scholarly journals The First Flute: Whowhoahyahzo Tohkohya by D. Bouchard

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Trudy Cardinal ◽  
Lynne Driedger-Enns
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Arts Education ◽  
Visual Art ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Visual Images ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Indigenous Children ◽  
Education And Development ◽  
The University

Bouchard, David. The First Flute: Whowhoahyahzo Tohkohya. Markham: Red Deer Press, 2015. Print.With poetic words, Métis author, David Bouchard, encourages his readers to find a quiet place to share the telling of his hardcover book The First Flute.  Specifically, in order to honour the teachings of storyteller Standing Elk, Bouchard invites readers to “hear and dream it without interruptions” and this invitation immediately invokes a feeling of ceremony and spirituality; it attends deeply to protocol.David Bouchard, Jan Michael Looking Wolf, and Don Oelze collaborate in the retelling of a traditional story about a young man who had many skills appreciated by his village – hunting, fishing and tracking – but whose real passion, dancing, was not recognized until Grandfather Cedar gifted him with a flute. This, the first flute, helped the young man prove his worth to his village and to the woman he loved.The many different art forms that find voice in this book, such as storytelling, visual art, and music awaken spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental faculties and make space for thinking in new ways. The words, melodies, and gift of visual images that it shares serve to lighten the heart and invite the reader to hear and dream the story of Konhe Waci, Dancing Raven, but also to hear and dream their own stories of who they are in their own families and communities.The First Flute is a resource essential to any K-8 arts education classes to open conversations about identity, and how identity is shaped in relationship with other people and places.Highly recommended:  4 out of 4 starsReviewer:  Lynne Driedger-Enns & Trudy CardinalDr. Lynne Driedger-Enns is the 2015 Horowitz Scholar with the Centre for Research for Teacher Education and Development at the University of Alberta. Dr. Trudy Cardinal is a Cree/Métis scholar from the University of Alberta whose research interests center on the experiences of Indigenous children and families on and off school landscapes. They share an interest in stories and storytelling.

scholarly journals The Song Within My Heart by D. Bouchard

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Trudy Cardinal ◽  
Sulya Fenichel
Keyword(s):  
Children And Families ◽  
Indigenous Youth ◽  
Oral Storytelling ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Stakeholder Groups ◽  
Indigenous Children ◽  
Self Discovery ◽  
Equal Space ◽  
The University ◽  
Learning To Listen

Bouchard, David. The Song Within My Heart. Markham: Red Deer Press, 2015. Print.Similar to Nokum is My Teacher, David Bouchard and Allen Sapp team up to tell the story of a young boy and his Nokum, his grandmother.  Drawing upon his memories, illustrator Allen Sapp paints rich, expressive images of his own Nokum while Bouchard, in the form of a poem, tells the story of a young boy’s first experience of a Pow-wow. Bouchard and Sapp warmly guide the reader to more deeply understand the sacredness of story and song.  They highlight the importance of learning to listen with one’s whole being and not just with one’s ears; to crave more than a direct understanding of the words of a story or a song, but to feel its broader presence as a teaching, as a living part of the teller, and as part of an ongoing journey of learning and self-discovery. Through the wisdom of his Nokum both the narrator and we, as readers, come to know that “[a] story is a sacred thing,” and that stories – especially those we carry in our hearts and “call our own” – are more valuable than “toys or clothes,” than “jewels or cars.”  Given the sacredness of stories, we are cautioned to “never use another’s tale, [u]nless he knows and he approves.” The book, along with the drum beats and voices present on the accompanying CD, invites us to think differently about what it means to learn and what it means to respect our own voices and internal knowing. As if to remind us that gentleness is always required in processes of learning, the book ends with a reminder not to worry if we cannot yet understand its message and encourages its readers to continue to listen in these more complex ways, to keep listening for a story they might come to hear, that no one else hears - a story of their very own. The book is written for elementary children and yet appeals to all ages.  For those wanting to create spaces for the stories of Indigenous children and families, books such as The Song Within My Heart are essential. Not only does it give equal space upon the page for both English and Cree text but with the CD, also inclusive of both English and Cree Language versions and the music of Northern Cree, it also honours oral storytelling traditions.Recommended:  4 out of 4 starsReviewers:  Trudy Cardinal & Sulya FenichelDr. Trudy Cardinal is a Cree/Métis scholar from the University of Alberta whose research interests center on the experiences of Indigenous children and families on and off school landscapes. Her passion for stories and storytelling includes a love of children’s literature especially literature written by and portraying the multiplicities in the lives of Indigenous youth and families.Sulya Fenichel is a doctoral student at the University of Alberta. Mindful of important, and increasing, mandates to include Indigenous approaches to living and learning into contemporary curricula she is fascinated by the ‘how’ of interconnection and communication between people(s) and disciplines.  In her research, she hopes to explore the ways in which key, and sometimes ideologically entrenched, ‘stakeholder’ groups might improve communication and collaboration in processes of education and sees storytelling, in all its forms, as central to this process.

scholarly journals 9 Degrees North: The ABCs of North Ghana

2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Dalmer
Keyword(s):  
Red Deer ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
School Students ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Northern Regions ◽  
The University ◽  
Made In

Tools for Schools Africa Foundation. 9 Degrees North: The ABCs of North Ghana. Red Deer, Alberta: Tools for Schools Africa Foundation, 2011. Print. Since 2003, Tools for Schools Africa Foundation has been working to increase educational opportunities in northern Ghana. A registered charity based out of Red Deer, Alberta, they have been working to advance the quality of life of those living in the northern regions of Ghana by improving access to post-primary education. One of their recent projects includes the publication of an ABC book for primary school students. 9 Degrees North: The ABCs of North Ghana is an amazing piece of beautiful artistry; each letter colourfully depicting animals, activities, plants, traditions, history and other aspects of Ghanaian life. Each of the 26 letters is illustrated by a different artist, allowing readers to be introduced to a variety of artistic mediums, including oils, pastels, watercolours and pencil. The artistry from letter to letter is unique, featuring different uses of colour and technique, yet each image is consistently impressive. The accessible and well-written sentences that accompany each illustration introduce readers to Bolga baskets (grass baskets made in Bolgatanga), Kapok trees (used by people and farm animals for its shade), Oware (the national game of Ghana), and the Black Volta River (full of crocodiles) amongst many other interesting facts and features about this country. In addition to the few sentences used to explain the illustrations associated with each of the 26 letters, there is a detailed appendix with additional facts about the object or focus of each letter which could serve as a useful teaching tool for using this book in the classroom. The appendix also includes several additional photographs and paintings of Ghana. 9 Degrees North: The ABCs of North Ghana is highly recommended for elementary school libraries as well as public libraries. With its varied and vibrant illustrations, and with proceeds from the sale of this book supporting scholarships for girls in northern Ghana, this will also make an excellent addition to any reader’s collection. Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Nicole Dalmer Nicole Dalmer is a Public Services Librarian at H.T. Coutts Education & Physical Education Library at the University of Alberta. She is interested in health literacy, pinball, and finding the perfect cup of coffee to accompany a good read.

“It Makes Me Feel Good to Teach People About My Culture:” On Collaborative Research Methods with Indigenous Young People

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-104
Author(s):  
Amy Mack ◽  
Jan Newberry
Keyword(s):  
Early Intervention ◽  
Young People ◽  
Digital Library ◽  
Collaborative Research ◽  
Design Studio ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Community Partners ◽  
Southern Alberta ◽  
Indigenous Children ◽  
The University

In this article we, as settler scholars, explore process as method within a community-driven, supradisciplinary project in southern Alberta called Raising Spirit. The project was a collaboration between the University of Lethbridge’s Institute for Child and Youth Studies and Opokaa’sin Early Intervention Society, a nonprofit that serves Indigenous children and families in southern Alberta. The project team formed in response to Opokaa’sin’s need for a digital library of Blackfoot culture, language, and history. Here, we reflect on the methods used during this project, specifically paraethnography (Marcus & Holmes, 2008) and design studio (Rabinow, Marcus, Faubion, & Rees, 2008). Throughout, we argue that this approach produced a collective sphere (Rappaport, 2008) wherein young people and community partners, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, became collaborators throughout the process. In this space of vulnerability and potential, everyone could contribute, share, and learn.

scholarly journals Innovating in the Margins of Teacher Education: Developing a Bridging Program for Internationally Educated Teachers

in education ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 23-38
Author(s):  
Randolph Wimmer ◽  
Beth Young ◽  
Jing Xiao
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Professional Education ◽  
Field Experiences ◽  
International Teachers ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Education Professional ◽  
Immigrant Teachers ◽  
Trained Teachers ◽  
The University

In this article, we discuss our recent and current efforts to offer an innovative form of ongoing teacher education designed explicitly for Internationally Educated Teachers (IETs), which might be considered a type of in-service teacher education. We share some of the observations of IETs who have completed the Faculty of Education’s Bridging Program at the University of Alberta as well as our own experiences. Aspects of the program’s curriculum are described such as its framework including the organization of a bridging seminar and field experiences/practicum. To provide context, we review relevant policies and the limited but valuable research from other Canadian bridging programs for IETs. We conclude with a discussion of the most significant changes we have made to practices at the University of Alberta and address the issue of sustainability.        Keywords: Internationally Educated Teachers (IETs); immigrant teachers; foreign-trained teachers; recertification; bridging programs for international teachers; teacher education; professional education; in-service teacher education for international teachers.

scholarly journals Brave Music of a Distant Drum by M. Herbstein

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison Sivak
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Education ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Slave Trade ◽  
Adult Life ◽  
Sexual Assaults ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
The Public ◽  
Slave Ship ◽  
Person Perspective ◽  
The University

Herbstein, Manu. Brave Music of a Distant Drum. Red Deer, AB: Red Deer Press. 2012. Print. A young African-American man, Zachariah Wiliams, comes to visit his mother, who has been enslaved all her adult life. He, too, is a slave, but views his Brazilian owners as benevolent Christians, who have taught him how to read and write, gave him some pay for his bookkeeping work, and have promised to set him free in the coming years. He is reticent to meet with his mother who has never converted to Christianity, and with whom he is not close; she calls him by the name Kwame Zumbi, and she is uninterested in his successes working for his owners. She has asked him to smuggle some paper from his office, for she is going to tell a story she wishes him to write down for his own daughter to read when she is older.Ama's story is brutal in a way that is familiar to many readers, but not predictable. She tells of a failed rebellion on the slave ship, the beatings and sexual assaults that were a part of her everyday life, and of her love for Tomba, Zacharias' father. She writes of her intimacy with the daughter of her owners, emphasizing the strangeness of a girl who attempts to treat Ama well as a slave, but who does not truly want Ama to have her freedom. Although Ama has some momentary victories against people involved in the slave trade, she is never ultimately free. The novel does not attempt to fulfill a reader's hope for Ama's emancipation, and in this way, is more realistic than some fictional narratives of slavery in the Americas; it also avoids 'containing' the issue of slavery by ending with an individual's escape. This makes for a difficult, but strong novel.This young adult novel is based on author Herbstein's earlier historical novel for adults, Ama: A Story of the Atlantic Slave Trade. Herbstein has made an unusual move here, revising the original novel for a younger audience, and has made thoughtful choices in doing so. He has shortened the story significantly, skimming over much of Ama's experiences that take place between her kidnapping in her village, and her forced placement on a slave ship headed for Brazil. (He skillfully explains this change as the limited amount of paper that Zachariah been able to procure; Ama wishes to retain only the details of her brutal enslavement in Brazil.) Herbstein's use of shifting first-person perspective, alternating between Ama and Zacharias, efficiently conveys Ama's blunt telling with her son's change from disbelief to anger at the injustice she has endured—an injustice that implicates his Brazilian owners. Brave Music of a Distant Drum is a brutal, thoughtful, well-written book that would be excellent for teenage readers.Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Allison SivakAllison Sivak is the Public Services Librarian at the University of Alberta Libraries. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Library and Information Studies and Elementary Education, focusing on how the aesthetics of information design influence young people’s trust in the credibility of information content.

scholarly journals Cub’s Journey Home by G. Graham

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fire ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Running Water ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
The University

Graham, Georgia.  Cub’s Journey Home. Markham, ON:  Red Deer Press, 2015.  Print.Georgia Graham is a fine artist, but as a writer, needs a good editor.  Like her earlier work Where Wild Horses Run, this is a beautifully illustrated book.  Graham’s landscapes, trees, rivers, rocks, bears and flowers are all highly realistic. She tackles a variety of environments including snow, running water, forest fire, a burnt landscape and a garbage dump. Many of the images are frame-worthy.  There are flaws in the flames of her forest fire, some of which look like they belong on racing cars; however, in the next image, she absolutely captures the complexity of the fire reflected on swamp water.  Unfortunately, the text is an amalgamation of strange images and unusual or extravagant word choices. Why, for example, is a baby bear growing inside the mother called a “speck”?  There is so much purple prose that the reader is constantly distracted.  There are “long needles of sunlight” that “stab”.  The snow covering the den is “a curtain of lacy ice”. “A breeze runs its icy fingers through his fur.”  The cub “skedaddles”.  “A dark blanket [of smoke] rises up and steals the stars from the sky.” The whole text would have been much better if Graham had just written in her natural voice, as she occasionally does, to good effect.While the unusual word choices make the reading level of the text much too advanced for a picture book, the images, with their excellent rendering of Alberta landscapes, make it valuable.  This book is recommended with reservations for elementary school libraries and public libraries. Recommended with reservations: 2 out of 4 starsReviewer:  Sandy CampbellSandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines.  Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give.

scholarly journals Before We Go by A. Bright

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tami Oliphant
Keyword(s):  
Red Deer ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Family Secrets ◽  
Library And Information Studies ◽  
Information Studies ◽  
New Year’S Eve ◽  
Imminent Death ◽  
Cover Art ◽  
The University

Bright, Amy. Before We Go. Red Deer: Red Deer Press, 2012. Print. Before We Go is the bright debut of young adult novelist, Amy Bright. There is much to admire about this novel such as the quality of writing, the well-developed characters, and a carefully orchestrated plot. Bright’s story is set in Victoria, British Columbia and begins on New Year's Eve with 17-year-old Emily visiting her dying grandmother in hospital. Her grandmother’s imminent death is particularly poignant for Emily as she was raised by her grandparents when years before, Emily’s mother opted to pursue a career as a journalist in Vancouver leaving Emily in Victoria. With the death of her grandfather occurring a year ago, Emily’s routine of school, hospital, and home has left her lonely, isolated, and distant. However, this changes when Alex, a cancer patient at the hospital, asks Emily to join him and his sister, Lucy, for New Year’s Eve. Emily doesn’t know that Alex is dying from cancer and that his planned escape from the hospital is his last chance to be a normal teenaged boy. There is excellent chemistry and a genuine connection among the three main characters. It is apparent that Lucy loves Alex dearly and is torn between taking him back to the hospital and honoring his wish for one last adventure. Their night on the town takes them to several places and eventually to a New Year's Eve party. Through a series of flashbacks, the reader learns that the meeting between Emily and Alex is not coincidental and that family secrets have brought them together and will shape their lives and change them in ways none of them could have expected. The entire novel takes place over the course of one day and the use of flashbacks keep the reader engaged and provides further context for the character’s current situation. The ending of the story is abrupt, heart-breaking, and surprising. While the title of the book is layered with meaning, unfortunately, the cover art in this edition does not adequately convey the story. The novel would also benefit from additional editing. Overall, Before We Go is a recommended read for those who enjoy good, contemporary stories. Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Tami OliphantTami Oliphant works as a research librarian at the University of Alberta Libraries and for the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alberta. She earned her Master of Library and Information Studies from the University of Alberta and her doctorate from the University of Western Ontario. She has worked in academic libraries, public libraries, communications and planning, and as a sessional lecturer and researcher at the University of Alberta and the University of Western Ontario.

scholarly journals Granta 114: Aliens

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison Sivak
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Education ◽  
Science Fiction ◽  
Visual Art ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Library And Information Studies ◽  
Reading Materials ◽  
Information Studies ◽  
Cover Design ◽  
Roberto Bolano ◽  
The University

Aliens. Thematic issue of Granta: The Magazine of New Writing. 114 (Spring 2011)   Granta is a quarterly magazine of new writing from both established and emerging writers; although aimed primarily at adult audiences, it could easily be considered as a journal with appeal to young adults particularly due to its diverse content and style, offering readers a greater scope of choice. Granta could often, I suspect, serve to pique the interest of older adolescents  due in part to the periodical's contemporary approach to cover design, and its integration of visual art and poetry with prose, along with the obvious diversity and strength of the writing in general. An issue organized around the theme of 'Aliens' seems tailor-made to easily cross over from an adult to an adolescent audience. The black and silver cover with the hovering planet suggests science fiction; however, on closer look, the figures walking towards the planet wear suits and head coverings, and suggest displacement in earthly realms rather than within the final frontier. Indeed, most of the writings in this issue speak to feelings of alienation and alien environments. While stories are united by the emotional impacts of the characters’ strangeness in new environments, the works cover a broad scope; compare, for example, Chris Dennis’ fiction piece on a young drug addict facing life in prison, with Ann Patchett’s observations of a nun who taught her in childhood, who is now facing life outside the convent.  The writing in this issue is strong, and at times, explicit in its sexuality and violence, although not gratuitously so. Librarians and teachers may feel some hesitation in subscribing to Granta for their students due to restrictions around students’ reading materials; this would be unfortunate, as such a publication provides students exposure to such important contemporary writers as Roberto Bolaño, Madeleine Thien, and Paul Theroux. Recommended: 2 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Allison SivakAllison Sivak is the Assessment Librarian at the University of Alberta Libraries. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Library and Information Studies and Elementary Education, focusing on how the aesthetics of information design influence young people’s trust in the credibility of information content.

scholarly journals Fatima and the Clementine Thieves by M. Messier

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Schock
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Natural World ◽  
English Teacher ◽  
High School English ◽  
Small Children ◽  
Her Family ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Strong Statement ◽  
The University

Messier, Mireille. Fatima and the Clementine Thieves. Illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard. Red Deer Press, 2017Fatima helps her grandfather in their clementine orchard every day, caring not only for the trees and their harvest, but also for the spiders that protect the trees from insects. But when elephants ravage the orchard that she and her grandfather rely on, Fatima worries how they will save both the orchard and the elephants. Relying on advice from neighbours, Fatima’s grandfather determines to shoot the elephant mother and two calves, spending his last coins on a gun and ammunition. But Fatima seeks a solution outside human invention and rallies her spider friends to protect the orchard, saving both the orchard and the elephants from destruction.Messier’s Fatima is capable and inventive, driven not only by care for her family but also for the natural world: the spiders, the elephants, and the clementine trees. In a story otherwise populated by men, Fatima is a leader, embracing and befriending spiders who are usually feared or ignored, seeking solutions that will be best for all. Messier ensures that Fatima’s voice fills the pages; though the story is occasionally awkward in its transitions from scene to scene, her joy, her fear, her tenacity, and her words hold this story together. While the treatment of the orchard as the family’s sole livelihood is perhaps simplistic, Messier makes a strong statement about violence, in the end turning a gun into a support for a repaired clementine tree.Grimard’s beautifully warm illustrations are the star here, evoking Fatima’s joy and the grandfather’s devotion to her; the beauty and power of the elephants; and the strength of the smallest creatures, whether little girl or spider. Fatima and the Clementine Thieves is a lovely book that reminds readers how, with compassion and tenacity, someone small can make a powerful difference. Recommended for ages 5-7.Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Katherine SchockKatherine is a high school English teacher currently working on an MLIS at the University of Alberta. Her passion for children’s literature is kindled daily by her two small children and her much larger students. 

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document