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NWTeducatorhonouredwithprestigiousaward14TuesdayApril142015EDUCATIONAWARDS6.8103inx6.3125inByDALICARMICHAELAtthestartoftheschoolyearabout8320studentsenrolledinschoolsacrosstheNWTwheretheyattendclassesledbyapoolofsome800teachers-allofwhomhavebeeninuencedinsomewayoranotherbytheworkofColleenEckert.ForjustovernineyearsEckertheldthepositionofProfessionalDevelopmentCoor-dinatorfortheNorthwestTerritoriesTeach-ersAssociationNWTTAwhereshemadesuretheNWTseducatorswereconnectedanduptospeedonthelatesteducationanddevelopmentalresearch.ForhereffortsshewasawardedtheassociationstophonourtheCliffKingAwardatitsAGMthisweekend.ImreallyquitehonouredEckertsaidinaninterviewwithTheJournal.Ivebeenveryveryfortunateinmycareer.EckertisknownforherworkwiththeNWTTAwheresherannumerouslearningopportunitiesforeducatorsfromtheBeaufortDeltatotheSouthSlave.HerresumeincludesorganizingtheTerritorialEducatorsConfer-encesin2008and2014whichbroughtinter-nationally-recognizededucationexpertsNorthandfacilitatednetworkingopportunitiesamongalloftheNWTsteachersprincipalseducationassistantsandschoolboardmembers.RegionalexecutivesintheBeaufortDeltanominatedEckertfortheCliffKingAwardgiventothosewhomakeimportantcontri-butionstotheNWTTAjustlikethemanitwasnamedafterabelovedInuvikteacherwhoalsovolunteeredasthelong-standingtreasureroftheNWTTA.IhadthechancetomeetKingoncebe-forehispassingEckertsaid.Hecertainlyseemedtobequiteanaffableman.WhentheNWTandNunavutsplitintotwoterritoriestheNWTTAfollowedsuitanddevelopedaneworganizationforteach-ersinNunavut.Kingplayedanimportantroleinkeepingtheorganizationupandrunningduringtheturbulenttime.Un-fortunatelyhediedsuddenlyofaheartat-tackin2003whilevisitingYellowknifeforNWTTAmeetings.EducatingteachersacrosstheNorthLikeKingEckertstartedworkingintheNortherneducationsystembeforetheterri-torialdivide.Shestartedhercareerin1992inGjoaHavenNWT-nowNunavut-whereshetaughtgradeschoolbeforemakingtheswitchtoprofessionaldevelopment.IactuallydidnthavetheopportunitytolearnordiscusswithateacherwhowasteachingthesamethingintheNorththatIwasforthreeyearsshesaidafactthatshefeltwasdetrimentaltoherselfandherfellowteachers.Sometimesyousharebestprac-ticeswithyourcolleagueswhenyoundcol-leaguesthataredoingsimilarthingstoyou.In2002whenshetookoverastherstpro-fessionaldevelopmentcoordinatorinNunavutEckertwasdeterminedtomakeachangeandby2004hadorganizedtherstterritory-wideteachersconferencemuchinthesamestyleastheoneshostedintheNWT.Ireallybelievethatwell-supportedteach-ersintermsofprofessionaldevelopmentaregoingtodothebesttheycanforNWTstudentsshesaid.Werealllifelonglearnersandmak-ingsurethatteachersstaywell-informedandhavebeengivenprofessionaldevelopmentiskeytobeinganeffectiveteacher.TeachingintheNWTisnotliketeachinginHamiltonorHalifaxsheaddedhigh-lightingtheterritorysvastgeographyasamajorvariant.Wewanttorecognizethosedifferencesandmakesureourteachersarewell-versedineverythingthatsimportantaboutteachingtheirstudents.InFebruaryEckerttookonanewpositionastheprofessionaldevelopmentandinstructionalimprovementcoordinatorforthedepartmentofEducationCultureandEmploymentECE.Therearesomesimilaritiesbutthediffer-encewiththispositionisImworkingwithineducationoperationsanddevelopmentasateamsonotasmuchworkonmyownshesaid.Thereslotsofteamwork.Somenewareasofmyjobincludegivingsomegeneralhelptothedistrictsandjurisdictionsinteacherre-cruitment.SofarIquiteenjoyit.PhotocourtesyofColleenEckertIreallybelievethatwell-supportedteachersintermsofprofessionaldevelopmentaregoingtodothebesttheycanforNWTstudents.Werealllifelonglearnersandmakingsurethatteachersstaywell-informedandhavebeengivenprofessionaldevelopmentiskeytobeinganeffectiveteacher.ColleenEckert