From The Vancouver Sun article:

Key education stakeholders are asking the B.C. government to require all students to take a course in aboriginal studies before graduation.

While they already learn about aboriginal issues during Social Studies classes, this proposal would require students to also take a separate course, such as B.C. First Nations Studies 12 or the First Peoples course offered in Grades 10, 11 and 12.

You are cordially invited to re-imagine the role of libraries – specifically the Education Library, First Nations House of Learning Xwi7xwa Library, and more broadly, school libraries will be examined.

The re-imagined teacher education program has inspired revision in the role Education librarians play to respectfully and meaningfully integrate First Nations history, content, and world-views; commit to inquiry and research oriented education; and emphasize diversity and social and ecological justice. Our libraries can support teacher candidates as they acquire theoretical understandings for teaching and apply those theories in their practice. We bring teacher candidates and ideas together in library spaces that offer unique learning environments, where inquiry, collaboration, the role of Indigenous Knowledge, relationships and ways of knowing are celebrated. This session will be interactive: we present our re-imagined roles and seek feedback and ideas to further ensure our relevance for faculty and teacher candidates.

Presented by:

Sarah Dupont
Aboriginal Engagement Librarian, First Nations House of Learning—Xwi7xwa Library

 Jo-Anne Naslund

Instructional Programs Librarian, Education Library

Danielle Winn
Reference and Instruction Librarian, Education Library

Scarfe Building, Education Library Room 155, 12:30pm

The conference program features a range of sessions that will interest teacher-librarians and educators from all levels, and anyone interested in improving their teaching skills in literacy (e.g. visual, critical, etc.), research, and technology.  Please contact Heather Daly if you have questions: hdaly@sd43.bc.ca or 604-937-6380.

Keynotes include: Dr. David Loertscher, San José State University School of Library & Information Science and Chris Kennedy, CEO / Superintendent of Schools, School District #45 West Vancouver.  Featured speakers include: Dr. Joanne de Groot, Dr. Ann Ewbank, Adrienne Gear, Judith Comfort, and over thirty other amazing educators.

October 18 and 19

Riverside Secondary School, Port Coquitlam

Detailed program information and registration is now available here.

~text from the BCTLA Coquitlam 2012 Website

September marks Life Literacy Month – a month to celebrate literacy and lifelong learning. Did you know that nearly nine million adult Canadians struggle with low literacy? Get involved this month, increase your own literacy skills, and encourage everyone to get the skills they need to live a fully engaged life. Don’t forget to also look out for learner stories throughout the month, and be inspired by how literacy impacts lives.

~text from ABC Life Literacy Canada website

Read Janet Steffenhagen’s comments on the Ministry of Education’s re-assessment of grades K-12 education. 

Full article here.

Vancouver Sun article by Janet Steffenhagen, August 21, 2012. 11:11 am • Section: Report Card

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

Read Kathryn Ovenell-Carter’s moving article on why she is training to be a teacher in these trying times.

By Kathryn Ovenell-Carter, 25 Jun 2012, TheTyee.ca

© Copyright (c) TheTyee.ca

As part of the National Aboriginal Day celebration, the B.C. Aboriginal community has received over $20 million in funding dedicated to Aboriginal education and students from the B.C. Provincial Government.

Read the full article in The Tyee here.

By Katie Hyslop June 22, 2012

© Copyright (c) TheTyee.ca

See the Provincial government’s  Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education and Training Policy Framework and Action Plan.

See Tiffany Poirier’s website about The Personalized Learning Movement: an new approach for teaching and enriching students’ learning experience.

Philosophy of Personalized Learning here.

Tiffany Poirier is an award-winning teacher, published children’s book author-illustrator and educational writer, with areas of specialty in gifted education, philosophy for children, and creativity.  Sought after as a curriculum designer, speaker and staff developer, Tiffany has led numerous well-attended workshops and speaking engagements, including a presentation at an international conference.

She was named as an exceptional alumnus by both of the universities from which she holds degrees, with her unique teaching contributions written about on the UBC Education website and in the UVic alumni magazine.  Tiffany joined the teaching profession in 2006.

~text from The Personalized Learning website.

UBC Library Holdings Information of Tiffany’s children’s book here.

The First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) has announced DeDe DeRose’s appointment as the province’s first Superintendent of Aboriginal Achievement. 

By Katie Hyslop June 11, 2012 12:51 pm

Full Tyee article here.

© Copyright (c) TheTyee.ca

Read the latest on The Roots of Empathy: the Ministry of Children and Family Development and the Ministry of Education’s program to teach compassion and empathy to youth and children in British Columbia.

Full article from the Province of British Columbia website here.