Noémie Gagné teaches in New Richmond, a small community on the south coast of Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula. She grew up in the town of approximately 3,500, and now teaches the same school she attended as a child. “…this is my school. I’m from the village here and I did my primary education here, as well as my internships.”

École le Bois-Vivant is the only francophone school in New Richmond, with students from pre-K to 8th grade. Gagné teaches grade 7 and 8 history and geography and makes citizenship education one of her priorities. 

Her students come from francophone, anglophone and surrounding Mi’kmaq communities. Some of them have disabilities, others are learning French. Regardless of the needs or backgrounds of her students, Gagné makes sure they all play an active role in all her civic education projects. 

She believes that in her class, as in the rest of society, all individuals have their place and must be respected. “They’re part of our society, and they have to understand how our society works.”

Gagné truly loves her career. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a teacher, my grandmother was a teacher, and I used to play at being a teacher when I was little.” Her enthusiasm has not faded after 11 years on the job. Her main source of motivation is seeing the positive impact that she can have on her students’ lives as they grow and become caring, active, and informed citizens.

It's an opportunity for the teachers involved in my school to forge bonds and share a common activity. It also enables students to learn more about politics in general, and to get involved.

She discovered CIVIX when she signed-up for Student Vote in 2015. She’s organized the program for every federal election since then to bring her school community together and engage students in the democratic process. “It’s an opportunity for the teachers involved in my school to forge bonds and share a common activity. It also enables students to learn more about politics in general, and to get involved,” she says

Last year, Noémie began using CIVIX’s PoliTalks civic discourse program, which has become her “personal favourite.” She’s eager to challenge her students and PoliTalks has helped her do that by encouraging constructive discussions on topics that can be controversial. 

One of the hot topics: the use of animals in medical experiments sparked a lively and thoughtful discussion recently. Noémie was able to connect this polarizing topic to her students’ personal experience. While many of her students cared deeply for the well-being of animals, they had to take into consideration the life-saving medical treatments that were developed using such experiments. One of their classmates battled leukemia for many years and was able to beat the cancer thanks to the help of these treatments. “No one was able to take a stand,” says Gagné who recalls her students walking out of class feeling perplexed and engaged by this open-ended question. 

Constructive discussions are at the heart of citizenship education for Gagné. “In order to build citizens who are not only aware of the democratic process, but also of other people around them, we need to encourage our children to understand the world, to be caring and open-minded,” she says “Even if we don’t know all the information, if we’re able to welcome it with an open mind, I think that makes us good citizens.” 

While her goal is to help her students become more active, and well informed, Gagné sees participation in civic education programs as levelling the playing field between students with differing levels of ability. 

“When we get into discussions like we do with PoliTalks or Student Vote, there’s no longer any difference between the students’ level of education, or their [learning] abilities,” she says. “It’s as if they had no more limits, and that the differences between them weren’t as significant.” 

At a Glance

Name: Noémie Gagné

Location: New Richmond, Gaspésie, Québec

Grades Taught: 8-9

Subjects Taught: History and Geography

Years Teaching: 11

Years Involved with CIVIX: 9

CIVIX programs used: Student Vote, PolitTalks, CTRL-F, Democracy Bootcamp

Key Motivation: “Making a difference on a daily basis with students, providing them with a positive experience and with the tools they need to become caring, and informed citizens.”