New Titles

Posted on July 10, 2018 by Emily Kim

It’s summer — a time to catch up on missed readings and discover new must-reads! Be sure to check out the new titles below and stop by the OISE Library Ground floor for more!

I Am Peace: A Book of Mindfulness by Susan Verde
This beautifully illustrated and calming read expresses emotions and empathy through imagination, introducing young readers or listeners to the importance of mindfulness. Verde does an exceptional job guiding the reader through the beauty of the natural world while teaching mindfulness exercises. Readers learn about being present in the moment and paying careful attention to  emotions, feelings, sensations in the body, and surroundings. Although intended as a children’s picture book,  I Am Peace is a book for readers of all ages interested in mindfulness and self-regulation.  If you are interested in more children’s picture books on mindfulness please be sure to check out these titles at the OISE Library: Master of Mindfulness : How to be Your Own Superhero in Times of Stress, What Does it Mean to be Present?, Mindful Monkey, Happy Panda . 

Round by Joyce Sidman
As a simple fun story about shapes, Sidman captures the joy of experiencing round shapes in nature. Perfect for ages 2-5, Round explores a journey of discovering the outdoors while uncovering round and circular shapes. The illustrations depict a child, her dog, and her father adventuring the outdoors together making it relatable for young children and families. The text is simple and the illustrations are vibrant, creating a fun reading experience.

Makeology: Makerspace as Learning Environments
Edited by Kylie Peppler, Erica Rosenfeld Halverson,
and Yasmin B. Kafai
Makeology introduces the emerging makerspace movement and its grassroots culture dedicated to hands-on making and technological innovation. The authors of this book highlights the emphasis on encouraging and engaging makers through design and sharing with others, which reflects early educational predecessors in progressive education, including Froebel, Dewey, and Montessori. The book is broken up in four sections covering Out-of-School Makerspaces, Makerspaces in P-16 Education, Online Makerspaces, and Designing for Making. Learn more about the Maker Movement as this book provides a set of practical takeaways for educators, researchers, and parents at the end of each chapter.

The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore
Opened with a beautiful poem, the book follows the story of twelve year old “Lolly” Rachpaul, who is struggling to cope with the recent loss of his older brother from a gang-related shooting. Moore gives us a different take on the coming-of-age-story. This is a wonderful heartfelt book about a grieving boy who is dealing with a number of decisions that will determine the direction of his life. This book is centred around adolescence, grief, violence, play and creativity.

Global Perspectives on Higher Education by Philip G. Altbach
Global Perspectives on Higher Education offers a wide range of perspectives while tracking the global academic revolution. In exploring the global context, Altbach examines the prospects for Brazil, Russia, India, and China as rapidly expanding countries economically with struggling expansion for academic enrollments. Altbach also discusses the implications of globalization such as the realities of the unequal world, internationalization of higher education, rankings, and English as the dominating academic language. He closes off the book with global trends and realities with regards to teachers and students. This is a book for those interested in the emergence and realities of contemporary higher education.

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OISE Library Display: Canada Day

Posted on June 28, 2018 by Dominique Rivera

July 1st marks Canada’s 151st birthday. Join us at the OISE Library as we celebrate this occasion. On display will be materials from our Stacks, Children’s Literature, and Curriculum Resources collection based on books and resources celebrating and discussing Canada’s history and literature. The material in OISE Library Ground Floor Display for the month of July will assist you in teaching students classical and up-to-date Canadian literature, social justice issues in Canada, Indigenous traditions, French language, the history/geography of what constitutes Canada and much more! Understanding our heritage is important. For those new to Canada, sharing this information can be welcoming. Knowing the history of where we live and make our homes can unite us as we celebrate what it means to be Canadian and sharing this land.

This display has been split into five sections: books on Canadian authors, Children’s books on Canada, Comics based on Canada, Resources on Canadian subjects, and the History of Canada.

Canadian Authors

The handmaid’s tale, Exit, pursued by a bear, Run and Love you forever are a few choice books by Canadian authors that OISE has in their collection. These books will introduce students to some of the well-known authors in Canada and examples of Canadian Literature.  For example, The handmaid’s tale a classic Canadian literature book, is often provided to secondary students for this purpose.

Children’s Books on Canada

Children’s Books such as, The Water Walker, The kids book of Canadian exploration, Fishing with grandma, Goodnight, Canada, Emma’s gift, Canada all year, When we were alone, The people of the sea and The legend of the beaver’s tail highlight some Canadian traditions. These children’s books will help students from an early age understand Canada and what it stands for. Goodnight, Canada is an excellent resource for teaching students the provinces and territories of Canada. Presented uniquely, this book will make learning geography of Canada enjoyable and fun for your students.

Canadian Comics

Comic books have emerged as a new and effective way to teach literacy to children. The selected comics are all Canadian authored, and many feature Canadian stories.  Jimmy et le Bigfoot, Sita’s Ramayana, Definitely not for little ones : very Grimm fairy-tale comics, The outside circle, Moonshot : the indigenous comics collection, Sugar Falls : a residential school story, True hearts and True Patriot : all new Canadian comic book adventures! volume one are some of the Canadian comics that are featured in OISE’s catalogue.

Resources on Canadian Subjects

Having the right resources when teaching Canadian History can be important. These titles will help teachers provide the best knowledge of Canadian History and Geography to their students. Books such as, Integrating Aboriginal perspectives into the school curriculum : purposes, possibilities and challenges, Canadian grammar spectrum 5 : reference and practice, Reading Canada : teaching Canadian fiction in secondary schools,  At Vimy Ridge : Canada’s greatest World War I victory, Full circle [kit] : First Nations, Métis, Inuit : ways of knowing, Think history : Canadian history since 1914, Ontario curriculum, grades 11 and 12 : Canadian and world studies, The Kindergarten Program and Making connections : issues in Canadian geography are excellent choices. These resources will help teachers teach their students the up-to-date curriculum of Canadian history and geography. Students will get a more engaging understanding of Canada through these resources.  Reading Canada : teaching Canadian fiction in secondary schools, for example, can serve as a complimentary resource book to The handmaid’s tale when teaching Canadian literature. This book would also be helpful in assisting you to broaden the student’s knowledge on Canadian literature in general.

History of Canada

These materials are useful for teachers and students looking to learn more about the history of Canada. They include: Negotiating identities : anglophones teaching and living in Quebec, Case studies in educational foundations : Canadian perspectives, Understanding school choice in Canada, My country, our history : Canada from 1867 to the present, The making of the nation : a century of challenge, Call them Canadians : a photographic point of view. Written by an OISE professor, Negotiating identities : anglophones teaching and living in Quebec, is an effective resource when learning about the history of Canadian teaching. This resource is also helpful in the understanding of the challenges faced in Quebec with teaching in English only.

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Featured Activity Kit: Yikerz!

Posted on June 21, 2018 by Cassidy Foxcroft

Looking for a fun game that lets students experience the effects of magnetism? Try the Yikerz! magnet game.

This kit contains 4 triangular-shaped mats that can be arranged into a variety of configurations – configurations that can affect the difficulty of the game. The instructions contain suggestions, but players can also invent their own.

The Yikerz! game is played using powerful magnetic stones, divided between up to 4 players. The players take turns placing their stones onto the game board, with the goal of getting rid of all of their stones. However, if a player places a stone and the forces of magnetism cause two or more stones to come together, that player has to pick up all of the stones that came together. Removing these stones can have further consequences as well: if removing the stones causes stones still on the board to come together, then the player has to take back those stones as well! Magnetism also affects gameplay in other ways. For example, although players cannot touch any of the stones already on the board, they can use the magnetic field produced by the stone in their hand to “push” other pieces around on the board.

The game includes suggestions for a variety of other game modes, including a solitaire game, a speed game, and a game that continues after the first person has placed all of their stones. Please note that because of the strength of the magnets used, this game is recommended for ages 14+.

The Yikerz! magnet game is currently on display on the ground floor of the OISE Library, next to the Circulation Desk. For more activity kits aimed at developing an understanding of magnetism, try the Magnet Magic activity kit, the Magnetic Wand activity kit, the Iron Fillings activity kit, or check out the OISE Library K-12 Manipulatives Database for still more ideas.

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National Indigenous History Month

Posted on June 19, 2018 by Emily Kim

Join OISE Library as we celebrate National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21)  and National Indigenous History Month. In June, we recognize the rich contributions First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples have made to Canada and the strength of present-day Indigenous communities. The OISE Library Ground Floor Display for June highlights Indigenous children’s books and scholarly material inviting readers to learn more about Indigenous history, perspectives and culture. Materials in the display are available for borrowing!

Bones in the Basket: Native Stories of the Origin of People by C.J. Taylor

Bones in the Basket is a collection of seven stories from the peoples of Chuckee, Cree, Mandan, Modoc, Mohawk, Osage, and Zuni Nations. Each story is written by Mohawk writer and artist C.J. Taylor and was inspired by the creation of the Earth and how humankind came to inhabit it. Taylor notes in the introduction that while each story focuses on different aspects they all have a related theme in which the Earth is a gift given to us and that all life is interrelated, recognizing the obligation to protect it. Each story is retold by Taylor with an accompanying full page illustration. The last page of the book provides brief information about each Indigenous group. The legends told by the seven Indigenous groups inspired the author and she hopes that this book will too open the eyes of readers.

The Diamond Willow Walking Stick: A Traditional Métis Story About Generosity by Leah Marie Dorion and Michif translation by Norman Fleury

The Diamond Willow Walking Stick is a dual language Michif-English book by Métis storyteller and author Leah Marie Dorion. Comprised of traditional teachings about generosity remembered by a Métis Elder, the story begins with a recollection of living in a log cabin as a young boy with his grandparents. This beautifully illustrated children’s picture book takes the reader and listener through a journey of lifelong lessons imparted by Métis Senators, honouring the special bond between Métis children and their grandparents. This book includes an accompanying narration CD in English and Michif-Cree. The ending of the story also provides the reader with a chart explaining the traditional Métis uses for willow trees (lii sool nipisiya) and a glossary.

Sweetest Kulu by Celina Kalluk and illustrated by Alexandria Neonakis

Written by Celina Kalluk, Inuktitut Language Specialist and Cultural Arts teacher at Qarmartalik School in Resolute Bay, Sweetest Kulu is a bedtime poem that describes the natural gifts given to a newborn baby by all the animals of the Arctic. Kalluk’s rhythmic text and Neonakis’ beautiful illustrations brings together a visually captivating book celebrating Inuit values of love and respect for the land and its animals.

Pathways for Remembering and Recognizing Indigenous Thought in Education: Philosophies of Iethi’nihstenha Ohwentsia’kekha (Land) by Sandra D. Styres

Pathways for Remembering and Recognizing Indigenous Thought in Education is a culmination of author and OISE CTL Faculty Member Sandra D. Styres’ experiences with understanding Land-centered Indigenous philosophies. Styres uses parentheses as a stylistic way to emphasize the prefix re-, reminding the reader of the meaning “once more, afresh, and anew” aligning the concept of circularity as a key theoretical framework throughout this book. This book aims to offer possibilities for transformative teaching practices through conceptualizing, remembering, and understanding traditions and philosophies within a twenty-first century educational context.

Supporting Indigenous Children’s Development by Jessica Ball & Alan Pence

Created through the partnerships between First Nations peoples in Canada and the authors at the University of Victoria, this book describes the evolution and practice of a pilot partnership that led to the First Nations Partnership Programs that as initiated in 1989. This community based partnership approach aimed to strengthen the community of nine Cree and Dene First Nations in the province of Saskatchewan to design, deliver, and evaluate culturally appropriate programs to support Indigenous children’s development. The book discusses co-constructing curriculum from the inside out, covering important topics topics such as Elders’ involvement and cultural healing, fostering greater understanding of First Nations in the wider community, and community based delivery.

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New Titles: Summer Reading

Posted on June 14, 2018 by Lynda Yao

Why not take time this summer to catch up on some reading? Check out these selected titles from the OISE Library’s New Arrivals shelf. There is something for everyone!

Chakra the invincible: Secret origins, by Stan Lee, Sharad Devarajan, and Gotham Chopra.

This action-packed comic book revolves around its protagonist Raju Rai, a courageous young orphan child living in Mumbai. Together with mentor, Dr. Singh, they develop  a super-suit that helps Raju unlock and harness his hidden chakra powers. With his  superpowers, Raju devotes himself to helping the “little guys” as the hero–Chakra the Invincible. However, Raju struggles to maintain a balance between his superhero life and his life as a regular kid. This struggle creates rifts between Raju and his older brother—who begins to follow a darker path. Raju faces the supervillain Yama, his older brother’s mentor and a corrupt businessman who is a ring-leader of Mumbai’s largest criminal organization. Raju must save both his brother and the world from Yama, who plans to use the powers of chakra to create a super villain army powerful enough to take over the planet.

Serving students who are homeless: A resource guide for schools, districts, and educational leaders, by Ronald E. Hallett and Linda Skrla.

The intentions of the book is to provide educators and school administrators with tools and strategies for implementing effective programs to support the needs of homeless and highly mobile students. The book specifically focuses on how to help students overcome obstacles to academic success. Through a variety of case studies, the book provides readers with the voices and opinions of students, families, and teachers from diverse backgrounds. Furthermore, the book includes various activities and questions that are aimed at invoking discussion and professional development. Written in the context of the McKinney-Vento Act, which aims to provide federal support to homeless shelters in the United States, Hallett and Skrla explores how many places struggle to meet this mandate. The first section of the book examines the current social, political, and economic issues regarding educating homeless and highly mobile students. The second and third section discuss how schools and teachers can facilitate better learning environments for students.

Philosophy and history of education: Diverse perspectives on their value and relationship, edited by Antoinette Errante, Jackie Blount, and Bruce A. Kimball.

Composed of studies by scholars in philosophy and history, Philosophy and history of education: Diverse perspectives on their value and relationship explores how each field contributes to a greater understanding of education overall. Through the lens of scholars across the country, the anthology examines the histories and philosophical background behind various education principles and practices. The first section of the book looks at the differences and similarities between philosophical and historical studies in education. These chapters explore the ideas of various famous philosophy and history scholars in education, such as John Dewey, Ella Flagg Young, Boyd Bode, Bernard Mehl, and more. The second section of the book examines how the study of philosophy and history can help shape practices and policies in modern day education. Contributors of this book argue for a greater need for interdisciplinary collaboration between philosophers, historians, and educational scholars to solve current issues in education.

How big is a big number? Learning to teach mathematics in the primary school, by Paul Killen and Sarah Hindhaugh.

For many new and aspiring teachers, primary school mathematics has not been part of their repertoire for many years. In How big is a big number? Learning to teach mathematics in the primary school, Killen and Hindhaugh aim to re-familiarize readers with primary school math concepts, problems, and activities. This book is a valuable resource for primary school math teachers, as it provides a variety of teaching strategies and tools to use in the classroom, such as recommendations for activities and exercises that are aimed to help students understand and retain math principles and concepts. The book explores a variety of common primary school math topics, such as geometry, numerical sense, fractions, and much more.

Constructing sexualities and gendered bodies in school spaces: Nordic insights on queer and transgender students, by Jon Ingvar Kjaran.

Nordic countries have always been perceived as a utopia for LGBTQ+ individuals and communities. However, Constructing sexualities and gendered bodies in school spaces: Nordic insights on queer and transgender students, explores how diverse genders and sexualities fit within the hetero-normative school spaces of Iceland. The book draws from variety of ethnographic data, case studies, and up-to-date research on this topic to examine how Icelandic schools are providing safe and inclusive spaces for its students. Kjaran interviewed various LGBTQ+ students across different regions in Iceland, and found that high schools in Iceland are not sufficiently implementing practices and policies that help meet the needs of its diverse students. Instead, Icelandic high school systems continue to operate under outdated ideas of maintaining the heteronormative status quo. The book argues that schools in Iceland should encourage greater visibility of LGBTQ+ students and open discussions around gender and sexuality.

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