Author: Brenda MacNaughton

Part 1: Winter’s Gifts: An Indigenous Celebration of Nature by Kaitlin Curtice illustrated by Gloria Felix

A citizen of the Potawatomi nation, Kaitlin Curtice has created a beautiful story explaining the importance of loving the earth at the winter solstice. I have read this book to classes from kindergarten to grade 3, using the story to expose children to Indigenous perspectives and to better understand the solstice and the significance it holds.

Before Reading – Minds On

Have students think about the late sunrises and early sunsets that have been happening. How has this natural change impacted their lives? Have their routines changed?  Review the concept of the winter solstice, helping them understand that the daylight hours decrease until December 21st , then there will be increasingly more daylight each day until we reach summer solstice. I like to demonstrate using students to play the role of sun and earth and show that earth orbits the sun and has a tilt that causes the changes in how much sunlight we receive.

During Reading

During the read aloud I will stop and ask questions about what they have noticed about the change in seasons. We might discuss how our clothing changes to warmer jackets, boots, mittens and hats or we might focus more on animal behaviour and how the animals we see are adapting to the season. The story focuses on winter being a time of rest, do the students agree or disagree? Can they explain their thinking? There is also an opportunity to review the Potawatomi perspective in the story about sun, moon and earth who are described as grandfather, grandmother and mother. 

After Reading

Depending on the age and stage of the class, I will make a t-chart with the words Goodbye and Hello as headings.  Under “Goodbye” we list the activities, weather, clothing, etc, that end in the season of fall/autumn. Similarly, under the heading “Hello” we list what is expected in winter.  With older students, this could be completed independently. Now students can take those ideas and create a Goodbye Fall, Hello Winter poem with artwork to accompany their poem. 

Part 2: Follow Up – Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter by Kenard Pak

The children in this story greet natural features such as wind, leaves, snow and birds. The children say hello to them and they get a reply explaining what that particular feature is doing in the season of autumn.  It is critical to pay attention to the illustrations in this story because they are telling a story of their own. On each page, the children are walking through different environments: fields, forests, a farm, and a town. The signs of winter begin to show as the book progresses, ending with the children back in the field from the first autumn illustration in the book but now it is a winter scene. 

The watercolour illustrations inspire students to create detailed sketches and paintings showing the change in seasons.  The subject of their art could be the same focus as their Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter poem. There are hints in this book that it is set at the time of the winter solstice and there are references to decorations and gift shopping that leave us wondering what they are celebrating.

Since I am new to using watercolour paints, I use tutorials from Andrea Nelson to help me learn. I have included a recent fall painting as an example.  I believe our students could create something similar.

I hope your students enjoy the chance to write and paint about this season change. 

Brenda

Looking for new Canadian books for your literacy program? The Ontario Library Association has the Forest of Reading program which lists their top ten books published every year in Canada. Students vote for their favourite book and they make great choices! Each age grouping is named after a tree found in Ontario. This blog features some of my favourite winners from the Blue Spruce program. Many schools run the program and you can find the books in your school library or your local public library.

Are You a Cheeseburger?  By Monica Arnaldo Blue Spruce Winner of 2022

It’s easy to bring Science, Art, Drama, and Writing to life with plenty of laughs as Grub the raccoon finds a seed named  Seed in the trash and they become friends.  Grub hopes that Seed will grow cheeseburgers so he plants and tends Seed with care. The pair become friends as they see the world from different angles above and below ground, giving us a chance to talk about different viewpoints.

 Before reading this book I like to check students’ background knowledge and show photos of raccoons.  We can all share what we already know about these “trash pandas” and find answers to our questions. I also like to have seeds on hand for students to examine. This story gives an opportunity for outdoor experiential education where we can look for seeds on plants growing outside and learn about the various ways seeds travel.

The idea of growing a cheeseburger is also a wonderful jumping off point for creating art. Students could draw cartoon style trees that can grow pizza, fries, chocolate cake or whatever they can imagine. There is a nice music tie-in with the song, “On Top of Spaghetti”, which has a meatball that gets accidentally planted and grows into a meatball tree. 

Give this book a try, your students will be very happy!

Harley the Hero by Peggy Collins

Blue Spruce Winner 2023

Any story about a heroic dog will be a class favourite. Harley is an exceptional service dog who works with an elementary teacher. Harley saves the day in more ways than one by making the classroom a very special place every day and taking care of the teacher and a frightened student when the fire alarm goes off.

Based on a real dog named Stanley and an Ontario elementary teacher, this book gives us the opportunity to understand more about invisible disabilities like PTSD and how helpful service dogs are. Students will benefit from learning the protocols for how to treat a working service dog as they are becoming more and more common and students may be able to share experiences they have had with service dog encounters in public.

A natural extension of this story is to research and write about pets and to collect stories of the benefits that pets have on people’s lives.  On the flip side, students also enjoy sharing ideas about animals that would not make good pets. Once their imaginations are engaged it’s time to have them demonstrate their thinking by creating an ideal pet. They can write, draw, build or dramatize their ideas. This kind of open-ended task gives students a chance to express themselves in their preferred format and they can have the freedom to explain what makes their ideal pet in writing or by sharing orally with the class.

Happy Reading!

Brenda

As November 11th approaches I’m sharing some Canadian resources I have used successfully with elementary students. Let’s note that 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.  Although we have not yet achieved world peace, there have been many examples of diplomacy in the decades since WWII ended. Our acts of Remembrance demonstrate the strong desire to build a war-free future and to honour the freedom granted to us by those who helped defeat facism.

A Bear in War by Stephanie Innes and Harry Endrulat, illustrated by Brian Deines 

(Silver Birch Express Honour Book 2010)

During World War One, a young girl slips her teddy bear into a care package for her father, a medic posted to the trenches of France. Although her father dies in the battle of Passchendaele, his belongings are shipped back to his family, along with the toy bear, which today sits in the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. Source

I find this book can be used effectively in both primary and junior grades. The small stuffed bear featured in this book is on display at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa and there is a section of their website dedicated to the story of Teddy including a short video created in 2021. 

This touching story stresses the importance of mail to the soldiers. Our students can write letters today to veterans in their community. Our local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion is helpful in collecting and distributing letters. Giving students an authentic writing task will can be very motivating. I like to set up the lesson by reading the story A Bear in War and then offering writing prompts for students to write to those who have served in the armed forces.  Depending on the age and stage of the class, there could be some students who write in partners or small groups. For the youngest students I often model our shared writing on chart paper before they begin.

The Vimy Oaks by Linda Bailey, illustrated by Brian Dienes 

(Silver Birch Express Shortlist 2018)

Canadian Leslie Miller was at Vimy Ridge in World War I and he sent home acorns from some trees he admired there. The acorns that were planted grew into oak trees that are still alive in Scarborough, Ontario on the former site of Miller’s farm. This book helps us tie history and science together along with the poetic writing style from Miller’s journals and letters.  It is wonderful to study oak trees in the fall as the different varieties show their colours. I recommend this read aloud for grades 2 and up. There is also more information at this government of Canada link.

Government of Canada Resources for Veteran’s Week

It is best to order these resources well in advance of Remembrance Day.  There are materials including bookmarks, cards, posters, and publications with lesson plan ideas for elementary grades.

https://veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/classroom-materials

Books of Remembrance

The peace tower in Ottawa is an iconic Canadian symbol but my students are usually not aware of the special room that holds the Books of Remembrance. Each day a page is turned as Canadians remember those who have given the supreme sacrifice for their country.

Silver Cross Mothers

I find this particular topic very emotional and is suited to grade 7 and up. It is important to know your students before beginning a lesson.  Every year one mother is selected to represent all mothers and lay a wreath at the Remembrance Day service in Ottawa.  She is called the Silver Cross mother and she will have lost a son or daughter who died while in service in the Canadian Armed Forces. Learn more here.

Liberation 80

My mother had clear memories of the 1945 Victory in Europe celebrations and how people poured into the streets of Liverpool where she was a student, singing and all night. To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII there is information available from the government of Canada, including a selection of video clips where veterans recall the end of the war.

Lesson Plans from Veteran’s Affairs Canada

Here you can find over 130 lesson plans regarding Remembrance in Canada, provided by Veterans Affairs Canada.  There is a search tool that can help you find lessons by age and topic.  For example, here is a lesson for primary grades on Flowers of Friendship, explaining Canada’s role in the liberation of the Netherlands and the annual gift of tulips sent to Canada.

Thank you for helping your students understand Remembrance Day.

Brenda

I’ve been reading “Tacky the Penguin” at the beginning of the school year for decades. This story goes from uproarious laughter to fear and tension and ends with our unlikely hero, Tacky, saving the day. This picture book can be read over and over with the same results, children will ask for it again and again.  It’s perfect for early in the year when students are trying to fit in with a new crowd of classmates and need the reminder that it is not just ok to be yourself, we need you to be yourself, not a copy of someone else. The writing style of Helen Lester and the playful illustrations by Lynn Munsinger allow for plenty of dramatic gestures, voices and rhythms. Readers immediately identify with Tacky, who is constantly left out by his snooty companions. He is different, an odd bird. Don’t we all feel that way at times?

Dramatic Gestures

As the story opens, the companions (Goodly, Lovely, Neatly, Angel, and Perfect) greet each other quietly and politely. At this point I pause, put the book down and reach out to shake the hands of  a few of the students and calmly say things like, “Good Day”,  “Lovely to see you”, “How good of you to be here”. Then I slap my own leg to imitate Tacky’s greeting which is a loud “What’s Happening”.

We might also take time to imitate the penguins marching neatly in a row compared to Tacky’s random movements, followed by graceful dives and splashy cannonballs. These actions come into play later in the story as Tacky uses his actions to defeat the hunters.

Rhythm

When the hunters arrive they have stomping feet and on one of my readings I realized that if I kept stomping at the right tempo I could read the entire hunter section to the beat. Genius! Students join in and stomp along with me as we meet and defeat the terrifying hunters.

Voices

It is key to get Tacky’s singing in an off-key, dreadful voice.  I add in sound effects to imitate his accordion and then blare out “How many toes does a fish have?”. In contrast, the companions need to sing “Sunrise on the Iceberg” in a refined, melodic way. The Hunters have a growling, mean voice since they are talking about catching the penguins and want to “march ‘em with a switch”. Students join in with a “Grrrrrr”.

Each time the story is read, the students become more familiar with the ideas of inclusion and acceptance.  They see the importance of owning your individuality and using your strengths to help others. Plus Tacky the Penguin brings joy to the faces of children who have just come in from a recess where they felt alone.

Follow Up Activities

-a little research on penguins for science class;

-creating new lyrics for the songs in the book for your writing period;

-adding rhythm instruments for music time;

-act out the story for drama or create the illustrations as tableaux;

-add some math and learn about the fraction in Tacky’s marching sequence;

-vocabulary to discuss:  odd, companion, graceful, tacky, switch (as a noun), clasped:

-have a Tacky day and encourage students to wear something they love.

Tacky the Penguin was first published in 1988 and is still going strong with several follow up stories that feature this funny and lovable character. I hope you get a copy and have as much fun as I do!

Happy Reading!

Brenda

Our classrooms today have a strong emphasis on feeling safe and welcome in September.  I remember feeling intimidated and overwhelmed on the first day of school. However, when I compare my childhood experience to the stories told by residential school survivors I am deeply saddened and want to support Indigenous Peoples by sharing the truth about residential schools. I am an Irish-Canadian so I read books written by Indigenous authors to give authentic voice to this topic.  Here are some suggestions of books that can be read in September to prepare students for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th, also known as Orange Shirt Day.

Phyllis Webstad

There are several excellent books by Phyllis Webstad, who is the founder of the Orange Shirt movement. Her 2018 book, “The Orange Shirt Story” has details about her experiences in residential school and the painful separation from her grandmother. This book is better suited to students who are in grade 3 and up. Her 2019 version of this story is intended for younger readers and is entitled “Phyllis’s Orange Shirt”. 

In 2022 Phyllis created “With Our Orange Hearts” with illustrator Emily Kewageshig. Written in rhyming couplets this book explains why September 30th is known as Orange Shirt Day and the meaning behind the phrase, “Every Child Matters”. It is appropriate for all ages and has familiar symbols in the artwork that create interesting discussions in class.  There are many hearts and butterflies throughout the story as well as an eagle, feathers, stars, the sun, a rainbow and children in a circle. The art supports the story beautifully. Teachers using this book could then integrate this read aloud with art appreciation and explore other work by Emily Kewageshig on her website.  

“Every Child Matters” was published in 2023 with illustrations by Karlene Harvey. It reviews Phyllis’s experience as a child at residential school in more detail than the 2022 book and has an afterward which can help teachers develop a better understanding of the history. The artist has included Indigenous cultural symbols such as medicine wheels, smudging, lacrosse and fishing. I love rich illustrations which go beyond the words to help readers better understand the story. 

“I am Not a Number” by Jenny Kay Dupuis and Kathy Kacer

I would only use this book with students in junior or intermediate grades. When sharing stories like this one, it is important to be aware of our students.  There may be students in the class who are related to residential school survivors. There may be students who have been through traumatic experiences that could be triggered by the situations described in residential schools.

For suggestions on how to use this book check out the review in ETFO Voice https://etfovoice.ca/node/1347 .

“Stolen Words” by Melanie Florence

The grandfather in this book was forbidden to use his first language when he went to residential school. It is a moving story as the granddaughter listens to what happened to him and then brings home a dictionary so they can learn the Cree language together.   I use this book annually in my primary classes but can be used with any age group. There is an underlying message of hope, as there is in Phyllis Webstad’s books.  It promotes the idea that by listening and understanding we can make positive change for the future.  

ETFO Resources

https://etfovoice.ca/feature/teaching-and-learning-about-truth-and-reconciliation-our-youngest-learners

https://etfofnmi.ca/

https://etfofnmi.ca/truth-and-reconciliation/

https://etfofnmi.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/EWS_Healing-Conversations_Final_2024.pdf

 

This two-part blog is a reflection of some of my personal experiences while walking the path of truth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island where I am an uninvited guest.

In my public school and post-secondary education I was not given the background knowledge needed to understand the true history of Indigenous Peoples. I am now learning more about Indigenous culture, language and traditions so that I can build relationships with Indigenous Peoples and confidently work with my students when addressing the curriculum. I mention confidence because it can be intimidating to teach new understandings but students will benefit from my willingness to share my learning, even if I don’t know all the answers.

Resources

For me, the best way to learn about Indigenous Peoples is through building relationships and having guest speakers. When it’s not possible to have a guest speaker, I use books and videos that are created by Indigenous Peoples. The Indigenous department at the school board has been very supportive and helpful. They guide me to ensure I’m on a good path and being respectful. ETFOFNMI.ca has resources prepared, such as Healing Conversations.

Land Acknowledgements

I live and work on the traditional territory of the Williams Treaties nations which includes the First Nations of Alderville, Chippewas of Beausoleil, Chippewas of Georgina Island, Chippewas of Rama, Curve Lake, Hiawatha, and Mississaugas of Scugog Island. There is a wonderful book by Doug Williams, Michig Saagiig Nishnabeg, which has helped me better understand the history of the area through his oral history, passed down for generations.

Our school board has a standard land acknowledgement but when I am making that acknowledgement, I also relate it to my personal experience with the land and all of the natural world. For example, I could talk about what is happening to the plants and animals in the current season and how much I respect them for the gifts they have given. I also acknowledge the rights of Indigenous Peoples and that my journey includes learning about treaties, culture and language.

When I visit a class as an Occasional Teacher I can start the day with a personalized version of the land acknowledgement. I also can include in my introduction that I’m an uninvited guest and a first generation Irish Canadian. I find this to be a helpful way to start building a relationship with the students. I like to check in with students to see if they have any questions about the land acknowledgement and together we can look for answers.

Allyship is an ongoing learning process for me as I build my understanding of cultural appreciation versus cultural appropriation. For example, I had a class of non-Indigenous students wanting to learn about dream catchers. Our local Friendship Centre put me in touch with a First Nations woman who was willing and able to share the teaching. Previously, I have made some mistakes by rushing in with an idea and wanting to do a teaching myself but I have learned that it is not respectful to do so.

I continue to learn how to be a good ally. Here is a list of resources from ETFO that helps me. I hope you will find it helpful too.

Truth and Reconciliation (TRC)

This is the first blog in a two part series reflecting on my work to be an ally to Indigenous Peoples. With so many teachers  taking  this path of allyship there is hope for a better future on Turtle Island.

Listening and Reflecting

Many years ago, when I was lucky enough to have Anishinabe grandmother Kim Wheatley as a guest speaker she asked me to confirm the treaty area we were in and which Indigenous Peoples to acknowledge. This was in the days before land acknowledgements were common and I had absolutely no idea what to say. I apologized and she graciously carried on with an opening that covered all Indigenous Peoples.

That experience led me on a learning journey so that I could be better prepared to help students understand the true history of our area. We also started looking into local place names that come from the language Anishinabemowen.

Around that time I attended a professional development session organized by my school board on a First Nation. On that day we heard first hand accounts from a residential school survivor and we learned about intergenerational trauma caused by colonization and residential schools. This was well before Orange Shirt Day/National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was established. This was also before the 215 unmarked graves were located in Kamloops.

I didn’t know what to do to help. I turned to books and started reading. I listened to radio shows and podcasts teaching me more about the truth. I did the Kairos blanket exercise which added more perspective to the problems caused by colonization of this country.

The more I learned, the more action I wanted to take. With support from Indigenous Peoples here are some actions:

– adding new books to the school library with Indigenous authors and illustrators from an Indigenous owned and operated business;

– encouraging Orange Shirt Day recognition at my school, with school wide activities including readings, poetry and music;

-setting up staff purchasing orange shirts from a local Indigenous company;

-hiring guest speakers for speaking engagements, beading, gardening, and art activities.

Two of the most impactful non-fiction books I have read are: The Summary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report, and Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga. Both of these books opened my eyes to the true stories experienced by Indigenous Peoples.

When my ally journey began, the Indigenous department at my school board was quite small so I’m very happy to see more consultants available to help teachers with their learning now. The consultants have developed a Passport to Reconciliation which gives suggested activities for each grade. I’ve had very helpful conversations with consultants and I appreciate their patience while I learn how to approach this new learning.

In my next blog I’ll look specifically at how I help students understand land acknowledgements. Please stay tuned!

Democracy works best when people are informed and motivated to participate in the electoral process. As an educator I have the responsibility of informing my students about the workings of a democracy. I believe students are more likely to participate in a democracy if they can understand it and are willing to have their voices heard by voting, volunteering or working during elect

Apathy, on the other hand, is the enemy of democracy. When a population is not engaged in the electoral process, they are putting their democracy in danger. I want my students to see what can happen when countries are not democracies. And I want them to see how they can participate in the democratic process.

This may seem a heavy topic for students in elementary school, but Elections Canada has prepared age appropriate materials that are available to order online at no cost. These materials give lesson plans and activities to help young children understand democracy.

For students in kindergarten to grade 3, there is a kit called Choosing a Mascot. In this case, there are five choices of mascots that a school has proposed and students would create a campaign for a mascot and see it through to voting day. The kit includes a teacher’s guide, ballot box, voting screen, and posters.

The other kit available is an Election Simulation Toolkit which is based on the big idea: “Our democracy depends on each of us taking part in federal elections. There are many ways to do this. Here are a few of them: vote for a candidate, join a political party, work as an election officer, run as a candidate, volunteer to help a campaign”.

Ontario has experienced a provincial and a federal election this year. I think students of all ages in the elementary and secondary panels would be interested in learning more about the process and how to maintain a healthy democracy.

You may be wondering which part of the curriculum the electoral process would fit into if it’s not specifically in your social studies curriculum. I see potential for the language curriculum and the math curriculum to be integrated into this learning. There is an opportunity for students to write and reflect on the electoral process and on the candidates. There is also an opportunity in math to look at statistics and analyze how many electors have voted in previous Canadian elections. In mathematics, we can analyze data from previous elections and display data in graphs. And we can also look at the percentage of people who have come out to vote in various elections. On the Elections Canada website, you can also see the number of votes for different candidates in previous elections, including the results in your own riding.

Please use this link to place your order for free materials from Elections Canada.

https://electionsanddemocracy.ca/

Happy Voting!

Brenda

 

 

 

Community services often rely on volunteers. Teachers tend to have a fantastic set of skills to pitch in and help. I’ve had a few different volunteer jobs over the years and I’ve also had times when there was absolutely no time to volunteer for my community.

Volunteering can be something where working with children is all fun and games. There are local organizations in my community that work with children with all kinds of needs. I’ve seen people volunteering with kids who need help downhill skiing. There are volunteers who help students learn musical instruments or singing. There are volunteers who take kids on nature walks and other outdoor pursuits. Of course there are also opportunities to coach various sports or artistic endeavors. But teachers do not have to volunteer with children. Our skills transfer to all kinds of folks.

At times in my life when I couldn’t volunteer on a regular basis, I would sometimes clean up garbage around local parks. Just taking a few minutes to help can make a big difference. I would notice the litter when taking our dog or children to the local park or beach. Some of those volunteer efforts gave the whole family a chance to pitch in.

Working with adults has volunteer possibilities as well. I play a little bit of guitar, just enough to sound impressive to kindergarten children, but I’ve decided to work on it a little more and play during a sing-along time with a local group of adults. Some of the folks in this group have issues with their health and/or have very little income. They attend this group to have a sense of community, share some snacks, sing some songs, and play a game of bingo where everyone gets a prize. It’s a wonderful place to make friends.

Maintaining the work/life balance can be tricky and sometimes volunteering needs to take a backseat. A break from volunteering had to occur whenever I needed to focus on my physical or mental health. There were also times when my commitments to family and work outweighed my ability to volunteer.

I’m at a stage in life that gives me more time for volunteering than I’ve ever had before and I’m grateful for the opportunities. There are so many ways to volunteer and help our communities be wonderful places to live. Hospitals, nursing homes, arts classes and recreation programs are just a few places where we can meet like-minded people. We can’t always give our time but let’s keep an open mind for the right time to lend a hand.

Happy Volunteering,

(When the time is right)

Brenda

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you ever participated in an ETFO retreat or Summer Academy? I recently attended the annual Women’s Retreat for  ETFO members in my local.  I was happily surprised that Occasional Teachers were welcome to join so I could share a cabin with a couple of colleagues who are full time teachers.  The organizers put together a terrific event and the resort had great accommodations, amenities and food!

We were lucky to have Dr. Dawn Lavell Harvard of Wiikwemkoong First Nation, and director of the First Peoples House of Learning at Trent University, as the guest speaker after dinner on the Friday night. What a gifted and brilliant woman to help us better understand the struggle for Indigenous women’s rights, particularly First Nation women who lost their homes, families and status if they married someone other than a First Nations person. That was not changed until 2019. She also addressed Red Dress Day, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2 Spirit. She spoke of all the women in her family who were teachers and that this audience of women teachers was the best place to make an impact on the future. It was an inspiring talk and I highly recommend to all our readers to go and see her speak or at least watch videos or listen to podcasts she has recorded. 

The evening included group games, a campfire and karaoke.  We played a game of reverse charades where the entire team acts out a word and only one member has to guess. I’ve played a similar game in the classroom called Hot Seat. Yes it was silly and there was plenty of laughter.  A few ”minute to win it” challenges also took place involving cotton balls being thrown into hoops and objects being blown across the floor with straws. 100% harmless fun!

On Saturday we attended three workshops with women from all different walks of life.  Mine involved writing, sound bathing and wood burning art. All good for the soul! At lunch we took time to do some echo singing. During the break I had a quick dip in the lake (less than a minute) and a sauna while others chose to hike or relax by the water.

If your area doesn’t have any retreats being offered, watch for the happenings at the main office in Toronto. They offer affordable events to all members throughout the year and make them accessible no matter where you are coming from. There is funding to help with travel and accommodations. I plan to attend the professional learning for occasional teachers because it will address concerns that I deal with regularly such as classroom management techniques and instructional strategies.

Looking through the catalogue of ETFO Summer Academy offerings has me very excited. There are dozens of 3 day workshops on a wide range of curriculum areas begin offered across the province in various locations in the GTA and beyond. You will find professional learning from Waterloo to Ottawa, Niagara on the Lake to Barrie and Peterborough. Plenty of virtual workshops are also available. I’m particularly interested in art and drama workshops that I think will help me as an occasional teacher.

To register for ETFO events, create an account at https://www.etfo.ca/ under the Events tab.

If staying withing your local suits you better, there are numerous important committees that help each local thrive.  We can learn more about our collective agreement, health and safety, political action, social justice and professional learning just to name a few. Being involved in the local union helps us build professional knowledge and expertise in our profession.  I greatly appreciate the efforts of my local and hope you all get the chance to Ignite and Refresh yourselves like we did!