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New publication celebrates Indigenous language
The latest release in the ATA’s Stepping Stones series is entitled Indigenous Language Diversity and Revitalization.
Along with a summary of the different languages that have been spoken in Canada for thousands of years, the document outlines that Indigenous languages are at risk of extinction and the efforts that are underway to revitalize them.
The Stepping Stones series consists of 13 documents, with several still in development. They’re part of the ATA’s Walking Together project, which strives to connect Alberta’s teachers with the First Nations, Métis and Inuit knowledge required as part of the new Teaching Quality Standard.
Downloadable PDF versions of the Stepping Stones summaries, as well as a full list of Indigenous education professional development materials, are available to teachers on the ATA website at www.teachers.ab.ca > My ATA > Professional Development > Indigenous Education and Walking Together.
Teachers sought for study
The Canadian Teachers’ Federation is sponsoring a study on the shortage of teachers in French-language schools in minority settings. The study is being conducted by a University of Ottawa research team under the leadership of Phyllis Dalley, Ph.D.
The research team wishes to interview people who, in the first five years of their career, have chosen to leave permanent teaching positions in minority settings as well as those who have chosen to stay.
Who can participate?
- Any teacher who has been in a teaching (permanent or on track to become permanent) position in a minority French-language school for fewer than five years.
- Any teacher who has left the French-language school system during his or her first five years of teaching to go work for an English-language school (immersion, FSL, other).
- Any teacher who has left the teaching profession during his or her first five years of teaching.
Participants will be asked to take part in an individual Skype interview which will last from 30 to 120 minutes, depending on their availability. Please note that participation is purely voluntary. Anything participants say to the researcher and her team will be kept strictly confidential. The identity of participants will not be disclosed under any circumstances.
To volunteer or request more information, contact project manager Josée Lebel at educavenir@uottawa.ca.
Enseignants recherchés pour participer à une étude
La Fédération canadienne des enseignantes et des enseignants commandite une étude sur la pénurie d’enseignants dans les écoles de langue française en contexte minoritaire. Cette étude est menée par une équipe de recherche de l’Université d’Ottawa qui travaille sous la direction de Phyllis Dalley, Ph. D.
L’équipe de recherche souhaite interviewer tant des personnes qui ont fait le choix de quitter un poste permanent en enseignement en contexte minoritaire que des personnes qui ont fait le choix d’y rester au cours des cinq premières années de leur carrière.
Qui peut participer
- Toute enseignante ou enseignant occupant un poste d’enseignement (permanent ou en voie de permanence) dans une école de langue française en contexte minoritaire depuis moins de cinq ans.
- Toute enseignante ou enseignant ayant quitté le système scolaire francophone au cours de ses cinq premières années d’enseignement pour travailler dans une école de langue anglaise (immersion, FLS, autre poste).
- Toute personne ayant quitté la profession enseignante au cours de ses cinq premières années d’enseignement.
Ce que cela implique
Les personnes seront invitées à participer, par Skype, à un entretien individuel d’une durée de 30 à 120 minutes, selon leur disponibilité. Leur participation est entièrement volontaire.
Toute communication avec la chercheure et son équipe restera strictement confidentielle. L’identité des personnes participantes ne sera divulguée en aucun cas.
Qui contacter pour en savoir plus ou pour participer :
Josée Lebel
Gestionnaire de projet
educavenir@uottawa.ca
2Learn highlights UN topics
Every year, the United Nations chooses to promote particular events or topics, to raise awareness and encourage action to support these issues. In 2019, the UN has chosen to celebrate and encourage learning about the periodic table of chemical elements and Indigenous languages. 2Learn has created two special editions to help teachers find educational resources about these topics.
2Learn’s feature page about the Year of the Periodic Table is filled with engaging resources, including interactive periodic tables, the history of the table’s development, videos and teaching ideas. There are also several resources about the chemical elements.
The Year of Indigenous Languages special edition will have resources about the year’s celebrations, along with content about Indigenous languages in Canada and Alberta.
Visit 2Learn.ca or the 2Learn index of special editions at http://www.2learn.ca/speds.aspx, to find the featured pages about the Year of the Periodic Table and the Year of Indigenous Languages. The index page also has an excellent collection of feature pages on other topics of interest to Alberta educators.
Follow 2Learn on social media to get updates about the latest resources.
Explore space with real scientists
A new space program connects school classrooms with active scientists via online conference calls. Open to Grades 4–12, the program enables students to ask questions and hear scientists talk about their work. The sessions are free for teachers and their classes in Canada, and the sponsoring organization is especially interested in reaching more remote communities. The program also supports sessions for all-girl classes to speak with female astronomers and engineers.
The program is called Canadian Youth Exploring Space and is offered by the Friends of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory in Victoria, BC.
More information is available at https://thecentreoftheuniverse.net/canyes/.
Award recognizes excellence in teaching history
Each year, Canada’s History Society recognizes six teachers for innovative approaches to teaching Canadian history. The 2019 recipients will receive the following:
- An individual cash prize of $2,500;
- A $1,000 cash prize for the recipient’s school; and
- A trip for two to Ottawa to attend an awards ceremony and celebration dinner.
If you or a teacher you know makes history come to life in the classroom, submit a nomination or apply online today! Applications are due April 1.
More information is available at CanadasHistory.ca/GGAward. Questions can be directed to Joanna Dawson at jdawson@canadashistory.ca or 204-988-9300 x.225.
