NEWSLETTER IN THIS ISSUE Teachers for Climate Justice
SUMMER/FALL 2018 1
Lesson Idea: Create a climate change metaphor 2
Teachers for Climate Justice
Kinship Care Families: Who are they? What do they want? 3
by Michael Rosen, Vancouver secondary teacher
Welfare Food Challenge by Raise the Rates 4
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Welfare Food Challenge
5
Failing at CBC Food Bank Day
6
Why Wear a White Poppy?
7
Introducing “Searching for Home: Nasrin’s Journey” 8 What I’ve learned about Israel and Palestine 11 The Arts as Tools for Peace
13
Telling Tales to Create Allies
15
#MeToo: What can Teachers do?
16
Red Card for Racism Campaign
17
Leaders lobbying for health and safety on International Women’s Day 2018
21
Education International World Women’s Conference 2018
22
The reality is...
24
Youth at Risk: The impact of the closing of Iron Horse Safe House in Maple Ridge 25 Windermere Secondary School Housing Justice Conference
27
‘Mimkwamlis and The Cultural Sharing Project
28
Eliminating Stereotypes and Reducing Mental Health Stigma 31 A glimpse into Social Justice 12 classrooms 32 Grants, Funds, and Awards
34
CASJ 35 Climate Change: What we stand to lose 36
don’t remember too much of what my French Immersion Communications teacher said during the five years that he taught me, but I do remember the time he told us that he had been to the protests at Clayquot Sound. There was no serious lesson on it or a debate, just a little anecdote about going. I also vividly remember the picture in his classroom of an old-growth tree that said “Clayquot Sound.” He was taking action on something that he cared about. I took notice. This past year, hundreds of people have been arrested as part of the movement to stop Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline. The pipeline would ship bitumen from the Alberta Tar Sands and could lead to seven times more tanker traffic in the Burrard Inlet. Thousands of people have been taking action because they are concerned about oil spills, climate change, and the rights of First Nations who oppose the pipeline on their territory. I want to call on teachers to be a part of this movement. The new curriculum suggests that we teach the core competencies of critical thinking and social responsibility. It is important for us to model this in the real world and reflect this in our own actions. In practically every aspect of their regular lives—from Instagram to school hallways—students are bombarded with examples of passivity and cynicism. In contrast, teachers who are actively standing up for causes that they believe in can become islands of inspiration in a sea of apathy, selfcentred ambition, and distraction. Moreover, being involved in this movement means acting and working in solidarity with local First Nations. This is a huge learning opportunity for all of us settler
What we stand to lose with pipelines and tankers
It’s a matter of when not if... For information on Environmental Justice teaching resources, please refer to: bctf.ca/SocialJustice.aspx?id=22000&libID=21990 Sponsored by the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation bctf.ca PSI17-0123 Composite image, L. Isidoro. Source images: Thinkstock
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