The Teacher Education Office is pleased to announce Dr. Terry Taylor is the 2025 recipient of the Murray Elliott Award for Outstanding Contributions to Teacher Education in the Faculty of Education.
Raised a North Shore girl, Dr. Terry Taylor left Vancouver for rural adventure at the beginning of her education career. She grew deep rural roots and joyfully served as a teacher, school leader and district leader.
A former BC school Superintendent in an innovative rural district, Dr. Taylor was a long-time member of the Rural Education Advisory, began the Small Secondary Think Tank in 2013 with UBCO and the Ministry of Education, and served on numerous committees with BC’s Ministry of Education and Child Care including curriculum, inclusive education, and assessment policy. She is a certified Master Practitioner in Compassionate Systems with Dr. Peter Senge and Dr. Mette Boell from MIT and integrates Compassionate Systems in teacher education and in work with teachers and school and district leaders. Dr. Taylor has written book chapters and shared research and praxis at conferences in Canada and internationally for over two decades.
Since 2009, Dr. Taylor has taught for UBC in the UBC West Kootenay Rural Teacher Education (WKTEP) program, winning the 2014 WKTEP teaching award. She was selected as a finalist for the Premier’s Award in Teaching Excellence in Literacy in 2009.
Long a passionate advocate for rural and remote education, place-consciousness, and work alongside Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and community—Dr. Taylor’s educational journey demonstrates that the enabling constraints of rurality cultivate innovative and equity-oriented pedagogy and that growing a sense of belonging, wellbeing, and kindness together for student and adult learners is key.
She’s brought these lenses to UBC’s Rural and Remote Teacher Education program since its launch in 2022 where she serves as Lecturer, Pedagogical Lead, and Program Coordinator.
Dr. Terry Taylor joyously leads learning and system transformation through relational, inclusive, and decolonizing pedagogies. Her research interests lie in equity-oriented structures, pedagogies, Compassionate Systems, and wellbeing.
Congratulations Dr. Taylor from all of us!