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| Vol. 4, No. 5 |
november 27, 2009 |
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ETFO: An Advocate for Its Members
In recent weeks ETFO has continued its advocacy work on behalf of members through the submission of two briefs to government agencies:
Response to the Ministry of Education’s Consultation on Parent Engagement. ETFO supports the overall thrust of the ministry’s policy, but suggests that additional resources and training are required at the school board and school levels to support the government’s goals.
Brief on Bill 168: The Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act, 2009 (Violence and Harassment in the Workplace). ETFO believes the bill will cover incidences of bullying, including cyberbullying. The federation welcomes the proposal to require employers to document incidences of workplace violence. This should mean that school boards will be required to document more systematically and consistently student violent behavior in the Ontario Student Record.
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On November 23, Vice-President Hilda Watkins (right) and Executive Assistant Susan Thede presented ETFO’s brief on Bill 168 to the Legislature’s Social Policy committee.
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In the next few issues of @ETFO/FEEO we will highlight a number of resources which various departments of the federal government make available to teachers free of charge. This issue will feature resources available from Elections Canada. Some of the other departments which will be featured in future issues include:
- Library and Archives Canada,
- The National Research Council,
- Canadian Heritage,
- The Department of Justice,
- The National Capital Commission, and
- Statistics Canada
Educational Tools from Elections Canada
With a minority government in Ottawa, Canadians could be returning to the polls at any time—a perfect opportunity to teach students about our electoral system using the following resources from Elections Canada:
- Choosing Our Mascot is an election simulation for students from kindergarten to grade 4.
- The School Elections Officer Guide gives step-by-step instructions for school council elections and is adaptable from grades 5 to 12.
- The Election Simulation for grades 5 to 12 helps you organize a 45 minute to 75 minute election scenario right in your classroom.
- Student Vote partners with Elections Canada for each federal election so that teachers can run a simultaneous mock election in their school.
- A History of the Vote in Canada provides a detailed account of the evolution of the right to vote over two centuries. Available in print or online.
- The Electoral System of Canada is an online book that explains the administrative machinery of federal elections.
- I Can Vote is an easy-to-understand online and printed guide to elections and voting in Canada. Perfect for first-time voters, ESL students, and newcomers to Canada.
- Seekers: Take a Stand! Make a Difference! is a new DVD on Aboriginal youth voting.
To order print materials, simulation kits, and/or multimedia resources, use this convenient online order form. |
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Empire of the Word
 Eight years in the making, Empire of the Word from TVO is impressive in its scope and is likely to win many awards. This documentary is a compelling look inside the act of reading and traces its impact on more than five thousand years of human history. Introduced and narrated by one of the world's great readers, Canadian writer Alberto Manguel, the series traces reading's origins; examines how we learn to read; exposes censors' attempts to prevent our reading; and finally, proposes what the future might hold for this most human of creative acts.
Empire of the Word highlights, through a series of vignettes, the Aboriginal Literacy Camps which were initiated by former Lieutenant Governor, The Honourable James Bartleman, and continued by his successor, The Honourable David C. Onley. Both ETFO and OTF have supported this project in the past few years.
The series schedule is as follows:
- Episode 1: November 25, 10 p.m.
- Episode 2: December 2, 10 p.m.
- Episode 3: December 9, 10 p.m.
- Episode 4: December 16, 10 p.m.
Any missed episodes can be viewed online at the TVO website. |
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- The Ontario Nature Writing and Art Contest for grade 7 and 8 students. This year’s topic is 'Wild species and wild spaces: why biodiversity is important to me.' For more information and to download an entry form, visit the Ontario Nature website. The deadline for contest entries is February 26, 2010.
- A&E "Lives that Make a Difference" 2009 Essay Contest. Students in grades 5-12 are invited to write and submit an original essay, 300 words or less, on who they think made the greatest impact on Canadian society in 2009. To read winning essays from 2008 and to find out more, visit the A&E bio website. Contest ends December 15, 2009.
- The Cops for Kids Safety Program by the Canadian Police Association. This is an in-school program designed to educate grades 1 and 2 children about being safe wherever they are. Lessons are then shared with the whole family through online activities that can be completed at home. Access to the resources, and activation codes for your board or school, will be available through the Project Coordinator (905) 901-3744 or craigmills@copsforkidssafety.com. For more information, please visit http://www.copsforkidssafety.com.
- The Media Awareness Network’s (MNet) interactive tutorial 'Passport to the Internet' is now available to all teachers in Ontario’s publicly funded elementary schools. Designed for students in grades 4 to 8, this new interactive game is designed to teach critical thinking skills for responsible online citizenship. The Ministry of Education has signed a province-wide licence agreement for this innovative digital literacy resource on behalf of the Ontario Software Acquisition Program Advisory Committee (OSAPAC). For more information, visit the MNet website. For login information, speak to the person in your school board who is responsible for OSAPAC software.
- The Mathieu Da Costa Challenge by Canada's Department of Citizenship and Immigration. This is a national writing and artwork contest for youth ages 9-18 in which participants produce original works that express their thoughts about Canadian values and diversity, while developing a more clear understanding of Canada's multicultural heritage. For more information, please visit http://www.mathieudacosta.gc.ca. Deadline for submissions is February 19, 2010.
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