Congratulations to our Maxwell Cameron Award recipient and 2023/2024 Bachelor of Education graduate, Corie Harsch!
Corie brought a thoughtful, student-centered approach that left a lasting impact on her students. With a background in marine biology and a deep appreciation for science, sustainability, and land-based learning, she designed inquiry-rich lessons that empowered students to explore their environment, think critically about global issues, and make meaningful local connections. Whether guiding students through a biodiversity field study or leading discussions on media literacy and responsible citizenship, Corie consistently created inclusive, engaging spaces where every learner felt seen and valued. Her practicum not only reflected her natural ability as a teacher, but also her commitment to integrating Indigenous knowledge, environmental stewardship, and inquiry-based learning into everyday classroom experiences.
About Corie Harsch
I’m a mom to two kids, and I recently returned to school to pursue my education degree after spending several years at home with them. I completed my undergrad in Marine Biology at UBC Vancouver. I love science, learning, and spending time outdoors. I’m fairly new to Kelowna, having previously lived in Edmonton and Vancouver, and I’m really enjoying discovering all the amazing things the Okanagan has to offer.
Question and Answer Session
What inspired you, or motivated you, to pursue the field of education as career?
Teaching has always been a part of my life in some form. I’ve worked with youth for years — at camps and as a swimming instructor. When I was in school, on Take Your Kid to Work Day, I would ask my friends’ parents who were teachers if I could go with them.
However, it wasn’t until during COVID that I considered teaching as my next career. I homeschooled both of my kids because we were a high-risk family and it turned out to be a wonderful experience. Witnessing their learning milestones and inspiring so much excitement about the world was a really rewarding experience. I realized that it would be a wonderful thing to do every day, is to engage with students, find their interests, see sparks flying in their heads and making all those connections to the world around them and themselves. That’s what inspired me.
What does receiving the award mean to you?
It feels like encouragement. I tend to be an overthinker, constantly reflecting on what could be improved, how to better support students, or how to differentiate more effectively. During my practicum, that reflection was a big part of my process. Receiving this award makes me feel like I’m on the right path. Maybe I’m not at the destination yet, but I’m headed in the right direction.
Looking back, is there a moment at the Okanagan School of Education that stands out as meaningful, funny, or transformative?
One meaningful experience was during my final practicum. I worked with a teacher who was very focused on land-based learning. Being able to learn from and alongside someone who shares that passion was inspiring. You see so much amazing learning happening that’s not just academic learning when you take kids outside. We did field trips around biodiversity, journaling, social-emotional learning, and careers and values education all outside. It made learning feel natural and authentic.
What guided your thinking as you designed the biodiversity project at Millbridge Park?
The idea was for students to observe biodiversity in a place close to where they live. They could choose different areas to focus on like the trees, shrubs, birds, or insects. Once they choose the place they wanted to focus on, they did observational research, and then we had so much fun doing identification research and figuring out what was in our area. The kids that you may not have expected to be necessarily interested were using binoculars and identifying birds. That was a really wonderful thing. We discussed what was happening in our local area with biodiversity and started to use some of the learning about climate change to make inferences about what might be happening in a park that’s close to the city, or how it might impact the animals or plants that live there.
I wanted the learning to feel real and relevant. Rainforests are important, but they’re far away. I wanted students to connect with something they could visit and observe regularly — to touch, feel and see it. We ran the project from the end of October through to December, but it could easily extend through the year as students watch seasonal changes. The idea was that would have some deep, meaningful thinking about the world and the impact that we have on the world.
What advice do you have for incoming teacher candidates?
Say yes to everything you can. That was my motto during my practicum. I didn’t always feel ready, but I learned so much by stretching myself. The more you say yes, the more experience you gain and that makes you more prepared for the realities of teaching. Even when it feels overwhelming, lean in. The learning is worth it.
About the Maxwell Cameron Award
The Maxwell A. Cameron Award is given annually by the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) to students completing the final year of the Bachelor of Education degree in elementary and secondary school teaching. The recipients of the award are those students who are considered to be outstanding students in the graduating class who have initiated, worked, or participated in a project that created positive change globally or in their local community, and or, been actively involved in issues related to poverty, LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, antiracism, peace, global or environmental issues.
The award is named after Maxwell Cameron who headed the Department of Education at UBC in the mid-1940s. Prior to that, he was on staff as an associate professor and director of UBC’s summer school.