A demonstrated commitment to bettering the lives of children and communities across Ontario earned Lee Martin this year’s Faculty of Education Distinguished Graduate Award.<\/p>\n
A graduate of Brock University\u2019s Teacher Education program, Martin (BEd ’12) hopes each child he teaches will find a greater love of learning, excitement for school and confidence that they can make a difference in the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cLee\u2019s impact as a teacher can be seen far outside his elementary school classroom,\u201d said Michael Owen, Dean of the Faculty of Education. \u201cWe are proud of his work as an educator, a mentor, an instructor, an educational consultant and an advocate for children and youth.”<\/p>\n
In and out of the classroom, Martin leads by example. When he saw a need for more technology resources at his school, he founded the charity Computers4Change with the Education Foundation of Niagara.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt started off with me wanting to make sure that the kids in my classroom had access to all the tools that they needed so that they could express their understanding in ways that were meaningful to them, and so that they could explore the world and learn more about it,\u201d said Martin.<\/p>\n
Since its inception, Computers4Change has raised more than $150,000 and supported schools across Canada.<\/p>\n
Martin also created Canada\u2019s largest coding conference for children to help students and educators better understand coding and computational thinking. As an instructor in the Faculty of Education, he equips future teachers with a deeper awareness of the importance of designing learning environments that promote modern competencies like collaboration, critical thinking, communication and creativity.<\/p>\n
As a teacher, he fosters these skills by building on his students\u2019 interests and infusing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) concepts into a variety of subjects using real-world examples.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you start to realize that it’s not about you \u2014 it’s programming for them \u2014 that really shapes the way in which you go about exploring things so that it’s meaningful to them,\u201d said Martin, who doesn\u2019t shy away from taking risks to help his students engage in learning.<\/p>\n
Some of his best learning experiences with kids and adults have taken place when he is able to learn alongside, and from, his students.<\/p>\n
Martin has already been recognized for his dedication to excellence and contributions to Ontario communities. In 2018, he was recognized with the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence in STEM, which honours outstanding STEM teachers for their role in developing a culture of innovation in Canada. In 2016, the Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan (OTIP) and the Ontario Teachers\u2019 Federation recognized Martin with the OTIP Teaching Award for excellence in teaching in the beginning teacher category.<\/p>\n
He said being recognized with the Faculty\u2019s Distinguished Graduate Award has been particularly rewarding in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel really honored because I know that, especially in Niagara, there are so many educators that I respect,\u201d said Martin.\u00a0\u201cSo many of the great educators that I have learned from have graduated from Brock and I’ve learned so much from them. To be an alumnus with them and then to receive this recognition is a huge honour.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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