Author: Editor Ed News

High School Students Take First Year Education Course

For the first time, one of our Faculty of Education courses is being offered with a unique integrated high school course at Campus Regina Public School.

Dr. Twyla Salm is teaching the Education Core Studies (ECS) 100 course at Campus Regina Public as part of their Early Childhood program. Normally, ECS 100 is a required course for first year education students in all programs in the Faculty of Education. At Campus Regina Public, however, the students are still in high school!

In 2012, Regina Public Schools developed Campus Regina Public, an innovative high school program that integrates vocational and technical courses with academic courses for credit. The Faculty of Education and the University of Regina have recently partnered with Regina Public Schools to add another dimension to this already unique high school program. Last winter and, once again, this Fall, ECS 100 is being offered as part of the integrated Early Childhood Program.

Dr. Salm says, “This ECS course is a unique program integrating the learning outcomes of ECS 100, English 20/30, Psychology 30, and Career and Work Exploration 20/30.” Two Regina Public School teachers, Lisa Williams (Career Ed. & Psychology) and Jennifer Minter (English) co-teach with Dr. Salm; they plan, instruct, and evaluate as a team.

Dr. Salm says, “I am very fortunate to work in a collaborative environment with teachers and administrators that are willing to think innovatively about transitioning students from high school to post-secondary. It is a complex pedagogical teaching experience to integrate these courses effectively but our students are learning and many of them are opting to go to university.”

Jennifer Minter, co-teacher with Twyla, says, “We are so very fortunate to be able to offer such an enriching experience for our students. Integrating Dr. Salm’s course into the ECE program that we offer truly raises the bar in terms of the students’ motivation, performance and their overall educational experience. It is a tremendous advantage for them and for us, as their teachers.”

Campus Regina Public students are admitted to the University of Regina through the High School Accelerated Admission Process and receive a university credit when they successfully complete ECS 100. The University of Regina provides a scholarship which covers the cost of tuition so every Campus Regina Public student has the opportunity to experience a university course without the usual expense. Over the past two semesters, the ECS classes have been a diverse group of 32 plus students representing every high school in the city.

In the ECS 100 course, students examine topics such as the history and politics of Canadian school and the purposes it has served; how knowledge has been constructed from various historical contexts, worldviews, and values; and information about literacy and research. Students have a work experience component in which they spend time working in early childhood classrooms. They also gain research skills and learn to think critically and creatively about the construction of knowledge and educational systems.

The following are students’ comments on their experience in this course:

Kayleigh Marsh: I like that this class gives us the opportunity to get a kickstart on our university education and that we’re saving money on the class. We have learned lots about how residential schools affected the children and how they viewed the world.

Selina Musleh: I liked going on my work experience. I learned how to make a lesson plan.

Sydney Vogt: This is definitely my favourite class and it is great to be able to learn more about the development of young kids and get some experience working with them and teaching a few lessons!

Cheyenne Rathje: I love this class. I’m here for two hours a day and I love coming to this class because I get to play with little kids and do fun activities. I would do this class [more] than any other class. This is the best class ever.

Hanna Lapchuk: I have learned in working with younger kids. I have learned how to work with them and understand their learning abilities. I have worked with the kids hands-on and made learning plans with them. Spending 2 hours a day for 2 weeks with them, you really get to know the kids, know how they work, what they like, what they hate, and how to teach them in the best way.

Tabinda and Mishal: Field experience has been amazing! We’ve gained exceptional knowledge. We never knew there was so much in a child at such young ages.

Nicholas Bage: I like how this class gives you real experience on what it is like to teach an early elementary class as well on what to expect in a university class.

Kennedy Weber: I like this class because there is always so much to do and working with the kids is such a learning experience and I love coming here every day.

Chloe Anderson: I love this class because of the hands on experiences we have, along with getting real experience with children of all ages.

Jaida Crichlow:The ECE program has awesome educators and a safe and fun environment to be in.

Brianna Pinay: It is a very great program with many opportunities.

Hailey Harron: I love this program because it teaches you everything you need to become a teacher and how to understand children better.

(Photo gallery below. Slide cursor over photo and click the arrow to see next photos)

U of R at Campus Regina Public

#TreatyEdCamp 2.0: Bigger and Better

An astounding number of preservice and in-service educators (over 300!) gathered together on Saturday, October 1 to take advantage of a great opportunity: to learn about treaty education at #TreatyEdCamp 2.0. Treaty education is mandatory in Saskatchewan curriculum and #TreatyEdCamp is professional development delivered “by teachers for teachers,” allowing educators to learn about treaty and how to implement treaty education in their classrooms.

img_0792ed
(L-R) Katia Hildebrand, Raquel Bellefleur, and Meagan Dobson, Co-Organizers of #TreatyEdCamp

Katia Hildebrandt, Meagan Dobson and Raquel Bellefleur co-organized this second annual #treatyedcamp with the help of UR S.T.A.R.S. and many volunteers and with financial support from the Faculty of Education and the Aboriginal Student Centre.

Before participants went off to concurrent sessions (27 presentations over 4 sessions this year), Mike Desjarlais sang and drummed a song of remembrance, a reminder to participants to think of their loved ones who have gone before them. Dr. Jennifer Tupper spoke on the importance and need for treaty education, reminding participants of the recent murder of 22-year-old Colten Boushie of the Red Pheasant Reserve, which highlighted the racism that is prevalent in Saskatchewan, “still touching us all.” Education about what First Peoples have gone through at the hands of government — broken treaty promises that resulted in such losses as the loss of language and culture, loss of children to residential schools, and loss of loved ones to intergenerational trauma effects– will help to make changes that honour treaty rights, and someday will hopefully eradicate the issue of children in foster care and youth in gangs.

Brad Bellegarde, a Regina hip-hop artist and journalist, brought the Keynote presentation, “Hip Hop is the New Buffalo” after a lunch of soup and bannock. Bellegard expressed his desire to see the smiles on the faces of First Nation youth as they find relevance, self-expression  and the ability to fight oppression through Hip Hop music. (See his video: https://youtu.be/TGZSBx3Ye5c). He also showed a youtube to demonstrate how music can bridge cultural gaps, creating opportunities to collaborate in schools.  He encouraged teachers to ask about what they don’t know, just as he did when he went to Germany and Chile. “You’re teachers; you’re just like a big gang,” he said, “you can support each other.”

(See photo album by sliding cursor over the photo below and clicking on the arrow key)

#TreatyEdCamp 2016

If you couldn’t make a session, watch for the notes that will be posted for each session here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1auBuAsi3sTIhfcaXBsoHz7aNdaO0z_W9mX8LViyXfEU/edit#

Inaugural UR Educators Event for New Students

An inaugural UR Educators Event was held on September 29, 2016 to officially welcome new Education students to the teacher profession. New students heard inspirational talks from Dean Jennifer Tupper, University of Regina President and Vice-Chancellor Vianne Timmons, Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation Senior Staff Administrator Rob Lehne, and Regina Public Schools Deputy Director Mike Walters. The  speakers deliberated on all that one can become as a teacher, the difference one can make as a teacher, and the responsibility one has as a teacher and role model for youth. New students received a professional pin and pledge card from Dean Jennifer Tupper and Associate Dean of Student Services and Undergraduate Programs Valerie Mulholland. The students then signed the poster to signify their willingness to take on all that the teaching profession entails. The poster will be framed and exhibited near the Student Program Centre. After a group photo, the participants read aloud from their pledge cards and then enjoyed some refreshments.img_0671

The organizing committee: Dean Jennifer Tupper, Associate Dean Valerie Mulholland, Student Program Centre Manager Nicole Glas, Communications Officer/Publications Manager, Shuana Niessen and Associate Dean’s Assistant Wanneta Martin, who as a new hire came late to the organizing committee, but in the words of the Associate Dean, “hit the ground running, making significant behind-the-scenes contributions to the event.”

(Below is a photo gallery of the event. Slide your cursor over the photo and click on the arrow to see the next photo.)

UR Educators 2016

UR Educators Pin:

pin-card-final-1_page_1pin-card-final-1_page_2

UR S.T.A.R.S. and Faculty Involved with Treaty 4 Youth Conference

In April/May 2016, the Regina Public Schools Treaty 4 Project organized a Treaty 4 Youth Conference. Some of our faculty and our UR S.T.A.R.S. students were involved in facilitating the sessions. Dr. Shauneen Pete and Dr. Michael Cappello presented keynote sessions. Dr. Jennifer Tupper presented “A Promise is a Promise” and Russell Fayant (SUNTEP Regina) presented on “The Métis Experience.”  The UR S.T.A.R.S. group led the students in the Blanket Exercise. Have a flip through the ebook to read learning reflections and to view artwork by some of the students involved.

Pre-Intern Arts Ed PLACE Experience

On September 15, pre-intern Arts Ed students met with Grade 8 Bert Fox Community High School students at Fort Qu’Appelle for the 30th Annual Treaty Four Gathering. There the Arts Ed students paired up and joined with an assigned group of Bert Fox students to take part in the tipi activities.  After lunch, the students travelled to Lebret, to the site of the Lebret (Qu’Appelle) Indian Residential School. There they heard from Visiting Saskatchewan Artist Daya Madhur and Instructor Denise Morstad who spoke about the significance of the site, connecting it with Treaty 4 celebrations and the impacts of culture and language loss through residential schools.

Students were encouraged to listen to and learn from the plants and land to create a sense of place in the art that they would produce later that day. (In preparation for this, they had watched Early Fall Medicine Walk with Elder Betty McKenna and If These Hills Could Talk: Daya Madhur)

In smaller groups, students listened to an audio recording of Dr. Shauneen Pete telling about her family’s experiences in the Lebret residential school and how those experiences have impacted generations.

Before students went out individually to explore the site, they were given tea sachets to scatter on a chosen spot as a ritual of asking for teaching from the natural environment. For the rest of the afternoon, students sketched, photographed, and recorded sounds from the environment. They came together again at the end of the day to share their art and reflections. After the Bert Fox students left, the pre-interns debriefed on their experience.
Pre-Intern Arts Ed P.L.A.C.E. Experience

The Faculty Welcomes Our Elders-in-Residence

Elder-in-Residence, Alma Poitras Photo credit: Shuana Niessen
Elder-in-Residence, Alma Poitras (Photo credit: Shuana Niessen)
noel-web
Elder-in-Residence Noel Starblanket (Photo courtesy of UofR Photography)

Noel Starblanket and Alma Poitras have agreed to serve as our Elders-in-Residence for the current academic year.  Noel will be with us from September 15, 2016 to April 15, 2017. Alma will work with us from September 19, 2016 to December 16, 2016 and may continue with us in the winter semester.

Alma and Noel will offer invaluable support in our individual and collective efforts to Indigenize our pedagogy, research, and practices in a variety of ways including:

· cultural advising with students and faculty
· advising on appropriate protocols
· advising on culturally responsive approaches to teaching and learning
· supporting treaty education and indigenization efforts
· meeting with students and/or faculty
· visiting with some classes to share understandings
· offering curriculum consultation

The Faculty looks forward to benefiting from the experience, teaching, wisdom, and generosity that our Elders have to offer.

The Faculty of Education at Treaty 4 Gathering: Discussing Empowerment of Women

img_9703web
Treaty 4 Gathering camp (Photo credits: Shuana Niessen)
Speaker Dr. Brenda Anderson, Luther College, and sitting to her left Event Organizer and Moderator, Dr. Michael Cappello, Faculty of Education
Speaker, Elder Brenda Dubois, Regina Qu’appelle Health Region Child and Youth Services and the Aboriginal Student Centre
Speaker, Dr. Shauneen Pete, Faculty of Education, University of Regina

The Faculty of Education joined with the Treaty 4 Gathering at Fort Qu’Appelle on Monday, September 12. 

Nearly 70 participants sat in the circle of the large tipi of the Treaty 4 Governance Center to discuss an important and emotional issue: “Empowering Women”: Weaving Stories, Inspiring Action–A Conversation about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.”

After Elder Alma Poitras led the meeting in prayer and smudging, Elder Brenda Dubois spoke of the importance of Kokum (a Cree word for Grandmother) in protecting communities and ensuring safety. However, she pointed out that many Kokums are now raising several children who have been left behind by their parents. The need is greater than can be addressed by Kokums only.

Elder Dubois emphasized the need to “re-dress” not just address the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women; the discussion has gone on long enough–solutions are needed and reparations must be made. She pointed out that colonists negotiated with the men only, in a time when women were the decision makers. The effects of colonization have been devastating to Indigenous women. Dubois said that Indigenous women must take back their rightful position, as must the men.

After she spoke, several women shared their stories of loss and trauma due to racial and gender discrimination. One woman spoke of the need for stories of healing, so that we can walk forward together.

Dr. Brenda Anderson then spoke on the need for professors such as herself to use their privilege to educate others to respect and honour Indigenous peoples and cultures. She expressed concern, however, about how “good” works would be done. She reminded us that many White settlers believed (and would still believe) that the residential school system was good.

img_9719webAfter refreshments prepared by Dickie Yuzicapi, the Sioux Chef, participants were given ribbons and instructions for creating a star, as part of the One Million Stars project by Maryann Talia Pau an Australia-based, Samoan Super Weaver. She says, the hand woven stars “are symbols of light, courage and solidarity to end all forms of violence, including violence against women, bullying and racism.”

Dr. Shauneen Pete took up the challenge to move the discussion to action. She generated discussion in a brainstorming session about two key questions: What are the concrete issues that the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls must address for it to be successful?; and, Given your personal/professional position, what are the concrete actions that you can take to make our communities safer for Indigenous Women and Girls? Many suggestions were offered including ensuring the RCMP are accountable, teaching about safety, ensuring there is no ban on cold cases, ensuring support through the justice system process, and most importantly, when attempting to redress the issue, paying attention—listening—to the families and communities who have been affected by the loss of a beloved woman or girl. This was a major theme throughout the discussion. The answers should come from Indigenous communities, from those most impacted.

Organizer and moderator, Dr. Michael Cappello said that what he took home was the importance of centering the voices of families affected by the trauma of missing and murdered loved ones. Dr. Cappello felt that it wasn’t an option for educators and preservice teacher educators to remain outside of this important issue. He said, “We, as White Settlers, are positioned to bear some of the weight of this issue. We, as a Faculty, can create spaces—through policy, values, language, and intention—for Indigenous ways and culture to be respected and honoured. We can prepare young men to go against the violence of the dominant male stereotype; we can honour women and girls, showing them how they should expect to be treated; we can teach to engage the heart in preparing teachers.”