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Youth Development

Rediscover books

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BY: KATHY MCDONALD

As I begin to write this article it’s twenty degrees outside and I have just finished picking up my four-year-old, child number four, from school. I was wearing a cotton long sleeved shirt. Does mother nature realize that it’s February? I am so inspired by the unexpected thrill of going for a walk in winter while wearing no coat that I am motivated to read some Anansi stories to my daughter when we reach home.

We ended up reading for over an hour until child number three rings the doorbell. Child number four is so excited about sharing the stories that I had dramatized for her that now child number three grabs a drink of water and gets a book. She is reading books from the Silver Birch reading list. This list consists of a selection of books which may be categorized as fiction or nonfiction. This program is offered in various schools where a teacher has volunteered to coordinate the program that is run in conjunction with the Ontario Library Association. This program is geared towards children in grades three to six. There are a certain amount of books that a student must read and evaluate if they want to participate in the ultimate field trip and have the opportunity to vote for their favourite book to receive the coveted Silver Birch Award.

Child number two who was home sick with a bad cough joins in reading, For My Country, Black Canadians on the Field of Honour. It was marvelous, we were all reading for pleasure and enjoying every minute of it. As we enter March break I challenge everyone to rediscover reading. Encourage your children to read just for the joy of reading. To make this task easier let your child pick a book that excites them. In fact, why not venture out to your neighborhood library and select a few good books. Did you know that the library has many different programs that are offered throughout March break. These programs include a vast range of reading programs geared to all, from newborns, to adolescents, and to teenagers.

For the very young reader, I would suggest board books as they are more sturdy and tend to be more interactive. They may have plans to open, shut, push or pull as well they may have texture, buttons to push and creative activities to engage a child. There are books for all reading levels and books for all hobbies, personalities as well as all genres. The Robert Munsch collection of books are usually well appreciated by the primary reader. For the junior reader, there are copious amounts of new and not so new series, for example, Dog Man, SugarPlum Fairies series, The Magic School Bus, and Treehouse. There are culturally relevant books for a diverse people like those of the African, Black and Caribbean communities.

My suggestion for middle school students is a wide range of graphic novels. I would also strongly recommend: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas and The Stone Thrower: A Daughter’s Lessons, A Father’s Life by Jael Richardson. For the high school student I would recommend: A Fugitive in Walden Woods by Norman Lock; Policing Black Lives, State Violence in Canada from Slavery to the Present by Robyn Maynard and They Can’t Kill Us All by Wesley Lowery.

If you have a reluctant reader, book selection is very important. Find a book that will captivate their imagination as well as stimulate their senses. You would be surprised how literacy can be improved by reading comics, graphic novels, and other nontraditional reading materials. Make it a family event as various studies have supported the theory that children who see their parents reading often are more likely to be avid readers themselves.

Marley Dias created a list of one thousand books that she felt “improved the identity of black girls and increased the racial consciousness of those unfamiliar with black girls”. This list, 1000 Black Girl Books propelled Ms. Dias to a young celebrity virtually overnight. Last year Forbes magazine listed Marley as one of Forbes top 30 under 30. This is quite an accomplishment for a girl who is not yet in high school. Please note that there is also a list for boys.

In the busyness of the modern family, it’s important to create opportunities of calm, quiet repose. We need to encourage our children to reduce their screen time and increase thoughtful, critical and engaging alternatives. There is still magic, in my opinion, to hold and feel a book. It is easier on my eyes to read a book as opposed to reading off a screen. The glare causes my eyes to ache. I know I may be aging myself but…. we all, if we are fortunate to get older eventually and we should work proactively to preserve our eyes. So, journey with me and rediscover the joys of reading a book. Walk Good! Belle Marché.

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Youth Development

Understanding the multiple layers involved in navigating education spaces Parents of Black Children launch Navigating the Education System

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BY PAUL JUNOR

The work of the advocacy group Parents of Black Children (PoBC) has made a significant and revolutionary difference by bringing issues to the forefront that help Black families at all levels.

For over two years now, it has organized events, workshops and initiatives that have provided important information to the Black community to bring empowerment, knowledge and deep understanding of the multiple layers of the complex dynamics involved in navigating education spaces.

There are five core principles that underlie PoBC understanding of racism:

  1. Racialization
  2. Racism is about power
  3. Critical racial theory
  4. Our stories matter
  5. Racism is founded on White supremacy

On Tuesday, November 23rd, 2021, they launched the document Navigating the Education System,” which was a very empowering, enriching and inspiring tool for diverse Black families. Kearie Daniels, one of the cofounders of PoBC and author of the document, moderated the launch. Furthermore, Claudette Rutherford, one of the cofounders of PoBC and author gave an extensive presentation of the details of the document, sharing useful insights, practical knowledge and interesting information.

PoBC shared a pdf document subsequent to the launch, which provided additional details in a fifty-three-page package. It contained relevant, contextual and vital resources. PoBC’s Advocacy Team supported the document, which includes Charline Grant and Xavier McLaughin.

In the introduction to the document the mission of PoBC is to “Provide support to parents of Black children across Canada and the United States. We advocate and work towards change and concrete action in our education system and adjacent systems such child welfare and the justice system.”

The launch of this vital document is a culmination of all the advocacy and activist work that PoBC has been extensively involved in. It serves to remind members of the Black community that there are resources, tools and supports available to ensure that Black children are able to thrive academically, excel mentally and flourish intellectually in spaces that may not be welcoming to their presence.

The document states that the navigate guide is “Geared towards families in Ontario, but the information can be applied to any jurisdiction where there are Black children and families.”

The document “Table of Contents” is useful and helpful. There is vital information on:

  • School board terms you need to know
  • Education organization you need to know in Ontario
  • Black families and the Child Welfare System
  • Black families and the education system
  • Black students and Individual Education Plans (IEPs)
  • Black students in High School.
  • Developmental delays in learning exceptionalities
  • Supporting students with learning exceptionalities
  • Selecting a school system
  • System abuse

PoBC presented a webinar on “System Abuse”. The document states,

“The system is not neutral. These systems were designed as part of a colonial framework that must be dismantled.” Furthermore, the document “Serves as a means to demystify the pitfalls within the education system and light a path towards a decolonized education system.”

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Youth Development

Toronto prepares families for COVID-19 vaccination of children

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Photo by Charles Deluvio Library on Unsplash

BY PAUL JUNOR

There have been concerns, fears and anxieties as parents, caregivers and guardians anticipate the possibility of having their children under twelve vaccinated.

The Boston Globe reported on Friday, October 29th, 2021, that the FDA approved the administration of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to children between the ages of five to eleven. These children will receive one-third of the dose administered to teens and adults.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention met on Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021, in order to finalize details with respect to which children should be vaccinated first. In anticipation of these developments, Team Toronto has initiated a series of outreach and education sessions, as well as town halls in order to inform the Toronto community.

Parents of children between the ages of five to eleven who attend public schools will be receiving an email and an invitation to respond to a survey to “Support vaccine planning.”  This invitation will also be extended to parents whose children attend private independent schools as well. The survey will be administered by Toronto Public Health (TPH) and the City of Toronto VaxTO in order to “Better understand parents’ intent to vaccinate their children, how they would prefer to have their children receive their COVID-19 vaccine, and to obtain critical information on socio-demographic factors such as race and income.”

John Tory, Mayor of Toronto, is optimistic and positive about this development. He states in the press release, “While our work to get 90% of eligible residents vaccinated is continuing, we are also readying for when the vaccine will be available to protect kids five to eleven. We want to hear from parents, so we made sure we designed a vaccination program that works for kids and their families. This is just one more example of the outreach we are doing to prepare for this effort. This work is so important and will help us get kids vaccinated so they have the best protection against COVID-19 and so our schools can be as safe and as open as possible.”

Councillor Joe Cressy, Chair of Toronto’s Board of Health who has been at the forefront of advocating for the vaccination of margnizalied and at-risk communities is supportive of this campaign. He states, “At every stage of our immunization campaign, connecting with people on the ground has been critical to our success. Now, as we prepare for the rollout of vaccines to children aged five to eleven, we’re committed to engaging directly with parents, families, and community leaders to have active conversations about vaccinations for kids.”

In addition, Dr Eileen De Villa, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health is a strong proponent of this campaign. She states,” When vaccines are approved for use and when we have supply we will ensure that we bring every resource to bear on this critical component of the vaccination campaign.”

The survey will be available as of Sunday, November 7th, 2021. It consists of fifteen questions that will be available online at s.tphsurvey.chkmkt.com in multiple languages. Parents and guardians will receive them from their children’s public school boards. In addition, there will be town halls for specified multilingual communities as well as neighbourhood-based telephone halls to ensure that the public has access to timely, necessary and relevant information for informed decision-making.

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Youth Development

Act as if what you do makes a difference. IT DOES

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BY SABRINA S. – 12 YEARS OLD

The school year is coming to an end, I’m sure that this year was hectic for everyone. Last year, we had a pandemic strike in the middle of the year and the world was sent into lockdown.

We didn’t get to go to school for the rest of the year.

Many students got to choose if they wanted to do school in-person or online, I chose online since I didn’t feel safe.

First day of school was very weird, most people don’t turn their cameras on, don’t even get me started on the wifi issues. I would lag out of the google meet many times and miss most of the instructions on the assignment. That is when friends come in handy, though I don’t get to see my friends that often, we still connect with some online games and phone calls through snap chat.

I don’t know where the time went, it just flew by. Last month was September and suddenly, I feel like we skipped eight months. I only have a week of school left! Because it is the last week of school, I have a lot of homework and final assignments to do but I know I’ll get through them and finish the school year.

I haven’t had time to go outside as well, I’ve been too busy with my assignments.

If my school year was this hectic, imagine the teacher’s year. I’m very grateful for everything my teachers have done for me and my classmates this year, they definitely deserve the three-month summer break. I’m sure my teachers doubted teaching online, but everything went okay and I learned lots.

“No matter how hard it is, or how hard it gets. I’m going to make it!”

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