ImmigrantChildren.ca Archive

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  • Call for papers: Diversity, equity and excellence in education

    A call for papers for the 2012 International Conference hosted by the Korean Association for Multicultural Education (KAME) on May 11-12, 2012 at Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea. The conference theme is Diversity, Equity and Excellence in Education.
    The conference will provide a platform for researchers, policy makers, and practitioners in the field of multicultural education to share ideas and research findings and develop a worldwide network of scholarly discussions.
    KAME invites submissions of manuscripts (or extended abstracts which are detailed enough for the organizers to judge the merits of the paper). Any presentation pertaining to the conference theme or related topics dealing with research agendas and policy issues in the field of multicultural education are welcome.
    Submit manuscript or extended abstract electronically with a short curricular vitae to kame2008@naver.com by November 10, 2011. The KAME will inform the authors of whether the submitted paper is accepted by December 10, 2012.

  • Teaching to difference, a call for papers

    From the NAME listserv (National Association for Multicultural Education), a call for papers for an edited volume, entitled Teaching to Difference. The collection will examine pedagogical issues in the classroom across ethnicities. Chapters are to be based on experiential (point of view) analysis.  Topics may include, but are not limited to the following questions:

    1. How do you connect the (national/state) curriculum to the lived experiences of your students?
    2. If you as the teacher are the minority in your classroom (e.g., white teacher teaching predominantly racial/ethnic minority students or you are a racial/ethnic minority teaching to white students) how do you connect to students?
    3. What are the challenges and opportunities of diversity in the classroom in terms of the way you teach?
    4. How do you reconcile or navigate the gap/imbalance between diversity and multicultural public discourse from school and classroom practices?
    5. Pedagogically, how do you deal with the normalised practice of streaming minority students into special education, alternative schools and behavioural management programs?

    Abstracts of less than 250 words and a brief bio of max 100 words to Nicole E. Johnson nejohnrob@yahoo.com by August 7, 2011 with Teaching to Difference in the subject line. (Final papers, if selected, are due Oct 31, 2011).

  • Children on the move: The impact of voluntary and involuntary migration on the lives of children

    A special issue of Global Studies of Childhood (Vol 1, No 2, 2011) on the impact of migration on the lives of children has been released. Edited by Ada Lai and Rupert MacLean, the issue includes the following articles:

    Ravinder Sidhu, Sandra Taylor & Pam Christie. Schooling and Refugees: Engaging with the complex trajectories of globalisation.
    Su-Ann Oh. Rice, Slippers, Bananas and Caneball: Children’s narratives of internal displacement and forced migration from Burma.
    Rajeshwari Asokaraj. Resisting Bare Life: Children’s reproduction of quotidian culture in a Sri Lankan camp.
    Antonina Tereshchenko & Helena C. Araujo. Stories of Belonging: Ukrainian immigrant children’s experiences of Portugal.
    Celeste Y.M. Yuen & Rosalind Wu. New Schooling and New Identities: Chinese immigrant students’ perspectives.

    For information on the journal, see the Global Studies of Childhood website.

  • Muslim prayer in the Toronto District School Board

    There is discussion in the media today about the complaint brought forward by the group Canadian Hindu Advocacy about the Toronto District School Board‘s religious accommodation policy – and practice in one its schools. See, for example, Kelly McParland’s piece in today’s National Post.
    Thought I’d quickly share resources that may be useful in understanding this issue:
    The Ontario Ministry of Education Policy/Program Memorandum 119 which provides “direction to school boards on the review, development, implementation, and monitoring of equity and inclusive education policies to support student achievement. Our schools need to help students develop into highly skilled, knowledgeable, and caring citizens who can contribute to both a strong economy and a cohesive society”.
    Here’s what the PPM says about religious accommodation:

    School board policies on religious accommodation must be in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the requirements stated in Policy/Program Memoranda No. 108, “Opening or Closing Exercises in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools”, and  No. 112, “Education About Religion in the Public Elementary and Secondary Schools”. As part of their new or revised equity and inclusive education policy and implementation plan, boards will include a religious accommodation guideline in keeping with the Ontario Human Rights Code, which prohibits discrimination on the grounds of creed (includes religion) and imposes a duty to accommodate. Accordingly, boards are expected to take appropriate steps to provide religious accommodation for students and staff.

    The EDU states that school boards have 4 years to develop and implement policies.
    The Toronto District School Board‘s policy, Guidelines and Procedures for the Accommodation of Religious Requirements, Practices and Observances “Explains in detail the religious accommodations that are necessary in schools in the Toronto District School Board. Many religions’ prayer, diet, attire, and holiday laws and observances are explained in order for schools to make appropriate accommodations for students”.
    Also see : The Ontario Human Rights Code.

  • Refugee, Aboriginal, Francophone, Multicultural = Canadian. The Celebration days of summer are here

    June 20 is World Refugee Rights Day.
    June 21 is National Aboriginal Day
    June 24 is Saint-Jean-Baptiste ou fête nationale
    June 27 is Canadian Multiculturalism Day
    July 1 is Canada Day.

    Enjoy. Bonne Fete. Sto lat.

  • Immigrant children, youth and families: A Qualitative analysis of the challenges of integration

    This spring, the Social Planning Council of Ottawa concluded work on “Immigrant children, youth and families: A Qualitative analysis of the challenges of integration”, as part of their Families in Community project.
    The report addresses the disconnect when newcomer families feel their parenting and child-rearing methods are not acknowledged/respected and the tension service providers feel about some newcomers who they perceive demonstrate a lack of commitment to early child development.
    Next stages in the SPCO Families in Community project will result in:

    An analysis of best/good practices for culturally-based family supports by ethno-cultural organizations.
    Supports to good/best practices within 8 pilot projects with small ethno-cultural organizations.
    A resource kit for mainstream family services based on good practices serving new immigrant families.

    The report will be launched at the annual Social Planning Council of Ottawa AGM, May 26, 2011 in Ottawa. For information, contact Helene by May 15 at 613-236-9300 ext. 300 office@spcottawa.on.ca.  Free admission, but donations are welcome.

  • Paul Gorski's 10 commitments to multicultural education

    Well-known multicultural educator Paul Gorski has written a guest post on the blog of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences. Here’s a snapshot of Gorski’s ten commitments each multicultural educator must make:

    1. Commit to working at the intersections ~ consider how multiple identities and oppressions intersect
    2. Understand the sociopolitics of schooling ~ consider your work in the context of neo-liberalism, corporatization, consumer and pop culture, among others
    3. Refuse the masters’ paradigms ~ resist the urge to refer to children and families as “at risk”, for example, and refuse the temptation to ‘sell’ multiculturalism as a way to compete in a global market
    4. Transcend the 4 D’s: Dress, dance, diet and dialet and push multiculturalism beyond celebrations that, while having a place, can serve to perpetuate stereotypes rather than challenge them
    5. Don’t equate (or promote) multiculturalism with universal validation ~any multicultural ‘space’ cannot be both multicultural and hegemonic
    6. Resist simple solutions to complex issues ~ challenge the status quo, even of multicultural theories and approaches
    7. Be informed ~ do your work, check research to ensure it includes a community context and reflects actual voices
    8. Work with and in service to the disenfranchised ~ apply multicultural principles to the work and to the process of the work
    9. Reject deficit ideology ~  examine power hierarchies from the ground up and do not look down at those disenfranchised by power inequities
    10. Pursue justice, not peace ~ do not assume that parties occupy similar space on the privilege-oppression continuum

    See the full blog posting here.

  • Newcomer Children's Services in BC

    The Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies (AMSSA) May 9th  AMSSA Newcomer Children’s Information Exchange, or ANCIE Bulletin, announces the release of the “Compendium of Newcomer Children’s Services in British Columbia” and links to videos and presentations from the first Provincial Symposium on Cultural Competencies: Supporting Newcomer Children, held at SFU Harbour Centre in February, 2010.
    What a rich resource! The Compendium provides an overview of programs and services for newcomer children from birth to age 12. It was developed by AMSSA member agencies in BC. The Compendium includes:

    •    A list of programs developed at the community level for newcomer children
    •    An overview of general children’s programs that have been modified to meet the specific needs of newcomer children
    •    Agencies, groups and individuals with expertise in providing services to newcomer children.

    Presentations at the February 2010 symposium, linked in the Bulletin include:

    •    Sylvia Helmer, UBC, ESL Consultant: Cultural Competency in the Classroom and Curriculum
    •    Jim Anderson, UBC: Engaging Newcomer Children and Parents through Literacy
    •    Deb Kohen and Amber Phillips, Ministry of Children and Family Development: Positive Parenting Program: Helping newcomer families understand Canadian laws and norms in discipline and parenting.

  • Canadian Council for Refugees spring consultation

    The Canadian Council for Refugees spring consultation will be held from May 26-28, 2011 in Hamilton, Ontario.
    2011 marks the 60th anniversary of the Refugee Convention. The 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees is the internationally recognized legal document that defines who a refugee is, what their rights are and the legal obligations of states parties to the Convention.
    This consultation includes (so far) at least two sessions directly related to children/youth/family issues, including:
    The impact of lost or mistaken identity documents for youth

    Lost identity documents (ID) or misinformation can have serious impacts on the lives of refugee and immigrant youth in Canada. This workshop will look at the problems associated with trying to replace lost or mistaken identity documents for newcomer youth, and some possible solutions and actions.

    Convention compliance for refugee children

    The purpose of this workshop will be to explore the extent of Canada’s compliance with the Refugee Convention in the  areas of refoulement, detention and family reunification. Participants will review CCR activities relative to each area and brainstorm about potential activities the CCR could undertake to promote greater compliance.

    For more information, visit the Canadian Council for Refugees website.

  • AMSSA Newcomer Child Information Exchange e-Bulletin: Family Dynamics

    The latest edition of the ANCIE (AMSSA Newcomer Child Information Exchange) looks at the issues, challenges and experiences of refugee families, their children and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the complexities of family dynamics. The e-Bulletin includes a case study, lists useful resources and offers strategies for working with refugee children.
    ANCIE has produced 5 e-Bulletins now, including this latest:

    March, 2010 ~ Trends in migration of children in BC
    May, 2010 ~ English Language Learners
    July, 2010 ~ Health and Wellness of Newcomer Children
    Nov, 2010 ~ Refugee Children
    April, 2011 ~ Family Dynamics

    Downnload the PDF e-Bulletins from the ANCIE website or get on their email list by emailing:newcomerchildren@amssa.org.