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8-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, Marcb 1, 2005 psi us* www.karensflowershop.comm L 487 Laurier Ave. ýu 878-2881 n rage Teacher of the Mont/i Coverdale tries to make learning fun He wasn't exactly We a model student, admits beloved Sherratt educator By STEPHANIE THIESSEN Thie Champion Ateacher who discovers a formner student has fol- Iowed in her fèotsteps usually beams xviîh pride. happy to have itîspited sorneotie to choose the sanie profession. But not alssa> s. The i cciots of Robîin Coverdale's tornner îcacbers couldu 't bas ce been more dîfferent. 'SVben i leacbers toutîd OUI 1 \n as i îeacber. lbey just about died, tbe Sami Sberratt Public Scbool teacber said, explaining bie wasnlt exactly a model stu- dent. "Most of my teacbers werc sbockcd I moved into Ibis profession. I wasu't a irood student and 1 didn*t follow tbe mIles.- Now tbirty-odd years inb bis cancer svitb numerous awards t0 bis niane. ifs quile clear Mr. Coverdale inade tbc rigbî il nol expecled -career cboicc. And il seems bis stLidcnts -lic lcacbes îbree grade 6 mnatb and social scictnce class- es -couldnît agree more. Tbe Cbampion bas cbosen Mr. Coverdale as Marcb's Teacber of tbe Montb after receiving a nomination cItter from one of bis grade six students, Il -year- old Jessica Love. "He is a realîy fun Ieacber and knows bow te, leacb stuff so Ibat il's not boring. sbe wrote. adding. "Our sebool couldnît be bere witbout bim and I would like t0 sbowv bim bow mucb we cure about bim. Mr. Coverdale is in bis second year teacbing aI Sam Sberraîî. a kindergarten to grade 8 sebool. Before Ibat, bie taugbî aI Perey Merry Public Sebool unlil il closed. Aîîbougb be's been teacbing for somne limie now. Mr. Coverdale said bis passion for tbe job basn't waned. "I've neyer lost my enîbusiasm for teacb- ing and being witb kids." One of bbc projeels at Samn Sberratt be's most proud of is belping raise money for new, badly-needed playground equipment. Togetber witb tbe scbool counc il, tbe play- ground commîttce bchaded by Mr, Coverdale b as raised $16000 s0 far. He also beads up tbe cbess club. risk club, and is directing a play. Il's bis pencbantl'for fun tbat mnakes Mr. Coverdale wanl to piovide thc same for bis studenîs. 1I'm in my ftftb cbildbood.- be said. laugbing. If tbere's one tbing bie bopes bis studenîs take from bis classes. bie said il's to look aI life svilb a sense of bumour. He recalled tbe limie bie was teacbing a lesson wben bie slopped in bis tracks and said te, bis class, "Tbis is so boringI He tben asked bis class's advice on bow bie could make tl more entertaining. Il 's bis unconvenlional approacbi 10 ieacbing that distinguishes Mr. Coverdale in his students* and lellon% educators'eyes. -Hes svorkcd liard t0 raise the self esteern ol'his students,- said Sain Shetaîtt principal Steve Fraser. "He bas a ssay of« motîvatlng, youngsters 10 flot only mccl acadeii standards, but exceed lbcm.' Growîtt" Up on a farin ni XVcnînorth County. Mr. Coverdale said hie wasn 1t known for bis grades, wbicbi usually aver- aged in tbe low sixties. When hie graduaîed from bigh scbool. bie was presenled wiîb twvo cboices -take over tbe farmn or go 10 teacbers college. He enrolled in 1969. Iwas wben bie began training in a class- onm l'or tbe first fitie tbat Mr. Coverdale Sherr a M said bie knew bie ssas inceant to be a teacber. S h I lougbt. >1 like Ibis.' and 1 becaîne one t e a c h e r oif tbe top) studenîs:- be said. R o b i n Wbetî the suggestion arose ibai bc'd be a Coverdale good scbool admintstrator Mr. Coverdale sits wlth said bie nixed tbe idea rigbt aNvay. Teacher of "Ise always wanted 10 work wit kids, the Month îlot ni an office.- nom Inator Altbougb Ibis isn't bis lirst teacbing Lov and sa asvard. Mr. Coverdale said if's atnong bts Lv n i grade 6 stu- tnosl lreasured because il was studenti nîti- dns ated. Il sbows wbaî be's been Irying to do inake sebool fun - s svorking, be saîd. Sîep/îoni' Thiessen capn le reachîd at ,îtlîisen'îinfltotiiYiidiaýtchaoil)iii>oii Photo by GRAHAM PAINE W~COGECQ" Cogeco Cable Channel 14 Programmîng Schedule - Tuesday, March 1 - Monday, March 7, 2005 1Iulyay Local 1~eiso Wendy ac2 hrdy ac3 rdy ac4 audy ac5 udy ah6 Moa.M h7 www.cogeco.ca ,g 0 .NORTH4 l'ALTON STUDIO Laurier Plaza 500 Laurier Avenue Milton, ON L9T 4R3 905-87ý89306 Halton Region's Greenbelt Public Meeting: Thursday Bpm & Friday lpmn a-I L J. aci 9-1-J 1 - -"Wà