Recipient: Bryan Cinti

School: St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School, presently at Mother Theresa

Number of Years Teaching: 6

Grade: 8

Subject: Gym, Visual arts, geography and language

Bryan Cinti is in his sixth year of teaching.  His nominations came from St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School where Bryan was teaching grade 8 last year.  This year Bryan is busy getting to know his new grade 8 students as he teaches them gym, visual arts, geography and language at Mother Theresa. 

Bryan said "kids are my fuel!"  He loves being with them and knows that developing relationships are key.  He gets to know his students' background, interests, passions and also what frustrates them.  To get to know students as people, Bryan takes the time to listen and just hang out with them.  When he is not on recess duty, he will often wander out to throw a football with a kid who just needs a connection that day.  He is very involved in coaching their school teams and uses their journal entries to keep tabs on what is going on in their lives.

Bryan still has relationships with his past teachers and coaches who modelled to him the importance of getting to know and caring for your students.

Deb, who taught with Bryan last year, wrote this:

I don't believe that I have ever seen such an excellent teacher.  It's true that some people just have a gift for this profession and indeed, this man is gifted.

Bryan's style seems effortless and yet it is obvious that he must put hours of thought into his lesson planning.  I taught his grade 8 class French every second morning.  The growth in this class of young men and women was phenomenal.  He has encouraged them to be confident, responsible and make more mature choices.  Their advances were visible to all who saw them grow through this year and were evident in their graduation speeches and memorial essays.  Bryan particularly teaches these kids to take personal responsibility for their actions and make good decisions.

Bryan is always making the extra effort to know what the kids are "in to", and always tries to understand their point of view.  He is always flexible and is willing to bend his schedule to anything unexpected.  The kids also note this and learn to take life as it comes, enjoy the surprises, and have learned to adapt well to change.

Bryan has earned my complete trust and I hope that one day my children will be lucky enough to be in Mr. C's class.