Recipient of teaching award connected to Rhema
Wednesday, April 18. 2007 -- Jennifer Higgs
John Breukelaar, a long time supporter of the Rhema community, has just received the inaugural distinguished teaching award for excellence in teaching assistance at Trent University.

Breukelaar has spent his life in the education field, and says if it wasn’t for the students he works with he would have left the job a long time ago.

"The rapport that I have with the students is a lot of fun," he says. The students enjoy his sense of humour.

Breukelaar began working as a laboratory demonstrator at Trent in 1975 and completed his Masters of Science there in 1983. He is now a senior demonstrator in the physics and astronomy department.

Before attending university, Breukelaar went to Christian schools. His parents even chose to move to Ontario from Nova Scotia when he was in Grade 7 for the province’s Christian schools.

When it was time for Breukelaar and his wife, Jane, to decide what school their three children should attend, they chose Rhema Christian School.

Jane was on one of the first boards for Rhema. John has also been involved with the board and education committee.

He says his Calvinist background and beliefs have helped him with his career and with discussions in the field of physics and astronomy.

Alan Slavin is chair of the department of physics and astronomy. He says he has worked with Breukelaar since he started at Trent.

"The students, as they get to know him, just start to appreciate what he does more and more and more, so by the time they’re getting to their fourth year they’re telling me what a wonderful guy we’ve got," says Slavin.

When Slavin teaches a first year course and makes problem assignments, he says Breukelaar is always willing to help.

"I work through the problems and then I give them to John and say ‘could you please double-check these to find my errors,’ and he always does. You know, he’s just that kind of person that you can always count on to come through when things matter," says Slavin.

David Poole is Trent University’s associate dean of teaching and learning. He says the inaugural award was created because it was realized that some forms of teaching were not being recognized.

"Certainly assistants in teaching, whether that’s lab demonstrators like John or graduate students who are teaching assistants or even athletic coaches, are all contributing," says Poole.

Breukelaar helps the department with a September barbecue for the students to get to know one another and the faculty. "John has always been the king pin in that, being very involved in the organizing," says Slavin.

"Jane participates as well. For something like the barbecue she’ll often come along, and when the kids were younger she brought them," says Slavin. "It’s really great because it makes the students realize that we have families who have other lives, and there’s community involvement, and that makes Trent a better place."