UBC Okanagan’s canine-assisted therapy program brings extra love to retirement resort

While some may greet February 14 with a groan, others wag their tails at the opportunity to show their love. To celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, UBC Okanagan’s Building Academic Retention through K9s (BARK) program’s student volunteers, six dogs and their handlers spent part of Friday afternoon visiting with the Missionwood Retirement Resort’s residents.

“We’re a pet-friendly resort and our residents find joy in watching the dogs,” says John Eakins, general manager of Missionwood Retirement Resort. Eakins is also a BARK volunteer with his dog, Doogle.  “We knew when we invited BARK and connected the dogs, students and residents that it would be a special event. The residents love connecting with the younger generation.”

The occasional “good dog” could be heard above the chatter as behind the ear scratches and belly rubs were doled out. Volunteers and residents shared stories about their life experiences and loved ones.

“It wasn’t a great day until I came here,” smiles Diane, a resort resident. “I love dogs.”

That comment became BARK student volunteer, Romina Amirsardari’s most memorable moment from the event.

“It was really nice to witness that BARK brought happiness to people, and I was lucky to be a part of it,” says Amirsardari. “As a student, I am mostly in contact with people of my age; however the event gave me the opportunity to break the generation gap and bring joy and happiness to not just students but also to the community, especially the elderly.”

This is the first time the BARK program has visited a retirement resort. BARK sessions are typically held on campus to bring together university students and trained therapy dogs and handlers in an effort to reduce stress, combat homesickness, foster interpersonal connections and promote the overall social-emotional well-being of students.

“Community is integral to the BARK program,” says John-Tyler Binfet, Okanagan School of Education, Associate Professor and BARK Director. “Our volunteer community handlers enrich the learning environment for our students, the Boys and Girls Club, and the Kelowna RCMP. Community engagement truly enhances every aspect of what I do as a researcher at UBC.”

Student volunteer, Lucas Spielman echoed the community sentiment. Spielman is a Physics major and has been volunteering with BARK for four years.

“In my first year I started coming to BARK and I enjoyed the people and dogs,” says Spielman. “Everyone was so friendly.” He added that the event at the resort was no different from a regular BARK session with friendly people wanting to chat – and a lot of fun!

Slobbery kisses from new furry friends certainly made this Valentine’s Day a little bit brighter for some students and resort residents.

Learn more about program and ways to support BARK at barkubc.ca.

On Feb. 3, 2020, the Okanagan School of Education hosted a panel discussion on reconciling pedagogies.

Panel presenters are committed to supporting Canadian educators’ responses to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls to action (TRC, 2015), and especially to calls 62–65, which emphasize that Indigenous histories, perspectives, and approaches to learning must inform multi-disciplinary learning experiences. To respond adequately, educators and their students participate in co-curricular-making: that is, navigating curricula not as a predetermined guide to follow, but rather as meaning-making learning/unlearning paths that ask educators and their students to adapt, change, and build understandings. These understandings acknowledge that the particulars of place provide an essential context for decolonized and Indigenized co-curricular pathways.

Panel presenters shared what calls each of them to this work, revealing accounts of place and what reconciling pedagogies look and feel like in practice, alongside lessons learned, provoking further conversations.

About the Speakers 

Dr. Bill Cohen (Okanagan College) | Dr. Cohen is from the Okanagan Nation with extensive kinship ties throughout BC and Washington. He specializes in the areas of Indigenous knowledge, research, education, and transforming pedagogy. For more than twenty-five years, he has engaged in community-driven, transforming projects, as parent, volunteer, advisor, facilitator, and director. He is an educator, artist, story-teller and author. The focus of Bill’s continuing research is to identify, understand and theorize the transforming potential of Indigenous and Okanagan knowledge and pedagogy through organic language and cultural knowledge revitalization.

Dr. Dwayne Donald (University of Alberta) | Dr. Donald is Papaschase Cree and Professor of Curriculum Studies and Indigenous Philosophies at the University of Alberta. He is Vice President (English) of the Canadian Society for the Study of Education. His research commitments are guided by Plains Cree and Blackfoot wisdom insights and the ways in which those can meaningfully influence understandings of teaching and learning today. Dr. Donald is particularly interested in representations of Canadian national narratives and citizenship that typically inform curriculum documents and perpetuate the general misrecognition and incomprehensibility of Indigenous experience and memory

Dr. Jan Hare (UBC) | Dr. Hare is a Professor and Associate Dean for Indigenous Education and Director, NITEP, UBC (Indigenous Teacher Education Program) and serves as a member of the UBC Okanagan School of Education Indigenous Education Council. As an Anishinaabe scholar and educator from the M’Chigeeng First Nation, her research is concerned with improving educational outcomes for Indigenous learners by centering Indigenous knowledge systems within educational reform from early childhood education to post-secondary.

Dr. Margaret Macintyre Latta (UBCO) | Macintyre Latta’s scholarship and teaching are at the intersections of the arts, curriculum, and teacher education. Macintyre Latta is Professor of Curriculum Studies and Director of the Okanagan School of Education in the Faculty of Education at UBC. Her published scholarship reflects a kinship with curricular Indigenization, and this body of work can be found in refereed national and international journals and in academic presses.

Dr. Nicholas Ng-A-Fook (University of Ottawa) | Dr. Ng-A-Fook is a Professor and Director of the Teacher Education Program at the U of Ottawa. He is the President of the Canadian Society for the Study of Education, the largest professional educational research association in Canada. In these administrative, educational, and research capacities, he is committed toward addressing the 94 Calls to Action put forth by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in partnership with the local Indigenous and school board communities. His research specializes in curriculum studies, and he draws on life writing research to develop culturally responsive and relational curriculum with Indigenous and first-generation immigrant communities.

Dr. Sandra Styres (OISE/University of Toronto) | Dr. Styres is a Tier II Canada Research Chair in Iethi’nihsténha Ohwentsia’kékha (Land), Resurgence, Reconciliation and the Politics of Education, and Assistant Professor with the Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning at OISE. Dr. Styres’ research interests include, but are not limited to, the politics of decolonizing reconciliation in education, the integration of Indigenous perspectives into teacher education programming, Indigenous philosophies and knowledges, culturally aligned methodologies and theoretical approaches to Indigenous research, ethics and protocols that guide the work in Indigenous and non-Indigenous research collaborations, and community engagement.

Sina Derichsweiler is a visiting doctoral student from Cologne, Germany. She is a research assistant at the University of Cologne in the Department of English. She is also a lecturer with a focus on English language-teaching courses, literary theory and cultural studies.

It was during a conference in Germany that Sina learned about the Okanagan School of Education from Greg Garrard, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies Associate Dean. And we couldn’t be happier that she did!

For her doctoral research, Sina is working on a concept to approach topics concerning gender identity and sexual orientation with a conception of solidarity based on affect and not on identity.

“My idea is to combine solidarity and tradition together with aspects from transformative learning theory and resonance pedagogy,” says Sina. “My approach focuses on the process of teaching and learning in teacher education programs.”

Based on her research, Sina hopes to develop a course for university students, studying to become English teachers, where this concept is interwoven with theories of English language teaching such as competencies in speaking, mediation or critical literary.

Her inspiration for the topic came from her belief that there hasn’t been enough focus on diversity in English language teaching programs.

“There is a lot of focus put on the content, so how to teach grammar or how to teach literature, but not so much focus on how to combine all these aspects with broader ideas of diversity or intersectionality,” says Sina.

Her advice to those interested in pursuing their PhD is to choose a topic you are very passionate about since you will have to work on it for years.

“The overall goal should be to find a topic that you want to become a leading expert in,” says Sina.

Sina will be in Kelowna until February 2020. When she’s not on campus you may find her out enjoying Kelowna’s outdoors, bouldering at the indoor rock climbing gym or exploring other parts of western Canada.

We are now inviting colleagues to submit course proposals for our Summer Institute in Education (SIE). Share your research, passion and knowledge with the next generation of educators, education experts and change-makers.

SIE offers unique learning opportunities for educators to strengthen their professional growth by intertwining theoretical and practical pedagogical knowledge. SIE instructors help to instill a commitment to career-long professional knowledge.

We are seeking instructors that will share their enthusiasm for life-long learning and inspire educators at all phases of their career. Instructors will design their course for Bachelor of Education, Graduate and post- baccalaureate students as well as current educators in the field.

Courses are three weeks in length starting July 6 and offered in the morning or afternoon. They will be held Monday to Thursday with the exception of the week of August 3, which will be held Tuesday to Friday due to BC Day.

Instructors have a choice of seven course topics:

• Physical Education (July 6 to 24, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
• Indigenous Education AM (July 6 to 24, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
• Indigenous Education PM (July 6 to 24, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.)
• Science Methodology, K to 9 (July 6 to 24, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
• Math, K to 9 (July 6 to 24, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.)
• French (July 6 to 24, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
• French (July 6 to 24, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.)
• Learning Technology: Practical Applications (July 27 to August 14, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
• Classroom Management (July 27 to August 14, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.)

Interested educators must submit their resume, course title, description, objectives and learning outcomes by January 5. A minimum of a Master-level degree is required.

Submit your application

If you have any questions about the SIE or the application process, please email sie.education@ubc.ca.

Interested in receiving a notification for when we begin accepting instructor applications? Sign-up for our Summer Institute Instructor newsletter.

Recipient Sydney Fender next to Bob Bissell, Kiwanis Society

The 2019 school year started a little brighter for one Okanagan School of Education Bachelor of Education student. Sydney Fender was the recipient of the inaugural Kelowna Kiwanis Legacy Major Entrance Award in Education – an award accompanied by $10,000.  Established by the Central Okanagan Kiwanis Community Service Society, the award is presented to a student pursuing the Teaching Children (Kindergarten to Grade 5+) pathway.

Teaching children wasn’t always the career Fender had in mind.

“I was often told I should be a teacher,” she says with a laugh. “And I resisted for awhile, but after taking a leadership role in a number of events and activities that primarily revolved around children, I began to see the fit and my passion for it.”

You may have seen Fender at one of the Okanagan’s countless events as she has been an active volunteer since she was eight years old. She has volunteered in a variety of places from assisting in care homes and community centres to preschools and in our local parks.

“My volunteer and leadership experiences have taught me how rewarding helping others is, and became a key reason why I am pursuing education,” she says.

It seems volunteering runs in the family as her grandfather, Sherman Dahl, was an active member in Kiwanis International. He was a volunteer in the Kiwanis Club of Regina-Wascana from 1980 to 1994 and was the president of the club from 1982-1983.

“I love hearing my grandfather’s stories about his time with the Kiwanis Society,” says Fender. “He has shared with me his experiences ranging from helping out at high school football games to planning wheelchair dances. Through his experiences, he has passed on his knowledge to me about good citizenship and valuing all people.”

Fender is looking forward to continuing passing on the knowledge of good citizenship to her future students.

“I want to teach my students about sustainability and the importance of nature,” says Fender. “I hope to have a classroom filled with student art created from found in nature objects like sticks and rocks.”

For future Bachelor of Education students, Fender has some advice to share:

“Spend as much time as you can with children and adolescents of all ages, backgrounds and socioeconomics so you can truly understand what you’re getting into,” she says. “Focus on something you’re passionate about and bring that passion with you to the classroom.”

Congratulations to our Doctoral Studies Publication Award recipient Camille Rousseau!

While Camille is still new to UBC – and to Kelowna – she’s already being featured in publications. Before pursuing her PhD at the Okanagan School of Education, Camille was researching animal-assisted education for children during her Master’s degree at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont. She connected with Professor Binfet at an anthrozoology conference in California and was able to collaborate with him during her Master’s research. It was Professor Binfet who inspired and encouraged her to further her research with us.

“I’m really thankful for the program that is offered here and how it allows me to expand the depth and breadth of my expertise. There is really nothing like what we do here at B.A.R.K.”

Question and Answer Session with Camille

What is your research project?

My research focuses on animal-assisted education – specifically therapy dogs in an educational context for children. Previously I concentrated on literacy, and whether the presence of therapy dogs was associated with increases to children’s reading motivation and reading persistence. I’m moving away from the reading context now and looking more at whether dogs can support youth struggling in oral contexts, such as when they experience public speaking anxiety.

What difference do you hope your research will make?

I hope my research will help further our understanding of whether therapy dogs can support children’s learning in educational contexts. Dogs are an important part of children’s ecology, and as such it is important to understand how they impact children’s socio-emotional and educational development.

Ultimately, I hope that my research will lay the foundations for the development and implementation of standards to execute canine-assisted activities for educational purposes.

What advice do you have for future graduate students?

As an undergraduate student, I wasn’t very much involved in research processes. It would have been nice to work in a lab early on in my academic career. I would recommend that future grad students connect with supervisors that are conducting research in areas 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!

Specifically for graduate students, take a step back and appreciate what you’re doing. It’s so easy to be self-critical, and you really need to look after yourself.

Read Camille’s latest co-author publication with co-authors Professor Tardif-Williams and Professor Binfet: Shifting Preservice Teachers’ Views of Animal Welfare and Advocacy through a Human-Animal Relationships Course

Graduate Supervisor: Dr. John-Tyler Binfet

Education’s changing landscape offers new opportunities for teaching and learning.

What: Mindful Teaching and Learning: Innovations in Practice
Who: Kelly Hanson, Kevin Kaiser and Michael Ross
When: Tuesday, November 26 from 7 to 8 p.m.
Where: Innovation Centre, 460 Doyle Avenue

UBC Okanagan School of Education is hosting an interactive panel discussion on Mindful Teaching and Learning: Innovations in Practice on Tuesday, Nov. 26. Come and meet award winning educators as they talk about how they support creative and critical approaches aimed at empowering their students, their colleagues and those passionate about education.

Audience members can expect an evening of lively conversation as panelists share stories and insights based on their innovative practices – with a focus on place-based learning, sustainability and the First People’s Principles of Learning There will be an opportunity to post questions to the panelists to create audience dialogue.

Following the discussion, there will be refreshments available at Gather (in the Innovation Centre).

About the speakers

On the panel is Kelly Hanson, Kevin Kaiser and Michael Ross.

Kelly Hanson is a teacher with the Central Okanagan Instructional Leadership Team. She is currently pursuing her PhD at the Okanagan School of Education, where her research shares how the First People’s Principles of Learning can support an ongoing, responsive, inquiry process. She loves collaborating and co-creating experiences that value students holistically and nurtures their unique gifts in the context of their communities.

Kevin Kaiser won the Premier’s Award for Teaching Excellence for developing First Nations English 9. As a K-12 Indigenous Education resource teacher, he aims to develop students’ physical, intellectual, spiritual, and emotional abilities. He has introduced a mentorship program for Indigenous youth and has developed free workshops for the Okanagan community on cultural sensitivity and the unique needs of Indigenous learners

A recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, Michael Ross uses the outdoors to teach his students to build communities and find their place in the world. His students have sat around the campfire with elders, hiked glaciers, and sailed tall ships in a program called QUEST BC. Michael also helps his student turn their ideas into action, such as the Mission Roots Café that has made over $10,000 for groups impacted by or looking to solve climate change.

This event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required.

To register, visit:  mindfulteaching.eventbrite.com.

Political Inquiries aNd Theory Studies (PINTS) is a speaker series with the goal of creating a shared space for faculty and students. With the aim to serve as an incubator, the series invites you to develop social connections across campus.

Join esteemed colleagues whose work has a (broadly conceived) connection to political theory, policy, or practice. Following the presentation you’re invited to join your colleagues for a social and discussion.

Upcoming Events

3 to 4 p.m. in EME 4116

October 24, 2019

Responding to the Challenges of a Reflective Space in Research Partnerships
Dr. Alison Wylie and Dr. Andrew Martindale
Philosophy and Anthropology, UBC

November 7, 2019

Is Higher Education Part of the ‘Basic Structure’ of Open Societies?
Dr. Christopher Martin
Okanagan School of Education, UBC

Present at PINTS

Faculty or students interested in presenting their research can contact Professor Christopher Martin by email at christopher.martin@ubc.ca.

A Q&A Session with Andrew Calhoun, Academic Advisor

Applications are now being accepted for the 2020/2021 Bachelor of Education (BEd) program!

We sat down with Andrew Calhoun, Academic Advisor, to find out what the most frequently asked questions were when students are applying for the BEd program.

Whether you’re interested in applying for the program this year, or in the future, these tips are sure to help you out.

1. Admission requirements

The most often asked question is ‘what courses do I need to get into the program?’ While we have the admission requirements listed for each pathway on our Bachelor of Education page, we have also developed self-assessment worksheets to assist you in reviewing (and checking off) the academic admission requirements for your chosen pathway: Teaching Children and Teaching Adolescents.

For students interested in teaching French, you will also need to:

• Successfully complete the Diplôme d’études en langue française (DELF) OR
• Demonstrate completion of all of your education in the French language OR
• Provide a letter from a Francophone Education Authority indicating your proficiency OR
• Provide a written assessment by Faculty of the French Department of a Canadian university, acceptable to the Teacher Regulation Branch, attesting that you have demonstrated knowledge of the French language to indicate you are capable of conducting all French language teaching

TIP: We recommend completing the DELF by your third or fourth year of your undergraduate degree as there are limited seats and dates available for the exam.

2. Experience

A minimum of 75 hours of practical experience (volunteer or paid) working with children or youth is required. We recommend you work/volunteer with the age group that you wish to teach. You will be asked about your experience when you submit your Supplemental Application Form. On this form, you will also be asked to write a personal essay on what your goals as an educator are, and examples of the qualities and experience you bring.

TIP: We understand you might change your mind about what you’ve written. We do allow you to re-submit a Supplemental Application Form. However, you must resubmit it fully completed. We recommend you save copies of your written answers into a WORD document to complete it. That way if you wish to modify your answers, you don’t have to re-type everything.   

A range and variety of instructional experiences is encouraged to better prepare for the program. Typical experiences for applicants include but are not limited to working in school classrooms as a volunteer or assistant, teaching dance, coaching team sports or working as a summer camp counselor.

TIP: Not sure where to go for experience? You can contact your local school district, recreation/community centre, youth group, art gallery or museum to see if they have any opportunities.

3. References

You will need two professional references from individuals who have personally observed you working with children and/or youth in a face-to-face instructional capacity, either in a group or with an individual.

References must be credible authorities who can speak to your abilities, experiences and interests relevant to the teaching profession. They cannot be a family member or a personal friend.

Examples of appropriate references:

• An individual who has personally observed you in a face-to-face (as opposed to an online) context where your primary role was to instruct or interact with children and/or youth
• School administrator (e.g., principal, vice-principal)
• Teacher at an elementary, middle or secondary school
• Camp director
• Daycare program coordinator
• TA-supervising professor

You will send each of your references the link to the Confidential Report on Applicant, your student number and name as provided in your BEd application, and the pathway you are pursuing.

This form is confidential and is only used for admission purposes. As the applicant, you should not see the completed form.

4. Status

You can check the status of your application through the Student Service Centre. Prospective students will be notified of admission between March and May.

5. Need help?

Let our Student Recruitment & Advising experts guide you: call 1.877.807.8521 or email advising.ubco@ubc.ca.

You can also book an appointment by calling 250.807.9100.

The Innovative Learning Centre and Centre for Mindful Engagement presents Living the Curriculum from the Inside Out. 

Join Kim Ondrik, Head Learner, Mill Bay Nature School in Cowichan Valley for pizza, and a presentation and discussion on innovative teaching practices; specifically exploring co-created curriculum, social justice, mindfulness, student-centered learning and living curriculum.

The presentation is on Thursday, November 21 from 4:30 p.m. until approximately 6 p.m. in EME 1123.

While the presentation is free to attend, space is limited. Please register online to confirm your space.

About the speaker

Ondrik with two of her youngest sons

Kim Ondrik is presently the head learner and co-creator of Mill Bay Nature School, an innovative school of School District 79. The school is in its second year and is inspired by the embodied ideas of the Coast Salish People, Reggio Emilia, Dr. Gord Neufeld, and proponents of ‘risky play’ and democracy. In this place, the natural world is perceived as a provocative learning space of change, diversity, and challenge. Mill Bay Nature School is a place of natural learning – from the inside of the child outwards, from the inside of the adult outwards – from core competencies to curricular competencies to content. Mill Bay Nature School takes collaboration seriously – wide awake of how dedicated teachers ‘scraping up against reality’ as they interrogate their assumptions and transform – in the service of young people, their families and the greater community – create enormous tension, calling forth great humility and holding the potential of one example of systemic transformation.

Ondrik was the co-creator of three other innovative sites of learning and growth in British Columbia public education before her work in the Cowichan Valley.

Learn more about her research study on “To Inspire Social Justice and School Transformation: What is the Lived Curriculum We Have Co-Created At the Community School?“