Join the Okanagan School of Education for an exploration of pedagogy and its impact on health, well-being, and ecosystems. Teacher candidates will present their key insights in a conference-style poster session as they answer the question: “How will your pedagogy contribute to the health and well-being of humans and our home ecosystems?”

As part of this exploration, candidates will also share their applied insights into how Syilx ways of knowing and being will be incorporated into their pedagogical approaches. This includes fostering an understanding of the tmixʷ (water, earth, plant, and animal life forces) and cultivating a respectful connection to the land, its peoples, and the natural world in ways that promote health and sustainability.

You will have the opportunity to learn more about teaching strategies that can contribute to the health and well-being of students and the environment. You will also be able to engage with the group, ask questions, and provide valuable feedback on their findings.

Event Details

Date: Thursday, April 24, 2025
Time: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Location: EME Foyer

The English Foundation Program (EFP) is an innovative pathway to university studies for students who still need to achieve UBC’s minimum English Language Admission Standard (ELAS). 

On Friday, April 4, join us for an information session to learn more about EFP. This session will provide you with insights into the admissions requirements, program highlights and more! During the event you will hear from our program director, coordinator and EFP students. You will be able to ask questions.

Friday, April 4 PDT | Saturday April 5 CST
5 to 6 p.m. PDT | 8 to 9 a.m. CST
Online via Zoom

Register

The session will be recorded and available to watch following the event.

Parents are welcome to attend.  

We are pleased to share that this year’s recipients of the UBC Okanagan 2024/2025 Outstanding Instructor award are Dr. Peter Arthur, and Dr. Michael Landry.

The Outstanding Instructor Award recognizes exemplary instructors within each Faculty for their teaching over the past three years, with emphasis on the most recent academic year, based on an assessment of their teaching conducted by the Faculty in which they are appointed.

Read the full list on the Office of the Provost and Vice-President’s news page.

Dr. Peter Arthur, Professor

Dr. Peter Arthur demonstrates an unwavering commitment and passion to creating enriching, student-centered learning experiences. Over his career, he has received exceptional feedback from students through student evaluations of effectiveness scores. His courses have become known for fostering an inclusive learning environment where students feel supported and empowered.

Whether he is teaching in a large course with more than 110 Bachelor of Education students or a 100-level course with 35 students, Dr. Arthur makes a point of truly getting to know his students. His dedication extends beyond the classroom as he invites his students to book a one-on-one meeting to discuss their academic, personal or career goals and aspirations.

His use of multi-modal teaching strategies—blending lectures, collaborative learning activities, and digital tools—ensures that all students can engage meaningfully with the material. He is particularly skilled at designing interactive learning opportunities that encourage students to think critically. In response to the changing education environment, he adapted his teaching and assignments to integrate AI.

In recognition of his teaching excellence, Dr. Arthur received the 2023 Killam Teaching Prize, and the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 UBC Okanagan Teaching Fellow. He has received the Dr. Claire Budgen Golden Apple Award (previously Golden Apple Award) in 2020, 2023 and 2024, for fostering instructor-student relationships.

Dr. Michael Landry, Sessional Lecturer

Dr. Michael Landry has made significant contributions as a sessional lecturer to the Okanagan School of Education’s Teaching English and Additional Languages (TEAL) Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, and English Foundation Program (EFP). He has taught LLED 494: Introduction to Additional Language Teaching and Learning and LLED 495: Curriculum and Materials Design in Additional Language Teaching and Learning a number of times, and strives to enhance the courses each time he teaches.

His teaching consistently demonstrates a student-centered approach that cultivates engaging and meaningful learning experiences. Student feedback highlights the clear course organization, timely and constructive feedback, and the strong sense of community generated in online and in-person learning environments. Dr. Landry’s caring and approachable nature leaves a positive impact on students’ growth – both academically and personally.

In his EFP classes, he brings with him expertise in intercultural communication that enriches his classes and supports the success of his students. He has taught across the EFP, in the reading and writing, listening and speaking, and intercultural communication strands for EAP 104 (3) English for Academic Purposes Level IV, and has actively contributed to developing the curriculum and strengthening the intercultural communication learning outcomes of the program. His students have noted that they appreciate the how he uses real-world connections and creates enjoyable, interactive lessons.

Walking by his classroom, Dr. Landry’s enthusiasm and passion is immediately apparent with his lively delivery and engaged students. He is a valuable asset to UBCO, and especially our English as an Additional Language programs.

Join us for an information session to learn more about UBCO’s 16-month Bachelor of Education (BEd) program. This session is designed to provide you with insights into the admissions requirements, application process, program highlights and more! The session will be comprised of a brief presentation and an opportunity to ask questions.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025
3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Online via Zoom

REGISTER

While this session will be in English, it is suitable for those interested in learning more about the BEd, French pathways. 

Can’t make the session? Reach out to us at education.ubco@ubc.ca if you have any program questions! We will also email the highlights of the presentation and the questions asked following the session if you join our Interested BEd Applicant Email list.

The UBC Faculty of Education Global Speaker Series on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Inclusion is an annual event that addresses some of society’s most pressing priorities by sharing and learning from stories from around the world. Hosted by Dean Jan Hare, an advocate for inclusive education, this event is made possible with the generous support of esteemed donor Dr. Robert Quartermain.

Distinguished Speaker

Dr. Dennis Francis (he/him) is a renowned South African scholar and activist specializing in the sociology of education with a focus on gender, sexualities, and educational practices. He is a former dean of education and currently serves as a professor at the University of Glasgow, UK. His research critically examines how educational structures, discourses, and practices reproduce and resist cisheteronormativity and social inequality in education, and how these are also resisted and challenged. Informed by queer feminist, critical, and poststructuralist theories, his recent books are Troubling the Teaching and Learning of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in South African Education and Queer Activism in South African Education: Disrupting Cis(hetero)normativity in Schools.

Date and Time

Thursday, February 13, 2025

4:30 pm PST: Doors open
5:30 pm PST: Program begins
7:00 pm PST: Event concludes

Virtual Livestream

Registrants will receive the livestream link via email closer to the event day.

In-Person

Marine Drive Ballroom
2205 Lower Mall
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada
V6T 1Z4

Register

After hearing his brother’s enthusiasm and passion while he was teaching English in Japan, Luke Roblesky, BSc ’24, BEd ‘25, was intrigued. He found a program in Thailand that offered a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate and job opportunities upon completion.

“It was four weeks of TEFL training,” says Roblesky with a smile. “Compared to the BEd, it was such a light brush on teaching. Very basic strategies on how to teach English to language learners.”

While initially Roblesky had anticipated the experience to be a working holiday, he found a shift in his perspective a couple months into teaching at a middle school.

“As the time went on, I realized I really enjoyed teaching,” he says. “I enjoyed the whole experience.”

After teaching in Thailand for two years, he decided to come back to Canada to further his education and pursue another field – Computer Science.

“I wasn’t set on going into teaching,” he says. “When I came back to Canada I was torn between teaching and working in the technology field. I had friends pursuing their Computer Science major at UBCO and decided to apply as well.”

He was two years into his degree, and in the thick of a heavy class load as well as an internship position, when he began to reflect on what would be next.

“I couldn’t see myself sitting in front of a computer for the rest of my life as my full-time career. The internship was a great experience, but I realized I missed the interactions that teaching had provided.”

Roblesky adds that his path towards becoming a teacher may have taken longer than he had planned.

“I’ve had conversations with peers who have had all kinds of different jobs that then found their own unique path to teaching, and I think when you take a longer path to get there, you bring a lot of valuable experience and ideas with you to the classroom.”

For individuals who may be interested in pursuing teaching as a new career, Roblesky recommends gaining different types of volunteer experiences and following the advice his field advisor once shared: always “be curious.” For example, if you have volunteered in a high-school math class, try exploring opportunities at the middle school level, or even look into programs outside the classroom setting.

In what could be seen as a full circle moment, Roblesky completed his final practicum experience in a middle school.

“When I set out to become a teacher, I thought I would be teaching math, science or computer science,” he says. “I never thought that I would teach inquiry-based social studies, or lead a drama station on a school field trip. It’s been a good experience for me to stretch and press myself beyond what I thought I would be doing.”

Writing Queer Utopias: Queer Thriving and Decolonial Futurity is a three day immersive co-creating ‘retreat’. There will be writing, world building, a little lecturing, self-reflection, and even some drawing! Ultimately, this event is about building community and resilience by throwing everyone into a (fun) creative crucible. The free event is open to all queer UBC Vancouver undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral students.

It will take place January 17, 18, and 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., with breaks for meals and stretching.

Sessions will include:

• ‘Self-museum’ self-reflection with a poet.
• Crash course in speculative ethnography with a cultural anthropologist.
• World building using the tabletop game Microscope.
• Writing against settler-colonization with a Cree 2S literary futurist.
• Generative writing and workshopping sessions throughout with a trans novelist.
• Lots of time to drink tea and write or stare at the ceiling and think.

Instructors for the session include jaz papadopoulos, Joshua Whitehead, Róisín Seifert and A.E. Osworth.

There will be a (optional) live reading of work produced a few weeks after the event (date to be announced).

Register

Follow Queer Thriving UBC on Instagram for event updates.

This is event is cohosted by the Okanagan School of Education and UBC Vancouver School of Creative Writing. The intensive is supported by UBC Wellness and UBC Strategic Initiative Equity Funding.

Another event will be held on the UBC Okanagan campus in spring 2025.

Artist: Viktor Olynyk

As the challenges of wildland firefighting grow increasingly complex, the need for mental resilience among wildfire personnel becomes paramount. For Dan Clouston, MEd ‘24, this realization sparked an exploration into how mindfulness-based practices can support those working in high-stress environments.

Having worked the last two seasons as a rapattack wildland firefighter with the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS), Clouston gained firsthand insight into the challenges and stressors of the job – from physical and mental to interpersonal and environmental.

Dan Clouston

Motivated by his own journey, Clouston set out to explore how he could integrate mindfulness-based training into the BCWS. “Mindfulness-based practices have had, and continue to have, a transformative impact on my life. I feel fortunate to explore integrating this approach into the BCWS as it may support my coworkers in navigating stress and trauma they encounter,” he says.

His research focused on creating a guidebook that introduces mindfulness-based concepts tailored to wildfire personnel. The guidebook is illustrated by graphic artist Viktor Olynyk, also affiliated with the BCWS. Says Clouston, “I hope to make mindfulness-based training accessible and relatable, allowing my coworkers to incorporate these practices into their daily routines.”

Clouston’s illustrated guidebook also serves as a possible pathway toward Mindfulness-Based Mind Fitness Training (MMFT®) – a program aimed at enhancing mental resilience for people working in high-stress environments. Developed by Dr. Elizabeth Stanley at Georgetown University, research shows that MMFT® trains people to function well during and after stressful and traumatic experiences.

As a recent graduate, Clouston hopes his project can expand beyond wildfire agencies to benefit others in high-stress situations. “In today’s world, there are a lot of challenges, disruptions, and uncertainties on the horizon,” he explains. “I believe mindfulness-based practices can empower individuals and communities to navigate these complexities with courage, resiliency, grace, and wisdom, ultimately supporting positive transformational change.”

For students considering a master’s program, Clouston encourages them to remain open to the journey ahead. “As an avid adventurer, I have been fortunate to go on many canoe expeditions. These trips have shaped me as a person and how I view education. On a river trip you never really know what’s around the corner – you can study maps, forecast the weather, strap down gear – yet ultimately paddling down a river is a journey into the unknown. That unknown can sometimes feel scary, sometimes inspiring, sometimes beautiful. I think education is also a journey into the unknown; learning is a process of coming to know things we do not yet know. I feel fortunate to have found a flow within my own master’s journey. There was so much unexpected along the way: from challenging times, to serendipitous moments, to deep learning. My best advice would be to stay open to it all – and enjoy the river.”

***

In recognition of his transformational, creative and interdisciplinary research, Clouston received the Vicki Green Graduate Award on September 12, 2024.

“Being selected for the Vicki Green award is a real honour, and feels like a trail marker on an ongoing research journey,” he says. “It means a lot to be recognized for a project which I truly believe in. I had the pleasure of meeting with Dr. Green in June, and we had a lovely conversation covering many topics. In a roundabout way, this award has also inspired me to start fly fishing!”

The UBC Okanagan Library is hosting their first Okanagan Reads book club on October 21. The first book that will be discussed is White Space: Race, Privilege, and Cultural Economies of the Okanagan Valley. The book was edited by UBCO professors, Daniel Keyes and Luis L. M. Aguiar, and features an article by Dr. Bill Cohen.

Book Club Meeting on White Spaces
October 21 at 6 pm
Kelowna Downtown Library or on Zoom

Learn more

Dr. Bill Cohen and Dr. Natalie A. Chambers, co-authors of the first chapter in this collection of essays, will offer a talk on November 15, from 4 to 5 pm at the Okanagan Regional Library.

Join us for an information session to learn more about UBCO’s 16-month Bachelor of Education (BEd) program. This session is designed to provide you with insights into the admissions requirements, application process, program highlights and more! The session will be comprised of a brief presentation and an opportunity to ask questions.

Tuesday, November 12, 2024
3:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Online via Zoom

REGISTER

While this session will be in English, it is suitable for those interested in learning more about the BEd, French pathways. 

Can’t make the session? Reach out to us at education.ubco@ubc.ca if you have any program questions! We will also email the highlights of the presentation and the questions asked following the session if you join our Interested BEd Applicant Email list.