|
|
Protecting and Inspiring StudentsSexual Misconduct in EducationPrevention, Reporting and Disciplineby Grant Bowers, Rena Knox and Justice Marvin A. Zuker
In recent years, society has become much more aware of abuse of students by people in authority and has responded by instituting measures to better protect children. Teachers, principals and school boards are now expected to play key roles in that protection. Sexual Misconduct in Education is a useful resource for all Ontario educators who want clarification on how to handle suspicions or allegations against a teacher. The authors bring a wealth of experience to the subject. Grant Bowers is legal counsel for the Toronto District School Board and Rena Knox plays the same role for the Catholic Children's Aid Society of Toronto. Justice Marvin A. Zuker is a family court judge and well versed in education law. The term sexual misconduct encompasses a broad range of behaviour including sexual assault, sexual exploitation and other behaviour that breaches appropriate teacher-student boundaries. The authors wade through this complex terrain, reviewing the many pieces of legislation that contain mandatory procedures for dealing with sexual misconduct- including the Education Act, Criminal Code, Child and Family Services Act and Ontario College of Teachers Act. In a historical overview of sexual abuse of children in Canada, the authors cite one of the most important developments in how sexual misconduct is handled today - the 2002 report by former Justice Sydney Robins to the provincial government, Protecting Our Students: A Review to Identify and Prevent Sexual Misconduct in Ontario Schools. The report led to changes in legislation and board policies and procedures to strengthen the education system's ability to prevent sexual harassment and abuse of students. A large segment of the book is aimed at school administrators who will appreciate the detailed explanations of the process of reporting allegations, the distinct roles of the police and the Children's Aid Societies in investigating, the possible outcomes in criminal court proceedings and how these affect what principals and school boards may and must do in each case. The book calls particular attention to allegations of sexual assault where police and - if the victim is under 16 - the Children's Aid Society (CAS) would have central roles. But the authors make clear that, even if a teacher is exonerated of criminal acts, he or she might still be guilty of breaching board policies or the College's Professional Misconduct Regulation. The authors warn against common mistakes such as conducting an investigation before informing the police or CAS, thereby compromising what may become a criminal investigation. Many other questions are also addressed:
The final chapter is an excellent resource for principals. It provides examples of and appropriate responses to complaints they might receive from students or colleagues of sexual misconduct by a teacher. Reviewed by Lois Browne, a College senior communications officer, who is responsible for communications related to investigations and hearings. Assessing Student Understanding in ScienceA Standards-Based K-12 Handbookby Sandra K. Enger and Robert E. Yager
Comprehensive but accessible, this book is packed full of methods for assessing student understanding. Using education research and examples from educators, Enger and Yager have compiled a good sampling of tools and strategies to assess performance in six domains of science: concepts, processes, applications, attitude, creativity and nature of science. The book gives clear rationales and literature to support the what and how of assessing students - something that is often lacking in teacher-support resources. Chapter 1 provides the research-based overview mentioned above. Chapter 2 examines alternatives to traditional tests, including concept mapping, interviews, portfolios, journal writing and self-assessment. Chapter 3 provides processes for assessing teacher practice. Surveys and checklists are easy to use and align with important teaching goals. Rubrics and scoring guides are the focus of Chapter 4, with samples easily adapted to fit our Ontario context. The handbook is aimed at educators using the US National Science Education Standards (NSES). So, some familiarity with the NSES is expected and some tools need to be modified. But the alternative assessments, rubrics, grade-level exemplars and ideas for teachers to evaluate and improve their own curriculum and instruction make the guide easy to adapt. And material for specified grade-level ranges can be modified for use at other levels. The resource is practical, grounded in effective research-based practices, and is a source of professional ideas that can help move science teachers towards the goal of assessment reform in Ontario - supporting student learning.
Reviewed by Xavier Fazio, a science consultant with the Halton Catholic District School Board. Great Women Leadersby Heather Ball
Heather Ball brings their experiences of struggle and setback, of strength and determination to the forefront. She focuses on their unique perspectives and achievements. She leads the reader to consider a question not-often-enough asked, "What happens when you put women in the story?" - a question that elicits wonderful answers. Some of their gestures seem, at first glance, to be small - holding onto a seat on a bus or planting a tree - but Ball guides the reader along the path that those choices forged. She brings the stories into the present. Ball writes with enthusiasm and interest and makes each life real and appealing for both elementary and secondary students. The inclusion of the stories of Wangari Maathai, Aung San Suu Kyi and Roberta Jamieson makes this a distinctive collection that is worthwhile for any classroom teacher who seeks to inspire student activism. Other titles in the Hall of Fame series are: Fabulous Female Physicians; Amazing Women Athletes; Super Women in Science and Spectacular Women in Space.
Reviewed by Nadira Baksh, who teaches part time at the Oxford Learning Centre in Brampton. Under the IceA Marine Biologist at Workby Kathy Conlan and the Canadian Museum of Nature
Conlan's account is full of enthusiasm for her work, awe at the ocean's mysteries and joy in her discoveries. Of particular interest is Conlan's account of her work in Antarctica. Photographs attest to the strikingly beautiful and varied forms of underwater life. A brief chapter on penguins provides entertaining images of these peculiar birds. As with other topics in Under the Ice, facts abound. Under the Ice will make an excellent purchase for any public or school library and a delightful acquisition for career and guidance libraries. In simple but exact language, Conlan describes her duties as a marine biology researcher. She provides an honest representation of the advantages and drawbacks of the profession (including a frightening account of its dangers). Adults and children alike can learn much. If read only for information on underwater life, this would be a winner, but for its investigation of the life and work of a marine biologist written by a practising Canadian professional, Under the Ice is invaluable.
Reviewed by Gail Lennon, who teaches distance education online secondary courses for adults with the Bluewater District School Board. Veux-tu Jouer?The Prevention and Correction of Errors in French: A Systematic Approachby Dr. Cher Harvey and Jacquot
Common grammatical errors are tiresome for teachers of French as a second language (FSL). But how to correct them? Veux-tu jouer? proposes a method that is comprehensive, complete and easy to present. This book is intended for students who make common errors involving prepositions (je joue du soccer/au soccer), meaning (je suis fini/j'ai fini), pronouns (j'aime celui-là/j'aime celle-là), auxiliary verbs (j'ai allé/je suis allé(e)) and expressions (je visite/je rends visite). Designed for secondary school immersion teachers, the program assumes that students have a good grasp of basic grammar. The Teacher's Guide helps answer students' questions and is accompanied by one poster and one game for each error. The guide is divided into sections on method, problems and proposed solutions. It also shows how the theory of multiple intelligences can be applied. Most of the material is reproducible, even the words and music of the songs by Jacquot. The authors' systematic, student-centred approach starts with a pre-test. Students then learn a song intended to correct the most common errors. After completing the exercise sheets, they are ready to play games that apply their new knowledge. Lastly, a test checks that the concept has been well absorbed and the error corrected. Though the program is designed for secondary school immersion students, it could be used for intermediate-level students as well.
Reviewed by Shawna Larkey, an FSL teacher with the Simcoe School Board. Marie CurieA Brilliant Lifeby Elizabeth MacLeod
This engaging, full-size softcover book is graphically rich and well designed. Each of 13 full-page spreads contains a separate topic as Curie's life is chronicled in text and pictures. The book is recommended for Grades 3 to 7 and is written in a manner that will resonate with younger readers. It does not delve deeply into the science or theories behind Curie's work, but relationships, struggles, triumphs and tragedies are outlined in a way sure to awaken the interest of the next generation of scientists. Ontario teachers will find this book most suited to Grade 5 or 7 when presenting matter and materials. But language teachers may find it an inspirational and accessible biography. Secondary teachers may use it in an essentials class or the medical technology unit of SNC 4E. The book is part of the Snapshots series of biographies that includes Alexander Graham Bell, Lucy Maud Montgomery, the Wright Brothers, Albert Einstein, Helen Keller and the Group of Seven. In support of the series, there is a two-page PDF file of teacher ideas called Breathing Life into Biographies, available on the publisher's web site.
Reviewed by Steve Kennedy, who teaches math, science and computers as a section 20 teacher for the Peel District School Board. L'Ontario françaisDes Pays-d'en-Haut à nos joursby Gaétan Gervais and Michel Bock
Designed for Grade 12 history students, L'Ontario français outlines the conflicts, struggles, crises, upheavals and victories in this evolving community. Each chapter concludes with a series of questions for further study and an exhaustive bibliography, inviting readers to continue their exploration. The accompanying Teachers' Guide provides paratexual markers such as Portraits, Villes et villages, Témoignages and Retour aux sources that will give students a better grasp of the remarkable history of the Franco-Ontarian people - a people still engaged in asserting their rights, minimizing assimilation and meeting the challenges of surviving and thriving in a predominantly anglophone environment. The author traces the development of education in the province from 1786 through the great reforms of the 1840s and Regulation 17 to the creation in 1998 of the current 12 French-language school boards. The chapter Les « franco-ontariens » depuis 1960 focuses on the events, groups and individuals who played a role in creating a new Franco-Ontarian identity between 1960 and 2000. It highlights activities in the arts, as well as the introduction of the Franco-Ontarian flag in 1975 and its adoption by the Legislative Assembly as an official emblem in 2001. The guide is specifically geared to the ministry's CHF40 course outline, enabling teachers to link the thematic approach of the curriculum to the textbook's chronological organization. The guide offers a variety of activities for students, as well as print, electronic and audiovisual resources. This textbook deserves a place on the shelves of history teachers and anyone interested in the history and stories of francophone Ontario.
Reviewed by College Chair Marilyn A. Laframboise, who teaches at École Ste-Ursule in McGregor and has lived in Essex County's vibrant francophone community all her life. Manya's DreamA Story of Marie Curie by Frieda Wishinsky
|
One of the most distressing situations a teacher can face is the suspicion or knowledge that a student is being sexually harassed or abused. 
Sexual Misconduct in Education, LexisNexis, Markham, Ontario, 2003, ISBN 0-433-44170-4, softcover, 241 pages, $41.00, tel 905-479-2665 or 800-668-6481, fax 905-479-2826 or 800-461-3275, 
Assessing Student Understanding in Science can help Ontario science educators to better assess science curriculum, teaching and student learning. It is also a resource for curriculum and instructional leaders and teacher educators. 
Part of the Women's Hall of Fame series, Great Women Leaders is a collection of stories about 10 accomplished women. The list is diverse - from Hatshepsut to Golda Meir. Their stories span ancient times to the present. They are of different ethnic, cultural, social, spiritual, educational and political backgrounds. They have divergent ideas and ways of approaching the world. Yet, they all question their world. They use intelligence to solve problems and have contributed to our understanding of peace, community, science, politics, the environment and human rights. 
Under the Ice, part of a Canadian Museum of Nature series, is written by Canadian marine biologist Kathy Conlan. In this slim, beautifully illustrated book, Conlan tells the story of how she chose a career in marine biology, where she received her training and what her job involves. 
Marie Curie coined the word "radioactive" and discovered the elements radium and polonium. She was the first woman in Europe to earn a doctorate in science and the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. (She won two.) Curie was instrumental in the adoption of X-rays as a medical diagnostic tool. 
What is francophone Ontario? Today, after four centuries of evolution, it comprises about half a million people sharing a common language, culture and history. L'Ontario français: Des Pays-d'en-Haut à nos jours traces the development of this community and the Franco-Ontarian identity. 
In this book Marie Curie's story is told by a Polish immigrant mother when her young daughter expresses frustration at having no friends and at being teased about her lack of English in a new school, in a new country. She tells her daughter the tale of another young woman who left behind family and homeland, and who, with determination and hard work, overcame many challenges and sorrows to follow her heart and mind into a life of scientific exploration and discovery. 
The three plays and the monologue referred to in the title of this book are: A Look All Her Own: A Modern Cinderella Story; The Legend of the Lost and Found Box; A Fairytale Medley; and The Phone Call. All of these productions are well suited for an elementary classroom and can be performed as simply or elaborately as the director requires. They are suitable for a small cast yet could easily incorporate additional players. 
This is a comprehensive compilation of over 600 activities used by teachers in their classrooms and is one resource that no Kindergarten teacher should be without. 
Part
of the Kids Can Read Alone series, these two riddle books will provide
enjoyment and amusement while children learn linguistic concepts and
practise reading skills. Children who can read independently in Grades
1 to 3 - the group these books are aimed at - will enjoy reading the
riddles to others to see if they can guess the answers. 
At last! Fun Times is a math game that lives up to its name and actually turns the dreaded practising of times tables into fun. Until now, the only resources available for this tedious but oh-so-necessary exercise were flash cards, photocopied tables and drills, drills and more drills.