Please join us in warmly welcoming our newest colleagues to the Okanagan School of Education.

Jennifer Laminger, Field Experience Coordinator

Jenny Laminger has been a teacher for more than 25 years, teaching grades 2-7. She has always been interested in the connection between numeracy and literacy and loves bringing the two together. Over the years, she has worked with teachers across the province in order to assist the development of their mathematics instruction. In 2013, she was part of the BC Ministry of Education’s curriculum development team for the new BC Mathematics Curriculum.

In 2019, she joined the OSE as a field advisor and this summer she is honoured to be stepping into the role of field experience coordinator. In her free time, she loves to read, travel, and spend time with her family.

Carl Ruest, Field Experience Coordinator, French

Carl Ruest has enjoyed his career as an educator in both university and public school contexts. Before joining the Okanagan School of Education, Carl worked at UBC-V where he taught in the B.Ed., as well as in the M.Ed. in French Education. He was also a teacher and a coordinator of the French Immersion program in a Richmond secondary school. Carl is interested in intercultural education and in the learning of French as a second language in authentic contexts using innovative practices. He is currently finishing his Ph.D. which explores adolescents’ development of intercultural competence during interprovincial exchanges. His research highlights the importance helping students make sense of their varied experiences while they live and study in a second language.

Besides his passion for education, Carl loves swimming, cross-country skiing, traveling and visiting his family in Mont-Joli, Québec.

April Cutler, Field Advisor

April Cutler is a teacher and educational consultant in Kelowna, B.C., and is currently working as both a classroom and support teacher. During her 19 years as an educator, she taught in a variety of capacities as well as at a variety of grade levels. She is passionate about holistic education, quality assessment for learning practices and learner-centered pedagogy. She recently co-authored a research article published in the Canadian Journal of Environmental Education. The article examined how outdoor play pedagogy is positioned within publicly funded Early Childhood Education programs throughout Canada.

When she’s not thinking deeply about educational theory and curriculum, she enjoys exploring all the Okanagan has to offer with her husband and five children.

Lynne Gibson, Field Advisor

Lynne Gibson has just returned from some international experiences where she was the head of school in the Dominican Republic and previously in South Korea. She has served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and head of school for over 30 years. She has also been involved with accreditation reviews for a variety of institutions over the past few years. Lynne has four grown children and nine grandchildren whom she is immensely proud of.

Lynne’s passion in education revolves around ensuring all learners are engaged participants in their own learning, using their interests and curiosities to drive that learning. She believes the recent pandemic offers an opportunity for education to look different for our students … something educators have been working on for years. It is an exciting time to be an educator. She is very excited to be part of the OSE team and looks forward to the opportunity to serve future educators.

Kyle Hamilton, Field Advisor

Kyle Hamilton is a passionate educator having taught at the middle, secondary and post-secondary levels. He values complex teaching and learning environments that seek to initiate “complicated conversations” (Pinar, 2011) at the confluence of the “lived” and “planned” curriculum (Aoki, 1986/1991)—grappling with human well-being, agency, diverse knowledges, reflection, subjective reconstruction and democratization. His masters’ work explored the philosophy of cosmopolitanism in relation to K-12 settings and his PhD work focuses on foregrounding K-12 classrooms and schools as sites for developing more democratic and more just societies. Hamilton has served in several roles at the Okanagan School of Education including as a faculty advisor, intern observer and intern advisor. He has also served as a SD23 district human rights committee member, Central Okanagan Teachers’ Association (COTA) social justice chairperson, Social Studies department head. He loves mountain biking, hockey, soccer and travel.

Murray Sasges, Field Advisor

Murray Sasges was born and raised in Vernon B.C. along with nine siblings. He owned and operated a Gravel Quarry before taking up teaching at the age of 40. His second year of teaching was at an international school in Shenzhen, China. Always having a keen interest in community engagement he brought this passion to his teaching. He co-created a 5-month full-time Global Ed program for grade 11’s based on sustainability and social justice issues which included a 3-week field study in Nicaragua. More recently he co-founded with Kim Ondrik an innovative school within School District #22 called the Academy of Inquiry and Adventure Okanagan (aiao.ca) which is grounded in the new B.C. curriculum and the core competencies from grades 7-12.

He loves to fix up old bicycles and is currently restoring an old farm to honor its productive and cultural heritage.

Today we say “until we see each other again” to Dr. Karen Ragoonaden, Dr. Greg Wetterstrand and Anne MacLean, because as members of our Scholar-Practitioner community, it’s never truly “goodbye.”

Please join us in congratulating and sending best wishes to our colleagues.

Dr. Karen Ragoonaden, on-leave

Dr. Ragoonaden will be joining the University of Manitoba, Faculty Education as their new Dean.

Dr. Ragoonaden has lived, studied and worked in North America, Europe and Africa. Dr. Ragoonaden started with Okanagan University College in the Faculty of Education in 2004 as an Assistant Professor. She has been the Director of Professional Development, the Centre for Mindful Engagement and SMARTEducation.

Her publications and research interests lie in the area of mindfulness and well-being, culturally responsive pedagogy and conceptions of teaching and learning. As a qualified Yoga instructor, the concept of Mindful Educational Practices is an integral component of her research and her practice. As a university teacher and researcher, her focus and commitment to educational leadership and curricular innovation have been recognized by virtue of her on campus, professional and community work relating to equity, diversity and inclusion.

In 2020, in recognition of her dedication to making a significant impact on the culture of teaching and learning, she received the Provost Office’s Teaching Excellence and Innovation Award. In 2021 she received the Killiam Teaching Prize.

Congratulations on your new position!

Dr. Greg Wetterstrand, retired

Dr. Wetterstrand started with the Faculty of Education in the Okanagan before it was even UBC. He began as a college professor in the Education in the Division of the Arts in the summer of 1992 when the institution was known as Okanagan University College (OUC). Prior to joining OUC, he taught in the K-12 public school system, and the 9-12 independent school system. He also taught at the University of Saskatchewan.

Dr. Wetterstrand has served on several Faculty of Education committees. He also served on Senate and was the Vice-Chair of the President’s Advisory Committee on Student Discipline. Throughout his career, Dr. Wetterstrand has been actively involved with elementary schools assisting with science fairs, spelling bees and professional development. He has written about educational drama, the connections between educational drama and critical thinking, educational drama as a learning medium especially where a balance of interdisciplinary or syntegration occurs among subject areas, notions of guerilla curriculum, tensions and stresses in the practicum, improvisation/role-play pedagogy in the academe, play, moral/character education, social and emotional learning/health, and issues of social justice.

Congratulations on a wonderful career! We hope you enjoy retirement.

Anne MacLean, retired

Anne has been an educator and mentor for more than 25 years. For the last 12 years, Anne has been the Field Experience Coordinator with the Okanagan School of Education – and she has made quite the impact within the Okanagan School of Education and Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) program.

She was integral to the successful start-up of the revitalized B.Ed program in 2018. She envisioned the term INSPIRE which has become the core theme for the program. Her mantra of “bloom where you’re planted” has left a long-lasting influence on all our B.Ed students, but her guidance during 2020 impacted candidates even across the province. Her willingness and expertise to initiate a collective and collaborative response by all B.C. university Teacher Education programs to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic was critical to ensuring the graduation of teacher candidate cohorts.

Earlier this year, Anne received an Association of British Columbia Deans of Education (ABCDE) Teacher Education Award. The award is presented to someone at the school or university level who has distinguished themselves in partnering with a teacher education program in B.C.

Congratulations on a wonderful career! We hope you enjoy retirement.

Today we held our Celebration of Learning. The event is a time for our teacher candidates to share their significant learning to date and incite conversations about educational issues and concerns.

It’s also an opportunity to celebrate as our teacher candidates move from candidacy to interns!

Congratulations to all of our new interns!

Congratulations to Adam Lauzé, one of our two Madeline Korfman Memorial Scholarship recipients!

Here is what his nominator had to say:

“Adam showed a passion for teaching and a genuine care for his students when his mentor had to go on leave and Adam continued with the same classes to support them while the mentor was away. He shows so much enthusiasm and energy. He is dynamic and shows a definite love of teaching.”

“Being recognized with this award means a great deal to me because it means my mentors in this faculty recognized my love for teaching despite all obstacles,” says Adam. “I think it is easy for me to focus on the challenges or opportunities I have experienced during difficult periods of my education.  It isn’t natural for me to focus on what went well or how I was successful.  This award encourages me to reflect back upon my practicum with a different lens.  Instead of focusing on the difficulties or shortcomings I experienced, I now hope that I’ve demonstrated to my students that any adversity simply brings about an opportunity to prove to oneself that you can rise above a challenge without sacrificing your passion for the task at hand.”

***

Adam had long been drawn to the idea of teaching as a career, initially because of time spent in management positions for the hospitality industry.

“During that time I often had the opportunity to provide young people with their first full-time job,” says Adam. “I would have to teach them new skills, being accountable to others, how to set smart self-development goals and taking pride in one’s work. I felt that this translated to teaching in many ways.”

But it wasn’t until returning from India and spending some time reflecting that he decided to pursue education as a career. Adam and his partner were living in India while working with an education-focused non-profit organization, Ashraya Initiative for Children. The organization’s main objective was to remove barriers for accessing education, like arranging for transportation, cleaning uniforms or practicing English.

Adam and his partner were responsible for putting together promotional packages, such as taking photos or video of the organization’s activities or fundraising initiatives.

“When I reflect back on this time, it was a very humbling pedagogical experience. For example, we interviewed this one student, where his father had broken his back, and we were trying to put together a package to send out to potential donors to take care of his medical needs. We went to the student’s home, and we found out that the student and father didn’t speak the same language. The student spoke about five languages, including English, but he and his father didn’t share a language. So the father would speak to a translator, the translator would then speak to the son and then the son would tell us what was said. I had never considered that that could have been a barrier for someone – not being able to ask for help with my homework because my parents don’t speak the same language.”

After returning to the Okanagan, Adam decided to pursue a Bachelor of Arts with a major in English. He began taking courses at Okanagan College and transitioned to UBC Okanagan after two years. While pursuing his undergraduate degree at UBCO, he began to connect with the Okanagan School of Education in various ways – including volunteering with the B.A.R.K. program and assisting with a few research projects and manuscripts.

“I think one of the benefits of pursuing my Bachelor of Arts with the knowledge that it was in the service of becoming an educator led me to interpret my education differently, with my professors, advisors and volunteer programs,” says Adam. “In all of those interactions, I saw through the lens of a future educator. If I had a professor I really liked, I reflected on what they were doing that I enjoyed. On the rare occasion when I had a professor that I didn’t enjoy, I would think how are they teaching that I would do differently. I would question why do I look forward to this class and not others?”

With the Bachelor of Education program nearing its completion (about 22 weeks left!), Adam shares what he is most excited for in his future teaching practice:

“What I am most excited for in this profession is helping young people realize their worth — both intellectually and regarding their individual passions.  My students will be taught in an environment that encourages self-expression and exploration that will hopefully spur on a love for learning that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.”

Many programs and students have been affected by the pandemic and transition to online, and while Adam admits this is not quite what he had envisioned for his Bachelor of Education, he said he has still made the most of his experience.

“The faculty has continually strived to communicate a passion for pedagogy and a love of teaching that encourages my peers and I to pursue excellence in education, despite all obstacles. For all of their hard work and dedication, I celebrate the Okanagan School of Education faculty, and hope that my efforts will continue to embody the pedagogical aspirations of the program.”

For prospective students interested in pursuing their Bachelor of Education, Adam suggests making the decision based on your willingness and desire to dedicate yourself entirely to your students.

“Spend time volunteering for or working with young people and take it further by challenging yourself to create the best possible environment for them to thrive,” says Adam. “I believe this program is most valuable and rewarding to those individuals who put student well-being and success above all else, and if you’re ready and willing to do that, you’ll find like-minded educators right here in this program!”

Congratulations Adam!

About the Scholarship

This scholarship has been endowed through a bequest by Madeline Betty Korfman to honour her love for teaching. Madeline Korfman taught school in southwestern Saskatchewan before relocating to the Okanagan in the mid-1900s. This scholarship is awarded to two teacher candidates who significantly demonstrate a “love for teaching” based on the recommendation of Okanagan School of Education faculty.

Congratulations to Joy Richardson, one of our two Madeline Korfman Memorial Scholarship recipients!

Here is what her nominator had to say:

“From the very beginning of her time in the program, Joy has demonstrated a love of learning, passion for teaching, and compassion for learners and colleagues. She is deeply reflective on her practice, embraces feedback and seeks out collaboration and innovation. She embodies an inquiry stance, curiosity for learning, and a commitment to create opportunities for everyone to flourish. Her name really suits her… when you enter Ms. Richardson’s classroom, you feel the joy that comes from a teacher with a big heart.”

“I am very honoured and humbled to receive this award,” says Joy. “This has been a difficult year and taking so much of the program online was not what any of us planned or would have chosen. I am grateful that the educators at UBCO were able to see my passion for teaching and my love for students, even through a zoom screen. I am humbled because there are some incredible teacher candidates in my cohort and many who would be equally deserving of this honour. I am grateful for how they have shaped me and helped me become a better teacher.”

***

Originally, from the United Kingdom, Joy became a Canadian citizen in 2009 and has lived in Kelowna for the past 16 years (with a brief two-year gap where she returned to the UK). Joy has a Bachelor of Biblical Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in General Studies from Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C.

Prior to starting her Bachelor of Education, she worked as a Certified Education Assistant (CEA) in School District 23 for seven years. For as long as she can remember, she has always wanted to be a teacher.

“I was inspired by some incredible teachers in my childhood and have always had a natural affinity for helping people understand things better,” says Joy. “Like all educators, I love those “aha” moments when the lights come on and things suddenly make sense. I love to see young people engaged, inspired and confident in themselves.”

Joy recently completed her Community Field placement at the Academy of Inquiry and Adventure Okanagan (AIAO) in Vernon, where she participated in many land-based practices.

“The excellent teachers and their community partners were very generous in sharing their understanding of the land and it enriched not just my teaching practice but my personal life as well as I fell more in love with this place we call home,” says Joy. “AIAO has a really special family feel – a community that has been intentionally nurtured over many years. The experience left me with much to ponder and take with me into my future teaching practice.”

While AIAO will always bring fond memories as Joy reflects upon the program she finds her experience learning about Syilx culture and language from Dr. Bill Cohen, and the colleagues he has welcomed into their classes, has been the most impactful.

“As a more recent settler, I have felt deeply moved by the welcome and grace of the Syilx people and I am excited to incorporate more Indigenous ways of knowing and being into my teaching practice”

For those considering taking the Bachelor of Education program, Joy recommends wholeheartedly diving in.

“The program is structured in such a way that you gain a good foundation in educational philosophies and principles alongside hands-on experience in schools. So if you are unsure if teaching is for you, this is a great way to find out,” says Joy. “Teaching requires your whole heart and to get the most out of the BEd, commit to it and take in all the different opportunities offered.”

Joy also suggests reading faculty’s published research as it is a great way to understand what is at the forefront of educational theory today.

With the program nearing its completion (about 22 weeks left!), Joy shares what she is most excited about in her future classroom:

“I am excited about building equitable learning communities where each and every student is honoured for who they are and where students can bring their funds of knowledge and learn together as they follow their passions and curiosities. I am excited to learn alongside my future students and see them go on to change the world.”

Congratulations Joy!

About the Scholarship

This scholarship has been endowed through a bequest by Madeline Betty Korfman to honour her love for teaching. Madeline Korfman taught school in southwestern Saskatchewan before relocating to the Okanagan in the mid-1900s. This scholarship is awarded to two teacher candidates who significantly demonstrate a “love for teaching” based on the recommendation of Okanagan School of Education faculty.

Congratulations to Jody Dlouhy-Nelson, our Vicki Green Graduate Award recipient!

The Vicki Green Graduate Award recipient is selected based on how their research will implement contemplative, transformational, imaginative or creative interdisciplinary understandings in sustainability for children, youth or teachers.

QUESTION AND ANSWER WITH SESSION WITH Jody

What does receiving the award mean to you?

Receiving this award is an honour. I believe it comes with a responsibility to be reciprocal in my research, as well as in my work with teacher candidates as I go forward. The work of Vicki Green, and her foresight and generosity in establishing this award to inspire implementation of contemplative, transformational, imaginative, or creative interdisciplinary understandings in sustainability for children, youth, or teachers could not be more important than it is now. Living in this time when non-Indigenous people on the land we call Canada are facing the concrete realities of the “Truth” of Truth & Reconciliation brings with it a duty to act. While the Truth was known and shared by Residential School survivors, those who were less connected from the experience did not have to “face” it until now.

As Dr. Green says, when you are in touch with the “wild place in your soul,” you are your most creative self. With the Land as our teacher, and Indigenous Knowledge in all parts of the world holding years of wisdom and understanding that have been passed down through generations, we discover transformative ways of being, and we find the beauty of imagination. Where I live, study and work, the wisdom and teachings of the Syilx Okanagan Peoples come via the Captikʷɬ of the People, and all of these things I have learned from the teachings of Dr. Bill Cohen and Dr. Jeanette Armstrong.

What has your experience been like with the Okanagan School of Education?

My experience with OSE has been invigorating, interesting, and inspiring. I have had the blessing of working with diverse minds on a variety of teams who are all working toward the same aspirations, which involve preparing and supporting the Teacher Candidates of our program to exercise their informed agency and their thinking capacity to deal with the complexities they will face as they support the learning of future generations working within the context of the TRC calls to action.

What is your research project?

In my research, I seek to understand and articulate how our Teacher Candidates take up the work of decolonizing and Indigenizing the learning spaces they create for their students. I ask whether the experiences they have in the Teacher Education program are linked to their decolonizing and Indigenizing efforts.

Why did you choose that topic?

This is a topic that has become increasingly important in the context we are in. I believe strongly in the capacity of Education to be transformative in terms of shifting the world view of our practice to the Land and all that it can teach us. The land we work, study and live upon is the unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan People. Viewing the Land as our teacher is the worldview found in the environmental ethic—the pedagogy of the Syilx Peoples—as articulated by Dr. Jeannette Armstrong, Dr. Bill Cohen, and the Elders and Knowledge Keepers of the Syilx Okanagan Nation who tirelessly, generously and patiently share their teachings.

Dr. Vicki Green talks about this award as being inspired by her “passion for the outdoors” and she created it “to advance an integrated understanding of our place in nature.” Dr. Green’s work has a deep kinship with all of the Syilx learnings about land and water I have so far been privileged to learn.

What difference do you hope your research will make?

I expect to add to a body of research which concerns teacher candidates embracing and embodying decolonization and Indigenization as they go through their teacher education at University, and as they proceed into their careers as educators. Currently, there is a need for more research which helps us to understand the process teacher candidates undergo to internalize and practice decolonizing and Indigenizing education ways.

What advice do you have for future graduate students?

For those who are considering graduate studies, my advice is to ask yourself what you are committed to, and why. If you have a deep level of commitment and you are ready for a multi-year pursuit, and if you are open to inter-disciplinary work, then I would strongly recommend applying to do Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies at UBCO. Nothing in my life experience to date compares with how this experience has strengthened my capacity to shift lenses and consider things from world views other than the Anglo-Eurocentric lens which I grew up in, shielded from the truth of what was done to children born of this land, and shielded from the truth of what we are doing to the land.

Graduate Supervisor: Dr. Margaret Macintyre Latta

Congratulations to Michael Landry, our Stephen Daniel Pope Graduate Award recipient!

The award is in memory of Dr. Stephen Daniel Pope, who is remembered for his passion for education and his significant contributions to the public education system of British Columbia in the 1800s.

QUESTION AND ANSWER WITH SESSION WITH Michael

What does receiving the award mean to you?

It is an honour to receive the Dr. Stephen Daniel Pope Graduate Award. It is especially humbling to be acknowledged for my work and to see that the awards committee recognizes the value of my research to the broader field of education.

What has your experience been like with the Okanagan School of Education?

I joined the Okanagan School of Education as a student enrolled in the (Individualized) Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies program in 2019. Right away, I felt like a welcomed and valued member of the learning community. I have worked as a sessional lecturer in the English Foundation Program and as a teaching assistant in the English Foundation Program and B.Ed. program. I have also served as a research assistant for several projects conducted at the Okanagan School of Education.

What is your research project?

The aim of the study is to uncover the relationship between intercultural communicative competence (ICC) and local community and campus socialization by examining the inclusion of ICC learning incomes in an EAP course via an online module. The overarching research question for my study explores the relationship between ICC and learning English as an additional language in a post-secondary EAP setting and asks: How does the development of ICC relate to the development of overall EAL communicative competence in a post-secondary EAP program?

Why did you choose that topic? 

Understanding the role ICC plays in the campus and community socialization of EAP students in Canada is one window into understanding if these students have an equitable educational experience. Consequently, my inquiry into the efficacy of ICC learning outcomes via an online module will likely help inform future teaching approaches, EAP programming, the professional development of faculty across campus, policies related to internationalization, and the wider provision of services at Canadian post-secondary institutions.

What advice do you have for future graduate students?

Graduate school is a challenging yet rewarding experience. I recommend that future graduate students pursue inquiry into topics they are passionate about. Having that intrinsic motivation really helps you learn from perceived setbacks and keep progressing through your program.

Graduate Supervisor: Dr. Scott Douglas

Congratulations to Camille Rousseau, our Doctoral Studies Outstanding Publication Award recipient!

QUESTION AND ANSWER WITH SESSION WITH Camille

What does receiving the award mean to you?

I am very grateful to receive this award in recognition of research conducted with colleagues from UBC Okanagan and Brock University. Receiving this award is a testimony of the strength of inter-institutional research collaborations the rich research they can generate. In this way, this award is also evidence of the wonderful support I received in conducting this research and it is a great reminder of the importance of fostering and nurturing research relationship.

What has your experience with the Okanagan School of Education been like?

As I reflect on my graduate student experience with the Okanagan School of Education (OSE), I feel a great deal of satisfaction and recognition. I have exclusively had positive interactions with the faculty and staff in the department. Moreover, the OSE provides ample opportunities for graduate students to be involved with the school. Personally, I have had the honour of participating in two search committees and of representing students at OSE department meetings and at the Graduate Student Advisory Council. In addition, although the OSE does not guarantee TA contracts to grad students, the school still provides TA contract opportunities for graduate students who wish to hone their teaching skills.

Finally, I work in the best research lab across Canadian institutions. The B.A.R.K. program is innovative and constantly forages ahead with cutting-edge research on canine-assisted intervention research. It is the largest on-campus canine-visitation program in Western Canada and it services unique populations including law enforcement personnel and children. I am so grateful to be able a part of it.

 What is your research project?

The aim of this exploratory research was to capture the voice of dog handlers to better understand their experiences volunteering on a university campus. We also sought to provide preliminary insights into their well-being. Sixty dog-handler volunteers participated in this study.  As is evidenced by participants’ insights, handlers are well attuned to the impact of volunteering on themselves and their therapy dog. Few reported challenges associated with volunteering, with the exception of scheduling conflicts and cultural barriers. Participants also reported motivations to continue volunteering related to the social benefits derived from volunteering. Further, they identified key behaviors therapy dogs should embody to participate in canine visitation programs.

What difference do you hope your research will make?

Dog handlers are the central stakeholder driving all canine-assisted intervention and their well-being holds implications for their ability to support the well-being of their clients.  It is therefore essential to safeguard handlers’ well-being to maximize the retention of dog-handler teams and optimized program delivery. However, little is documented about this population and their experiences as volunteers. The profile of well-being presented in our research is foundational and provides pathways towards more comprehensive examinations of handler well-being.

What advice do you have for future graduate students?

I think it is important to really love an area of expertise. I would recommend that future grad students connect with supervisors that are conducting research they are interested in, and to participate in what’s happening on their campus even before pursuing graduate studies. Find what inspires you and get involved early! Current graduate students are also a great resource. Particularly ones who are already working in research labs that you are interested in joining as a graduate student.

More importantly, remember to practice self-compassion. As graduate students, we are constantly pushed to be competitive and to best ourselves. In this way, it seems disadvantageous to be kind to ourselves, but in reality, looking after ourselves should always be a priority over academic obligations and expectations.

Graduate Supervisor: Dr. John-Tyler Binfet

Congratulations to Chinook McLean for receiving our Master-Level Outstanding Presentation/Publication Award!

The Graduate Program Review Committee was impressed with Chinook’s accepted presentation at AERA, a notable achievement.

QUESTION AND ANSWER WITH SESSION WITH Chinook

What does receiving the award mean to you?

This award is heartening recognition of the hard work I have engaged in over the past few years as a full-time graduate student while also teaching full time. This award especially recognizes the value of my experiences presenting and publishing my research and poetry outside my classroom and research circle. Particularly in this COVID-era, sharing my pedagogical passions with the wider community outside my classroom has been proved inspirational and motivational.

What has your experience been like with the Okanagan School of Education?

My experience with OSE began in 2016 when I started my BEd in the Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP). After that intense and revelatory experience, I completed a year of teaching before beginning my MA at OSE under the tutelage of Dr Leyton Schnellert and Dr Karen Ragoonaden. I continued to teach full time, commuting for classes on the weekends from my home in Tappen or completing coursework online until I began my research. I discovered that I definitely preferred in-person learning, and made some excellent, enduring connections with several professors and fellow grad students.

What is your research project?

My research explored the creation of transformative space in a Humanities classroom within a rural grade 7-12 school in British Columbia, Canada. More specifically, the study investigated how circle pedagogy, restorative practices in education (RPEs), and student voice contributed to classroom transformation. My study offers a practical illustration of transformation in education, including a discussion of not only what it means in theory, but also what it can look and feel like in the classroom itself. The new understandings add to the body of research relating to transformative opportunities that arise through classroom practices that promote student voice and demonstrate how both educators and learners can benefit when they engage in open, cooperative communication. Finally, my study provides insight into how the methodologies of a/r/tography and living inquiry incorporated as classroom practices have the potential to create powerful educational transformation.

Why did you choose that topic?

As I spiral forward in my pedagogical praxis, I continue to look for ways to more meaningfully engage in anti-oppressive advocacy including “reconcili-action.” I have been planting these seeds with my learners by teaching them about, and opening up our classroom to, student voice. As an educator in BC today, I feel that I ought to be doing more to engage my colleagues and our students and community in education for reconciliation. Though the pandemic has made it harder than ever to connect to the community, Indigenous and otherwise, beyond the school grounds, persisting with intra- and inter-community connections and conversations can help us to walk the path towards decolonization. My hope is that if enough educators work at “little t” transformations in our own classrooms and schools, then “big T” transformation – that is systems-wide transformation and decolonization – will move from the realm of possibility to probability.

What advice do you have for future graduate students?

Ensure each major project or paper that you work on for your coursework is something that you incorporate into your classroom and also your research. If your teaching aligns with your pedagogical passions, this shouldn’t be difficult, and – if you haven’t figured it out yet – this will help you hone in on your research topic. There will be times that you are totally jazzed about your work, and there will likely be times that you will be utterly demoralized by the academic marathon you’ve been running. Try to remind yourself that is all part of the process. If you find yourself bawling at the end of the day in your classroom and re-writing complete sections of your thesis, know that you aren’t the first. Be prepared to adapt and you will thrive.

Graduate Supervisors: Dr. Karen Ragoonaden and Dr. Leyton Schnellert

Congratulations to Karin Wiebe, recipient of our Master-Level Graduate Student award!

Karin has a wonderful record of service and contributions at the faculty, campus and community level along with excellent academic achievements.

QUESTION AND ANSWER WITH SESSION WITH Karin

What does receiving the award mean to you?

Receiving the Master-Level Graduate Student award holds a two-fold meaning for me: Foremost it stands as evidence of the strong support and positive learning experiences I have benefitted from at the Okanagan School of Education. Second, this award is also a signpost that tells me I am going in the right direction. I have watched some of my goals for the future shift and change over the past year, as the OSE challenges me to aim higher. My hope is this award will join other pieces of the puzzle that fosters positive and lasting benefits for BC’s English as an additional language learners.

What has your experience with the Okanagan School of Education been like?

UBCO’s OSE has afforded me opportunities to act in a variety of team-member and individual roles across the Okanagan campus and the provincial English as an Additional Language (EAL) community. The program has both shown me where my research interest is situated within the field of education, and encouraged me to find connections with other curriculum, teachers, and ways of knowing.

It has been a difficult year for many in the UBC academic community, and for others, almost impossible. I have been honoured to work alongside so many people who have met these challenges and become flexible, kind, and calm people in the face of a pandemic. I am surrounded by astonishing mentors, whom I aspire to emulate.

What is your research project?

This study looks for the successful self-driven language learning practices of newcomers in the British Columbia workplace. Using a second language acquisition (SLA) theoretical framework, participants’ language learning strategies, activities and perceptions will be gathered through semi-structured interviews and a focus group. This study will assist in developing a deeper understanding of English as an additional language learning in the workplace, uncover practices of self-driven language learning which will be shaped into a set of workplace learning principles for newcomers to use, and inform future workplace language development courses.

Why did you choose that topic?

As a worker in high-volume cultural tourism and agriculture tourism, I’ve been surrounded with multicultural and multilinguistic work environments for over 25 years. My coworkers and friends have always come from a variety of cultural backgrounds which fed my curiosity about other languages and cultures. In these workplaces, I observed challenges unique to language learners, and it was a natural progression for me to grow into English as an additional language (EAL) education where I felt I could make a positive difference for newcomers.

What difference do you hope your research will make?

This proposed research has great potential to further understanding of English as an additional language (EAL) learning and the Canadian workplace. Second, it will make explicit the successful tools and practices of self-driven language learning in workplace environments. Third, I will use the knowledge gained to shape a set of workplace learning principles for future newcomers to use. Next, the findings from this study can inform curriculum development for workplace language development courses for newcomers.  This study also has the potential to impact curriculum development in general EAL courses for newcomers, inform programming choices for EAL course providers, suggest service provision needs for settlement agencies, influence workplace policies related to additional language training, and provide valuable professional development content for practitioners working with newcomers learning EAL. There is also an opportunity as a result of this study to create series of workshops, and participants’ perceptions of the effectiveness of those workshops could be explored. Finally, the study provides an inroad to discussion between newcomers and their employers about supportive and productive workplace learning environments.

What advice do you have for future graduate students?

If you’re considering graduate school, don’t hesitate. You will start with some ideas and goals for what you want to achieve in the program, but you will also come away with a constellation of possibilities and connections you couldn’t have anticipated.

If you are just starting the program, I encourage you to dig deep in your studies, and don’t give up on challenging concepts. Your hard work will pay off in understandings, friendships, connections, and a sense that you bring current, relevant skills to all your future endeavours.

Graduate Supervisor: Dr. Scott Douglas