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July 26, 2002
Winning honors for the team
VTT's Fred Cohen is one of 50 teachers to win Prime Minister's
Award.
PAT JOHNSON REPORTER
Fred Cohen, a long-serving teacher at Vancouver Talmud Torah school,
has been given one of the top honors bestowed on Canadian teachers.
At a presentation in the last week of school in June, Cohen was
presented with the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence.
The award was presented before a crowd of roaring students –
thrilled for their teacher and perhaps somewhat wound up by the
fact that school was almost over – by Vancouver-Quadra member
of Parliament Stephen Owen.
Owen noted that only 50 teachers in the country receive the distinction
each year.
"Your teacher, Mr. Cohen, is making a wonderful contribution,"
said Owen.
Cohen has been at the school for 26 years, having taught health
and physical education before becoming the computer teacher six
years ago. Cohen also teaches seniors at the Louis Brier Home and
Hospital one night a week, training them for genealogical research,
making it easier to keep in touch with family via e-mail and generally
feeding their curiosity with the resources of the World Wide Web.
Owen noted that Cohen may teach the grandparents and great-grandparents
of some of his day school charges.
In addition to his official teaching capacity, Cohen also formed
Talmud Torah's student council and, 21 years ago, initiated an outdoor
education program. Since its initiation, Cohen has led the trip
to Strathcona Park every year save two, which he missed in order
to attend his own daughters' graduation ceremonies.
He is also Webmaster for the school's online presence at www.talmudtorah.com
and set up the Louis Brier Home and Hospital's site (www.louisbrier.com).
The criteria for selecting winners of the Prime Minister's Award
is based partly on student interest and participation in the classroom,
skill development
and achievement.
Writing in the official nomination for Cohen, Talmud Torah vice-principal
Terry Tadman said that Cohen "has boundless energy, managing
to do twice the work of many."
In a glowing tribute from former head of school Solly Kaplinski,
Cohen was praised as an indefatigable member of the school community.
"He has been in charge of our school assemblies, initiated
and coached a number of sports in our school, facilitated student
council, co-ordinated our outdoor educational programs and has also
been the departmental head of our intermediate teachers," wrote
Kaplinski. "He also finds the time to be our resident teacher
in charge of first aid for which he is fully qualified. As if this
were not enough, he has also been the president of the school's
teachers' association."
Current head of school, Eyal Daniel, had similar praise.
"Fred has a wonderful rapport with his students, colleagues,
parents, administration, board members and members of the community,"
wrote Daniel.
Cohen also recently completed a master's of education degree with
honors, specializing in educational technology. Among the extracurricular
events he has organized was a school-wide "skip-a-thon"
that raised $15,000 for B.C. Children's Hospital.
Cohen said the award was a tremendous recognition for a job he loves.
"It was totally amazing," he said of being informed that
he had won the prestigious award. "I was just so proud to receive
it."
Cohen deflected the glory, however.
"An award like this is really a team award," he said,
citing the support he receives from fellow teachers, administrators,
students and parents.
Teaching at the same institution for 26 years might induce some
exasperation in others, he acknowledged, but the community atmosphere
of Talmud Torah keeps the experience fresh. Moreover, his diverse
extracurricular involvements and the variety of subjects he has
taught over the years have kept his enthusiasm from waning. He has
no intention of leaving the field any time soon.
"I love teaching," he said. "It's something that
I would never want to give up."
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