The Faculty of Education at The University of Western Ontario and the London Public Library will induct two London educators into the Teachers’ Wall of Fame at a ceremony on World Teachers’ Day, Tuesday, Oct. 5.
Betty Eady Havers, a newly retired teacher from Jack Chambers Public School and Susan Grieve, a Grade 8 teacher at Southwold Public School, were chosen from numerous outstanding nominations by a panel comprising of representatives of the Faculty of Education, the London Public Library, the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of London and the London Children’s Museum.
Established in 2004, the Wall of Fame is a permanent reminder of the dedication and commitment of our community’s teachers. Each year, nominators are invited to describe why a special teacher should join the wall of outstanding educators, housed at the main branch of the London Public Library.
Students and colleagues nominating Havers spoke of her almost magical ability to make every child feel special, worthy and successful. Physical Education is Havers’ specialty and during her 36 years of teaching she has coached over 30 team champions to victory and touched the lives of thousands of students through her dedication to school co-curricular activities, including cross-country, basketball, track and field, volleyball, skipping and dance. One nominator wrote: “No one could set a better example of what it really means to be a teacher.”
Throughout Grieve’s 30-year career as a senior elementary school teacher, she has advocated for differentiated instruction, recognizing every single child as a unique individual with their own learning style and learning needs. Grieve’s teaching practices have made a profound impact on so many of her students, one of whom wrote: “It was in my Grade 8 year that I found my voice. I discovered who I was, what I believed in and the path I wished to follow in the future. It became my dream to make a positive difference in the world and it was obvious to me that I was to follow in Susan’s footsteps to accomplish this.”
The Wall of Fame induction and celebration is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 5 in the Faculty of Education’s Community Room. The event begins at 3 p.m.