The TESL Ontario Sparks of Excellence Award is designed to recognize and acknowledge the excellence and commitment of TESL Ontario members who provide outstanding educational experiences to their students or who demonstrate exceptional leadership/mentoring expertise towards their colleagues and student teachers in a manner that goes above and beyond the day to day duties of their job.

Nominations for the 2025 Sparks of Excellence Award will open in June.

2024 Sparks of Excellence Award Recipients

Anjum Karimi
Polycultural Immigrant and Community Services

As a TESL teacher of 17 years in Canada, Anjum has amassed a wealth of experience in teaching. She has worked with learners of different nationalities, cultures and varying English proficiencies. Her experience spans working with learners from foundation literacy to the clb 7+ level. Through her incredibly generous spirit, she has always been willing to share her experiences with new teachers through mentoring.

In the classroom, Anjum has always embraced inclusivity and student-centered learning. One outstanding example of her commitment to her students is when she took on the challenge of including two learners—one fully visually impaired and the other partially impaired—into her class. Anjum personally consulted with her manager and crafted a supportive, adaptive learning environment.

One of the students later remarked, “I enjoyed receiving new information every day, and my grammar and pronunciation became better. This was a good experience for me. I thank teacher Anjum for that.” This level of care, planning, and attention to individual needs exemplifies Anjum’s ability to create a truly inclusive classroom that fosters growth for all learners.

Anjum’s work with her peers is equally impactful. She has mentored numerous new teachers, helping them navigate the complexities of teaching ESL and LINC programs. Through professional development sessions, like her virtual presentation on supply teaching at Humber College, she has shared valuable insights, helping to guide the next generation of TESL professionals. Anjum’s passion for fostering growth in her colleagues is evident in her leadership, particularly in her role as PBLA Lead Teacher at Polycultural Immigrant and Community Services, where she guided her peers through the intricacies of portfolio-based language assessments.

Anjum has also excelled as an ELT Instructor, helping many foreign trained professionals understand the invisible work market in Canada and find positions in their fields. She used the lessons she developed and tested in class to write her book, An ELT Experience, which is a testament to her dedication. Based on more than 30 successful training sessions, it offers invaluable insights to help new immigrants navigate the Canadian job market and provides practical tips on job searching, breaking invisible barriers, and thriving in their chosen fields. This work has been instrumental for both new immigrants and the trainers who guide them, further solidifying Anjum’s role as a leader in the TESL community.

Anjum is also a tireless advocate for the mental health and well-being of educators. She has been a key voice in promoting mindfulness and self-care within the TESL community. Her international mindfulness sessions for educators, including those she led for instructors in Mexico, highlight her belief that fostering a positive, clear mindset is essential for both teaching and personal well-being.

Outside of the classroom and her professional obligations, Anjum has delivered numerous presentations for TESL Ontario and has served as a mentor in the TESL Ontario Mentorship Program. Anjum is not a person who will say “no” when help is needed.

One of Anjum’s nominators writes: “Anjum has been a mentor, a guide and an inspiration to me as a new teacher and has shaped my approach to teaching in so many ways. Her passion for teaching is certainly quite evident as she teaches with so much love and dedication for her craft.”

Anjum is a truly deserving recipient of the 2024 Sparks of Excellence Award.

Mary MacKeracher
Canadian College of Educators

Although Mary MacKeracher is modest about her accomplishments and her impact on her students, her nominators write that it was evident from their very first class that they were witness to a master practitioner. Mary generously imparted the wealth of wisdom she accumulated over years of dedicated service to adult ESL students and aspiring educators. She even went so far as to share with her students “The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Ever.”

Based on the classroom anecdotes shared by her nominators, Mary’s career did not follow a straight path. Her journey in ESL education was preceded by various other professional pursuits, including teaching engineering, working as a dictionary editor, and performing semantic field categorization. This breadth of experience enriched her lessons, significantly enhanced her teaching and mentoring, and bolstered the skills and knowledge of her student teachers.

Mary’s commitment to her students did not stop at the end of class. She routinely stayed late to field questions, provided additional resources and support for assignments, and offered extra tidbits of wisdom. All to say, she went out of her way to ease the anxieties of her students in this highly intense program of study. With compassion and honesty, Mary prepares her students to stride confidently into their careers, equipped with the tools necessary to face the array of challenges that adult ESL educators often encounter.

Mary’s support extends beyond just her students and includes her colleagues, as she always spoke highly of their contributions as experienced professionals, to the TESL Diploma program. Mary is a loyal pillar to both her peers and students. To her learners, she was a teacher and mentor whom they could trust, respect, and look to for reliable perspectives and insights.

With her unique breadth of experiences and her dedication to students and colleagues, Mary MacKeracher is a treasure within the teaching profession.

Among the many testimonials included by her nominators, are the following comments:

“Mary has a heart of gold and she saves no efforts to put educators on track to pursue their optimal career.”

“Mary is an institution! I have deep respect for her, greatly appreciate her generosity in knowledge sharing and one of the most well-rounded educators I have ever known.”

“Mary was an exceptionally helpful and knowledgeable instructor when I was working toward my TESL Diploma in 2023. She consistently took the time to answer questions of classmates and support our learning. Mary readily gave up her own time after class to provide additional guidance as needed.”

In fact, her students are frequently heard to comment how they aspire to be “like Mary” in their own future teaching practice. The unique gifts Mary has offered, her exceptional talents, and her leadership, do not go unnoticed.

To that end, Mary’s nomination letter for this prestigious award was co-signed by twenty-seven current students. In addition, a letter of support for Mary’s nomination was submitted that carried the signatures and support of an astounding seventy-six former students, some of whom now sit on TESL Ontario committees and Affiliate Chapter executive groups, and teach at Ontario’s finest institutions.

It has been said about educators that “a good teacher is like a candle – it consumes itself to light the way for others.” Mary MacKeracher has been the ultimate candle for countless students who have gone on to share her light in their own classrooms and communities.

We are proud to name Mary a 2024 Sparks of Excellence Award recipient.

Alena Stranikova
LINC Home Study Ontario

Alena Stranikova has been with LINC Home Study Ontario since 2008, where she has been a valuable contributor to the program as an instructor, as well as in additional roles such as mentor for new instructors, PD Committee member, presenter, moderator, and Newcomer Information Center presenter with Achev.

Alena has also put her name on LHSO’s 311 directories to help any instructor who may need additional support using various technologies such as Office 365, using digital platforms such as Ellii or Google Drive, and creating learning plans, or working on other platforms. It is well known with instructors that they can lean on her for her knowledge and support. She has also been a mentor for practicum TESL students with Humber College for nearly 15 years.

Alena has volunteered her time to assist with PD events when she was not part of the committee, and to participate in LHSO’s Talk & Share workshops.

Alena’s colleagues from LHOS and other organizations always have something good to say about her too. Recently, Alena submitted Real World Tasks/lesson plans to the LHSO’s PBLA Resource Bank that are well thought out and helpful for instructors using Real World Tasks in their skill using and assessments for their classes.

Alena has also taken on a new role with LHSO by facilitating the Newcomer Information Center webinars for Achev. She gladly took up this role, on top of everything else she does, as it is vital to the success of newcomers who need information regarding settlement and their job searches as they navigate a new country and system in Canada.

As LHSO’s PBLA Lead, Sarah Hedley, commented, “… I received some excellent instructor-made PBLA Google Forms related to needs assessments, quarterly reflections and autobiographies from Alena.”

A colleague and the Continuing Education Officer from the Peel-Dufferin Catholic School board also commented on Alena’s work ethic and dedication to the English teaching profession in Canada. Rosa Ricchezza states, “Alena is known for her leadership qualities, guiding her learners with patience and support to help them achieve their full potential, no matter the challenge they face.”

Hulya Kahraman, who is also an instructor with LHSO and the Chinese Association of Mississauga, where Alena has also taught, states, “Alena is an exceptional ESL teacher with whom I have worked for over seven years. She is a remarkable mentor and an outstanding educator, consistently demonstrating dedication to teaching ESL.”

It is evident from many colleagues that Alena is not only a highly effective educator but a well-liked colleague where her value and contributions are well- known.

Alena is also a lifelong learner as she is always trying to improve and keep current with the latest trends in the English teaching field. She recently completed the Change It Up Facilitator course and, as a PBLA lead, she is also not only attending professional development events to learn for herself but also planning and creating them for other instructors.

Due to Alena’s tireless service in the ESL industry in Canada since 2001, thousands of learners have directly and indirectly benefited not only through her teaching but through other instructors impacted by her influence and contributions.

One of her nominators writes: “Alena has been engaged, supportive, generous with her time, and committed to her professional development. Alena is always positive in her interactions with the team.” A truly deserving Sparks of Excellence Award recipient!

Previous Years’ Recipients