Paradise Elementary’s Mr. Tech captures Premier’s Award
By Mark Squibb
Paradise Elementary teacher Peter Constantine has been named one of six recipients of the 2023 Premier’s Award for Teaching Innovation.
“I was very surprised, and very appreciative for the nomination by the admin team here at Paradise Elementary,” said Constantine, who only found out he had been nominated after he received word earlier this week that he had been named a recipient. “I don’t necessarily think I’m deserving of the Premier’s Award. I just do something that I love to do, and I try and do it to the best of my ability. I enjoy working with kids, and I try to incorporate as much tech as I can.”
Constantine is Paradise Elementary’s Learning Resource Teacher, a position he has held at the school for about five years. As such, Constantine is the custodian of the library, and helps organize book fairs and recently helped organize a used book sale to raise funds for needy families within the school community.
But he also teaches technology classes, and said he puts a “21st century spin” on promoting literature within the school.
“So, I also promote online reading and online resources, and the incorporation of different digital tools our students can use,” said Constantine, who said that it’s imperative that children learn essential “21st century skills” at a young age.
“Even if you’re in kindergarten, you can learn how to code,” said Constantine. “You don’t need to use paper and pencil all the time. There are so many more tools that students, especially now, can use. Children are learning to use technology so early in their lives now, why not use it so that they can create and show off what they know, and be engaged at the same time?”
Constantine has taught students how to podcast, use video resources like Flipgrid, and create their own digital books to share with family and friends using Book Creator, and said that he teaches technology skills so that students learn additional, real-world skills on top of traditional pencil-and-paper skills that students typically learn in schools.
“Traditionally, in school, we’ve done paper-and-pencil, ‘Lets show you how to write a friendly letter,’” said Constantine. “But I can’t remember the last time I wrote a letter to anyone. I’ve written notes inside of birthday cards, and things of that nature. So, why not show students how to write an e-mail? After they learn those traditional skills, like how to write a letter, why not learn how to send an e-mail to a parent at home? It makes things more authentic to what we do in the real world, and I think that’s why it’s so important. As adults, we use technology all the time. We send e-mails, we receive e-mails, you might do a slideshow or a presentation, and we need to teach these skills to children early on so they can learn how to do them and become more competent adults.”
To illustrate the point, Constantine noted that Grade 4 students recently received their needles, his own daughter among them. He couldn’t allow his anxious daughter to phone home to talk with mom on the office phone about her needles, and so instead suggested she write mom an e-mail, which she did.
“Using that 21st century skill, she was able to connect with her mom, and that made her feel a lot better,” he said.
Constantine has been teaching for almost 20 years, and has been working with children since he was a teenager.
“I just really enjoy working with children, and watching them grow, and watching them learn,” he said. “As an adult, I’m always looking for new things to learn, and so I like trying to import some of that knowledge to children, and teach them that it’s okay to take risks, it’s okay to fail.”