International Women’s Day 2013

Friday, March 8

International Women’s Day 2013

On its 1ooth anniversary, what does International Women’s Day mean to you?

Canadian Prisons Failing Aboriginal Population

Currently, aboriginal people make up 4 per cent of Canada’s population yet they make up 23 per cent of the federal prison population – more than 3,400 in all.

“In other words, while aboriginal people in Canada comprise just four per cent of the population, in federal prisons nearly one in four is Métis, Inuit, or First Nations,” Sapers said.

Read Full Story here: http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/social-issues/new-watchdog-report-says-federal-prison-system-is-failing-this-countrys-aboriginal-people.html

Investing in the Education of East Africa’s Most Promising Young Leaders: Women

While the debate continues for how to really truly empower marginalized women, Nobel laureates, political leaders, and celebrity NGO founders all agree that an investment with the possibility of infinite returns is the investment in young women.

GOOD: Only .3% of Rwandan women have access to higher education.

Sugata Mitra: Build a School in the Cloud

Are schools as we know them, obsolete?

 

Teaching Meaning: The Struggle To Connect In Remote Alaskan Villages

“There’s a distinction between an education and school. Education is what Native people have been doing for their children since the beginning of time. School has been what has been imposed on people from outside,” he said. “We need to get in the business of education again.”

This article really hits home for some of our students, especially struggling students.  What is the point of education when it has no connection to our real lives?

Read the full story here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/01/education-alaska-teaching-meaning_n_2790528.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003&ir=Education

Paulo Freire on equality

I wish…

Transforming lives through inclusive education

“Just imagine a world where all children are included and involved.  Where their talents are celebrated, where their contributions are recognized.” – Anthony Lake UNICEF Executive Director

“Inclusive education does not require special schools, care, expensive materials or specialized expertise.  It simply means all students including children with disabilities should have the opportunity to receive individualized services and approaches to learning.”

How inclusive is your classroom?  What action can you and your students take to create a more inclusive environment for everyone involved?  What barriers stand in the way?  Why?

Is Anything More Important Than Teaching Compassion?

Teaching school children happiness, empathy, altruism and compassion has proven beneficial results for classroom learning as a whole, says Vinciane Rycroft.

Is there enough time in the day to teach empathy?  Does it have to be taught separately?  Being empathetic ourselves and modelling this behaviour may be enough, but if you feel as though you may be lacking in this category, check out some of the Children’s Picture books used as a vehicle for encouraging empathy on my Blog!

Back to my earlier poll:  Should empathy be taught in the classroom?

See full story at: http://startempathy.org/blog/2013/01/nothing-more-important-teaching-compassion

GOOD: “Our Education System Isn’t Broken, It’s Designed to Create Winners and Losers”

A really poignant article highlighting the inequity manifested within U.S education.  Sadly, our Canadian educational system shares many similarities.

“How will we shift our language, thinking, and focus to build new systems of education that fully and equitably fund schools and equip educators? Equity and opportunity matter. It’s way past time that we take our blame and focus off students and put it on our educational, socioeconomic, and political systems that allow, demand, and perpetuate inequity. We who are committed to school reform must consider how we can think and act differently”

When will education become the forefront of our political agendas?

See full story here: http://www.good.is/posts/our-education-system-isn-t-broken-it-s-designed-to-create-winners-and-losers/?utm_campaign=goodtweet&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_content=ev