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• Protected: Video: Unlearning Colonialism in Education

  February 23, 2023 10:04 AM Comments Off on Protected: Video: Unlearning Colonialism in Education

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• Teaching with the UN SDGs Professional Development Discussion Kit

  June 2, 2021 11:46 AM Comments Off on Teaching with the UN SDGs Professional Development Discussion Kit

  Education Canada Discussion Kits are an EdCan Member Exclusive Benefit for Organizations (School Districts, Faculties of Education, Corporations, Non-Profits), transforming evidence-based literature from our critically-acclaimed Education Canada Magazine into practical group discussion and self-reflection guides that can be used by K-12 staff to question, strengthen, and improve their professional practice across a variety of current and emerging trends in education.

  Whether you’re an educational assistant, teacher, school leader, or superintendent, we encourage you to invest in your continuous learning and that of your team through these easy-to-use and affordable professional development resources that encourage critical thinking and actionable strategies for unique school contexts.

  About the Teaching with the UN SDGs Discussion Kit

  This discussion kit complements our Spring 2021 edition of Education Canada magazine – available both in flippable PDF and online – and puts the spotlight on how the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer cross-curricular relevancy and invaluable learning opportunities for students to discover their crucial role in solving local, regional, and global problems. Educators are prompted to explore how they can engage students to become active global citizens and authentically address global issues in empowering and hopeful ways.

  This discussion kit contains a total of three group discussion and self-reflection guides – available in both English and French – covering topics ranging from creating a to-do list to help K-12 educators take action on the SDGs in the classroom; taking a whole-school approach to teaching the SDGs and making your school culture the catalyst for change; and using outdoor education as way to build students’ awareness of and appreciation for biodiversity.

  how to use education canada discussion kits

  Each group discussion or self-reflection guide contains three key components: 

  1. A Cheat Sheet providing a brief summary of the literature, which is intended to facilitate and support the uptake of group discussion within your school community.
  2. A Reflect section with 2-4 thought provoking questions prompting participants to self-reflect in conjunction with their own thoughts and opinions in response to the article.
  3. A Do It section that provides participants with the opportunity to engage with the content in a more interactive way. By completing this interactive activity, participants are encouraged to think about how they can apply their newfound learnings to their professional practice.

  Education Canada Discussion Kits have two-fold usage:

  • Group discussions: School leaders can use discussion kits for staff Professional Development (PD) by facilitating discussion during a staff meeting or other designated PD time. Principals can lead sessions by selecting a group discussion guide according to their preference, introducing the theme of the guide, providing a summary of the literature, and finally proceeding to facilitate and participate in discussion by asking the suggested questions and interactive activity provided. Discussion kits can also be used during more informal group discussions (i.e. among colleagues) without the presence of an administrator to facilitate. 
  • Self-reflections: Discussion kits can also be used alone by individual K-12 staff members who are looking to improve their professional practice on their own time. Additionally, newfound knowledge can help individual staff members to later spark and inform conversations with their colleagues.

  Ready? Request the full copy now!

     

  FOR EDCAN MEMBERS

  If you’re an EdCan member, you’ll be able to access the full-version of the Teaching with the SDGs Discussion Kit, including all of our other archived and upcoming discussion kits! Simply fill out the form below!

  Not sure if you’re a member? Check out our list of members here. If you’re an employee of one of the organizations listed, or a student or faculty member of a university listed, then you’re already a member! Click here to create your employee, student, or faculty account. 

  Note: To access this discussion kit, you must have an organizational membership, meaning that you are an employee, student, or faculty member of the following:

  • School District;
  • Faculty of Education; 
  • Not-for-Profit (national and provincial organizations, federations, colleges, schools); or
  • Corporation. 

  Not a member yet? That’s okay! To gain unlimited access to the Well at Work Discussion Kit and all other discussion kits, we encourage you to explore our membership options here. 

  If you require any assistance or have any questions with regards to becoming a member please contact membership@edcan.ca.

  Full Copy Request Form – Teaching with the SDGs Discussion Kit

  • Name*
    First Last
  • Professional Title*
  • Organization*
  • Email Address*
  • Which languages do you use at work?*
    Select one option from the list below:
    • English
    • French
    • Both English and French
    • Other
  • Which Discussion Guide or Kit would you like?*
  • In what context do you plan to use the Discussion Guide or Kit?*
    Check all that apply:
    • During a staff meeting
    • Informal meetings or conversations with colleagues
    • During a designated professional development day
    • Individual self-reflection
    • Other
  • With how many people do you plan to use the Discussion Guide or Kit?*
  • What do you hope to learn from using this Discussion Guide or Kit? How might this learning impact you personally and professionally?
    OPTIONAL
  • CAPTCHA

• How can the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) support K-12 teaching and learning?

  March 29, 2021 12:12 PM Comments Off on How can the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) support K-12 teaching and learning?

  In 2015, all 193 countries of the United Nations along with scientists and political leaders agreed to partner together to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the year 2030. The SDGs are a set of 17 goals aimed at achieving peace and prosperity worldwide by addressing pressing issues such as climate change, quality education, and poverty, to name a few. Issues such as these are expected to have devastating impacts on people and the planet if not addressed. For example, climate change is expected to lead to global challenges in this lifetime that no single country alone can resolve. Approximately 42% of the world’s population is currently under 25-years-old, children and youth are at most at risk of experiencing the impacts of these issues, making schools an ideal place for learning about the SDGs.

  HERE ARE KEY TIPS FOR K-12 EDUCATORS WHEN TEACHING ABOUT THE SDGs:

  1. Start Small

  Choose one or a few SDGs to start with when planning class activities and discussions. Each SDG also comes paired with “Global Targets,” which can make them more manageable to address.

  2. Learn alongside your students and connect with their interests

  Students are often already passionate about global issues, and the SDGs provide a way for them to learn how to become active global citizens. Take the opportunity to learn about what your students are passionate about and build activities, projects, and discussions around these.

  3. Find ways to connect the SDGs to the curriculum

  The SDGs can enhance the curriculum by making space for learning about global issues and including perspectives from people around the world, which are often left out of national curriculums. There are many resources available for teachers that can be used as content for teaching the SDGs across subject areas.

  4. Partner with other classrooms around the world

  There are programs where you can partner with other classrooms locally or in other countries to work on projects that address global issues. This gives students an engaging opportunity to learn from other students who have different perspectives and to see how their actions can impact other people – even people halfway across the world.

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  In an increasingly interconnected world where local and regional decisions can have global impacts on world economies, policies, and societies, it’s evermore important for countries to find ways to collaborate on issues that affect us all. Teaching about the SDGs offers meaningful learning opportunities and encourages students to discover their role in solving local, regional, and global issues. As today’s children and youth will become the next generation of voters and leaders, it is necessary to equip them with the knowledge and skills to make sound decisions in an increasingly complex world – and the SDGs provide a framework to do just that.

  Read More

  • Creating education goals and activities that help students have a planetary or global view. This moves education beyond merely providing skills for individuals’ future employment but instead, provides the knowledge and skills for living on a shared planet.
  • Engaging students around the world in shared research and collaboration to identify different experiences and responses to global issues (see for example, the Global Classroom projects on Global Citizenship  and Energy Futures)
  • Accessing portals of research and information shared by people around the world as the content for learning. For example, the work of South Korean APCEIU
  • Teaching students from an integrated curriculum approach that makes space for learning about global issues from multiple perspectives including from people in locations often left out of national focused curriculums. This will include building a global historical consciousness (see for example https://historicalthinking.ca)
    

  WITH THE GENEROUS FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF: 

            

• Happy Teacher Revolution Partnership Program

  December 7, 2020 12:45 PM Comments Off on Happy Teacher Revolution Partnership Program

  

  Happy Teacher Revolution has officially launched in Canada!

  EdCan and Happy Teacher Revolution are excited to offer EdCan members exclusive access to Happy Teacher Revolution’s online training and certification program to initiate and lead their own teacher support group within their school community.

  All EdCan Membership categories – Individual, School District Members, Not-for-Profit, Faculty of Education, and Corporate – receive an exclusive 20% discount. Not an EdCan Member? That’s okay! Click here to learn more about becoming a member. PRO TIP: If you’re an employee of a School District, Not-for-Profit, or Corporation that is an EdCan Member, then you, too, are an EdCan Member! What’s more, if you’re a student or employee of a Faculty of Education that is an EdCan Member, then you’re a member, as well! Click here to find out if your organization is already an EdCan member.

  What is Happy Teacher Revolution?

  Happy Teacher Revolution is a Baltimore-born, international movement with the mission to support the mental health and wellness of teachers. Happy Teacher Revolutions trains ‘Revolutionaries’ around the world to initiate Happy Teacher Revolution support group meetings in their own communities.  The Happy Teacher Revolution is a network of teachers – a network that serves as a support system for teachers who are struggling with the shame, blame, guilt and difficulties of balancing an incredibly demanding profession with their own sense of self and happiness. Often, teachers are asked to give so much in terms of time, money, and emotional capacity. Happy Teacher Revolution  strives to empower teachers to push back on these expectations in hopes of them striking a balance between excellent teaching and personal sustainability.