We are excited to share that Dr. Peter Arthur has received the 2023 Killam Teaching Prize.

As one of six Killam institutions, UBC offers yearly awards from the Killam Endowment Fund to faculty and teaching assistants who demonstrate excellence in teaching. The Killam Teaching Prize is awarded annually to faculty nominated by students, colleagues and alumni in recognition of excellence in teaching.

Dr. Peter Arthur has been a leader in the teaching community since the inception of UBC’s Okanagan campus. An internationally-recognized scholar of teaching and learning in higher education, Dr. Arthur has impacted the lives of countless students and educators through his educational leadership as the Founding Director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning, and his caring and compassionate approach in the classroom.

Learn more

Teaching Excellence Celebration

The campus community is invited to celebrate and recognize the achievements of UBC Okanagan teachers and mentors and celebrate our community of teaching excellence.

Date: Tuesday, May 16, 2023
Time: 4 to 6 pm | Award presentation followed by a reception
Location: UBC Ballroom | UNC 200

To RSVP, please contact okanagan.ceremonies@ubc.ca.

Congratulations to Dr. Peter Arthur for receiving a UBCO 2023 Golden Apple Award. The Award recognizes Dr. Arthur’s dedication to fostering instructor-student relationships.

The Golden Apple Awards are a student-led initiative to acknowledge teachers who support the wellbeing of their students in the academic environment.

Learn more about the criteria students use to nominate faculty.

Becoming a teacher wasn’t part of Rob Bennett (B.Ed. ‘19) future plans after completing high school. In fact, it wasn’t even part of his plans after completing university.

“I had a teacher that really motivated me and encouraged me to start figuring out my options in preparation for after high school,” says Bennett.

Bennett worked hard throughout his grade 12 year and went to the University of Victoria to pursue his Bachelor of Arts with a major in History. Following graduation, he worked in construction and had started to make plans to travel when a family friend steered him in another direction — teaching.

“I applied to UBCO’s Bachelor of Education program, and that’s where everything fell into place,” says Bennett. “I always knew I worked well with people, but it wasn’t until I started teaching that I felt like I could see my strengths. It took other people, like my family, teachers and professors, to point me in this direction.”

For the last four years, Bennett has been teaching in the Indigenous Academy at Kelowna Secondary School — and has had a rapid learning curve since he started.

“This was a position that I had no background in. I have a major in History and minor in English, and I was asked to teach indigenous culture and English. I had a lot of learning to do, especially as a non-indigenous person, and I am always continuing to learn.”

In the Indigenous Academy, there are multiple teachers working together with the goal of helping students, especially Indigenous youth, graduate. They provide a space for students to learn culture and develop community.

“We all work together and the students go through the Academy as a cohort, and develop skills in a space where they feel safe to make mistakes,” says Bennett. “They’ve also given me space to make mistakes. As a non-indigenous teacher teaching culture, I don’t really teach it in the traditional sense. I made sure I developed a community where it felt safe and welcoming to bring in cultural leaders from around the community to make sure that they were the ones teaching those important pieces.”

During Bennett’s first year, they took students to visit the Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc nation and Kamloops Residential School. Prior to the trip, the students had been reading Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, and had an Elder come in and speak to her experiences as a residential school survivor.

“Sitting on the bus, I had a non-Indigenous student tell me ‘Mr. Bennett, I get it. I understand what I’m doing here now,’ and that was a moment when it clicked for me. It’s not about all the content or the things I learned in university. It’s how you approach the situations and work with the kids in the moment.”

Bennett was a finalist for the 2022 Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Education, Outstanding New Teacher category. An honour that he wishes he could have shared.

“I am appreciative to have been a finalist and grateful to my nominator, Graeme Stacey, and my references for their outstanding support. It was nice to be recognized, but it’s really the students and community, including our elders and advocates, and their hard work and dedication that make the program what it is.”

The program, using the Medicine Wheel, focuses on being a holistic individual — looking at the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual parts, because if one part is broken then everything else will begin to fall apart.

“It’s not always about where you start, it’s where you end up. I didn’t see myself being here. I wasn’t the greatest student and that’s a connection point I have with some of my students. I remind them that it’s not always about being the best student, it’s about being your best self.”

The Academy has given students an opportunity to find a place in school, and many have found success in the program.

“Some of my highlights have been seeing the confidence build within the students. That’s when I really love teaching, when you see the kids light up and figure it out themselves,” says Bennett. “We’ve seen many students get accepted to universities, and last year one student won a prestigious award at their university, and there are the tears and hugs. But the biggest moments that still rock me, are the handful of parents that tell us ‘you saved my kid.’ Those are the moments where I reflect on what’s been accomplished, what I’ve been doing, and feel like it’s working. If it works for one kid then I feel like I’ve done my job.”

***

For teachers that are seeking to build community connections with Elders or learn new ways of bringing in Indigenous ways of knowing and being, Bennett has offered some of his learnings over the years.

Work with your school’s advocates

I wouldn’t be here doing what I’m doing without my advocates, Dawn Dionne and Steve Kelly, they are a lifeblood. We work very closely together, and it’s been a huge benefit for this school. Especially working with the students on a lot of the cultural activities and helping me feel comfortable so I can focus on the lessons and facilitate the learning. Knowing that there is someone with me that can also participate with the cultural aspect has been a huge development.

Reciprocate relationships

Sometimes a concern from Elders is that they are asked to come in as a one-off — to check off a box in the lesson. That should never be the case. It should be an actual lifestyle, teaching, or educational change or mind shift in the classroom or even in the school. When you invite an Elder to come into your classroom and school, it needs to be a welcoming place for them. You need to ensure that you’re actively living your truth before you can work towards reconciliation.

 Honour the culture

Ensure you are honouring the culture by learning and living it every day. This will help the students emulate it. For me, it also meant going out to meet and invite leaders, working late, doing whatever I had to do to make sure our students were prepared learn and live the culture too.

As we approach International Day of Women and Girls in Science (February 11), Dr. Sumer Seiki, associate professor, shares details on past and upcoming projects and ways educators can inspire an interest in science.

***

Dr. Seiki considers herself a botanist. Along with a white lab coat, she also uses gardening gloves. Her passion for biology is rooted in an appreciation for plants and gardening.

“I have always loved plants; it was kind of a family thing,” says Dr. Seiki with a smile. “Some of my fondest memories were with my grandmothers in their gardens. Both of my grandmothers were incredible gardeners.”

When her grandparents immigrated to California, USA, it was at a time where there were many Anti-Asian race-based exclusion acts. They had to become resourceful with the small plot of land and providing food for a big family.

“She really was a genius. She fully utilized this small, half the size of a bedroom, garden, and taught herself what she could grow during the summer and what she could store in the cellar and feed the family over the winter. She had this calendar in her head and body.”

When Dr. Seiki would stay with them during school breaks, she would watch her grandmothers garden, enjoy digging in the Earth, picking the different fruits and vegetables to make fresh and delicious meals.

“I went to post-secondary school knowing that plants were magical and amazing, and just knew that’s what I wanted to study.”

Q&A With Dr. Seiki

What are some ways educators can inspire students to be interested in science?

I would encourage educators to start by helping kids love organisms (plants, animals, etc.) and the Earth. As a science teacher, some of what we’re doing is helping them learn about the world around them — and all the mysteries and wonders that go along with it. I think helping students understand the relationships they have with the different ecosystems is really powerful teaching.

Science is used by every culture. Every culture has science knowers and actors, even though they themselves might not realize it. Like my grandmothers, who were expert botanists. I think educators helping their students see their families as knowers and users of science, helps them locate themselves in science knowledge production and use. It becomes less abstract and more apparent in day-to-day activities, like making dinner by boiling water for pasta. They’ll see that they do, and can, make scientific decisions.

What are some examples of projects you have participated in?

After working in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC, I was inspired by a number of different exhibits, lectures and books. There was one phenomenal installation by an artist, Jean Shin, who also came to the museum for a lecture to explain her exhibits. When you walked into her exhibit room, there was nothing on the lower walls and as you walk further in and look up you see that the entire ceiling is connected by these sweaters and each sweater is unraveled and it’s connected to all the people that owned the sweaters in relation to each other. It was a physical installation on the relationships of a small group of people. It was like an ecosystem.

Knowing, and experiencing, how powerful an installation can be for learning influenced ideas I had for my own classroom installations. I built different deciduous forests and ocean ecosystems while working with pre-service teachers. After a few years, I knew I had to take an installation to a classroom with children.

I had one particularly dynamic mentor teacher that I had been working with, and so I asked if I could use her second-grade classroom for this rainforest ecosystem installation project. I assigned the student teachers in my science methods course to build different parts of a rainforest. We came to the school and set up the rainforest overnight so it would be a big reveal for the children in the morning. We were standing on desks and throwing vines everywhere, a giant six-foot tree in middle of the room and there was something on every wall.

The next morning, I went to the school to see the students’ reaction of walking into their classroom. The teacher unlocks the door and let them in as she usually does. The students come running in and stop in their tracks. They’re silent. Then they started excitedly yelling and bouncing around the classroom pointing at all the different animals and plants.

The installation became a real conduit for learning. Over the course of a month, they used it in a number of different ways, including giving all the other classrooms in their school tours and educating them on the ecosystems in a rainforest.

Learn more about her Urban Classroom Rainforest Project by reading her published paper with coauthor Dr. Pennie Gray.

What are some projects you currently working on?

One project I’m currently working on is a Syilx and Okanagan Native Seed Garden — a living library. The Okanagan is home to rich biodiversity, and with climate change, and urban sprawl, we know that we’ve lost and are at risk of losing many different species. As a global citizen, we need to protect these species. These amazing treasures. The seed garden is one way to create a living museum of organisms that are Indigenous to the area.

The Co-Curricular-Making—Honouring Indigenous Connections to Land, Culture, and the Relational Self SSHRC partnership facilitation team is inviting you to attend two upcoming events: Thursday, Mar. 2, and Friday, Mar. 3.

These free events are opportunities to learn with, from, and through others’ curricular experiences. All are welcome to attend.

Working the Ideas—Enlarging and Deepening Understandings: Sharing a meal, our learnings, and co-curricular experiences

Thursday, March 2, 2023 | 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Laurel Packing House, 1304 Ellis St, Kelowna

REGISTER

Please register by February 23, 2023.Capacity is limited.

Join local and national scholars, including Indigenous educators and Canadian Research Chairs, as they discuss their efforts to decolonize programs and practices to generate a conversation with local educators, scholars and community members.

Dinner will be provided. 

Participants include:

• Rose Caldwell, Elder and Educator, Westbank First Nation
• Dr. Dwayne Donald, Canada Research Chair in Reimagining Teacher Education with Indigenous Wisdom Traditions, and Etienna Moostoos-Lafferty, Doctoral Student & Research Assistant, University of Alberta
• Dr. Jan Hare, Dean pro tem UBC Faculty of Education, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Pedagogy at UBC
• Dr. Nicholas Ng-A-Fook, Vice-Dean, Graduate Programs at the University of Ottawa, and Anita Tenasco, Anishinabe Algonquin Nation and member of the Kitigan Zibi community and Director of Education
• Dr. Sandra Styres, Canada Research Chair in Iethi’nihsténha Ohwentsia’kékha (Land), Resurgence, Reconciliation and the Politics of Education, and Ryan Neepin, PhD Candidate, University of Toronto

Syilx Voices and Reflection: Education’s Roles/Responsibilities Across/Around Turtle Island

Friday, March 3, 2023  |   4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
UNC 200, UBC Okanagan Campus

REGISTER

Please register by February 23, 2023.

Join a conversation circle lead by Dr. Jeannette Armstrong, Canada Research Chair in Okanagan Indigenous Knowledge and Philosophy; Pauline Terbasket, Executive Director, Okanagan Nation Alliance; and Dr. Bill Cohen, Okanagan School of Education as they reflect on local and regional decolonizing curricular efforts. These reflections will act as provocations for drawing important attention to the role of local traditions, perspectives, and concerns, revealing insights in the shaping, and the continued mobilization, of reconciliation efforts.

The circle will be comprised of educators, scholars and community members; including:

• Dr. Jan Hare, Dean pro tem UBC Faculty of Education, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Pedagogy at UBC
• Dr. Nicholas Ng-A-Fook, Vice-Dean, Graduate Programs at the University of Ottawa
• Dr. Sandra Styres, Canada Research Chair in Iethi’nihsténha Ohwentsia’kékha (Land), Resurgence, Reconciliation and the Politics of Education
• Dr. Dwayne Donald, Canada Research Chair in Reimagining Teacher Education with Indigenous Wisdom Traditions

Light refreshments will be provided.

We hope you have a restful winter break! Our offices will be closed starting on Monday, Dec. 26, 2022, and will re-open on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.

Holiday Message from the Dean pro tem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc-swXS–qI&list=TLGGWUVnvWVru_UxNjEyMjAyMg&t=1s

Application Dates and Deadlines

Bachelor of Education

If you are applying for the September 2023 admission, the UBC Okanagan application deadline is Jan. 15, 2023. Your supplemental application and references are due January 31. If you are applying to both UBC Vancouver and Okanagan, you must submit your supplemental application and references to each program. Visit the program page for more information.

We also have tips to help guide your application process.

Master of Arts in Education or Master of Education

If you are applying for the September 2023 admission, the application deadline is January 31, 2023. For required documents and additional information, visit the program page. To view upcoming courses, visit the Graduate Student Resources page.

Dr. John-Tyler Binfet, associate professor, has surveyed and interviewed more than 3,000 children and adolescents from kindergarten to post-secondary gathering their perspectives on kindness. Hot off the presses, Dr. Binfet’s new book Cultivating Kindness: An Educators Guide is a research-driven guide to all things kindness in schools.

“This book is a resource for educators who want to introduce kindness in their classrooms or schools and are seeking ideas and strategies to support kindness in students,” says Dr. Binfet. “I hope it can serve as a guide for well-being initiatives for students, and for educators, to shift the climate in classrooms, to foster kindness among people and showcase the good that people are doing.”

The book includes a kindness checklist for schools to assess how kind they are and practical scenarios to help teachers challenge students to consider kindness. In addition, there is a repository of kindness resources to support the continued kindness education of readers.

What inspired you to write the book?

After nearly 10 years of research and asking almost 4,000 students about kindness, I felt it was time to glue it all together and tell the story of what I’ve learned from students about being kind.

I didn’t want another adult interpretation of kindness. I wanted to honour the students’ voices and their experience around being kind; especially after learning that, from their perspective, it takes a lot of bravery to be kind. For some students, it doesn’t unfold quickly and easily in a school setting and they need some support. They need some structure and that’s where teachers come in. They can really be a guide — a kindness coach.

While your book is called an educator’s guide, are there others who may benefit from reading it?

This book would be an excellent resource for anyone that works or volunteers with children or youth in any capacity. It would also be appealing for parents and guardians who are interested in guiding kindness within their children and within the family structure. For example, just as they may ask “Have you done your chores this week?” I want them to ask, “Have you done your kind acts?”

We know that doing three kind acts a week is a formula for bolstering children’s wellbeing. Three acts will help children feel better about themselves and about the people around them.

Could you share some examples of how students you’ve interviewed have been kind?

There have been a few examples over the years that have stopped me in my tracks. Especially with adolescents because they, unfortunately, have the stereotype of being mired in conflict and ego-driven. I have had students in middle school who have said “my act of kindness is a quiet one where I stop talking when other people are.”

I have had another student tell me that they don’t talk about their mother around another student, because that student’s mother had passed away the previous year from cancer. This student restricts their speech because they know if they don’t, they’ll wound a friend.

As we’re approaching World Kindness Day (Nov. 13), how do you enact kindness?

I try to walk the talk with my research and commit to at least three kind acts a week. For example, one act I like to do in a drive-thru is pay for the person’s order behind me. However, my favourite acts of kindness are the ones where I can specifically craft the act for the person. I love the unexpected nature of it, and I try to be stealth in how I deliver my kind act.

Learn more about the book and how to purchase a copy at utorontopress.com/9781487525026/cultivating-kindness

We are pleased to share that Dr. Chris Martin has received the Outstanding Book Prize for The Right to Higher Education: A Political Theory from the North American Associate for Philosophy and Education / Theory and Research in Education.

The prize honours excellent scholarship at the intersection of philosophy and education. As the recipient of the prize, Dr. Martin will have the contributions to his author-meets-critics session published as a book symposium in Theory and Research in Education.

Congratulations Dr. Martin!

Learn more about the book by reading a Q&A with Dr. Martin.

Christia Langlois is this year’s recipient of the Kelowna Kiwanis Legacy Major Entrance Award in Education – an award accompanied by $10,950.  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.

“I am so grateful to receive this award,” says Christia. “It will allow me to focus on my children and my studies without having some of the financial stresses of returning to school. While not a Kiwanis member myself, I really appreciate the work, dedication and passion of the organization and their volunteers.”

***

Growing up in the small towns of Blagnac and Orthez, France, Christia had long been drawn to teaching and working with children. It began in high-school, when she was asked by her head gymnastics coach if she would assist in teaching the younger years.

“I love when kids discover something new,” says Christia. “You can see the questioning in their eyes as they unravel new knowledge or figure out how to do something, and you can really see that spark in their eyes when they get it.”

She completed her Bachelor degree in Literature at Paris Nanterre University, France, and continued teaching gymnastics while living there, and again in Chile where she lived for several years.

Shortly after moving to the Okanagan, she began coaching gymnastics, circus and art.

“I added ‘circus’ to the programming, so the kids learn skills in juggling, silks, trapeze and slacklining,” says Christia with a smile. “They absolutely love it. I especially love watching the pre-teens and teens reconnect with the child in themselves and start playing around, and having genuine fun.”

Christia also added arts and crafts opportunities into her circus classes, for example, having the children make their own juggling balls, hula hoops or other props. In her art class, her students had the opportunity to experiment with different techniques, materials and paints.

“I like to work with collage and mix together different textures. We have also done printmaking and embossing.”

In addition to her past coaching and teaching experience, Christia has played an active role in her children’s school Parent Advisory Committee and their sports clubs. She also volunteers and sometimes works with the Centre culturel francophone de l’Okanagan — you may have seen her tent for circus set up at the local Maple Fest!

“I enjoy supporting local events and being involved in my community. Aside from the cultural centre, I also occasionally volunteer for other organizations such as Radical Action with Migrants in Agriculture (RAMA) and the Okanagan Humane Society.”

In her future classroom, Christia is looking forward to experimentation, exploration and inquiry-based learning.

“Children need different types of explanations, and so I’m really excited to start working in the classroom and presenting things in completely different ways to adapt to their style of learning.”

For those interested in pursuing their Bachelor of Education in the future, Christia recommends gaining experience with a broad age group.

“Work with children for a full summer in a camp or with a sports club, because it’ll give you a good idea of what the reality of working with children or youth really is. With gymnastics, I’ve been able to teach toddlers to those in their late 50s, and I really have loved interacting with every age — they all have different challenges and a different way of learning.”

Congratulations Christia!

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 certificate and diploma students as well as current educators in the field seeking professional development opportunities.

Courses are generally three weeks in length starting July 4 OR July 25 and will be offered in the morning or afternoon Tuesday to Friday, unless otherwise noted. A minimum of a Master-level degree is required.

Instructors can apply* to one or more of the following topics:

• • Outdoor Education (July 3 to 9, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) or (July 4 to 21, 9a.m. to 12 p.m.)
  • Climate Change (July 4 to 21, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
  • Indigenous Education (July 4 to 21, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
  • Digital Literacy (July 4 to 21, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
  • Trauma Informed Teaching (July 4 to 21, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.)
  • Students with Exceptionalities (July 4 to 21, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.)
  • Universal Design (July 4 to 21, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.)
  • American Sign Language (July 4 to 21, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.)
  • Early Childhood Education (July 4 to 21, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.)
  • Science Methods (July 25 to August 11, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
  • Childhood Learning Disabilities and Cognitive Challenges (FASD, ADHD, Autism, etc.) (July 25 to August 11, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
  • Indigenous Education (July 25 to August 11, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
  • Assessment and Testing (July 25 to August 11, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
  • Teacher Well-being (July 25 to August 11, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.)
  • Literacy (July 25 to August 11, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.)
  • Classroom Leadership (July 25 to August 11, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.)
  • Health, Outdoor Education and Physical Education (July 25 to August 11, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.)
  • Inquiry Project (G.R.I.P.) (July 4 to August 11, online-asynchronous)
  • Other – educators are invited to submit their own topic

Note that there is separate application for courses to be taught in French, please see invitation below.

Interested educators must submit their resume, course title, description, objectives and learning outcomes by 4 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 28.

APPLY

*each course requires a separate 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.

All courses are subject to change and minimum enrolment. 

Nous invitons nos collègues à soumettre des propositions de cours en français pour notre Institut d’été en éducation (OSE – SIE). Partagez vos recherches, votre passion et vos connaissances avec la prochaine génération d’éducateurs, d’experts en éducation et d’agents du changement.

L’Institut d’été en éducation offre des opportunités d’apprentissage uniques aux éducateurs pour renforcer leur croissance professionnelle en mêlant connaissances pédagogiques théoriques et pratiques. Les instructrices et instructeurs aident à insuffler un engagement envers les connaissances professionnelles et promeuvent un développement professionnel continu.

Nous cherchons des instructrices et instructeurs qui partageront leur enthousiasme pour l’apprentissage continu et inspireront le personnel enseignant à toutes les étapes de leur carrière. Les instructrices et instructeurs conçoivent leur cours pour les étudiant.es du baccalauréat en éducation, des certificats et diplômes post-baccalauréat et post-baccalauréat ainsi que pour le personnel enseignant actuel dans le domaine à la recherche d’opportunités de développement professionnel.

Les cours durent généralement trois semaines à partir du 4 juillet OU du 25 juillet et seront offerts le matin ou l’après-midi du mardi au vendredi, sauf indication contraire. D’autres formats peuvent aussi être proposés.

Un minimum d’un diplôme de maitrise est requis pour offrir un cours.

Les instructrices et instructeurs peuvent soumettre une proposition selon leur expertise. Voici une liste non exhaustive de thèmes possibles :

• Éducation en plein air
• Changement climatique et questions environnementales
• Éducation autochtone
• Littératie numérique
• Enseignement tenant compte des traumatismes
• Élèves à besoins spécifiques
• Design universel
• Planification interdisciplinaire, intégration langue et contenu
• Évaluation
• Apprentissage par enquête

Les personnes intéressées doivent soumettre leur curriculum vitae, le titre du cours, la description, les objectifs et les résultats d’apprentissage avant 16 h le lundi 28 novembre.

SOUMETTEZ UNE DEMANDE ICI

* Chaque cours nécessite une soumission séparée.

Si vous avez des questions, veuillez envoyer un courriel à sie.education@ubc.ca ou à carl.ruest@ubc.ca.