Professor Char-Lan wins prestigious Queen’s University award

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WILLIAMSTOWN — Char-Lan District High School math and physics teacher Tracey Moffatt wasn’t quite sure what to make of a mysterious email she received from Queen’s University telling her the school had good news from shared.

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“I actually thought Queen’s was looking for a letter of reference … because we often do them for Year 12,” she said.

To her surprise, Moffatt was named one of five recipients of the 2024 award Baillie Award for Excellence in Secondary Teaching. Established by Chancellor Emeritus A. Charles Baillie, the prestigious award recognizes outstanding high school educators who have served as role models for their students.

On Tuesday, June 18, Moffatt attended Queen’s University convocation with former student Charlotte Reed, who nominated her for the award.

“Part of the day it was chancellor’s lunch before graduation so that was really nice. Charlotte and her family were invited, along with myself and my guest,” said Moffatt.

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Reed, who hadn’t seen Moffatt since high school, recognized her for being a key influence during her high school years. Now a graduate of Queen’s University with a degree in engineering, Reed will attend Oxford University in England for her doctoral studies.

“Charlotte is an incredibly bright student. There were times when I felt more like a facilitator than a teacher because of her brilliance,” Moffatt said, adding that it was a pleasure to see two other former students graduate alongside Reed in the engineering program.

When nominating her professor, Reed said Moffatt’s hands-on learning techniques, combined with innovative and collaborative physics exams, prepared her for university-level mathematics and physics studies as well as research positions.

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Asked about her teaching methods, Moffat said, “I got away from the ‘chalk and talk’ teaching style, as I call it…with a lot of discussion and student-led inquiry into what the students were learning. The other piece that’s different is for tests and exams, there’s always been a big component called collaborative assessment. Students are given the big questions without numbers and are allowed to sit and talk for about 10-15 minutes about the physics in the question to try to get a foothold in solving it.”

With the prize money that comes with the award, Moffatt plans to eventually return to New Zealand, which is where he began his teaching career. She still feels overwhelmed, humbled and grateful for the recognition.

“Tracey’s dedication to her students and her innovative teaching methods have had a significant impact on Char-Lan,” Principal Trevor Wheeler said in a press release issued by the Upper Canada District School Board. “Her recognition with the Baillie Award is well deserved. Her commitment to fostering a love of learning and encouraging academic excellence has set a high standard for educators across the board.”

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