News and events

  • Meet our graduates: Karen Bordonaro

    Bachelor of Education in Adult Education

    For Karen Bordonaro, graduating from the Bachelor of Education in Adult Education (ADED) marks her sixth degree.

    Bordonaro feels strongly about lifelong learning. A Liaison Librarian at Brock University, she already holds a PhD in Foreign and Second Language Education, an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), Master of Library Science, an MA in German, and a BA in German and Spanish.Read more

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  • Meet our graduates: Charlene Hall

    Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (BECE)

    Charlene Hall has always wanted to be a teacher. After completing a diploma in Early Childhood Education, Hall took the next step towards her goal by enrolling in Brock’s Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (BECE) program.

    Hall used the BECE program to pursue her personal interests as well as her professional ambitions. At every opportunity, Hall opted for electives on Indigenous spirituality to learn more about her heritage.Read more

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  • Meet our graduates: Olivia Hodder

    Concurrent Teacher Education (Junior/Intermediate)

    For Olivia Hodder, coming to Brock taught her as much about herself as it did about being a great educator.

    “If I had to sum up my whole teaching experience it would be trying to solve some family history as well as trying to figure out who I am as a person and who I want to be as a teacher,” said Hodder, a Concurrent Teacher Education graduate.Read more

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  • Meet our graduates: Nicole Tsitsopoulos

    Concurrent Teacher Education (Intermediate/Senior)

    Nicole Tsitsopoulos has always wanted to be a teacher. When she crosses the stage on June 12, she is one step closer to her dream.

    For Tsitsopoulos, Brock offered a chance to pursue teaching along with another passion: chemistry.Read more

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  • Meet our graduates: Christina De Silva

    Concurrent Teacher Education (Junior/Intermediate)

    Christina De Silva’s Brock career ended on a high note with her receiving the Science Teachers’ Association of Ontario Galbraith Preservice Teacher Award of Excellence. She was nominated for the award by Susan Docherty-Skippen, an Instructor in the Faculty of Education. De Silva is graduating from the Concurrent Teacher Education program. Her first teachable subject is history and her second is biology.Read more

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  • Meet our graduates: Herbert Vigil

    Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (BECE)

    When Brock’s Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (BECE) students graduate on June 12, Herbert Vigil will be the only male crossing the stage.

    “Everyone’s very supportive,” said Vigil of his experience as one of the few men in the BECE program.Read more

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  • Event: Consecutive Teacher Education information sessions

    Thinking about a teaching career? Registration for information sessions on Brock’s Consecutive Teacher Education program is now open.

    During the information sessions, you can learn more about:

    • the flow of the 16-month(2-year) program
    • courses
    • practicums
    • two campuses (St. Catharines and Hamilton)
    • admission requirements (academic and experience profile)

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  • Event: A Celebration of Mathematics

    OAME Golden Section Spring Conference

    The OAME Golden Section Spring Conference takes place in Welch Hall at Brock University on Wednesday, April 17. The conference is presented by the Golden Section of OAME, Brock University Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Brock University Department of Mathematics and Brock University Faculty of Education.

    This year, the conference features a keynote by the inspiring Bill Ralph.

    Registration Information

    Conference Fee

    • $30.00 for OAME member
    • $35.00 for non-member
    • $10 for Faculty of Education Students
    • Dinner: additional $25.00

    All registration will be done electronically at www.oame.on.ca/mcis starting on Tuesday, March 26th. Click on Conferences Open For Registration, then click on Online Registration for Golden MiniConference 2019. If you have questions regarding registration, please e-mail: liisa.suurtamm@dsbn.org.

    Other questions can be directed to: elizabeth.pattison@dsbn.org or jaime.rootes@ncdsb.com.

    Driving Directions to Brock University can be found here: brocku.ca/directions. Parking is available in Lot D. When arriving, tell the parking attendant you are attending the OAME conference to be admitted into the lot. To locate Welch Hall, please view the map of the Brock Campus available at brocku.ca/maps.

    Schedule of Events

    3:45 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. – Registration Welch Hall, Brock University
    4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. – Session A: Keynote – Dr. Bill Ralph
    5:15  p.m. to  p.m. 5:30 – Break
    5:30  p.m. to 6:45  p.m. – Session B: Workshops
    7:00 p.m. – Dinner in Pond Inlet, Brock University (dinner will be a buffet selection including salads, pasta, an entre with side dishes and desserts)

    Session A: Keynote

    After professing his love for mathematics for more than 30 years in the Faculty of Mathematics at Brock University, Bill Ralph is retiring! Over those 30 years, Bill has been a consistent and enthusiastic supporter of Golden Section – he has opened his classroom to our students, given talks at our spring conference, provoked our thinking about the role of technology at our inaugural fall social, welcomed students at our Math Olympics and given a keynote address when the Provincial OAME conference was hosted by Golden. But more importantly, Bill has been, and continues to be, an inspiration to many mathematics teachers in the Niagara Region and beyond.

    We are thrilled that Bill will enlighten, entertain and inspire us once again at our mini-conference. Bill will be sharing highlights of his many interests, with a focus on:

    BOOM OR DOOM –The Mathematical Ups And Downs Of The Stock Market

    If your house is built on quicksand, in an earthquake zone, and on a flood plain, then buying stocks will be as easy for you as falling off a cliff. If you’re very risk averse like me, you might want to bring a little mathematics into your investing to help you sleep at night. We’ll look at what mathematics tells us about predicting risk and return and see if it can explain why the teachers’ pension fund does so well. Bring some coins to toss for some hands-on experiments that could introduce your students (elementary or secondary!) to stock market mathematics. You might want to have a look at my financial website www.portfoliomath.com or my art website www.billralph.com.

    Session B: Workshops

    B1: Engaging Students in Mathematics Learning Through Games and Puzzles

    • Presenters: Mary Vetere & Melissa Wigglesworth, NCDSB
    • Audience: Grades K – 3
    • Are you looking for ideas to engage students in math learning? This session will explore a range of tasks that can be used immediately to get K-3 students excited about mathematics.

    B2: Engaging Students in Mathematics Learning Through Games and Puzzles

    • Presenters: Susan Ume & Jaime Rootes, NCDSB
    • Audience: Grades 4 – 8
    • Are you looking for ideas to engage students in math learning? This session will explore a range of tasks that can be used immediately to get 4-8 students excited about mathematics.

    B3: Inquiry Based-Learning in Mathematics in Junior/Intermediate Classrooms

    • Presenter: Gillian Berard, NCDSB
    • Audience: Grades 5 – 8
    • “How can I create a business?” Learn how to implement, assess and document student driven inquiries in the junior/intermediate classrooms in mathematics. Engage in activities that show how to create a class of deep learning, wonder, to spiral your program and to integrate multiple strands during an inquiry. Learn how to use questions and curiosities to engage students in your mathematics classroom with examples of financial literacy, woodworking, coding, building, cooking and much more …

    B5: Building a Thinking Classroom

    • Presenter: Braden Coles, DSBN
    • Audience: 9 – 12
    • Have you ever wondered who does the thinking in your classroom? Is it your students or you? During this session we will explore elements of Peter Liljedahl’s Thinking Classroom such as vertical non-permanent surfaces, visible random groupings and flow. In this session participants will learn about these elements and how they benefit student learning. Participants will explore problem solving in a vertical classroom, putting themselves in the position of the student and witness firsthand the benefits to student learning. [Note: This session will be different from the DSBN PD Day session.]

    B6: Let Me Tell You My Problems

    • Presenter: Angelo Lillo, DSBN
    • Audience: Grades 9 – 12
    • Problem based instruction is a great way to engage students in Mathematics. I try to use problems to begin my classes as often as possible, but it is sometimes difficult to find good ones that fit the curriculum. I have scoured the internet and other sources for problems that will challenge your students and help them to become creative thinkers and risk-takers. Join me for a hour where you will have a chance to work on some interesting problems that fit different parts of the secondary Mathematics curriculum. . [Note: This session will be different from the DSBN PD Day session.]

    B7: Can You Escape Math Class?

    • Presenter: Melissa Suita, DSBN
    • Audience: Grades 9 – 12
    • Escape Rooms are all the rage right now and students are just as hooked as adults. Why not take something as fascinating as an Escape Room experience and adapt it for the classroom environment! With just a few basic supplies, and a bit of creativity, you can create a similar experience for your math students.

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  • Event: Upcoming information sessions

    Information sessions for three Faculty of Education programs will take place on March 23 at the Hamilton Campus:

    • An information session for those who have completed (or will soon complete) a university degree and would like to apply to the Consecutive Teacher Education program to pursue a career in teaching. Register here to attend the information session.
    • An information session for those applying for admission to the January 2020 intake of the Technological Teacher Education to become a Technological Education Teacher and teach one of Ontario’s 10 Broad Based Technology curriculum. Register for the information session here.
    • An information session for those already holding an ECE diploma who are interested in earning a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Honours) degree. Register here to attend the information session.

    Brock will be offering on-the-spot admissions to the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education program. If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity, please bring:

    • high school and post-secondary transcripts
    • photo ID
    • $100 application fee for full-time studies; $55 application fee for part-time studies

    Directions to the Hamilton Campus are available here.

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  • Event: Speaker to explore new grounds on race debate in Cuba

    Guest speaker Porfirio Samuel Furé Davis will explore the race debate in Cuba during a presentation hosted by Brock’s Faculty of Education on Tuesday, March 12.

    Race and racism have been controversial topics in Cuba in the post-revolutionary period. Furé’s talk will explore new grounds for the race debate in Cuba and provide insight into a complex discussion.

    A distinguished scholar and Professor Titular in the School of Foreign Languages at the University of Havana, Furé is known for his work on Afro-Caribbean oral tradition, Cuban reggae and Anglo-Caribbean literature, and is also the author of La Cultura Rastafari en Cuba, his seminal history of the Rastafarian movement in Cuba. He also serves as a host and a scholarly mentor to visiting international scholars who go to Cuba to study the issue of Black culture in Cuba.

    The talk was organized by Michael O’Sullivan, Associate Professor and Associate Dean Graduate Student Services, Research and International in the Faculty of Education. Furé has been connected with Brock since 2008 and has collaborated with O’Sullivan on a research project in the past.

    His talk takes place from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in WH 206. All are welcome to attend.

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