A Sundre educator nominated for a prestigious national honour finds motivation in working with students to help them overcome any obstacles and enable them to tap into their potential.
“I just love trying to figure out all of the different kids and what makes them tick to the best of their ability,” said Tyler Brooks, who teaches a combined grades 3 and 4 class at River Valley School.
He was recently nominated as a candidate for the Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching Excellence. The awards celebrate exemplary elementary and secondary school teachers in all disciplines since 1993, with more than 1,500 teachers recognized to date, states the government of Canada’s website.
“Teaching Excellence Awards recipients are honoured for their remarkable achievements in education and for their commitment to preparing their students for a digital and innovation-based economy,” it reads.
Playing a positive role that encourages his pupils to develop not only as students but also as people keeps his passion fuelled, Brooks said recently during an after-school interview in his classroom.
Fostering and observing growth in students — whether academically, socially, or emotionally — especially where it was least expected, makes it all worthwhile, he said.
“To see a student with behavioural issues become quite a pleasant contributor to society and our school as a whole, that’s what I like to see,” he said.
“They’re not just school students, but citizens of our society.”
His goal is to open doors to new worlds of discovery and help them identify their talents. Generally, students who struggle simply need some help finding confidence in themselves, he said.
To develop healthy relationships and emotional security in all students, Brooks also enjoys helping out with lunchtime programs such as Checkers & Chess Club as well as Hockey Card Club.
Although he candidly confessed he did not dream about pursuing a career in education when he was young, life eventually led him down what now seems to be an irreversible path.
“To tell you the truth, I didn’t grow up thinking ‘Oh, I really want to be a teacher!’”
But during the successful completion of a music degree at Ambrose University in Calgary — formerly known as Nazarene University College — Brooks was touring with a choir whose director urged him to consider becoming a teacher.
“There would be kids at these concerts who would just flock around me after. So one day he said to me, ‘You should go into education after this degree.’”
Taking that advice to heart, Brooks next went to the University of Calgary, which offered a two-year after degree education program. By the time he was in his early 20s, he had decided he’d found his calling. His first day in a practicum in a Banff kindergarten only further solidified his conviction, and in 2004, he earned his education degree.
With family connections in the Sundre area, Brooks — who was born in Red Deer and raised in Innisfail, where he graduated from high school in 1996 — set his sights on seeking an opportunity in this community. Upon his graduation from the University of Calgary, he relocated to Sundre in 2004 and initially volunteered at River Valley School before becoming an educational assistant and soon afterwards a full-time teacher.
Recently having turned 40, he remains as enthusiastic as ever about his career. Although he wants to keep future options such as possibly pursuing his master's or perhaps a role in administration on the table, Brooks said he does not anticipate going anywhere for the time being.
“Right now, I just love contributing positively to this community.”
With his three daughters enrolled at River Valley School in kindergarten, Grade 2 and Grade 5, Brooks who lives in the Eagle Hill area with the family, enjoys never being far away from them.
“I drive into the school with my kids every day,” he said.
“There are not a lot of dads of three daughters who get to go to work with their kids and come home with them every day. That’s one of the main draws for me for staying as well,” he said.
“How many dads can walk down the hallway in the middle of the day and high-five their daughters?”
The teacher expressed his gratitude for the support of parents; not only those who follow up and enjoy chatting about the progress of a child, but also those who recognize that teachers are not infallible.
“There are a lot of great people in this community,” he said.
“I appreciate the parents out there who support me and are quick to forgive any mistakes.”
So far -- 14 years into his teaching career, all of it at River Valley -- Brooks said he was “surprised and honoured” to be nominated for the award by Dr. Chris Annandale, who lives east of Sundre part-time and whose son is one of Brooks’ students.
Annandale, a physician who works in an emergency department in northern B.C., said during a phone interview that his son Gabriel had struggled through some behavioural issues that Brooks played a role in helping him to surmount. With the help of many people, including Brooks, Gabriel really turned around, said Annandale.
“He sculpted him into a better child by acknowledging those difficulties and working with him,” he said.
“He basically built this child from the ground up by paying attention to him as a human being, not just another pupil in his class,” he said, adding Brooks does the same for his other students.
“He doesn’t just walk into the class to teach kids. He does his best to build their confidence and help them understand they are worthy, no matter where they come from or where they’ve been.”
Annandale decided Brooks deserved recognition and began the nomination process, which required a minimum of three letters of support and closes in February with the awards announced in June.
“He’s a valuable individual — many other parents feel the same way.”
Although grateful for the nomination, Brooks is reluctant to single-handedly accept accolades, and believes his team of colleagues at the school have helped him to be a successful and well-rounded teacher.
“Collaborating with other extraordinary teachers and working with amazing educational assistants have helped me to develop and strengthen my teaching abilities and skills,” said Brooks.
