Pedablogy

University of Ottawa Faculty of Education

Mar
31

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The week of March 21-April 1, 2022

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HAPPY SPRING or HAPPY CAPITAL POTHOLE SEASON (your choice and they’re not mutually exclusive)

.  City of Ottawa has a new way to fill potholes!! (Albion road south, near railway) : r/ottawa

“A Light exists in Spring
Not present on the Year
At any other period —
When March is scarcely here”
Happy Equinox from Emily Dickinson!

We hope you are all keeping well and looking forward to a beautiful spring full of blooming flora and jobs for you!!!  What a significant time to be starting your career in education. We hope you will let us know what you are doing after you leave the Faculty. Speaking of leaving the faculty, graduation is on the horizon. We know that many of you have been working on completing all of your 3151 assignments as well as other coursework. We are sending out reminder notes if you are missing some key projects such as the S4C inquiry project. As you know, we are responsible for assessing your work and providing a Pass/Fail mark to the Academic Secretariat.

Digital hub presentations start this week on March 24th. We hope you experienced/experience excellent presentations on the 24th or 31st. Enjoy the opportunity to tell your education story – so far. Heather will be one of the reviewers on the 31st.

We are all watching the witnessing the horrors of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Some of you might have strong links to that part of the world. Our thoughts are with you.

Ukrainian Flag Outdoor Interior Decoration Ukrainian Flag Polyester Band Brass Grommet Ukrainian Flag (2*3ft)

April 7 H/HH class and April 14 year two celebration

Our last H/HH class will be online on Thursday, April 7th at 9:45. This will be our opportunity to say Farewell and to hear from you all. We know a number of you have been interviewing for OT lists at different boards as you have let us know and we are receiving requests for references.

So, for the April 7th meeting, we will do a “How’s it going” Circle, and then we thought we could have a question and comment forum. Because of the few hours available for cohort meetings this year, and the need to cover assignments and accompanying pedagogy, and practicum stuff, and the fact that we never have had the chance to have those important ad hoc conversations with you after an actual on-campus class — there have been few opportunities to ask and answer really practical questions about our own experiences as educators and administrators. So, think of some questions and let us know.

We will not be at the April 14 Faculty celebration so there is no H/HH cohort class that day at 8:30 – 10:00 as published on Brightspace. We hope to be at graduation.

Here is some information from Shari Orders and the Faculty about the April 14 celebration.

When you accepted your offer of admission waaay back in 2020, no one could have imagined how the next two years would unfold, or how the pandemic would impact each and every one of us. Well, the finish line is (finally!) in sight and it is time to acknowledge and celebrate your hard work, perseverance, and endless adaptability.  YOU ARE AMAZING.

You are invited to participate in a Kudoboard for the Graduating Class of 2022.  Think of it as our collaborative digital yearbook; a place to share photos, memories, and messages to commemorate our time together in the B.Ed. program.  

What you share is up to you, but here are some ideas to get you started:

  • photos of an event, activity, or class
  • an alternative grad photo
  • screenshot(s) from a virtual class
  • photo of you “in action” on practicum
  • message of appreciation for a colleague, professor, practicum supervisor, or support staff
  • meme or cartoon
  • something or someone you are proud of
  • a meaningful memory or “take away” from your time in the program.

Feel free to post as often as you like!  Photos, videos, memes, artwork and other artifacts are appreciated.

Please remember to include your first and last name, cohort, and section with each post.  Deadline for posting is April 10th, 2022.

Let’s keep this space inclusive and fun. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or difficulties!

Here’s the link: https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/nwL9sF3o 

Cheers,

Shari Orders (sorders@uottawa.ca)

Final Celebration- April 14

On April 14 we will be holding our final celebration. In addition to the Kudoboard, we would like to create a slideshow of the past two years. It would be great to have all Year 2 candidates represented. Could you please send a photograph or photographs representing your journey as a teacher to tcrowe@uottawa.ca. By sending your photographs you are consenting that they can be shared with the teacher education community. The deadline for submissions is April 12 at noon.

Right to Read: a public inquiry into human rights issues affecting students with reading disabilities

Please keep up with the Royal Commission looking into the many issues regarding literacy and reading instruction and learning in our province. U of O faculty, such as Prof. Jess Whitley, are closely involved. As an educator – in whatever grade, subject or school – reading and comprehension will be issues. We encourage all of you to follow the work of the Right to Read commission and its work, and to seriously think about taking Spec. Ed One soon in your career, and to take advantage of any literacy professional development. We include a link to the commission site and a link to a very compelling CBC story about a 19-year old who finally started to comprehend the written word.

https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/right-read-public-inquiry-on-reading-disabilities

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-on-march-8-2022-1.6376728/this-toronto-teacher-uses-a-photo-of-his-mom-asleep-in-a-kyiv-subway-station-to-help-kids-understand-the-war-1.6377122

CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN! (or at least a few)

Some side information for your perusal: Paul and I and a band of trekkers are once again preparing for a 2023 trip to Tanzania and to climb Mount Kilmanjaro. This was supposed to happen in 2020 but that kind of backfired. So we are up again and if any of you are interested or know someone who might be interested in seeing a full moon from the Roof of Africa and support the Christie Lake Kids Foundation, please direct them our way.

Kilimanjaro – Paul and Heather attempting once more to climb to the Roof of Africa in 2023

Paul’s photos

 

and then, for the curious…

A new study suggests it’s becoming increasingly common for octopuses to use bottles, cans and other human trash to shelter themselves, camouflage their dens and even house their eggs. https://t.co/gP1BxaQ00E https://t.co/9LroXQm14l
(https://twitter.com/cbcasithappens/status/1501696905423855620?t=PP8my88nKqcLK1LpfBNyUg&s=03)

WORDLE – MAke your OWN

https://mywordle.strivemath.com/

and finally, something beautiful, “Somewhere” sung by Rita Moreno in the 2021 film, “West Side Story”, lyrics by Sondheim, music by Bernstein. Moreno was in the original film in the ’60s.

Feb
25

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February 21-25, 2022

Category: Our mid-week post Leave a Comment

The Roads Ahead

Ontario Family Day weekend often feels like a turn in the road for us educators. You almost hold your breath from January until mid-February, navigating semester wrap-ups, report cards and the dead of winter. Family Day weekend might begin with a wonderful, huge PD Day at the Shaw Centre and Winterlude, and then March break is a few huffs away. Not so much now. For the past two years, educators have not had the chance to hold their breath and then release. Life in a pandemic has been a series of unpredictable twists and turns; you can’t hold your breath because you don’t know when you can pause for the next intake. Instead, we have all been breathing steadily, breathing through the unpredictability.
We would like to assure you of some semi-predictability. Most of you have completed your practicums, you have submitted some excellent S4C inquiry projects, you are waiting for OCT temp. certificates, March break is a few weeks away, and graduation comes soon. The city is quieter after three weeks of noise, stress and occupation. Take a big breath – longer – and release. We thought you might enjoy listening to Etta James’
“At Last” – a pivotal song for its time, and we would offer, for now.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qJU8G7gR_g
And, if you are looking for some more inspiration to strengthen resolve (and breathe through) here are some video segments from “The World’s Greatest Showman”:https://www.jethrojones.com/inspirational-videos  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjxugyZCfuw
Listed below are some resources on critical literacy and citizen-education we thought you should peruse – whatever your subject. All educators are key in developing thinking, discerning and empathetic citizens – now more than ever. Critical thinking and critical literacy always should be an undercurrent – or a loud shout – in your teaching.
It was a pleasure to spend time with you last week and be treated to your questions and three great presentations by Emily, Gabino, and Avery.
Assignments: to confirm – you are no longer required to complete Blog #2 and the AEL reflection. The AEL form still must be filled in by your AEL supervisor and sent to the Faculty.
Digital hub sharing – March 24, 31 – if you have not already, register for an interview time
Take good care – see you on April 7th (but the blog will be weekly and our availability is always there)
Heather and Paul
Course Evaluation
PED 3150/3151 Review: The Faculty will be sending out end-of-year surveys to teacher candidates to get your feedback on courses. Please note that the evaluation of 3151 involves two parts: the general 3151 course headed by Tracy Crowe and your 3151 cohort sessions, facilitated by us.
RESOURCES (art below by Christi Belcourt, In Neither Hope Nor Despair, Birds Fly, 2022)
No photo description available.

Jan
12

By

The week of January 10-14, 2022

Category: Our mid-week post Leave a Comment

In a February of cross-Canada winter woes, Ottawa gets the 'gold medal for misery' - The Globe and Mail

Hi all –

Like this ski trekker, we all are doing our best with the conditions at hand. We hope that your second week in online school in 2022 is going well, and that you are finding some time – between planning, assessing, re-planning and teaching – to take small breaks and replenish your energy.

We are including some online teaching resources and other information for you. We are very aware that the change to online teaching is taking concentration and energy and we do not want to distract you. In following weeks, we will provide information and ideas for your digital hub curation, interviews and important assignment. Make sure, though, that you are collecting information and images for your S4C project, your hub and your practicum binder. Gathering and organizing information will assure you have covered a lot of ground and have a lot of experience and skill-building behind you.

Take very good care,

H and P

ONLINE TEACHING AND ON-SITE TEACHING RESOURCES

Let’s Make Better Slideshows

https://ago.ca/visit/group-visits/virtual-school-programs?fbclid=IwAR2IxGlfaCWI2xKxjvquheVfYhVgGf1nG6Sp1U4wVkCPu1P5v-c1bpmv9rk

Pinnguaq at Home: Week 1

NEWS

https://www.oct.ca/public/media/announcements/math-proficiency-test-no-longer-a-certification-requirement

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT

“ My name is Leah Smith, and I am a student writing to you on behalf of Compass, the bilingual holistic student life platform that is partnered with the University of Ottawa’s Student Union. We support student mental health by connecting them to resources, services, and events based on their unique persona. 😊 As a team of current students and recent uOttawa alumni, we have been working on the platform for a year and a half to make it freely available to all uOttawa students!

To make it super easy, we have attached:

  • an informative slide in ppt format – please encourage your students to make an account – with their uOttawa email, they make a new password, and verify via their inbox so it takes about 30 seconds of class time but it can be very impactful.
  • An EN 1 min video and FR 1 min video from the founders, explaining Compass

IDEAS FOR SOME FUN IN THE CAPITAL

https://www.riveroak.ca/

https://www.patinageenforet.com/en/

https://www.todocanada.ca/fun-things-to-do-in-ottawa-area-during-covid-19-ontario-reopening-phase/

https://ottawatourism.ca/en/ottawa-insider/what-s-happening-ottawa-area

SILLY

Dec
8

By

Practicum- week 2: December 6 – 10, 2021

Category: Our mid-week post Tags: , , , Leave a Comment

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

Scholarship Opportunity

We encourage you to apply for the Suzanne Wright Memorial Scholarship if the linked criteria applies to you.  The deadline is January 31. 

OCT Temporary Certificates

2021 TEMPORARY CERTIFICATE DEADLINE EXTENDED

Since receiving the OCT memo about the extension of the OCT Temporary Teaching Certificate yesterday, we have begun developing our internal procedures for those who wish to apply – we will be communicating more details of the application process over the next few days.

As can be seen in the OCT requirements (OCT temporary certificate requirements.), the temporary certificate only applies to our 2nd-year teacher candidates who are on track to successfully complete their second practicum in January 2022.  No teacher candidate should be supply teaching before receiving a certificate.

This holiday season we will be featuring some of our favourite Canadian feel-good stories from 2021. #GoodStuffCBC
FULL STORY: https://bit.ly/3Exsaun

Some Good Cheer Recipes

Pork loin with a great herby stuffing

(we are making this!)

ST. LUCIA BUNS (LUSSEKATTER)

mine never look this good

Homemade Bits and Bites

Heather’s mom always made these!

Any recipes you would like to share??

Dec
2

By

The first week of practicum: November 29 – December 3, 2021

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Happy December First, all!

World AIDS Day | Awareness Days | Resource Library | HIV/AIDS | CDC

We hope that the first three days of solid practicum are going well for you. This is the kind of week when a Friday really feels like a Friday!

Take good care of yourselves with special attention to hygiene protocols as there are lots of nasty bugs/colds circulating in the schools, and you will be working hard. This brief blog focuses on self-care and a few reminders about faculty assignments and obligations. We will be meeting with a few of you and your ATs next week via screen, and expect we will be able to touch base with many more once the new year begins.

Please do let us know exactly what you are teaching and if you are connected – through teaching, support or observation – with other classes. We had asked this in an e-mail on Sunday. Having more specific information gives us a clearer view of what you are doing.

“Practicalities”

  • binder constantly updated
  • interim report into us and practicum office, sent by you, by December 17th
  • blog was due November 25th
  • AEL placement
  • thinking and planning inquiry research – now is a great time.

SELF CARE IDEAS

The university website has some great material on health and wellness – you can access it here

Meditation

Headspace 

Exercise

Music

Olive and Mabel

Vegging

 

Eating Well

Sleeping

Mental Health during the Pandemic

This is just a smattering of what is out there – if you have a good resource that helps you, please let us know and we will share yours with the group😊

 

 

Self Care

Ted Harrison - Buy or Sell artwork by Ted Harrison

Ted Harrison

Oct
22

By

The week of October 18th, 2021

Category: Our mid-week post Leave a Comment

May be an image of text that says 'An opinion without 3.14 is an onion. You'll understand.'

 

HELLO

We hope you are doing well, that practicum is coming along, and that you have some good plans going for Reading Week. We wish you rest, some good fun and some time to wrap up assignments and not feel like you are always on the fly. We are off to the east coast for 6 days to visit our daughter and partner who re-located to the Annapolis Valley, NS, in September. Some Bay of Fundy beach walking, hiking, forays into Heather’s old home of Halifax and maybe a visit to a winery are on the agenda. Oh, yes, and reading and catching up on work. Like for many of you, the concept of travel right now seems other-worldly.

If you need to contact us, we will be checking our e-mail, of course.

Please work on getting up to date with assignments and reading responses as November will fly by and your first, big practicum will be waiting for you. You should have firmed up plans for your AEL in the winter, and are working on ideas for your Student For Change (S4C) project.

As a reminder, on the evening of November 2nd Senator Murray Sinclair will be talking about reconciliation and education in an OCT webinar: “Indigenous Ways of Knowing in Teacher Education and Teaching Standards,”. Here is the link for registration: https://apps.oct.ca/search/results?searchStr=november%202%20webinar&searchOffset=0

We will publish the next blog on November 1st, right after we eat all the rest of the Hallowe’en candy. If you have anything you would to publish or share with the amazing H/HH cohort, please send it our way by November 1st. Thanks

May be a cartoon of indoor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oct
7

By

The week of October 11th, 2021 – Thanksgiving

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Leah Dorion

Hello Everyone – hope you are having a good week and enjoying some of the sunny, autumn weather – even if it is a practicum day.

We wish you all a very good Thanksgiving weekend – a time to reflect on what we can be grateful for and to collect energy for the rest of the fall term. As we said on Thursday, we do apologize for there not being adequate time for small group discussions of the Kendi book and discussion questions. There will be more time available in our next class together on October 14th, based on chapters 6-9 in Kendi. Please take time to read each others’ responses on the UCC Book Club discussion boards as they will enrich your understanding of racism and anti-racism. UCC Book Club: Discussion Board 3 responses are posted and are due October 12th for class discussion on October 14th: https://uottawa.brightspace.com/d2l/le/241277/discussions/topics/295804/View

We hope some of you had the opportunity on September 30th to learn more about reconciliation. We will continue to offer ideas for inquiry and education.

Tomorrow, you have a mandatory PLC given by the Ontario College of Teachers. There will be lots of information imparted and many good questions and discussions.

Here – in italics – is the excerpt from Tracy Crowe’s section on Brightspace highlighting 3151 general “to do’s” for this week and next.

PED 3151- October 7  (8:30-11:20) Mandatory PLC

OCT Presentation & Leadership in Education- October 7

Join Zoom Meeting
https://uottawa-ca.zoom.us/j/97024165930?pwd=WHdlYmNONWZ3QU1iSDV0Q2JTSnFNZz09

Meeting ID: 970 2416 5930
Passcode: 7gkKxR

For this week:

a) Review OCT PLC   OCT Presentation & Leadership in Education- October 7

b) Work towards completing  PRACTICE – Finding the Balance – MODULE 2

c) Start looking into the OCT registration process and requirements https://uottawa.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/241277/Home?itemIdentifier=D2L.LE.Content.ContentObject.ModuleCO-3740313

For the following week- October 14

a) Complete PLC chart for OCT Presentation- October 7

b) Review Trauma-Informed Practice – Module 3– October 14

c) Identify Action Research/Professional Inquiry topic- submitted on BrightSpace (Module 2 Learning Log)

d) Consider possible AEL placement. Please see guidelines  AEL (Alternative Experiential Learning)

Leah Dorion

AEL (Alternative Experiential Learning): By now, you should be looking into and securing a placement – typically at a school or community agency – for between 60 – 80 hours either in the winter term or between April 18 – 29, 2022. This is a credited requirement for year two. Here is the link to the Brightspace description which gives you details on AEL. Please read it carefully.: https://uottawa.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/241277/Home?itemIdentifier=D2L.LE.Content.ContentObject.ModuleCO-3740313 .  The topic of AEL was discussed at the September 16th PLC with a presentation by a representative of the U of O Centre for Community Engagement. The centre will help you find and secure engagements with non-profit agencies https://servingothers.uottawa.ca/students. Tracy has posted a few ideas on Brightspace: https://uottawa.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/241277/Home?itemIdentifier=D2L.LE.Content.ContentObject.ModuleCO-39720943151. In the AEL section you will also find a registration form. Thank you to those of you who have contacted us to make inquiries about your AELs and to explore and vet ideas for placements. We are happy to help.

STUDENTS FOR CHANGE – UCC INQUIRY/RESEARCH PROJECT

We will be talking about the Students for Change (S4C) Research Project (also known as Inquiry/Research Project to other cohorts) next class. Please review:  https://uottawa.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/241277/viewContent/3948857/View

YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS Some of you have been sharing some ideas, projects and units – which we really appreciate. This week, thanks to Emily, Matthew, Jessica and Ashley.

To start with some great contributions from you

Matthew Garber History of the “Scientific” Race Theory (ppt)

Jessica Mundy – New York Times article Still Separate Still Unequal: Teaching about School Segregation and Educational Inequality

Still Separate, Still Unequal: Teaching about School Segregation and Educational Inequality

Credit…Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Here are some book recommendations from Emily to complement your reading of “How to be an Antiracist”: “Caste: The Origins of our Discontents” by Isabel Wilkerson, and Canadian journalist, Desmond Cole’s “The Skin We’re In”.

Ashley, who is doing her practicum at Sir Guy Carleton, shares this slide show on her Oct 6th class.

Continuing Swail-McGuire recommendations

On the Iighter side: 

the far side thanksgiving comics - Google Search | Far side comics, Far side cartoons, Gary larson cartoons

or heavier:

At 866 kg, ‘papa bear’ pumpkin crushes competition, takes title of B.C.’s heaviest

 

Take care, all; stay safe – 

Paul and Heather

 

Feb
3

By

Mid-week post for you all

Category: Our mid-week post Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a Comment

What Adaptive Teaching strategies you have seen as a student, are seeing as a developing educator and have or will use in your own teaching.

ideas from you?    (pretty quiet so far😁)

Because we know you wanted to know!!

FORMAL AND IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS: ACCOMMODATIONS, MODIFICATIONS, MODIFIED used in IEPs and in Teaching

ACCOMMODATIONS: refers to special teaching, assessment strategies, human support and/or specialized equipment required to enable a student to learn and to demonstrate what they have learned. Accommodations do not alter the provincial curriculum expectations for that grade. Many students only have accommodations on their IEP. Accommodations can be changed and should be changed according to the assessed development of the student and changing needs.

Examples:

Instructional: buddy/peer tutoring; duplicated notes; graphic organizers; assistive technology such as speech-to-text or text-to-speech, extra time

Environmental: strategic seating; headphones; alternate, quiet setting; reduction of audio/visual stimuli

Assessment: extended time; verbatim scribing; oral responses; prompts to return attention; extra time; reduced tasks to show understanding

MODIFICATIONS: are changes made in the age-appropriate grade-level expectations for a subject or course in order to meet a student’s learning needs. These changes may involve developing and following expectations that reflect knowledge/skills of a different-grade level, curriculum expectations, and/or increasing or decreasing the number/complexity of the regular grade-level curriculum expectations. Often, students will have modifications in one subject area and not in another. Generally, language and math modifications are geared toward a different level as these subjects are based on a spiral curriculum and are taught every year. Other subjects like social studies typically involve modifications that change the number or the complexity of the curriculum, grade-level expectations.

Before we embark on today’s class, a bit of humour and an example of adaptability by sportscaster, Andrew Cotter (no marmots or meerkats)

and on blogging – a new timeline for you that has been added to Brightspace

Discovery Education

request a demo here

More info for you!

portfolio timeline (6)

Dear Educators,

Welcome to the event page for the second webinar in our new 2021 webinar series: Embracing the Shift: Sharing Our Pandemic Stories of Connecting to Land and Children’s Natural Curiosity! In 2020, we brought you Natural Curiosity in the New Normal, a four-part conversation about getting outside and staying outside amid COVID-19. We highlighted an Indigenous lens on the current crisis in education and invited educators to slow down and embrace the natural world as co-teacher. In our continuing series, we hope to build on these foundational ideas, with more educator stories to further unpack the principles and practices laid out in Natural Curiosity 2nd Edition.

If you are interested, here is the sign-up form

 

Let’s get together

We’re hosting a virtual event and we’d love to see you there! Join us for Sharing Indigenous Education Resources on February 4th, 4:30PM – 6:30PM or February 23rd, 6:00PM – 8:00PM (EST)

Register for this FREE event by using the following link: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/sharing-indigenous-education-resources-tickets-137217405955

We hope you’re able to join us!

If you experience any technical difficulties registering, please join us directly on February 4th or February 23rd using this Zoom link: https://zoom.

Nov
25

By

Our mid-week Update – Wednesday, November 25

Category: Our mid-week post Tags: , , , , , Leave a Comment

Notes from our meeting with Tracy plus a few reminders:

  1. Both boards will be giving access to Google Classroom and other learning management systems (LMSs) please ask your associate. The OCSB will also be issuing board emails to TCs. All of you now have access to G-Suite (Google Classroom). If any of you have difficulty with your access, please contact the IT service helpline at 6555 or file a TopDesk assistance request.
  2. PPE will be provided, but it is advised that on the first day you bring your own masks and hand sanitizer
  3. For the LMS – find out what your AT is using and become familiar with it as soon as possible.
  4.  You need to look at Michelle Hagerman’s MOOC on on-line teaching – here it is again
  5. There will be no supervision by faculty staff (us) – we can be in contact with you, but we cannot visit your schools.
  6. Within the first three weeks, try to teach at least one full class – otherwise you will be leaving all this to March when you will be expected to develop and teach a unit plan.
  7. Make sure you complete the Health and Safety modules for your school board. You have been given these modules by the Practicum Office. here is their note:OCSB and OCDSB – the specific board PDFs are attached

    UCDSB – the Health and Safety in the workplace information and tracking form can be found on the UCDSB website

    CDSBEO, RCDSB, RCCDSB – Ministry of Labour Worker Health & Safety Awareness Training Online

     

  8. ANY ISSUES – Please contact us first, do not go to Tracy directly
  9. Please make sure you get your letter out to your associate.
  10. We will be sending a note with our contact information out to your associate by Friday.
  11. We will continue to send out our blog to you focusing on resources for teachers. If you have any requests, please let us know.
  12. For those on deferred placements please continue your reading, study up on your subjects and curriculum documents, and keep talking to your peers.
  13. Please have your practicum binder ready by Monday – we will contact you individually if we do not see your binder

Good luck with your first placement!!😃😃

Two shares from Tracy that you might be interested in:
MediaSmarts Launches New Online Course for Teachers

Making Media Across the Curriculum is a free, self-directed online course that provides training and resources to help teachers incorporate digital media production such as games, film, and animation in their K-12 classrooms and across the curriculum. Upon completion of the course, participants will be certified by MediaSmarts as Media Maker Experts.

The course is offered in a four-week session, with each new module being released on consecutive weeks throughout the session. Recognizing the busy schedules of teachers, MediaSmarts has made the course available 24/7, so that participants can access the lesson and materials whenever it best fits their schedule.

The course will also provide participants with personalized instruction and feedback connecting them with other teachers who are exploring digital media production, leading participants through discussions of key texts and sample activities, and providing guidance in implementing media production in the classroom.

The Making Media Across the Curriculum course features guest lectures including Jessie Curell (founder of Hands on Media Education); Brian Aspinall (best-selling author and winner of the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Teaching); Kathleen Mercury (teacher, game designer and expert on game design in the classroom); and Professor Jason Wiser (teacher of animation and game design at Harvard and Tufts Universities and Pixar Animation Studios).

For more information, or to register for the course, visit Making Media Across the Curriculum.

Additional MediaSmarts’ digital literacy training workshops are also available for use year-round.

If you are interested in helping spread the word about Making Media Across the Curriculum to your fellow educators, please share this blog and use our promotional kit.

Thank you.

 

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The world can be an intimidating place to live for people who stutter, and can often leave them feeling isolated and alone. Stuttering is a hidden disability that affects 3% of adults and up to 9% of children. With numbers like these it is likely most teachers will at some point encounter a student with this speech impediment in their classroom.

 

 

 

 

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Nov
6

By

Week of November 9th, 2020

Category: Our mid-week post Tags: , , , Leave a Comment

Good morning everyone. Thanks for a very good class on Tuesday and for your google form responses. As we said (multiple times?), we are here for you as are your other profs. Based on what we learned from the Google “How Ya Doin’?” form, we have included some resources for stress reduction and well-being at the end of the post. Meditation, when practiced, can be really helpful. And, let’s hope that by the end of this week, there may be some positive news politically.

Practicalities and Practicum: 3150 and 3151 profs met with Tracy Crowe on Thursday to ask questions on your behalf and to get as much information as can be had at this point on first-year practicums. Any information we learn we will send to you in an organized, logical way. We will also be sending you a few, but very good resources to help you prepare with your practicum. Any questions – please let us know.

Module 8 is now up on Brightspace including links to Sensoy and DiAngelo

Sensoy and DiAngelo Chapter 9

Sensoy and DiAngelo Chapter 10

Your Digital Hub – this week, the featured video is on Edublogs – you will see in the side menu and you can access it here

Google sign-up sheet – Digital Hub Support from Drake

UCC Teaching Assistant Drake is happy to provide support during the following days and times. If you would like support, please add your name and email into the google form and will send you a Zoom link and help you out with questions and queries. Thanks to Linda for arranging this.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y95IsUBVLHXfgNVhR6IKcs3rYRwOy2P8Nf468ZUKLmU/edit?usp=sharing

Next week’s PLC will focus on racism in schools and communities and will feature a Principals’ Panel with Geordie Walker, Sherwyn Solomon, and Kristin Kopra, all forward-thinking, proactive administrators of urban schools. A break-out case study will follow. Set your calendars for 9:00 am on Tuesday. The class will conclude at around 11 am so you have some breathing and stretching time before 3141. More details in the Sunday blog.

9:30 Informal Discussion Lobbies – we will continue this, if you would like, on November 17th. We will be there, quietly in the background. We ask that all remember that in an on-line discussion, small group conversations can become available to all. Respectful conversation and careful listening – as always – are essential. If conversations become too intense or controversial or “unsafe” for this unique on-line environment, we will come in and stop the conversation.

Returning Correspondence and the basics of good communication

We are concerned that e-mails/communication we have sent to some of you have not been acknowledged nor responded to. Firstly and basically, it is not polite to not respond to someone’s inquiry about work or well-being. We are putting out the effort and concern – and there is no response. Secondly, teachers are professionals who communicate A LOT. Administrators, colleagues, parents, and students will be communicating with you by e-mail and they will expect a response. Not responding is not good and can cause a lot of conflict for teachers.

E-mail essentially is the only way to communicate with you right now, aside from brief on-line classes. So, please, if you receive an e-mail from us that is an inquiry or explicitly or implicitly requires a reply, get back to us. We will do the same for you.

Also, during class, keep the chat line for messages regarding the class only. Text chatting – off-topic – during a class is the same as talking off-topic right in front of colleagues and teachers who are presenting. Thank you.

Well-being resources. We do not pretend to be experts on well-being but we know a few ways to manage and alleviate stress. For now, here are links to some free meditation and calming apps. A ten-minute break with a guided meditation can make a difference.

https://www.calm.com  

https://insighttimer.com

https://www.headspace.com/headspace-meditation-app

The Ingenuity of Squirrels and People

Squirrelly, Going Nuts? Squirrels get some misleading modifiers as they are pretty purposeful animals and highly determined. We thought some of you might want to take a look at this youtube video featuring former NASA scientist and inventor, Mark Rober and his squirrel obstacle course built during the first weeks of COVID. This could be used in a classroom – maybe in segments. It could also be distracting and make you laugh – and that is good as well.

https://mashable.com/video/squirrel-obstacle-course-video/ 

Noth Poll Results:

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