Calgary teacher to get award for creative-teaching methods

The creative instruction methods of a Calgary teacher havegotten on the radar of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, and she's getting an award fromthem this week in Ottawa.

Saint Joseph Elementary Junior High School teacher Paula Huddy-Zubkowski and her students came up with a creative remake of Vanilla Ice's Ice Ice Baby focused on environmental issues.

"That song took over a month of brainstorming and before that we were working on climate change and protecting the polar bears," Huddy-Zubkowski told The Homestretch on Wednesday.

"We used it for the Energy Diet Challenge for Canadian Geographic and the kids loved it. Then we were able to start raising money for composting and doing all sorts of other projects with it."

The Grade 2 teacher says she's fortunate to have students so open to non-traditional instruction.

Huddy-Zubkowski regularly uses technology like Google Hangouts and Skype to connect her students with subject-matter experts.

"Today we were able to talk to a Canadian astronaut, Jeremy Hansen, and they were able to ask him questions and connect them to the planet, which is pretty amazing for Grade 2 students to get this opportunity," she explained.

"They're sponges. They love the interactive stuff, they are problem-solvers. They want to know more. They almost don't close the door to any ideas. They think of things, then I have to roll with it."

Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek will give Huddy-Zubkowski the award at a ceremony in the nation's capital in Thursday.

• MORE ALBERTA NEWS |Calgary puppies in training head to the orchestra
• MORE ALBERTA NEWS |'Pick on someone your own size': Rick Mercer calls out Jason Kenney in GSA rant as Bill 24 passes

With files from The Homestretch