School of Education Newsletter - December 2017

Newsletter
December 8, 2017
Bachelor of Education December 2017 Newsletter - Page 1/2
Bachelor of Education December 2017 Newsletter - Page 1/2

School of Education Terrace Campus Newsletter - December 2017


Biennial UNBC Math Fair (Facebook Album)

The UNBC Math Fair is held every two years by our student teachers in the Bachelor of Education program for the primary/elementary level. The program includes two courses in math education, and this event constitutes part of their assignments. Previous Math Fairs were held in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015; all received a very favourable response from the community.
Our student teachers designed the stations, working individually, to provide children from the community with valuable learning experiences and enjoyable activities related to math concepts. The activities are based on problem solving, creating connections to existing knowledge, reasoning, communicating one’s ideas, and representing them in creative ways.
The areas of mathematics covered number skills, shapes and space, patterns and relations, statistics and probability – quite an expanded field compared to the old ‘rithmetic and representing the BC math curriculum for K-8. There were lots of materials to take home as well as door prizes.
The event lasted from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm on Friday, November 24 at the UNBC campus in Terrace. All K-8 students and their caregivers, as well as teachers and their families, were welcome. As it was a non-instructional Friday, a sizeable crowd came out. Our student teachers were in attendance, assisting the children with their activities.

....annnnd cut!

Our acting Practicum Placement Coordinator, Sam Lambright, recently carried out a number of filmed interviews with Cooperating Teachers and Teacher Candidates. In the interviews Sam asked a variety of questions, including “What do you value most about your experience with your Teacher Candidates?” “In what ways did your Teacher Candidate help your own professional growth?” as well as “What do you value most about your experience with your cooperating Teacher?” and “Looking back, what are some specific ways your practicum experiences prepared you for the teaching profession?” These filmed interviews are going to be used to create a Cooperating Teacher Recruitment Video.  
One major change to the practicum supervision is the elimination of the “Blue Book” – we will no longer require Cooperating Teachers to use the “Blue Book” when evaluating Teacher Candidates.

Indigenous Language Fluency Degree

Over the past year and a half, an Indigenous Language Fluency Degree has been under development in British Columbia. The provincial government has given $103,300 towards the creation of this degree. One of its main objectives is to revitalize and preserve First Nations languages, vital for maintaining connections to First Nations stories. To that end, community consultations were carried out by the First Nations Education Steering Committee and the Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association in partnership with a conglomerate of post-secondary institutions.
So far the framework for the degree consists of two years of language instruction in communities, which includes a certificate and a diploma, followed by two years at a public post-secondary institution. The development of its specific structure and course curricula are ongoing with BC First Nations communities providing feedback.
It is hoped that several communities will pilot the certificate program in September 2018

Linda’s Links

  • The Energy IQ website has information and resources that give a detailed look at energy across Canada. This is a curriculum-linked energy education program.
  • The BC Food History Network was founded by three home economists. Included is a section for teachers that has lesson plans for food inquiry projects and food history project.

Media