HAMILTON-WENTWORTH CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
St. Vincent de Paul teacher receives Impact Award

Math success is a matter of good teaching, suggests Andrew Lech, a Grade 6/7 teacher at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Elementary School.

To ensure that every student in his classroom is numerate, Lech uses Knowledgehook, an instructional guidance system (IGS) that recommends expertly designed teaching activities based on his students' learning needs.

"I set up small tasks that they can be successful in and build on their confidence so they want to try," said Lech. "Some have it in them that they can't do it or they don't like math and if you can set up these little successes, then they can see how to solve questions and understand the concept you're talking about."

In January 2022, Lech was recognized with an Impact Award, a unique distinction given to a math teacher who meets the highest levels of achievement. The Impact Award Program honours teachers who have used research-backed teaching methods to generate a significant improvement in outcomes in their classroom.

"Andrew uses technology on a consistent basis in his classroom and with Knowledgehook, he has been able to demystify some of the more challenging concepts with his students and creates much student engagement," says Principal Denise Fraser. "In the missions he crafts for his learners, he is able to capture their thinking and provide feedback in a timely manner. Most importantly, he invites parents to support the learning at home too."

Impact Awards are decided by a Knowledge Translation Expert Panel made up of individuals with experience in the fields of research and teaching. Their role is to review each teacher's story and highlight best practices based on research.

"Andrew's teaching philosophy centers around a growth mindset atmosphere where different approaches are welcomed, risks are taken, mistakes are made, and failure is accepted as part of the learning process," commented panel expert, Dr. Tracee Tomlinson, PhD.

"Andrew models exemplary teaching by building on previous concepts before modeling the skills or steps needed to solve a problem. He utilizes supportive resources as tools to identify gaps in students learning, to direct teacher instruction, and to reinforce concepts. Andrew also lists links to supportive resources on his class website so that parents can also help reinforce math concepts at home."

See Andrew Lech's Impact Story here.