The UNESCO Chair wanted to recognize the work in education of the instructors in prisons and has chosen to offer an award as a gesture of recognition of the exceptional work that is being done every day in the federal penitentiaries in Quebec as well as in provincial detention centres.
This year we have a first, as the UNESCO Chair in Applied Research for Education in Prison has awarded the prize to two instructors, Ms. Ghislaine Séguin and Ms. Josée Arseneau, at the École du printemps (School of Spring) 2016 event, Le développement pédagogique des enseignants au coeur de notre communauté de pratiques (Educational development of teachers in our community of practice), on April 20, 20161.
We received many applications, which revealed the richness of projects and diverse pedagogical approaches to ensure the success of students. Invited to participate were all teachers or instructor teams who had developed materials, a specific project, or teaching strategy. Evaluation criteria were as follows: to be employed as teachers in a detention centre; have developed or adapted educational material; or realized a project in relation with education in prison and present it.
Selection committee members Ms. Sonia Bradette, provincial education in prison services coordinator, CSRDN, Ms. Line Chenard, federal education in prison services coordinator, CSSMI; Mr. Richard Coulombe, assistant director of the General and Professional Adult Training Department, CSSMI; Mr. Stéphan Laurence, assistant director of FP-FGA education services, CSRDN; Mr. Jean-Pierre Miron, incumbent, UNESCO Chair in Applied Research for Education in Prison; Mr. Jean-Pierre Simoneau, director of operations, UNESCO Chair in Applied Research for Education in Prison; and Ms. Maryse Lacasse, director of education in prison file, MEES selected two teachers for the excellence of their project. The UNESCO Chair awarded them a $150 grant as well as a trophy with the UNESCO Chair logo.
On the strength of this success, the UNESCO Chair in Applied Research for Education in Prison Award will renew this honorarium in 2017.
1 Organizing committee: Sonia Bradette, education services coordinator – Provincial detention centres – Rivière-du-Nord school board, Richard Coulombe, assistant director, General Adult and Professional Training Department – Federal prisons – Seigneurie-des-Mille-Îles school board, Marie Hamel, director – Chemin-du-Roy Adult Education Centre – Chemin-du-Roy school board and Maryse Lacasse – director of education in prison – Ministry of Education, Leisure and Sport.