Wednesday, September 29, 2021

The Truth Shall Set You Free



Gloria Steinem once said, "The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off."

This Sept. 30, as many observe National Day of Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, it is hard not to get upset when you are faced with the truth that our beloved country systematically tried to assimilate the indigenous people into the cookie-cutter perception of what they thought a Canadian should look and act like. 

That act led to the the formation of residential schools and the Sixty's Scoop that saw thousands upon thousands of children torn away from their families to be "educated" in the ways of the European Canadian.

The truth of that act, however, was children who were physically, mentally and sexually abused by the very people who were charged with their care; thousands of children disposed of in unmarked graves on school grounds; and the multi-generational post-traumatic stress disorder that continues to plague Canada's First Nation peoples.

So, as we prepare to mark the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we have to ask ourselves what that reconciliation will actually look like. For many, it will be a day to remember, acknowledge and reconcile with the truths we can no longer hide. Sept. 30 is a day to honour those lost children and survivors of residential schools, their families and communities. It is about coming face-to-face with the tragic, painful, horrific realities that befell the indigenous peoples in our nation, and what we intend to do to ensure such atrocities never happen again.
 
At TMC, revealing that truth begins with wearing a colour that is hard to miss: orange.

The Orange Shirt Day movement has polarized Canadians in acknowledging the long-buried truths that our history books don't quite do justice in recording. Like many throughout the country, our students and staff will don orange shirts Sept 29, on the eve of the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation holiday, to commemorate the wrongs done to a huge segment of our population and honour the survivors. We urge everyone to continue that practice on Sept. 30, as well.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action

The federal Truth and Reconciliation Commission operated from 2008 to 2015, with the sole purpose to  provide those affected by the legacy of the Residential Schools Policy to present testimonials, stories, statements and experiences. The commission documented the materials gathered and created a library collection for ongoing research.

The commission identified 94 calls to action as a result of the information gathered. The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation was No. 80 on that list.


History of Residential Schools 
in Canada

There were 140 federally run Indian Residential Schools in Canada, which operated between 1831 and 1998, with the last school closing some 23 years ago. 

Survivors advocated for recognition and reparations, as well as demanded accountability for the lasting legacy of harms caused by the schools.

The commission's efforts resulted in:

Why We Wear Orange

On Sept. 29, TMC students and staff will join thousands of other schools in Canada in wearing orange to show solidarity to the Orange Shirt Day movement. This year, the day falls on the eve of the newly appointed National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30, which will be a holiday at the Calgary Board of Education, and a day to reflect on the impact residential schools have on our society's past, present and future. 

The Orange Shirt Story by Phyllis Webstad, chronicling an eight-year-old's 12 months at the Mission residential school in British Columbia, and the significance of the Orange Shirt movement. It is one of many books on residential schools we have purchased for our Learning Commons collection.

Phyllis (Jack) Webstad's Orange Shirt Story

Follow on Twitter: #OrangeShirtDay
Click to Learn more about Orange Shirt Day

When Phyllis Jack was only six years old, she lived with her grandmother on the Dog Creek Reserve in British Columbia until she, like many other indigenous children in Canada, was shipped off to residential school. It was 1973/74, and her grandmother decided to scrape together whatever money she could find to buy Phyllis a bright orange shirt to take with her to the Mission school.

However, upon her arrival, she was stripped of her clothes and the one possession that tied her to her granny. In fact, instead of embracing her, she and others were treated like lesser people — people whose traditions, culture, language, heritage and appearance were displeasing and must be changed. The message was often beat into them so that they would not falter in their transformation. As a result, identities were lost, as was self-worth.

Phyllis was a third-generation residential-school survivor. She had grown up with a mother and grandmother who had similar treatments, with likewise results. To say when the last residential school door closed in 1998 ended the trauma would be delusional, to say the least. As each generation deals with the ramifications of the atrocities and years of abuse at the hands of those in authority, that PTSD adds to the recovery as much as the personal physical and mental distress. It is systemic, long-lasting, irreversible.

So, where can reconciliation be found? In acknowledgement; in consideration; in inclusion; in open, truthful discussions; and, yes, in a visible reminder that the orange shirts represent.

To help accomplish this, Phyllis wrote wrote The Orange Shirt Story, telling the sad tale of her first year at the Mission school and the importance one piece of clothing had to identity.

Today, Phyllis Jack (now Webstad) is a Northern Secwpemc (Schuswap) elder from the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation (Canoe Creek Indian Band). She lives in Williams Lake, B.C., with her husband, son, step-son, and five grandchildren. She tours the country, telling The Orange Shirt Story, as the executive director of the Orange Shirt Society. The society's goal is to create awareness of individual, family and community intergenerational impacts of Indian residential schools through Orange Shirt Day activities, and to promote the mantra that "every child matters."

The Orange Shirt Society began commemorating Sept. 30 as Orange Shirt Day in 2013 in Williams Lake, B.C., which has since spread throughout school districts across the country.

Secret Path Week: Oct. 17 - 22

Secret Path Week is a national movement which occurs annually from Oct. 17-22. 

The week was inspired by The Secret Path by deceased author and Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie and Jeff Lemire. The graphic novel is a heart-rending story of an indigenous boy, Chanie Wenjack, who froze to death while running away from a residential school in an effort to reunite with his family. 

Organizers of the week challenge Canadians to use the week to answer 's call to action, "to 'do something' by creating a reconciliaACTION and furthering the conversation about the history of residential schools.

Residential School Books at TMC

Over the past few years, we have steadily accumulated a growing collection of books and audio/visual resources focusing on the residential schools, and their survivors, including:

Non-Fiction:

RealFiction: 

Digital Resources

Kids News Explains What is Reconciliation?



The Importance of National Truth and Reconciliation Day by Cree author Michelle Good.

Residential Schools in Canada: A Timeline by Historica Canada



Namwayut: We Are All One: Chief Robert Joseph shares his experience as a residential school survivor and the importance of truth and reconciliation in Canada



Fatty Legs: A True Story author Christy Jordan-Fenton reads Chapter 1 from her book, which was co-authored by Margaret Olemaun Pokiak-Fenton 




In this CBC Arts Live documentary, the late Canadian Tragically Hip frontman, Gord Downie, explains the journey he took to recounting the true story of 12-year-old Chanie Wenjack, who ran away from the Cecelia Jeffery Residential School in Kenora, ON, in 1966. In his graphic novel, The Secret Path, illustrated by Jeff Lemire, Downie sings his song of the same name, delivering a haunting musical commemoration of Chanie's life and his fatal trek to return home to Ogoki Post, some 600 kilometres away. The. documentary also includes conversations with Chanie Wenjack's family and the impact his tragic death, as well as the residential schools' impact on their community, their culture, their families.
This documentary includes a panel discussion on The Road to Reconciliation



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Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Win Prizes in TMC's Summer Reading Challenge


School's out for summer...but not reading!

This past school year has been nothing if not interesting: We went back and forth between in-person classes and online studies; we've had to use online book orders to check out titles from the Learning Commons, which was closed for browsing; and we've had to log onto virtual book talks and presentations in order to find out what new additions have been added to the TMC library collection.

However, because it hasn't been an ordinary year, the summer ahead will not be run-of-the-mill either, as TMC launches its first-ever Summer Reading Challenge, with numerous prizes up for grabs to all who participate.

The challenge gives students the opportunity to log their reading from July 1 to Sept. 1, whether it is done with books from home, the public library or with eBooks posted on the website created specifically for this challenge.

The Summer Reading Challenge Website

(Click on the heading to be directed to the site.)

On this site, you will find a wide range of eBooks you can flip through. All you need to do is be logged into your CBE EDU Google account to access the website. Once in, you will find novels and graphic novels that you can read from the comfort of your own home, vacation property, relative's house or campsite — wherever you have Internet service. You can even download books, or make them accessible to offline services via your Google Settings, before you leave your house!

Each title has the suggested reading level, so you and your parents don't have to wonder if it is appropriate for you. 

Whether you choose to use the website or paper copies from another collection, you can still log your reading AND enter to win great prizes, however.

Contest and Prizes

               

Scroll down the website page to find the Contest Entry Form. You will need to check off the titles you've read on the website, or log your own titles in the form before you enter your submission. Just be sure you submit your form by Sept. 10 to qualify for the prizes. DRAW DATE: SEPT. 13!

  1. Top Prize: Bloom Trilogy by Canadian best-selling author Kenneth Oppel (Bloom, Hatch, Thrive) 
  2. Four Runner-Up Prizes: Copy of Skeleton Tree by best-selling Canadian Author Iain Lawrence 
  3. PLUS: 3 Random Draws for new books
  4. PLUS: 1 Random Draw for a No Holds Barred Access Pass for the Learning Commons, which entitles the winner to first-dib holds on titles in the TMC Learning Commons for the 2021-2022 school year
  5. PLUS: All who enter get a laminated custom-designed TMC Learning Commons Bookmark!

Summer Reading Challenge Website eBooks 

(Click on the heading to be directed to the site.)

The Summer Reading Challenge website has numerous eBooks I've compiled for the contest, so check them out!

eBook novel titles:

eBook graphic novels:



 

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Tuesday, June 8, 2021

National Indigenous History Month Tragically Ironic



When irony becomes a needle, you know there’s mending involved.
 
June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada and I find it tragically ironic that on the eve of this final month of school, the remains of 215 children were discovered at the Kamloops Indian Residential School.
 
The shock and horror of the discovery at the hands of new ground-penetrating radar technology was something many of the southern B.C. The Nation of Tk'emlups te Secwepemc had long suspected but had no hard evidence to prove.
 
As I, and many others, read the articles and listened to news reports on May 31, my heart was pierced with the realization that this was one school of 139, and the idea that there could be another 138 child-burial grounds out there is not only heartbreaking, it is soul-wrenchingly plausible.

The history of residential schools in this country has never been a good one. We’ve heard testimonies of physical, emotional and sexual abuse from former students who did manage to survive. Their lives, and the lives of further generations, were forever impacted by those experiences — a poison that seeped through the veins of one child, only to be injected into every child thereafter.

But needles are not just tools to inject; they are also the means to mend.

History is a thread that weaves in and out of our culture, and we must acknowledge and give it the standing it deserves if we want true reconciliation and bring the ripped fabric of our society together. It can not be swept under the rug, ignored, devalued, for it defines who we were and who we have become. It lays the foundation of a society and how it views its citizens. It is the path behind and the path forward. In short, it is our compass, to be used to navigate and direct our future, as well as show us how we got here in the first place.

The fact that has only been in the past few years that information pertaining to residential schools has been included in school curriculum is atrocious but more so is the idea that someone can go through post-secondary education and not have one conversation, lecture, lesson on that history is downright appalling.
As a former journalist, I didn’t hear about residential schools until my first newspaper job in Leduc, a city of about 30,000 located 33 kilometres south of Edmonton, and I wasn’t the only one in the dark. In the past few weeks, I have conversed with other journalists and they, too, had similar experiences. It was only when interviewing First Nations people in the course of our jobs that we were faced with this part of Canadian history.

Whitewashing never looked so stark, and frightening.

If we really want to mend from the horrors of the past, that needle — no matter how ironic or poisonous — needs to sew after it injects.

Ensuring that historical-education thread is in Twelve Mile Coulee’s fabric has been a priority of our school and our Learning Commons’ collection for the past several years.

Like many in our district, we acknowledge the lands of the ancestors the schools were built on, we commemorate Orange Shirt Day, we include residential-school teachings in the curriculum, and we actively purchase educational materials.
 
You can read more about our books pertaining to residential schools in my Orange Shirt Day blog here.
For this blog, however, I want to focus on the history of our indigenous brothers and sisters. Their legacy is far more encompassing than a forced assimilation or the on-going investigation into the missing and murdered indigenous women. To think otherwise is an injustice to their culture and their sacrifices, which is why at TMC we just don’t focus on the tragedy that befell the First Nations People; we include their stories, their beliefs, their culture, their impacts and their perspectives.

History for healing.
History for honour.
History for hope.

Ending discrimination and prejudice involves all three, so there’s no time like the present to forge a new path.

Indigenous History Books at TMC

In recent years, our indigenous collection has expanded exponentially, with the addition of updated non-fiction titles, including those that pertain to the First Nations in Alberta, as well as fiction titles that touch on indigenous culture, myths and legends, struggles, residential schools, and societies. In fact, the TMC Learning Commons collection has more than 150 indigenous books that students and staff can check out and each year, that number grows.

Last year, we also purchased several new series that delve into the similar themes in both novel and graphic novel formats. I highly recommend these series, as they focus on heritage and culture, the past and the present:

1. Turtle Island Voices by various authors (early readers, fiction)

Publishing by Pearson Canada, this series focuses on First Nations, Métis and Inuit perspectives, as well as introduces the concepts of inter-connectedness, respect for life, and the quest for a better future. Each book offers children the opportunity to recognize the role and contributions indigenous peoples in the life, culture and heritage of Canada, in addition to encouraging children to become more empathetic, as well as family-, community- and globally-aware. The series has titles in each grade level and TMC has purchased those for Grade 6, which involve traditional aboriginal origin stories retold by aboriginal authors, as well as high-interest modern stories with indigenous protagonists and those pertaining to social studies and the arts: Stories of Thunderbird, Nothing Scares Me, Glooscap Stops the Wind, Unexpected Friends, The Boy Who Told Tales, Close to Home, The Mystery of Lake Laberge, Contact, Let's Dance and Danger. Suggested reading level: Gr. 1-8

2. 7 Generations: A Plains Cree Saga by David Robertson (graphic novels, fiction)

This national best-selling, four-part, graphic-novel series follows an aboriginal family over three centuries and seven generations — as warriors, survivors of a smallpox epidemic and casualties of residential schools. Written by award-winning Winnipeg writer David A. Robertson, who is a member of Norway House Cree Nation, and beautifully illustrated by award-winning illustrator by Scott B. Henderson. 
Titles include 7 Generations: A Plains Cree Saga (Vol. 1-4), Stone: Vol. 1, Scars: Vol. 2, Ends/Beginnings: Vol. 3. The Pact: Vol. 4. Suggested reading level: Grade 9-12

3. A Girl Called Echo by Katherena Vermette (graphic novels, fiction)

Written by Red River Métis (Michif) writer Katherena Vermette from Treaty 1 territory in Winnipeg, A Girl Called Echo is the story of a 13-year-old Métis girl who is struggling with her feelings of loneliness while attending a new school and living with a new family, until she finds herself transported into history while in, ironically, history class. The series takes Echo Desjardins to a Métis camp, old fur-trading routes, a bison hunt on the Saskatchewan prairie, and the perilous and bygone era of the Pemmican Wars. Titles include: Pemmican Wars: A Girl Called Echo: Vol. 1, Red River Resistance: A Girl Called Echo: Vo. 2, and Northwest Resistance: A Girl Called Echo: Vol. 3. Suggested reading level: Grade 7-12

4. Tales From Big Spirit by David A. Robertson (graphic novels, non-fiction)

This non-fiction graphic-novel series highlights important indigenous people in Canadian history. Each beautifully illustrated book is written by David A. Robertson and illustrated by various artists, including Scot B. Henderson and fellow Manitobans Wai Tien and Andrew Lodwick. Titles include: The Land of Os: John Ramsay, The Peacemaker: Thanadelthur, The Rebel: Gabriel Dumont, The Scout: Tommy Prince, and The Ballad of Nancy April: Shawnadithit. Suggested reading level: Grade 4-6

Here are some of the nearly 100 Non-fiction titles in our collection (to find others, just search "indigenous" in eLibrary, using "subject"):
  1. What the Eagle Sees: Indigenous stories of Rebellion and Renewal by Eldon Yellowhorn
  2. Residential Schools: The Devastating Impact on Canada’s Indigenous Peoples and the Truth of Reconciliation Commission's Findings and Calls for Action by Melanie Florence
  3. Peace Walker: The Legend of Hiawatha and Tekanawita by C.J. Taylor
  4. My Name is Arnaktauyok: The Life and Art of Germaine Arnaktauyok by Germaine Arnaktauyok
  5. Our Ice is Vanishing: A History of Inuit, Newcomers and Climate Change by Shelley Wright
  6. Great Women From Our First Nations by Kelly Fournel
  7. Conversations With a Dead Man: The Legacy of Duncan Campbell Scott by Mark Abley
  8. Native Chiefs and Famous Métis: Leadership and Bravery in the Canadian West by Holly Quan
  9. Meet Tom Longboat by Elizabeth MacLeod
  10. 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act: Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a Reality by Bob Joseph

History of Residential Schools in Canada

More than 150,000 children were ripped from their families for more than 160 years to attend residential schools operated in Canada. With the exception of Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, every province and territory was home to the federally funded, church-run boarding schools, the last of which didn’t close until 1996 in Saskatchewan. First Nations, Métis and Inuit children were forced to abandon their families, communities and cultures for lodging that would be their demise, whether by mental, physical or sexual abuse as the governing churches strove to agressively assimilate them into colonial society by stripping them of their culture, language, and traditions.
— Source Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada, Truth and Reconciliation by Canadian Geographic


National Indigenous History Month

In 2009, the House of Commons unanimously passed a motion to make the month of June National Indigenous History Month to honour the history, heritage and diversity of Indigenous peoples in Canada. It is also an opportunity to recognize the strength of present-day Indigenous. To learn more click here

Click on the topic links below to learn more:

Digital Resources









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Saturday, February 20, 2021

Lovestruck Part 3: Pink Shirt Day

On this last entry in my Lovestruck series, it is quite telling that this blog is all about love, or how the lack of it, can affect others. It is this omission that leads to the most cruel behaviour in our society: Bullying.

Whether you are a child, youth, teen or adult, bullying plays a role in nearly aspect of your life, unfortunately. It can pop up in an office or a seniors' home as easily as it can on a playground and in a classroom; it can cause just as much stress and anxiety to a 13-year-old as it does to an 83-year-old. In short, bullying is brutal. 

It sets the stage for what is acceptable and what is expected and, if unchecked, it will govern how we, as a society, treat others within our society, leading to racism, alienation, depression, and suicide. In fact, if you look at how we treat the lest in our society, it gives you a window into the soul of our network: Do we choose kindness or do we choose unkindness? Much like bullying, kindness has a ripple effect that is long-lasting: It helps grow our perceptions of who we are, our role in society, and how that role governs our growth as a people and as a nation.

With a word, a phrase, a nickname, a tease, bullies can bring down the tallest, the strongest, the most talented among us. They can zero in on our insecurities, our fears and highlight the small aspects of our personalities, our appearances and make them appear huge for all to see.

So, what do we do? How do we stop bullying?

First, we bring it out of the shadows and put that jagged little pill that we've been struggling to swallow under the microscope. Like any nasty underbelly to a society, exposing it doesn't stop it from happening — you actually need to take action; stand up for alternative messaging.  It wasn't until we had a dedicated day to draw attention to bullying, for example, that anti-bullying messaging became mainstream. That alternative messaging didn't originate from a committee, a board, a working group — it came from the empathy shown by two Grade 12 students at a high school in Halifax. Their actions have reverberated around the globe, spreading the message of kindness to nations worldwide, all because they empathized with a male Grade 9 student who was bullied for wearing pink. 

They saw an injustice and they acted by engaging the alternative message, one of empathy, inclusion, and above all, kindness.

So never think one act of kindness goes unnoticed. It does, and that is one ripple effect I would get behind 100 per cent!

Pink Shirt Day

This year, Pink Shirt Day will be held Wednesday, Feb. 24. The origin of the day dates back to 2007, when two Nova Scotia high-school students — David Shepherd and Travis Price — began an organized high-school protest, with the help of their friends, to show solidarity towards a Grade 9 boy who was being bullied for wearing a pink shirt. 

The group showed up at school wearing pink and this one act of kindness and peaceful protest against hate harassment began a movement that caught on in other schools, other provinces, other countries around the globe. In fact, through the kind actions of Shepherd and Price sprung the International Day of Pink, marked each year in April (this year, April 14). The international movement zeroed in on the cause of the pink-shirt bullying: homophobia, transphobia, transmisogyny, and all other forms of bullying and propelled that protest further with information campaigns around bullying and discrimination, especially discrimination based on gender affiliation.

Discrimination and bullying based on race, age, abilities, gender or sexuality is of growing concern in our society, so the International Day of Pink has ambassadors promoting the Think Pink messaging not only in Canada but in countries all over the world. 

Thinking Pink at TMC

Close to home, Twelve Mile Coulee School will be encouraging all staff and students to wear pink to symbolize an intolerance to bullying. In recent years, I have also diversified our Learning Commons collection to include many LGBTQ+ titles in our collection — both non-fiction and fiction. These books are excellent ways to normalize varying genders and to share that kindness, that love to others, whether they fall within the mainstream or not. 

It's not by accident that Twelve Mile Coulee's school motto is Work Hard, Learn Tons, Be Kind. It's our way of thinking pink EVERY day. 

To foster that, here is our collection of LGBTQ+ books, which can be checked out by using our Online Book Order form:
  1. Red: A Crayon's Story by Michael Hall. Suggested Reading Level: PrS-Grade 3
  2. I am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings. Suggested Reading Level: K-Grade 3
  3. Hazel's Theory of Evolution by Lisa Jenn Bigelow. Winner of the Lambda Literary Award: Suggested Reading Level Grade 3-7 
  4. George by Alex Gino. Suggested Reading Level: Grade 3-7
  5. The Best at It by Maulik Pancholy. Stonwall Honor Book. Suggested Reading Level: Grade 3-7
  6. The Other Boy by M.G. Hennessey. Suggested Reading Level: Grade 5-7
  7. Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky. Suggested Reading Level: Grade 5-8
  8. Heartstopper: Volume 1 by Alice Oseman. (graphic novel). Suggested Reading Level: Grade 7-12
  9. When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore. (Winner of 2016 Tiptree Award; long-listed for the 2016 National Book Award for Young People's Literature; Stonewall Book Award Honor; Kirkus Best Book of 2016 and A Booklist Editor's Choice). Suggested Reading Level: Grade 7-12
  10. As the Crow Flies by Melanie Gillman (graphic novel). Suggested Reading Level: Grade 8-12
  11. Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin. Suggested Reading Level: Grade 9-12
  12. What if It's Us by Becky Albertalli. New York Times bestseller. Suggested Reading Level: Grade 9-12
  13. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo. ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults Award; Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book Award; Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book. Suggested Reading Level: Grade 9-12
  14. The Book of Pride by Mason Funk. (Non-fiction)
  15. Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin (Non-fiction)
  16. Sex Discrimination by Peggy Parks (Non-fiction)
  17. Is Gender Fluid? A Primer for the 21st Century by Sally Hines (Non-fiction)
  18. Teens and Gender Dysphoria by Don Nardo (Non-fiction)
  19. Gender Equality by Sean Connolly (Non-fiction)

Purchased (soon to be delivered/added):

  1. King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender (2020 National Book Award Winner). Suggested Reading Level: Grade 3-7
  2. The Fabulous Zed Watson by Kevin Sylvester. Suggested Reading Level: Grade 3-7
  3. Birdie and Me by J.M.M. Nuanez. Suggested Reading Level: Grade 5-9
  4. Spin with Me by Ami Polonsky. Suggested Reading Level: Grade 5-8
  5. Always Human by Ari North. Suggested Reading Level: Grade 7-12
  6. Pet by Akwaeke Emezi. Suggested Reading Level: Grade 7-12
  7. The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen (graphic novel). Suggested Reading Level Grade 7-12
  8. Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian. Suggested Reading Level: Grade 8-12
  9. Mask of Shadows fantasy series by Linsey Miller. Suggested Reading Level: Grade 9-12
  10. 19 Love Songs by David Levithan (short-story collection). Suggested Reading Level: Grade 9-12
  11. Break in Case of Emergency by Brian Francis. Suggested Reading Level: Grade 9-12
  12. We Set the Dark on Fire series by Tehlor Kay Mejia. Suggested Reading Level: Grade 9-12
  13. The Black Flamingo (novel in verse). Suggested Reading Level: Grade 9-12
  14. Flamer by Mike Curato (graphic novel). Suggested Reading Level: Grade 9-12
  15. Proud to Play: Canadian LGBTQ+ Athletes Who Made History by Erin Silver. (Non-fiction) 

Bullying Facts

Alberta bullying statistics from the Alberta Civil Liberties Centre:
  • 1 in 3 adolescent students report being bullied in the past three months.
  • Bullying peaks for boys in Grade 9 (37 per cent) and for girls in grades 8 and 9 (28 per cent).
  • In a 2006 study, 39 per cent of students reported they were bullied, and 20 per cent reported both bullying and being themselves.
  • On a national scale, Canada ranks 26th and 27th among 35 countries on the bullying and victimization scales, respectively, among 13-year-old students.
According to the centre, sexual harassment is the No. 1 form of bullying, and 66 per cent of that harassment involves sexual comments, jokes, gestures, looks and 49 per cent involving touching, pinching or grabbing in a sexual way. More disturbing is the fact that 81 per cent of youth reported having been sexually harassed, with 35 per cent stating they first experienced sexual harassment in elementary school.

"Bullying is a repeated and hostile or demeaning behaviour intended to cause harm, fear or distress, including psychological harm or harm to a person's reputation. It often involves an imbalance of social or physical power." Alberta Education

Alberta Education identifies bullying behaviours as a form of aggression and can be:
  • Physical, such as poking, elbowing, hitting
  • Verbal, such as name-calling, insults, racist, sexist or homophobic comments, put-downs or threats
  • Social, such as gossiping, spreading rumours, excluding someone from the group, isolating, ganging up
  • Cyber, such as social or verbal bullying through the use of email, text messages or social media posts
  • Bullying is "very much a group phenomenon," states Alberta Education's website for educators, noting 85 per cent of bullying takes place in the presence of others. This is why the department has introduced several initiatives to address bulling in schools, including the Respect in School online training program to prevent abuse, bullying, harassment and discrimination in schools.

Bullying Prevention

Reporting incidents of bullying is also a major part in defeating it, whether that is to our parents/guardians, our teachers, our principals, our administrators, our bosses. Alberta Education has recognized that, "bullying prevention is an ongoing, collaborative, problem-solving process that is an essential part of creating welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environments," and as such, requires a comprehensive approach.

That approach is two-fold: The role of adults and the role of the student body/community. Together, bullying behaviour can be nipped in the bud, reported, addressed, and the message of kindness and the importance of positive relationships can be promoted in a strategic action plan. For these initiatives to work, everyone needs to be involved, from students and their parents or guardians to educators and administrators.

To fight bullying takes a massive effort from all parties involved but the ripples are worth it!
Our world can do with a lot more kindness these days, so let's all Get in the Pink!

Literary Resources

Red: A Crayon's Story by Michael Hall read-along with Miss Winnie, PBS Kids:


I am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings read-along by Jazz Jennings:


Q&A with Ami Polonsky on her book Gracefully Grayson


Other Digital Resources

Edmonton Police Service Cyber Bullying Prevention Video:


On Nov. 17, 2011, 150 students and staff from St. Albert Catholic Schools joined then Alberta Education Minister Thomas Lukaszuk and CTV's Josh Classen in a flash mob at Kingsway Mall in Edmonton to stand up to bullying:


Alberta 24-7 Bullying Prevention Helpline: 1-888-456-2323 (toll-free)

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Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Lovestruck Part 2: Blind Date With a Book

Dating can be tough, but a blind date, well that's just asking for a letdown — right?

Not necessarily, especially when that blind date is a book you never thought of checking out!

I began doing Blind Date With A Book about five years ago. It's a wonderful way for students to connect with a book that they may not have ordinarily given a second glance, due to its cover, genre, age, or format. Blind dates, after all, come with a mystery to their character, their histories, their stories.  So, when we give them a chance to reveal their personalities, they often surprise us and the date ends with a new appreciation and sometimes, a blossoming love.

During a normal year, students could come to the Learning Commons and select their blind date from a display of prepackaged, heart-decorated dates that have humourous puns on the packaging that would give clues to the date's personality. The packages would have copied barcodes glued to the back so the dates could be checked out without the students knowing the dates' true identities. With the advent of a pandemic, however, the process looks a little different, albeit just as fun!

This year, to order a blind date, all students need to do is use the Online Book Order Form and instead of typing in the name of the book they want to check out in the "Title" section, all they need to do is type in Blind Date instead. They can even add the preferred personality (aka genre) of their blind date, such as:
  • Humour
  • Mystery 
  • Science Fiction
  • Suspense/Thriller
  • Action and Adventure 
  • Horror
  • Romance
  • Fantasy
  • Magical
  • Dystopian
  • Historical Fiction (fictional stories based on historic events)
  • Real Fiction (fictional stories based on real-life events)
  • Animal Fiction (stories were animals are the main characters: ie. Warriors, Puppy Tales, A Dog's Purpose)
  • LGBTQ
  • Graphic Novel
  • Fiction in Verse (Poetry)
  • Or a combination of two genres! 

After submitting their orders, I get to work selecting a date for the students, packaging the dates in envelopes decorated with hearts and a couple of puns about their date's personalities/characters, include Valentine's Day Bookmarks, seal it all up and quarantine the dates for three days, as per the Learning Commons' protocols, and then they are delivered to the students' classrooms on the Heart Cart!

Blind Date With a Book will be running all through the month of February, so as many students as possible can have the opportunity to enter the book-dating scene!

As of 8 a.m. on Feb. 10, I've fixed up 32 blind dates for students!

And that is one love story that will stand the test of time: The love of reading something new!

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Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Lovestruck Part 1: Black History Month

Love.

For four letters, it can stir up some drastic emotions, especially when they involve someone we want to spend the rest of our lives with. However, love can be applied to a multitude of reactions, not the least of which is acceptance and respect. So, while February has long been referred to as the Month of Love, with Valentine's Day on Feb. 14, I find it quite appropriate that February is also Black History Month and the month when we don rosey attire for Pink Shirt Day Feb. 24, to draw attention to the plight against bullying.

They may all seem to be mashed into 28 days but they can all be boiled down to four letters: L-O-V-E — for the legacy black Canadians have made in our society, culture and communities; for the new relationships we have, including with books we have yet to read, through Blind Date With a Book; and for others, as we commemorate the anti-bullying Pink Shirt Day.


Part 1: Black History Month

The theme for this year's Black History Month is The Future is Now, and with the advent of the Black Lives Matter Movement in Canada, the future is indeed now, and it has never been more relevant to our perceptions, treatment, and governance of people of colour. To think about our future as a nation of colour, we have to invest the time and energy into looking into our past to see how we got to where we are, and the journey forward, whether it is paved with pebbles or boulders. And like all good journeys, ours to the future begins with a map of the past. It will come as a shock to many that Canada wasn't always the refuge for slaves fleeing the South; it was also a nation of enslavement itself.

Much like our American neighbour, the enslavement of African peoples in what was then British North America (early-day Canada) was a legal means to have an easily accessible labour force to fuel colonial enterprise. European traders and colonists in New France participated in the buying, selling and enslavement of black people beginning in the early 1600s, and that practice lasted throughout British North America until 1834, when it was abolished. Whether they were the first enslaved people (indigenous; panis) or the last (black; domestique), their existence was legalized, fostered, and encouraged through legislation.

According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, there were about 4,200 slaves in New France at the peak of slavery, about 2,700 of whom were indigenous who were enslaved until 1783, and at least 1,443 were black people enslaved between the late 1600s and 1831. Slavery in Canada was given a boost around the time of the American Revolution, when the Imperial Statute of 1790 encouraged United Empire Loyalists in the U.S. to bring their slaves north between 1775-1783. All toll, about 3,000 enslaved people of African descent were brought into British North America and by the l790s, the number of enslaved black people in the Maritimes (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island) was 1,200-2,000, with about another 300 in Lower Canada (Quebec) and 500-700 in Upper Canada (Ontario).

We often wonder in present-day why racism and discrimination towards black and indigenous peoples in North America are so rooted in our societies and in my view, it can all be traced back to slavery: Initiating a caste system that puts one people lower in rank than others for the sole purpose of cheap labour and the ability to call oneself above a certain station — that of a slave. In Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Pulitzer-Prize winning and New York Times bestselling author Isabel Wilkerson, Wilkerson wrote: "As we go about our daily lives, caste is the wordless usher in a darkened theatre, flashlight cast down in the aisles, guiding us to our assigned seats for a performance. The hierarchy of caste is not about feelings or morality. It is about power, which groups have it and which do not."

But this is a blog about accomplishments: of rising above and making a difference because slave or free, black people and their communities have shaped nearly every aspect of Canadian society since the arrival of Mathieu DaCosta in the 1600s, a free man who was thought to be the first black person to arrive in British North America. Da Costa was employed as a navigator and interpreter for Samuel de Champlain. 

So let's turn our gaze closer to home, Alberta, where there have been black people living in our province since before the 1870s, working as fur traders or cowboys. According to Alberta's Heritage Community Foundation, there were 37 documented black settlers in the province in 1901, a number that grew tremendously after advertisements were placed in Oklahoma newspapers looking for settlers to move to province. Between 1908 and 1911, more than 1,000 black people migrated north to Alberta, as a result. However, upon their arrival, they were treated with the same racism and discrimination they had undergone in Oklahoma. Advertisements to discourage black migration were subsequently placed in newspapers in the U.S. state but despite this deterrent, their numbers grew as more and more fled north. In 1911, the Boards of Trade in Strathcona, Calgary, Fort Saskatchewan and Morinville drafted a petition containing more than 3,000 signatures to Prime Minister Sir. Wilfrid Laurier opposing the entry of any more blacks into the province. Despite this overt unwelcome message, the black communities in Alberta survived and even thrived in the earlier part of the 20th century. Amber Valley, Junkins (now Wildwood), Keystone (now Breton) and Campsie were established by some of Alberta's most resourceful black pioneers.

Leaving a Legacy

Black History Month in Canada would probably have never took hold if not for the groundwork done by former slave owner, Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe. Long before slavery would be abolished in 1834, Simcoe urged government to pass the Anti-Slavery Act, which would free slaves 25 years old and older, and making it illegal to bring slaves into Upper Canada. This sparked the beginning of the Underground Railroad which, from 1800-1865, saw 20,000 black slaves smuggled into Upper Canada from the United States. Upon their arrival, they set to work making a life for themselves, and beginning a legacy of involvement and heritage.

Two such examples were Thornton and Lucie Blackburn, who after escaping slavery in Louisville, Kentucky, arrived in Toronto via the Underground Railroad in the 1830s, and then Thornton proceeded to start Toronto's first cab company. The couple took part in anti-slavery activities and donated time and money to assist other refugees in Canada. The duo were given the distinction of being "persons of national historic significance" by the Canadian government in 1999.

In 2008, the Senate passed a motion to recognize black Canadians and recognize February as Black History Month. In that motion, the legacy of notable black Canadians were highlighted, including:
  • Rose Fortune: North America's first black policewoman, as well as being an accomplished businesswoman and entrepreneur
  • William Hall: A seaman in the British Royal Navy who became the first black man to win the Victoria Cross
  • Anderson Ruffin Abbot: The first Canadian-born black person to graduate from medical school. He was a surgeon in Toronto and served as a civilian surgeon for the Union Army in the American Civil War
  • James Robinson Johnston: The first black graduate of the Dalhousie Law School (in fact, the first black Canadian to graduate from any university). He would later become a lawyer, politician and judge.
  • Portia White: One of Canada's greatest contraltos was considered one of the best classical singers of the 20th century, and paved the way for many other black musicians
  • Viola Desmond: Nova Scotia activist and businesswoman who challenged racial segregation at a cinema in new Glasgow, N.S., in 1946, by refusing to leave the whites-only section.
  • Harry Jerome: The black Canadian sprinter to hold both the 100-yard and 100-metre records. Born in Prince Albert, Sask. in 1940, he was also a teacher and consultant.
  • Lincoln MacCauley Alexander: The first black Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons in 1968, as well as being the first black Lieutenant Governor of Canada. In 2015, Jan. 21 was proclaimed as Lincoln Alexander Day across Canada for his many accomplishments
  • George Elliott Clark: Toronto poet, novelist and playwright who spent his life exploring the black culture and heritage of black Nova Scotia, earning a bachelors from the University of Waterloo, a masters from Dalhousie University and a doctorate from Queen's University along the way. His poetry collection includes Execution Poem: The Black Acadian Tragedy of George and Rue (2001), which won the Governor General's Literary Award.
  • Carrie Best: Human rights activist, journalist, broadcaster and founder of The Clarion, the first black-owned and published newspaper in Nova Scotia
  • Austin Clarke: Teacher and renowned novelist, Clarke was awarded Canada's most prestigious annual award for fiction, the Giller Prize, for his novel, The Polished Hoe
  • Maxine Tynes: Tynes was a celebrated poet and teacher, as well as being the first African Canadian to be appointed a member of the Board of Governors of Dalhousie University
  • Betty Riley: Of Saint John, N.B., Riley was the first black female television producer in Canada, airing the first all-black television program, Black Is, which dealt with issues that the black community faced, which was broadcasted every week in Montreal.
  • Oscar Peterson: Eminent jazz musician and Chancellor of York University in Toronto, Peterson joined the Johnny Holmes Orchestra in Montreal while still in high school and later formed his own trio, which further established him as a renowned performer in Canada, including being named Jazz Pianist of the Year in 1950, the Praemium Imperiale (the arts equivalent of the Nobel Prize, presented by the Japan Art Association), the UNESCO International Music Prize, eight-time Grammy Awards' winner, and three-time winner of the 1993 Glenn Gould Prize.
  • Wayne Adams: Politician, journalist, activist and entrepreneur, Adams was the first black person elected to the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly and the first black cabinet minister in Nova Scotia. He received the Order of Canada and the Order of Nova Scotia.
From the serving in the many British North American and Canadian conflicts, including the War of 1812, to the all-black Coloured Hockey League of the Maritimes, which was founded in Nova Scotia in 1895, to artists, musicians, activists, politicians and journalists, the black community in Canada has a long history of stepping up, stepping out, and stepping forward for many to walk behind.

In fact, their legacy in the Maritimes can be further researched through many historic associations, post-secondary institutions and news agencies, including The University of New Brunswick, The Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia: African Nova Scotia Museum and Black Cultural Society, The Black Cultural Society of Prince Edward Island, CBC: The 'hidden' history of The Bog--Charlottetown's forgotten black neighbourhood.


Origin of Black History Month in Canada

In 1978, the Ontario Black History Society (OBHS) formerly proclaiming February as Black History Month. The following year, the first-ever Canadian proclamation was made by the City of Toronto. Ten years after the OBHS made its declaration, Nova Scotia designated February as Black History Month in 1988, which was renamed as African Heritage Month in 1996. In 1993, OBHS's motion to the Ontario government to make its proclamation a provincial one was successful and paved the way for a national proclamation in the House of Commons in 1995.
To further solidify the legacy of the black community in Canada, the Senate introduced the Motion to Recognize Contributions of Black Canadians and February as Black History Month in February 2008.


eLibrary Literature Resources

Twelve Mile Coulee's Learning Commons has an abundance of BIPOC resources in our collection, including the following focusing on black history, particularly that of the migration of black people south of our boarder to parts of Upper Canada and the Maritimes via the Underground Railroad. To put in your eLibrary book order for any of the noted books below, just click on the title links and get the relevant information to input into our online book order form:

Digital Resources

To learn more about black history in Canada, watch the following videos:

Black History Month: Canada 2021



Government of Canada: Proud of Our History



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