Archive
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EdCan Network launches online course to support leader professional learning on workplace wellbeing in the K-12 education sector
Comments Off on EdCan Network launches online course to support leader professional learning on workplace wellbeing in the K-12 education sectorWinnipeg, MB, April 4, 2022. The EdCan Network is pleased to announce that its professional learning course, the Well at Work K-12 Leadership Course, is now available asynchronously online for school district leaders, wellbeing leads, school principals, and teams. With classes delivered by district leaders and subject matter experts, the course prepares education leaders across Canada to undertake a systemic approach aimed at sustainably improving employee wellbeing which contributes to a more positive school environment for students.
“The Well at Work K-12 Leadership Course is the first of its kind to focus on workplace wellbeing specifically in the education sector from a systemic perspective,” says Anne MacPhee, Chair of the EdCan Network and National Director of Finance and Operations for the Canadian Mental Health Association. “Ensuring the mental health and wellbeing of teachers and staff has been a consistent challenge that has only been exacerbated by the pandemic. As we shift towards a post-pandemic era, it’s more important than ever that we seize the day by investing in healthy K-12 workplaces for the long term.”
The course consists of bite-size learning modules that are accompanied by additional resources and services which provide gateways to deeper learning and customized support. Broad topics of discussion will include the rationale for taking action on workplace wellbeing; how to approach systemic work; and who to involve in workplace wellbeing transformation efforts with considerations for local contexts.
“Through Workplace Strategies for Mental Health, we invest in initiatives that strengthen the resilience of employees. This helps them respond to the daily pressures at work, resolve workplace issues and support each other,” says Mary Ann Baynton, Director of Collaboration and Strategy, Workplace Strategies for Mental Health. “That’s why we’re proud to support the Well at Work K-12 Leadership Course. By helping teachers build on their strengths, this program will also help improve student outcomes.”
Since 2019, the EdCan Network through its Well at Work initiative has served as Canada’s national lead on K-12 workplace wellbeing. Through its workshops, convening activities, and advisory services, Well at Work supports education leaders across Canada to develop and implement system-wide strategies to improve K-12 workplace wellbeing for the long term.
About The Canada Life Assurance Company
Canada Life is a leading insurance, wealth management and benefits provider focused on improving the financial, physical and mental well-being of Canadians. For more than 170 years, individuals, families and business owners across Canada have trusted us to provide sound guidance and deliver on the promises we’ve made.
As of January 1, 2020, Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life became one company – Canada Life, and today, we proudly serve more than 13 million customer relationships from coast to coast to coast.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
About the EdCan Network
The EdCan Network is the independent pan-Canadian organization with over 75,000 members working tirelessly to ensure that all students discover their place, purpose and path.
For more information contact:
Kim Forgetta
Associate Manager, Media & Public Affairs
Canada Life
226-373-4148
Media.Relations@canadalife.comAndré Rebeiz
Program Manager, Strategic Initiatives
EdCan Network
416-591-6300 ext. 231
arebeiz@edcan.ca -
The Pandemic of Educator Stress
Comments Off on The Pandemic of Educator StressConsider your own personal journey in the world of education. When you began your story, were there any classes that covered how to grapple with teaching and leading during a global pandemic? Did your coursework provide opportunities to learn how to educate students during a worldwide crisis? Did any of your mentor teachers give you a heads-up about how to completely transform your life from in-person instruction to teaching completely online in just a few days?
The truth of the matter is, educators have been grappling with an ever-present demand to be flexible, to think on our feet, and to pivot at a moment’s notice. We are accustomed to feelings of uncertainty while simultaneously putting on a brave face as we continue to show up day in and day out. Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers were tasked with supporting students in the midst of the most seemingly insurmountable obstacles. And, long before the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an educator burnout pandemic.
We know that stress and burnout are not new phenomena to educators, but unfortunately they’re getting worse. According to research, teachers are dealing with increasing demands, lack of resources, and limited autonomy. And their leaders are grappling with burnout, too.
Principals struggle with increased workload, the pressures of 24/7 online access, and the growing diversity of student and staff needs. When teacher burnout increases, teaching quality decreases, which results in less effective classroom management and reduced student engagement. When teacher stress increases, it contributes to student stress, which has been linked to learning and mental health problems.
I’ve recognized this issue as an educator for Baltimore City Public Schools, but before becoming a teacher, as a student in crisis, I learned the importance of supporting mental health and well-being. In both high school and college, I suffered from crippling depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. I represented the one in four Americans who has grappled with a mental illness and the one in ten college students who have contemplated suicide. My teachers were my emotional first responders who noticed the subtle changes in my behaviour, encouraged me to seek treatment and get help, and supported me with life-saving accommodations and differentiation. They are the reason I am alive and writing this today. They were my inspiration to become a teacher myself.
It was as a teacher that I realized the complete lack of preparedness and ongoing support for the emotional demands of the profession – and specifically, for working with children who have experienced trauma or are experiencing ongoing trauma first-hand.
Because of the lack of resources and support around self-care and mental health in the workplace for adult staff, I left the classroom after nearly a decade to start an organization aiming to revolutionize workplace well-being, called Happy Teacher Revolution. (See Happy Teacher Revolution.) I am by no means an expert about how to perfectly master the elusive work-life balance, as I am learning right alongside you as we embark on the next school year together, but I want you to know that this is an opportunity for us to collectively make change by prioritizing our own well-being as a best practice for those we serve. Below you will find my top eight strategies for revolutionizing your own wellness this school year. I hope you take the time to try out one of the action steps I’ve suggested – or create your own and share it with us!
1. Acknowledge that prioritizing YOU is a radical act of personal development.
The first step in prioritizing your well-being this school year is to know that just reading this, and making the intention to fill your cup first instead of pouring from an empty vessel, is an action that you have already taken. So, go YOU! This act of personal development is radical and disruptive in a good way because it is the means to your own professional sustainability. Some ways you might choose you this year are by setting boundaries, saying “no” or “I’ll think about it” instead of an automatic “yes,” or creating more opportunities to spend time enjoying the things you love.
2. The mute button isn’t just for Zoom.
This strategy comes from fellow Baltimore City Public School educator and advocate for teacher well-being LaQuisha Hall. Identify toxic forces that need to be “muted” in your life. Know that these influences may be rearing their ugly heads after you initiate boundaries like I’ve suggested above… but know that the people who will be pushing back on your boundaries are probably the same people who took advantage of your lack of boundaries to begin with.
3. Identify your purpose.
This strategy is one that applies to all of us: whether you are an aspiring educator, a brand-new educator, or you’ve been in the game for decades. Fascinatingly, it doesn’t matter if you’re older versus younger, or if you have a chronic condition or disease, feeling that you have a sense of purpose in life may help you live longer, according to research published in Psychological Science (2014), a journal of the Association for Psychology Science. Research shows that having a purpose in life is a best practice no matter one’s age, and a powerful strategy we could model to our students.
4. Create a self-care action plan.
One of our Revolutionary educators in Alabama, Benita Moyers, suggests creating a self-care action plan. Just as you create intentional plans for your students, consider what it could look like to implement a time every week to pour into your own cup, so that you can continue supporting your students and the community of individuals surrounding you. Carve out a time in your schedule to spend time on YOU. Actually put it into your calendar so that it will happen. Put in a reminder. Even if it feels indulgent to spend time on yourself, recognize that self-care isn’t selfish; self-care is professional development.
5. Offer yourself pre-forgiveness.
This inspired practice comes from one of our very first Happy Teacher Revolution pilot sites and trauma-informed schools in Nashville. To pre-forgive is to acknowledge that you will probably make mistakes and to be prepared to forgive yourself when things don’t go absolutely perfectly. This strategy is the opportunity to be gentle with yourself, just as you would be gentle with any friend or student who could benefit from a nurturing/encouraging sentiment rather than an accusatory one. Acknowledge that the pandemic of COVID-19 was something we could have never expected or “practised” for. Offer yourself pre-forgiveness and self-compassion around the immense amount of change that upended our lives over the last few years. Give yourself the space to grieve the losses, the changes, the ways that our lives will forever be different. Acknowledge that you will continue to make mistakes as you set one foot in front of the other. Pre-forgiveness is knowing that the road may still be bumpy in life post-COVID, and recognizing that the healing process is never linear.
6. Take breaks.
An accommodation that teachers often make for their students is to provide them with opportunities to take frequent breaks. This applies to us, too. Take time to disconnect and detach with love. Unplug from technology and the demand to be “available” all of the time. Put up an auto-response that you are currently unavailable. Go outside in nature. Move your body and take a moment to let your mind rest and digest the stimulation of the day. Disconnect for a time so that you can better connect with those you serve once you are back “on the grid.”
7. Affirm, affirm, affirm.
One of the most powerful practices in our Happy Teacher Revolution meetings has been to offer personal, positive affirmations. Some sentence starters include: “I’m proud of myself for,” “I forgive myself for,’’ “I recognize the courage it took for me to,” and “I’m grateful for.” Write these affirmations down. Say them out loud. Text one to a well-being accountability partner and invite them to share their own. We also utilize opportunities to prioritize autonomy in Happy Teacher Revolution meetings by using the sentence frame, “I choose.” Some choices include: “I choose what to let go of,” “I choose to prioritize the relationships that matter,” and “No matter how the school year started, I choose to finish well.”
8. Find community.
Self-care is an incredibly individualized industry, but we are collectively craving a reduced sense of isolation and an increased sense of community. Now, more than ever, it is of utmost importance to check in with one another. The mental-health crises I experienced personally as a student were intercepted by my heroes, my teachers, because of the relationships they fostered in and out of their classroom community. The mental-health crisis is only getting worse, and we are posited with the unique chance to prioritize workplace well-being as a best-practice approach, not only professionally with each other, with our students, and with our stakeholders… but also personally with ourselves.
To find out more how to foster community care alongside personal care, check out the exciting new collaboration with Happy Teacher Revolution and the EdCan Network at: www.edcan.ca/HTR
Illustration: Adobe Stock
First published in Education Canada, September 2021
Happy Teacher Revolution
Happy Teacher Revolution is an international movement on a mission to organize and conduct well-being support communities for education professionals in order to help increase their happiness, retention, and professional sustainability. To learn more visit www.HappyTeacherRevolution.com
References
Association for Psychological Science. (2014, May 12). Having a sense of purpose may add years to your life. ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140512124308.htm
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Amplifying the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to engage and empower Canadian K-12 students to lead societal change
Comments Off on Amplifying the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to engage and empower Canadian K-12 students to lead societal changeToronto, February 11, 2021 —The EdCan Network is pleased to launch – in partnership with the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO), – an awareness campaign highlighting how educators can engage students in meaningful learning using the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). More teachers and students will discover their role in solving local, regional, and global problems such as poverty, access to quality healthcare, gender equality, and access to inclusive, equitable quality education, to name a few. This extensive focus on how the SDGs can transform learning will include the release of a special issue of Education Canada Magazine dedicated to showcasing the educational importance and transformative impacts the SDGs can have on teaching practice and student learning.
“There’s no more opportune moment than now to showcase a movement of Canadian and international educators and organizations devoted to inspiring students to define their futures and make a difference in our world,” says Denise Andre, EdCan Network Chair, “Our network is delighted with this opportunity to collaborate with CCUNESCO to amplify the SDGs to spark deep learning across the country.”
‘’To build a better future for all, we need to mobilize the education sector, especially teachers and students, in order to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. This sector has the unmatched possibility to raise awareness, develop the critical thinking skills of young people and serve as a powerful lever for changing behaviours and lifestyle habits. We are happy to partner with EdCan on this important campaign,’’ says Sébastien Goupil, Secretary-General, Canadian Commission for UNESCO.
From now until April, this campaign will deliver infographics, fact sheets, a professional learning discussion kit, and an online professional learning course that will be available to EdCan members. For educators, schools, and school districts looking to learn more about the SDGs or to share how they’ve successfully integrated the SDGs into their school communities, please visit: https://www.edcan.ca/magazine/spring-2021/ and follow @EdCanNet and @CCUNESCO for latest campaign updates.
About the EdCan Network
The EdCan Network has maintained its 129-year tradition as the only national, nonpartisan, bilingual organization representing 110,000 educators across Canada. Our role as an intermediary connects K-12 education systems across the country by producing and disseminating authoritative and evidence-based, yet accessible content that is trusted by educators, parents, and policymakers alike. EdCan aims to improve education policies that heighten equity and support deeper learning (i.e. a combination of the fundamental knowledge and practical basic skills all students need to succeed), and expanding the reach of educational resources in an effort to bridge the research-implementation gap. Learn more at www.edcan.ca or @EdCanNet.
About the Canadian Commission for UNESCO
The Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO) serves as a bridge between Canadians and the vital work of UNESCO—the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Through its networks and partners, the Commission promotes UNESCO values, priorities and programs in Canada and brings the voices of Canadian experts to the international stage. The Commission facilitates cooperation and knowledge mobilization in the fields of education, sciences, culture, communication and information to address some of the most complex challenges facing humanity. Its activities are guided by the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other UNESCO priorities. CCUNESCO operates under the authority of the Canada Council for the Arts.
For more information contact:
Sarah Ranby
Research Analyst
EdCan Network
sranby@edcan.caIsabelle LeVert-Chiasson
Program Officer, Education and ASPnet National Coordinator
CCUENSCO
isabelle.levert-chiasson@ccunesco.ca -
Canada Life contributes $25,000 to the EdCan Network to support leadership training on workplace wellbeing in the K-12 education sector
Comments Off on Canada Life contributes $25,000 to the EdCan Network to support leadership training on workplace wellbeing in the K-12 education sectorWinnipeg, MB, January 27, 2021. Canada Life today announced a $25,000 donation to the EdCan Network’s forthcoming Well at Work K-12 Leadership Course, an online professional learning service that will support Canadian education leaders in creating healthy and resilient workplaces for teachers and staff during this challenging school year and beyond. The Well at Work K-12 Leadership Course gives school district senior executives and school principals transformative and comprehensive strategies to improve teacher and staff wellbeing that will in turn create more positive learning environments for students.
“Mental health issues can significantly impact overall wellbeing in the workplace and can lead to increased absences and disabilities, working while sick, and decreased productivity,” said Brad Fedorchuk, Executive Vice-President, Group Customer, at Canada Life. “Educators have adapted quickly during these challenging times and that’s why, at Canada Life, we’re proud to support their psychological health and safety as they work with children and youth.”
K-12 education stakeholders have been increasingly concerned about the mental health and wellbeing of teachers and staff as high rates of stress and burnout continue to be exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic. Studies have shown that increased teacher and staff wellbeing leads to more supportive teacher-student relationships, higher quality teaching, and increased student achievement and wellbeing.
“There is a wealth of research, tools, and practical strategies to support workplace wellbeing across a wide range of sectors,” said Denise Andre, Chair of the EdCan Network. “Teacher and staff wellbeing is a high priority for school districts across Canada, and we look forward to providing education leaders with effective strategies specific to the needs of the K-12 sector.”
Since 2019, EdCan has been leading an awareness-building platform called Well at Work to increase knowledge about the need to make teacher and staff wellbeing a top policy and investment priority. In 2021, EdCan will be implementing Well at Work 2.0: a set of solutions aimed at further building the capacity of education leaders to improve staff wellbeing on a national level through a range of professional learning opportunities. Canada Life’s investment enables EdCan to expand the reach of its solutions while scaling its impact that will help reduce stress and burnout among more teachers and staff.
About The Canada Life Assurance Company
Canada Life is a leading insurance, wealth management and benefits provider focused on improving the financial, physical and mental well-being of Canadians. For more than 170 years, individuals, families and business owners across Canada have trusted us to provide sound guidance and deliver on the promises we’ve made.
As of January 1, 2020, Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life became one company – Canada Life, and today, we proudly serve more than 13 million customer relationships from coast to coast to coast.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
About the EdCan Network
The EdCan Network is the independent pan-Canadian organization with over 75,000 members working tirelessly to ensure that all students discover their place, purpose and path.
For more information contact:
Liz Kulyk
Assistant Vice-President, Media & Public Affairs
Canada Life
204-391-8515
Media.Relations@canadalife.comAndré Rebeiz
Research Manager
EdCan Network
416-591-6300 ext. 231
arebeiz@edcan.ca -
Kids get a helping hand for going back to school with the Desjardins Tech Donation Program
Comments Off on Kids get a helping hand for going back to school with the Desjardins Tech Donation Program
TORONTO – January 18, 2021 – Desjardins, in collaboration with EdCan, is pleased to announce that the following 20 schools were selected as the 2020 Desjardins Tech Donation Program recipients:
- École Saint David, Saint-David-de-Falardeau, Québec
- École Marie-Victorin-Longueuil, Longueuil, Québec
- École Notre-Dame-de-La-Sagesse, Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, Québec
- École Intégrée de Namur, Namur, Québec
- Collège catholique Franco-Ouest, Nepean, Ontario
- FJ McElligott Intermediate School, Mattawa, Ontario
- Adamsdale School, Sudbury, Ontario
- Willow Road Public School, Guelph, Ontario
- Queen Elizabeth II Public School, Sudbury, Ontario
- John Diefenbaker Senior School, Hanover, Ontario
- Canadian Martyrs Catholic Elementary School, Newmarket, Ontario
- Osprey Central School, Maxwell, Ontario
- Centennial Public School, Ottawa, Ontario
- Geraldton Composite High School, Geraldton, Ontario
- Dr. F.J. McDonald Catholic School, Ottawa, Ontario
- École élémentaire publique Nouvel Horizon, Hawkesbury, Ontario
- Engaged Learners Program School, Egg Lake, Manitoba
- Britannia Secondary School, Vancouver, British Columbia
- Father Lacombe High School, Calgary, Alberta
- Carpathia School, Winnipeg, Manitoba
This new tech donation program for K-12 public schools across Canada, with funding provided by Desjardins and administered in collaboration with the EdCan Network, supports schools and students’ immediate need for technology, which has been exacerbated by the shifts to distance learning caused by the ongoing pandemic.
“As an organization who has supported communities for 120 years, Desjardins is committed to helping our youth reach their full potential through education,” says Marilyn Horrick, Senior Vice-President of the Ontario Market at Desjardins. “As students adjust to a different way of learning, our hope is that this program will help provide a more equitable learning environment and that access to technology doesn’t become a barrier to their academic success.”
“Over 400 applications received from educators and principals across Canada for 20 donations confirms the overwhelming need for significant technological investments in our classrooms to support our most vulnerable learners,” says EdCan Chair Denise Andre. “I applaud Desjardins for recognizing the urgency to close this growing access-to-technology equity gap. EdCan is pleased to continue supporting the growth of this important donation program in 2021.”
Desjardins has committed an additional $100,000 donation to continue this program next year and encourages all 2020 applicants to reapply once the 2021 Desjardins Tech Donation Program is relaunched next September.
To review the entire Desjardins Tech Donation program and the list of the 2020 donation recipients, please visit: https://www.edcan.ca/awards/desjardins-tech-donation-program/
About Desjardins Group
Desjardins Group is the leading cooperative financial group in Canada and the sixth-largest in the world, with assets of $349.9 billion. It has been rated one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers by Mediacorp. To meet the diverse needs of its members and clients, Desjardins offers a full range of products and services to individuals and businesses through its extensive distribution network, online platforms, and subsidiaries across Canada. Ranked among the World’s Strongest Banks according to The Banker magazine, Desjardins has one of the highest capital ratios and credit ratings in the industry.
About the EdCan Network
The EdCan Network has maintained its 129-year tradition as the only national, nonpartisan, bilingual organization representing 110,000 educators across Canada. Our role as an intermediary connects K-12 education systems across the country by producing and disseminating authoritative and evidence-based, yet accessible content that is trusted by educators, parents, and policymakers alike. EdCan aims to improve education policies that heighten equity and support deeper learning (i.e. a combination of the fundamental knowledge and practical basic skills all students need to succeed) and expanding the reach of educational resources to bridge the research-implementation gap. Learn more at www.edcan.ca or @EdCanNet.
Contact: Max Cooke, EdCan CEO (bilingual)
Tel: 416-591-6300 ext. 225 E-mail: mcooke@edcan.ca
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The EdCan Network Announces its 2020-2021 Advisory Council
Comments Off on The EdCan Network Announces its 2020-2021 Advisory CouncilTORONTO — November 30, 2020
As the leading independent national voice in Canadian K-12 education, EdCan continues to play an indispensable role in bringing together groups and individuals from across the entire spectrum of K-12 public education to influence policy and practice improvements in ways that build the capacity of Canadian educators to explore and respond to emerging opportunities and challenges at all levels of the system.
The EdCan Network Advisory Council provides a forum for expression of countrywide issues and trends in education and advises the Board on the direction and priorities for the Network. Council members provide visibility and act as advocates for the EdCan Network within their respective professional communities. They are drawn from all regions of the country and serve a three-year term, which may be renewable for a second three-year term. At EdCan’s November 10th Board of Directors meeting, six new members were appointed to its Advisory Council.
Jean-Pierre Bédard
Assistant Director General, Centre de services scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys, Saint-Laurent, QC
Kathryn Goddard
Vice-President, Products and Channels, World Vision Canada, Toronto, ON
Vani Jain
Executive Director, The Daymark Foundation, Toronto, ON
Gwen Keith
Director of Education, Holy Family School Division, Weyburn, SK
Dr. Shelly Russell-Mayhew
Research Professor, Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB
Renee St. Germain
Acting Director of Education, Assembly of First Nations, Ottawa, ON
Camille Williams-Taylor
Director of Education, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, Ottawa, ON
“We’re so impressed with the calibre of this group of newly appointed education and philanthropic leaders to serve on our Council,” says EdCan Chair Denise Andre. “They add a tremendous depth and breadth of experience and share our ultimate goal of heightening every students’ well-being and opportunities for meaningful learning to help them discover their purpose and path in life.”
For more information about these new Advisory Council Members, and to review our entire Council, please visit: https://www.edcan.ca/council
The Annual Meeting of EdCan’s Advisory Council will take place virtually on December 1, 2020, where these leaders will be advising EdCan staff on the organization’s three strategic priorities:
1. Increasing workplace wellbeing for K-12 staff
Supporting school districts and provinces to make teacher and staff well-being a top policy and investment priority.
2. Engaging and Empowering Students to Lead Societal Change
Supporting students’ acquisition of Global Competencies via the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework, which will engage them in meaningful learning and discovering their crucial role in solving local, regional, national and global problems.
3. Equipping K-12 staff by informing them on emerging issues and actionable strategies
Identifying ways, through its three areas of action, to support educators and key collaborators by responding to emerging Issues, challenges and opportunities.
About the EdCan Network
The EdCan Network has maintained its 129-year tradition as the only national, nonpartisan, bilingual organization representing 110,000 educators across Canada. Our role as an intermediary connects K-12 education systems across the country by producing and disseminating authoritative and evidence-based, yet accessible content that is trusted by educators, parents, and policymakers alike. EdCan aims to improve education policies that heighten equity and support deeper learning (i.e. a combination of the fundamental knowledge and practical basic skills all students need to succeed), and expanding the reach of educational resources in an effort to bridge the research-implementation gap. Learn more at www.edcan.ca or @EdCanNet.
Contact: Max Cooke, EdCan CEO (bilingual)
Tel: 416-591-6300 ext. 225 E-mail: mcooke@edcan.ca
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2020 EdCan Network Pat Clifford Award Winners Announced: Dr. Jean-Philippe Ayotte-Beaudet, LJ Slovin and Jennifer Plosz
Comments Off on 2020 EdCan Network Pat Clifford Award Winners Announced: Dr. Jean-Philippe Ayotte-Beaudet, LJ Slovin and Jennifer PloszTORONTO — October 22, 2020
EdCan is proud to announce that Dr. Jean-Philippe Ayotte-Beaudet (Full Professor, Department of Preschool and Primary Education, l’Université de Sherbrooke), LJ Slovin (Doctoral Candidate, University of British Columbia), are PhD-level co-winners and Jennifer Plosz (Masters Graduate, Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary) is the Master’s level winners of the 2020 Pat Clifford Award for Early Career Education Research.
Science Learning Can Be Measured by More than an Assessment
Jean-Philippe Ayotte-Beaudet’s research on outdoor education has the potential to greatly impact students’ interest in learning science.
EdCan is pleased to honour Dr. Jean-Philippe Ayotte-Beaudet (Full Professor, Department of Preschool and Primary Education, l’Université de Sherbrooke) – as the PhD-level co-recipient of the 2020 Pat Clifford Award for Early Career Research in Education. This prestigious award recognizes Dr. Ayotte-Beaudet’s research, which enables teachers to offer science education activities in outdoor settings so that students can enjoy authentic learning experiences while mobilizing their scientific knowledge.
“I am looking at how to teach biodiversity by engaging teachers in citizen science projects that take place outdoors,” explains Dr. Ayotte-Beaudet. “More recently, I conducted similar work-from-home projects during the pandemic, involving 120 elementary teachers and 300 students, so that teachers could deliver distance learning about the impact of climate change on biodiversity.”
Dr. Ayotte-Beaudet’s research is founded on the idea that in addition to academic assessments, we must create spaces for science teachers to question their own pedagogical practices and for students to mobilize their scientific knowledge in a variety of meaningful, everyday settings if learning is to be sustainable. As Co-director of University of Sherbrooke’s Center for Research on Science Teaching and Learning, Dr. Ayotte-Beaudet has mobilized research that contributes to the advancement of knowledge on educational issues associated with the teaching and learning of scientific disciplines at school. Dr. Ayotte-Beaudet has also launched the Des Sciences Dehors (Sciences Outside) website in collaboration with teachers that provides educators with activities and resources for outdoor education.
“Jean-Philippe’s research fosters student interest in biodiversity and enables them to spend more time in nature closeby to their schools,” says Dr. Heather Kanuka, Chair of the EdCan Awards Committee and Full Professor at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Education. “And he is influencing an increasing number of teachers to advocate for outdoor education pedagogy once they see how relevant and inspiring it is for their students.”
Creating Inclusive Spaces for All Sexualities and Genders in Schools
LJ Slovin’s research on sexual orientation and gender identity has the potential to transform education for gender non-conforming (GNC) youth in Canada.
The EdCan Network is pleased to honour LJ Slovin, (Doctoral Candidate, University of British Columbia) – as the PhD level co-recipient of the 2020 Pat Clifford Award for Early Career Research in Education. This prestigious award recognizes Slovin’s groundbreaking research, which is poised to generate new approaches for inclusive and successful learning environments for GNC youth across Canada.
“Since GNC youth defy the dominant gender and sexuality norms that operate in North American schools, they often face challenges regarding their safety and success in formal educational spaces,” explains Slovin. “As a non-binary researcher, my work interrogates the complexity of gender nonconforming youths’ experiences in schools through a focus on how they navigate relationships with teachers, peers, policies, and curriculum.”
As an emerging scholar, Slovin has made substantive contributions to this significant equity issue in education with their work influencing Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) policy in British Columbia. Notably, Slovin’s doctoral research is inspired and guided by youth and explores the ways they engage in the schooling process and their desires for innovative approaches to SOGI education, which has also led Slovin to develop and lead professional development workshops for teachers. Though these workshops began at the local level, their potential transcends municipal and provincial borders. “This work is key to understanding how GNC students might feel connected and engaged in schooling processes and how teachers might consider how to teach all students more inclusively,” explains Slovin.
“LJ Slovin’s research is so well grounded in how it directly involved GNC youth, provides professional learning for teachers, and addresses the discrimination and harassment youth face,” says Dr. Heather Kanuka, Chair of the EdCan Awards Committee and Full Professor at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Education. “This topic is so important and there’s a huge need in our education systems to address a re-thinking of the implications of traditional binary constructions that can impact schools across Canada.”
Navigating a Visual Path to Learning Math
Jennifer Plosz’s research is helping educators understand how dyslexia impacts mathematics learning, counteracting the prevailing deficit narrative associated with these students, who struggle with school at an early age.
EdCan is pleased to honour Jennifer Plosz, Master’s graduate at the University of Calgary’s Werklund School of Education – as the Master’s-level category recipient of the 2020 Pat Clifford Award for Early Career Research in Education. This prestigious award recognizes Ms. Plosz’s ongoing research, which focuses on visualizing mathematical images during learning – particularly among students with dyslexia – which has the potential to assist teachers in engaging special needs students’ untapped abilities to excel at math.
“Math really is about growing and creating a mini universe in your head,” says Plosz, who is a dyslexic learner herself. “Canadian school systems tend to label dyslexic students as ‘learning-disabled,’ and I counteract this deficit-only view by developing teaching resources, prompts, and problems designed to engage these students’ visualization capabilities.”
Plosz’s work recognizes that Canadian classrooms are diverse – neurologically, culturally, and linguistically. Her research explores how teachers can engage students through their senses to assist them in growing mathematical images for their minds that support deep learning and understanding. By focusing on the development of visualization skills, Plosz is inviting mathematics classrooms to increase their engagement with the established interconnection between spatial reasoning and mathematics. The growth of these mental images is not only productive in mathematical thinking but is also more inclusive for neurologically diverse students who are often strong visualizers. This more visual approach also supports students with language barriers. Jennifer actively mobilizes her research with colleagues in the teaching profession and enacts her vision in her own classroom within the Calgary Board of Education. She has shown great initiative in her career, offering many workshops and professional development sessions to both teachers and parents in order to promote a more inclusive approach to mathematics education.
“Jennifer’s passion for helping teachers to ensure that neurologically diverse students thrive is making an important contribution to mathematics education in Canada.”says Dr. Heather Kanuka, Chair of the EdCan Awards Committee and Full Professor at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Education.
About the Pat Clifford Award
For over ten years, the Pat Clifford Award has recognized the work of emerging researchers – their research contributions, their promise, and their commitment to breaking new ground or revisiting commonly held assumptions in education policy, practice or theory in Canada. Three Pat Clifford Awards were bestowed in 2020 – two for the PhD-level researcher and the other for a Master’s-level researcher.
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Desjardins supports Canadian youth as they prepare for a challenge-filled school year
Comments Off on Desjardins supports Canadian youth as they prepare for a challenge-filled school yearMONTREAL, September 2, 2020 – Students, teachers, parents and guardians across Canada have had to make major adjustments to their daily lives in the midst of a global pandemic. To support our youth and to help them thrive in their educational journey, Desjardins is proud to announce new investments and programs with Kids Help Phone and the EdCan Network. Additionally, Desjardins is expanding its Desjardins Foundation Prizes to further support our youth.
All told, over $1.4M will be invested to provide much-needed support to students as they prepare to go back to school.
“Supporting education is important to Desjardins. For 120 years, Desjardins has been supporting our communities and working alongside them”, said Guy Cormier, President and CEO of Desjardins Group. “As students, teachers, parents and guardians across Canada prepare for a year unlike any other we wanted to reaffirm our commitment to our youth’s academic success, which is so vital to our nation’s future.”
Working with partners
Kids Help Phone’s Back-to-School Program
As some young people prepare to return to school and others continue to learn virtually, Kids Help Phone and Desjardins are working together to ensure they have the resources and support they need during this transitional time. Kids Help Phone expects to make 3 million connections in 2020 compared to 1.9 million in 2019 and a 200% increase in web sessions.
In addition to providing resources for youth, adults and educators, Desjardins is supporting programs such as:
- Counsellor in the Classroom: A program to facilitate the discussion of mental health and well-being for those in Grades 6 through 8.
- Good2Talk: A free, confidential service for post-secondary students in Ontario and Nova Scotia available 24/7.
“Young people across Canada, and the adults who support them, are experiencing a wide-range of emotions going back-to-school during this global pandemic. Kids Help Phone has been there every day and night throughout these uncertain times” said Katherine Hay, President and CEO, Kids Help Phone. “On behalf of the youth in every province and territory, thank you Desjardins, you have helped to ensure our e-mental health services will continue to meet young people wherever they are, for whatever reason they need, however they need to reach us – it could not be more important, now more than ever! No problem is too small and no problem is too big, Kids Help Phone is here for young people 24/7.”
Investing in Technology with the EdCan Network
As many students continue to learn virtually, equitable access to technology is crucial to their academic success. Desjardins and EdCan are working together to help students and schools that may need support in obtaining computers and other tech-based learning tools. A new three-year partnership will support students to help close the gap caused by the lack of access to technology.
“The ongoing pandemic has heightened the challenges of too many students who were already more at risk for marginalization,” says EdCan CEO Max Cooke. “Our network is pleased to collaborate with Desjardins to provide technology to as many of these students as possible so that they can thrive.”
Expanding Desjardins Foundation Prizes
In addition to new partnerships, Desjardins continues to support students and the community through Desjardins Foundation Prizes. These prizes are awarded to schools and non-profit organizations who need financial assistance to carry out projects that help elementary and high school students. Since 2016, over 1,000 projects have been supported with more than 150,000 youth positively impacted. In addition to Ontario and Quebec, the 2020 program has been expanded to also include Alberta and New Brunswick. The application window will be open from October 5th to 26th.
“Desjardins is taking concrete action and working with various partners and the community to stimulate the academic success of our youth. It’s crucial to our socio-economic future and we will continue to help students achieve their goals and dreams during these uncertain times,” said Guy Cormier.
About Kids Help Phone
Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7 e-mental health service offering free, confidential support in English and French to young people. As the country’s virtual care expert, we give millions of youth a safe, trusted space to talk over phone and through text in any moment of crisis or need. Through our digital transformation, we envision a future where every person in Canada is able to get the support they need, when they need it most, however they need it. Kids Help Phone gratefully relies on the generosity of donors, volunteers, stakeholder partners, corporate partners and governments to fuel and fund our programs. Learn more at www.KidsHelpPhone.ca or @KidsHelpPhone.
About the EdCan Network
The EdCan Network has maintained its 129-year tradition as the only national, nonpartisan, bilingual organization representing 110,000 educators across Canada. Our role as an intermediary connects K-12 education systems across the country by producing and disseminating authoritative and evidence-based, yet accessible content that is trusted by educators, parents, and policymakers alike. EdCan aims to improve education policies that heighten equity and support deeper learning (i.e. a combination of the fundamental knowledge and practical basic skills all students need to succeed), and expanding the reach of educational resources in an effort to bridge the research-implementation gap.
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EdCan and Mindfulness Everyday team up to address educator stress and burnout in fight against COVID-19
Comments Off on EdCan and Mindfulness Everyday team up to address educator stress and burnout in fight against COVID-19TORONTO, April 9, 2020 – EdCan and Mindfulness Everyday are pleased to announce a new partnership to address rising levels of stress and burnout among staff in Canadian K-12 education systems amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal is to provide educators with skills and coping strategies that best support their mental and physical health as they transition towards delivering online learning and grapple with managing the simultaneous demands of work and home. This partnership includes collaborating to deliver online training, programming for K-12 staff, and awareness campaigns on the transformative benefits of mindfulness, to name a few.
“Many educators are faced with mounting pressure to perform during these extremely challenging circumstances,” says Max Cooke, CEO of EdCan. “We also know that educators are not only focused on ensuring the safety of their loved ones, but also care a great deal about how their colleagues and students are dealing with this crisis and we are seeking new ways to support them.”
Both organizations are working together to mobilize actionable strategies to improve workplace well-being in Canada’s schools and school districts, which includes hosting a free live public webinar and four small-group community meet-ups for EdCan Members throughout the month of April.
“We are striving to make the message ‘Happy educators will change the world’ more than just pretty words on a page,” says Heidi Bornstein, Founder of Mindfulness Everyday. “When mindfulness is at the core of an educator’s self-care tool kit, both compassion and empathy increase, which ultimately translates into enhanced student performance.”
About Well at Work by EdCan
Well at Work is a research and public awareness campaign that calls on education leaders to make K-12 workplace well-being a top priority. It encourages everyone to take responsibility in creating supportive school cultures where staff look after their well-being and that of their colleagues. Well at Work strives to provide educators and school districts the tools they need to improve working conditions for the long term. To learn more: www.edcan.ca/wellatwork
About Mindfulness Everyday
Cofounded by Heidi Bornstein and Stephen Chadwick in 2009, Mindfulness Everyday is a diverse team of experienced professionals dedicated to educator well-being. Mindfulness Everyday offers a variety of programs that largely focus on how mindfulness practices can benefit educators both personally and professionally. To learn more: www.mindfulnesseveryday.org
For more information
Max Cooke
CEO
Email:mcooke@edcan.caHeidi Bornstein
Founder, Mindfulness Everyday
Email: heidi@mindfulnesseveryday.org -
Staying Well at Home
Comments Off on Staying Well at HomeOn behalf of the EdCan Board and Advisory Council, we wish our network members across the country continued safety and wellness during this challenging time. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the healthcare professionals and other essential workers who can’t stay home and are keeping the rest of us healthy, safe and well supplied with what we need to get through this. EdCan staff have been fortunate to be able to continue working virtually without missing a beat and have been strategizing how best to leverage our high-quality learning content to support your well-being through this overwhelming experience.
Your Membership Benefits – Shifting from Well at Work to Well at Home
We know that you’re not only focused on ensuring the safety of your loved ones, but also care a great deal about how your colleagues and students are dealing with this crisis. Many of you are also being asked to deliver distance learning during extremely distracting circumstances. This is a lot for you to deal with. As you may already know, one of EdCan’s core initiatives is Well at Work, which aims to shift mindsets by showcasing research, policy and practice that results in healthier, happier, and more resilient K-12 staff. We’ve temporarily pivoted our focus to Well at Home, because there’s no better time for you to explore our current collection of podcasts, blog posts and magazine articles as well as the latest research resources that we will continue to update to help you focus on your own well-being to maintain your strength for those who need you the most right now.
Although our Pan-Canadian Summit on K-12 Staff Well-Being is postponed until November 2-4, we remain dedicated to continue providing you with relevant learning opportunities featuring the foremost experts on this topic. As such, we’re excited to announce that we will be hosting a series of free webinars over the next few months with the goal of maintaining momentum on this crucial issue. Our first webinar will take place on Wednesday, April 15th at 1:00 PM (EST) presented by Mindfulness Everyday. Heidi Bornstein and Stephen Chadwick will be in their homes and we will be in ours and hope you will join us for some virtual “me time” to recharge and refocus during this difficult period. They will be presenting a live public webinar and four small group community meet-ups for EdCan members. The second webinar, on Tuesday, April 30th at 1:00 PM (EST), will be hosted by The Behavioural Insights Team. Information detailing registration and other future webinars will be coming soon!
Well at Work Professional Development Discussion Kit
For those of you taking advantage of your PLNs to stay connected, I encourage you to use our newly-released Well at Work Professional Development Discussion Kit, which complements our Winter 2019 edition of Education Canada Magazine and offers group discussion and self-reflection guides that unpack how we can (and why we must) strengthen our social and emotional wellbeing to achieve healthier schools and better learning experiences for students.
Additional Relevant Magazine Topics to Explore
Beyond the topic of well-being, we just released our latest Education Canada Magazine focus on The Greening of Schools where we take a closer look at environmental education and leadership around greener schools design and practice. 
We look forward to releasing a special web-exclusive edition of our May issue focusing on Education and the Skilled Trades to help counter the stigma and articulate the value of skilled trades and how our education system is fostering the skills and knowledge students require to meet the workforce needs of tomorrow.
Tell Us What You Need
Of course, as you probably know, your EdCan membership provides not only our latest magazine articles, but also grants you unlimited access to our vast archive of evidence-based content to help you explore what the research says on some of the most complex issues facing educators today. If you haven’t already logged into our website using your institutional email address to take full advantage of the high-quality professional learning content that EdCan has to offer, we encourage you to do so. Please follow us on our Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram accounts and subscribe to our e-newsletters for the latest updates, and let us know how we can continue to support you and your colleagues.
Please stay home, stay safe and know that better times are ahead for all of us.
Max Cooke
EdCan CEO
mcooke@edcan.ca
@max_cooke -
Coronavirus (COVID-19) information for K-12 educators and Faculties of Education
Comments Off on Coronavirus (COVID-19) information for K-12 educators and Faculties of EducationWith the unsettling disruptions of school closures and social distancing requirements, we will continue to update useful links to help you access the latest information from your provincial/territorial ministry of education.
Outbreak update from the Public Health Agency of Canada
Outbreak update from the World Health Organization
Alberta
What is the current situation? Click here.
British Columbia
What is the current situation? Click here.
Guidance for COVID-19 prevention and control in childcare and schools.
Manitoba
What is the current situation? Click here.
New Brunswick
What is the current situation? Click here.
Newfoundland and Labrador
What is the current situation? Click here.
Nova Scotia
What is the current situation? Click here.
Northwest Territories
What is the current situation? Click here.
Nunavut
What is the current situation? Click here.
Ontario
What is the current situation? Click here.
Prince-Edward Island
What is the current situation? Click here.
Quebec
What is the current situation? Click here.
Saskatchewan
What is the current situation? Click here.
Yukon
What is the current situation? Click here.
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2019 EdCan Network Whitworth Award Co-Winners Announced:
Comments Off on 2019 EdCan Network Whitworth Award Co-Winners Announced:
Dr. Shirley R. Steinberg recognized for empowering educators and students to challenge media bias and misrepresentation
The EdCan Network is pleased to honour Dr. Shirley Steinberg—Professor of Critical Youth Studies at the University of Calgary’s Werklund School of Education—as co-winner of the 2019 Whitworth Award for Career Education Research Excellence. This prestigious award recognizes Dr. Steinberg’s influential career as one of Canada’s leading scholars who have expanded media literacy into the field of critical pedagogy. Her work supports teachers and students to use and explore a wide variety of art forms, culture, and media—including hip-hop, commercial broadcasting, and new digital technologies—as a way to understand and question biases in the media and everyday life.
Dr. Shirley Steinberg has applied her critical approach to media studies, literacy, and drama to the global refugee crisis, which was used to explore how Islamic and Middle Eastern cultures are represented across the media, in advertising, and in schools. Most recently, Dr. Steinberg wrote and directed the award-winning documentary Elders’ Room, a collaborative project with Kainai First Nations High School students and counsellors. By bringing light to media bias and misrepresentation, Dr. Steinberg’s research encourages students to become agents of support, understanding, and change who challenge prejudices faced by ethnic minorities in Canada and beyond.
Understanding power dynamics, “how power works,” is also central to Dr. Steinberg’s work as a critical theorist, in understanding how and why inequality exists across people of different genders, races, classes, and other factors. She has a keen interest in conducting research and creating course curricula in which teachers engage television, theatre, art, music, and popular culture to guide students in questioning bias in the world around them. This contextual way of teaching simultaneously prompts educators to consider the impacts of their work beyond the classroom in ways that inspire students to confront economic, political, and social challenges in today’s world. This has redefined the teaching profession by repositioning educators as sources of large-scale change, and further drove her to the creation of The Freire International Project for Critical Cultural Community, Youth and Media Activism, The International Institute for Critical Pedagogy and Transformative Leadership, and previously, The Werklund Foundation Centre for Youth Leadership. These research-based projects offer educators a variety of research publications, films, and networking resources to help educators and community members to critically examine inequalities in society.
The Whitworth Award Selection Committee appreciated Dr. Steinberg’s lifelong dedication to expanding research in the field of critical pedagogy and media literacy studies, notably her mentorship of numerous emerging scholars and editing of over 600 books in the past 20 years. The Committee also lauded her unique approach to a form of research, “bricolage,” which tasks researchers to use a multi-layered, thick methodological approach which takes into account their own biases, different ways of interpretation, and leads to a more complex and socially-just understanding of the histories, cultures, and contexts of the communities, schools, and venues they research.
Dr. Shirley R. Steinberg shares the 2019 Whitworth Award with co-winner Dr. André P. Grace, recognized for his pioneering research and lifelong commitment to addressing the educational needs of sexual and gender minority youth in Canada.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT DR. SHIRLEY STEINBERG’S RESEARCH
Dr. André P. Grace recognized for profound impact in improving the lives of sexual and gender minority youth in Canada
The EdCan Network is pleased to honour Dr. André P. Grace—Professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Sexual and Gender Minority Studies at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Education—as co-winner of the 2019 Whitworth Award for Career Education Research Excellence. This prestigious award recognizes Dr. Grace’s pioneering research and lifelong commitment to addressing the educational needs of sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth.
Advocacy and transforming practice are central to Dr. Grace’s work, grounded in the vision that SGM students in our schools and communities are a vulnerable population whose safety, security, well-being, and accommodation are still not fully guaranteed. In 2016, Dr. Grace’s extensive portfolio and years of research culminated in a milestone publication entitled Sexual and Gender Minorities in Canadian Education and Society (1969–2013): A National Handbook for K-12 Educators, which recognizes the powerful role of educators in advancing the inclusion of sexual and gender minorities in Canadian society. This publication includes a comprehensive overview of how we can further advance recognition and respectful accommodation of SGMs in education and beyond through policy and practice perspectives. Since 2002, Dr. Grace’s research as principal investigator studying sexual and gender minority students and teachers has been consistently funded by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada. The primary focus of this research is helping SGM youth grow into resilience with the support of teachers and other caring professionals such as counsellors and social workers.
Building on this momentum, Dr. Grace’s current ambitious portfolio includes studying how greater collaboration across research, policy, and practice can spark collective action across sectors including education, healthcare, social services, and justice in supporting sexual and gender minority youth to build resilience in the face of adversity. Dr. Grace has already conducted extensive prior research in this area, which can be found in the book Growing into Resilience: Sexual and Gender Minority Youth in Canada, for professionals working with SGM youth and can be used in training courses for those working with vulnerable youth populations.
The Whitworth Award Selection Committee lauded Dr. Grace’s lifelong dedication to improving synergies among research, practice, and policy to improve the educational outcomes and life chances of sexual and gender minority youth in Canada – including his focus on equipping educators with practical tools and training resources to foster positive school cultures. The Committee was also impressed by Dr. Grace’s extensive on-the-ground work with SGM youth, which includes cofounding the Camp fYrefly summer leadership camp in 2004 and establishing the Community-Hope-Empowerment-Wellness or CHEW Project in 2014 to support homeless and street-involved SGM youth.
Dr. André P. Grace shares the 2019 Whitworth Award with co-winner Dr. Shirley R. Steinberg, recognized for an influential career as one of Canada’s leading scholars in critical literacy and media studies.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT DR. ANDRÉ P. GRACE’S RESEARCH
About the Whitworth Award for Career Education Research Excellence
The Whitworth Award for Career Education Research Excellence was first presented in 1967, and was made possible through a generous financial donation by Dr. Fred Whitworth, a former Director of the Canadian Council for Research in Education. It has, since then, recognized individuals who have made a sustained and substantial contribution to educational research over a period of time.
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2019 EdCan Network Pat Clifford Award Winners Announced: Dr. Angelica Galante and Chris Ostrowdun
Comments Off on 2019 EdCan Network Pat Clifford Award Winners Announced: Dr. Angelica Galante and Chris Ostrowdun
Dr. Angelica Galante’s research on plurilingual instruction has the potential to increase student engagement among immigrant students and their Canadian-born counterparts
The EdCan Network is pleased to honour Dr. Angelica Galante – Assistant Professor at McGill University’s Faculty of Education – as the PhD-level category recipient of the 2019 Pat Clifford Award for Early Career Research in Education. This prestigious award recognizes Dr. Galante’s exceptional leadership in exploring and showcasing teacher professional development opportunities and practical classroom practices that engage students from all linguistic and cultural backgrounds in learning about different languages and cultures.
“Plurilingual pedagogy, although still in its early years in Canada, is much needed particularly because of the rapid change in demographics with many students from immigrant, refugee, and international backgrounds becoming ever more present in our schools,” explains Dr. Angelica Galante. “While both researchers and educators have known for at over two decades that valuing students’ languages, cultures, and identities sparks a great sense of pride and engagement among students, educators are consistently facing roadblocks in how to practically leverage students’ home languages and their unique cultures in the classroom.”
As an emerging scholar and Director of McGill University’s Plurilingual Lab, Dr. Galante has mobilized research nationally to raise awareness about the important need to shift language pedagogy and policy in Canada away from one-language classroom approaches, which do little to support and validate students who wish to learn one of Canada’s official languages, an Indigenous language, or a heritage language. Dr. Galante has also launched the “Breaking the Invisible Wall” website to equip educators to learn about research on plurilingualism, observe projects developed by language students, and explore pedagogical resources that can be used in the classroom.
“Many students in our classrooms speak multiple languages at home, which is a great opportunity for creating classroom activities where students can share these languages with each other while also learning new languages,” says Dr. Heather Kanuka, Chair of the EdCan Network Awards Committee and Full Professor at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Education. “Dr. Angelica Galante’s research does not simply remain on paper, but rather has true potential to impact beyond academia in ways that encourage more educators to reap the benefits of multilingual activities within their classrooms.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT DR. ANGELICA GALANTE’S RESEARCH
Chris Ostrowdun’s research has the potential to challenge new teachers’ mindsets and assumptions towards creating inclusive classrooms for students with disabilities
The EdCan Network is also pleased to honour Chris Ostrowdun – PhD Candidate at the University of Calgary’s Werklund School of Education – as the Master’s-level category recipient of the 2019 Pat Clifford Award for Early Career Research in Education. This prestigious award recognizes Mr. Ostrowdun’s ongoing research, which strives to prompt pre-service teachers to rethink, reflect, and reconsider how they approach inclusive education practices towards students with disabilities.
“I created an activity where pre-service teachers in Bachelor of Education programs are asked to draw out how they understand the concept of ‘inclusion,’ before collaborating with other pre-teachers to arrive at a shared understanding of what this means to them as a group,” explains Chris Ostrowdun. “University instructors can then use these drawings in their courses to weave in pre-service teachers’ personal experiences, and connect theories to classroom practice.”
Mr. Ostrowdun’s research is founded on the idea that while provincial or federal policies may set expectations for creating inclusive schools and classrooms, these high-level expectations may not necessarily be implemented by teachers who may have different ideas about what inclusion means and looks like in practice.
“Chris Ostrowdun holds exceptional research career promise and already has a highly productive track record,” says Dr. Heather Kanuka, Chair of the EdCan Network Awards Committee and Full Professor at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Education. “His research has tremendous potential to strengthen how Bachelor of Education programs teach diversity and inclusion by rendering courses more relevant to the realities of being a teacher in today’s increasingly diverse and complex classrooms.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CHRIS OSTROWDUN’S* RESEARCH
About the Pat Clifford Award
For over ten years, the Pat Clifford Award has recognized the work of emerging researchers – their research contributions, their promise, and their commitment to breaking new ground or revisiting commonly held assumptions in education policy, practice or theory in Canada. Two Pat Clifford Awards have been bestowed in 2019 – one for a PhD-level researcher and the other for a Master’s-level researcher.
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The winners of our special #GivingTuesday campaign
Comments Off on The winners of our special #GivingTuesday campaignWe are pleased to announce the winners of our AppleTV 4k and the 2 tickets for our all-inclusive Toronto-to-Montreal New Year’s Eve bash!
The winner of the Countdown to 2020 experience is
C. Madden from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.You will Ring in the New Year in the most epic way imaginable!
- Pre-departure champagne cheers at Fairmont Royal York Round trip transportation from Toronto to Montreal (December 31, 2019 – January 1, 2020)
- Exclusive countdown to New Year’s dinner party aboard the VIA Rail train, complete with dinner, open bar, on-board entertainment, live DJ and more
- Skip the line with guaranteed, complimentary entry to Bar Nacarat for the exclusive New Year’s Eve party at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth in Montreal
- One-night Fairmont Gold accommodation for two at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth (December 31, 2019 – January 1, 2020)
- Exclusive New Year’s day brunch at Rosély’s Restaurant at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth
Finally, the winner of our AppleTV 4k is Adrian Di Rocco from Whitby, Ontario! Congratulations.
It’s been an amazing Giving Tuesday and we want to thank all our generous donators. We will be back next year with another great #GivingTuesday celebration.
Until then you can continue to support our important work by clicking here.
Gift via GIPHY
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The EdCan Network Announces its 2019-2020 Board of Directors and Advisory Council
Comments Off on The EdCan Network Announces its 2019-2020 Board of Directors and Advisory CouncilThe EdCan Network Announces its 2019-2020 Board of Directors and Advisory Council
This pan-Canadian network of leaders from the K-12, post-secondary, not-for-profit and corporate sectors share a commitment to supporting the thousands of courageous educators working tirelessly to ensure that all students discover their place, purpose and path.
TORONTO —October 1, 2019 — As the leading independent national voice in Canadian K-12 education, the EdCan Network is pleased to announce that the following leaders were elected to serve on the EdCan Network’s 2019–2020 Board of Directors:
2019–2020 EdCan Network Board of Directors
Denise Andre, Chair
Director of Education, Ottawa Catholic School Board, Ottawa, ONYves Saint-Maurice, Vice-Chair
Lecturer, Université Laval, Quebec City, QCAnne MacPhee, Treasurer
Consultant, Toronto, ONDarren Googoo, Past Chair
Director of Education, Membertou First Nation, Membertou, NSRob Adley
Vice President, Solutions & Technology, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (Canada), Mississauga, ONDr. Michele Jacobsen
Professor, Learning Sciences, Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, ABEric M. Roher
Partner, Education, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG), Toronto, ONDean Shareski
Community Manager, Discovery Education Canada, Moose Jaw, SKThe EdCan Network Advisory Council provides a forum for expression of countrywide issues and trends in education and advises the Board on the direction and priorities for the Network. Council members provide visibility and act as advocates for the EdCan Network within their respective professional communities. They are drawn from all regions of the country and serve a three-year term, which may be renewable for a second three-year term.
The following individuals will serve on the EdCan Network’s 2019–2020 Advisory Council:
2019–2020 EdCan Network Advisory Council
Rob Adley*
Vice President, Solution & Technology, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (Canada), Mississauga, ONDavid Allnutt
Consultant, Montreal, QCDenise Andre*, Chair
Director of Education, Ottawa Catholic School Board, Ottawa, ONLyne Chantal Boudreau
Professeure en administration de l’éducation et chercheure, Université de Moncton (campus de Shippagan) Shippigan, NBCurtis Brown
Superintendent, South Slave Divisional Education Council, Fort Smith, NWTRob Buttars
Director General, New Frontiers School Board, Châteauguay, QCDr. Steve Cardwell
Associate Vice President — Academic, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Delta, BCJanice Ciavaglia
Director of Education, Assembly of First Nations, Ottawa, ONSteven Colpitts
Assistant Deputy Ministry (Anglophone, Indigenous and cultural diversity sectors), ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur du Québec, Montréal, QCEugénie Congi
Superintendent of Education, Conseil Des Écoles Catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE), Ottawa, ONAmy Coupal
Chief Executive Officer, The Ontario Caregiver Organization, Toronto, ONSharon Friesen
Professor, Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, ABShannon Fuller
Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy and Planning Division, Ontario Ministry of EducationDarren Googoo*, Past Chair
Director of Education, Membertou First Nation, Membertou, NSCharlie Guy
Chief People Officer, CHRE, Toronto, ONClaire Guy
Executive Director, BC School Superintendents Association, Vancouver, BCCassandra Hallett
Secretary General, Canadian Teachers’ Federation, Ottawa, ONDr. Michele Jacobsen*
Professor, Learning Sciences, Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, ABSana Javed
Manager, Canadian Western Bank, Edmonton, ABKevin Kaardal
Superintendent of Schools/CEO, Central Okanagan Public Schools, Kelowna, BCDr. Heather Kanuka
Full Professor, Faculty of Education, University of Alberta, Edmonton, ABNikhil Kumar
Director, Canada Life, Winnipeg, MBNormand Lessard
Directeur général, Commission scolaire Beauce-Etchemin (CSBE), Saint-Georges, QCAnne MacPhee*, Treasurer
Consultant, Toronto, ONJohn McLaughlin
Deputy Minister, New Brunswick Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Fredericton, NBChristian Michalek
Superintendent, Louis Riel School Division, Winnipeg, MBDonna Miller Fry
Superintendent/CEO, Pine Creek School Division, Gladstone, MBStuart Miller
Director of Education, Halton District School Board, Burlington, ONCathy Montreuil
Deputy Minister, Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Halifax, NSValérie Morand
Executive Director, Fédération Nationale des Conseils Scolaires Francophones (FNCSF), Ottawa, ONArlene Morell
Vice President, Canadian Home and School Federation, Strathroy, ONNicole Morgan
Deputy Minister, Yukon Department of Education, Whitehorse, YKDarrin G. Pike
Administrative Officer, Programs and Services, Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association, St. John’s, NLNancy Pynch-Worthylake
Executive Director, Canadian School Boards Association, Wolfville, NSGérald Richard
Sous-ministre, ministère de l’Éducation et Développement de la petite enfance, Fredericton, NBEric M. Roher*
Partner, Education, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG), Toronto, ONBernard Roy
Consultant, Ottawa, ONYves Saint-Maurice*, Vice-Chair
Lecturer, Université Laval, Quebec City, QCRob Santos
Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Manitoba Education and Training, Winnipeg, MBDean Shareski*
Community Manager, Discovery Education Canada, Moose Jaw, SKDoug Sheppard
Superintendent/CEO, Delta School District, Delta, BCAnthony Stack
CEO/Director of Education, Newfoundland and Labrador English School District, St. John’s, NLMary Lynne Stewart
National Director of Fund Development and Communications, March of Dimes Canada, Toronto, ONBryan Tisdall
Executive Director, Terry Fox Centre, Richmond, BC*EdCan Network Director
For more information about these Advisory Council Members, please visit: www.edcan.ca/council
About the EdCan Network
The EdCan Network has over 125 years of experience as the leading independent national voice in Canadian K-12 education. We support over 75,000 courageous educators working tirelessly to ensure that all students discover their place, purpose and path. http://www.edcan.ca
Contact: Max Cooke, EdCan CEO (bilingual)
Tel: 416-591-6300 ext. 225 E-mail: mcooke@edcan.ca
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Canada’s Top Innovative K-12 Programs Break the Mould of Traditional Schooling
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The 2019 Ken Spencer Awards for Innovation in Teaching and Learning showcase how teachers’ willingness to step beyond their comfort zones to honour student choice can create exceedingly relevant learning experiences while solving some of the most complex societal issues that we face. From developing successful small businesses and sellable products, to harnessing the learning potential of museum artifacts and virtual reality alongside Indigenous cultural practices, these award-winning programs engage students into discovering their passions, histories and cultures in ways that equip them to effect meaningful change now and throughout their lifetime.
“Whether it’s by adjusting timetables or rethinking student evaluation practices, these programs challenge the traditional structures of schooling as we know them,” says EdCan Network Director and Awards Jury Chair Chris Kennedy. “We’re confident that these awards will validate this courageous desire to innovate despite the system and encourage other early adopters to embrace these unique learning models.”
Ken Spencer Awards recognition ceremonies will take place in each of the school communities of the seven winners. This is the 10th anniversary edition of these prestigious awards and the EdCan Network would like to thank all 96 schools and school district staff candidates for their time and effort in submitting an award application.
For a snapshot and detailed profiles showcasing the work of all seven of the following Ken Spencer Awards winners: www.edcan.ca/ks-award-2019
FIRST PLACE – $7,000
Met Innovation Centre for Entrepreneurship (MICE)
Maples Met School (Seven Oaks School Division)
Winnipeg, Man.SECOND PLACE – $3,000
Gwich’in Land-based Education
Chief Paul Niditchie School (CPNS)
Tsiigehtchic, N.W.T.HONOURABLE MENTIONS – $1,000
3D Virtual and Augmented Reality Class Museum
École L’Odyssée (Commission scolaire de la Capitale)
Quebec City, Que.SPLICE Projects
St. Jerome Catholic Elementary School (York Catholic District School Board)
Aurora, Ont.The Hopedale, Nunatsiavut Virtual Reality Class
Amos Comenius Memorial School (Newfoundland and Labrador English School District)
Hopedale, N.L.Personalization at Max Aitken Academy!
Max Aitken Academy (Anglophone North School Division)
Miramichi, N.B.i-Think about Science
Milton District High School (Halton District School Board)
Milton, Ont.About the Ken Spencer Awards
The Ken Spencer Awards for Innovation in Teaching and Learning was established with the generous contributions of Dr. Ken Spencer to recognize and publicize innovative work that is sustainable and has the potential of being taken up by others; to encourage a focus on transformative change in schools; and to provide profile for classroom innovation within school districts, schools, and the media. www.edcan.ca/kenspenceraward
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EdCan Network Leads Ambitious Campaign to Prioritize Workplace Wellbeing in K-12 Education
Comments Off on EdCan Network Leads Ambitious Campaign to Prioritize Workplace Wellbeing in K-12 EducationIn many schools districts across the country, staff are benefitting from support structures put in place to reduce their stress and exhaustion caused by the daily systemic pressures, expectations and factors beyond their control. With support from the McConnell Foundation’s WellAhead initiative, the national EdCan Network of educators will demonstrate how investing in the social and emotional well-being of K-12 staff can lead to stronger public education systems for staff and students alike.
“We look forward to building a wider appreciation for the evidence-based approaches that can influence the development of exemplary workplaces in our education systems, offering the necessary mental, physical, spiritual and emotional well-being support,“ says EdCan Network Chair Darren Googoo.
This initiative will surface innovations in healthy work environments, and emerging research will be transformed into practical tools to support education leaders in making workplace well-being a top priority.
“Creating a culture of well-being in schools requires improving the workplaces that teachers, principals and students experience every day,” said Stephen Huddart, President and CEO of the McConnell Foundation. “We’re pleased to work with EdCan and, through its extensive network, help incorporate well-being as an ongoing priority in K-12 education.”
Related EdCan Network Workplace Well-being Resources: www.edcan.ca/well-at-work
About the McConnell Foundation WellAhead Initiative
WellAhead is a philanthropic initiative of the McConnell Foundation that aims to improve child and youth mental health by integrating social and emotional well-being into K-12 education. WellAhead is focused on long-term change – shifting culture, structures, priorities, and practices of schools and the education system at-large to better incorporate social and emotional well-being. The McConnell Foundation is a private Canadian foundation that supports innovative approaches to social, cultural, economic and environmental challenges.
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Call for Applications for the EdCan Network Pat Clifford and Whitworth Awards
Comments Off on Call for Applications for the EdCan Network Pat Clifford and Whitworth Awards
Are you or someone you know contributing to innovative education research in Canada?
For over ten years, the Pat Clifford Award has recognized the work of emerging researchers – their research contributions, their promise, and their commitment to breaking new ground or revisiting commonly held assumptions in education policy, practice or theory in Canada.
Two Pat Clifford Awards will be discerned – one for a PhD-level researcher and the other for a Master’s-level researcher.
You can now apply or nominate for the 2019 Pat Clifford Award!
Apply now
DEADLINE Friday, June 28th, 2019 at 5:00 pm PDT (Pacific daylight time).
Who deserves accolades for their influential career in Canadian education research?
The Whitworth Award for Education Research was first presented in 1967, and was made possible through a generous financial donation by Dr. Fred Whitworth, a former Director of the Canadian Council for Research in Education. It has, since then, recognized individuals who have made a sustained and substantial contribution to educational research over a period of time.
You can now apply or nominate for the 2019 Whitworth Award
Apply now!
DEADLINE Friday, June 28th, 2019 at 5:00 pm PDT (Pacific daylight time).
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School suicide: What principals should do when students and staff disappear
Comments Off on School suicide: What principals should do when students and staff disappearA new fact sheet by the national EdCan Network of educators and TeenMentalHealth.org entitled What can school leaders do in the aftermath of student and staff suicide? aims to heighten awareness among K-12 principals and school communities on what they should and should not do following the suicide of a student or staff member.
Authored by Dr. Stan Kutcher, professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Dalhousie University and recently-appointed member of the Senate of Canada, this timely resource reveals how some conventional suicide postvention programs can cause more harm than good for the family, friends and classmates of a student or teacher who dies from suicide.
As Dr. Kutcher asserts, things to avoid include memorializing, using phrases such as “committed suicide,” and purchasing suicide prevention programs.
“With recent and recurring reports of youth suicide nationally, globally and in Indigenous communities – especially those in the Arctic North – we’d like to provide concrete support to principals, teachers and parents who are grappling with tragic losses that impact entire school communities,” says Max Cooke, EdCan Network Interim CEO.
In addition to the downloadable copy of the fact sheet, available at www.edcan.ca/suicide-postvention, also included are several practical resources to support school leaders in taking up evidence-based strategies.
This fact sheet was made possible with the generous financial support of the Desjardins Foundation and the Canadian Schools Boards’ Association.
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Get the facts on how schools can best support LGBTQ2 students
Comments Off on Get the facts on how schools can best support LGBTQ2 studentsA newly released fact sheet produced by the national EdCan Network of educators entitled How can schools support LGBTQ2 students? aims to quell the polarizing sex-ed and gender identity curriculum debates raging across Canada by equipping parents, teachers and administrators with four evidence-based tips on how to build safer and more inclusive schools for all students.
Authored by renowned sexual and gender minority youth expert Dr. Kristopher Wells, this hands-on and timely resource sets clear expectations and empowers entire school communities to create respectful, welcoming, inclusive and safe working and learning environments.
As Dr. Wells asserts in this fact sheet, “Recent research indicates that the vast majority of Canadian teachers (85%) now support LGBTQ2-inclusive education,” although he outlines that “many report not yet having the knowledge or training to feel confident in creating safer and more inclusive schools for LGBTQ2 youth.”
“With the ongoing controversies over sexuality, gender identity and sexual orientation-related policies, procedures and curriculum, we’re providing a concise and authoritative source of information to parents, trustees and educators, who are often exposed to conflicting opinions about this issue,” says Max Cooke, EdCan Network Interim CEO.
In addition to the downloadable copy of the fact sheet, available at www.edcan.ca/lgbtq2, also included are several practical resources available to support parents and teachers in building their knowledge and confidence on this subject matter.
This fact sheet was made possible with the generous financial support of the Desjardins Foundation and the Canadian Schools Boards’ Association.
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