Recipient Bios (wz00781)

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Year: 2001 – Province: Newfoundland and Labrador

Certificate of Achievement Recipients

Paul Matthews

School: Booth Memorial High School
145 Freshwater Road
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador  A1C 2P1

Principal: William Rose
School Telephone: 709-579-6465
School Fax: 709-579-2564
School website: www.booth.k12.nf.ca
Grades/Subjects Taught: Grades 10-12, literature, reading, language, advanced writing

Teaching approach:

  • Teaching involves two-way communication; remain open and receptive to students' ideas.
  • Students need to be challenged in order to learn; maintain high and exacting standards, while making learning accessible and fun for all.

Outstanding achievements:

Inspires students with lively and stimulating learning experiences, drawing on a wide range of literary resources and adapting his teaching strategies for each class:

  • created a remedial reading program for at-risk students and tutors English as a second language students
  • promotes publication of students' work, producing individual anthologies of advanced writing students' work
  • maintains a bulletin board of student writing and publications, and fills classroom with visuals, including student murals
  • encourages students to utilize technology through school websites and an electronic library.

Encourages public speaking and has students make various oral presentations in the classroom, while demanding proper use of language at all times.

  • Students develop strong communication skills and learn to share their ideas.
  • Students learn precision in language skills, which is essential to their overall success.

In an inner city school with a wide variety of abilities and interest, Mr. Matthews' classes have very low absentee rates and a 97 percent pass rate. Several students have won provincial essay competitions and scored high on Advance Placement and college board examinations.

Rave reviews:

In Paul's classroom, you found yourself in the world of English literature and language. Fellow teacher, former Prime Minister's Award winner

I have come to the conclusion that there is no word created (yet) to properly describe the impact Mr. Matthews has made on my life. Student

Newfoundland and Labrador: Certificate of Achievement Recipient