Ami Morgan credits one of her teachers for inspiration, career choice
While growing up, Ami Morgan had a rough childhood for many different reasons, but that didn’t stop her from pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher.
In elementary school, she said other students constantly teased her, and that no place seemed safe until a particular teacher realized what was going on and stepped in to help. Morgan said this teacher scolded the children and made sure they didn’t tease her anymore.
“It was the first time I felt protected or defended in my life,” said Morgan. “Because of her, I decided to be a teacher. I wanted to be the person that other kids could rely on to talk to, share their fears, and trust to protect them. I felt safest at school and had always looked up to teachers ever since that moment.”
Over the years, she kept in touch with her teacher, Mrs. Ingersoll, until she passed away.
Morgan has been teaching for 22 years. She taught Grade 4 in her first year and said she still keeps in touch with most of her former students, many of whom are married and have their own kids now.
Morgan, currently a teacher at Nackawic Elementary School, is one of 11 teachers chosen to receive a 2026 Minister’s Excellence in Education Award. A media release from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development noted that these awards honour teachers, administrators and educational support workers who demonstrate the highest standards of professionalism, compassion, innovation and commitment to student success.
“Congratulations to all the recipients of the Excellence in Education Awards,” said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Claire Johnson. “Each of you has made a remarkable contribution to the advancement of education in New Brunswick, and to helping the learners in your classrooms reach their full potential. Through your commitment, you continually enrich the minds of New Brunswick’s future leaders, and, in so doing, you make the future brighter for all of us.”
Morgan is known for doing some interesting class projects with her students. One of her favourites is from her first homeroom, back in April 2008, when her class participated in a Hackmatack reading club.
“One of the books we read was ‘Hiding Edith,’ which is a story about an eight-year-old girl who hides to survive the Holocaust.”
She said that after completing the book, she decided to look up Edith to see if she was still around. After finding her, Morgan said she asked Edith whether the students had raised enough money and whether Edith would fly down to meet them, as she lived in Ontario.
“She said yes. Thus began a life-long friendship with Edith and her family,” said Morgan.
“We held an evening event where the students were able to display their learnings about the war, to Edith and her family. The family still has their posters to this day! We even found a doll that looked as close to her doll that she had lost during the many moves during the war. When I visited her in Toronto a few years back, she had the doll still on her bed. She has since given it to her granddaughter.”
Morgan also likes to encourage empathy in her classroom. She has a Kindness Circle. Some of her students call it the flower of kindness.
“I have a little dandelion type flower that I made out of fabric and a straw and a cup with the names of each student on popsicle sticks. We sit in a circle and I toss each student a popsicle stick with a name on it,” she explained.
Students know not to let on who they have, and can only trade if they have their own name.
“The leader of the day starts with the flower in hand. They have to say something nice about the student whose name they got on the popsicle stick. It has to be something about them as a person, not their clothing, etc.,” said Morgan. “Then the student who says it gets to toss the flower to the person they spoke about and say something nice about that person, and so on until everyone has heard something nice about themselves.”
She said she usually includes herself so that students can also hear her model it towards others.
Another classroom favourite is an activity called “Kindness Ninjas.”
“I’ve done this activity the last two years, where students have put pantyhose on their heads with holes for their eyes cut out and we get to sneak around delivering notes of kindness like super sleuths/ninjas,” said Morgan.
Morgan said students say she makes them feel safe.
“The kids agree that I’m quirky and make learning fun. I try to teach them to be thoughtful and kind. The importance of “no”. I made up a saying that kind of rhymes like Dr. Seuss, “No matter who you are, no matter where you go, yes means yes, and no means NO,” said Morgan.
She teaches students that if they see someone in need, they should help without expecting anything in return and without worrying whether anyone saw them do it. She calls this “If you see a need, fill a need.”
Morgan wants her students to learn about integrity.
“It doesn’t matter if anyone is around or not; you have to choose to do what is right. Who do you want to be? Remember that you are creating yourself each and every day. What kind of person do you want others to remember you as: the kid who always talks back and is mean or the kid who will always welcome them to play?” she said.
“I think social-emotional learning is the most important part of any child’s education. If a child doesn’t feel welcomed, seen, heard, and accepted for who they are, they will not be able to learn,” Morgan explained.
She said she is deeply honoured and humbled not only to be nominated but also to be selected as a recipient.
“This award truly helps me see how far I’ve come. That I truly did follow my dreams, regardless of the obstacles along the way – and there were many. Thank you to everyone who has believed in me, supported me, and cheered me on throughout the years. Your support will never be forgotten,” said Morgan.
