A Whistler teacher known as much for her artistry as her academics has been named this year’s recipient of a provincial award celebrating science education. Nina Moore, a longtime teacher at the Whistler Waldorf School, was named the recipient of the 2025 Gordon Gore Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching.
For Moore, the honour was a surprise.
“I had a moment of imposter syndrome,” she admitted. “I’m a teaching generalist, not a science specialist like the high school physics or chemistry teachers.
“Then I realized—hang on a minute—I do teach an awful lot of science!”
Moore’s classroom is a hands-on playground that encourages scientific inquiry across all topics. As part of the Waldorf system’s block scheduling, Moore teaches four-week units in areas like botany, astronomy, chemistry and physics.
“I love that I get to dip my toe in the waters of lots of different subjects,” she said.
A trained historian and artist, Moore has made a name for herself in Whistler as a face-painter, visual artist and contributor to local festivals. She told Pique her approach to science teaching doesn’t steer away from that background.
“One of the things I love about teaching science is how it connects with human history,” she said. “When I teach ancient Egypt, we study simple machines and build models of irrigation systems. During the Roman unit, we build aqueducts and carry water around the classroom.
“So all the history I teach actually connects beautifully with the science, and I think that really helps students understand that science is something people do and feel in our everyday lives, and it has been for centuries, not something we just learn about in separation from people.”
Case in point, Moore bridged a medieval history unit and lesson on forces in a physics block by having the kids design small trebuchets and compete against each other. Her students, eager to extend the experiment, asked to scale up their trebuchets for homework.
“The next day, some kids came in with, like, one-foot models of trebuchets. One kid came in with a three-foot machine that he carried, and then the next kid's dad was backing his truck into the playground,” she recalled.
“I actually got worried for a moment as he was backing it into Spruce Grove. I'm like, ‘Um, this is technically weaponry.’ But it was so fun and the kids are going to remember that forever.”
That interdisciplinary flair is central to her teaching philosophy. A recent botany block had students writing poems about flowers, dyeing fabrics, crafting recipes and even concocting lavender balm.
“Art just helps them connect in a loving and beautiful way,” Moore said. “If they write a poem about a flower, they’ll remember the science behind it far better than if they just followed along in the textbook because they did something creative with it.”
Another highlight: students building Da Vinci bridges out of three-foot wooden slats and walking across a stream, drawing on lessons in Renaissance history, engineering, and problem-solving.
“And that's another thing I think they will never forget, and they’ll be able to pull out a bridge in an emergency,” she said with a laugh.
Moore credits Waldorf’s phenomenological approach to science—starting with direct observation rather than abstract theory—with giving her space for science lessons like these.
“It keeps [students’] wonder alive,” she said. “Instead of beginning with a definition, we start with the phenomenon.
“We light a candle, the students observe it deeply, then we ask, ‘What do you see? How do you know that?’ It builds their critical thinking from the ground up.”
The Whistler Waldorf School community is thrilled about the award.
“Waldorf education uniquely integrates the sciences with artistic and humanistic disciplines,” said principal Eleanor West in a statement. “Nina’s recognition is a reflection not only of her individual excellence, but also of our school’s commitment to offering a holistic, inspired approach to learning."
Moore deflected some credit. “I wish all my colleagues could get awards,” she said. “They’re an awesome bunch of teachers, and I’m super grateful to them for the nomination.”
As for the prize itself, Moore is already planning to reinvest part of the $600 award into classroom equipment—but also has something sweeter in mind.
“I'm also planning a science experiment at home to celebrate by just buying like 10 different tubs of gelato and having a taste test.”
Presented annually by the BC Association of Physics Teachers, the Gore Prize recognizes a K-12 teacher who demonstrates exceptional innovation, dedication and impact in science education. Named for the late Dr. Gordon Gore—an author and educator—the award honours hands-on, dynamic teaching approaches that foster curiosity in students.
