FROM THE EDITOR


Happy spring Voice readers! I am back from maternity leave and happy to be working on Voice once again. Our spring issue features highlights from the important work that mem- bers and local leaders are doing in their class- rooms and in the broader community across the province. Check out Your Federation for some highlights of ETFO’s recent political and community work. In this issue, Vivian McCaffrey reviews


Joel Westheimer’s book What Kind of Citizen? Educating Our Children for the Common Good.


Westheimer asks how well public schools succeed in educating responsible citizens. He makes the case that educators have an important opportunity to infl uence how students understand the world and how they view their capacity to shape it. It is imperative, he argues, that democratic societies engage students in activities that teach them how to think critically and analytically. This issue also features an interview by Peel teacher Lauren Beckford with Natasha


Henry, a Peel occasional teacher, historian and curriculum developer. In it, Henry talks about the importance of incorporating Black history throughout the curriculum, going beyond Black History Month to ensure Black students see themselves represented in their curriculum and that all students know the history and context of Black struggles today. “Students need to understand that there is a legacy in regards to the enslavement of Africans the treatment of Blacks in North America, and the laws and practices of the Jim Crow Era, including here in Canada. The issues that Black people face today are linked to the history of individual, systemic and institutionalized racism.” In Learning the Truth and Our Journey Into Reconciliation, Rachel Mishenene refl ects


on the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the recommendations for educators and the work that ETFO is doing as part of our commitment to the journey into reconciliation. See the list of resources, programs and recommendations in her article. We have a great spring issue for you. Rounding out our features, David Stocker


describes the process for establishing all-gender cabins for his grade 8 students as they prepared for their end-of-year trip, Shannon Gamble writes about welcoming Syrian refugee children to Ottawa and Farah Wadia takes her students outdoors to learn about watersheds.


ETFO Executive Members PRESIDENT


Sam Hammond, Hamilton-Wentworth


FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT Susan Swackhammer, Grand Erie VICE-PRESIDENTS


Karen Brown Campbell, Elementary Teachers of Toronto Nancy Lawler, Bluewater


OTF TABLE OFFICER Diane Dewing, Upper Canada OT


EXECUTIVE MEMBERS Gail Bannister-Clarke, Peel Tracy Blodgett, Trillium Lakelands OT Adelina Cecchin, Greater Essex County Nathan Core, Waterloo Region OT Kelly Holley, Algoma David Mastin, Durham Monica Rusnak, Ontario North East Greg Weiler, Waterloo Region Deb Wells, Limestone Victoria Réaume, General Secretary Sharon O’Halloran, Deputy General Secretary Anne Rodrigue, Deputy General Secretary


ETFO Voice


Izida Zorde - Editor Victoria Réaume - Business Manager Adele Bertram - Advertising Sales David Beyer - Design


Contributors not otherwise credited: Sharon O’Halloran, Mary Morison.


Member of the Canadian Association of Labour Media (CALM) and Canadian Education Press Association


Indexed in the Canadian Educational Index / Répertoire canadien sur l’éducation


ISSN: 1481-4072


Articles contained herein refl ect the views of the authors and do not necessarily express offi cial policy of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario.


Acceptance of an advertisement does not imply ETFO endorsement of the product or service. Advertising contracts are subject to cancellation if members complain.


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– Izida Zorde


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Phone: 416-962-3836 or 1-888-838-3836 E-mail: etfovoice@etfo.org etfovoice.ca


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4 ETFO VOICE | SPRING 2016


PHOTO BY KATHRYN GAITENS


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