MediaSmarts (formerly Media Awareness Network) is developing a new interactive digital literacy tutorial for elementary classrooms. To ensure that it meets the needs of Canadian educators, K-8 teachers are asked to take part in a brief five-minute online survey.
 
Respondents will not be asked any personally identifiable information. The data collected will only be used for non-commercial, educational purposes.

The online survey can be accessed until May 30, 2013 at this link:
MediaSmarts' Survey

May 6-10
Time for teachers to celebrate the excellence of the work they do with their students.

Every Teacher/Chaque Prof survey on LGBTQ-inclusive education

The Every Teacher Project is now available in French - PDF

OFS3HLC and OFSHEEA Summer Workshops 2013.

The Ontario Family Studies, Social Sciences and Humanities Leadership Council (OFS3HLC) and the Ontario Family Studies Home Economics Educators’ Association (OFSHEEA) are inviting current members of OFSHEEA and/or the Ontario History and Social Sciences Teachers’ Association (OHASSTA) to apply to facilitate the Summer 2013 Workshops which are focused on the revised Social Sciences and Humanities Curriculum.

The two day workshops, offered in three locations across Ontario in August 2013, will focus on the Family Studies and General Social Sciences courses in the revised Social Sciences and Humanities curriculum. Participants will develop unit outlines for a selection of courses. These outlines will be curriculum-linked and will demonstrate effective assessment for, as, and of learning practices, where appropriate. They will also incorporate curriculum-linked resources to support alignment with Ministry of Education policies and curriculum initiatives such as the Equity and Inclusive Education strategy, the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Education Policy Framework, the Financial Literacy Initiative and others.

Three facilitators will lead each workshop.

Facilitators will be required to attend an orientation meeting on July 9-10 2013, to be held in the GTA region. They must be available to lead their workshop during the week of August 19, 2013 for a total of 4 days of work at a compensation of $300 per day plus related expenses.

Applicants must be current members of OFSHEEA and/or OHASSTA and have
•     expertise with the Social Sciences and Humanities Curriculum;
•     experience in curriculum resource writing at the board/provincial level;
•     training in and experience leading and facilitating peer workshops;
•     ability to work in a team environment;
•     familiarity with computer technology;
•     proven organizational and time management skills;
•     confidence in Assessment and Evaluation in for, as and of learning.

Deadline for applying is May 10, 2013. Check out the particulars for the application at www.ofsheea.ca.

For workers killed or injured on the job.

The Canadian Labour Congress declared April 28 a National Day of Mourning for workers who have been killed, suffer disease or injury as a result of work. Every year since, unions, labour councils, families and community partners gather by the thousands to ‘mourn for the dead.’ What began through the efforts of Canada's labour movement is now observed in more than 100 countries.

The Workers Health and Safety Centre (WHSC) encourages you to honour those who have lost their lives or paid with their health. You can

•    encourage others to attend a Day of Mourning event;
•    draft a message for your organization’s publication or web site;
•    work with local media to promote the Day's significance, write about worker monuments and cover Day of Mourning events;
•    lobby politicians to recognize the Day through proclamation;
•    invite faith communities and social justice groups to observe the Day; and
•    convince employers and public institutions to lower flags to half-mast.

The Day of Mourning though, is also intended to focus attention on what we can do to break the silence of indifference and say enough to the suffering caused by hazardous working conditions. On April 28, let's resolve to action that restores and promotes dignity and health in our workplaces and our communities. On this day and
each that follows you can

•    educate others about basic health and safety rights and prevention measures;
•    help social justice and other groups educate at-risk members of our communities;
•    negotiate greater decision-making power for worker representatives and joint committees;
•    make health and safety a collective bargaining priority;
•    encourage local media to report on health, safety and environmental issues;
•    encourage MPs and/or MPPs to support ergonomic and violence regulations and stronger enforcement of existing legislation; and
•    create monuments to promote public awareness of workplace health and safety.

View the events on April 28.

View the information brochure.

A 2013 research study by Dr Carol Campbell, Dr Ann Lieberman and Dr Anna Yashkina investigates the value of the Teacher Learning and Leadership Program. To read the Executive Summary, click here. The full study can be found here.

On Friday, April 12, at the OTF Spring Board of Governors’ meeting, Terry Hamilton, OTF President and Sam Hammond, ETFO President presented the Greer Award to Donna Duncan, CEO and Linda Hills, Executive Director of Hincks-Dellcrest Centre.

For more information about the award, click here.

The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970 activated over 20 million people from all walks of life. Since that time, the Earth Day Network (EDN) works with over 22,000 partners in 192 countries to broaden, diversify and mobilize the environmental movement. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world.

The Educators’ Network on the earth day web site, http://edu.earthday.org/, features a community of engaged educators within a fully interactive and user-driven platform. Teachers can upload their own lesson plans, comment on lesson plans of their peers and connect to tens of thousands of educators’ around the world.

As well, check out www.earthday.ca for more resources for the classroom.

MediaSmarts has unveiled a new blog for parents to help manage their children’s media world.

‘MediaSmarts Mom’ blogger Andrea Tomkins brings her thoughts, recommendations, and tips from the perspective of a mother who’s raising her kids in a constantly evolving media age.
 
In addition to the new blog, MediaSmarts has a wide variety of resources available to families and educators including e-tutorials, tip sheets, and interactive games on a variety of media issues including cyberbullying, online safety, body image, and violence and stereotyping in the media.
 
Visit the blog at  http://mediasmarts.ca/blog

Changes preserve pension accrual during sick leave and unpaid PA days.

Pension Update Changes preserve pension accrual during sick leave and unpaid PA days - PDF

OTF Pre Budget Consultation Brief to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.

Friday, April 5, 2013
Terry Hamilton, OTF President, in his presentation to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, focused on three areas: promoting education, providing the best professional service and pensions.

To read the complete presentation, click here.

Day of Pink is the International Day against Bullying, Discrimination, Homophobia and Transphobia in schools and communities. We invite everyone to celebrate diversity by wearing a pink shirt and by organizing activities in their workplaces, organizations, communities and schools.

It is a day where communities across the country and across the world, can unite in celebrating diversity and raising awareness to stop homophobic, transphobic and all forms of bullying.

The International Day of Pink was started in Nova Scotia when two straight high school students saw a gay student wearing a pink shirt being bullied. The two students intervened, but wanted to do more to prevent homophobic  and  transphobic bullying. They decided to purchase pink shirts, and a few days later got everyone at school to arrive wearing pink, standing in solidarity. The result was that an entire school stopped homophobic and transphobic bullying.

The message was clear: anyone can bully, anyone can be victimized by bullying, but together we can stop it.

Each year on the second Wednesday of April, millions of people wear pink to remember that positive actions make a difference. And that the change starts with each one of us.

Check out the web site: www.dayofpink.org.