This Month’s Read: We Two Alone: Stories by Jack Wang
If you haven’t already, be sure to join us in our Facebook Group. You can find us HERE. If you have any questions please reach out to our ICARE Coordinator and Book Club host, Risa: ic***@mc**.ca
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This Month’s Read: This Book Is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell
If you haven’t already, be sure to join us in our Facebook Group. You can find us HERE. If you have any questions please reach out to our ICARE Coordinator and Book Club host, Risa: ic***@mc**.ca
https://mcos.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Untitled-design-7.png10802160Adminhttps://mcos.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/mcos_official_logo_dark.pngAdmin2023-04-04 16:35:242023-04-04 16:35:24This Book is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell / Between The Pages, Speak Up! Book Club Meeting
Perimeter Institute offers several free opportunities for high school students interested in science and physics.
Inspiring Future Women in Science: Live Online Q&A
We know students have questions about careers in science and on Thursday, February 10 we’ll help them get answers. Panelists include an astronomer, a chemical engineer, a medical student, and a construction and facility management professional. The session is perfect for high school students who are interested in science and want to learn more about different fields. Although this event is part of our International Day of Women and Girls in Science activities, high school students of all genders are welcome to register to attend. Twitter; Facebook; Instagram; LinkedIn https://perimeterinstitute.ca/celebrating-women-science
GoPhysics! Workshops
GoPhysics! Gravity & Black Holes is a free workshop for Grade 11/12 students that includes independent preparation, live online sessions with physicists, and lots of time for questions. The next dates are February 26 and March 14/15. Students can view the full details and complete a short application here – applications will remain open until the workshops are full. https://perimeterinstitute.ca/gophysics-online-workshops
Luke Santi Memorial Award – $1000 Award & Visit to Perimeter
Graduating high school students who will be pursuing physics at a Canadian university in Fall 2022 can apply for this memorial award. Each year, one student will receive a $1000 award and a ‘day as a physicist’ in Perimeter Institute’s award-winning research environment (travel costs are covered; visit will be scheduled after the pandemic). Applications close May 31. https://perimeterinstitute.ca/luke-santi-memorial-award-student-achievement
International Summer School for Young Physicists (ISSYP)
ISSYP is a challenging two-week online program for high school students with a keen interest in theoretical physics who intend to pursue physics at university. Students learn about cutting-edge topics and make connections with like-minded students around the world – many students note this connection to ‘people like me’ as the highlight of the program for them! There is no application fee and financial assistance for the program fee of $250 is available. Applications close March 31. www.issyp.ca
When students shared their desire to learn to make ribbon skirts and ribbon shirts to honour their culture and themselves, this class project began. The goal was to provide materials and understanding for equitable access to cultural resources, and foster a greater understanding of the importance of ribbon skirts and shirts in First Nations and Métis culture for all students in the class.
Aiming to wear ribbon skirts and shirts at the annual Mount Royal Collegiate Pow Wow, this activity included cultural teachings that increased the meaning of making the clothing. It was interesting that some students planned on wearing them to the U of S Graduation Pow Wow.
One can tell the impact of this sewing project is huge when you listen to some of the sentiments shared by the students. “I have always wanted a ribbon shirt, but I didn’t know anyone who could help me make one or make one with me”, “I feel like I will fit in when we have cultural events at the school” and “I feel so proud that I made this ribbon skirt on my own!”.
All students happily learned about their own or another culture whether they were among the 7 who proudly identified as Indigenous, having Indigenous heritage or Métis, or the eight belong to other ethnic groups (Filipino, various European heritages). Several students asked to continue to study regalia and how different nations of Indigenous people showed their cultures and history through regalia which lead to a discussion on Potlach, Pow Wow’s and other ways of sharing knowledge and historical impact.
A lot of learning comes from experience and being in the moment. Hence, the teachers deliberate actions to normalize incorporation of Indigenous learnings in the school culture to help Indigenous students, staff, and families feel valued. So, working with facilitators and elders outside the school, Grades 10-12 students of Lord Asquith School embarked on an authentic land-based learning opportunity to Askiy-Kamik culture camp on Muskeg Lake Cree Nation. The days’ activities included Tipi teaching, Elder talk, and traditional land experiences.
It was a time of great learning for both the students and their teachers as they were able to physically see how a Tipi looks, how it is erected, as well as given the opportunity to hear the teachings around the Tipi from an elder. Right from the camp, teachers saw opportunities for bringing these teachings into the classroom. While students were more consistent in seeing Indigenous knowledge through a positive lens.
Trey Rousell excitedly said; “It was really fun to learn about a different culture and drink muskeg tea”.
Member Development Workshop: Governance and Board Succession Planning
The Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan strives to strengthen the capacity of its members by offering educational and training opportunities. In partnership with the City of Saskatoon, we are offering a Member Development Workshop. Dawn Martin, from Daybreak Consulting, will share her expertise and experience on Governance and Board Succession Planning.
As a consultant, Dawn Marin has spent 30 years assisting numerous agencies and non-profit organizations. Dawn’s approach to governance issues in the voluntary sector is thoughtful and pragmatic. She understands the issues and challenges that board volunteers face and is eager to provide organizations with guidance and support that will make a difference.
Workshop Details
Facilitator: Dawn Martin (Daybreak Consulting) Date: Saturday, January 12, 2019 Time: 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Location: Station 20 West, 1120-20th Street West, Saskatoon, SK Fees: Members: $25 per person; Non-members: $50 per person Notes: Registration includes workshop materials & lunch. Saskatoon Ethnocultural Network members will be covered by the City of Saskatoon.
Registration:
Register by Noon on Friday, January 11, 2019
Please register online. Payment can be made by cheque or online. If you register online, please note that you will need to go to our Online Store for payment after you submit your online registration form. Member Development Workshop Registration Form (Online form)
00brandonwu@me.comhttps://mcos.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/mcos_official_logo_dark.pngbrandonwu@me.com2018-12-05 11:15:022018-12-05 11:15:02Register for Member Development Workshop
Cultural collaborations through mindful creative writing course
“We live in a world that is divided. We build judgements and create stereotypes about people we do not know. Even though we often live, work and learn beside each other – we do not really know each other. When we know each other and really listen to each other’s stories or experience, we can then come to learn from each other,” explains educator Kyla McIntyre, laying down the reasoning for the Sheldon-Williams Collegiate Mindful Creative Writing course, designed to shift this narrative.
There are 14 students in this class. They come from many different cultures and languages. Some are newcomers and some are born in Canada. Some speak fluent English and others are just
Sheldon-Williams Collegiate Mindful Creative Writing Course. Student and Poet Mays Al Jamous shares her work with the class.
beginning. This course actively encourages students of different backgrounds to come together to share their stories of experience with each other. One of the main goals of this course is to support belonging and inclusion, facilitating intercultural connections. Throughout this course, students learned about their own stories and were given tools to share them with others. Instead of learning about culture and diversity from books and the internet, students learn from each other and create relationships. The process of creative writing and practicing mindfulness each day forms a community of learners.
A Multicultural Education Initiatives grant from MCoS partially supports spoken word artist Cat Abenstein to work with this class. She is a weekly presence and supports students through all phases of their writing from drafting, editing, sharing and even performing in front of the school. Cat uses her professional artist experience to support students to truly find and share their voices.
Grade 11 student, Amie LeGrand, reflects upon the impact of the mindful creative writing course: “In creative writing, we talk about the culture of everyone in the class and get to know each other and what they have experienced. We talk about the uncomfortable topics and write about them in poems, songs and speeches – this opens our minds. The work that I have seen from my classmates is astounding. To have such students at Sheldon just shows how multicultural we are as a school and that we are more unified than we realize… I’ve learned that fear or uncertainty creates prejudice and this leads to the act of discrimination, by learning about each other this is where we can end discrimination.”
During the school’s March 21 celebration, students share the work they have created in class and this ripples through the school community to create true inclusion and belonging. Students have an opportunity to hear stories of experience from cultures they likely would not otherwise hear. These students also share their work at a school celebration attended by over 500 students. The media is invited to this event as well and then their stories are shared worldwide. Some of the poems were recorded for CBC and then played over the radio. In addition, many students have shared work created in this class at other events such as reconciliation events, a Settlement Support Workers in Schools (SSWIS) conference and an English as an Additional Language (EAL) teacher’s conference. In addition, in 2017, the students published a book with Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation (SCIC) – so the work that is developed in the course becomes part of the community.
Student Poetry
Sheldon-Williams Collegiate – Mindful Creative Writing Course Poets featured below. L-R: Amie LeGrand, Mays Al Jamous and Sunny Sun.
Do you want to know Mays Al Jamous? By Amie LeGrand
What should I tell you about her?
The girl who has beautiful almond skin?
How would I describe her?
Would you like to get to know her?
Her kindness is known and shared to all
With her smile that makes everyone’s heart bounce with joy and delight.
She has bravery in her.
She may be soft spoken but what lays within her is a dangerous fire.
She has seen death by gunfire when people tried to hide and take cover.
She heard bombs and high-pitched screams when air fleets targeted her home streets.
Her experience and story of her life there has wise words with a ray of light for guidance and hope.
She now lives in Canada, eh!
With Saskatchewan’s flat grounds and minus fifty below weather.
Does she truly love the snowy weather?
Who the hell knows.
She will always miss Syria
Memories filled with love
She dreams of her bright future with a medical degree
And her children playing by her family tree Now that her country is now free
Now that I’ve told you about her
Would you like to know more
From the one, the only, Mays Al Jamous?
Being a Refugee
By Mays Al Jamous
Every person has a different experience
I can only share my experience
I am from Syria
I am a refugee
Refugees are
People who leave their countries
People who don’t have homes
People who face difficult choices
Refugees feel
Frightened
Confused
Lonely
Refugees hope
People will understand their feelings
People will not judge them at first sight
People will treat them like human beings
This refugee has
Dreams and hopes like you do
Feelings and heart like you do
Family and friends like you do
This refugee wishes
There would be no racism
There would be no discrimination
There would be no hate
This refugee is asking you to
Be Understanding
Be Unafraid
Be Loving
Every person has a different experience
I shared my experience
I am Mays from Syria
I am a strong refugee
Newcomer Issues
By: Sunny Sun
Many people have asked me the same question
What is it like to be a newcomer?
This is an ordinary question, however, it’s complicated to answer
Canada is a wonderful place
Multiple cultures make Canada more attractive
However, there will always be some issues and challenges in our lives
I believe newcomers to Canada will be perplexed by plentiful issues
In the first few days, weeks, months, even years
Everyone gets shocked by things that are new to them
Our worldview collapses and shatters into pieces
We learn new social contracts
Things that we were familiar with are gone
New paradigms are formed
Ideologies that we were taught get inverted
Things that were right, now become wrong
The origin of these problems
Leads us to the main point
ENGLISH
I have heard people say that English
Is the reason why newcomers get isolated
I am in total agreement with this
I believe 99.99 percent of conflicts or issues are related to English
The process of learning a new language is a long journey for everyone
Without English, you can’t communicate and you won’t receive any information
Sometimes not having enough English
Makes me feel like I am in a cage
It locks me inside and separates the world from me
Another problem that I think lots of newcomers will face
Is wanting to stay with people who speak their first language
This is something really common and there’s nothing wrong with it
Meeting new people is difficult
No one wants to be pushed out of their comfort zone
But one day you will have to make a friend who is a Canadian
The quicker you meet new people
The quicker your English will improve
The quicker you will feel belonging
Your friends might correct your mistakes
But don’t be shy, take advantage
Isn’t that what friends are for?
Making friends stops the suffering, the endless loneliness
Everyone will be proud of you
You will be proud of yourself
Sheldon-Williams Collegiate Mindful Creative Writing Course Video
Sheldon-Williams Collegiate in Regina, SK offers a Mindful Creative Writing Course. The program focuses on bringing youth from different backgrounds together to share their stories. Students use mindfulness to better understand themselves and the world around them. One of the main goals of the Mindful Creative Writing course is to help students gain a better understanding and make connections across different cultures.
Member Development Workshop: Governance and Board Succession Planning
The Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan strives to strengthen the capacity of its members by offering educational and training opportunities. To that end, we are offering a Member Development Workshop. Dawn Martin, from Daybreak Consulting, will share her expertise and experience on Governance and Board Succession Planning. Dawn Martin has served in a range of capacities both in government and as a private consultant. As a consultant, Dawn has spent 30 years assisting numerous agencies and non-profit organizations with strategic planning, performance measurement, governance and organizational development. Most recently, she has been working with SaskCulture as part of a pilot of its new Lifecycles Capacity Program for Cultural Organizations.
Dawn’s approach to governance issues in the voluntary sector is thoughtful and pragmatic. She understands the issues and challenges that board volunteers face and is eager to provide organizations with guidance and support that will make a difference.
When Dawn is not working as a consultant supporting non-profit organizations, she works for the City of Regina as a specialist in strategic planning and performance measurement.
Workshop Details
Facilitator: Dawn Martin (Daybreak Consulting) Date: August 31, 2018 (Friday) Time: 10:00am -3:00pm Location: George Bothwell Public Library, Program Room, 2965 Gordon Road , Regina (Fully accessible, Free Parking) Fees: Members: $25 per person; Non-members: $50 per person (Registration fee includes workshop materials and lunch on location) Registration closing date: August 24, 2018
Please note that the workshop is open to everybody; whether you are a board member, staff member or wish to attend in a private capacity.
00brandonwu@me.comhttps://mcos.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/mcos_official_logo_dark.pngbrandonwu@me.com2018-08-07 10:55:292018-08-07 10:55:29Member Development Workshop: Governance and Board Succession Planning