Blueprint for academic excellence

Rudy MoleySupport

The Marianopolis faculty’s unparalleled dedication to academic excellence is reflected in our students’ unsurpassed record of achievement: Marianopolis students consistently receive the highest average R-Scores in the province and the most R-Scores above 34; they graduate on time at an impressive rate; they gain entry into their first-choice university in high numbers; and they occupy a big share of admissions to competitive university programs such as medicine and law.

This dedication to excellence in teaching not only bolsters the value of a Marianopolis education, it also furthers the institution’s Mission, which states that “Marianopolis prepares students to pursue academic excellence, become self-directed lifelong learners and make positive contributions to their communities and the world”.

“Those are living words for me and my colleagues,” says Annie Jeannet, who has taught Physical Education at Marianopolis since 1987 and who served on a taskforce that helped create the Marianopolis Excellence in Teaching Profile. She and her fellow taskforce members identified the distinctive values and skills shared by the College’s faculty that make the Marianopolis educational experience unique.

The Excellence in Teaching Profile also provides a framework for supporting faculty in their ongoing pursuit of excellence.

“The Excellence in Teaching profile was endorsed unanimously by Academic Council, the College’s most prominent committee on academic affairs,” said Christian Corno, Director General. “Marianopolis will continue to refer to this document as a guide to ensure the continuation of excellence in all we do academically.”

The profile is built on the bedrock idea that excellence is an ongoing pursuit at Marianopolis. “An excellent teacher is constantly assessing and trying to improve his/her interactions with students, with the subject matter, with the self, with his/her peers, the institution and the greater community,” says Mathematics professor Christopher Turner, who also served on the taskforce.

As such, Excellence in Teaching covers all aspects of teaching, from adapting pedagogy to suit student needs, to ensuring that learning extends beyond the classroom, to bringing to teaching a strong element of respect for each student. Among the many characteristics of a Marianopolis teacher are:

  • Creating a learning environment where students feel comfortable asking questions and expressing their ideas by: exhibiting clarity, using appropriate classroom strategies, optimizing instructional time for learning, monitoring student learning, providing timely feedback and reflecting student diversity.
  • Adjusting any learning activities that do not produce the desired learning objectives.
  • Contextualizing knowledge by using real-life examples to provide context to learning activities and contribute authentic experiences to the class.
  • Promoting a welcoming, respectful community that works together to allow students to thrive.
  • Extending students’ education beyond the world of academics and encourages students to be responsible citizens through curricular and extracurricular activities.

“The Excellence in Teaching profile represents a global approach and framework to developing and mastering excellence in all that we do here at Marianopolis,” says Professor Jeannet. “It is a useful tool that I regularly refer to in order to positively and effectively contribute to our learning community, my home away from home.”

In 2018, the College launched the Excellence in Teaching Award to recognize teachers who demonstrate an undeniable passion for education and exemplify what it means to be in pursuit of excellence in teaching.