Pedablogy

University of Ottawa Faculty of Education

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The week of October 11th, 2021 – Thanksgiving

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

 

By

YEAR II The Week of September 13th

Hi everyone! Welcome to Year II at the Faculty of Education

Welcome back, we hope you all had a great summer. Most of you are just returning from your first practicum session and we know you have stories to tell and questions to ask. As we did last year, we will be sending out a weekly blog and invite you to contribute if you would like to (and we will accept even more photos of marmots).

Typically, we will be meeting every second Thursday starting this Thursday, September 16. Please check the UCC 3151 course syllabus for exact dates. This Thursday, after the 8:30 – 9:30 session with Tracy, we will be having a general welcome with Linda Radford and Geordie Walker. We will break up into our specific cohort sections at about 10:45 so our first session will be short.

This will be an incredible year for all of you and we are glad to be a part of your experience. Major 3151 projects/activities this year include: practicum, course work, UCC Book Club, developing your digital hub, Students for Change project,  and preparing to find work 😃

As one of your first 3151 course activities, please remember to read (2 minutes) this Returning to the Place of Origin

When young people can develop the ability to connect with others and act on behalf of and in solidarity with a larger community, then they can not only thrive in their own lives and paths but also uplift those around them. A collectivist mindset disrupts the alienating prioritization of the individual.

Gerardo Muñoz

The author mentions an incredible video that will be a key part of our book study later in the semester

Abolitionist Teaching and the Future of Our Schools

This Week

Plan for Thursday, September 16

Linda will give an overview of the UCC capstone project regarding the Students For Change assignment.  Geordie will be joining us for about 15 minutes to speak to our teacher candidates about the interview process and how he and other OCDSB principals have been changing interview questions to gather information regarding commitment to antiracism and culturally responsive pedagogies.  The timing looks like this:
8:30-9:30        Tracy’s large group session
9:45-10:35      UCC Year Two Orientation

10:45-11:20.   Faculty Supervisors – we will send out our link to you on Wednesday night.

Aside from Tracy’s comprehensive list in her September 12 Brightspace Announcement. Here are some priorities for this week.

Make sure your practicum folder is up to date and that you have shared this link with your AT. Please make sure we can access the folder as well – throughout the year. We have gone through the links and have requested access where we don’t have this yet. . Once again, here is the link to the folder https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15UViiWVJMroq0IcGXkHmiAKhjXyEF5V-vYkCMHrsz-E/edit?usp=sharing 

Please make sure you have a copy of the Kendi book – it is actually a great read with lots of personal stories by the author.

 

There are two Virtual Open Door sessions that are available next week to check in or ask questions.

  • Monday, September 13-  2:30-3:30 pm
  • Thursday, September 16- 2:30-3:30 pm

UCC Bookclub – introductory video

 

Gros Morne Park, Tablelands

What are the Tablelands?

Geologists once believed that the Tablelands were the remnants of molten rock that had oozed up from deep inside the earth. However, at nearby Lobster Cove, a discovery was made by geologist Robert Stevens that proved they were wrong. He found pieces of rock containing chromite that was over four hundred and eighty-five million years old, which was much older than other rocks found in the area. These tiny pieces had eroded from the Tablelands. 

Stevens discovery lead to the fact that the Tablelands, are actually the remains of an ancient ocean floor that existed five hundred million years ago. This ocean, called Iapetus, once lay along the eastern coast of North America from Newfoundland to Florida. Tectonic forces pushed remnants of this ocean upwards so that they were preserved within the super continent, Pangea. It is a truly awe-inspiring sight to behold, as you make your way over these huge slabs, which were once part of the ancient Iapetus Ocean floor.

The Tablelands, are predominantly made of ultramafic rock (peridotite), that lacks the usual nutrients required to sustain most plant life, hence the barren landscape. Because of this, there’s virtually no wildlife, which is an odd concept considering the entire park has thousands of moose. The rock is very low in calcium, very high in magnesium, and has toxic amounts of heavy metals. Peridotite is also high in iron, which accounts for its reddish-brown colour. Underneath this weathered zone, the rock is really a dark green colour.

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