LONG-SERVING Sheldon College maths teacher Chris Niven has earned national recognition for his hard work in and beyond the classroom.
Mr Niven - who is in his tenth year at Sheldon College - received an AMSI Choose Maths Teacher Excellence Award, putting him among the top echelon of teachers in his field.
Principal Lyn Bishop said Mr Niven embodied the principals of quality teaching and his passion for maths had rubbed off on his students.
"Chris has the capacity to make emotional connections with children," Dr Bishop said.
"We all know you can't teach a child unless you can reach them.
"Children know that he cares about them and he strives to reach every child regardless of their background or circumstance.
"He is open and honest in his dealings with students and they respect and admire him for this."
Mr Niven said he felt humbled knowing he had made a difference in his student's lives.
"The whole process and ceremony has made me want to take it even further," he said.
"I'm passionate about engaging students but also about sharing good practice with other educators because we keep learning too.
"The money towards the maths program at the college means we've got a couple of projects with regards to keeping girls in maths and STEM and hopefully a quite forward thinking, new look, maths classroom..."
Dr Bishop said Mr Niven's interactive and engaging lessons had students leaving his classroom with a positive attitude towards mathematics.
"In every interaction Chris has with students he lives our college philosophy of love, laughter and learning," she said.
"He has the unique ability to see the potential in every child and draw that out."
Mr Niven teaches grades seven to 12.
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