate in a wide range of competitions that further their growth and development. These activities have led to many successes. She enrolled students in competitions in the fields of business, marketing and entrepreneurship including the Coin Competition organized by the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia, JA's Investment Strategies Program, FUSE BC's annual case competition, the Ennovate competition by Enactus UBC, and the Student Essay Contest by the Fraser Institute. All students under Jaswinder’s guidance performed highly in these competitions, placing consistently in the top three positions.
Get in touch!
University Hill Secondary School
3228 Ross Drive
Vancouver, BC V6S 0C6
604-713-8258
Email: tevans@vsb.bc.ca
Twitter: @uhillsecondary