Author: Editor Ed News

Faculty of Education to have a Tier II Canada Research Chair for Reconciliation Education

cercA special committee to the Provost has recommended a Canada Research Chair for Reconciliation Education for the the Faculty of Education, University of Regina. The Canada Research Chairs (CRCs) are established by the Canadian Government to foster research excellence (http://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/). Tier 2 Chairs are intended for exceptional emerging scholars with less than 10 years of active research in their field. Please consult the Canada Research Chairs website (https://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/about_us-a_notre_sujet/index-eng.aspx) for full program information, including further details on eligibility criteria.

Canada Research Chairs Program is a tri-agency initiative of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. It is administered by the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat, which is housed within SSHRC.

The University Strategic Plan, peyak aski kikawinanw (together we are stronger), makes central indigenization and anti-colonial initiatives, which are further supported by the over 50 faculty members across campus who participate in the social justice and the health equity research clusters. The Faculty of Education is committed to strengthening and enhancing its efforts in reconciliation education and is already emerging as a national leader in this respect. Both the University and the Faculty of Education have expertise in several areas of anti-Colonial and Indigenous scholarship.

This position is now advertised at https://urcareers.uregina.ca/applicants/jsp/shared/position/JobDetails_css.jsp?postingId=195867

Successful Defence

Congratulations to Dr. Jenn de Lugt, Lecturer in Inclusive Education and Core Studies, who successfully defended her doctoral dissertation May 13 at Queen’s University. Jenn’s dissertation explored how appropriate reading intervention strategies may be used to ameliorate emotional and behavioural disorders in children. Her doctoral studies were funded in part by SSHRC Fellowships.

Video: If These Hills Could Talk – Day of Education for Reconciliation

Early in her artist residency at the University of Regina, Daya Madhur was invited to support the preservice education students on their professional development field trip to Fort Qu’Appelle where the history and beauty of the valley inspired her creative journey.

Daya says,

“As I reflected upon the landscape I often sought to personify the hills and question what they have seen and heard. When creating this performance piece I wanted to portray the complexity of the residential school experience in Lebret and Fort Qu’Appelle. Throughout the creation process I visualized layers as seen from my perspective, historic documents, the students’ lived experiences, and Elder Starblanket’s narrative, soundscape recordings of the river valley, movement, and even the narrative told through the fabric in the dance. My heart lies in the interdisciplinary and I wanted to include all aspects of the fine arts in this project. The initial performance consisted of a dance/drama piece that interacted with the narratives and projected images.”

The video below is a curated adaptation of the performance piece performed on April 14, 2016 at the Walking Together: Day of Education for Truth and Reconciliation hosted by the Faculty of Education, University of Regina and the National Research Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR).”

Performance Exhibit Brings Discarded Items to Life ~Q&A

For a long time, Kathryn Ricketts, assistant professor of Arts Education, has enjoyed the wall of Value Village, where clear plastic bags hang and are filled with discarded household items.

The bags usually sell for $2.99. They represent a good deal for some shoppers, but for others, they’re just a collection of useless items.

For Ricketts, it’s inspiration for an exhibition, a series of workshops and performances.

The Anthropology of the Discard is now on display at Fifth Parallel Gallery at the U of R. The public is invited to a performance May 12 at 7:30 p.m. with a closing reception to follow.

We spoke with Kathryn and asked her what she saw at Value Village that inspired her to come up with this idea.

Johanna Bundon
Johanna Bundon has taught as a sessional instructor in the Theatre and Education Departments. (Photo – U of R Photography).

I live close to Value Village and found myself visiting the wall of bags frequently. I was compelled by the combination of objects and how they seemed to have their own logic in connection to each other. It made me think about the person who decided which objects should be together and thought of him/her as both an Anthropologist and Curator.
I hope to ask Value Village to be an artist in residence for a period so I could work alongside that person in order to understand their choices and maybe I can make some bags as well.
Incidentally there is a wall at the exhibition where bags made by the visitors hang. Value Village has donated a box of objects and we invite anyone who visits the exhibition to be part of it by contributing their own custom made bag!

You say these bags are bulging with compelling possible new narratives. What are some of those narratives?

These are stories that are triggered by seeing the objects. They can be from our own personal memories or mere associations. We all have either in possession and or memory so many objects in our lives that are near and dear to us and have so many stories attached. I buy the bags that contain objects that seem to be attached to some of these stories.

The performance is improvisation. You are joined by local performers Johanna Bundon and Jaydon Pfeifer.
What will people see at the show?

Jaydon Pfeifer
Jayden Pfeifer teaches improvisation sessionally with the Theatre Department. (Photo – U of R Photography).

We will start by asking the audience to choose three bags from the wall and then Jayden, Johanna and I will choose the one that seems the most potent with ‘stories waiting to be told’. We will then begin to work with one of the objects to familiarize ourselves with a story and then begin to delve into the others. All of our movement and text is entirely improvised however we are very carefully weaving our stories within an emergent history of stories that are being told by each other. As a result, characters, locations, time periods and situations begin to emerge. At times we record some of this information behind us on large banners of paper which serve as a kind of blue print of the emerging story as a whole. I harken it to standing across the street from an apartment building and watching all of the stories unfold in each of the apartments that seem to tell the story of that entire building.

What are you hoping to take away from this for your teaching?

I believe that stories have a very important place in our community and classrooms. It is through stories that we come to understand our curriculum of the world and how our education curriculum embeds itself within this. Stories are so naturally triggered from artifacts of meaning and have had a place in the classroom for a long time, i.e when we think about Show and Tell. When we work from a conglomerate of objects opposed to just one, we begin to understand how our stories interconnect with others and how this reminds us of our connected humanity.

Event:     Anthropology of the Discard
Date:       May 12
Time:      7:30 p.m.
Location: Fifth Parallel Gallery – Riddell Centre
A closing reception follows the performance.

By Costa Maragos Posted: May 11, 2016 U of R Feature Stories

New Appointment to Indigenous Education/Core Studies

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Anna-Leah King will be joining us, July 1, 2016 to take up the tenure-track position in Indigenous Education/Core Studies.

Dr. King successfully defended her dissertation at the University of Alberta on March 22, 2016. She holds a Masters of Education (Curriculum Studies) and a Bachelor of Education degree, both from the University of Saskatchewan. Additionally, she holds a Bilingual Certificate from L’Université de Québec, and a Certificate in Cree Oral Language from the University of Saskatchewan. While a doctoral student at U of A, Dr. King was the recipient of numerous graduate scholarships, including the NEAHR Student Scholarship and the Indspire Award. In 2013, she received the U of A Human Rights Education Recognition Award for her work with the inaugural EDU211 mandatory Aboriginal Education course. She has served as the Aboriginal Education consultant with Saskatoon Catholic Schools, 2002-2006, as a classroom teacher in Saskatoon, 1989-2000 and as the Co-Director of the Aboriginal Teacher Education Program (ATEP) at the University of Alberta, 2008-2010.

Dr. King’s dissertation focuses on Anishnaabe song and drum in education using traditional story, experiences, archives, and Elder’s teachings as a focus to move forward in Indigenizing education stemming from Anishnaabe world view. Further research interests lie in Indigenous Education in light of current principles recommended by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Both her doctoral and master’s research align with the Faculty of Education’s commitment to indigenous education and indigenizing teaching and learning as articulated in our strategic plan. Dr. King will undoubtedly make important contributions to the Core Studies subject area and the Language and Literacy subject area.

We extend a heartfelt welcome to Anna-Leah!

SUNTEP Regina Graduation Celebration 2016: Gratitude

Graduate Chelsie Sinclair – The Spirit of SUNTEP award winner. Photo credit: Brenna Pacholko
Geordy McCaffery with the graduates Photo credit: Brenna Pacholko
Dr. Mike Cappello addresses the graduates. Photo credit: Brenna Pacholko
Dalton Burzminski – David Amyotte Memorial Scholarship winner. Photo credit: Brenna Pacholko

The SUNTEP faculty, alumni, Elders, and guests gathered Friday May 6, 2016 to honour and celebrate this year’s SUNTEP graduates: Trenna Beauregard, Dalton Burzminski, Hannah Haydt, Taylor Pelletier, Chelsie Sinclair, and Alicia Reiss.

The evening, hosted at the Delta Regina, included entertainment provided by SUNTEP Alumna Alison Kimbley and the Seven Stone Steppers elementary school jigging club accompanied by Métis fiddler, Nathan Baker. The evening program included the First Nation drumming group, Napewsak, who sang an honour song for the graduates. The keynote address was given by Wendy Willis and awards were presented by Russell Fayant, and community Métis knowledge keepers Joe Welsh, Erma Taylor, and the Amyotte family.  SUNTEP Executive Director Geordy McCaffery addressed the graduates as well. Greetings and congratulations were extended by Mike Cappello from the University Of Regina Faculty Of Education.

Awards

  • Chelsie Sinclair was honoured with a starblanket for the “Spirit of SUNTEP” award in recognition of her commitment to leadership and volunteerism within the community.
  • Dalton Burzminski was awarded the “David Amyotte Memorial Scholarship” to recognize his commitment to Indigenous education.
  • Third year student, Taylor Frei, was awarded the Lebret Métis Cultural Days Scholarship in recognition of his familial connections to Lebret as well as his commitment to teaching Métis culture through pre-internship.
  • The graduates chose to honour SUNTEP faculty member, Brenna Pacholko, with “The Order of the Sash.”

To end the evening each graduate was honoured with a Métis sash and a unique leather portfolio in acknowledgment of their hard work in accomplishing their Bachelor of Education degrees.  SUNTEP is proud of each of the 2016 graduates for their contributions to education and the Métis community thus far and wishes them the best in their future endeavours.

Submitted by Brenna Pacholko, SUNTEP faculty member

 

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Bac Faculty Member Recipient of Research Grant From ACF

Dr. Fadila Boutouchent

Congratulations to Dr. Fadila Boutouchent who is the successful recipient of a $6,875 grant from Assemble Communautaire Fransaskoise (ACF) for her project entitled The Retention Deficit of Students in Education Programs in French in Saskatchewan: Evaluation of Students From Grades 8 to 11.

This is a notable achievement that will undoubtedly make important contributions to the research and scholarship in French education, not only in Saskatchewan, but also nationally and internationally.

Staff Appreciation Week in the Faculty of Education

StaffAppreciation2016web This week was made special for staff who shared a lunch at the University Club, received a visit at their offices by Dean Jennifer Tupper and General Administrator, Rochelle Fenwick (who gifted staff with chocolate treats and thank you cards), and had opportunity to visit over a coffee break with assorted cakes; all efforts of the administration to let staff know how much they are valued and appreciated.

Dean Tupper Co-Investigator on Successful SSHRC Insight Grant

Dean Jennifer Tupper  Photo credit: Shuana Niessen

Dr. Jennifer Tupper, Dean of the Faculty of Education, is a Co-Investigator on a successful Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Insight Grant project entitled Aboriginal Perspectives at the Cultural Interface: Researching the Interventions. This five-year research project, involving two other scholars from the University of Manitoba, Dr. Yatta Kanu (Principal Investigator) and Dr. Frank Deer (Co-Investigator), received $229,334 in funding.

Congratulations to Dr. Tupper as she engages in this important and timely study.

Faculty Member Part of Team Researching Teachers’ Roles for Canada’s Creative Economy

Dr. Kathryn Ricketts is one of the co-applicants on a successful SSHRC Insight Grant for the project entitled Reconceptualizing Teachers’ Roles for Canada’s Creative Economy. The four-year research project involves scholars from UPEI, UBC, McGill, Cape Breton University, Royal Roads University and the University of Regina, and received over $300,000 in funding.

Congratulations to Dr. Ricketts on her participation in this exciting research project.